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hotpotrandomfics · 9 days

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PJO Ciel AU: Stowaway of War Pt.2

Summary: Ciel has to make a choice between inaction or taking a stand. While you can be as enthusiastic to fight, a twelve-year-old spirit may falter without the right motivation.

Part 1: PJO Ciel AU: Stowaway of War Pt.1

Disclaimer:The characters of Justin Colby Peters and Clara Atalanta Ostá are intellectual properties of @mastrmiscellaneous, please follow them for more content on those characters and their creator's brilliant content.

Word Count: 3,390

“Ciel, I think we should talk about what happened in your dream. We can't just keep quiet about something as big as a double cross during attempted peace negotiations. Or the fact you have a creepy older brother wanting to kidnap you.”

Justin expressed his concerns regarding his best friend's dream of what is potentially to come. Granted, a demigod's dream could be a cause for a glorious victory or agonizing death with the latter being favored.

Justin, Ciel, and Clara had finished their guard duty as the sun was rising ever so slowly. The trio sat on the first-floor lobby, eating some of their ambrosia squares and nectar supplies after the end of their shift. Given their current state while in the middle of a warzone, it was the only sense of comfort they’d felt for a near day of battle, but finding any comfort at the moment seemed like a fleeting hope. Ciel, unfortunately, wasn’t as well rested as he wished considering a few issues plaguing the young warrior's mind.

One, Hecate knows he is fighting against her and has a brother of his tasked to try and capture him. Considering she and many of his half siblings are fighting on opposite sides of this war it does make sense for her to try and keep her kids alive. Two, Prometheus was on his way to barter for some unforeseen circumstances. Ciel didn't know much about Prometheus other than he was a savior to the early humans but was punished for it. Three, no one has spotted Michael Yew, and several fellow campers are injured or worse. The latter was his major concern as he wanted to hope his fellow archers would return, but the sinking feeling in his gut begged to differ.

“J, you know we can’t trust dreams. Demigods and dreams aren’t always fun business. You agree, right Clara?” Ciel asked his unclaimed friend who tapped her blade with her free hand, drumming a tune of some punk band. Clara was a wealth of knowledge about demigods, the gods, and monsters alike so her input would be greatly appreciated even if it counters his point. He hoped she supported his idea of keeping his mouth shut to not be a bother, there was already so much going on.

“I have to agree with Justin. You should speak up about if you saw the Queen of Witches. It is not every day you can see what is going on with the enemy, but without hard facts to back you…,” Clara sounded irritated at the idea of not having enough information, something Ciel often wondered why she fixated on such matters. For the two summers he has known her she was always trying to learn more than an Athena kid, but she says it is because she is descended from her, which made her cabin placement all the more weird when considering she has been in Hermes cabin for so long.

“I still don't think it is a good idea. What about the plans Percy and Annabeth have made? I would be stepping on their toes if it’s a trick…” Ciel's voice filled with concern about what may or may not be critical information. Why did a twelve-year-old boy have to hold such questionable information that could level the playing field?

“Best case, we act on that information and get the upper hand. Worst case, we take an unnecessary risk.” Clara stated as returned her coin to its coin form. She cycled it through her hand while muttering something neither boy could catch in Ancient Greek. Letting her opinion on the matter linger for Ciel to mule over was anxiety-inducing at best, but when it comes to this life it was never a simple yes or no action. Being cunning is what determines a demigod's probability of survival.

“Gods, why can’t things be simple?” Ciel groaned as he lifted himself from where he was on the floor before grabbing his bow. “I’ll go tell Annabeth and Percy. Not like things can get worse, right?”

“We’ll come with you-“ Clara started but her attention was drawn to hurried footsteps from Percy and Thalia, Lady Artemis's current lieutenant of her Hunters, running toward the entrance of the hotel. Ciel just had to jinx himself at the moment as the two children of Zeus and Poseidon made their way to what the boy feared.

“Shit.” Ciel cursed at himself sensing something was off about the situation and ran leaving his friends in the lobby of the Plaza. “PERCY, WAIT!”

Ciel was a few steps too slow to stop what was about to happen with the meeting. His indecisiveness at the moment left him with the other option of giving information from his dream to Annabeth or Thalia. Sadly, Annabeth was still recovering and wasn’t a hundred percent and then there was Thalia who left with Percy to talk to the father of humanity, Prometheus. If he wasn’t quick enough then the place of this “meeting” at Central Park would possibly cost not just the glimmer of hope in Olympus.

Steeling himself, he hurriedly ran after Percy and Thalia to the meeting sight. He stole a horse from a passed-out patrol officer as he made his way to Central Park, though his horse riding wasn't the best he'd have to deal with discomfort until he reached his destination. After catching up to them within a reasonable time, Ciel dismounted the noble steed and gave it a soft pat before traveling to the meeting. He didn’t know if he was stepping on the leader's toes but given the gravity of a part of his dream coming true means, there is more to come.

“Thalia, Percy!” Ciel managed to spurt out to them before taking a few breaths before dismounting the kind chestnut steed he rode on. “Prometheus is-“

“Hello, Ciel Ambrose Silverstein,” Prometheus the Titan of foresight and crafty counsel gave the boy a small smile. “Hm… your face is quite similar to someone I know.”

“Well I have one of those faces I guess,” Ciel said as he stared at Prometheus with concern. The Titan looked at the boy with a curiosity that bordered uncomfortable as he tried to decipher who he reminded him of that seemed to bug him. “I have a message for my leader, and I’d just be a moment-“

“Why shy away from that, my boy?” Prometheus said as he leaned forward from his seat where he attempting to parlay with Percy. “I’m sure it wouldn’t be so bad to keep it to yourself, right?”

Ciel felt a shiver down his spine but a slight warmth accompanied that sensation. Prometheus didn’t seem disingenuous about the fear or matter to come, hell, it was as though he wanted to take the Titan's advice and shut up.

“No,” the young Silverstein thought to himself, “this isn’t right.”

“Now if you could leave us to our meeting that would be extremely helpful.” Prometheus beckoned Ciel to just hightail it out of there but the boy forced himself to stand his ground.

He normally would back out of a confrontation be it his nature as a kid who’s been bullied for some time and a fear of authority figures but Prometheus wasn’t important or someone he’d deem important to him. The Titan was part of the enemy so he wasn’t gonna dance around the issue.

“Percy, Prometheus is here to convince you to give up the fight! Titan forces are on the march to Central and I know I should have told you at the base camp but-“ Ciel was about to dive down the rabbit hole of explaining that he normally does but Thalia clamped a hand around his shoulder.

“Easy,” Thalia said not taking her eyes off Prometheus, “Percy, you know this kid, right? Has he ever lied?”

“No, Ciel? Doesn’t have an ounce of liar in him.” Percy said confidently before returning his gaze before he continued his talk with Prometheus.

Percy ultimately went with his choice of not trusting Prometheus to begin with and gathered the campers to prepare for battle. Though Ciel felt good about speaking up, he wasn’t confident his choice was the right one. If Percy was going to still say no to Prometheus then what point did he serve? Maybe the Fates thought it would be humorous in this time of great strife to put a kid with confidence issues into the fray.

As predicted, the Titan Army forces began marching towards where the forces of Olympus were making their stand. The battle began as the army of Kronos sought to defeat the limited forces before them but with the aid of Daedalus 23, nature spirits, and satyrs brought by Grover Underwood, they had enough in numbers to hold off but for how long was uncertain. Hyperion, the Lord of the East, had entered the fray and the second scrimmage of the war had begun.

Ciel worked along the Hunters of Artemis, Apollo cabin, and Clara in a mix of hit-and-run tactics to create discord among the enemy ranks. It was a common strategy they used during their capture-the-flag matches that often gave a slight edge pending the strength of numbers on the opposing side.

The young son of magic would dodge and hide before beginning short rounds of firing arrows to maim his opponents. The smell of iron coming from open wounds, heaviness of monsters scents, violent torrents and heat created by Percy and Hyperion clash made the battlefield fear continue to rise. The aroma of war was intoxicating but his fear, Ciel's fear was shouting into his mind to run but he couldn’t as the music of the conflict and his friend's war cries kept him playing in this ballade.

“Hide. Move. Shoot, shoot.” Ciel mantra as he made his way through the battlefield, jumping between nearby trees to have some level of higher ground to work against the monsters and demigods who didn’t expect him. His adrenaline caused his heartbeat to drum heavily as the fight or flight response chanted a melody like the percussion section of an orchestra.

To him, when one monster or demigod was incapacitated another two or three would take his place. This wasn’t a game like Halo 2, this was a real war that no kid should experience and yet here he was fighting kids no older than him. All because they were scorned by the lack of attention from their godly parents? Well, Ciel could relate as he wished at times he knew his mother earlier in life.

Now? He wished his mother he had was another goddess because no mother related to him could have earned his father's love.

“Maybe she heard it,” Ciel pushed that out as he covered some of the Aphrodite kids from some espouses.

“Thanks, Silverstein!” The Aphrodite kids kept their defense of assorted perfumes up as Ciel continued picking off more monsters.

“Quick! Get back!” Ciel arched backward as he shot a Greek fire arrow to give the Aphrodite kids some breathing room. “Regroup with who you can!”

He then left his perch as the Aphrodite kids regrouped with some of the Hunters and Hephaestus kids, making his to the ground to snatch what arrows he could from fallen foes or misfired spots. The issue with arrows like any form of projectile is that you can only have so many arrows.

The wind started to pick up like hurricane season which could only mean one thing. Water rising from the Central Park reservoir began to encompass Percy and Hyperion. The wind howled long and the water roared a fierce cry as the hurricane forming took control of the tide of the battle. Soon the two were swept from view until Percy remained as he defeated Hyperion and several Kronos forces fell on the defense before retreating.

“If only knew how to control my powers. If I had any…” Ciel caught the glimpse of the hurricane as it dispersed, amazed by the power that the son of Poseidon displayed though his lack of attention left him open for an attack.

Without warning, Ciel felt a cut on his left arm before rolling away and pulling out a celestial bronze knife ready to defend himself. Though the figure that approached him wasn’t what he expected them to meet, the kid in his dreams. A teenager approximately sixteen years old with slightly crooked teeth, leathered armored with ancient runes, and playing cards?

“Well, you’re less impressive than I expected kid. Though you do have an eagle eye.” The teen shuffled his cards as a few demigods flanked him.

“And your acne looks gross like a Cyclops ass!” Ciel was not in expecting this and the cut on his arm did make his less than gentlemanly behavior come out. “Dad would have me put my tips into the swear jar.”

“Well, now that we have met I guess I should introduce myself. I’m Alabaster Torrington.” Alabaster spoke with a tone that he often heard from some of the more “eccentric” people he had met.

It wasn’t every day you met a half-sibling from your crappy witch of a “mother” though the resemblance was evident given his demeanor. Ciel could see how the Mist bent around Alabaster, how the magician veil seemed to bask him in a greenish aura. One thing was certain, he wasn’t gonna get away without a fight or better a distraction. Ciel looked both to his left and right flanks as he watched the forces of CHB working on their regression and if he shouted he wouldn’t be in a good spot, likely killed.

“What do you want?” Ciel asked as he secured his footing, assessing what would be his next move.

“I’ve come to get you. Mother wants you alive, you see, and I’m not going to disappoint her. Especially when have the advantage, Kronos will lead a new age for us all to rule. Those who are loyal will get all they wish but those who aren’t will be…”

“Well, I haven’t had mom around for fourteen years. Didn’t need her then and don’t need her now, or you. Kronos army has killed so many people that meant something to me and my friends.”

Ciel’s grip on his knife tightened as he remembered Castor's death in the Battle of Labyrinth. That day he couldn’t stop crying even in the night when should have slept. Castor was like a big brother to him when he first arrived, showed him around with Justin, and helped him learn the basics of magic. Castor even started his swordsmanship training while having a cold from a prank war with the Hermes kids.

His death hurt more than anything up till the battle, seeing more of his camp mates dying trying to do the right thing. That July 2nd, 2008, will be the day he experienced death at its worst with Castor’s funeral and having to say goodbye. Hell, Mr. D checked on him during the funeral of the fallen for the briefest of moments. The two would share a moment where they both poured Cherry Coke into the eternal flames in mourning.

If that wasn’t a family then he didn’t know what the Alabaster twist version would be. Alabaster was nothing to him, not a brother of his, and for sure not someone worth joining. Just because they have his mother on their side doesn’t mean he will betray the world for them when they haven’t done a thing for him. Justin, Clara, Lucille, Pollux, and Castor were his siblings, and his only parent was Alexander Silverstein.

“You’re our mother's son after all. Come on, quit being a pain come willingly or it’s going to get rough for you.” Alabaster extended his arm, offering a hand to Ciel with a sincere smile.

“I’m Alexander Silverstein’s son. So that’s my answer, wanker!” Ciel spat at him as an arrow flew through the air, clipping Alabaster’s hand.

“Fuck!” Alabaster gripped his hand as his team of demigods and monsters tried to find where the shot came from.

“Stay away from my bro, you scrawny witch boy!” Justin said as he and a few campers, nymphs, and satyrs sprung out of the nearby pushes to take these guys down.

Ciel ran to his allies to regroup but one of Kronos ’ demigods grabbed his hoodie, not a fun thing to get dragged by someone at least twice your size. But that meant doing dick things in war was warranted as the son of Hecate twisted in his hoodie and sliced his hand. Freed, he gave the demigod a swift kick below the belt before bolting away.

“Why?!” The demigod whined their knees buckled and they squirmed in pain.

Rule number one of growing up in St. Augustine, Florida? You never play fair with people, cops, bullies, and alligators. Ciel sprinted further until he was just two yards from his allies before hearing “Duck” from Clara. Following suit, ducked down into a roll before setting his bow in one hand and grabbing an arrow from his quiver, loading it, and firing immediately as a hellhound pounced at him. With perfect timing the arrow hit along beast's throat with Clara's shield bashing the skull midair was something out of a Sam Raimi movie.

“Move it!” Clara commanded as she and Ciel pushed back to their allies, taking cover behind trees as Alabaster and his team used a combination of magic, arrows, and monster donuts to keep them pinned as they pushed.

“We need to get somewhere they can’t reach because half of our forces are almost out of the park,” Clara complained as she used the reflexive part of her shield as a mirror to get a count of the onslaught they faced.

“Why didn’t they wait?” Ciel complained as he peeked out but got yanked by his hoodie. Why couldn’t people stop that? “Hey!”

“Stay down, stupid!” Clara shouted. “Ah! I lost my count! Ciel, what are you doing?!”

The boy ignored her as he switched an arrowhead with a Greek fire grenade tip. Lucille Peters, Justin’s daughter of Hephaestus and the fourth friend of their group came up with the idea of making Greek fire grenades, the exact engineering behind it went over his head but he knew enough on how to set it up on arrowheads but he had a very limited supply. Most of the Greek fire supply was monitored and rationed for many traps to keep Camp Half-Blood safe from possible invasions of Kronos forces. The potential was there, however, but by the gods with what they needed for the conflict on short notice? Ciel was willing to take a few punishments for the chance for a Hail Mary idea.

“Get everyone back Clara! Alabaster is here for me and I’m gonna give him me.” Ciel readied his arrow before calculating how to climb up the tree so he could get the best shot. “I’m gonna jump and you’re going to push me up with your shield. You’re stronger and I know it so cut the holding back and launch me, Ostá!”

Ciel didn’t wait and made a quick dash towards Clara, angling her shield to be a trampoline and used all her strength (and the magical strength, a blessing perhaps) and sent the bold idiot into the trees. Landing in a tripod stance, both legs and his dominant arm securing himself before reading to shoot the arrow. This idea better work or he was screwed…

“Artemis and Apollo, guide my arrow and help me in this fight…” With that quick prayer, he let his arrow fly between his ally's defensive line and block Alabaster’s offensive line. It worked, the grass between them was burnt as the Greek fire spread in a manner of a diagonal line.

“Hey, Alabastard! You want me? Come get me!” Ciel shouted as he turned and patted his rear in a cartoonish fashion before bouncing from tree to tree, leaving his allies in the dust.

Alabaster and his squad turned around and began to chase him to fulfill his mission, he wouldn’t him get away or fail. Enough of his siblings had died for the cause and he was going to make him see the light or take him off the board. Whether he likes it or not...

#percy jackon and the olympians #the kane chronicles #heroes of olympus #magnus chase and the gods of asgard #trials of apollo #the sun and the star #riordiverse #riordanverse fanfic #pjo oc #ciel ambrose silverstein #justin colby peters #clara ostá #alabaster c torrington #thaila grace #percy jackson #annabeth chase #prometheus #pjo fanfic

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