𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐒 ! [percy jackson]¹

C H A P T E R ⟶ S E V E N

S T A R   W A R S

C H A P T E R   S E V E N

( welcome to the roman senate )

⟶⭑🌣⭑⟵

          DEATH LOSES ITS hold. This is only the beginning.

Aurora stiffened. She looked up from her bloody hands and scanned the empty field, watching as campers drew their weapons and Hannibal trumpeted nervously. Scipio reared and nearly threw Reyna off.

"I know that voice," Percy said. He didn't sound pleased, much like how Aurora felt.

In the midst of the Legion, a column of fire blasted into the air. Heat seared Aurora's eyelashes and dried the blood on her hands. Campers who had been soaked by the cannons found their clothes instantly steam-dried. Everyone scrambled backward as a huge soldier stepped out of the explosion.

Aurora's blood turned cold. Her hair stood on end. She felt Hazel scoot closer to her, Aurora protectively placing a hand around the younger girl's shoulders. The soldier was ten feet tall, dressed in Canadian Forces desert camouflage. He radiated confidence and power. His black hair was cut in a flat-topped wedge like most of the boys' hair at camp. His face was angular and brutal, marked with old knife scars. His eyes were covered with infrared goggles that glowed from inside. He wore a utility belt with a sidearm, a knife holster, and several grenades. In his hands was an oversized M16 rifle.

She knew who he was. Just by the way he made his entrance, she knew. She didn't need to see the weapons or the glowing eyes to know that the war god stood in front of her, looking rather proud of himself.

Percy was stiff beside her. His hand inched towards hers and she felt his fingers interlock with her own. Despite the dried blood coating her hand, he held on tightly, making Aurora blush softly in the fading light.

Frank was the first to kneel. The other campers followed his example and knelt. Even Reyna dismounted.

"That's good," The soldier said. "Kneeling is good. It's been a long time since I've visited Camp Jupiter."

It was then that Aurora noticed that she and Percy were the only two standing. Hazel had sunk to the ground without her noticing, and Aurora made a move to do the same, but Percy's hand in her own stopped her from doing so. Meaning the two of them were prime targets for a godly smiting. Especially since Percy was glaring at the god with his sword in hand.

"You're Ares," Percy said. "What do you want?"

A collective gasp went up from two hundred campers and an elephant. Aurora's eyes widened and she sent a look towards Percy. She was shocked for two reasons: one, Percy had called him by his Greek name, and two, Percy had a death wish! Why would he willingly confront a god with zero respect? Also, why would he endanger both his life and her own?