At Camp Jupiter:
"Fourth Cohort! PLEASE pay attention! We have to have a battle strategy!" Leila shouted. But everyone ignored her. The daughter of Ceres's voice wasn't loud enough. She cursed.
"COHORT! ATTENTION!" She yelled. They had to pay attention. Leila would make them.
The chatter instantly silenced.
"Thank you. Now, we need a strategy for when we attack. Reyna told us there would be many monsters we haven't yet fought. Things from the Dark Ages of Rome and Greece." Leila said, pointing at a huge map on the barrack wall.
"What part of New Rome were we assigned again?" A voice shouted.
"We were assigned the entrance." Leila said.
"Caldecott Tunnel then." One of Leila's fellow campers said grimly.
"We will have one third of the Fifth Cohort with us, though," Leila said hopefully.
"Yes you will," Dakota said from the barrack doorway.
Leila's cohort cheered.
Dakota joined Leila at the map. They both studied it together, looking for places to station their legionnaires.
"Hmm...Michael, Larry, Hank, Nathan, and Marcus can't help....Reyna knows we'll be scattered, right? Separate? Unable to communicate! Has she thought this through?" Usually Leila didn't question the powerful daughter of Bellona, but Reyna had seemed really distracted lately. Still, anyone could give her credit for shouldering a job meant for two. Frank and Hazel were supposed to return a month after the Giant War, but since they got sent on a quest, it might've become a year.
Until Reyna told them they only had days to prepare. Everyone was struggling to get organized.
Dakota laughed. "Calm down, Leila. The reason Reyna only put about 55 legionnaires at the entrance to New Rome is because she knows they'll come through. They are going to come into camp, regardless of what we do. Then we can go help the other cohorts."
Leila stared at Dakota. He just said in a subtle way that the Fourth and part of the Fifth Cohorts weren't strong enough to handle monsters.
"COHORT!" Leila yelled, surprising everyone in the room. "We have to go set up tents by the Caldecott Tunnel. We must be prepared for battle. Grab your weapons. Let's go."
As they marched, Leila admired how insanely quick the Romans got ready for battle. There were parts of cohorts mixed, and Leila felt a twinge of annoyance at Reyna for not believing the Fourth Cohort could win the battle before it had even started.
When they reached the Little Tiber, they set up camp. Tents were put up, campers mingled.
When it grew dark, Leila went inside her sleeping bag and slowly fell asleep.
She dreamed of Jason Grace. He was with the other kids from the Greek camp. They were with some other teens Leila didn't know, but she zeroed in on Jason. His Imperial gold glasses glinted in the dull sunlight. He was talking to Reyna in an Iris message with the others. She listened in.
"...horrible news! Hylla told you this?! Who told Hylla?" Jason asked.
"She didn't reveal the source to me. But, Jason, this is serious. All of you, listen. You will bring unknown baggage with you during your return. Monsters. Monsters so ancient you will have never heard of them. Most likely." Reyna said.
A girl Leila didn't know with light ginger hair and freckles held up a hand. "So you're saying monsters even Percy hasn't battled yet will come to you?"
Reyna nodded.
Hazel, Leila's sort of friend, frowned. "What about Camp Half-Blood?"
Reyna shimmered. "Hylla made it known to me that Camp Half-Blood would not be attacked. Though they should still keep a lookout. I already notified them. And I also have something else to say.
"You must bring your European friends with you when you return. Hylla said we would need them. Maybe wizards and demigods will mix and help us form an alliance in which we can destroy the foe. Please, hurry and come quick. We need you."
The image disappeared as Jason opened his mouth. He scrunched his eyebrows together.
Just as he started saying "Well," the dream dissolved. Dakota appeared in it's place.
He was on the ground. It looked like he had a severe wound to the chest. Leila tried to run to him, but she couldn't. Suddenly, the forty members of her cohort appeared. But they were also suffering. Leila felt the ground tremble. She looked behind her and saw monsters running towards her. A scream pierced the air, and flames rose before Leila's eyes.
"NO!" She yelled.
Bolting up, Leila woke up with a yelp. She quickly composed herself. A Roman Centurion did not scream because she got scared in her dreams. That was ridiculous.
"Uh, Leila?" Dakota's head stuck into her tent. "Are you okay?"
She winced. Someone HAD heard her. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just a....bad dream."
Dakota nodded sympathetically. He took a swig from his Kool-Aid canteen. "I get it," he said.
"Er, goodnight Dakota." Leila said.
Dakota flashed a grin, then left Leila alone.
She put her head back down on the pillow. Closing her eyes, she let herself think about Dakota.
They had been in the legion together for about five years. Only two years as Centurions, though. They had become friends, even in different Cohorts. Leila was proud to have the Kool-Aid loving son of Bacchus at her back
Leila wasn't sure how she felt about him. They were friends, yes, but lately he'd been more concerning and...different. Leila hadn't really been responding to him. She was too scared. She didn't want to ruin their friendship.
Eventually, she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
But Leila awoke to yelling and the sound of Imperial gold against Imperial gold.
A/N: Hehehe......MWAHAHAHAHA!!! My evil plan has almost succeeded. Okay, thanks so much for reading. Share this story to get more updates more often! Bye! ;) XD
PS: Thanks so much -winterspell- for being so supportive and great!! And FabulousTimes10 too! You both are the best!