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My name is Julius Octavian, or simply Octavian to most people who knew me, and this is the story of my last year of life, and a small piece of time thereafter. I’d like to say I died valiantly, protecting my home from a primordial goddess, but that isn’t the case. I died a coward, stuck in my ways, unable to accept that the Greek demigods and legacies were just as much children of the gods as the Romans. After my death, even my own godly ancestor mocked me for all I did. Though, I don’t believe he ever knew my side of the story.

Life at Camp Jupiter was… rough. That was certainly one way to put it. It was kill or be killed in all ways not strictly literal, and even that was pushing it. Being a high-ranking auger made it slightly easier, but difficulties remained. War games threatened an, albeit temporary, death(our healers are very impressive), and the people, ugh, the people. The only one I tolerated was Jason, one of the two praetors of camp. He’d been there since he was two, only actually starting training at nine, and I’d been in New Rome at least since I was born, though I only came to Camp Jupiter for training at seven. He was two years my junior, being 16 whilst I was 18 then. Gods, 18 felt way too grown up for me. I was an adult, not just by Roman standards, but by the standards of Camp Jupiter’s host country. It made me nauseous to think about.

Luckily, we’d won the war against the Titans, Jason doing most of the work in toppling Saturn’s throne, of course. It was honestly a bit strange that we never saw Saturn during the battle, though. You’d think he’d at least attempt to stop us himself, but apparently, he’d better things to do. Not that I’m complaining; it would’ve been horrifying if he had shown up.

Our story starts a few months after the battle, five or so if my memory serves me correctly. My visions had been growing more graphic, Jason gone, Greeks invading and wreaking havoc, and some lady of dirt and rocks destroying a camp I’d never seen before. I never really was the most… stable mentally, side effect of having visions of the future, but this was taking a heavy toll on me mentally. Especially the thought of Jason gone. He may be a bit weird, but he was a damn good praetor. And the fact that I’d watched him grow up made me feel oddly protective over him, even though he was the stronger and higher-ranking one of the two of us. I’d never say it to his face, but he was like a younger brother to me. I was worried about him, no matter how good he may be at fighting. 

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“Octavian.” I heard my name called from somewhere behind me. I look back, it was Reyna, the other praetor that worked with Jason. “Yes, Praetor Reyna?” I shake myself from my worried thoughts, addressing her. “We’ve news, though I doubt not that you already know.” Her expression was grave, and I knew that the news was bad. “Is he..?” I asked, knowing what she meant. My vision was correct. Jason was missing. She nodded, eyes low. “So you do know of the disappearance of Jason. I came to you, wondering if your visions have given you any insight into his whereabouts.” She said, voice grim. My eyes burned, tears threatening to fall. I wished I did, but he hadn’t shown in any of my visions other than him being in his bed one moment, and gone the next. My eyes turned to the ground, ashamed of my answer, and I shook my head. “I only saw that one moment he was asleep in bed, and that he was gone the next.” The praetor smiled as if what I said meant anything. She gripped my shoulders and grinned like a madman. “Ju- Octavian, you have no idea how much that tells us!” I was shocked at her thinking my visions were useful and her near use of my first name. Unlike Jason sometimes, she was very formal, never referring to me by my first name. For a while, I’d thought she didn’t even know my first name, that she thought my last name was my first, as many did. “Uhm, explain?” I asked, unsure as to what she’d meant. “Well, for one, we now know he didn’t leave by his own free will, and that it wasn’t a mortal that took him! That narrows down what could’ve happened by so much! You don’t usually have only one vision, though. What else did you see?” She said, most definitely already brainstorming. I felt like a prey animal, backed into a corner by her questioning.  “Uh, well, Greek demigods came in on a warship, and wreaked havoc! There were 4 of them, though the eyes of one seemed familiar, and had the same scar as- oh my gods, the Greeks have Jason! They brainwashed him and made him one of them!” I was panicking, genuinely panicking. After the gods know how long of nothing from the Greeks, they take our praetor? And even then, they take Jason? No disrespect to Reyna, she was an amazing praetor, but I’d feel even a bit better if it was her who they’d taken and not Jason. At least then I’d know he was safe.  Reyna’s smile dropped. I wasn’t sure, but I’d heard rumors that she’d had a bad experience with some demigods who were definitely not Roman before she came to camp. Could they have been Greek? She’d told me only a small bit of the things those demigods had caused to happen to her, and that made me terrified. Back when Rome had been a powerful empire, we’d crushed Greece. But was now different? I had no idea how powerful an enemy they’d be, and that was worrying. “We don’t know that. They might have noticed his divine heritage and just picked him up, assuming he was one of their own. After all, we haven’t exactly interacted with them in a while.” Reyna said, and I was reminded why she was chosen as a praetor. Not only was she a powerful warrior in war, but she was great at keeping order in peace. I looked up at her. I hadn’t realized I’d fallen to the ground in my anxiety, but I was on the ground with my knees to my chest. “Then why was he with them? And why did he look so different in my vision? His long hair was gone, and he was wearing shoes! Jason never wears shoes unless he is forced to! And no one has ever been able to force him to do anything without some divine force! The Jason I know is a scruffy kid who you could tell just by looking at him that he was raised by wolves, not… not that!” I felt tears well in my eyes again. I hadn’t even been able to recognize him. What kind of friend augur was I?