Struck by Lightning

XXIX

A/N: As a quick note, I've not read Heroes of Olympus in a long time (and only read the first two anyway), so how the Romans are characterized is of dubious accuracy to canon. Also, after this chapter, there is only one last epilogue chapter, which will probably come out around a week after this one.

A fun fact: this chapter narrowly beat Chapter 26 for the title of longest chapter in this story by a margin of 53 words.

The trek down Mount Tamalpais was an incoherent journey for Percy. Contrary to his earlier bravado, he could feel the pain in his body steadily increasing along with the pounding in his head. All he knew was that he was being carried by Chiron one of the peak's many paths, and in the brief moments of consciousness he had, he could see only glimpses of his fellow Greek demigods walking in line with decidedly not Greek warriors and Chiron's back. On an off-handed note, he found that the experience of riding on Chiron like a horse was actually pretty comforting, though how much of that was due to his sheer exhaustion was up for debate. With the rhythmic marching and the general quiet that had pervaded the group after the battle, one could almost say it was ripe conditions for a short nap, to just close his eyes for a brief moment...

Percy suddenly awoke, eyes wide and gasping.

One hand immediately flew up to his forehead. The pounding was not anywhere near as bad as it had been, but it was still present. With a soft groan, Percy sat up in the small cot he lay in. Looking around, he was in unfamiliar surroundings. It was the inside of a tan colored tent, far longer than it was wide. Rows of cots similar to the one he inhabited were lined up, and the few that were occupied had sleeping figures in them. Crucially, he eyed his trident being propped up on the end of his cot's frame.

A figure poked their head through one of the tent flaps that were interspersed between every couple of cots, and upon seeing Percy sitting upright, walked in.

"How are you feeling?" the woman curtly asked.

"Fine," Percy replied, his voice sounding hoarse. His throat felt parched and dry.

"Here," the woman said, handing him a small brownie square and a cup before backing up a few steps. "Eat up."

Looking at Percy's confused expression, the woman sighed. "Ambrosia and nectar. It'll make you feel a lot better."

Taking her word, Percy swallowed the brownie with a single bite and gulped down the liquid in the cup. Immediately, he felt warmth and strength flow throughout his body. The dull throb in his head was reduced to a point where he no longer was bothered by it. Taking full advantage of his renewed condition, Percy swung his legs over one side of the bed and stood up.

"Hey, you shouldn't be getting up," the woman suddenly said, walking forward. She futilely tried to get him to lay back on the bed, but relative to her, he was built like a wall.

"I'm fine," Percy murmured, brushing off the woman's attempts to get him back on the cot. "Where am I?"

The woman pursed her lips as she hesitated for a few moments. "You're safe in the camp."

Percy narrowed his eyes. "What camp? I don't recognize you."

She put up her hands as if to say that she was not a threat. "Relax kid, we're all demigods around here. Only difference is that your parent was Greek and mine was Roman."

Percy's brow furrowed as he suddenly remembered his last few conscious memories. Romans appearing. The fighting. The water. The exhaustion.

"Where are the others?" he gruffly asked, stretching out to take hold of his trident in his left hand.