Degenerate - Prologue
co-authored by: piercetheveils & achieving elysium

The first images were, surprisingly enough, visions of her past. When she had first dragged her dagger across her wrist and called for the Earth mother to rise in the ancient languages, the air had shimmered, like what would happen on a hot day. A screen had appeared, flashing little pictures of both the present and of the past. She saw herself as a little girl again, wearing a torn dress and crying, her dark eyes broken. This was Puerto Rico, when she had lived on the streets.

Behind her, Octavian curled his lip in disgust. If this was what Reyna had been as a child, then how could he trust her to protect Rome from the dangers that lay ahead? Then, the images of herself shifted, and both Reyna and Octavian found themselves staring at a strange person.

The tall, lanky boy did not stir. No, instead, he slept still, not exactly dreaming, yet not exactly waking, either. He was simply there, as if time did not pass for him. He wore a tattered orange shirt, with faded words in bold black print, and the beads strung around his neck stirred a faint memory. She didn't bother holding back the breath that escaped past her lips. It was Percy Jackson. She would've recognized him anywhere. The praetor of New Rome studied him one last time, her eyes holding no emotion. She frowned, thinking, but suddenly, she seemed to smile. The grey shadows underneath her eyes lightened for mere seconds, and her opinion of Perseus Jackson completely shifted. She would forgive him for what he had done. He had brought her to glory, after all, and perhaps he would be a strong ally for Rome.

Not for the gods. Not for Terra. Instead, solely for her, for Rome. The image dissolved, and with it, the lightened aura around her. Her poker face reappeared, well-constructed. Octavian shifted uncomfortably in the bushes, his hand tightening around his dagger. His knuckles turned white at the pressure, but the shadows played across his face, encompassing it in black and grey. His praetor, the oh-so-mighty Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano, was working for Terra? She's been fooling us all along. His lips pulled back in a snarl, but he did not attack. It would not be wise to confront her here. Not now.

Instead, Octavian took his leave, sliding between the thin, tall trees as he slunk back to Camp Jupiter. A small teddy bear, once a bright white, was clipped to his belt, but now it was covered in dirt and leaves from his time spying in the forest. He had seen enough. More than enough for now. If she made any move against New Rome, he would not hesitate to spill her secrets and slit her throat. The bitter taste of disappointment filled his mouth. He had trusted her.

Reyna rebuilt her walls carefully as she turned in a circle, staring at the forest. Her own dagger was sheathed in her belt, and she also had hidden knives tucked into her boots. Next to that, she had knee pads, thigh guards, and a pair of gauntlets. To say she was prepared to battle would have been an understatement, but it wasn't like she could actually fight. Who would be so stupid as to fight Terra? It was only instinct that had prompted her to prepare.

Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano, the ground hummed. Her heart beat fast in her throat. No one used that name anymore. No one would have dared. No one would have known. No one should have known. She drew her dagger out, the Imperial gold glinting in the faint sunlight that filtered through the trees.

"Where are you?" she asked, keeping her voice level. "Terra, I summoned you myself. Show yourself!" A few birds flew upwards at the sudden change in her voice, scared. The earth shook, and Reyna steadied herself as she had years ago on a pirate ship, the sea tossing her back and forth. She hissed. The earth mother was laughing at her.

"Terra," she demanded, again, letting the anger seep into her voice. The shaking stopped.

Grandchild, a voice whispered. She could feel it shiver through her bones, could feel it vibrating under her skin, could feel her blood pulsing with the beat of it. The voice was ancient, old, and powerful, like the hissing and crackling of a snake. It reminded her of every single monster she had ever faced, reminded her of every terrible thing she'd gone through, like Jason- No. Jason was dead to her now. Maybe he was out there. Maybe he was looking for her. But he made a promise and had broken it. Shattered hearts did not mend themselves easily, after all. That she had learned the hard way.

Grandchild, why have you summoned me? The dirt slowly shifted to form the half-lidded, sleepy face of an old woman, right there at her feet. It has been many, many years since the half-bloods have called upon my power and my wisdom. Her voice seemed to become more awake. Do you feel it, Reyna? Do you hear the whispers of the trees, the murmuring of the wind? My children are waking me up so we may rule once more, did you know? You could help me. You are powerful, very powerful; I could use someone like you. A student of Circe herself, were you not? Only a child of magic could have called me, could have stirred me enough. Reyna's determination did not waver as she spoke.

"No," she said. The woman raised an eyebrow, her slumbering form either amused or surprised. She couldn't really tell.

And why ever not, Reyna? I know what you want. I could give you back your Jason, you know. Such a brave, handsome boy. He was so loyal to Rome. That caught her attention. The praetor's blood ran cold. Instinctively, she curled her hand into a fist.

"Jason?" she whispered. "W-was? What do you mean, was?" Another image formed out of thin air, and the girl let out a cry of frustration as she saw what had unfolded in front of her. It was Jason, holding hands with who would only be the daughter of Venus, staring at a large ship as he wore an orange tee. The words scrawled across it read Camp Half-Blood. The betrayal crept upon her like a thick London fog, seeping through her skin and reaching the darkest corners of her mind. Jason. When he pressed his lips to the other girl's, her insides twisted in a storm of rising emotion.

The anger rose in her, bubbling in the pit of her stomach. There was no one to watch her scream, to watch her break, so Reyna slammed her dagger hilt-deep into a nearby tree, again and again. She stopped herself, finally, breathing hard, her dark braids messier than they had been earlier. On the inside, she seethed with anger. How could he? Jason, the son of Jupiter himself. She should have known he was no good for her. No good for Rome.

"No," she spat. "He betrayed my home. He turned his back on his family, on Rome itself. That is unforgivable no matter how much I cared for him." The worst crime, in the eyes of a Roman, was for a Roman to betray the greatest empire of all time. And to betray them to gracei, of all people.

Then what must I give you, child? I can make anything happen. A thought rose in her mind. She smirked.

"I want him on his knees in front of me. I want to see him beg for forgiveness. And I want to see the gracei dead, their eyes lifeless for even daring to cross Rome. You say Perseus Jackson will be an ally, Terra? Then bring him to me. We'll make make sure he fights for us." The laughter of Terra was cold, amused, as if the goddess had found a new game to play.

That is all, Reyna? That is all you need? That is nothing. Should I go back on this you may turn your back on me. But this... Yes, my dear, Rome will rise again. Reyna remembered hearing stories of when Rome had been at its best. She remembered the brief moments of victory, being raised on shields as praetor, kneeling in front of her mother, dark eyes shining with pride. If Reyna restored Rome to its former glory...

"Yes," she said quickly. "That's all I need. So tell me, Terra, if you will rebuild Rome for me, then what will you have me do for you?" Laughter echoed in the forest.

Not much, child. Just your allegiance and Perseus Jackson. We can take this is easy way, of course. You do what you must do, and I will do what I must do… The face disappeared without warning, leaving Reyna wondering what she had just pledged herself to.

She pushed past thick foliage and kicked branches out of the way, brooding. Just your allegiance and Perseus Jackson. Perseus Jackson. It had been a long four years. With Blackbeard, she had promised herself she would run him through the next time she saw him. And now, she would be working with him, would be turning him against his friends, the Greeks. She laughed bitterly.

Promises can't always last, she thought. Jason had proven that, surely. A small part of her asked her what she was doing. The other part of her ignored it. She was doing what was best for her people, like she always had. There was nothing wrong with double-crossing the enemy. Besides, she wasn't really working against Terra. Rome was just more important than a stupid Earth lady who wanted to wake up.

The sentries let her in without second thought. She waved to them and answered the greetings that showered down. Glancing at the city, she thought she saw Octavian, the augur himself, staring at her with cold eyes. He glared at her briefly before turning away. Suddenly, her footsteps sounded much louder against the gravel. All roads lead to Rome, she reminded herself. Reyna bought herself coffee and returned to the privacy of the villa, turning to the male praetor's house.

Five months. He had been gone for five months. No contact, no message, nothing. If he was going to turn his back on her, he should have at least told her, straight to the face. It would have been more honorable, maybe even would hurt a little less. She set the coffee down on a nearby table, the drink forgotten.

When she unlatched the gate leading to the garden, her mechanical dogs made their appearances known. She allowed a small smile to grace her features before she smoothed them over. Aurum and Argentum trotted at her heels, their ruby eyes not once leaving her face. She led them to Jason's house and took one last look. It won't be his anymore. Hysteria brewed inside of her, and for once in the eight months, she stepped past the threshold of the second house. Reyna had kept everything the way it had been, every single piece of clothing in its place, but now her eyes scanned it mercilessly.

The first picture came down easily. Then the second. And then the third. She ripped the memories from his wall with a ferocity she hadn't known existed in her. Dust rained down from the ceiling, and pale blue paint flaked off in large pieces. She didn't care. Her dogs hesitated for a moment, eyes hesitant, before helping her. The clothes were shredded to pieces. Basketball trophies all shattered. Any remnants of him were destroyed by the threesome ruthlessly.

Traitors would not be honored here. Never in Rome. Reyna turned and lit the small fireplace, burning his belongings. The three companions sat on the edge of the bed and watched the last wisps of grey smoke escape into the frigid air.

Hope you guys liked it. If you could please drop a review below + tell me about what you think; ooh, dark!Reyna, eh? Ha.

Thanks to my co, PierceTheVeils. Lots of inspiration from you.

Achieving Elysium

And apparently, a note from PTV, who just told me: Hello, PJO fandom! I'm so excited to write this, so happy to work with AE (aw, thanks) and hope you all like what we bring to the table. We love hearing what everyone thinks, and hope you all will share your thoughts with us. Thanks for reading!