Chapter 500: Proditione et Fide by Curious Beats (Percy Jackson)
Latest Update:April 2, 2022
Summary: The gods are weakened after the giant war to the point of fading, and approach their children with a demand, a last resort; invade Manhattan to secure Olympus and gain them worship, to keep them from fading. Percy reluctantly leads the Half-Blood expedition west, but the gods have never known when to leave good enough alone, and they weren't about to start.
Link: https://m.fanfiction.net/s/13196485/1/Proditione-et-Fide
Word Count:181k
Chapters:23
Chapter I: A Beginning
The Fifth of April
Percy swung a blow at his opponent's midsection, but it was dodged. He tried to press the offensive, but his adversary was too quick, returning Percy's swing with a jab at his neck. Leaning back as far as he dared, Percy narrowly evaded the jab, offsetting his balance. Percy narrowly parried the incoming blow at his upper torso to his left, before dancing to his right and swinging as quick and hard as he could manage with the fatigue that had seeped into him after the hours of nonstop fighting. Finally decapitating his imaginary opponent, he stepped away, leaning on his knees and breathing heavily.
Hearing someone approaching from behind him, he straightened himself, and turned around. Before him was a camper in full armor.
One of the newer ones.
Snapping him a stiff salute which Percy halfheartedly returned, the camper considered that as permission to speak.
"Sir, your presence is requested at HQ," the camper reported, standing still at attention.
Dismissing the kid with a silent wave of the hand, Percy capped Riptide, sighing, and started making his way towards the big house.
After the defeat of Gaea, the largest problem that the two camps faced was how to prevent war from breaking out between them. There had already been a fair bit of animosity on either side because of 'miscommunications', so dealing with each other peacefully would be another insurmountable challenge for the demigods of this generation. A trope Percy was very much so beginning to tire of.
Thankfully, the leadership of the two camps were able to work through it. Both Percy and Jason played large roles in the peaceful end to the millennia long rivalry between the two sides of the same coin. The extent of the agreement was the best they could have hoped for. It was simply an agreement for peace. There was an unofficial added stipulation to allow demigods on quests shelter, and to allow demigods in need to take up residence in the other camp. They couldn't manage to make it official, with the senate turning down something so vague, and the Greek populace generally not wanting Romans around.
Not that the feeling wasn't mutual.
Of course, now that the Romans were revealed to the Greeks, the gods saw no reason not to make Camp Half-Blood more like New Rome. That is, a more militaristic fashioned camp, rather than the simple summer camp Percy had grown up knowing. Surprisingly, the new campers loved the idea. And since the gods wanted it to happen, unfortunately, it happened.
Then there was the matter of designations. Although the other kids weren't, Percy had grown used to being called 'Your Highness' and various other titles while he was talking to fish and horses and whenever he ventured into his father's domain. Now, the older campers and counselors were to be addressed with honorific, even when they weren't on duty. With how much the camp had changed as soon as the gods bothered paying attention, he wasn't sure the Olympian council as a whole had so much as glanced at Camp Half-Blood in millennia.
Be that as it may, he stepped into the big house, or 'Headquarters' now, because of course everything needed a more formalized designation. Entering the war room, he observed his friends hunched over a table which had replaced their ping-pong table, looking at various maps of urban New York.
Frowning, he stepped further into the room, drawing the attention of the room's occupants. The Roman liaison immediately snapped to attention, giving a quick salute. When the cabin councillors did not do the same, the liaison began to glare. Getting over their frustration, the rest of the councillors sluggishly moved to 'attention', which was essentially them standing straight up and looking at him. Giving a dismissal wave at the formalities which he so loathed, he moved to take a seat at his place at the table, which had been moved to the head of the table where the Supreme Commander of Olympian Forces was meant to sit.
Of course the gods needed to create title so flamboyant, and then decided to give it to him of all people.
Finally sitting down and being joined by those in attendance (seven of the councillors and the Roman liaison), he stared at the map in front of him.
"So what's all this about?" Percy inquired, waving a hand at the map.
It was his girlfriend that responded. "Updated maps of New York City. The gods want us to make plans for an invasion," she finished, spitting the words out like they were poison.
He could understand why. The last time they had to defend New York hadn't exactly been a great experience.
"What do they think will try to attack them this time?" he grumbled, eyes surveying the war pieces that scattered the outer New York metro.
After a moment of silence, he looked up to find everyone avoiding his eyes. Perplexed, his gaze met that of the one person who wasn't avoiding his sight.
The Roman liaison swallowed. "Ah, sir. They don't want us to plan to defend it… They want us to plan to invade it. Take it from the mortals, that is."
Percy blinked. And then blinked again, and then figured he misheard, so he asked again. "Come again?"
The kid swallowed again. "Well, ah, far be it from me to assume the intentions of the gods, but I believe they want to solidify their power base. To invade New York City and secure Olympus."
What?
He had to be kidding, right? Fighting mortals? Invading New York? That was just ridiculous. The gods weren't that insane, were they? Immediately after the two biggest wars they had ever fought right in a row, they go and reveal themselves to the world, and start invading mortal cities? That was just ridiculous. He grumbled out a quick "I'll be back", before moving upstairs to the big house restroom.
Opening the window as far as he could, he turned on the sink, manipulating the water to turn into a fine mist in front of the window.
Altering the density of the mist until he got the best rainbow he could, he threw a drachma into the rainbow. "O' Iris, goddess of the rainbow, show me Zeus on Olympus," he chanted.
After a few seconds when nothing happened, he began to wonder what the hold up was. A voice came from the rainbow. "It does not seem His Majesty is on Olympus at the moment. Would you like to try another location?" Iris finished.
He frowned. If Zeus wasn't on Olympus, he wasn't on duty, and was likely out enjoying his immortal life. Despite him having the prestige to be able to up and call Zeus without any obvious repercussions, not even he would call Zeus when he was off duty without a second thought. Reconsidering he called back.
"No, just show me Poseidon, in Atlantis," he decided.
Shimmering, the scene of his father sitting on his throne and addressing a member of his court appeared. Waiting patiently, Percy stood with his arms crossed, tapping his foot. If he had to pay another drachma to extend the time, he was charging his dad. After a few minutes when his father was done addressing the member of his court, he dismissed him, obviously noticing his son standing impatiently through the rainbow in front of him.
Turning to the Iris message, his dad smiled. The smile didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Percy!" he exclaimed happily, though there was most certainly an air of nervousness around him. "How can I help you, son?" he asked.
Percy stared back, unamused.
"This plan to invade New York, how much did you have to do with it," he demanded.
His father sighed. "Not much," he confessed. "Honestly, I was in favor of the plan, until I remembered your connection to the mortals and how you would view this. I admit, I did not oppose it, but I did not vote for it either."
Percy brooded silently for a moment.
"Why?" he finally said. That was the one question that stood above all.
His dad glanced at the ground. A moment of silence passed between them. "We have grown weak, Perseus."
It sent a jolt through Percy's spine. The gods, were they weaker than in their hayday? He had no doubt. But that wasn't what disturbed him. What disturbed him was that his father was admitting it. Gods weren't supposed to do that. They weren't supposed to think of themselves as anything less than omnipotent.
His father continued. "I'm sure you've learned this at your camp, but the gods derive power from your worship. It's why we have children. Despite your perception that we only have children to use them as tools, it's simply not true. We may have a quest we actually need getting done once in a millennium. The rest? They're to make our kids feel important. The reason we have children is so that we have mortals to worship us. To acknowledge our existence. To love or fear us."
His dad sat there, as if waiting for his son to connect the dots. But he already had. And he really, really didn't like it.
"You already know why we need to invade New York, Percy. We have more chaos, stress, and pain for gods and demigods than we've had in many millennia barring the two wars which you just fought. We are the weakest we can be right now. So close to fading it's pathetic. With New York City alone, we'll have more worshippers than we ever had back in Greece. We need to recover from the wars, and quick. This is the only way we can do that. Our hands have been forced." Poseidon finished his spiel.
As he was about to reply, Iris interrupted. "Time exceeded. To continue, please deposit a drachma." Gritting his teeth in frustration, he dug his hand into his pocket and pulled another drachma out, throwing it into the mist and watching as his father's face reappeared. His mind went back to the conversation. He was at a dead end here. He could understand the god's reasoning, that their hands had been forced. But that didn't even slightly justify invading a city of almost nine million people. He had some questions.
"What about the militarization of camp. Is that to stop you from fading somehow? Or is it to make us an army so that we can start invading places for you?" Percy asked. "And what about the Romans? They're already militarized. I'm sure they would be happy to invade a city for you."
His father took a moment to respond. "Yes. The militarization was, in part, so that you would be a more effective army. But that's not the only reason. It's the same reason that we have had demigods start to be addressed by their titles while not in a military. You see Percy, when the gods get weaker, so do you. This applies to demigods as well. When your parent is worshipped more, is recognized as powerful, then you will become more powerful as well. If you take New York, all of the city will undoubtedly recognize the legitimacy of the gods, along with billions around the world. The amount of worship and acknowledgement that we will receive will be far more than ever before. This will make us nigh omnipotent. When we ascend to omnipotence, our children, you, will ascend to near deity status. A single rogue demigod could wipe out a large city like you can now. A powerful one, such as yourself? A nation. A rank and nobility structure being imposed upon you, the mortals, by the gods, will help to keep all demigods in line. During the battle of Manhattan, you couldn't even keep all of your cabins in line. A situation like that would not be tolerable."
"And the Romans?" He asked. As much as he hated to admit it, Percy was beginning to see the reason behind the actions of the gods. Almost as an afterthought, he added. "And what about the civilians in New York? How will they be treated?"
His father actually had the audacity to smile, "The city will be placed under military occupation."
Percy's immediate reaction was anger. The people of New York didn't deserve to have their lives halted because of this. He could imagine it now. A group of a few hundred teenagers, likely with the help of some spirits and cyclops, occupying a city. What would they do? Wait.
Wait.
He suddenly came to a realization.
Laughing, he thanked his dad, before waving his hand through the Iris message, not even realizing his other question had not been answered. He would call him back later if he thought of anything else.
Though still slightly upset, he was in a considerably better mood coming back downstairs, until he heard the clattering of chairs upon him entering the room. He found the newly arrived Hephaestus councillor that replaced Leo and the Roman standing at attention. Sending them both a glare before the rest could be bothered to get up, he sat down back in his chair. Everyone at the table was looking at him expectantly.
"I spoke to my father. While I cannot tell you why, I can assure you the gods have their reasons for this invasion."
He didn't tell them partly because he wasn't sure if they'd get it, and partly because he wasn't sure he was allowed to tell them without getting executed for treason.
Some of them took his word for it, and didn't really seem bothered anymore, others however grew even more skeptical, wanting to trust him but not being able to, and some, like Annabeth, were shooting him a look which told him he'd be telling her every detail of his conversation with Poseidon later.
"So," he started, "What's our order of battle?" Annabeth glaring at him for doing what used to basically be her job, answered.
"We have been granted ten thousand cyclops by His Majesty Poseidon for after we take the city, to assist with occupation, as well as the estimated twelve thousand nature spirits inside New York. The wind spirits around Olympus will be working overtime and eliminating any hostile air assets. Expanding past Manhattan, which is where the primary assault should begin, will have to mainly be accomplished based on our reputation, and limited strike groups to incapacitate enemy squads and platoons before attempting negotiation. While our armor is nearly invincible to anything they can throw at us, and our metal can slice through anything of theirs like butter, we still have weak spots in our armor, and need to get up close to do any real damage. On the commencement of the assault the mist will be dispelled, mortals will once again rejoin the realm of the gods, and celestial bronze will affect them. Our early on challenge will be the Manhattan police, but we should be able to eliminate them as a threat before making our invasion known. This should eliminate most of the threat they po-" she was cut off by the conch shell in the background.
Percy grunted in annoyance, but he didn't want to hold everyone from their lunch. "Go to lunch everyone, we'll continue this today after classes are concluded."
Staying behind, he waited for everyone to filter out of the room until it was just him and Annabeth. Sighing he leaned back in the wooden chair he was sitting in, just now noticing he was still wearing his armor from his training.
His girlfriend leaned forward onto the table, intensely staring at him.
"So?" she asked. "What's the reason?"
He sighed. He really didn't want to get into it right now, especially when he wasn't sure of his views on the situation.
"Let's just go have lunch," he tried.
She kept staring at him.
"Fine." He caved, "The gods are weak after the wars. Since they run off of worship, they say they need more. In fact, a lot more, to keep from fading into obscurity, having their power decreased to pitiful levels, or just straight up fading."
"That doesn't give them the right to-"
He cut her off, "I know, and I'll do everything to try and make sure the mortal's lives are disrupted as little as possible, but we don't need to discuss this right now." he finished, pleading with her to let it go.
She looked like she still wanted to debate it, but seemed to sense he wasn't doing great right now and backed off.
"Alright," she conceded, although her tone said otherwise.
Pinching her cheek, he dodged out of the room before she could smack him, laughing all the way.
As he made his way to the mess area, he recalled why it now had a giant white tent over it. Since the gigantomachy ended a couple months ago, the gods had been, as previously stated, weak. Due to this, even something as simple as weather control was no longer guaranteed at the camp, much less the prevention of monster attacks (hence guard duty). Because of this, there was a precautionary tent put up over the mess area.
Annabeth soon made her way to his side, and he quickly braced himself for the hit to his bicep that, as he predicted, came very shortly after, and smiled. Things were slightly looking up at least. At least he had a reason for all of the hoops he had had to jump through for the last day or so, and a reasonable one at that.
As he ducked into the mess hall with his girlfriend right behind him, he heard the clattering of chairs, and looked up to see the entire camp at attention, saluting.
He grit his teeth in annoyance.
Maybe things weren't looking up as much as he thought.
Link: https://m.fanfiction.net/s/13196485/1/Proditione-et-Fide
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