━━ chapter eight
fear the roman senate

✿✼:*ﾟ:༅。.。༅:*·ﾟﾟ·⭑

━━Fiona felt better the next day, but she still wasn't at her best. She was tried and felt like her feet were dragging through water and sand every time she walked. She wondered how she was supposed to go on a quest like this, light-headed, scared that when she'd close her eyes, she'd go back to being dead ... Fiona wants her Mom, which was something she doesn't wish for much. She knows her mother will tell her to put her chin up and make sure her crown does not fall down, but she wanted the hugs she used to give her when she was little ... before Fiona had to grow up.

She spent her night in New Rome back home. It was a request granted by her centurions and Reyna. And Fiona's mother hugged her and cried, happy her daughter was still alive━which was very out of character, but Fiona relaxed in her hold and sobbed, whimpering her fear and the task her father wants her to complete.

Fiona met up with the others outside the Senate. Seeing Hazel, Frank and Percy, she gave a weak smile that was unlike her. But she was tired, still feeling like she was light-headed, and well, had come back from the dead.

Hazel hurried over and gave her a hug. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I rose from the dead," replied Fiona

"So good?" Percy cracked a joke, and she narrowed her eyes at him. Something was on his mind, she could tell━like usual, it would seem.

Pulling away from Hazel, Fiona arched a brow. "So, how was your first time meeting Terminus?"

Frank winced, "Percy offended him by saying he has no hands."

"But he doesn't."

Fiona nodded, "Okay, so that's the third god you've disrespected ... is that a thing with you, or?"

Percy knitted his brows, "I ... think so ...?"

(He's cute when he furrows his brows like that, said the annoying voice. Shut up, answered back Fiona's common sense). She resisted the upwards tugs of her lips, "Come on, Barnacle Boy, the Roman Senate awaits."

The interior of the Senate House was a large room of a semicrcle of tiered seats facing a dias with a podium and two chairs. The chairs were empty, but one had a small velvet package on the seat. Fiona, Percy, Hazel and Frank sat on the left side of the semicircle. The ten senators and Nico occupied the rest of the front row. The upper rows were filled with several dozen ghosts and a few older veterans from the city, all in formal togas. Octavian stood in front with a knife and a Beanie Baby lion, just in case anyone needed to consult his stupid ass.

Beside Fiona, Percy leaned over and whispered, "Do people just always consult the god of cutesy collectibles?"

She had to hide her bark of laughter, which turned into a strangled cough. Percy looked happy he made her laugh, considering she was usually stone-faced and scowling.

Reyna walked to the podium and raised her hand for attention. "Right, this is an emergency meeting," she said. "We won't stand on formalities."

"I love formalities!" a ghost complained.

Reyna shot him a glare. "First of all," she said, "we're not here to vote on the quest itself. The quest has been issued by Mars Ultor, patron of Rome. We will obey his wishes. Nor are we here to debate the choice of Frank Zhang's companions."

"All four from the Fifth Cohort?" called out Hank from the Third. "That's not fair."

"And not smart," said the boy next to him━Larry. "We know the Fifth will mess up. They should take somebody good."

Even in her state, Fiona's fury made her stand up and shout across the Senate. "Says you! Do I need to remind you who completely whipped your podex, last night, Larry?! So futuere!"

There were some gasps at her profanity. Reyna held up her hand again, "Enough, Fiona," she said. "Leave Larry's podex out of this, and we don't condone such language in the Senate."

Larry gave her a look that said, take that.

Fiona would've shouted something else, but she sat down, not wanting to make things worse for Frank than they already were.

"As quest leader," continued Reyna, "Frank has the right to choose his companions. He has chosen Percy Jackson, Fiona Midgrass and Hazel Levesque."

A ghost from the second row yelled, "Absurdus! Frank Zhang isn't even a full member of the legion! He's on probatio. A quest must be led by someone of centurion rank or higher. This is completely━"

"Cato," Reyna snapped. "We must obey the wishes of Mars Ultor. That means certain ... adjustments."

She clapped her hands, and Octavian came forward. He set down his knife and the stuffed toy and took the velvet package from the chair. "Frank Zhang," he said, 'come forward."

Frank glanced nervously at Percy. Then he got to his feet and approached the augur.

"It is my ... pleasure," Octavian said, forcng out the last word, "to bestow upon you the Mural Crown for being first over the walls in siege warfare," he handed him a bronze badge shaped like a laurel wreath━the symbol of Victoria. "Also, by order of Praetor Reyna, to promote you to the rank of centurion."

He handed Frank another badge━a bronze crescent━and the senate exploded in protest.

"He's still a probie!"

"Impossible!"

"Water cannon up my nose!"

"Silence!" Octavian shouted, and he sounded a lot more commanding than he had the previous night on the battlefield. "Our praetor reconises that no one below the rank of centurion may lead a quest. For good or ill, Frank must lead this quest━so our praetor has decreed that Frank Zhang must be made centurion."

Fiona knew what he was doing. She scowled. She could say a lot of terrible things about Octavian, but something he was good at was speaking. He sounded reasonable and supportive, but his expression was pained. He carefully crafted his words to put all the resonsibility and blame onto Reyna. This was her idea, he had said instead.

Reyna realised this, too. A look of irritation flashed across her face. "There is an opening for centurion," she said. "One of our officers, also a senator, has decided to step down. After ten yearsin the legion, she will retire to the city and attend college. Gwen of the Fifth Cohort, we thank you for your service."

Everyone turned to Gwen, who managed a brave smile.

"As praetor," Reyna continued, "I have the right to replace officers. I admit it's unusual for a camper on probatio to rise directly to the rank of centurion, but I think we can agree ... last night was unusual. Frank Zhang, your ID, please."

Frank removed the lead tablet from around his neck and handed it to Octavian.

"Your arm," Octavian said.

Frank held up his forearm, an Octavian raised his hands to the heavens. "We accept Frank Zhang, son of Mars, to the Twelfh Legion Fulminata for his first year of service. Do you pledge your life to the senate and people of Rome?"

Frank muttered something like, "Uh-dud," then he cleared his throat and managed: "I do."

The senators shouted, "Senatus Populusque Romanus!"

Fire blazed on Frank's arm. For a moment his eyes filled with terror, and then the smoke and flame died, and new marks were seared onto Frank's skin: SPQR, an image of crossed spears, and a single stripe, representing the first year of service. Fiona's fingers itched to her own, remembering the pain each time, too. As if on their own, her fingers then flew up to her necklace. She wasn't sure what happened now with the seed inside. She had been too scared to check inside to see whether it was still shrivelled or back to being normal.

"You may sit down," Octavian glanced at the audience as if to say: This wasn't my idea, folks.

"Now," said Reyna, "we must discuss the quest."

The senators shifted and muttered as Frank returned to his seat.

"Did it hurt?" Percy immediately whispered.

Frank looked at his forearm, which was still steaming. "Yeah. A lot," he seemed mystified with the badges in his hand, like he wasn't sure what to do with them.

"Here," Hazel's eyes shone with pride. "Let me..."

She pinned the medals to Frank's shirt. Percy smiled, and even Fiona managed to give Frank a light punch in congratulations. "You deserve it man," said Percy. "What you did last night? Natural leadership."

Frank scowled, "But centurion━"

"Centurion Zhang," called Octavian. "Did you hear the question?"

Frank blinked, "Um ... sorry. What?"

Octavian turned to the senate and smirked, what did I tell you? he seemed to say. Fiona glared. "I was asking," he spoke as if he was talking to a three-year-old, "if you have a plan for the quest. Do you even know where you are going?"

"Um..."

Hazel put her hand on Frank's shoulder and stood. "Weren't you listening last night, Octavian? Mars was pretty clear. We're going to the land beyond the gods━Alaska."

The senators squirmed in their seats. Some of the ghosts shimmered and disappered. Even Argentum and Aurum rolled over onto their backs and whimpered. It was a dangerous place, the land before the gods. And it was where their eagle had been lost. Terrible stories flow from that place━the Massacre of the Fifth Cohort.

Finally, Senator Larry stood, "I know what Mars said, but that's crazy. Alaska is cursed! They call it the land beyond the gods for a reaosn. It's so far north that the Roman gods have no power there. The place is swarming with monsters. No demigod has come back from there alive since━"

"Since you lost your eagle," said Percy.

Larry was so startled, he fell back on his podex.

"Look," continued Percy, "I know I'm new here. I know you guys don't like to mention that massacre in the 1980s━"

"He mentioned it!" one of the ghosts whimpered.

"━but don't you get it? The Fifth Cohort led that expedition. We failed, and we have to be responsible for making things right. That's why Mars is sending us. This giant, the son of Gaea, he's the one who defeated your forces thirty years ago. I'm sure of it. Now he's sitting up there in Alaska with a chained death god, and all your old equipment. He's mustering his armies and sending them south to attack this camp."

"Really?" Octavian said. "You seem to know a lot about our enemy's plans, Percy Jackson."

Fiona stared at him, alarmed. He was calling him a spy. Fiona hasn't known Percy for long, but Nico said she could trust him. He was not a traitor, and she wanted to punch Octavian for even ensuing━

"We're going to confront this son of Gaea," continued Percy, keeping his composure. Fiona watched him, impressed. "We'll get back your eagle and unchain this god ..." he glanced at Fiona. "Thanatos, right?"

She nodded, "Letus, in Roman. But his old Greek name is Thanatos. When it comes to Death ... we're happy to let him stay Greek."

Octavian sighed in exasperation. "Well, whatever you call him ... how do you expect to do all this and get back by the Feast of Fortuna? That's the evening of the twenty-fourth. It's the twentieth, now. Do you even know where to look? Do you even know who this son of Gaea is?"

Hazel went a dark shade of purple. She looked ready to stand up and explain, but Fiona wouldn't let her. She stood up instead, with a little difficulty, but she did anyway━she wasn't going to show any weakness. "Yes," she spoke with such certainty that even she was surprised. Fiona could feel Hazel's grateful gaze on her. "We don't know exactly where to look, but I have a pretty good idea. The giant's name is Alcyoneus."

That same lowred the temperature in the room, and the senators shivered.

Reyna gripped her podium. "How do you know this, Fiona? Because you're a child of Pluto?"

Fiona didn't know what she meant by that; whether it was genuine or an insult. Before she could defend herself, Nico stood up in his black toga. "Praetor, if I may," he said. "Fiona, Hazel and I ... we learned a little about the giants from our father. Each giant was bred specifically to oppose one of the twelve Olympian gods━to usurp that god's domain. The king of the giants was Porphyrion, the anti-Jupiter. But the eldest giant was Alcyoneus. He was born to oppose Pluto. That's why we know of him in particular."

Reyna frowned. "Indeed? You sound quite familiar with him."

Fiona clenched her fists. Nico picked at the edge of his toga. "Anyway ... the giants were hard to kill. According to prophecy, they could only be defeated by gods and demigods working together."

Dakota belched. "Sorry, did you say gods and demigods ... like, fighting side by side? that could never happen!"

"It has happened," said Nico. "In the first giant war, the gods called upon heroes to join them, and they were victorious. Whether it could happen again, I don't know. But with Alcyoneus ... he was different. He was completely immortal, impossible to kill by god or demigod, as long as he remained in his home territory━the place where he was born."

Nico paused to let that sink in, "And if Alcyoneus has been reborn in Alaska━"

"Then he can't be defeated here," Fiona finished. "Ever. By any means. Which is why our 1980s expedition was doomed to fail."

Another round of arguing and shouting broke out.

"The quest is impossible!"

"We're doomed!"

"More Kool-Aid!"

"Silence!" Reyna snapped. "Senators, we must act like Romans. Mars has given us this quest, and we have to believe it is possible. These four demigods must travel to Alaska. They must free Thanatos and reutrn before the Feast of Fortuna. If they can retrieve the lost eage in the process, so much the better. All we can do is advise them and make sure they have a plan." she looked at Percy without much hope. "You do have a plan?"

Percy took a deep breath and stepped forward bravely. Fiona sat back down, watching him stand over them with a fluttering stomach. She knows he's not a Roman God, but gods does he look like one (she keeps saying that, doesn't she?).

"First, I need to understand something," he turned towards Nico. "I thought Pluto was the god of the dead. Now, I hear about this other guy, Thanatos, and the Doors of Death from that Prophecy━the Prophecy of Eight. What does all that mean?"

Nico frowned. "Okay. Pluto is the god of the Underworld, but the actual god of death, the one who's responsible for making sure souls go to the afterlife and stay there━that's Pluto's lieutenant, Thanatos. He's like ... well, imagine Life and Death are two different countries. Everybody would like to be in Life, right? So there's a guarded border to keep people from crossing back over without permission. But it's a big border, with lots of holes in the fence. Pluto tries to seal up the breaches, but new ones keep popping up all the time. That's why he depends on Thanatos, who's like the border patrol, the police."

"Thanatos catches souls," Percy said, "and deports them back to the Underworld."

Fiona's fingers grasped her necklace again. Was she a soul, now? Was she someone who has crossed that border without permission? Yes, her father told her she must, but ... once Thanatos is freed, will she be dead, then? Will Thanatos take her back to the Underworld ... For the first time, Fiona had doubts about saving the world...

"Exactly," nodded Nico. "But now Thantos has been captured, chained up."

Frank raised his hand, "Uh ... how do you chain Death?"

"It's been done before," said Nico. "In the old days, a guy named Sisyphus tricked Death and tied him up. Another time, Hercules wrestled him to the ground."

"And now a giant has captured him," said Percy. "So, if we could free Thanatos, then the dead would stay dead?" he glanced at Fiona. "Um ... no offence."

Fiona pursed her lips and fiddled with her skull pendant even more. Would she stay dead? Was she brought back to life for this purpose only, and then to return to the Underworld? Was that her fate?

"It's more complicated then that," said Nico.

Octavian rolled his eyes. "Why does that not surprise me."

"You mean the Doors of Death," Reyna said, ignoring the augur. "They are mentioned in the Prophecy of Eight, which sent the first expedition to Alaska━"

Cato the ghost snorted, "We all know how that turned out! We Lares remember!"

The other ghosts grumbled in annoyance.

Nico put his finger to his lips. Suddenly, all the Lares went silent. Some looked alarmed, like their mouths had been glued shut. Fiona wished she had that power. But instead over the dead, with the living as well ... or, more specifically, Octavian.

"Thanatos is only part of the solution," Nico explained. "The Doors of Death ... well, that's a concept even I don't completely understand. There are many ways into the Underworld━the River Styx, the Door of Oropheus━plus smaller escape routes that open up from time to time. With Thanatos imprisoned, all those exists will be easier to use. Sometimes it might work to our advantage and let a friendly soul come back━like Fiona, here. More often, it will benefit evil souls and monsters, the sneaky ones who are ooking to escape. Now, the Doors of Death━those are the personal doors of Thanatos, his fast lane between Life and Death. Only Thanatos is supposed to know where they are, and the location shifts over the ages. If I understand correctly, the Doors of Death have been forced open. Gaea's minions have seized control of them━"

"Which means Gaea controls who can come back from the dead," Percy guessed.

Nico nodded. "She can pick and choose who to let out━the worst monsters, the most evil souls. If we rescue Thanatos, that means at least he can catch souls again and send them below. Monsters will die when we kill them, like they used to, and we'll get a little breathing room. But unless we're able to retake the Doors of Death, our enemies won't stay down for long. They'll have an easy way back to the world of the living."

"So we can catch them and deport them," Percy summed up, "but they'll just keep coming back across."

"In a depressing nutshell, yes."

Fiona glanced to Hazel, and saw that same look upon her face━the one Fiona was wearing herself. They were both souls who had crossed over (what a sisterly bond, she thought saracstically). Once this quest was done, the both of them will be sent back.

Frank scratched his head, "But Thanatos knows where the doors are, right? If we free him, he can retake them."

"I don't think so," said Nico. "Not alone. He's no match for Gaea. That would take a massive quest ... an army of the best demigods."

"Foes bear arms to the Doors of Death," Reyna said. "That's the Propechy of Eight ..." Fiona saw a flash of fear in her eyes. She hid it well, but she was scared, much like the rest of them. "If this begins the ancient prophecy, we don't have resources to send an army to these Doors of Death and protect the camp. I can't imagine even sparing eight demigods━"

"First things first," Percy tried to sound confident in the panic that was rising in the room. He looked like a leader━like he's done this before, and yet, he's only just arrived. Percy Jackson was a mystery; one that Fiona wasn't sure she wanted to unwravel. "I don't know who the eight are, or what that old prophecy means, exactly. But first we have to free Thanatos. Mars told us we only needed four people for the quest to Alaska. Let's concentrate on succeeding with that and getting back before the Feast of Fortuna. Then we can worry about the Doors of Death."

"Yeah," said Frank in a small voice. "That's probably enough for one week."

"So you do have a plan?" Octavain asked sceptically.

Percy looked down at his teammates. "We go to Alaska━"

"━As fast as possible," added Fiona.

"And we improvise," said Hazel.

"A lot," finished Frank.

Reyna studied them, looking as though she was mentally writing her own obituary. "Very well," she finally said. "Nothing remains except for us to vote on what support we can give the quest━transportatoin, money, magic, weapons."

"Praetor, if I may," Octavian said.

Percy's eyes flew up to the ceiling, "Oh, great," he muttered. "Here it comes."

"The camp is in grave danger," Octavian said. "Two gods have warned us we will be attacked four days from now. We must not spread our recources too thin, especially by funding projects that have a slim chance of success."

Octavian looked at the four of them with pity, as if to say, Poor little things. Fiona clenched her fists. She growled under her breath, thinking of many choice words to say, but with a swift clasp of her elbow, Percy stopped her.

(And she went bright red, immediately pulling away. No! Stop! Stop making me soft, Jackson!).

"Mars has clearly chosen the least likely candidates for this quest. Perhaps that is because he considers them the most expendable. Perhaps Mars is plying the long odds. Whatever the case, he wisely didn't order a massive expedition, nor did he ask us to fund their adventure. I say we keep our resources here and defend the camp. This is where the battle will be lost or won. If these four succeed, wonderful! But they should do so by their own ingenuity."

An uneasy murmur passed through the crowd. Frank jumped to his feet, and Fiona went to shout some really mean words, but Percy stopped the both of them. "Fine!" he declared. "No problem. But at least give us transportation. Gaea is the earth goddess, right? Going overland, across the earth━I'm guessing we should avoid that. Plus, it'll be too slow."

Octavian laughed. "Would you like us to charter you an aeroplane?"

"No," Percy looked uneasy at that thought. "Air travel ... I have a feeling that would be bad, too. But a boat. Can you at least give us a boat?"

Hazel made a grunting sound. Fiona screwed her face up. She wasn't good on water (thanks Dad).

"A boat!" Octavian turned to the senators. "The son fo Neptune wants a boat. Sea travel has ever been the Roman way, but he isn't much of a Roman!"

"Octavian," Reyna said sternly, "a boat is little enough to ask. And providing no other aid seems very━"

"Traditional!" Octavian exclaimed. "It is very traditional. Let us see if these questers have the strength to survive without help, like true Romans!"

More muttering filled the chamber. The senators' eyes moved back and forth between Octavian and Reyna, Fiona suddenly wondered whether there would be a fight.

But Reyna just straightened in her chair. "Very well," she said tightly. "We'll put it to a vote. Senators, the motion is as follows: the quest shall go to Alaska. The senate shall provide full access to the Roman navy docked at Alameda. No other aid will be forthcoming. The four adventurers will survive or fail on their own merits. All in favour?"

Every senator's hand went up.

"The motion is passed," Reyna turned to Frank. "Centurion, your party is excused. The senate has other matters to discuss. And, Octavian, if I may confer with you for a moment."

Fiona was glad to get out of there. Her mind was spinning just as much as it had been when she died and her father told her she had to save the world or whatever. There was so much she had to think about, and so little time.

Hazel picked up a large emerald from the path and slipped it in her pocket. "So ... we're pretty much toast?"

Frank nodded miserably. "If any of you wants to back out, I wouldn't blame you."

"Are you kidding?" Hazel said. "And pull sentry duty for the rest of the week."

"Yeah, Zhang," said Fiona. "We're getting a victory. I'm not pulling out of that."

He managed a smile. He turned to Percy, who was off in thought, brooding across the forum. There was a small silence, before he decided. "I'm with you. Besides, I want to check out the Roman navy."

They were only halfway across the forum when someone called, "Jackson!" Fiona glanced back, and saw Octavian jogging towards them.

"What do you want?" Percy asked stiffly.

Octavian smiled. "Already decided I'm your enemy? That's a rash choice, Percy. I'm a loyal Roman."

Frank snarled. "You backstabbing, slimy━" Percy and Hazel had to hold him back. Fiona glared at Octavian, silently wishing curses upon curses on his stupid, scrawny face.

"Oh dear," Octavian sighed. "Hardly the right behaviour for a new centurion. Jackson, I only followed you because Reyna charged me with a message. She wants you to report to the principia without your━ah━three lackeys, here. Reyna will meet you there after the senate adjourns. She'd like a private word with you before you leave on your quest."

"What about?"

"I'm sure I don't know," he smiled wickedly. "The last person she had a private talk with was Jason Grace. And that was the last time I ever saw him. Good luck and goodbye, Percy Jackson."

✿✼:*ﾟ:༅。.。༅:*·ﾟﾟ·⭑

a/n: octavian can go jump off a cliff. also not a big fan of this chapter when am i ever happy with my chapters?

yo, i realise imma have to make the moa, hoh and boo different for claire and fiona but with the same love interest ... uGH, and i wanna go in to tartarus for bOTH (oops, is that a spoiler? um, sorry?)