"Anaklusmos," she whispered in recognition.
Percy nodded as he held the sword up, "Chiron gave it to me...well it's more like I took it from him, but I swear it was totally for a good reason...kind of."
Zoe held out her hand and Percy gave the blade to her handle first. She traced her fingers down the greek letters carved into it's spine, looking at it's sides with nostalgic gaze. Her eyes quickly settled on the tip where a small chip was broken off. She narrowed her eyes, "it is chipped."
Percy rubbed his neck, "yeah...sorry about that. I needed to use it to make myself a new weapon and...if I had another choice I would have taken it, I swear. But I didn't."
Zoe sighed, "I have not seen this accursed blade in a long time."
"It belongs to you yes?" Percy asked recalling the description he read on Riptide the first time he got it. He remembered it so clearly, "I...I just thought you should know. If you want it I don't mind giving it back, I mean technically it is your blade after all."
Zoe looked at Percy and then back to Riptide. She closed her eyes and sighed, tossing it back to Percy before turning and leaving, "keep it, it has brought me nothing but pain and suffering. I hope for thou it proves to be useful."
Percy was a little disappointed she didn't want the blade, after all it was hers. He didn't feel disappointed for himself though, but more for Riptide, it was strange, yes, but it felt like the blade shined less now, almost like it was sad being rejected by it's true master.
Percy capped the sword and walked back to Thalia, all the while wondering just what was the real story of Riptide, Zoe and Hercules.
At 3 in the afternoon:
Percy had summoned his servants out and assigned them duties. The Romans and greeks knew about all his servants, so he found no reason to hide them anymore. He summoned every single one of them, except Aceous. He wasn't sure, but he didn't want to risk Gia's gaze focusing on him by bringing back her supposedly dead son.
The Romans were given Hyperion to order around while the rest were assigned various duties. Timmy and Alecto were ordered to patrol the skies while Marcia, Craig and Zed were limited to the ground troops.
Percy also summoned Cerberus, he let the dog play around all over the place, and when Nico arrived he placed the dog under him and Bianca's care.
The Hermes squad had arrived a little after noon. Nico, Bianca and Decker were thrilled to seeing all their friends agains after so long. In real life that is.
Nico and Bianca set to work immediately afterwards, with Percy's help they were able to build trenches and pit falls in seconds while it would have taken hours normally.
The entire greek and Roman army became very mingled with one another, they had already fought in a way together, and now seeing the Greeks come to the Roman's side only made strengthened their relationship.
Nico also set to work getting rid of all the fairs in camp. It wasn't a popular move, but it was needed. Once Percy mentioned how there were rumors of necromancers hidden in the Titan's ranks everyone realised the ghosts were a liability.
In some cases the ghosts themselves willingly left, swearing to travel the countryside to reach camp half-blood, reuniting with the others once more in the new location for New Rome.
The path in the labyrinth became cleared up, Percy went through the thing five time, following the rope vine that Katie and Castor had made. And once he was sure it lead to from camp Jupiter to the entrance below the Fist of Zeus he had several others test it.
It was a few people at first, Percy didn't know if his powers were the reason one could travel between the points, or it was because the Labyrinth was actually designed that way, after all every time someone went into it they were with Percy in some form. But now that couldn't be guaranteed.
So they had to test it out. Five people went in first with Percy following them twenty feet behind. Then went that was successful it increased to thirty people with Percy following fifth feet behind.
It went upto a hundred demigods going in the Labyrinth and reaching the other side without issue and alone. It seemed that Percy's powers merely helped show the closest route to a desired location within the Labyrinth, meaning if one knew it, they didn't require Percy to guide them.
And so their escape route was secured.
The fort had also been packed up, the construction material was 40 feet high and weighed several tons. Most were wondering how Percy would even transport all of this, and their jaws were all on the floor when he saw it pick it up and throw it into his inventory.
Percy had to release three of his seals to obtain the required strength, but it was worth it. He quickly had everything packed away in the fort and slowly the city of New Rome was being packed as well.
Nearly half the governmental buildings were stored in Percy's storage by now, with a few buildings and the college. The people were working tirelessly, and when he could Percy leant a helping hand. But right now his attention was required elsewhere.
"What have you found?" Percy asked as Carrie lead him into the library. The shelves were being broken down and the books stored in cardboard boxes. They were neatly packed and documented, Carrie's influence no doubt.
She lead him to a corner of the library that was still in one piece, pointing at an open book before them that displayed a warrior fighting in a large battle with the name Achilles displayed in bold on top in ancient greek.
"The curse is something that is giving by the river of the Underworld, the Styx," Carrie worded her sentence carefully as to not accidentally swear an oath on the ancient river, "each of the rivers in the underworld has a particular property. One can heal all wounds, one can wipe away your memories and this one, can make any who dip themselves in it immune to mortal weapons."
Percy read the text quickly, learning in detail just what had happened to Achilles, "so anyone who dips themselves in the river become invulnerable?"
"Yes, completely invulnerable, except for one spot on their body."
"Their heel?" Percy asked.
"No, that is not the case," Carrie shook her head, "from what I have found it is discovered that one's mortal point could be anywhere, it depends on the person. Achelis was just a child when his mother dipped him into the pool holding him up by his ankles. He had no choice in his mortal point, it was chosen for him. But if an adult dips inside..."
"Then they can chose whatever point they want," Percy cursed, "this is bad, this is very very bad. Is there anyway to counter this? Any spell? Anything?"
And to his great surprise, Carrie smiled. "Yes, there is."
Percy blinked in utter surprise, "really?"
"Really," Carrie nodded, "the little Timber, the river that surrounds us, it is a piece of Roman heritage, an enchanted piece of the real Timber than follows the camp around wherever we go. We have no control over it, but it is exactly what you are looking for. The curse of Achilles if a Greek curse, as such a wash in a roman river can counter the curse, making the user vulnerable once more."
Percy's face threatened to split in two with his grin, "Carrie, I could kiss you."
"Do that and I'll skin you alive."
"And yet my feelings don't change," Percy smiled, "this is perfect Carrie, thank you. This is exactly what I needed. I may not be able to fight him back, but at least now he isn't going to fucking untouchable."
Carrie raised an eyebrow, "who are you talking about?"
Percy meet her eyes and whispered, "Saturn."
Fear struck her deep as she connected the dots. "If he gets the curse-"
"-He will be unstoppable," Percy nodded before smiling, "but as you just said Carrie, we now have a way to stop him, at least until we can get everyone to safety."
Carrie eventually calmed down and Percy helped her get packed. It didn't take long, thanks to his super speed, and he wished her well before leaving to find Thalia.
He searched the fort and the army ranks for her finding her in the fifth cohort with Jason and a couple of his friends.
Percy watched from afar as she laughed at a story Jason told her about the time he was chased down by an angry Hannibal the elephant.
"Oh and till this day everytime Hannibal looks at me I swear it's like he wants to strangle me with it's trunk!" Jason snorted as the others laughed.
Thalia chuckled, "well little brother you know what the say, elephants have a long memory. They never forget anything."
"So basically you're screwed Jason," a male legionnaire spoke up causing everyone to chuckle at the son of Jupiter.
Percy smiled as he watched Thalia and Jason exchange stories, it had made him envious to say the least, he never did have a proper brother. John didn't count, he and Percy never lived in the same house, never experienced the same things. It was cruel really, to live in a place surrounded by family and still feel alone to a certain degree.
Percy always felt that the demigods were his family...but they weren't always—
"What's that?!" someone cried out. Everyone turned to the skies and there flying right at them was a flaming iron ball.
Percy's eyes widened, he turned to Thalia, "Thalia! Get everyone ready! I'll hold them off for as long as I can!"
Thalia turned to Percy and nodded. Percy readied his gauntlet and cried out, "Tsunami!" the armor exploded onto his body, covering him in his now iconic black armour with the white cape fluttering behind him.
Next Percy released his strength seals;
Seal Release: Layer 10 Time: 1 1.2 months
STR— 42,467,328 (+11+20+75)= 42,467,436
He jumped into the air, leaping towards that flaming ball. Percy reached it in seconds, he threw his right hand out, thrusting it into the flaming iron ball, and threw it back with all his might.
The small shot back like a bullet out of a gun, flying back towards the army coming in the horizon. Percy floated in the air and looked down, the army was coming at them from the North, simple and direct.
The cannonball landed in the heart of a approaching army, Percy could see with his 8.0 vision that several enhanced animals had died from the impact.
Percy waved his hand forming a misty surface, he tossed a coin in and called up Rob. In seconds the praetor appeared before him.
"Percy, where are they?!"
"They are coming North," Percy told him, "I can see giants, enhanced animals, monsters, everything. But a few of the giants and undead are missing, I think either they are being held back for a second wave or their coming from another direction."
Rob nodded, "I'll move our troops, hold them back for as long as you can."
"Don't worry I fully-"
"PERCY JACKSON! COME AND FACE ME!"
It reminded Percy of a scene from his trials, when he was sent to a world unlike his own, where everyone he loved died, where he had to defeat Kronos as a human. It was a dream, but it felt so real, and it began with Kronos inviting them while riding a dragon.
Which was exactly what he was doing now.
The beast was green with blackish scales and a wing span large enough to eclipse a a football field. And on it's neck stood Kronos, riding into battle as he pulled on the chains tied around the dragon's neck.
"Oh you have got to be kidding me!" Percy hissed.
Anacleto and Timmy quickly came to Percy's side. They too stared at the giant monstrosity currently flying towards them in awe.
"What's the plan?" Timmy asked.
"The plan is this, Timmy you and I are going after him, I'll take on Kronos you fight the dragon, Alceto, if you see anything else flying that isn't with us, take it down. Got that?"
Alecto drew her arrows, "got it."
"Then let's move!" Percy cried out as he and Timmy charged forward.
"JACKSON!" Kronos cried out.
"Hey!" Percy cried out as he charged in like a cannonball right into Kronos's chest, pushing him off the dragon, falling downwards with him.
Once they were out of the way Timmy used his powers to cause several gusts of wind to push up against the dragon's wings, batting it around like a rubber ball.
Percy and Kronos crashed into the Earth in the middle of the forest surrounding camp. Kronos's back took all the damage with the demigod standing over him. Percy quickly took out his blades, thrusting them at the Titan's eyes.
Kronos saw the blades coming and acted on instinct, activating his powers over time to slow Percy down.
The demigod's body felt like it was moving through jelly, Kronos was slowing him down, but not for long. Using his own powers over time Percy felt the strange way Kronos used his mana to restrain him, and broke through.
Ping!
You have created a new skill!
Time cancellation— Allows user to cancel the effects of time manipulation
Cost— 200 MP (More based on the skill set fighting)
Percy was able to move once again, but by then Kronos had managed to push him off his body, throwing him into a nearby tree.
Percy quickly got back on his feet and looked up at Kronos, the mad titan had taken out his own blade, narrowing his eyes at Percy.
"This time you will die Percy Jackson," Kronos growled, "you aren't as powerful as you were back in the dream world, I can feel it!"
Percy gulped, "maybe, but I've fought monsters like you before, I have gone up against bigger odds and won. I have been fighting smart long before I have been fighting hard, so this is just going to be me doing a throwback to old times."
Kronos growled as he charged ahead with his blade in hand. He swiped at Percy's sides, aiming to cut off his head and or limbs. But the demigod was too fast for the Titan.
Percy kept dodging out of the way, not allowing a single strike to come close to him, knowing that if it did it would be his last.
Kronos strikes came faster and faster, until Percy was forced to block a strike with both his blades, throwing him through the air and into several tree trunks.
Percy groaned as his arm felt like they were ringing, the blades didn't shatter from the pure force of the attack, and that could only be attributed to the fact that they were indestructible. Any other normal blade, heck, if they were made of Imperial gold they would have shattered.
Kronos stepped up to Percy, a smile on his handsome face. He foot his foot on his chest and pushed.
"Argh!" Percy cried out in pain.
"Scream for me Jackson! Scream!"
He pushed down harder, the pile of broken wood Percy laid down on became crushed into splinters as Percy was pressed down into them.
His body was in pain, it was nearly impossible to deal with. Kronos raised thrusted his blade forward under Percy's neck. On instinct Percy looked down, protecting it, catching the blade with his helmet.
