From Mortal To Divinity

"It's peaceful" says Azula as we make our way through the streets of New Rome.

"It is." I answer back. "It's too bad that it won't stay like this. The titans unfortunately won't let us live in peace."

"Hmmm. Unfortunately for them, we are prepared." replies Azula.

And she couldn't have been more correct. In our time as Praetors, we've changed a lot about Camp Jupiter. The Legion, which previously could only field about two hundred soldiers, now numbers around five hundred, with many of the previously retired Legionnaires coming back into service in preparation for the upcoming war. Other than the retired Legionnaires returning, the other bulk of our forces come from legacies entering the Legion earlier than they planned, most of them being around the age of twelve.

"You're thinking about our logistics again." says Azula as she interrupts my train of thought.

"I am." I reply. "Even though I know that we are more than ready, I cannot help but feel as if I missed something."

Azula turns her head to face me and raises an eyebrow.

"Interesting." she says "What do you think that you missed?"

"Alex's death. Something about it has been bothering me." I reply

"What about it? According to Julia she died in the middle battle during a monster hunting exercise, and her body was damaged beyond recovery. She was buried on the battlefield." replies Azula.

"Except none of us were there to witness it. I was in the Sea of Monsters, while you were in Camp Jupiter. If it weren't for the fact that Julia decided to let Alex do whatever she wanted during their tenure as praetor, I would have believed her. However, we both know that Julia let Alex walk all over her out of some misguided feeling of owing her life to Alex." I reply

Azula stops walking and turns to face me.

"You do know that you are basically accusing her of treason." she says.

"And I would not put it past Julia to do it for Alex. How long has it been since Alex's death? About a year and a half?" I ask as Azula nods in affirmative.

"A year and a half, and not once has she mourned , or asked for leave to mourn. If it was not for a lack of proof, I would have already dragged her to prison."

"Fine. Say she did commit treason, what do you think she did?" asks Azula in exasperation.

"Desertion. I think that she helped Alex desert. Normally I wouldn't care since they are supposed to be discharged. However, we recalled all veterans back into service during our second year as praetor, one year after we were elected and started the reforms. From there she spent another two years in service under us, learning everything new that we implemented, whether it be combat formations or defense protocols. Then, Julia returns from a standard monster hunting exercise, with feelings of guilt practically hanging from her, claiming that Alex died and that she couldn't recover the body, and had to bury her on the battlefield. Lastly, and this is definitely the most damning piece of evidence, Julia has not mourned a single day, or asked for leave to mourn. Maybe it's the Batman training in me, but something about this isn't right." I reply.

"You may have a point." she answers "However, we have more important matters to worry about. Besides it has been a year and a half since then, the Legion, and the camp's defenses have evolved."

"I know. It's that I just wouldn't put it past a child of Nemesis, the literal goddess of vengeance, to fake her death and come back to attack the camp just to get to us." I reply.

"Good, now stop worrying for a day, and let us enjoy our first day off in a while." she says as she pats my cheek before turning around and walking towards a cafe.

Before we can even make it to the door, the ringing of bells sounds throughout the camp, alerting us of an incoming attack.

Before Azula and I can react, a voice rings out from behind us.

"Praetor Ambrosius, Praetor Azula, an invading army is coming from the Little Tiber." says the voice.

Turning around, I immediately come face to face with Leila, optio, or second in command, of the fourth cohort.

"How?" I question.

"We don't know sir. The only reason that we know about the attack coming at all is because the army set off the traps we put under there." she replies.

"Very Well. Return to your cohort and send a messenger out to deliver my orders. All cohorts are to split into squads, half of those squads are assigned to the Caldecott entrance, a quarter are assigned to New Rome, and the last quarter is with me on the Little Tiber." I command.

Without missing a beat, Leila salutes and runs back to the fourth.

"It seems that the war is officially here." Azula says as she faces me. "You can leave the Caldecott entrance to me, go deal with Ocean's forces."

"What I wish to know is how he managed to maneuver his troops into that position to begin with. As far as I know, none have been able to find it's entrance, nor where it goes once it reaches The Lake." I say

"We will figure out how later, right now we have an army to destroy." replies Azula with her sadistic grin.

Without saying anything, I nod and begin to sprint towards The Lake while Azula makes for the barracks, not even bothering to go back to the Principia, home of the praetors, to get our armor. After becoming praetor, one of the first rules we changed was the uniform. Previously members of the legion could wear casual clothes under their armor, however Azula and I noticed how impractical it was to wear jeans and sneakers to a war. Therefore we changed the rules, making it so that in times of war, or impending war, all legionnaires must wear a mandatory uniform of military issued combat pants and boots at all times. What shirts they wear is up to them, as long as the color is purple. Even I abide by that rule.

Arriving at The Lake, I immediately notice a group of legionnaires standing at attention waiting for me.

"Archers mount that wall. Prepare the water canons, and arm the scorpion ballistae. Everyone else's assignment is simple, make sure that nothing climbs these walls, and protect the archers should anything make it up." I order as I arrive.

When I went over Camp Jupiter's defenses with Azula, one glaring weakness made itself known, the Little Tiber. While it is true that no one in camp knows where it leads to, that doesn't mean that our enemies wouldn't know how to get there and use it to their advantage. Therefore, starting from The Lake, to the mountains, where we could go no further, a fifty feet tall wall was built on each riverbank, and armed with siege weapons. The lake itself is also surrounded by the wall, with only an iron portcullis serving as an entrance point from The Lake to the camp.

By the time I finish giving out orders, I can feel the enemy nearing the armed part of the walls with no indication of them slowing down in sight. From estimation alone, I can tell that the siege weapons won't be enough to stop them from making it to the portcullis, breaking it, and going into Camp Jupiter.

Making my way onto the wall, I walk over to the man in charge of this group of squads. Justin, a twenty five year old son of Mercury, legionnaire veteran, and one of the most skilled swordsmen in The Legion.

"Julian, you are in charge of the wall. I will be in the water minimizing the amount of monsters that come through. Should it seem as if the defense here will end in failure, regroup with the legionnaires defending the Caldecott Tunnel and stop them from going any further." I order before diving into the river and swimming over to the opposing army.

From my position in the water, I can tell that the opposition's ranks are mainly made up of sea serpents, cyclops, and mermen, most likely from Oceans' court. The cyclops should be easy to outmaneuver, especially in the water. The sea serpents and mermen however are a different story. They have a certain maneuverability that I will never be able to replicate under water, not even as the son of Neptune. Their bodies just have a certain flexibility that a human body cannot replicate.

Swimming down the river, I quickly arrive at my first opponent, a cyclops. Without giving him time to react, I summon my trident and behead him. I pay him no mind as he turns into dust and attack the next one with a stab through the chest. Evidently this army of monsters has absolutely no idea how to fight as a unit underwater, a fatal mistake that will cost them.

Having figured out my opponents' weakness, I no longer hesitate, and attack them with no mercy. I swim under a club aimed at my face, prompting it to hit a merman in the ribs, and maneuver myself behind the cyclops and stab him through the head, killing him. Floating to the right, I evade a sword stab, and retaliate with a conjured spear through my opponent's throat.

From there I begin to move into the enemy's ranks while dodging and evading every blow, and parrying those I cannot into an enemy. Naturally I know that this tactic will not take care of this army, however that is not my objective.

Judging that I have made it far enough into the enemy's ranks, I set about putting my plan into action. First I sent an omnidirectional shockwave throughout the water to give me space. Then I concentrate on every lifeform in the river, and with control over the river itself I pull them towards me and hold them in place. Once all enemy combatants have been immobilised, I begin to drastically increase the water pressure.

As a son of Neptune, I cannot be harmed by water. Whether it be water pressure, temperature, or suffocation, it does not work on children of Neptune/Poseidon. While cyclops are also children of Poseidon, for some reasons their gifts from him are not as extensive as they are for his demigod children, I have no idea why, and frankly I couldn't possibly care less. Mermen and sea serpents also suffer from this limit, and I plan on taking advantage of that weakness.

Soon enough I hear cracking noises as the water pressure begins to break bones. The first enemy to die is a cyclops exploding in a puff of dust, followed by another, and eventually they all die, leaving only the sea serpents, and mermen, who by now are spitting blood.

The second group to die are the mermen, as their ribs break and impaling their hearts, leaving only a dozen or so enemies.

As I begin to increase the pressure again, a voice interrupts shouts out at me.

"My lord, my lord, please have mercy!" exclaims the voice.

Raising an eyebrow, I survey the surviving enemies with interests clear on my face. As I study them, I notice one of them staring at me in earnest with pleading eyes.

"Mercy, you say. Were you not part of the army that invaded my home with the hopes of destroying it and eating us?" I ask it.

"We were only following orders. Surely you must understand!" it pleads.

I swim closer to the creature and look it in the eyes.

"Naturally I can understand having to follow orders, hence why you are about to die without being tortured. Sure the death may not be painless, however it is the best I can do given the circ.u.mstances. A storm would damage the camp, killing you one by one would take too long, and I don't want to take any chances by electrocuting you. Who knows what will happen when lightning strikes these mysterious waters." I reply

"Perhaps a bargain then?" asks the serpent

"A bargain? Interesting. That would depend on how valuable the information you have is. If it is worth it I may even let you live, if not I shall at least give you a quick and painless death as thanks." I tell him.

Joy overcomes its eyes before it composes itself and talks.

"The Titans are coming soon. Koios, Krios and Perses, they're coming. I heard Lord Ocean talking to them. He says that he should be finished with Atlantis by this time next year to join them in next year's attack. He wants to capture you my Lord, to make you his slave as an insult to your father." he says.

"Koios, Krios and Perses you say? Interesting." I mumble to myself before once more focusing on the serpent. "You have earned your life. However, from henceforth you are to stay in The Lake and never leave the camp's boundaries. Understand?" I ask.

The serpent simply nods, and I let him go before turning back to the other creatures in my grasp, only to realise that they died during my conversation with the serpent. Not paying them any mind, I make my way back to The Lake with the sea serpent following behind.

Arriving at the portcullis, I launch myself into the air, using the water as a booster, and land on the wall.

"Julian" I command "Report"

He immediately makes his way to me and salutes.

"The Caldecott entrance was not attacked, and we have suffered no casualties or injuries sir. Also legionnaires Grace and Ramirez have returned from their supply runs, and Praetor Azula wishes to see you in the Principia." he reports.

"Good. From now on I want the wall to be patrolled at all times. Every cohort has one month of wall patrols, figure out the rotations among yourselves." I order before making my way to the Principia.

The principia is a two-story wedge of white marble with a columned portico like an old-fashioned bank with Roman guards standing out in front of it. Over the doorway, hangs a big purple banner with the gold letters SPQR embroidered inside a laurel wreath.

Inside, on the ceiling glitters a mosaic of Romulus and Remus under Lupa. The floor is polished marble. The walls are dr.a.p.ed in velvet, along the back wall stands a display of banners and wooden poles studded with bronze medals, and military symbols.

In the center is one empty display stand for the eagle standard lost in Alaska by Michael Varus. In the back corner, a stairwell leads down and is blocked by a row of iron bars like a prison door. In the center of the room, a long wooden table was cluttered with scrolls, notebooks, tablet computers, daggers, and a large bowl filled with jelly beans. Behind the table, there are two high-backed chairs meant for the Praetors, and where Azula is currently sitting.

"I see you made it back without even a scratch" she says as she gets up from her seat and makes her way to me.

Hugging her by the waist, I pull her in close and kiss her. We remain there for a few seconds before separating.

"Did you know that Hylla is now the leader of the Amazon's. Apparently Reyna and Jason ran into her while on their way back from their supply run." says Azula.

"I'm really not surprised. There's a fire in her, it'll take her far. However that's not why you wanted to see me, is it?" I answer.

"Of course not. I just wanted to spend some alone time with you and knew that if I didn't say that I wanted to see you, you'd most likely spend the rest of the day training before coming to bed dead tired." she says as she makes her way to our bedrooms, a slight sway in her h.i.p.s as she walks.

With a chuckle I follow her to the bedroom, already knowing what she has in store for me.