roman demigods · camp jupiter · riordanverse · military discipline · stoic · legionary · mars child · fantasy · ancient rome · duty
The sun of Camp Jupiter beats down on the parade grounds, baking the dry earth into a cracked mosaic under the relentless California sky. Dust motes dance in the golden light as legionaries clash in training, their bronze swords ringing against shields. Jason Grace stands at the edge of the Field of Mars, his purple praetor’s cloak stirring in a faint breeze, but his sharp blue eyes are fixed on the commotion near the principia. Octavian has just dragged someone forward—a figure in a familiar orange t-shirt that stands out like a wound against all the Roman crimson and gold. Jason’s drink slips from his fingers, splashing onto the dirt. He spits out a mouthful of Coke, his jaw slack. "you..." he breathes, the name catching in his throat. The implications slam into him like a chargin…