I woke to the sound of a fire crackling. I tried to get up, but there were so many bandages around me, and they restrained me from getting up. I remembered what happened the last time I was awake, fighting a Titan on Mount Othrys. I wondered where I was and how long it had been since I was saved by the eagles. My vision was very blurry, but then it cleared, and I realized I was in the infirmary of Camp Jupiter.
"You're awake!" a girl's voice said. I strained my neck to the side and saw the girl I rescued sitting in a chair beside me. She had cleaned herself since last I saw her. Her blonde hair showed no sign of the coal, neither did her skin.
"Hi... uh. I never got your name," I laughed.
"Nikole, and you are Brian. Brian Pepper Holtz," she said laughing back.
"How did you know that?" I asked curiously.
"Your friends have filled me in, everything about you," she said. I didn't know who she was talking about, since my only two friends in this place were dead. She stood up and called the healers. Two Apollo kids walked in and removed my bandages. I stood up and drank nectar and ate ambrosia, and the pain was all gone.
"How long was I unconscious?" I asked Nikole.
"A week and and three days?" She guessed. Suddenly shock overcame me. I only had four days until Krios' army attacked, and they outnumbered us by a lot. She must've realized my shock because she asked:
"What? What's wrong?" I motioned for her to follow me, and we walked out of the infirmary.
"Krios attacks soon. His army is massive. I've gotta go tell the Praetor." I walked on through the road that lead to New Rome. Nikole looked at the architecture like I had when I first walked through camp. I would've looked in the same awe under different circumstances. But, this time, I ran down the road ignoring all the surroundings. Nikole followed me.
We made it to the gates of New Rome and I stepped in, and Nikole followed. It was at that moment I realized that my khopesh was still with Krios since I wasn't stopped at the gates. We walked a bit further and arrived at the Senate House. We walked in and walked up the stairs. I was only here once before, so I didn't remember where the Praetor's office was. Nicole found the door labeled 'SPQR- Praetor'. I was about to walk in.
"Wait out here. I'll be brief," I told her.
"I told you I'd never leave your side. And I don't mean to," she said, and her eyes looked like ones not to argue with, so I opened the door and we both walked in.
Praetor Stan was in the middle of writing a letter. He looked up.
"Haven't you ever heard to- Brian, by the gods. You're awake!" he exclaimed.
"Yes, sorry, fashionably late to the party, I know. We've got a lot to discuss, Stan," I told him about everything I had experienced, from murderous Peter to Krios army to meeting Nikole. He looked more and more stressed as the story progressed. When I was finished he stood up.
"Four days? And you're sure?" he asked. I nodded.
"If they have 90,000 like you say, and we only have 2,000 strong with allies included-"
"Then we are outnumbered 45:1. We need strong defense, or we will fall," I told him.
"And what would you have me do?" he asked angrily.
"Calm down, Stan. Brian is smart by what I've heard. A genius even among the Minerva children. And, he knows the enemy. Appoint him leader of strategy, and our defense might just be enough," Nikole said. He turned to her about to say something, then realized it was the best shot he had.
"So be it. I'm sorry if I sounded angry. It's just... Stressing. I will go write to gather allies. Go, plan the attack, and hurry," he said. Nicole and I headed back to the cohorts.
"Nikole, say, who's your godly parent?" I asked, while exiting New Rome.
"Hephaestus. Roman form is Vulcan I believe," she answered.
"You're a... a Greek? Have you been at the Greek camp?" I asked, surprised.
"Nope, been running all my life," she said. And so the conversation ended.
When we arrived back at the cohorts. Nikole, by what I could, was tired from watching me in the infirmary day and night, so I told her to sleep in my bed for the night. She was reluctant, but gave in at the end. then I called a meeting of all the Minerva children in the Mess Hall. I'll spare you the details of me gathering them all, and explaining to them about the war.
When they all came, I stood in front of them all.
"Now. Praetor Stan has appointed me to plan the defense of Camp Jupiter. You, being the smart kids, need to aid me. Now, upon walking here, I thought up some key points. We don't have a navy, and that is known. It is certain that Krios will attack by water and the front gates. Our walls will hold for long, but we have no defense in the water. Any ideas?" I asked them all. For a moment everyone looked scared and confused, then one boy raised his hand. I pointed to him.
"The Vulcan children can build something," he said, unsurely. I had thought about that, but I didn't know what they could build. Then I had an idea, but you'll have to wait a bit for that. And for the rest of the night we planned out not only water defense, but every defense strategy possible. And then I called it a night and slept on my bed next to Nikole.
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Hello. Just 6 more chapter till the end! How exciting!! Don't forget to vote+comment. Next chapter is going to be very exciting, be ready. It will come in two weeks since I'm going on vacation shortly. Thanks for reading!1!1!!!!!
New Info on next story: If this story reaches 500 reads before it is over, I will release a synopsis.
I am working hard on the plot structure.
