The Forgotten Olympian |BOOK 1| PJO X HP | Alexandra Marine

Chapter 17 - Alex - Rome in the States

We kept running. The glow at the end of the tunnel grew brighter, and finally- sunlight. Percy froze and I had to hold onto June single-handedly for a whole minute. Spread was a bowl-shaped valley several miles wide. The basin floor was rumpled with smaller hills, golden plains, and stretches of forest. A small clear rivercut a winding course from a lake in the center and around the perimeter, like a capital G.

The geography could've been anywhere in northern California—live oaks and eucalyptus trees, gold hills and blue skies. That big inland mountain—what was it called, Mount Diablo?—rose in the distance, right where it should be.

In the center of the valley, nestled by the lake, was a small city of white marble buildings with red-tiled roofs. Some had domes and columned porticoes, like national monuments. Others looked like palaces, with golden doors and large gardens. I saw an open plaza with freestanding columns, fountains, and statues. A five-story-tall Roman coliseum gleamed in the sun, next to a long oval arena like a racetrack.

Across the lake to the south, another hill was dotted with even more impressive buildings—temples. Several stone bridges crossed the river as it wound through the valley, and in the north, a long line of brickwork arches stretched from the hills into the town.

About two hundred yards away, just across the river, was some sort of military encampment. It was about a quarter mile square, with earthen ramparts on all four sides, the tops lined with sharpened spikes. Outside the walls ran a dry moat, also studded with spikes. Wooden watchtowers rose at each corner, manned by sentries with oversized, mounted crossbows. Purple banners hung from the towers. A wide gateway opened on the far side of camp, leading toward the city. A narrower gate stood closed on the riverbank side. Inside, the fortress bustled with activity: dozens of kids going to and from barracks, carrying weapons, polishing armor. The clank of hammers at a forge and the smell of meat cooking over a fire was unmistakable.

I thought I might drop June and run to the meat instead. Those tacos we got at NY were disgusting, indeed.

Something about this place felt very familiar, yet not quite right.

"Camp Jupiter," Frank said. "We'll be safe once—"

Footsteps echoed in the tunnel behind us. Hazel burst into the light. She was covered with stone dust and breathing hard. She'd lost her helmet, so her curly brown hair fell around her shoulders. Her armor had long slash marks in front from the claws of a gorgon. One of the monsters had tagged her with a 50% off sticker.

"I slowed them down," she said. "But they'll be here any second."

"Oh, fantastic," I said.

Frank cursed. "We have to get across the river."

June squeezed Percy's neck tighter. "Oh, yes, please. I can't get my dress wet."

I bit my tongue. If this lady was a goddess, she must've been the goddess of smelly, heavy, useless hippies. I looked at Percy, and I knew he was thinking the same thing. Percy nodded, and the ghost of a grin glinted on his face. Let's get on with it, I thought, helping him carry her.

It's a kindness, she'd said. And if you don't, the gods will die, the world we know will perish, and everyone from your old life will be destroyed.

He stumbled a few times as we ran for the river. Frank and Hazel helped us once in a while.

We reached the riverbank, and Percy stopped to catch his breath. The current was fast, but the river didn't look deep. Only a stone's throw across stood the gates of the fort.

"Go, Hazel. " Frank nocked two arrows at once. "Escort Percy and Alexandra so the sentries don't shoot him. It's my turn to hold off the baddies."

Hazel nodded and waded into the stream.

Percy and I started to follow, but something made him hesitate. This water, it was not normal. This river seemed...powerful, and not necessarily friendly.

"The Little Tiber," said June sympathetically. "It flows with the power of the original Tiber, river of the empire. This is your last chance to back out, child. The mark of Achilles is a Greek blessing. You can't retain it if you cross into Roman territory. The Tiber will wash it away."

Percy was too exhausted to understand all that, but he got the main point. "If I cross, I won't have iron skin anymore?"

June smiled. "So what will it be? Safety, or a future of pain and possibility?"

Behind us, the gorgons screeched as they flew from the tunnel. Frank let his arrows fly. I pushed forward, waiting for him to get a move on.

From the middle of the river, Hazel yelled, "Percy, come on!"

Up on the watchtowers, horns blew. The sentries shouted and swiveled their crossbows toward the gorgons.

We forged into the river. It was icy cold, much swifter than I'd imagined. New strength surged through my limbs. My spine tingled like I'd been injected with caffeine. We reached the other side and put the old woman down as the camp's gates opened. Dozens of kids in armor poured out.

Hazel turned with a relieved smile. Then she looked over Percy's shoulder, and her expression changed to horror. "Frank!"

Frank was halfway across the river when the gorgons caught him. They swooped out of the sky and grabbed him by either arm. He screamed in pain as their claws dug into his skin.

The sentries yelled, but I knew they couldn't get a clear shot. They'd end up killing Frank. The other kids drew swords and got ready to charge into the water, but they'd be too late.

There was only one way. I looked to Percy.

Percy thrust out his hands. The Tiber obeyed his will, but rather slowly and he looked to me for help. I swung the trident slowly and gracefully. The river was powerful, but it surged. Whirlpools formed on either side of Frank. Giant watery hands erupted from the stream, copying Percy's movements. I thrust the trident forward and the stream grew longer and moved towards them. The giant hands grabbed the gorgons, who dropped Frank in surprise. Then the hands lifted the squawking monsters in a liquid vise grip.

I heard the other kids yelping and backing away, but stayed focused on the task. He made a smashing gesture with his fists, and the giant hands plunged the gorgons into the Tiber. I released my grip on the river. The monsters hit bottom and broke into dust. Glittering clouds of gorgon essence struggled to re-form, but the river pulled them apart like a blender. Soon every trace of the gorgons was swept downstream. The whirlpools vanished, and the current returned to normal.

"Fist bump," Percy said, but gave me a high-five instead.

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