Percy Jackson : Gods Annihilation

'So if elimination isn't the goal, then what?' he wondered as they finally arrived at the northern edge, the only side to have had a good chunk of forest cleared.

"Form up!" Allen ordered over the wind.

...

The demigods followed, lining up shoulder to shoulder with shields locked, the thickest line of four rows while the sides at three and back with two. Allen stood near the center space left, constantly walking back and forth as his captains dispersed within the ranks to keep order, catching the slight mutterings when close.

His heart sank as he noticed some of the youngest within the ranks shaking in their armor. He tried to steady them while idly noticing as other groups formed up near them including their sister-group, Bellona's Cohort with said goddess barking her orders.

Allen could already see minor gods mobilized above them, trying to keep their chariots steady. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder making him jump and almost pull out his sword. Luckily he looked in time to see a familiar set of grey eyes and blonde hair through her helmet.

His sister, Annabeth, had finally joined them. She gave him a reassuring nod before turning her attention to the other demigods that had noticed her, her very presence already causing a calm as the demigods steadied themselves.

With his sister back in proper command he turned to checking the lines and noting where the forces of their allies were and what was being covered. So far several lines and clusters had formed around them with attention generally aimed at the mountain and forest leading to it. The winds seemed to be calming and with Zeus diverting the lightning, order was being restored … until one demigod shouted out.

"Contact! North side!"

At once most of the attention was turned their and Allen could here several gasps and hitching breathes as they all saw what was before them. Just over a hundred meters away, right at the edge of the cleared trees stood one familiar hero. Percy looked at them, standing alone and almost blended with the darkness around him, only his icy blue eyes glowing from within the shadows with the occasional lightning strike making him more visible.

Tensions rose and Allen could feel a pressure gathering making him glance to the side to see a not so surprising sight. Artemis' Hunt had gathered closer to the edge of the clearing and the goddess was at the head, her eyes glowing silver as she held her bow and snarled as her gaze remained locked on the one who almost wiped out her hunters.

"Steady," Bellona's voice carried over the dying winds as she stood next to Annabeth, spear at the ready as all eyes remained locked on the most dangerous of their opponents.

Then, as if intentionally timed with the next lightning strike, Percy smirked for all to see before he slowly started to step back, his figure dissolving into the darkness with only his glowing eyes still visible. Then, with a blink he was gone even as a deep chuckle echoed throughout the clearing. Allen felt like ice water had been poured into his veins as he listened to it, his nose scrunching at the smell of piss wafting off some of the demigods before chaos broke loose.

With no signs or warning the earth started to shake causing cries of alarm and surprise. Then Allen cursed as the very ground under him shifted and moved as if it was alive, nearly making him fall as their formations were literally pulled apart.

Entire rivers of mud and soil formed separating the demigods and Amazons in random directions even as the grounds continued to shake. Then the ear-racking sound of metal groaning and being torn rung out as he looked to see one of the Argos being tied up.

However, what was truly worrying about the sight was that it was by several massive trees. Trees that weren't there before as they loomed over the ships with branches acting like serpents, tangling the ship along the masts and any other foothold. Even from a distance he could tell the main mast of the ship being tied down as breaking meaning the power of those branches was enough to easily kill a demigod.

"Pull together!" he heard Hera order from within her units of Amazons though it seemed in vain as the earth simply shifted again and again.

Screams and shouts started to fill the air as some demigods suddenly found themselves being tugged by trees rapidly growing right out from under them, the branches tying around necks or legs before hoisting them into branches. Dread took an icy hold of him as cries and shouts for help were suddenly silenced following as demigods were dragged into the darkness of the trees.

"Come out you cowards!" roared one Craceus Orelous as he stood near some of his romans, his praetor cape billowing behind him as he spun wildly, his Imperial gold blade glinting with a faint glow in the darkness. "Fight us like proper Romans! Or are you too cowardly to dare face us directly!?"

His challenge drew some shouts of agreement as split up cells gained courage while brandishing their weapons calling out similar challenges, as if to goad the new primordial gods into facing them head on. Brave and courageous, openly defying what were obviously superior warriors using any and all tactics available to them, instead wanting to face them in tests of skill with their blades. That's why they were called heroes and remembered but Allen had another word for them.

Fools.

There was the momentary low in movement as the earth settled and everything settled for a split second. Then like vipers, five branches sprung from the trees around the praetor and his unit. Before he could react all five were tangled around his neck, wrists, and ankles, hoisting him above their heads as he struggled in vain, unable to swing his sword to cut himself free.

Then they started to pull.

All the demigods that could see could only star in shock as they watched, and heard, as the demigod was pulled in every direction. The popping and cracking of bones, the shrill screams of agony, before there was a final tug and he was ripped apart in a shower of blood.

Silence took hold as some demigods fell to their knees, in shock as they stared at the headless, arm and legless body left of the challenging demigod as some possibly realized something Allen had himself come to terms with only days after the first attack and kidnapping of his mother.

They were not fighting Greeks or Romans, irrelevant of divinity. These weren't arrogant and boastful gods that preferred to lord their apparent victory, an action that had led to many of their defeats in the past.

Allen had seen how they attacked and fought already, using weapons of completely different cultures, fought with unique styles that only hinted at differing origins. They were facing completely new enemies, unknowns aside from identity and even that was limited. They were opponents that couldn't care less for honor or glory but opponents that could and would cut them down without hesitation.

Skilled. Efficient. Lethal.

And it was that realization the truly started the breaking of morale as some demigods simply fell to their knees, weapons left forgotten at their sides. A minor god sped over them upon his chariot, trying to rally them … only to be shot out of the skies with a bolt. Allen watched as he fell, part of his breastplate and left leg looking charred as his chariot splintered, plowing into the shifting grounds. A groan drew some eyes as the god shook his head to ward off the dizziness, slowly getting up on shaky legs.

"What in the damn Pit," he growled as he looked to his large celestial bronze sword that landed just some feet away, miraculously still in place despite the churning earth around them.

He made a step towards it before suddenly the ground beneath his foot opened up. He cursed as his leg fell under and he was about to pull himself up but then tendrils seemingly made of roots and soil shot out, wrapping around the god much to his alarm.

He started thrashing and shouting as the tendrils pulled into their abyss, uncaring of the struggles and curses. He lunged forward, falling flat with his hand inches from his blade before his eyes shifted to them, a furious glare becoming prominent even as his other hand clawed for purchase against the pulling roots.

"Help me you ungrateful bastards!" he roared before suddenly crying in pain as a root punctured through the back of his calf.

Whatever anger had been was replaced with fear as the god's struggles became desperate, grabbing at the soil only for it to give out between his fingers. Allen's eyes shifted to the ground as it writhed and molded, his knees shaking as it rose up and formed the upper half of a lion's head causing many of shocked demigods to move back, those of which having fallen to their knees earlier crawling backwards. The god noticed and looked back, his face going bone white before it turned to them.

"HELP M—"

Crunch!

He was silenced as the earthen jaws clamped down, the head melding back into the earth as if it was never there and the god along with it. All that was left behind was a severed wrist dripping ichor, having just managed to grab ahold of the sword. Allen heard someone throw up. Another one, likely one of the young ones going by the pitch of the voice, broke down crying and wishing to leave this war right then and there.

He couldn't blame the young one. Even if he knew the primordial gods' offer to safety if they surrendered was true, at the moment this was an attack meant to deal crippling blows to their moral, something made obvious the moment Allen noticed the lightning strikes mainly ran them out of their tents and corralled them in the open.

Percy's appearance, the taunting chuckle, the way they were being picked off and made to watch as anyone who fought was brutally executed. Allen doubted this was random killing but a deliberate choice of who and how.

Laying down his weapon would probably see him spared but it wouldn't get him out and he had no doubt those seen as willingly surrendering would face wrathful Olympians tomorrow.

So for now he steeled himself, going as far as biting the inside of his own cheek to focus on the pain rather than the fear encroaching on him. He needed to get his siblings together again and prepare to weather this storm…

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Don't forget to throw some power Stones, to keep the story going.

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