Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Part 1: Titan's Curse

Nico was convinced their new vice principal was going to eat him. No seriously. He didn't care what Bianca said, the creepy old dude was definitely prowling around the gym looking at the students as though they were delicious pastries lined up on display in a bakery window. By the way his eyes narrowed on Nico, 12 year old boys were probably his favorite flavor. Okay, almost 12 years old, his birthday was coming up next month, but even that wasn’t fast enough. He'd spent the better part of the last week begging Bianca to get him the newest Mythomagic expansion as an early birthday present but she was refusing to budge. 

"Nico, it's $75 and you need a new coat more than you need more silly cards." Bianca rocked back on the bleachers, throwing her hands in the air for emphasis. Despite the cheerful atmosphere of the dance she seemed on edge. Her dark green hat hung halfway in front of her face and she kept looking around it nervously.

"They're not silly! They're cool!" Nico argued, pulling a deck of Mythomagic cards out of his pocket and shuffling them between his hands. The movement of the cardstock between his fingers was reassuring in all the commotion of the gym.

Bianca sighed, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that.” She rubbed between her eyes in a gesture that made her look much older than her mere 14 years. “I just think we need to be careful how we're spending money. You just got a new set two months ago."

"But that was the Nordic set, this is the Africanus Extreme expansion! There's like a dozen new monsters! Please, please? It can be for Christmas and my birthday and I promise I won't complain about being cold once!" 

"Nico..." Bianca gave him a weird expression. He wasn't really sure what it meant. Maybe it was like she was disappointed - but not with him, with something bigger that she thought he wouldn't understand. She'd been making that face a lot lately.

Nico glanced around the room as he fidgeted. “He’s gone.” He said abruptly.

“What?”

“Dr. Thorn, he’s gone.” He said again, a bit of excitement creeping into his voice.

“Not this again. Nico, the vice principal does not eat people.” 

“But -”

“Just like the bus driver didn’t have horns and you did not see a mermaid at the beach last summer. Nico, I love your imagination, but sometimes you need to stay focused on what’s in front of you.”

“But Bianca, it’s like he disappeared - like poof!” Nico attempted to shuffle the cards faster but fumbled, causing a small explosion of cards in front of him. Some fell through to the floor. He giggled, “Oops” 

Bianca sighed again, “Nico…” 

“I’ll get them, I’ll get them” He said, waving her off. He climbed down the few bleachers and picked up the fallen cards then headed around to the back of the bleachers to collect the few underneath their feet. As he shuffled the last one into its rightful place in the deck, he stood up only to be looking up into the face of Dr. Thorn. 

“Hello there” Dr. Thorn grinned, a cruel too-wide smile perfect for taking bites of little boys’ arms. Nico opened his mouth to cry out but Dr. Thorn was faster, reaching around his head to cover his mouth and hold him down. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to eat you, at least not yet. ” 

“Nico?” Bianca called above them. Nico squirmed and tried to get her attention, but Dr. Thorn’s grip on his mouth was firm. 

“I’ll have to thank that Jackson boy. With all his staring, he made it quite obvious you two are the demigods I was looking for.” Even as Nico struggled against the creep’s grasp, questions popped into his head, Jackson who? Demi- what? Keeping his hand over Nico’s mouth, Dr. Thorn hefted Nico under his arm and leaped up to the bleachers towards Bianca. 

“Ni-!” Bianca cried. That was all she could get out before she was also in Dr. Thorn’s grasp, his other hand grabbing the back of her collar. She stumbled toward him, her hat toppling off her head. Nico shoved the deck of cards haphazardly into his pocket and tried to reach out to her, but Dr. Thorn just jerked them towards the back of the gym and out the door. Moving with unnatural speed, he dragged them down the hallway towards the entry hall. 

“Hey ugly! Where are you taking us?” Nico called up to him. 

“Nico!” Bianca hissed. Nico couldn’t help it, he was curious.

Dr. Thorn didn’t answer, maintaining his frightening pace down the corridor. “And what did you call us? Demigods?” Nico stumbled forward, Dr. Thorn’s tight grip on the back of his neck was the only thing keeping him from tripping over his own feet. 

“Nico! Shut up!” 

Dr. Thorn tossed them roughly onto the floor of the entry hall. Bianca got to her feet quickly and made to put herself between Nico and their captor. As he straightened up, Bianca hurried over and stomped on his foot. He grunted and looked up at her incredulously, “You little brat.” 

He shoved them both back against the wall as he stepped back, just barely into the shadows cast by the dim moonlight filtering into the hall. As he stood to his full height, dark shapes moved behind him and Nico heard a strange scraping sound along the floor.

“Hey!” Nico started to push himself forward.

With speed Nico could barely comprehend Dr. Thorn was looming over them again, “Be quiet, you!” His face was a twisted mask of what it had been moments before, unnaturally pointy teeth bared down at them. Nico’s heart hammed against his chest. Bianca grabbed his hand and silently pulled him towards her. 

Across the hall they heard the muffled sound of running footsteps and a door creaking open. Dr. Thorn threw them another threatening glance before leaping upward and crouching in the shadows, out of view of the door. Did he just fly over there??

Through the door came a boy near Bianca’s age, wearing a dark blue winter coat over an orange t-shirt. He looked around the room frantically until his eyes settled on them. In his hand was - Nico’s eyes widened - a glowing bronze sword. 

“My name’s Percy” he said as he approached them slowly. Nico found he couldn’t even open his mouth to speak. Next to him, Bianca trembled.  “I’m going to take you out of here, get you somewhere safe.”

Percy’s eyes made the smallest of flickers towards Bianca's hands before he whirled around and was knocked backwards into the wall next to Bianca, a dark foot long spike pinning him to the wall by his coat. He thrashed his sword around trying to reach an invisible opponent. Cold dry laughter came from Dr. Thorn’s dark corner. 

“Yes, Perseus Jackson. I know who you are.” Dr. Thorn approached them, looking more ghoulish than ever. He calmly closed the distance as Percy continued to struggle. “Thank you for coming out of the gym. I hate middle school dances.”

Percy swung his sword again and there was another hissing whiish . Bianca jumped, a new sharp dagger-like thorn pierced the wall near her face. Percy winced as he tried to pull himself free from the wall. Nico couldn’t keep his own hands from shaking. 

“All three of you will come with me,” Dr. Thorn said, plucking the thorn pinning Percy down from the wall. He stared at each of them in turn, “Quietly. Obediently. If you make a single noise, if you call out for help or try to fight, I will show you just how accurately I can throw.”

Nico trudged quietly behind Bianca as they followed Dr. Thorn out to the school grounds and made their way to the woods. This new guy, Percy Jackson, followed behind them. He seemed to be mumbling to himself like he was trying really hard to remember something. 

“What are you doing, Jackson?” Dr. Thorn asked as he started to lag behind. “Keep moving!”

“It’s my shoulder. It burns.”

With an exasperated sigh Dr. Thorn continued forward, “Bah! My poison causes pain. It will not kill you! Walk!”

Did he just say poison? Bianca could blame his imagination all she wanted, but that didn’t change the fact their vice principal had suddenly decided to kidnap them! If they made it to some spooky lair with a giant pot of broth already simmering, Nico was definitely going to tell his sister I told you so. Right before he became the main ingredient in Nico-stew. 

So far that seemed the most likely outcome. Dr. Thorn had even managed to wrangle another sword wielding captive to round out his food groups. Heaven forbid he didn’t get his required daily servings of pre-teen for a balanced diet. Yet this Percy kid said he was going to take them somewhere safe, and he didn’t actually seem to be as injured as he was trying to sound. 

Nico kept his eyes focused on the back of Dr. Thorn’s head. Out here, he certainly looked human, but he could have sworn he had seen the shapes of wings behind him in the entry hall. 

“There is a clearing ahead” Thorn called, “We will summon your ride.”

“What ride?” Bianca demanded, “Where are you taking us?” She continued to keep Nico behind her protectively, keeping him out of Dr. Thorn’s line of sight. Nico didn’t like how small it made him feel. He should be the one protecting her. 

“Silence, you insufferable girl!” 

“Don’t talk to my sister that way!” Nico managed, his voice wavering. Dr. Thorn made a low growling sound that made Nico sink back behind his sister. They headed further and further into the forest, picking their way over fallen logs towards the edge of the forest where Nico knew their path would end at a cliff. Usually he loved tromping around the forest just outside the school grounds, swinging stick-swords like a mighty hero or creeping through the brush like a clever spy, but tonight was different. The surrounding area was silent, as though the creatures were holding their breath so as to not draw attention to themselves. Nico reached into his pocket for something familiar and reassuring, one of his Mythomatic figures. 

As they made it to the edge of the cliff, Bianca steadied Percy as he stumbled. Nico could barely catch their low voices. 

“What is he?” Bianca whispered, a tough look in her eyes, “How do we fight him?” 

If Percy knew he didn’t say so. The longer they stood here in the cold with the waves crashing below them the more nervous Nico felt. He passed the figurine between his hands to simply give them something to do, “I’m scared.” 

Bianca made to wrap her arm around him but stopped as Dr. Thorn yelled, “Stop talking! Face me!” They obeyed. He mumbled into a small thingamajig while Percy eyed the drop behind them. Was he going to jump? Was he crazy? No one could survive that fall. 

“By all means, Son of Poseidon, Jump! There is the sea. Save yourself.”  Dr. Thorn called to them as he put away the device. 

“What did he call you?” Bianca asked. Nico didn’t hear the reply. He was too busy eyeing the area behind Dr. Thorn. He was sure now, Dr. Thorn couldn’t be human and there were definitely wing-like shapes looming behind him. A third shape behind him moved swiftly and flicked something toward them as another thorn whizzed past Percy’s ear. Nico stared up at him in awe as he gritted his teeth and gave Dr. Thorn a fierce glare. 

Vaguely, he was aware of his sister still talking to their captor, trying to stall. “Who wants us?” she demanded, “Because if you think you’ll get a ransom, you’re wrong. We don’t have any family. Nico and I … We’ve got no one but each other.” 

Nico tore his gaze from Percy to stare at his sister in wide eyed surprise. She was right. Ever since they’d been dropped off at that hotel, it had just been the two of them. When they had been taken to Westover a month later Nico had begun to guess, but the thought had been too upsetting to say out loud. This was the first time he’d heard either of them admit it. 

They were alone. They’d not seen or heard from their parents in months, only lawyers and school officials who looked at them with bored blank expressions. Now that he tried, Nico realized he couldn’t even picture what their parents looked like. 

The loud repetitive thudding over the cliff  brought Nico’s attention back to the clearing. It was coming from a strange contraption hovering in midair. Nico vaguely remembered hearing about machines that were like planes but could just take off straight up from the ground - a helicopter? Was this one those? He suspected it must be the ride Dr. Thorn had been talking about. “Where are you taking us?” 

“You should be honored my boy. You have the opportunity to join a great army! Just like that silly game you play with cards and dolls.”

Nico stomped his foot, “They’re not dolls!” They’re figurines! And you can take your great army and -” 

“Now, now.” Dr. Thorn interrupted before Nico could use some of those words he’d heard the older boys use. “You will change your mind about joining us, my boy. And if you do not, well … there are other uses for half-bloods.” His teeth glinted in the moonlight as he smiled, “We have many monstrous mouths to feed. The Great Stirring is underway.” 

“The Great what?” Percy asked. At least Nico wasn’t the only one who had no idea what he was talking about. Had Dr. Thorn just called him a half-blood? Half what? They could tell him he was half monkey and he wouldn’t be sure if they were lying. He couldn’t remember. 

Nico had a hard time keeping track of what happened next. He remembered being shoved into the snow, the shuffling of more feet, and the swiping of sword blades. At one point he thought someone yelled, “For Zeus!” for some strange reason. All the while the steady thump of helicopter blades thundered in the distance. By the time he pulled himself up there were three new people in the clearing with them and Dr. Thorn, at least Nico assumed it was Dr. Thorn, had grown into the form of a huge lion, wings sprouting from his back and a long thorned tail swishing behind him. One of the newcomers, a blonde girl, was yelling, “A manticore!” 

Nico couldn’t believe his ears, “A manticore?” he gasped, a real life manticore?! “He’s got three thousand attack power and plus five to saving throws!” That was all he managed before he felt himself being pushed back into a snowbank. 

Once Nico figured out which way was up yet again he was forced to stay on the outskirts, out of the way of the ongoing battle.  Another one of the newcomers, a girl with short spiky black hair wearing a grungy army jacket caught the manticore’s tail in the chest and flew into a pile of snow at the base of a nearby tree. Nico made to get up to see if she was alright but Bianca held him back. As Percy charged in her direction, Nico was amazed by how intensely protective he was. Who was this boy? 

Percy was trapped now, stuck between the manticore and the approaching helicopter. Nico couldn’t see a way out of this. At least that was until the clear resonant tone of a horn rang through the woods. Dr. Thorn seemed to panic, he stammered out a few words but was abruptly interrupted by the glinting silver arrow now embedded in his shoulder. 

“Curse you!” He cried, throwing spike upon spike from his tail into the woods in the direction the arrow had come from. Percy bravely attempted to take advantage of his weakened state with another slash of his sword but he was knocked aside. 

Next to him, Bianca gasped and Nico turned to see girls approaching them through the woods, nimbly climbing over logs and leaping down from branches. All of them carried bows, half of them with arrows nocked, their aim focused on the manticore. 

“Permission to kill, my lady?” one of these girls asked. The others appeared to look to her for a signal. Nico supposed the silvery headband she was wearing marked her as a leader. The monster wailed and groveled something about Ancient Laws as a final girl made her way into the clearing. Her auburn hair was pulled back into a graceful ponytail with sections weaved together in intricate braids. Nico heard his sister murmur, “She’s beautiful.”

“The hunting of all wild beasts is within my sphere. And you, foul creature, are a wild beast.” With a nod to the first girl, “Zoe, permission granted.” 

The manticore’s eyes flicked to Percy and the dark haired girl, “If I cannot have these alive, I shall have them dead!” He lunged. 

From the other side of the clearing the blonde girl yelled “No!” and ran towards the monster. The girl with the headband called out a warning but it was too late, she managed to climb onto his back and wedge her knife into his neck. A call rang across the clearing, “Fire!” 

Arrows flew from all around them, each hitting their mark. One to the neck. A second to the chest. All the while the girl clung to the manticore’s back as he staggered towards the edge of the cliff, “This is not the end, Huntress! You shall pay!” 

With a final burst of energy the monster leaped over the cliff, taking the blonde haired girl with him. Nico stared at the place they had fallen. Jjust like that, she was gone. 

“Annabeth!” Percy yelled, starting to run towards the edge of the cliff only to be held back by gunfire from the helicopter. Nico ducked back into the snow with the others as the snow around them erupted into a series of tiny geysers of powder where the bullets landed. The only one undeterred was the girl with the ponytail. She stared at the helicopter with a dangerous expression as she called, “Mortals are not allowed to witness my hunt.” 

The helicopter exploded, not in a ball of fire but into a flock of dark birds, wings rustling as they fluttered into the night. Nico blinked his eyes repeatedly, not believing what he was seeing. The next thing he knew they were being herded into the center of clearing by several of the girls with bows, Hunters? Percy was frantic, arguing with the auburn haired girl to save his friend Annabeth. A couple of the hunters held him back as a few others helped Bianca and the spiky haired girl to their feet. Other than a quick glance to check that he wasn’t injured, they ignored Nico.

“You are in no condition to be hurling yourself off cliffs” The girl was saying to Percy. 

“Let me go!” Percy demanded, struggling against the girls’ grasps, “Who do you think you are?”

Zoe stepped forward threateningly but the other girl stopped her, “No. I sense no disrespect Zoe. He is simply distraught. He does not understand.” She looked around the clearing at each of them before settling a cold stare on Percy. “I am Artemis. Goddess of the Hunt.”

Chapter Text

Artemis. Goddess of the Hunt. 2000 attack power, doubled during the full moon, +4 to saving throws against wild creatures. 

The Artemis - a literal God - had just saved them from a real life manticore. This was so freaking cool! Nico was just about to open his mouth to ask if her bow was really gold? and if Pan really gave her sevens dogs? and if he did, where were they? and -   when a look from his sister forced his mouth shut. Percy on the other hand did not seem impressed. All he said was, “Um… okay.”

Another boy, who Nico was just now recognizing was their friend Grover from school - why was he here? - stammered, “Thank you, Lady Artemis! You’re so… you’re so… Wow!” 

“Get up, goat boy!” the girl with the grungy army jacket grumbled. Nico thought he’d heard the others call her Thalia. “We have other things to worry about. Annabeth is gone!” 

Bianca stepped forward to address the Hunters, “Whoa. Hold up, Time out.” She was looking between each of them with the same expression Nico had seen on her face when she was trying to solve a difficult math problem. “Who… who are you people?”

Artemis spoke gently, “It might be a better question, my dear girl, to ask who are you? Who are your parents?” 

“Our parents are dead,” Bianca admitted quietly, “We’re orphans. There’s a bank trust that pays for our school, but…” The others looked at Nico and his sister with strange expressions. Nico suddenly felt self-conscious. “What? I’m telling the truth!” 

“You’re a half-blood” Zoe said, “One of thy parents was mortal. The other was an Olympian.” 

Could what Zoe said be true? He’d just seen a real manticore leap off a cliff and watched a helicopter get turned into a flock of ravens. Learning that one of his parents might be a mythological deity didn’t seem so far-fetched. Maybe that explained why he had such a hard time remembering them. 

“An Olympian… athlete?” Bianca asked hesitantly. Nico rolled his eyes, bouncing on his heels. 

“No,” Zoe said, “One of the gods.”

“Cool!” Nico said, bubbling with excitement.

“No!” Bianca glared at him. “This is not cool!”

“Does Zeus really have lightning bolts that do six hundred attack damage? Does he get extra movement points for - “

“Nico, shut up!”  Bianca hid her face in her hands, “This is not your stupid Mythomagic game, okay? There are no gods!” 

Nico snapped his mouth shut. She’d never called Mythomagic stupid before. 

Thalia stepped toward them, “Bianca, I know it’s hard to believe. But the gods are still around. Trust me. They’re immortal. And whenever they have kids with regular humans, kids like us, well…Our lives are dangerous.”

“Dangerous” Bianca repeated, “like the girl who fell.” 

Nico looked back to the edge of the cliff. The rest of them were silent for a moment. 

“Do not despair for Annabeth” Artemis’ voice caught their attention again. “She was a brave maiden. If she can be found, I shall find her.”

“Then why won’t you let us go look for her?” Percy asked, his hand twitched to his pocket. 

“She is gone. Can’t you sense it, Son of Poseidon? Some magic is at work. I do not know exactly how or why, but your friend has vanished.” The statement made Percy pause.

In the lull, Nico saw an opening. He raised his hand, “Oo! What about Dr. Thorn? That was awesome how you shot him with arrows! Is he dead?”

Artemis turned to him with a stern look. “He was a manticore. Hopefully he is destroyed for now, but monsters never truly die. They reform over and over again, and they must be hunted when they reappear.”

“Or they’ll hunt us.” Thalia added.

Bianca shuddered and looked between Thalia, Zoe and Percy as she stepped closer to Nico, “That explains… Nico, you remember last summer, those guys who tried to attack us in the alley in D.C.?” 

“And that bus driver!” Nico said. He knew it, there had definitely been something off that day, “The one with the ram’s horns. I told you that was real!” 

“That’s why Grover has been watching you,” Percy said, “To keep you safe, if you turned out to be half-bloods.”

“Grover? You’re a demigod?”

“Well, a satyr, actually.” Their new friend kicked off his shoes to reveal sturdy cloven hooves. Nico was tempted to lean down and get a closer look at them, but Bianca would have chided him. Nico, you don’t go sticking your face in other people's feet. Or that’s what she would have said she wasn’t actively trying to keep her own legs from turning to jelly. 

Thalia nudged Grovers arm, “Grover, put your shoes back on. You’re freaking her out.” 

“Hey, my hooves are clean!” From what he could see, Nico had to agree. 

“Bianca,” Percy said, “We came here to help you. You and Nico need training to survive. Dr. Thorn won’t be the last monster you meet. You need to come to camp.”

“Camp?”

“Camp Half-Blood. It’s where half-bloods learn to survive and stuff. You can join us, stay there year-round if you like.”

There was a camp they could go to? Would they learn to shoot bows like Zoe or wield swords like Percy? Nico couldn’t wait. “Sweet, let’s go!” 

“Wait” Bianca shook her head, “I don’t -”

“There is another option” Zoe said

“No there isn’t!” Thalia said, she raised her voice more than was necessary for their small group and glared at the other girl. 

“We’ve burdened these children enough” The goddess said, “Zoe, we will rest here for a few hours. Raise the tents. Treat the wounded. Retrieve our guests’ belongings from the school.”

“Yes, my lady”

“And Bianca,” Artemis gestured towards Nico’s sister, “come with me. I would like to speak with you.” 

“What about me?” Nico asked. If Bianca was going somewhere, he was going to follow. 

After a moment of consideration Artemis replied, “Perhaps you can show Grover how to play that game you enjoy. I’m sure Grover would be happy to entertain you for a while… as a favor to me?”

The satyr hurried to oblige, “You bet! Come on, Nico!” He put a hand on Nico’s shoulder and led him towards the woods. 

Nico didn’t like being handed off like he was some helpless kid, but his frustration faded when Grover asked, “So Mythomagic, eh? How do you play?”

Nico launched into an explanation, “Well first you build your deck, you need to make sure you have a good balance between tanky cards with really high hit points and armor classes and your fighters that have strong attacks.” He took the deck of cards out his pocket and began shuffling them, “Some people think that the best way is to stack your deck with the heaviest hitters but I think it’s better to use smaller attacks so you’re constantly doing damage to monsters.” 

Grover nodded, “yeah, uh huh. Damage monsters, right. Do you think Artemis was impressed by my nature magic?” 

“Uh, I don’t know.” Nico said, “So… at the start of your turn you’re going to roll initiative, this determines who attacks first and then - Hey, are you listening?”

“Hm? Oh yeah, sure.” Grover ruffled his hair as he looked back towards the camp the Hunters were constructing.

Nico narrowed his eyes at Grover, “and then… we all take out razors and and shave our heads… and our.. tails… Hey, Grover, do you have a tail?” 

“What? Of course I have a tail.” Grover looked at him like he’d just asked him if he put on his pants before his underwear. “But it’s not like I go around showing it to the world. It’s not polite.” 

Nico giggled, “Right.”

“Sorry about the whole getting kidnapped thing” Grover said sheepishly (Or maybe it was goatishly) “We were planning on getting out of there quietly, but you know… it didn’t work that way.”

“It’s okay, that fight was awesome!! Will I get to learn to do that at camp?” 

Grover chuckled, “Yeah, once we get you there and get you settled, there’s a lot you can do there. When we figure out who your godly parent is, we’ll get you and Bianca settled into your cabin with your other siblings.” 

“Cool!” Nico skipped a few steps in excitement. He and Bianca were going to get out of that dreary school. They were going to go learn how to wield swords and fight monsters and he was even going to learn more about his parents. He couldn’t wait to tell Bianca they would get to meet their other siblings! Shoot, he couldn’t believe they had other siblings. 

“I like your enthusiasm, kid”

“Are you kidding? This is out of this world!” Nico paused, then added, “You weren’t kidding, right? Bianca says sometimes I miss it when people are making jokes.” 

“I mean it, Nico.” Grover gave him a friendly smile, “Let’s go back towards camp. It looks like the Hunters have brought your stuff.” 

They walked back to camp and were greeted by one of the Hunters carrying a couple of backpacks. She dropped one unceremoniously by Percy’s feet then brought the other to Nico with a smile and a wink. 

“Dude, your arm really needs some attention,” Grover said to Percy as they walked up to him. Percy winced as he shrugged off his coat and rolled up his sleeve. Nico hovered behind Grover to watch.

“It’s green!” He cried as he got a good look at it. Percy rolled his eyes.

“Hold still” Grover held out a small square to Percy that looked like some kind of baked good, “Here, eat some ambrosia while I clean that out.” 

Eventually, the careful cleaning and dressing of Percy’s wound wasn’t enough to hold Nico’s attention. Instead, he started to dig through the bag the Hunter had given him. Inside were a few changes of clothes, a sweater, and his toothbrush. To one side, carefully tucked between some socks, was his nearly complete set of Mythomagic figurines, his small bag of dice, and the rest of his cards bound into two decks with rubber bands. Everything he needed to play a game. He began excitedly lying the figurines out in the snow. 

“Big collection,” Percy said.

Nico looked up at him with a big smile, “I’ve got almost all of them, plus their holographic cards! Well, except for a few really rare ones.” He was proud of his collection. A lot of the other boys in his dormitory thought it was dumb but he didn’t care. He had nearly every card and stat memorized. 

“You’ve been playing this game a long time?”

“Just this year. Before that…” What had he been doing before this year? He knew there was something he was going to say. Before this game he’d really been into… something. Something that started with a p? 

“What?”

“I forget. That’s weird.” He tried to remember something, anything, before last year but every time he tried his mind just went blank. He shook it off and turned back to Percy, “Hey, can I see that sword you were using?”

Percy reached into his pocket and pulled out a simple ballpoint pen. Nico looked at it and cocked his head to the side, then looked at Grover, “Is this one of those jokes I don’t get?”

“Oh! It’s not a joke.” Percy said. He uncapped the pen and it grew into the bronze sword he’d been wielding earlier. He tapped the cap to the tip of the sword and it returned to pen form. 

“Cool! Does it ever run out of ink?”

Percy bit his lip, “Um, well, I don’t actually write with it.”

“Are you really the son of Poseidon?” Nico asked. He had so many questions. 

“Well, yeah”

“Can you surf really well, then?”

Percy and Grover shared a glance. Nico waited for an answer. 

“Jeez, Nico” Percy said, “I’ve never really tried.” 

“Well, you should. So who’s Thalia and Annabeth’s godly parents?”

“Thalia is a daughter of Zeus and Annabeth -” Percy swallowed hard, “Annabeths’s mom is Athena.” 

“Do you fight with Thalia a lot, since she’s a daughter of Zeus?” 

Percy kicked the ground and pointedly looked away. Nico figured he should continue, “If Annabeth’s mom is Athena shouldn’t she have known better than to jump off a cliff?”

Percy clenched his fists and became very interested in a stick on the ground. With no answer Nico thought maybe Percy just didn’t know so he tried a new question, “Is Annabeth your girlfriend?”

Grover snorted in surprise, Percy’s head whipped back up to face Nico, “You know what, Ni-”

“Percy Jackson.” 

Zoe Nightshade approached them, cutting off whatever answer Percy was about to give. She looked at Percy like retrieving him was her least favorite chore. “Come with me, Lady Artemis wishes to speak with thee.” 

Nico was beginning to wonder if everyone was going to get to chat with the goddess except for him. Once Percy left, Grover went over to see if any of the Hunters needed help around camp. Nico sat alone at the edge of the cluster of tents, shuffling his Mythomagic decks. The Hunters mostly ignored him. A few like the one who had delivered his bag gave him small smiles, others turned their noses up and pointedly avoided his eyes. All of them seemed too busy to stop and answer any of his questions. 

The darkness of the night sky deepened, the few lights coming from the school in the distance winked out. He wondered if anyone had noticed his empty bed in the dormitory by now. He had too much energy sleep. His mind was buzzing with all the new information he was learning. Gods? Real. Monsters that actually would eat him? Real. A camp where he could learn how to be an awesome hero like Percy? He hadn’t seen it yet, but Grover assured him that was real too. This was like one of his wildest games of make believe come to life and this time, instead of telling Bianca about it and having her just nod her head along with his story, they were getting to live it together. He couldn’t wait to see what new people they would meet, what new family they might have, once they got to camp.   

Bianca found him after a while. He looked up at her and beamed, “How was talking to Artemis? Is she awesome? Did you get to ask her about her dogs?” 

His sister sighed as she gracefully sat next to him, the wind blowing her hair out of her face so that he could clearly see her dark brown eyes. Even though she was smiling, those eyes held hints of sadness. The combination made Nico confused. “No, Nico. I didn’t ask about her dogs. We talked about the hunters. In fact, I need to tell you something.”

Nico looked back at her, waiting for more.  Bianca sat up a little taller as she took a deep breath.

“I joined the hunt. I am a hunter of Artemis now.” she said simply. 

“Oh! Cool!” Nico brightened. That didn’t sound so bad. “Can I become a hunter too?”

Bianca chuckled softly, “No, only girls can be hunters.” 

“That’s mean.”  

“Nico, you can’t follow me everywhere ”

“Well it’s not nice to only let girls be super cool hunters.”

“I thought you wanted to learn how to sword fight, like Percy.”  Bianca nudged his shoulder gently. 

“I do!” Nico bounced excitedly in his seat, “I guess it doesn’t matter since we’re both going to camp anyway.”

“That’s the thing, Nico.” Bianca spoke slowly, saying each word deliberately as though this was really what it was she had needed to tell him, “As a hunter, I’m not going to stay at camp. I’m going to join the hunt and wander the country with the rest of the hunters.”

“But - you and I -” Nico stammered. 

“I know, but you’ll be safe. They told me you can stay at camp, you can learn to protect yourself there. You won’t need me.”

“But - ”  but she was his sister. He needed her very much. How could she just leave him with these people they’d barely met? “But you said, we only have each other.”

“That was before all this. Before the hunters, before camp. You’re going to be fine, Nico, I promise. You’ll be safe with Percy and the others, and I, well, I’m going to be free.” Her eyes glittered as she looked into the distance, as though seeing all the adventures she’d have, all the places she’d go that Nico couldn’t follow. She looked down at him and quickly added, “and the hunters stop at camp sometimes, I’ll still see you every so often.” 

“You could just stay at camp.” 

“I - I can’t. You don’t understand. This is what’s best for both of us.”

Nico folded his arms and looked away from her. Bianca reached over to touch his shoulder but he shrugged it away. 

On the other side of camp, a crowd was gathering around a bright red car that seemed to be glowing with heat, causing the nearby snow to melt rapidly. Percy and Thalia were talking to a charming teenager who, despite the season, was wearing a sleeveless shirt. Bianca waited a minute then sighed and stood up to join the others. Before she walked away she said quietly, “I’m sorry, Nico.”

Nico sniffed as she walked away, wiping his nose on his sleeve. He took a deep breath and tried to push down the confusion and hurt building in his chest. It was easy as soon as he got a better look at the crowd and heard Thalia say, “Hi, Lord Apollo.”

Apollo. God of the Sun. And Archery. And Medicine, and music, and prophecy… 

+30 health, 2000 defense, advantage on performance saves

The ride to camp was a wild one. After giving Nico some very confusing philosophical explanations about how his car was but wasn’t really the sun, Apollo had convinced Thalia to drive. Thalia was not a good driver. Whenever he finally learned to drive, Nico was convinced he’d do a much better job. Though somehow he doubted he’d get the opportunity to learn in the freaking sun chariot. 

Camp wasn’t like anything Nico had seen before. Everywhere he looked there was something new and interesting. He was going to give himself whiplash with how fast he was whipping his head back and forth. There was a large track that had grooves from wheels so deep Nico could see them despite the layer of frost. Beyond that was what looked like an archery range, neat targets lined up in rows at various distances. On his other side Nico saw what looked like an arena and “Whoa, is that a climbing wall?”

Percy nodded with a proud expression, “Yeah.”

“Why is there lava pouring down it?” Nico turned excitedly to show Bianca but she was too busy talking with another one of the Hunters. She was laughing as though she didn’t have a care in the world. Nico bit his lip.

 “Little extra challenge. Come on, I’ll introduce you to Chiron. Zoe, have you - ?”

“I know Chiron” Zoe gestured to the rest of the Hunters leading them to a collection of cabins arranged in a large horseshoe shape at the center of camp. 

As she followed the other girls, Bianca leaned over and put a hand on his shoulder as she whispered, “You're going to be just fine without me, don't you think?”

Nico pulled his shoulder away from her. He didn’t want to think about being at camp without her. He didn’t meet her eye. As the engine of Apollo’s sun-bus revved, Nico shielded his eyes behind his sleeve, the heat making his hair crackle. When the bright light faded and he could look around again, Bianca was gone. Hmph. She could leave him for her new Hunter friends, what did he care?

Nico kicked the ground dejectedly as he wandered back over to Percy, “Who’s Chiron?  I don’t have his figurine.”

“Our activities director” Percy said with a shrug, “He’s… well you’ll see.”

Nico thought again of Bianca being so quick to leave him with others, so eager to go follow the Hunters, and grumbled, “If those Hunter girls don't like him, that’s good enough for me. Let’s go”

Chapter Text

Nico was starting to think that Bianca had just made her decision too early, without knowing all the facts. How could someone not want to stay here at camp? 

The walk to the Big House had shown Nico that what he had been so amazed at when they first arrived was just a taste. They made their way past stables with signs painted above the gates that said names like “Blackjack” and “Gus”. There were feathers littering the floor in between all the hay. Were those pegasus feathers?! Percy waved at a broad-shouldered guy working outside the forge. An actual forge - f or swords and stuff! Nico was bouncing on the balls of his feet at the idea that he might actually get to make one. They walked past a dining pavilion with 13 tables of various sizes all positioned around a blazing hearth. As he watched a few campers make their way past the hearth and deposit some of their food into the fire, Nico realized it must be about lunchtime. Maybe after they met this Chiron guy he could ask Percy what he could do about food.

The Big House itself glowed with a warm light, lines of strange balls of red and yellow hung all along the porch like free floating Christmas lights. As they walked through the door and into the parlor, Nico imagined it would be a very cozy place to take a nap. He wondered if any demigods stayed in the house or if they all had bunks in the cabins the Hunters had been headed to. 

Two men were playing a game of cards in the parlor. One of them, the one with a wreath of golden laurels haphazardly on his head raised his eyebrows as they walked in. The other, one with a rich brown shaggy beard and a warm blanket wrapped over his legs greeted them warmly. 

“Percy! Thalia! Ah, this must be -" 

“Nico di Angelo” Percy said, “He and his sister are half-bloods” 

Nico waved enthusiastically, “Hi, are you Chiron?”

“Yes, I am.” Chiron gave him a quick smile, before turning back to Percy, “So you succeeded then?”

“Well…”

“What’s wrong? And where’s Annabeth?” The kind smile slipped away from Chiron’s face.

The man in the corner glanced lazily up from his cards, “Oh, dear. Not another one lost.”

“What do you mean? Who else is lost?” Thalia asked as she stepped forward. 

Behind her, Grover came bustling into the room. He was beaming from ear to ear despite the purple bruise emerging under his eye, “The Hunters are all moved in!” 

Chiron pursed his lips and looked over the four of them. “The Hunters eh? I see we have much to talk about.” His eyes paused on Nico a second time and then he added, “Grover, perhaps you should take our young friend to the den and show him the orientation film.”

“But… Oh, right. Yes, sir.”

“Orientation film?” Nico looked between Chiron and the others. Was he just getting shuttled away again? Why couldn’t he stay and talk with the rest of them? “Is it G or PG? ‘Cause Bianca is kinda strict - “

“It’s PG-13,” Grover said as he made his way back out of the room.

Nico’s mind buzzed. PG-13? That was way cooler than whatever these guys were going to talk about, “Cool!” 

Nico followed Grover further into the house. He caught sight of what looked like a study with an old stack of records leaning against a bookcase filled with books. Many of the titles didn’t look like they were in English. Another door led into a kitchen that was oddly empty so close to lunchtime. They turned into the next room but not before Nico glanced towards the door at the end of the hall. Unlike the others, it had a window in it so even though it was closed he could see the neat rows of cots in the large room behind it. He wondered what that room was for. 

“Wow, I don’t think we’ve pulled this out in ages” Grover mumbled as he knelt underneath the television and dug out a black cassette. He blew the dust off of it and got it inserted into the small slot underneath the screen. They must have some fancy demigod tvs here at camp because this television looked a lot sleeker than what Nico remembered. 

Grover grumbled as he turned it on and tried to get it to stop showing static. “Geez, this thing is so old, if only Chiron would - oh. ah! Here we go.” The image on the screen stabilized, showing a large house that looked a lot like the Big House they were in right now, except it was painted red. Out front stood a man with flowing blonde hair wearing what looked like a sheet that only barely covered the necessary parts of his body. He waved to the camera as though beckoning them towards him. 

Nico hopped onto one of the couches opposite the tv, propping his head in his hands as he leaned forward, elbows on his knees. Grover came over to sit next to him. 

“A poem by Apollo, recited dramatically by… Apollo '' said the man on the screen with a brilliant smile. 

“Oh no..” Grover said, pulling a nearby blanket over his head so he didn’t have to see the screen.

“ O, Immortal Chiron, 

Centaur wise and true, 

Trainer of our heroes, 

Just remember who taught you ”

Nico was captivated. 

When the final credits rolled, Nico couldn’t contain himself. He stole a quick look at Grover who was only now realizing the film had ended from behind his blanket cave and bolted out the door. He could hear Grover scrambling to get up as he bounded down the hall. 

He burst into the parlor and immediately his eyes landed on Chiron. “SO COOL!” He skidded to a stop next to him and stared up in awe. “You’re… you’re a centaur!”

“Yes, Mr. di Angelo, if you please.” Chiron looked at him with a funny expression, “Though, I prefer to stay in human form in this wheelchair for, ah, first encounters.”

Nico barely processed the fact that Chiron was indeed sitting in a wheelchair as he was already turning towards the other man, whose mouth was hanging open as he glared at Percy, “And whoa! You’re the wine dude? No way!” 

He turned his attention to Nico, brows furrowing deeper, “The wine dude?”

“Dionysus, right? Oh wow! I’ve got your figurine!” Nico dug into his pocket and pulled out the small model that had been there since the dance last night. He held it up to Dionysus for him to see the miniature version of himself, grapevines coiling around his tiny legs. 

Mr. D narrowed his eyes at it. “My figurine.”

“In my game, Mythomagic. And a holofoil card, too!” Nico shoved the figurine back into his pocket and pulled out his deck, spilling cards onto the floor in his haste to sift through them. “And even though you’ve only got like five hundred attack points and everybody thinks you’re the lamest god card, I totally think your powers are sweet!” 

“Ah” Dionysus’s eyes widened as Nico shoved a card into his face. He tried to focus on it in confusion, “Well that’s… gratifying.” 

Nico pulled the card back and started looking for another. “Five hundred attack points may not be much but you have 3000 defense points. That’s even more than Apollo!” Nico reached the end of the deck before realizing the card he was looking for was on the ground. “We met him today too. And Artemis, she’s also only got 1000 defense.” He shoved another card into Dionysus’s face. The god frowned at it.

Nico heard Chiron clear his throat behind him. “That is enough, Mr. di Angelo.” 

When he looked around, he noticed Percy and Thalia had left. Nico stiffened, “Sorry. I’ll - um.” He snapped his mouth shut. 

“It’s quite alright,” Chiron spoke more to the god behind Nico than to him. Mr. D grumbled to himself and went back to looking disinterested. “With the others out telling the cabins about the capture the flag game, let’s go see if we can find another camper to show you around.”

“Okay!” Nico didn’t even spare a glance back toward Mr. D as he followed Chiron out of the house. 

When they made it outside, Chiron chose to abandon his wheelchair and stretch his legs. His tail swished behind them as they walked towards the cabins and Nico had to take steps twice as fast to keep up with him. 

“We’ll head down to the cabins and see if we can find anyone to give you a tour.” Chiron said, “If not, we’ll get you settled in the Hermes cabin and I’m sure someone will be around eventually.” 

“Why the Hermes’ cabin? Can you tell who my parents are?” Nico asked.

“No, we’ll have to wait to see if you’re claimed. However, new and unclaimed campers are always welcomed by the Hermes cabin.”

“Is there a cabin for each god?” 

“Yes. One for each of the twelve Olympians.”

“Even Artemis?”

“Yes.. even Artemis.”

“Then why can’t they stay at camp like the other demigods?”

Chiron stopped in the middle of the snow-covered green and sighed as he looked at Nico. “That is not the way of the Hunt.” He leaned forward to place a hand on Nico’s shoulder. “Artemis and her hunters must always be free to roam wherever the Hunt takes them. It may not be the choice for everyone, but for some, it is the only way they can be at peace.”

“But Bianca, she’s leaving me behind.” A small gust of wind made Nico shiver and pull his sweater closer around him.

“Just because we go on different paths, doesn’t mean we forget those we love. Your sister made the choice she thought would be best for you both. ”

Nico wasn’t so sure. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and started walking again. It was no effort at all for Chiron to catch up to him. 

“Hey, Chiron!” The voice from across the green drew both of their attention. Stepping away from an elegant cabin with tall cedar pillars and walls that glinted in the sunlight was a young man a bit older than Percy, maybe about 16 or 17. He had curly golden hair and a bright welcoming smile. 

“Hello, Lee,” Chiron said as he approached. “I assume all went well with picking up young Mr. Solace?”

“Yeah, it was fine. He’s a bit disappointed he can’t be spending the holidays with his mom, but I’m just glad he called us. The poor kid would never be free from monsters if he went on tour with her.” Lee looked from Chiron to Nico, “Who’s this?”

“This is Nico di Angelo. He arrived this morning. Would you mind showing him around and introducing him to the Hermes cabin?”

“Sure thing” Lee held out a hand and when Nico took it, it was warm and calloused. “Come on, Nico.”

Lee led them around camp pointing out various landmarks and buildings that Nico might need to know for most of the afternoon. “There’s the combat arena, if you’re ever looking for an Ares kid you’ll most likely find one there”, and “The amphitheater is where we have campfires most nights. In the summer, we roast marshmallows but this month the Aphrodite cabin has been making delicious hot chocolate.” Whenever someone was out to see them they greeted Lee enthusiastically. They eventually made it back to the U of cabins and Lee gestured to each one as they passed, explaining which god they belonged to. When they passed Athena’s cabin, Lee called to a young boy with glasses reading on the porch. “Hey, Malcolm! How’s the ankle feeling?” 

Malcolm looked up startled, his glasses sliding down his nose, “Oh hey, Lee! Much better, thanks! Is that a new kid?”

“Sure is. His name’s Nico.” Nico waved. “We’ve got to see if we can find Travis or Connor.”

Malcolm snorted as he went back to his book. “Good luck.”

“So who’s your godly parent?” Nico asked as they made their way past the cabin Lee had called the Hunters' cabin. They could hear laughter and chattering voices inside. Nico didn’t want to linger. 

Lee grinned as he said, “Apollo.” He gestured to the cabin on the opposite of the green, the golden one he had come from earlier, “That’s my cabin over there.”

“Is that why you asked about Malcolm’s ankle? Since Apollo is the god of medicine?”

“Yep. I’m the camp’s head healer, though I’m trying to get a few of my other siblings up to speed. I won’t be around forever.” Lee shrugged, “And we can’t all be Percy Jackson.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just that Percy seems to find a way to be good at everything. I guess that’s being a child of the Big Three for ya.”

“Oh yeah. He’s a son of Poseidon, isn’t he? Who are the others?” It was no surprise to Nico that Percy would be good at nearly everything. Percy was amazing.

“Zeus and Hades. It’s a bit of a surprise Percy’s here at all, but - “ Lee waved a hand dismissively, “You don’t need to worry about that.”

As they walked away from the cabin for Dionysus’ children, Nico remembered a question he’d meant to ask earlier, “What did Chiron mean when he said we’d have to wait until I was claimed?”

“Ah. Most campers don’t know who their godly parents are when they get here. So at some point, their parents will claim them so we all know who they belong to. It’s usually when someone does something related to their parent’s domain. I was claimed the first time I held a bow - it was very wand chooses the wizard, Harry Potter-esque.” 

Nico looked at Lee with a blank expression “What?”

“Um, you don’t know -? eh, doesn’t matter. My younger brother Will was claimed just this last summer when he was the first to make it to help an Aphrodite camper who’d fallen off the climbing wall.” Lee shook his head in amused annoyance, “He didn’t have any medical supplies or anything, he just rushed over to help.”

“Oh, so I need to do something related to my parent?”

“It’s best not to force it. If it’s going to happen, it will happen.” Lee sighed as he paused in front of the cabin nearest to them. They’d made a full circle now, back on the male-god side of the U. “In the meantime, you should get comfortable in Hermes' cabin.”

“Hey, Lee!” called a boy with a mischievous grin and brown hair that curled around his ears, “Who’s this you’re bringing us?” He poked his head out of the door like he was trying to hide what was behind it.

Lee put a hand on Nico’s shoulder, “This is Nico di Angelo. He got here this morning.”

“Ooh. Nice to see you made it. Not everybody’s so lucky.”

“Connor” There was a tone of warning in Lee’s voice, “Where’s your brother?”

“Ah, off somewhere making mischief as usual. I got this.” He carefully stepped out the door and closed it behind him. “Come on, Nico!”

Lee paused for a moment, eyeing Connor suspiciously before nudging Nico forward. “Make sure he gets settled and to dinner alright?”

“Of course! Of course! This is not my first rodeo.” Connor chided, waving Lee off as Nico climbed the steps.

As Connor led Nico inside he was surprised to see it looked relatively mundane. It was a disheveled mess, with clothes strewn about the various bunks, wrappers for candy and other snacks littering the floor and for some reason a huge pile of mail in the corner. But, there was nothing Nico could see that Connor would want to keep so secret. 

“Why were you -?” He started to ask.

Connor winked as he hopped onto a bunk that appeared to be right in the middle of the whirlpool of clutter. “Always make them think you’re up to something. Then they’ll never be able to tell when you actually are.” 

Nico looked around for a place to set his bag. “So can I -?”

“Oh! You’re lucky you got here in the winter. You can actually get a bunk, at least for a little while.” Connor pointed to a bunk in the corner that was only half covered in envelopes. “You can take that one above Cecil’s” 

Nico climbed up the ladder carefully and shoved the mail to one side of the bed, wondering why any of it was here. None of it looked like it belonged in New York. The top was addressed to somewhere in Italy and the one below that to a hotel in Boston. 

“So you wouldn’t happen to have been involved in that commotion this morning, huh? It provided an excellent distraction” 

Nico threw his bag on the other side of the mattress before coming back down. “Oh! Um, yeah Apollo brought us here in his sun chariot!”

“Apollo? You actually met him?” Connor sat forward intently. 

“Yeah! And it was So Cool! Though I didn’t get to show him his card…”

“His card?”

“Yeah! His Mythomagic card! I have nearly all of the Olympian set, holo cards and figurines. I’m only missing one! Do you want to see? Mr. D liked his figurine.” Nico turned to go back up the ladder to dig through his things, but a snort from Connor stopped him.

“You showed Mr. D his figurine?” He looked like he was trying to hold back laughter. 

“Yeah, and his card, I told him it’s okay that everyone thinks he’s a lame god card because he’s got really high defense.”

Now Connor did laugh, slapping his knee, “You’ve got guts, kid. You’re going to fit right in here.” 

Nico grinned. He liked the sound of that. “Do you want to play? I could teach you.”

Connor glanced at a clock on the wall. “Nah, I’ve heard it can take a long time to play Mythomagic, and we’ve got dinner in about a half an hour. But I’ll tell you what, how about I teach you a game?” He pulled a deck of playing cards out from under his bed. 

“Okay! What game?”

Connor slid to the floor and started shuffling the cards, waving Nico to join him. “Have you ever played poker?”

Dinner was excellent. With bottomless goblets of soda and dryads flitting about the table with plates stacked high of whatever Nico could think of, he was convinced this camp was the best place ever. Connor and Travis insisted all through dinner that he should really consider switching his game of choice from Mythomagic to poker. They seemed to find the idea of a 12 year old showing up to poker tournaments and wiping out everyone there incredibly funny. Nico was a bit confused why so many people liked to play it. Poker really wasn’t very hard. He didn’t know why the other players didn’t just keep track of the cards left in the deck like he did. 

But what really took the cake was Chiron’s announcement that they would play a game of capture the flag tomorrow. Campers vs. the Hunters. Nico had never played capture the flag before but if they could beat the Hunters and prove camp was just as cool, Nico was all for it.

“Do we wear real armor and stuff?” he asked as he followed the rest of the Hermes children into the cabin after dinner. 

“Yep.” Travis looked him up and down appraisingly, “We should be able to find something that will fit you. I think.” He started to dig under his bed for a change of clothes.

“Wow! And a sword?” Nico followed him across the room and watched as Travis sifted through various shirts. None of them looked like armor.

Connor chuckled as he kicked off his shoes and flopped onto his bed, “Sure, kid.” Travis poked his head up to glare at his brother.  “What? It’s just a little capture the flag game. At worst he’ll be maimed and Lee’ll fix him right up! Better yet, he might maim some of the Hunters.” 

“Maimed? Do campers get injured a lot? Is that why you have so many scars? Do you heal really fast because you’re a demigod?” He giggled as he realized he was a demigod too, “Do we?”

Travis raised his eyebrows at his brother in some unsaid question. Connor gave an amused shrug and continued shuffling the deck of cards between his hands. Nico continued, “If you’re head counselor of the Hermes’ cabin how come you’re not as old as Lee? Did the previous counselor die or something?”

Travis grimaced and put a hand on Nico’s shoulder, “Dude, I know you have a lot of questions, and I love the enthusiasm, but I’ve had a long day of mischief making and I’m tired. I’ll answer more questions in the morning, okay?”

“Okay.” Nico deflated and scuffed his foot on the dusty floor. He walked back to the bunk he’d set his bag on earlier in the day. A head poked out from the bottom bunk, stopping him before he climbed the ladder. 

“Hey. You’re the new kid.” A boy about Nico’s age grinned back at him from between the rungs. 

“I’m Nico.” 

“Hi Nico. I’m Cecil.” The boy shoved his hand through the ladder for a handshake. Nico took it hesitantly. “Looks like we’re bunkmates. I’ve never had a bunkmate. I’ve never even had a bunk before this year, but it’s been getting a bit less crowded in here over the summer. Once everyone left and it was just us year-rounders, Travis told me I could pick one. Oh, and I’m Cecil.”

“You said that already.”

“I did? Oh, yeah! Sorry, I didn’t say hi earlier, I was helping the satyrs with the solstice celebration stuff.” Cecil shifted back on the bed so Nico could sit on one of the ladder rungs.

“What’s that?”

“It’s for the winter solstice! It’s awesome! At home, with my mom, I used to only celebrate Hanukkah but here at camp, we kind of mesh all the holidays together like a super holiday! We’ve got the pagan stuff for the satyrs and the dryads, menorahs for Hanukkah, corn for Kwanzaa. I heard Chiron will even go into the forest and help us pick a tree for Christmas.”

“Really? I bet he could bring in a really big one.” 

“Yeah! Massive!” Cecil spread his hands as far as they could go and fell back onto his bed. He sat up laughing and pointed to the figurine in Nico’s hands. He’d not realized he’d pulled it out. “What’s that?”

“Oh! It’s a figurine from Mythomagic! Have you ever played?” Cecil eyed the tiny Dioynsus with interest, but before he could reply Nico was already climbing up to his bunk and pulling out his cards, “I’ll teach you!” 

They played the game late into the evening, giggling over Cecil’s stories of rumors he’d heard around camp about campers and their parents. They completely lost track of time until Travis called across the cabin, “Hey, hooligans. It’s time for bed.”

“But -”

“You want to be rested up for Capture the Flag don’t you? I can’t have either of you falling asleep on the job!”

The two younger boys straightened and nodded enthusiastically.

 “Then, bed. Now.”

After quickly washing up and changing into the set of comfortable clothes one of the Hunters had thought to pack for him, Nico lay awake in his bed staring at the ceiling. The corners of a few envelopes poked into his legs where he’d shoved them as out of the way as he could. It seemed like a different pile than earlier. There were packages that weren’t there that afternoon. 

He couldn’t believe the events of the day and a half. Just yesterday morning he was sitting in one of Westovers dull classrooms listening to his teacher drone on about long division. Now he was lying in a bunk at a camp for children of Greek gods. One of his and Bianca’s parents was a Greek god and they were demigods.

As he listened to Connor’s deep breathing turn to light snoring, he wondered what Bianca was thinking right now. She was probably staying up all night chatting with all her new Hunter friends. She didn’t have to worry about him anymore so she could do anything she wanted. Well, that didn’t matter, he’d show her he didn’t need her. 

Chapter Text

Nico expected another event-filled morning with excitement and awe just like yesterday but he quickly realized he was going to be left to his own devices. Cecil disappeared from the dining pavilion shortly after shoving four mouthfuls of cereal in his mouth saying he needed to ‘work on his traps’ - whatever that meant. Connor had whispered something in Travis’ ears as they eyed the Artemis table and soon the two of them had their heads together plotting some kind of prank that sounded like it involved centaur blood. Even Percy, as Nico had spotted him and Grover chatting in a meadow had stormed off in a huff leaving an apologetic-looking Grover to watch the nymphs and satyrs chase each other through the snow alone. 

Nico decided if no one was around to tell him what he could and couldn’t do he might as well get in some training of his own. He headed down to the combat arena… only to be told he couldn’t stay because he was much too small to throw a javelin. He stuffed his hands in his pockets as he trudged back through camp. He wasn’t that small. 

He walked past a few dryads and satyrs building a couple of snowmen. The satyrs’ masterpiece kept collapsing on itself as they tried to give it hooves causing the dryads to giggle with delight. Nico picked up a few sticks to offer them for their snowman. Their laughter quickly died and they looked at him aghast like he was holding out severed toes. Oh, he thought, they’re dryads . Maybe he was offering them toes. He didn’t hang around after that.

He meandered to the forge where a few children of Hephestus were hard at work stoking the flames and bent over work tables. None of them noticed as he peaked his head inside, “Hey can I help?”

No reply except for the steady ring of hammers. Nico walked up to the nearest bench and picked up a wrench, “Anything I can do?”

Across from him, the kid’s head shot up from his project, something with intricate wiring all tucked inside a small bronze box, “Hey! Put that back! Everything has a place. Don’t mess with it.”

“Oh! Sorry!” Nico dropped the wrench like it had just been sitting in the forge next to him. The kid glared at him as he put it back in its designated location. Nico decided maybe now was not the best time to help out the Hephaestus kids. 

He passed the stables but didn’t linger when he heard shouting coming from inside. He didn’t want to make anyone else angry, especially if they were on top of a horse. 

It was after lunchtime when he finally gave in. He was sitting on the Big House porch shuffling Mythomagic cards between his fingers when saw a flash of silver out of the corner of his eyes. He looked up hoping maybe he wouldn’t even have to ask but realized quickly that was not the case. The hunter making a beeline from the dining pavilion towards the cabins was not Bianca. She looked as though she had some sort of important message to deliver. Nico had to wave to get her attention. 

“Hey! Hey!” He struggled off the steps of the porch and ran toward her. “Do you know where my sister is?”

She looked down at him as though he was a shrubbery that had just surprised her by talking, “Your sister?”

“Bianca.” Did they not even know her? What good was a group of new friends if they didn’t even remember you?

The Hunter’s expression softened slightly, “Oh, you’re her brother, aren’t you? Nick?”

“Nico. Can you tell me where my sister is?”

“She’s back at the cabin with the others, getting ready for the match. But -” She chewed her lip, “You can’t go see her. Boys aren’t allowed in the cabin.”

Nico scowled. First Bianca wasn’t staying at camp with him and now he couldn’t even visit her when she was here?

The Hunter sighed, “I have- erm, had - a younger brother too. I can tell her you’re looking for her.”

With a final pat on his shoulder, the hunter continued her trek toward the cabins leaving Nico glaring after her.

Despite telling himself he shouldn’t, he inevitably found himself wandering around the green in the center of the cabins a few minutes later. A part of him deep down hoped that Bianca would come running out of Cabin 8 to find him and maybe, if that happened, he wanted to be easy to find. He shuffled through his Mythomagic deck as he walked by each cabin. 

Which one did he really belong in? Lee had said he should just wait to be claimed but he was not a patient kid. He looked at the intricately decorated card for Dioynsus showing the god leisurely draped on a bed of animal skins. It looked nothing like the actual Dionysus he had met, but that didn’t make him any less cool. Maybe he was a son of the god of wine, but if that was the case he probably would have said something yesterday. 

He flipped through more cards as he passed the Hephestus cabin and then the Apollo cabin, its windows glinting in the sunlight. Apollo had seemed cool, even if not exactly dad material. He was more like a cool young uncle. Still, Nico wouldn’t be disappointed to find out Lee was his half-brother. 

Maybe it was his mom that was the godly one. Could he be a child of Athena? He’d always been pretty good in school - when he could pay attention. What about Aphrodite? He scrunched up his face at the card showing the beautiful woman strolling through a forest wearing nothing but a sheet. He wasn’t really sure he had the kinds of traits you’d expect from a son of the goddess of love. Should he go around kissing all the girls to see if they fell in love with him or something? He didn’t like the sound of that.

He worked his way through his entire deck, sifting through each god card and matching them with the cabin that housed their children. With each one he tried to think of any signs that might mean he was one of them. He paused as he got to the last one. The dark shadowy figure on the card stared back at him from a throne of bones. There was a cabin for the children of each major Olympian god. Every god except Hades. 

Maybe Hades was just stuck in the Underworld all the time. He was probably thinking of new ways to make souls miserable and didn’t have time for demigod kids. Maybe that was for the best. Lee had said usually demigods were claimed when they did something related to their parents. Nico shuddered at the thought. He didn’t want to imagine what a kid would have to do to be claimed by the god of the Underworld. 

He walked past the Artemis cabin slowly. One part of his brain was nagging him to go up and knock on the door, demanding they let him in so he could see his sister. Another part of him whispered that she didn’t really want to see him and he’d bugged enough people today. 

He had just made it back around to the Hermes cabin when Connor and Travis came tumbling out to the porch, “There you are! We’ve been looking for you!” 

Nico glanced between the two of them. They were both grinning mischievously, a suspicious rash was beginning to creep out from under a bandage on Travis’s hand. “You have?” 

“It’s almost time for dinner, let’s go get you outfitted for the game!” Connor wrapped an arm around Nico’s shoulder and started leading him around to the back of the cabin towards a small storage shed. Nico looked over his shoulder to the other cabins with one last hope that Bianca might come out to see him. When his eyes landed on the Hunter cabin he didn’t see anything but an empty porch and a closed door.

As he turned back to the two brothers he did see someone though. A young girl bundled in a thick winter coat was tending the fire at the center of the green. He didn’t remember her being there before. She caught his eye and smiled warmly at him leaving him to wonder what god she was related to.

Nico expected the actual game of capture the flag to be a bit more exciting. After the initial rush from dawning armor and charging into the forest to set up the defenses for the flag, it had gotten pretty boring. He couldn’t see anything that was going on, and all the other groups had been sent out on the offensive leaving him and one of the Hephaestus kids on defense. The kid’s name was Beckendorf and all his time in the forge had made him into a pretty imposing figure with his war hammer. He could have easily defended the flag on his own, but he still told Nico to cover their right side while he covered the left. Nico did as he was told and scanned the trees for anything suspicious.

He was beginning to think all the action would happen on the other side of the forest. That was of course until a Hunter came rushing past them, their team’s flag gripped tightly in her hands. They charged after her but it was a lost cause as soon as they saw her, she was too fast for them. Especially after Nico tripped on an exposed root and toppled head-first into a tree. He could hear the others cheering and arguing across the creek as he stumbled to his feet. 

When he made it to the creek he found Percy and Thalia staring daggers at each other, both soaked through. He’d missed most of the argument, but he got the gist of it; both wanted to be in charge, both used their super cool demigod powers on each other, Chiron told them to knock it off. Nico was bummed he’d missed the miniature tsunami Percy had summoned, but his disappointment melted into disturbed confusion as the weird mummy-worm thing approached the group.  

Okay, so it wasn’t a worm-mummy. It was apparently an oracle? That gave out prophecies about goddesses in chains and curses? Nico was totally cool with the whole demigod thing, but the mysterious prophecies were going to take some getting used to. 

“Does every capture the flag game end with a prophecy?” Nico asked Beckendorf as they made their way out of the forest. The older boy was walking intentionally slowly so that Nico didn’t have to struggle to keep up. 

“Only when Percy’s here.” Beckendorf laughed, then eyed Nico’s leg. “Is your ankle okay?”

“Oh yeah!” Nico just now realized why he’d been walking so slowly. He’d been limping and favoring his left leg. He tried to put weight on it and cried out as he felt a sharp pain shoot up his leg. “Eh, maybe not.”

Beckendorf nodded knowingly. “Let’s get you to the infirmary.” 

Nico learned what the strange room with all the cots in the Big House was for. As Beckendorf led him through the back door that connected to the side of the house, he could see several of the cots were now occupied with sons of Ares, each with some form of broken bone. One had his leg propped up on a stack of boxes marked “Hermes express” as he nibbled on some kind of granola bar. Another was arguing with a familiar tall blonde boy who was trying to get him into a sling while a younger boy ran to the other side of the room and started rummaging through some cabinets. He looked so similar to Lee that they had to be brothers.

“Hey Lee, I’ve got another patient for you!” Beckendorf called into the room. 

Lee’s head jerked up from the grumpy son of Ares, his eyebrows scrunched in concern as he took in the two newcomers “Nico! What happened?”

“I fell.” Nico shrugged. 

“Come here.” Lee patted an empty cot next to him and Nico carefully climbed up on it. “You’ve got to look where you're going in the forest, especially during Capture the Flag.” Lee gingerly inspected Nico’s ankle. Now that they were in the bright lights of the infirmary he could see it was red and kind of swollen.

“No fair! You got to be in the Capture the flag game!?” The other son of Apollo popped up next to Nico carrying a bundle of new bandages. “Lee said I had to stay here in the infirmary with him.” 

Lee took a roll of bandages and started wrapping it around Nico’s ankle. “I just wanted your sunshiney company. Can you blame me?” Lee straightened up and ruffled the boy’s hair affectionately. “Nico, this is my little brother Will.”

“Hi.” Will beamed at him. “Did you get to fight anybody during the game? Is that how you got injured?”

Nico felt his cheeks grow warmer, “No. I just tripped… but I did get to have a sword!”

“Cool!” 

Lee took the remaining bandages from his brother.  “Will, can you please get Nico some ambrosia?” 

“But I wanna -”

Lee raised his eyebrows at the argument, “Remember what I said; Heal first, chat second.”

“Fine.” Will rolled his eyes and skipped back across the room. 

“They’re having a counselor meeting in the house,” Beckendorf pointed towards the door that led further into the Big House, “about the unusual oracle visit we got at the end of the game. Should I tell them you’ll be there in a bit?”

“Oracle? Yikes. Nah, I should probably stay here.” Lee lowered his voice and added, “We’ve still got a few breaks to heal and Will’s not ready to handle things on his own.”

“He’ll figure it out.” Beckendorf nodded, “I’ll let them know we can start without you.” He waved as he made his way into the house. 

Lee turned his attention back to Nico with a warm smile. It didn’t escape his notice that Nico had heard the little exchange between head counselors. “Don’t worry about that. Will is definitely skilled enough to finish patching you up. I’ll be over there.” He patted Nico’s shoulder and headed toward another son of Ares, this one cradling one of his hands against his chest protectively. 

“Here!” Will came bounding back to Nico’s cot holding out his hands.

“What is it?” Nico eyed the pastry in the napkin Will was offering him. 

“Ambrosia.” Will paused, considering.“Wait. You’re new to camp, aren’t you? Have you never had ambrosia before?”

“No, what’s it like?”

“Try some and you tell me.” Will insisted. Nico took the napkin tentatively from Will’s outstretched hand. The son of Apollo nodded encouragingly. 

The small pastry melted in his mouth as soon as he took a bite. It was creamy and sweet and tart and sugary all at once. It was the best thing he’d ever tasted.

“That’s delicious! It’s like the best lemon bar ever made.”

“Oh neat! It always tastes like peach cobbler to me.” 

“You mean it doesn’t taste the same?”

“Nope! It's the food of the gods. This is even a fresh shipment from Hermes a week ago. It tastes different to everybody and helps us demigods heal really fast. How’s your ankle now?”

Now that he mentioned it, Nico’s ankle did feel a lot better already. He wiggled it gently. It was still sore, but he’d probably be able to put weight on it now. 

“We usually just have to get everything back in the right place and the ambrosia helps it all heal as good as new!” Will was saying, “Your ankle will probably feel completely normal in the morning!” Will hopped up on the cot next to Nico. “Now tell me all about capture the flag!”

Will was a very enthusiastic listener. Nico told him all about how the camper’s team had been split between Percy and Thalia and how in the end the Hunters had surprised them from the back.

“I can’t believe I missed all that! Sounds like you were missing good air support. If I was there I could have shot them from the trees.” 

“Oh, are you a good archer?”

“Yesterday I actually hit the target! From the tree!” 

“Cool!” 

“Yeah! One day I’m going to be the best archer at camp!” 

“Slow down there, Odysseus.” Lee laughed as he walked back over to them. The camper with the injured hand now had their wrist secured in a brace and they were sipping something from one of those tiny dixie cups. Whatever was in there looked like it tasted as good as ambrosia. “You’ve got to work on all your Apollo skills. You can’t just spend all day practicing archery.” 

“But that’s what it takes to be the best!” Will argued. Nico suspected that they’d had this conversation several times before, Will sounded just like Nico did when he’d bugged Bianca about his Mythomagic cards.

“Could you teach me?” Nico asked.

“Yeah!” Will nodded eagerly, “I could definitely show you! Let me go grab my bow!” Will hopped down from the cot and started towards the back of the infirmary. Behind a small desk, there were a couple of cushioned chairs with two backpacks and a bow tucked against the wall between them. It looked like a comfy place to hang out for an afternoon. 

Lee let out a quick laugh and rubbed this temple “You’ll have to work that out another day, Will. I need your help with Trevor’s broken ankle” He glanced down at his watch, “and Nico’s got to get back to the Hermes cabin before the harpies start patrolling.”

“Okay. Well. See you, Nico!” Will waved as Nico slipped off the cot and carefully tested out his ankle. It held his weight, the bandage providing an extra sense of support.

“See you!” Nico returned the wave and headed out into the chilly night air. 

He made it back to the Hermes cabin without running into harpies and climbed up into his bunk as quietly as he could. Travis and Connor were still up in the Big House and Cecil was already snoring lightly in the bunk below him. He tried to get to sleep but no matter what he tried he just couldn’t get comfortable. Envelopes crowded his feet, the blanket was too scratchy, the pillow was too fluffy. 

He drifted in and out of sleep several times before voices outside the cabin pulled him fully awake. They sounded familiar. 

“I knew it wasn’t wise to trust those Stoll boys..”

“You think they’re responsible for Phoebe?” Nico held his breath. That was Bianca’s voice. What was she doing walking around camp so late?

“Oh, I’m sure of it. Come on, before those harpies get suspicious.” 

Nico scrambled out of his bunk as quietly as he could, shoving his feet into his shoes. He had to know where they were going. 

As he made it to the porch of the Hermes cabin, he could see two figures make their way over to the dining pavilion. In the light of the nearly full moon, he could tell that one was clearly his sister, though she had her hair done differently, braided and away from her face. The other was Zoe, the girl with the silver tiara that had taken charge as soon as Artemis had left. They climbed up the steps and sat with their heads together in a tense discussion. Nico trailed after them. 

Coming up to the dimly lit pavilion, Nico searched for someplace to hide out of the way. With the hearth burning low in the center, the pillars lining the area cast dark shadows down the green that would be perfect for staying out of sight. He kept inside the shadow as he approached. It felt as though as long as he was inside the shadow, even the light from the moon didn’t look so bright on his clothes.

The two girls continued to speak to each other in harsh whispers. Since this Pheobe girl was out due to some prank that Travis and Connor had pulled, they were short a person for the quest that the oracle had issued earlier that night. Nico’s stomach dropped when he heard that Bianca was one of the others to be leaving in the morning. She was leaving him again. Was she even going to say goodbye? 

Zoe sounded anxious as she pleaded with Bianca, “... I have a sense that we should not pick someone else. It would be too dangerous.”

Nico had to bite his cheek to keep from gasping. Dangerous? What did they have to do and why did Bianca have to go with them? Was the idea of hanging around with him really that bad?

“Now come. Dawn is breaking.” The two girls stood abruptly from the table. 

Nico scooted back further into the shadows as they approached and waited for them to pass. Zoe paused for a moment, glaring around her surroundings. It was a few seconds before she was pulled back by Bianca saying, “The lights of the Big House are on. Hurry!” 

Nico watched his sister dart back toward the cabins and made a quick decision. If it was going to be dangerous, he couldn’t let his sister go alone. He didn’t know these Hunters or whoever else was going, and they were already down a person. He needed to make sure his sister was safe. He took a deep breath to ready himself to run after them. 

“Wait.” said a voice from behind him. Nico’s injured ankle twisted uncomfortably as he spun around to see Percy materialize just feet behind him, a faded baseball cap in his hand. 

“Where did you come from?”

“I’ve been here the whole time. Invisible.” 

Was there no end to the cool things Percy could do? Nico stared back at him in wonder. The older boy narrowed his eyes at him. 

“How did you know Zoe and your sister were here?” 

“I heard them walk by the Hermes cabin. I don’t… I don’t sleep too well at camp. So I heard them whispering and… I kind of followed.” 

“And now you’re thinking about following them on the quest,” Percy said it like a statement, as though there was no question of what had been going through his mind. Nico would have been annoyed if he wasn’t still so amazed Percy had been there the whole time unseen.

“How did you know that?”

“Because if it was my sister, I’d probably be thinking the same thing. But you can’t.”

Now Nico really was annoyed. Why did everyone keep telling him what he couldn’t do? He wasn’t helpless. “Because I’m too young?”

“Because they won’t let you. They’ll catch you and take you back here. And… yeah, because you’re too young. You remember the manticore? There will be lots more like that. More dangerous. Some of the heroes will die.”

Nico looked down at his feet, dejected. Maybe Percy was right. He couldn’t do much against a manticore. He could barely hold a sword. He wasn't a hero who could protect his sister. At least not yet. But… he knew someone who was. “Maybe you’re right. But, but you can go for me.” 

“Say what?”

“You can turn invisible! You can go!” 

“The Hunters don’t like boys. If they find out -”

“Don’t let them find out. Follow them invisibly! Keep an eye on my sister. You have to. Please?” 

“Nico - “

“You’re planning to go anyway, aren’t you?” Nico stared at him, determined. There was no way Percy was just out here for a stroll in the middle of the night. After a moment’s hesitation, Percy caved. 

“Yeah. I have to find Annabeth. I have to help, even if they don’t want me to.” 

“I won’t tell on you, but you have to promise to keep my sister safe.”

“I…” Percy chewed his lip, “that’s a big thing to promise, Nico, on a trip like this. Besides, she’s got Zoe, Grover, and Thalia -”

“Promise.” 

“I’ll do my best.” Percy looked out towards the sound, like he wanted to look anywhere but at Nico. “I promise that.”

“Get going, then!” Nico grabbed Percy’s hand and started pulling him away from the pavilion. 

“Tell Chiron - “

“I’ll make something up! I’m good at that. Go on!” 

With one last bit of encouragement, the caution flooded out of Percy. He gave Nico a mischievous grin and turned and ran, disappearing as he threw the baseball cap back on his head. Nico let out a sigh of relief as he watched. He knew, with a guy like Percy going along with them, everyone on the quest would be just fine. 

Chapter Text

Nico didn’t have to make something up. He overheard Chiron and Mr. D discussing Percy’s absence as he walked over to breakfast with Cecil and the Stoll brothers. He stirred his cereal absentmindedly as he listened to Mr. D tell the centaur that he’d stopped Percy somewhere in Manhattan and even after a few thinly veiled threats Percy had insisted he continue. A small nugget of satisfaction nestled itself in Nico’s chest. He knew he could count on Percy.

Nico was preparing himself for another day of trying to not get in anyone's way when he was startled by a tap on his shoulder. He looked up to see the younger son of Apollo, Will, smiling back at him. 

“Hi! Do you want to go to the archery range after breakfast?” 

Nico whirled around on the bench, his soggy cereal forgotten, “We can?” 

“Yeah! I was going to go get some practice in this morning anyways and I thought you’d like to join me.”

“Yeah! Can we go now?” 

Will shrugged, “Sure. Let me just go grab my stuff.” 

He headed back over to the Apollo table and threw a backpack over his shoulders. He gave Lee a quick wave and joined Nico on the steps out of the pavilion. 

“What’s in the bag?”

“Not much, a couple bandages, harmonica, a snack.” Will led them across the green towards the archery range. “Lee gave it to me last summer. Said I should always be prepared.” 

“That’s smart. I can only fit so many cards in my pockets.” Nico reached into the pockets of his jacket and pulled out a few. 

“Are those Mythomagic cards? Awesome!” 

The archery range was empty when they entered. Will dropped his bag near a bench and headed over to a nearby shed. As he rummaged through a mess of quivers, arrows and targets he called, “There might be a class in here later but we should have the place to ourselves for an hour or so.”

Nico walked along the back of the range, past clusters of benches spaced at safe intervals. Lines of snow-dusted targets stretched out along the long direction of the range marking various distances. Leaning along one wall was a line of straw dummies, their faded clothes riddled with tears and rips.

“This is the same size that I use so it should work for you.” Will came jogging up to Nico with one bow held out towards him, another slung across his back. At his hip were two quivers of blunted arrows. Nico took the bow eagerly, testing the leather grip and admiring the smooth wood. He pretended to take aim at a nearby target. 

“Spread your stance,” Will said helpfully. He dropped one of the quivers next to Nico and readjusted the other. He pulled out an arrow, nocked it, and drew back the bow string. “Like this.”

He took a steadying breath and released the arrow as he exhaled. It flew in a graceful arc from his bow to the nearest target, about 30 feet away, just a little left of center. 

Nico tried to mimic the other boy. He grabbed his own arrow and fit it against the bowstring. The draw was heavier than he expected. The string dug into his fingers as he tried to keep it pulled back.

“Close. Now pull back your shoulders.” The flat side of an arrow tip tapped Nico’s right shoulder lightly. He adjusted it. 

“Elbow a little higher,” Another tap on the bottom of his elbow. Another adjustment. Nico tried to keep his eyes trained on a target in front of him. 

“Like this?” 

“Yep, perfect.” Will stepped back and spread his arms out, “Now let it fly!” 

Nico let go. The arrow zipped out of his hands and flew all of 10 feet before skidding across the snow. He looked back at Will, who was grinning hopefully. 

“Sweet!! I want to do it again!” 

They spent the next forty-five minutes working through their quivers of arrows. Every time they ran out, Nico would run out and collect all the arrows he’d fired into the snow while Will pulled his out of the targets. Nico’s arms were quickly getting tired from all the drawing of the bowstring but he refused to take a break. This was too much fun. 

Will didn’t seem to be getting tired, but he did quickly get bored of stationary targets. “Hey, Nico! Watch this!” 

Will twisted his arm behind his back and loaded an arrow in the bow near his hip. He contorted himself just enough to pull back the string and sent the arrow flying diagonally. It skidded to a stop just underneath a target on the other side of the range. “Oh, so close!” 

After a few more failed attempts at that technique, Will grabbed an apple from his bag. “Hey, toss this up for me.”

Nico did, then stepped back as Will took aim. His arrow fired straight into the air and a second later the apple thudded to the ground, still completely whole. Nico had no idea where the arrow went. “Aw, I was only off by a foot that time!” 

They tried again. Will’s aim did not improve. After the apple was so thoroughly bruised Nico suspected it wouldn’t make a very good snack, Will moved on to climbing the tree at the edge of the marked-off area. He slung his quiver over the lowest branch and climbed up to sit next to it. 

He called down to Nico, “Can you turn one of the targets this way? I want to see if I can hit it upside down.” 

Nico was pretty sure Will would not be able to hit the target while upside down. Even if he was competent with a bow, Will was terrible at anything besides the conventional technique. It was like any skill he had left him as soon as he tried to do something impressive. Nico was starting to understand why Lee was trying to encourage his brother to work on his other skills. He moved the indicated target for Will anyway. Trick shots were fun to watch, regardless of if he succeeded. 

“Oh no, not this kid again.” Nico’s head jerked towards the entrance to see a handful of older campers make their way into the arena. He didn’t know the one in front who had spoken but recognized one of the boys behind him as the Ares camper who had had his foot propped up in the infirmary the night before. “Get out of here, we have the range for the morning.”

“You’re early,” Will called from his branch. “The class doesn’t start until 10, we still have 15 minutes.” 

“15 minutes isn’t going to help you get any better” The group of older campers had reached the spot Nico and Will had left their stuff.  “You can barely shoot straight.”

Will’s expression darkened. 

“Hey, Aaron - the kid’s a healer” the boy with the healing foot interjected, “Maybe you shouldn’t, you know, get on his bad side?”

“It doesn’t matter!” Will hopped down from the tree and glared at Aaron. He snatched up his bag defiantly, “We’ll leave you be. You need all the practice you can get if you want to impress Miranda.” 

Aaron blanched, “What?” He looked at his friends nervously.

An impish grin appeared on Will’s face, “Oh. You didn’t tell them how you got those burns on your hand? Well,” he turned to the others with a flourish, “it all started when he came into the infirmary - “

“Shut it.” 

Will snapped his mouth shut with a smirk. “If you say so. I’ll be happy to continue the story next time you kick me out early. Come on, Nico.”

Nico hurried to follow Will out of the archery range. 

“That was so cool!” Nico cheered as he and Will walked back towards the cabins, “How did you know about Miranda? Is Miranda his girlfriend?”

Will snorted and slung his backpack over his shoulder, “He wishes. He came into the infirmary a few weeks back because he’d had an.. incident in the crafts building. He’d been trying to make Miranda something for the holidays and had somehow superglued his hands together.”

“Really?” Nico couldn’t help laughing at the ridiculousness of it. “How’d you get them unglued?”

“Oh, it wasn’t the glue that he came in for. Apparently, he thought he’d get unstuck by melting the glue. Came in with a bunch of burns on his fingers. Lee told him to make sure he had supervision next time he wanted to break out the glitter. ” Will joined in with Nico’s laughter, “Working in the infirmary has some perks. We get better gossip than even the Aphrodite cabin.” 

“Are all children of Ares that rude?” Nico asked as they made it to the hearth at the center of the green. They sat down and warmed their hands by the perpetually glowing fire. Nico wondered if anyone was responsible for tending it.

“Nah, Aaron just thinks he’s a hot shot with Clarisse gone. Most of them know it’s smart to be nice to the Apollo kids.” 

“I don’t know who my parent is yet,” Nico admitted. He picked up a stick and absently poked it into the fire. 

“Well, we might be able to rule out Apollo” Will nudged Nico’s shoulder playfully, “You’re not exactly an archery prodigy.” 

Nico thought he was probably as good as Will was when he was attempting to do trick shots, and it was only his first day! But he decided not to argue that point. He was enjoying hanging out with Will and didn’t want to mess with that. 

“Too bad though,” Will said thoughtfully, “it would have been fun to be brothers.”

“Yeah.” 

“You’re definitely not an Ares kid.” Will continued. 

“I’m not?” Some part of Nico was relieved to hear that. He didn’t think he’d like living in the cabin with Aaron and the other Ares campers. They reminded him too much of the boys at Westover that used to make fun of him for his Mythomagic cards. 

“Nope. You’re too nice. Maybe you’re a Demeter kid.” Will played with the string of his hoodie, twirling it in his fingers, “I know! Let’s try to figure it out!” 

So began an afternoon of testing out Nico’s aptitude at various godly domains. Will introduced him to a few nymphs and satyrs who were harvesting laurels for the winter solstice celebration in a few days. They had explained how to carefully trim off the mature branches and leave those with budding leaves to continue to grow. It was an activity perfect for a potential child of Demeter, but when every branch Nico trimmed wilted in his hands they decided to move on from the goddess of the harvest. 

There had been hope that he might have some natural talent in the forge, though Beckendorf didn’t let either of them anywhere close to the bellows. Even so, Nico had an easier time hammering his own fingers than the small piece of metal that was supposed to become a dagger, and - thanks to Will and his preparedness - he left with the collection of bandages to prove it. 

After lunch, Will decided they should see what they could try in the arts and crafts building. When they ducked into the large room lined with shelves, drawers, and cabinets full of craft supplies they saw they were not the only ones there. 

“Whoa!” Nico gaped at the massive gingerbread house being assembled on one of the tables. It looked more like a cathedral than a house. “That’s amazing.”

Cecil’s head poked out from behind one of the walls. “Hey, guys! Oh, thanks! It’s mostly Malcolm’s doing.” 

Malcolm, who Nico recognized as the kid from the Athena cabin porch, made his way to the table from a nearby closet. His arms were full of boxes of candy and bags of icing. “Hey Will, and - Nico, right? Want to help?”

“Sure!” 

They pulled up a few chairs and began decorating the sides of the gingerbread house with candies. Malcolm would pipe the icing where he thought the structure needed more support and then the other three would stick as many gumdrops, peppermints, and marshmallows as they could on top. Soon, though, more candy was making it into their mouths than onto the house. 

“This is really cool,” Will said appreciatively as he sucked on a candy cane. “It looks great.”

“Thanks!” Malcolm placed a gumdrop delicately at the top of a steeple. “I was going to show it to Annabeth when she got here, but I guess it’s going to have to wait.” 

“With as much icing we’ve got it glued together with, it’s going to stay together until the new year!” Cecil laughed. As Will and Malcolm had finished the last details of the gingerbread house, he had pulled out some colorful pieces of thread and started knotting them together in a chain. He’d said it was macrame. When he noticed Nico watching, he dug out more thread and offered to show him how to make his own bracelet. 

Nico carefully finished tying another knot as he nodded in agreement. “That thing is solid.”

“Hey! Maybe you’re an Athena kid.” Will leaned over to see Nico’s progress, “That looks pretty good. What are you going to do with it?”

Nico tugged a thread a little tighter. None of the knots looked very neat, but he was slowly improving. “I thought I’d give it to my sister when she gets back. Her favorite color is green.”

“That’s cool. It’s really neat you have a full sister.”

“That makes you both demigod gods, right?” Malcolm asked, leaning back in his chair and unwrapping a candy cane for himself.

“That’s what Chiron said, but she’s a hunter now.” Nico scrunched up his face. He didn’t want to talk about the hunters. “Do any of you have other siblings? Non-godly, I mean.”

Both Malcolm and Will shook their heads. 

“I have an older sister.” Cecil said, “but she’s like 20, I was a bit of a surprise. I don’t think my mom planned on having another kid, especially not one from a one-time fling with a god.”

Will gave Cecil a too-much-information-dude look and said, “Nope, and I’m okay with it. I get enough sibling love from the godly side.” He sounded a bit worn out by the idea.

“Lee seems nice.” Nico offered. 

“Yeah. Lee’s great but in the summer… well, Apollo’s had a lot of ‘flings’.”

“At least it’s not like the Hermes cabin.” Cecil reminded him. “That place is packed with all the unclaimed kids. Us actual Hermes kids barely have any room.”

Malcolm let out a low whistle, “You’ve got that right. They’re a menace.”

Nico looked between the three of them uneasily. He was an unclaimed menace, but it wasn’t like he had any choice in the matter.

“Hey!” Will looked at his friends in annoyance, “Don’t be rude.”

“Oh, right. Sorry!” Malcolm tried to backtrack. He gave Nico a half smile, “I’m sure you’ll be claimed before the summer and it gets too crowded.”

Nico didn’t feel much like talking after that. Will must have picked up on it because he suggested that they go find something to do outside. Nico followed him down to the lake only half listening as Will rambled on about his favorite movies, most of which Nico had never heard of. As amazing as camp was, he was beginning to see just how similar it was to Westover.

Just like at Westover, you didn’t really belong if you couldn’t fit into a group. Trouble was, at school, Nico had never found a group he belonged in. He wasn’t really into sports, and nobody appreciated Mythomagic like he did. They all thought he was weird so Bianca was his only friend. Now, as an unclaimed demigod, he was the odd one out again. 

“And then we get to Clone Wars -” Will was saying as they sidestepped a pair of satyrs chasing a nymph across the ice. 

“What about children of the other gods?” Nico asked. 

Will stopped mid-sentence to look at him, surprised. “Other gods?”

“You know… Hebe, Iris… Hades.” Nico ticked them off on his fingers.

“Oh, right.” Will nodded thoughtfully, “you know... I don’t know. I guess they are just never claimed? Maybe that’s why the Hermes cabin is so full.” 

They continued for a few more steps. Behind them, they heard the sound of ice cracking and the splash of water as one of the satyrs misstepped and fell into the lake. The nymph’s giggles sounded like jingle bells. 

“Now that you mention it,” Will said, “Hades has to have had children, or else the whole great prophecy thing wouldn’t be a problem.”

“Procephy?” Nico barely held himself back from saying, another one? How many life-threatening poems could there be?

“Lee and the other head counselors try to keep it from us younger campers, but we hear things. There’s something about the big three - Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades - not having any more children because one of them is going to end up deciding the fate of the world or something dramatic like that.” Will rolled his eyes, “but I guess that hasn’t turned out as they planned. I mean, we have Percy and Thalia.”

“I guess.” 

Percy and Thalia did both seem very powerful. Nico wondered how one of them could be responsible for something as big as the fate of the world. All he wanted was a comfortable place to stay and a couple of friends. 

The two of them made their way around the small lake. Their breaths made little clouds of condensation around their heads and Nico kept his hands stuffed in his pockets to keep away the cold. Will seemed to be almost more troubled by Nico’s question than he was. 

“Doesn’t really seem fair, does it?”

“Hm?”

“Having cabins for only 12 gods, I mean. If there is a child of Hades out there, even if they are claimed, there’s nowhere for them to stay. I don’t think they’d let them stay in the Hermes cabin taking up room when there's so many unclaimed demigods. It’s not fair.”

Nico tried to imagine how it would feel to finally learn who his godly parent was, only to be told that because of his parent, he wasn’t allowed to stay. He started to have a new appreciation for his current situation. There could be worse things than staying unclaimed in the Hermes cabin. 

That night, Nico had an even harder time getting to sleep than usual. When he finally did fall asleep, he wished he hadn’t. 

He dreamt of a dark pit at the edge of a forest. The trees were white and marked along the trunks like birch trees but they had no leaves. They looked insubstantial and ghostly, fading into the mist around him. He didn’t have the headspace to worry about what might be lurking beyond the haze because all of his attention was focused on the pit. 

He was drawn to it despite a sense of dread growing in him with every step. Still, he managed to stay just feet away from the edge. A small nagging part of his brain told him that if he fell, there would be no coming back. 

A deep resonating voice spoke from the pit. It engrained itself in Nico’s head, as though it skipped over his ears and went straight to his brain. 

Don’t get too comfortable, little demigod.

Nico wanted to turn, to run away from this unfathomable force but his feet were as rooted as the trees around him. 

Soon you will realize how folly it is to trust anyone, especially that unruly son of Poseidon. 

Percy? What did this have to do with Percy?

Do you really think it will matter in the end? Can he really keep your sister safe?

Nico’s heart hammered inside his chest. No. No, of course, Bianca was safe. She was with the other Hunters, with Thalia - a powerful daughter of Zeus! Percy was going after them, too. He said he would make sure she was safe. 

Percy lied .

Nico sat up abruptly as he woke, nearly toppling a stack of envelopes onto Cecil below him. He stared into the darkness of the cabin, almost as deep as the pit in his dream. A chill crept down his spine at the memory of it. Of that voice. It made him want to bury himself in blankets and never come out. He wrapped the thin bunk blanket around himself and tried to ground his breathing in the soft sound of Connor snoring across the cabin. With each exhale he murmured to himself, “Percy promised.”

Chapter Text

By the time Nico dragged himself out to breakfast the next morning, he had nearly pushed the nightmare to the back of his mind. It was just his overactive imagination. Sure, he was nervous about Bianca’s safety but there was no reason to believe last night had been anything other than a really bad dream. 

Instead, he tried to focus on the day ahead of him. He’d been looking forward to another day hanging out with Will. They’d even made plans for Nico to teach him Mythomagic. He was actually running a little late so he was surprised when the son of Apollo waved to him from his cabin as Nico made his way to the dining pavilion. 

“Hey!!” Will was wearing a baggy orange sweater with a faded design of the words ‘Apollo - Cabin 7’ framed with laurel leaves. “The Hephestus cabin all woke up with some kind of flu this morning and Lee needs my help making sure they stay hydrated. Maybe we can plan on tomorrow?”

“Oh, okay” Nico waved half-heartedly back at him. “See you later, I guess.” 

“See you later, Nico!” Will called after him. 

Nico was about to continue on to breakfast, this time in slightly lower spirits, but stopped when he glanced at the central hearth. The girl he’d seen the other day was there again. She was wrapped in a simple gray coat, her hair pulled back into a bun. Even though several other campers were walking past her on their own way to the dining pavilion, no one waved at her or said hello. It was like she was invisible, but somehow Nico could see her. 

He decided he was late enough for breakfast already, what was a few more minutes? He approached the fire, “Hi. I’m Nico.”

The girl smiled warmly as she looked up at him, “Hi Nico. I’m Hestia.”

Nico blinked, “Hestia? Like, the goddess Hestia?” He shook his head as facts from his Mythomagic deck popped into his head 

Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth

It is Hestia’s responsibility to tend the hearth while the other gods are away from Olympus and therefore she has no attack. While she is in play she increases the attack of all gods in play by 50%. 

Hestia giggled, “Yes, like that. It’s nice to meet you, not many demigods come to say hello these days.”

“Are you here all the time, tending the fire?” 

“I’m a part of every hearth, but I do pop into Camp Half-Blood’s more than most. I like to check in on all my nieces and nephews.” She glanced around at the campers oblivious to her presence. 

“Why don’t people see you?” Nico asked. 

“We tend to take home for granted when things are going well,” she said sadly, “and when they aren’t… well it’s too late. I wish others would stop to talk.” 

“I’ll talk to you.” Nico offered, “I wouldn’t take a home for granted.” 

“As well you shouldn’t.” Hestia patted his shoulder in a very motherly gesture that was kind of weird because she looked a few years younger than Nico. 

"Hey, Nico!" Cecil waved to Nico as he made his way back from the dining pavilion, a few crumbles from his hastily eaten toast still clinging to his shirt, “I’m helping the Aphrodite cabin do some more decorating today if you want to help.” 

Nico glanced back at Hestia. She waved him off saying, “Go on, what’s a home without friends?”

He smiled as he nodded and turned back to Cecil, “Sure.” He hadn’t met any of the Aphrodite children. Maybe Hestia was right and he’d make a new friend or two. 

The group was assembled outside the arts and crafts building. Various boughs of greenery were organized into piles along with small lanterns and colorful ribbons. A few satyrs were already assembling the boughs into wreaths while a couple of other demigods were decorating garlands with ribbon. 

“We’ll need a wreath for each cabin,” A tall girl with flowing brown hair said to one of the satyrs as they approached, “and a set of matching garlands.” 

“We’re on it!” The satyr gave her a small sort of salute and busied himself with selecting the best branches from each of the piles.

“Hey, Selina” Cecil waved to the girl and then quickly looked at his feet. His ears went a little pink and Nico didn’t think it was from the cold.

“Hey, Cecil - and oh! You’ve brought some more help! Excellent.” She gave Nico a friendly smile. “We’re just getting all the decorations assembled and then we’ll go hang them up.” She grabbed a few ribbons from the pile next to her and offered them to the two boys, “Why don’t you two go help Drew?”

They took the supplies from her and walked over to the other piles of evergreen branches. Cecil snuck up behind a girl in a pink parka and dangled the ribbons in her eyes. 

“Huh, what?” She swatted at the ribbons and ended up smacking herself in the nose. “Cecil!!” 

He laughed and stuck his tongue out at her. “Hi, Drew. Selina said we could help you.”

She scowled at him and snatched the ribbons out of his hands. “Fine. You two go start another wreath.” She pointed to her left, “Over there.”

Nico found he liked assembling the decorations. All the branches were already trimmed so all he had to do was tie them together. Soon he was getting into a rhythm, humming ‘tis misty and its magic… that’s what it’s all about’  

When they’d gotten enough wreaths and garlands made for all of the cabins Selina sent them off in pairs to decorate the porches. Nico helped Drew carry a set over the Athena cabin. 

“No, a little higher,” Drew ordered him as they lined up the garland along the porch’s railing. He shifted the garland a little, but he didn’t think it made much of a difference. He glanced appreciatively around at the other cabins, all with their own color-coded wreaths. Next door, the Demeter cabin was decorated with garlands with rich green ribbons, and across from them, Cecil was helping a satyr pin a wreath with red ribbons on the Ares cabin door. All the decorations looked pretty to him, regardless of if they were perfectly level. 

“A little more.” 

Nico moved to adjust his end again when he stopped cold. His breath caught as an icy trickle of dread rolled down his spine. Something wasn’t right. He watched as the fresh green pine needles of the garland dried out in his hands and fell to the ground. The brown, dead needles spread out from his fingers all along the branches until the entire thing was just dead sticks. 

“What did you do?!” Drew pulled her hands away as though the garland was contaminated. 

Nico stared at the damage with wide eyes. His body felt chilled to the bone, there was a ringing in his ears that was getting progressively louder. “I - I don’t know.”

“Well, stop it! You’re ruining everything!” Drew yelled. 

“I - uh -” Tears were coming to his eyes and he wasn’t even sure why. He blinked furiously and glanced around. The others around the green looked towards them with confusion. He dropped the dead branches to the ground and took off running. 

He finally stopped when he came to a quiet corner on the edge of the woods. His breath shook with sobs. He just wanted somewhere he could be alone. He collapsed at the base of a tree and took in gulps of air as he tried to get his breathing under control. He didn’t know what was happening. 

He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to shake the images out of his head; Bianca somewhere dry and dusty, climbing over mounds of metal. Percy calling out to her, pleading with her to come back. Then Bianca smiling at a small figurine. She bends down to pick it up and tucks it into her pocket.

Nico tucked his head between his knees, creating his own safe cave. What was happening to him? More images flashed in his mind;  Bianca somewhere dark, climbing through a mess of tangled wires. Then Bianca somewhere else, it’s crowded but her face is the only one he can see, everything else is covered in mist. Then she’s back in the dry desert, running from something large and metallic.  Everything is jumbled together and he can’t keep anything straight.

Nico tried to focus on what was in front of him, what was real. The wet grass under his fingers? That was real. The smell of pine from the surrounding trees? That was real. Slowly, the images started to fade and he was left staring out into the trees, his head empty. 

He wasn’t sure how long he stayed there, listening to the soft sounds of the forest around him. At one point he shivered and he realized he was only wearing his light sweater. Bianca had been right, he did need a new coat. He’d have to tell her that when he saw her. 

It was starting to get dark when he heard soft footsteps approaching. He barely looked up.

“Hey.” Will peaked his head around the tree, his brows pressed together in concern. 

“What are you doing out here?” Nico tugged at the grass. All the blades within a ring around him had dried up and withered. 

“Looking for you.” Will set his backpack against a tree and sat down a few feet away. “I went by the Hermes cabin and Cecil said he hadn’t seen you since this morning. Then I ran into Drew and she said you ran this way after you uh… altered… some of the solstice decorations.”

“She said I ruined them.” 

“Well, I wasn’t going to say that. Drew isn’t always the kindest when it comes to those things.”

“I don’t know what happened.” Nico looked up at Will, meeting his eyes. “I don’t know how I could have done that.”

“Maybe it’s a Demeter thing?” Will offered. The way his voice rose at the end implied he wasn’t completely convinced.

“Maybe.” Nico went back to picking grass. He had his own suspicions about what kind of demigod could make plants wither, but he kept them to himself. Saying them out loud would make it real. He wasn’t ready for that. 

“Well, I thought you might be cold and you weren’t wearing much of a coat yesterday,” Will dug into his backpack and pulled out a pale yellow hoodie. He held it out to Nico, “So I brought you one of mine.”

Nico took the sweater and pulled it over his head. It had a design of a sun wearing sunglasses on it. The inside was fuzzy and warm. “Thanks.”

“I’m getting pretty good at this preparedness thing.” Will got to his feet and held out a hand to help Nico up. “Come on, let’s get to dinner.”

That night Nico barely got any sleep. He couldn’t get images of his sister and dark deep pits out of his head.

Chapter Text

The next few days were quieter. Nico tried to keep his distance from the Aphrodite campers or anyone that might have seen the incident with the garlands. The Hephaestus cabin flu kept the children of Apollo busy in the infirmary. It was also apparently contagious. So after a couple of days of keeping them hydrated, Will was stuck in the infirmary with his own case of the flu. Lee had at least sounded sympathetic when he’d told Nico he wasn’t allowed in. 

Nico spent most of his time wandering around camp alone, trying to not think about what he'd done to the garlands. It was the first time he'd shown and signs of having some kind of demigod power and he didn't like what it probably meant. He hadn’t had any more strange incidents since the first one, but he wasn’t taking any chances. Every so often he would get this cold empty feeling in his gut, like he’d just remembered something was missing but he could never figure out what it was. 

Eventually, that empty sensation became a constant dull ache. He didn’t know what it meant but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was very wrong. He couldn’t wait until Bianca was back and he could talk to her about it. She was always able to make him feel better. 

By dinner on Thursday he decided he needed to shake himself out of his funk and find something to distract himself. Luckily, Cecil told him that the solstice celebrations would start in earnest the next day so he was cautiously optimistic. 

He started the morning carefully folding Will’s sweater between his arms as he left the Hermes cabin. He figured he’d stop by to drop it off at the infirmary on the off chance that Will was feeling better and the two of them could spend the day with Malcolm and Cecil. 

He made it halfway to the Big House before he ran into the son of Athena excitedly hurrying towards the cabins, “They’re here!”

“Who’s they?” Nico was barely able to slow Malcolm down. Will's sweater fell from his hands as he threw them out in surprise.

“The questers. They’re back and they’ve bought Annabeth with them!” 

Nico stared back at him. “Really?”

Malcolm nodded enthusiastically. “All the head counselors are already up at the Big House with them.”

All plans for the day vanished from his mind. Nico ran towards the Big House, leaving Will’s sweater forgotten in the middle of the green.

Nico’s feet pounded up the steps onto the Big House porch. His cheeks flushed from the run over and his nose stung from the cold. Even so, he couldn’t help smiling as he knocked on the door. He wasn’t prepared for the scene that greeted him. 

In the parlor, sitting around a table full of grilled cheese sandwiches, were Percy, Annabeth and Chiron. With them were some of the older campers, Travis and Connor, Beckendorf, and Selina. There was also a girl with short dirty blonde hair and impressive biceps that Nico didn’t recognize. Nico glanced from Chiron, to Annabeth, to Percy. Someone was missing. 

“Where’s… where’s my sister?”

Everyone in the room avoided his eyes. Connor and Travis had unusually serious expressions, Beckendorf was staring into his mug of hot chocolate as though he was trying to figure out its secrets. 

“Hey Nico,” Percy swallowed and took a step toward him, “Let’s take a walk, okay? We need to talk.” 

As soon as Percy led them outside, Nico wanted to bolt. He didn’t want to hear what Percy had to say. He didn’t want to believe it. 

It only got worse as Percy started to speak. Nico stared out across the steps of the dining pavilion as Percy’s words flooded over him. He went on about how Bianca had been brave, how she’d sacrificed herself, and how she had been a true hero. None of those things mattered. None of them made up for the fact that she didn’t come back, that she would never come back. 

Percy dug into his pockets and pulled out a small figurine and handed it to him, “She wanted you to have this.” 

Nico stared at it numbly. It was a Mythomagic figurine. He recognized it on sight because he’d been telling Bianca how much he wanted it for months. It was the only one he didn’t have; Hades, Lord of the Dead. Even a week ago finally completing his collection would have made him overjoyed. Now, this small toy was the last thing he wanted. It was like some cruel joke. How could something like this ever make him happy when his sister was gone?

“You promised you would protect her.” Nico’s voice felt unfamiliar on his lips. It was low and soft in a way he’d never sounded before. 

“Nico - I tried.” Percy looked wounded, “But Bianca gave herself up to save the rest of us. I told her not to. But she - “

“You promised!” 

A smoldering tide of rage was growing inside him. He glared back at Percy and all he heard was the voice of the dark pit. “I shouldn’t have trusted you.” Tears welled up in his eyes, “You lied to me. My nightmares were right!” 

“Wait. What nightmares?”

“I hate you!” The Hades figurine clattered across the marble floor of the pavilion. Nico hadn’t even realized he threw it. 

“She might still be alive. I don’t know for sure - “

“She’s dead.” As he said it, Nico knew with certainty it was true. He closed his eyes and he could see her clearly now, her soul making its way through the Underworld. “I should have known it earlier. She’s in the Fields of Asphodel, standing before the judges right now, being evaluated. I can feel it.”

Percy took a step back and looked at him in alarm, “What do you mean, you can feel it?”

“I’m a -” Before Nico could voice what he’d been dreading for the past three days a new sound cut him off. Behind Percy, four skeletons climbed out of the trees each armed with gleaming swords. They took a few menacing steps toward the two demigods. Percy’s sword grew to its full length in his hand. 

“You’re trying to kill me!” Nico tried to scramble backward away from them. Had Percy figured it out too? “You brought these… these things?”

“No! I mean yes, they followed me, but no!” Percy’s voice was strained, “Nico, run. They can’t be destroyed!”

“I don’t trust you!” A high-pitched ringing started to buzz in Nico’s ears. The closer the skeletons got, the louder it got. Percy swung his sword across the ribs of one of them, slicing it in half. It didn’t do any good as the skeleton reformed and continued stalking toward them. 

“Run, Nico! Get help!” 

“No! The ringing was getting louder. Nico tried to cover his ears to make it stop. Percy would soon be overtaken by them. Something inside Nico screamed at him to do something, knowing that he couldn’t stand here and be helpless. “No! Go away! ” 

As he said the words Nico felt power flood through him and into the ground. Something rumbled as the marble underneath the skeletons cracked open. Nico nearly collapsed from the strain, the only thing going through his head was how he couldn’t let anyone else die. There was a snapping sound, a roar of flames, and then one final thunderous crunch. 

Nico hesitantly peaked at the ground in front of him. The skeletons were gone and in their place was a dark scar across the marble floor. Percy gaped at him. 

“How did you- “

“Go away!” Nico yelled rage flaring up inside him again. “I hate you! I wish you were dead!”

Nico ran down the steps and towards the woods. He didn’t care what he’d just done, he just knew he wanted nothing to do with Percy Jackson.

He ran through the trees with no particular destination in mind. Branches nicked his face and he stumbled over patches of slick icy mud. Eventually, he made it to a clearing, a large collection of boulders piled in the center. He recognized it as where he'd kept watch with Beckendorf during capture the flag.

As he tried to catch his breath he heard footsteps behind him and faint voices calling out. He looked around for someplace to hide. The only place he could find was a small nook in the rocks. As someone made their way into the clearing, he squeezed himself inside only to make it further between the rocks than should have been possible. His foot caught a small rock and he tripped, falling a couple of feet into a dim cavern. He clamped a hand over his mouth to stay quiet.

There wasn’t much light to go by, but he determined that he was in what looked like a tunnel. There was no way back up to the ledge where he had fallen, but through a small crack above him, the voices got clearer. 

“Nico!” He thought the first voice was Annabeth’s. She sounded exasperated. “Percy, what did you say to him?”

“Nico!” Percy called, “I’m sorry!” 

The sound of Percy’s voice stoked the anger inside Nico. He stared defiantly up at the small patch of light. He had two choices; call up to them and get them to pull him out or continue down the dark unknown tunnel. Without a second thought, he turned on his heel and headed deeper into the darkness.

He didn’t look back.

Chapter Text

Part 2: Grief, Gifts, and Ghouls

The growling behind Nico was getting louder. He’d narrowly escaped… whatever it was after his last wrong turn, maybe an hour ago? It was hard to keep track of how long it had been. This time he had practically stumbled directly into its nest. The only thing that had alerted him that something was off had been a crunching sound under his feet. Nico doubted it had just been dry sticks. Unfortunately, that crunching had also alerted the monster to him and Nico had had to bolt back the way he had come. 

He’d quickly learned that the tunnel he’d stumbled into back at Camp Half-Blood was part of a large subterranean labyrinth. After the first few turns he’d realized he had no idea where he was. He couldn’t have navigated back to the clearing in the forest even if he wanted to - which he certainly didn’t. Even being chased by angry monsters was preferable to being back there. 

His heart hammered in his chest as he rounded another corner. There, about fifty feet in front of him he could see a faint glow. It looked like it could be a doorway. 

The monster behind him let out another roar of frustration, spurring Nico further down the tunnel. He picked up speed as he heard the scraping of large claws on the ground behind him. When he made it to the door he yanked it open and drove through, knocking it closed with his feet as quickly as he could. 

It took him a minute to adjust to the new lighting. It looked like he was in some kind of restaurant. He was laying on the floor down a hall that led to the restrooms. The door he had come through looked like a regular old supply closet. Out the window, he could see a glowing sign in the shape of two yellow arches shining against a dark sky. A street lamp illuminated snowflakes as they fluttered past.

He stumbled as he made his way to the front of the building. 

“Oh, dear! Are you alright?” A woman in a large puffy coat looked up at him in alarm from a booth in the corner. 

Nico stared at her confusion and then down at himself. He supposed a t-shirt wasn’t really weather-appropriate and he hadn’t planned on cave diving and running from monsters when he got dressed this morning.

“Come here, sweetie. You must be freezing.” She guided him over to her booth and made him sit across from her. The plastic booth was cold and uncomfortable. “Are you hungry?” 

He glanced at the food in front of her and gave a noncommittal shrug. 

“I’ll be right back.” She glanced at him a moment longer as she got back up, “Stay right here.”

Nico didn’t have anywhere to go so he did as he was told. He had no idea where he was, or what time it was. It hadn’t been dark when he’d run from the dining pavilion so he must have been in the labyrinth for several hours at least. He supposed he should be hungry but he couldn’t get himself to care. 

The woman came back a few minutes later, a small red box in her hands. The smile on the side made the corners of his mouth twitch before he remembered his world was falling apart. After that, it just looked like it was mocking him. 

“Here, go ahead.” She pulled a burger and some fries out of the box. “Things are less scary on a full stomach.” 

Nico eyed the food in front of him. It smelled good, but his mouth felt like sandpaper. The woman nodded at him encouragingly then tilted her head in concern, “Are you lost?”

Another noncommittal shrug.

“Where are your parents?” 

The Underworld, he thought and picked at a few of the fries. 

“Anyone we can call? Aunts, Uncles, grandparents, even a sibling?”

Nico’s breath hitched unexpectedly at the word sibling. Through that small crack, the rest of his defenses burst open and he began to sob.

The events of the morning came flooding back to him, it was like hearing Percy tell him his sister was dead all over again. He’d said it so matter of factly like he didn’t care he was telling Nico the world as he knew it was gone and he’d done nothing to stop it. Then the skeletons had come out of nowhere and he’d used his - powers? - to trap them in the earth. He felt like he was living in a twisted dream and he just wanted to wake up. The woman across from him patted his hand sympathetically as he cried, “It’s okay, sweetie. Deep breaths.” 

He sniffed as he looked up at her and shook his head. He couldn’t get himself to speak.

“No, you don’t have siblings?” 

Another head shake. 

“Grandparents? Any family we can call to come get you?”

More headshakes. He didn’t have anyone. He was alone. 

The woman looked on the verge of tears herself, “Oh, you poor thing. I’m going to go make a call but I’ll be right back. You keep eating, okay?” 

She got up again and went to talk with the people behind the counter. Nico could hear them having a tense whispered argument. He stared at the burger in front of him. He had no desire to eat anything but knew Bianca would want him to. He managed to nibble on a couple of fries by the time the woman came back. She watched him for a few minutes and then asked, “What’s your name?”

Her voice was gentle, as though she didn’t want to spook him. Nico kept his attention on the table and didn’t say anything. It felt like if he opened his mouth to speak all that would come out would be more sobs. 

“Do you know where we are? Are you far from home?” 

He managed another shake of his head. He didn't know where home was anymore. He couldn’t be far from it if he didn’t have one. 

The woman sighed and left him to his food. 

Just as Nico was starting to wonder what he should do next, he felt a tingling on the back of his neck. At the same time, the woman looked up towards the door with relief. 

Two women in professional-looking jackets entered the restaurant. They glanced around the room surveying the space, though Nico and the woman who had gotten him something to eat were the only other patrons.  The newcomers made straight for them, clearly not here for the food. 

The way they moved seemed odd to Nico. They didn’t quite walk. Instead, it looked more like they glided across the floor. They reached his booth and he gulped as he realized why. These women didn’t have legs. Where their legs should have been were scaly green trunks like snake bodies. Information scratched at the back of his mind;  

Dracanae; humanoid women with serpent trunks instead of legs. 100 attack power, 50 defense, resistant to acid damage. 

“These ladies are here to help you,” said the woman in the puffy coat. She didn’t seem bothered at all about the fact that she was talking to literal snake-women. Nico doubted she even noticed their slithering tails. 

“Yesss,” said the first dracaena. Her blazer was a muted orange color that clashed horribly with her green scales. When she looked down at him he thought he saw her tongue flick between her teeth. “We know jusst where to take him.”

“Come with usss, little boy. We know sssomeone who’s been looking for kids like you.” The second dracaena came around to the other side of the booth, blocking him in. 

Nico’s eyes darted around the room. He got the sense that he did not want to meet whoever was looking for kids like him. For all he knew it was that manticore, Dr. Thorn, finally deciding he wanted that Nico-soup after all.  Nico squirmed on the booth uneasily. Maybe if he was fast enough he could slip past them. 

Before he could give them any more time to figure out what he was thinking he slid his butt off the seat of the booth and crouched under the table.

“What? Where did he-?”

“He’s under the table, you dolt!”

One of the dracaena tried to grab at him but he managed to dodge out of their grasp. He crawled to the other side of the table and scrambled out towards the door.

“Hey, wait!” the helpful woman called after him. He looked back to see her staring after him, her eyes filled with worry. Faintly he realized he probably should have thanked her for the meal. Bianca would have insisted on it, but he was too concerned with not becoming a meal himself. 

“Get back here, demigod!” the dracaena with the clashing jacket yelled. The two monsters were having trouble turning to chase him. Their torsos could twist toward him but it took some maneuvering to get their ‘legs’ slithering in the right direction.

Nico had a split second to figure out where to go. He could try to go back the way he came or head outside into the snow. Maybe the closet door would lead back into the tunnels he had come from, but he had no way to know if he’d just be running from one monster’s clutches into another. Even though he had no idea where he was and definitely wasn’t prepared for the cold, Nico took a deep breath to brace himself and charged out the door into the snow. 

***

The first few days were a blur. He didn’t know where he was or what time of day it was. He barely slept. He barely ate. He felt like he was a shade passing through empty streets and dark alleyways. He tried to stay out of the way of anyone. He didn’t want to take the chance of some other good samaritan accidentally alerting monsters to his presence. Thalia had said the monsters hunted demigods, but he hadn’t expected them to be hiding in plain sight, disguised as regular humans he could run into at any moment. 

He tried to keep moving, which proved easier than he wanted it to be. Whenever he searched for somewhere to hide, whether it was from monsters, policemen, or well-meaning elderly grandmothers, he’d find himself back in the labyrinth. He’d make a few random turns and then find himself at a new exit, in a new city. 

His head was a mess, a jumble of fear, anger, and grief. He now understood what had happened when he’d seen flashes of Bianca in a desert. He’d sensed the moment Bianca had died. He’d felt as her soul entered the Underworld. It had been like his heart had been torn from his chest leaving him empty and incomplete. At least there was no question about who his godly parent was anymore. He was a son of Hades. 

That itself was a frightening thought. Will had said Hades wasn’t supposed to have any more children, there was a prophecy about it and everything. He wasn’t supposed to exist. Would the other gods come searching for him? Would they try to fix Hades’ mistake?

Maybe that’s what really happened to Bianca. The other gods knew who she was and made sure to get her out of the way. Maybe Percy was in on it. That was just another reason why Nico wanted nothing to do with the demigod world. 

Which was why the Fates must have had a cruel sense of humor when he stumbled out of the labyrinth, with snarling and probably very hungry monsters on his tail, and into a painfully familiar forest. It was dark and there was a fresh dusting of snow on the ground but the sky was clear. In the distance, there was a warm glow and the sound of cheerful conversation.

Nico’s legs moved of their own accord toward the festivities. Peering through the trees he could see a massive bonfire in the middle of the camp. A collection of kids and teenagers sat around it rowdily singing Christmas carols, though it sounded like they’d changed some of the words. 

“On the sixth day of Christmas, Dionysus sent to me: six beasts for slaying, FIVE LAUREL LEAVES, four piercing spears, three seashells, two pe-acocks and a partridge in an olive tree!”

Chiron made his way around the circle in his wheelchair, handing out small boxes tied with ribbon. A few of the campers exchanged gifts with those next to them. 

Nico’s heart sunk into the soles of his shoes. It must be Christmas Eve. 

He sniffed as tears unexpectedly welled up in the corner of his eyes, and nearly coughed. What was that smell? He sniffed again. Oh. It was him. He took stock of the clothes he was wearing. His pants had rips and tears in them from when he’d had to crawl through some tight spaces. His shirt was sweat-stained and the hems of the sleeves were beginning to fray. He needed some fresh clothes. 

He glanced away from the campfire. The cabins were dark, it looked like everyone was gathered for the holiday festivities. He began creeping up to the center of camp. 

He paused as he made his way past the dining pavilion. The dark scar of obsidian was clearly visible against the white marble. He stared at it in awe. He had no idea how, but he’d done that. He was sure the story of how it appeared would have quickly spread through camp. By now everyone would know he’d opened up the earth and made it swallow up his enemies. It wouldn’t be long before they all knew who his father was, too. Nico looked away from the dining pavilion, away from the evidence of how he’d never belong here.

For being for the children of the god of thieves, the Hermes cabin was surprisingly easy to break into. Nico just wiggled his way through a window around the back that had been left ajar. He brushed himself off and looked around the dark cabin. It hadn’t changed much over the past few days. Candy wrappers still littered the floor, mail was still piled in the corners. 

Nico crept towards the bunk he’d shared with Cecil. It might be a long shot, maybe they’d already thrown it out as soon as they’d realized who he was, but he had to check if his stuff was still there. 

It was. His few changes of clothes were still packed in his bag just as he’d left them. Laying on top was a green bracelet, the same one he’d started that day with Cecil. Halfway through the knots got much neater. It looked like Cecil had finished it for him. 

Nico bit back more tears at the sight of the bracelet. If things had been different he’d be giving that to Bianca tomorrow, but now he’d never be able to. He snatched up his bag and headed for the door. 

He was halfway back to the forest when he stopped mid-step. He was already here. What else might he need? He’d already had a few close encounters with some vicious monsters and he’d been lucky to get out of them with only a scratch or two but he couldn’t expect that luck to keep up. He changed his direction and started toward the infirmary. Lee wouldn’t miss a few bandages, would he?

Nico left the Big House a few minutes later, his bag now stuffed with a few rolls of bandages and several squares of ambrosia. Now that he was stocked up he’d have no reason to be back here any time soon. He was nearly to the shadows of the trees when an eruption of laughter made him glance back at the bonfire. He peaked around the trunk of a tree as he watched the group wistfully. 

Lee and Will were laughing together, Lee strumming a few chords on a guitar as Will made up even more silly renditions of Christmas carols. On the other side of the fire, Beckendorf was inching his way closer to Silena nervously, hiding a small box with a red bow behind his back. Cecil was cheering along with Travis as Connor tried to see how many marshmallows he could stuff into his mouth at once. Chiron looked like he was in the middle of telling some epic story. 

Nico inched forward. Maybe he could… no. 

He looked away as he remembered the damage he’d done to the marble. He couldn’t stay here. There was no cabin for kids like him, and he wouldn’t be welcome here anymore. Besides, Percy had lied to him and his sister was gone. Why would he even want to be here? He couldn’t trust anyone. There was nothing for him here. 

He stepped on a dry branch and a sharp snap echoed through the trees. A few of the campers looked in his direction. He ducked back out of sight, already picking up into a run. 

As he made his way deeper into the forest, he heard a faint voice behind him.

 “Nico?”

Chapter Text

The labyrinth was impossible to navigate, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t an effective mode of transportation. If he went into the tunnels and tried to figure out where he was going, he would quickly stumble into the lair of some monster or find himself wandering around in circles for hours. If he went into it with no specific goal, he’d find another exit after only a few minutes. 

He’d started to accept it as some kind of game, collecting cities like he would Mythomagic cards. If he’d been able to mark off each city he visited on a grid he was sure he would have gotten bingo by now. 

Even if he had accepted the randomness of the exits, the labyrinth had a habit of spitting him out in the weirdest of places. He’d come out of a maintenance tunnel in the London Underground, climbed out of a sewer in Milwaukee, and even found himself in a bunker lab in Antarctica. Once, he’d stepped out of the tunnel and into the dressing room of a Broadway show. Everyone was running around looking like they were a part of the American Revolution. He’d kind of wanted to stay and listen to the show but was afraid of getting kicked out. 

On this particular evening, he found himself on a dark side street lined with seedy bars. The city must have been somewhere in the northern United States because there was a fresh layer of snow on the sidewalks. Nico shivered as he walked past neon signs advertising different kinds of beer. 

This was not the first time he’d found himself in an unsavory part of town so he stuck to the shadows as much as he could. He couldn’t be approached if he couldn’t be found. Fortunately, he had an easy time hiding in the shadows. It didn’t matter if someone was standing right above him, if he was tucked in the shadows they didn’t seem to see him unless he wanted them to. 

His stomach growled as he caught a whiff of something savory through an open window. He hadn’t eaten since yesterday and even then it had only been what little he could find at the top of a dumpster. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a full meal. He ducked his head and tried to keep moving. His stomach continued to clench in protest until he finally gave in and paused in front of the door to a quiet pub. Maybe he could offer to wash dishes or something. At worst they’d chase him out and he could run pretty fast. He felt another rumble in his gut as he pushed the door open. 

The space inside was cramped, with only enough room for a bar lined with stools on one wall and a few tables lining the opposite wall. A door at the back led to a small kitchen. Two men in business suits, their ties loosened, sat at one of the tables having a low discussion. Another man in a battered old aviator jacket sat at the bar sipping amber liquid out of a short glass. He nibbled on a few peanuts as Nico walked in. 

Behind the bar, the barkeep eyed him suspiciously. He had thick bushy eyebrows that nearly touched as he scowled at Nico, “What are you doing here, kid?”

“I - um” Nico’s voice cracked as he tried to speak. When was the last time he’d talked to someone? He cleared his throat, “I wondered if you’d have anything I could eat. I could work for it.”

“Does this look like a shelter? Get out of here.”

Nico took a tentative step back toward the door. He’d gone through this enough times that he knew what came next. 

“Hang on, Bruce.” The man sitting at the bar held up a hand as he looked Nico over. He seemed amused. “He can sit with me.”

The bartender glared at the other man for a moment before letting out a huff in frustration. “Fine but he’s your responsibility.” He shot another accusatory glance at Nico before heading back into the kitchen.

“I don’t want any handouts.” Nico hung back, “I can fend for myself.”

“I’ll tell you what, kid.” The man pulled a deck of cards out of his pocket. “If you can beat me at a game of cards, I’ll get you something to eat. If you lose, you gotta go. Fair?”

Nico’s stomach chose that moment to grumble audibly. He winced at its betrayal and climbed up onto one of the stools. He was too short to reach the footrest so his feet dangled freely. Reluctantly he agreed, “I suppose that’s fair.”

The man shuffled the cards and started to deal out their hands. “You play poker before?”

Nico nodded, even as the man dealt him out three cards, two face down and one face up. Connor had only dealt out two. 

The man grabbed a few peanuts from the tray in front of him. He split them up into equal piles. “We’ll bet with these. If you have the most peanuts after three hands, we’ll call that a win.”

Nico took the face-down cards and nodded again. After they’d put in their initial antes the man dealt them each another card face up. This was definitely not the version Connor had taught him. Nico tried to not let his confusion show on his face.

The man made another bet and waited to see if Nico would fold. He didn’t know what would happen next but knew if he folded that would count as a loss, so he pushed out a few peanuts to meet the bet. 

They continued alternating betting and dealing cards until they each had seven cards in front of them. Nico only had one peanut left. Finally, the man flipped over his face-down cards and pulled out five that made the best hand. He had a straight. Nico swallowed nervously as he did the same, he only had a pair. 

The man chuckled to himself and gathered the pile of their wagered peanuts, “We’ll play another hand.”

Nico lost that one too. He watched forlornly as the man slowly pulled the last peanut away from him. He thought he understood how the game worked now if only he’d been able to play another hand. His mouth watered just looking at the peanuts. 

“Wait!” He dug into his bag and pulled out the Dionysus figurine. It was one of his favorites and had taken him weeks to find. It could be worth something. “This is really rare, you could probably get some money for it. Maybe…” He tried to think of an amount that would be small enough the man would agree but still helpful, “Ten dollars? Can we play again?”

The man took the figurine and looked it over, glancing at Nico with amusement. “Sure.” 

He pulled out his wallet and placed the dollar bill next to the figurine. As Nico reallocated their peanuts, he dealt out new hands. 

This time Nico won handily. Once he knew how the hands worked he was able to use the same logic he had with Connor and Travis. If he knew what cards were already out, he could estimate what was still left in the deck. If they were cards that would give him a better hand he bet high, if they weren’t he played more conservatively. He pressed his hand to his mouth to keep from cheering out loud as he took the last hand.

The man set the Dionysus figurine back in front of Nico and started to gather up their cards, “Well, looks like you get to keep this.” He raised his voice to be heard in the kitchen, “Bruce! Bring the kid some dinner and put it on my tab.”

A few minutes later Bruce came in and placed a plate of chicken strips and macaroni and cheese in front of Nico. He didn’t make eye contact with either of them as he filled a glass with water.

The man at the bar laughed, “I didn’t know you served mac and cheese. I’ll have to remember that for next time.”

Bruce grunted and went to wipe down the bar. Nico dove into the food. 

As he savored the creamy goodness that was mac and cheese the man narrowed his eyes at him, “Did you just hustle me, kid?”

“What?” Nico licked some sauce off his lips, eyes wide  “No - I swear I just -”

The man cut him off as he leaned forward conspiratorially, “‘cause I was going to say if you did - that was some pretty good hustling.”

Nico grinned back at him. He’d never thought of that. A small voice whispered that Connor and Travis would approve before it was squashed by a louder voice reminding him that it didn’t matter what they thought. He had no place with them. 

The man leaned back on his stool studying Nico as he finished his meal. As he finished draining the glass of water Nico stared back. Was he expecting something else? Should he say thank you for the meal? Or would that be weird because he’d technically won it in a bet? He decided that Bianca would tell him he should always say thank you. 

“Um. Thanks.” He said as he gathered up his things to leave.

The man considered him then put a hand out to stop him, “I’ll tell you what - one more game.” He reached into his wallet and pulled out two twenty-dollar bills. 

Nico stared at them. “I - I barely have any money to bet.” 

The man nodded to his bag, “It looked like you had a few valuable things in there.” 

“Um, yeah.” Nico couldn’t look away from the money sitting between them. He could buy so many chicken nuggets with that. “O-okay.”

Slowly he pulled three Mythomagic figurines out of the bag and placed them on the counter. 

“Just the one round this time,” the man said, already divvying up their peanuts. 

Nico nodded nervously. If they only played one hand he wouldn’t be able to count what had already been exhausted from the deck. 

The man slowly dealt out their first three cards. Nico had a 2 of diamonds and 3 of spades in his hand, a 7 of clubs on the table. He nudged a few peanuts between them. The man gladly met his bet. 

The next cards he was dealt were a 6 of hearts and a 5 of spades. He got a bit hopeful and he raised his bet. The man took a minute to consider before he pushed some peanuts to the center to call. 

The hope left him as soon as it had come as the next card was set in front of him, a queen of diamonds. Completely unhelpful. He had nothing. Maybe though, he could convince the man he had something by betting high? Apparently, he wasn’t the only one with that idea.

The man assessed his cards and said abruptly, “Let’s make this more interesting.” He pushed the rest of his peanuts into the pot and pointed to Nico’s bag. “How about I throw in my jacket and you add in the rest of your collection there.” 

Nico stared at his hand. There was still nothing, and he didn’t know enough about the deck to be sure if there’d be anything useful coming up.  Either the man had also decided to bluff him or he had a very good hand. 

The man looked at him from behind his cards, “You could also fold now and just lose those few figurines.”

Nico looked at the man’s jacket longingly. It looked so warm. Hesitantly, he pulled the rest of his figurines out of his bag and set them next to the others. The man grinned. 

“Excellent and for the last card.” He dealt them each their last card face down. Nico’s heart sank. It was not the 4 he’d been hoping for but a 3 of diamonds. He barely had anything, just a pair of threes. There was no way it would beat whatever the man had. He laid out his cards and took one last look at his collection of figurines. Maybe it was for the best anyways.

The man laid down his cards and sighed dramatically, “Well, looks like you take this one.” He slipped his aviator jacket off, tucked the few dollar bills in its pocket, and placed it around Nico’s shoulders. His muscles began to relax as he was surrounded by warmth. 

“What?” Nico stared down at the cards on the bar. There was his meager pair of threes and… nothing. The man had absolutely nothing, and he had from the beginning. There was no way he would have thought he could win with that hand. Nico gaped at him. “But - you -”

The man shrugged, “Win some, lose some. Now you best get going before Bruce kicks you out.”

Nico didn’t need to be told twice. He gathered up his figurines and hopped down from the stool. He was halfway to the door when he turned back, “Hey - did you just hustle me?”

The man looked taken aback, “What? Of course not! I came out the loser, why would I do that on purpose?”

Nico stared at him a moment longer and the man winked, “Now, go!” 

That night Nico found a tucked-away corner of an alley to sleep in. Even though he was pressed up against the cold metal of a dumpster, with a full belly and his new warm coat, it was some of the best sleep he’d had in weeks. 

Hustling became Nico’s primary method of getting money over the next few weeks. He was chased away twice as often as he won but he still made enough money to keep himself fed. In fact, he had enough extra cash that he decided to treat himself. It was tough to keep track of days but if he remembered correctly, it was nearly his 12th birthday. 

His last sojourn through the labyrinth had spit him out in a large city on the coast. It was sunny and warm enough he really didn’t need his coat but he kept it firmly on his shoulders anyways. There was no way he was going to risk losing it. He’d emerged along a long boardwalk that spanned the length of a sandy beach and off the shore he could see a few teenagers in wetsuits bobbing in the surf waiting for the next good wave. He was struck with a memory of his past self asking a certain son of Posideon if he knew how to surf. Idly, he wondered if Percy would have taught him, then shook himself out of it. He didn’t want anything to do with Percy. Percy could drown in the ocean for all he cared. He shouldered his bag and turned away from the beach. 

He made his way past tall palm trees and expensive-looking cars before finding a small kiosk that sold ice cream just off the boardwalk. The teenager behind the counter gave him a confused look as Nico counted out the exact change and slid it over the counter, but said nothing as he handed Nico his cone topped with two scoops of chocolate ice cream. 

He headed back to the boardwalk and found a bench to sit on for a minute while he ate his treat. This was the first time in a long time he’d been able to slow down. In some ways, it was more difficult than running from one danger to the next. 

The hardest part was how quiet it was, sitting alone. In the silence, painful thoughts rushed in to fill the void. He couldn’t escape them. It was like he had been rubbed raw and even the slightest touch sent sharp pain shooting through his system. The girl on the beach, building a sand castle? Her hair looked just like Bianca’s. The taste of the ice cream on his tongue? He wondered if Bianca would like this flavor or if she would have preferred the strawberry one. Watching his feet dangle over the asphalt? All he saw were the shoes Bianca had insisted he get, comfortable and practical because she knew he’d spend half his time tromping through the woods behind Westover anyways. 

His sister was everywhere, in every thought, but still nowhere to be found. He would give anything to see her again. To beg her to stay with him and never go on that dangerous quest. 

He felt something wet drip on his hand and looked down to see it was a tear. He wiped his cheek on his sleeve and stared out at the ocean. Half-heartedly he sang under his breath, “Happy Birthday to me.” 

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw an odd shimmering in the air. A few feet down the boardwalk there was a strange hazy shape. It was almost human-sized, going in and out of focus. He stood from the bench and tried to get a better look but it glided away as he approached. 

He took another look around his surroundings. That had not been the only strange thing around here. There were more shapes. Some in clusters, some drifting by themselves as though they were lost. 

Nico threw away the remnants of his ice cream and headed over to the nearest group. He waved his hand through the mist and felt a distinct change in temperature like he’d just stuck his hand into a freezer. The shape shifted and… turned to face him? 

Not that it really had a face. Even up close it was still a hazy patch of air, but he could sense some kind of vague awareness. With his hand still stretched out he felt like he could understand the phantom. It was a lost soul trying to find its way to the Underworld. It had been searching for so long it had lost anything that had once made it human. 

“You’re - you’re a ghost.” 

It stared back at him blankly. He whipped around and looked at the others. They were all wandering aimlessly, but there did seem to be a higher concentration of them in one direction. If all these souls were stuck looking for the afterlife, maybe if he followed them he’d find a way into the Underworld - a way to his father.

The tickle of souls grew to a crowd as he made his way down the street until he found himself standing in front doors embedded in black marble. Above them, etched in gold were the words. DOA Recording Studios. No Soliciting. No Loitering. No Living.

Yep. He was in the right place. 

The lobby was full of people but now that he knew what he was looking for, Nico could easily identify them as souls waiting for passage. Some had nearly faded like the ones he’d seen on the street, others were… fresher? Having died more recently. They looked almost normal, except for a light transparent sheen to their skin. 

All of them paid no attention to him as he walked in and approached the man behind the security desk. He wore a crisp black suit with a white tie. From his hair to his cufflinks he was wearing either black or white. Nico thought it was a cool look. The man looked up past his sunglasses as Nico came up to the desk and read his name tag; CHARON

Charon, ferryman of Hades. Passive ability; opponent must lose one gold for every death on either side, if out of coins they are unable to put a new hero or monster in play until Charon can collect the deceased card. Has excellent fashion sense. 

“Let me guess, died of exposure further up north?” Charon asked. “Or starvation, not much meat on those bones.”

“What? No. I’m not dead.” Nico knew he looked a bit worse for wear but he didn’t think he looked deathly. 

“Not dead?” Charon pursed his lips. “Then what are you doing here?” 

“I want to go to the Underworld.” Nico puffed his chest out a little, “To see my father.”

Charon snorted, “Yeah, sure, kid. The ol’ boss hasn’t had children in decades. I’m not letting you through.” 

Decades? That didn’t sound right, Nico wasn’t even a teenager yet. He tried to sound confident as he insisted, “But I am, and I need to speak with him.” 

“The only way you’re getting on that elevator, kid, is if you’re dead and have proper payment. If you want to sit and wait with all the others until that happens, be my guest.”

Nico eyed the elevator behind Charon’s desk. It was already full of souls waiting with expressionless faces. They could have been standing there for the past five minutes or the past five months. 

“I thought you used a boat.”

“Everyone’s so picky,” Charon rolled his eyes and scrunched up his face, “I’m not supposed to be dead’, ‘I didn’t want a pagan afterlife’” He looked directly at Nico, “‘I thought you used a boat’. Well, sue us for keeping up with the times. The direct elevator cuts down on travel time immensely. The system practically runs on its own.” 

“So that elevator goes straight down the Underworld?” Nico took a side step, edging along Charon’s desk.

“Where else would it go, Disneyland? Of course, it does.”

“And can anyone get on it?”

Charon glared at him from behind his sunglasses. “I don't know why you’re so determined to get down there but I know it won’t work. Only entities of the Underworld can control the elevator. You won’t get anywhere.”

Nico gave him an unconcerned shrug. “But what if I am?”

As Charon “I told you, I know you’re not-”

Nico ducked under Charon’s desk and bolted toward the open doors. He squished himself in between two souls that looked completely unfazed and scanned the inside wall. There was only one button, a clear arrow pointing down. Nico slammed his hand on it. 

Charon spun around from his desk and bared his teeth at him. For a split second, his face looked more skeletal than mortal, showing way too many teeth with dark sockets where his eyes should be. Quickly though his expression turned into one of surprise as the elevator doors began to close. He gaped back at Nico as the son of Hades smiled and waved as the doors snapped shut. 

The elevator descended for several minutes. Around him, the spirits’ clothes transformed into hooded gray robes. The walls to the elevator faded away and Nico felt the moment the floor beneath his feet began swaying as if on a gentle current. They were now standing on a large wooden barge making its slow way down a black river.

“Whoa,” Nico took a step forward and looked around.

It looked like they were in a giant cavern, with stalactites reaching down from a ceiling so high their bases just faded into darkness. On either side of them he could see the banks of the river, littered with bones, wilted flowers, and pieces of lives long since ended. The river cut through the center making a lazy path toward a bank crowded with people waiting in haphazard lines. Beyond that, he could see the faint outline of a dark fortress. That must be where he was headed; his father’s palace. 

The barge continued on its way as though on autopilot. Nico had thought it had been Charon’s job to ferry the souls across the Acheron, but he clearly wasn’t necessary. Nor was he doing a very good job of managing the entrance. Maybe he was due for a performance review. 

Nico stepped off the barge with the collection of souls when they reached the other bank. He ducked out of the crowd as they began to be herded toward the large metal gates to await judgment. He found it easy to move through the crowds of deceased souls. They parted in front of him as though he was someone important that they didn’t want to inconvenience. Now it was just the simple task of making it to the palace. 

It was larger than it had looked from the river. Nico stood at the front gates staring up at the two- or three-story tall walls etched with gruesome scenes of death and felt like he was as small and as insignificant as an ant. For a brief moment, he doubted what he was getting himself into. What right did he have to ask anything of a god? Then again, what other options did he have? He took a deep breath and continued forward. 

Just inside the gates was a courtyard full of the most fascinating plants. Mushrooms glowed in patches along winding paths through shrubberies with leaves so sharp they looked like they could draw blood. Along either side of the courtyard were lines of pomegranate trees in full bloom. Standing on a small stool and reaching into the branches of the trees closest to him was a woman in a silvery gown. Her black hair curled gracefully down her back like a waterfall. She retrieved a few ripe fruits and turned to put them in the basket by her feet. 

Nico tried to duck behind the nearest bush, but he wasn’t fast enough. 

“Ah!” the woman jumped as her eyes met Nico’s. She waved her hand at him sharply. Before he could open his mouth to speak, the world around him was gone in a poof of dandelion fuzz. 

Chapter Text

Persephone, goddess of spring and Queen of the Underworld.  1500 attack power. Advantage on defensive rolls when undead are present. Removes status conditions of all other cards in play. Turns strange boys into dandelions when surprised. 

The next thing Nico knew he was on the ground in an enormous dark throne room. His eyes watered as if he had just rolled around in a stack of hay. He sneezed as he looked up at the figures looming over him. 

“Who is he?” the goddess demanded. She was pointing at him and gave him an accusatory glare as though it was his fault he was shedding little puffs of dandelion seeds. Next to her, a man stared down at Nico, his dark hair falling around his face. Nico gasped.

Hades, god of the Underworld, Lord of the Dead. 4000 attack power, 5000 if the opponent attacks first. Immune to direct attacks if Helm of Darkness is activated. Assumes control of all undead in play. 

One of three gods to agree to not have children to avoid fathering the demigod with the power to determine the fate of the world. 

Dad. 

Hades took his time in responding. He looked at Nico as though he was a stain he’d just noticed on a new shirt and Nico didn’t like the idea of being scrubbed away. “How’d you get here?”

“Charon’s elevator. He said I wouldn’t be able to use it unless I was from the Underworld but I did.” 

Hades huffed out an annoyed breath, “Charon’s slacking again I see. That raise has just made him lazy.” 

“Fine, you need to talk to Charon.” Persephone tapped her foot impatiently, “but who is he? ”

“I suspect he’s the other one.” Hades said mildly. 

“The other one? You mean, of hers ?” Persephone crossed her arms and glared at Hades like she wanted to turn him into a weed. Nico kept his eyes on the elegantly patterned floor; dark marble engraved with golden designs that connected from slab to slab. 

“Yes. You knew there were two, dear.” He gave Nico another passing glance, “Not that I expect this one to be any more useful than the first.”

“Are you talking about Bianca?” Nico asked, seeing an opening, “That’s why I’m here.” 

Hades raised his eyebrows. “Oh?”

“I - Nico stared back up at his father and his mouth suddenly went dry. “I - I wanted to ask you to bring her back.” 

Hades blinked once and then let out a low bellow of laughter. It was not a pleasant sound. “Bring her back? You think I’ll just bypass the rules of my own domain and ignore centuries of precedent and bring her back? Just because you asked me to?” 

“But I’m your son! She’s your daughter!”

Persephone’s glare at Hades deepened.

“Yes, and what good that’s done me.” Hades waved a hand dismissively toward Nico and started to walk around the room. “Tell me, how old are you?”

“I - I just turned twelve.” 

“And that Jackson boy, he’s what? 14?” 

“He’s turning 15 this summer,” Persephone added. 

“Right.” Hades continued to pace around the room. “And Zeus’ girl, the tree? She is a part of Artemis’ little club, now, right?”

“She is a Hunter, yes.” 

“So we can assume Percy will turn 16 first.” 

Nico didn’t understand why it was important to get everyone’s ages straight or what that had to do with Bianca but he knew he was tired of talking about Percy. Hades made a circuit around the room, passing by the elegant thrones on the other side before returning to where Nico was still kneeling on the floor. 

“Bianca could have been the one if she’d not also been enticed by Artemis’ call of eternal maidenhood. With training, she would have given Posideon’s kid a real challenge, but you - ” He stopped directly in front of Nico, “Even if you weren’t too young, you’d never reach his level. I have no use for you.” 

Nico stared back up at the god of the underworld in shock. Even Persephone’s expression softened slightly out of sympathy. 

“Take me!!” Nico offered desperately, “Trade me for Bianca.”

Hades considered Nico’s words and for just a moment Nico thought he might have done it. He might be useless and never belong but at least he could give Bianca what she deserved. That all came crashing down with one word. 

“No.” 

“But-” Nico began to argue but one look from Hades forced the words back down his throat.

“It was pointless for you to have been in that casino for decades.” Hades waved his hand dismissively and made his way to sit on this throne. 

Somehow, Nico managed to speak again, “What do you mean decades? What year is it?”

Hades let out another short, cruel laugh, “Have you really not noticed? You’re more pathetic than I thought. It only took your sister a day in the real world to put things together before she died. You were in that casino for over seventy years.” 

Nico’s vision swam, the floor in front of him tilted. The next thing he knew he was sideways, his head saved from smacking against the hard floor by a thin patch of moss which vanished as soon as he lifted his head. He struggled to get the words to come out of his mouth, “B- but it was only a month.”

As if to contradict himself, an image flashed in Nico’s brain. He and his sister were walking along the side of a canal, a woman walking a few steps behind them. He couldn’t see her face but could tell that he and Bianca were much younger than they had been when they had attended Westover. He was maybe six and wearing old-fashioned-looking shorts and a button-down shirt. Nico blinked back the image and tried to focus. 

“I do not wish to bother with you anymore. Get out of here.” Hades snapped his fingers and half a dozen skeletal warriors stepped into the room from entrances all around the hall. They grabbed a dazed Nico and dragged him from the room. 

It took Nico a few seconds to gain his wits about him again but when he did he glared up at the skeletons as he tried to pull his arm free. “Let go of me, you sack of bones.” 

The skeleton turned its skull toward him and the ridge above its eye sockets moved like molded clay. Who knew skeletons could raise their eyebrows? 

“You heard me.” Nico put as much authority into his voice as he could muster. “Let me go.”

To his surprise, the two skeletons with grips on his arms let go. He rubbed his shoulder as he looked over the rest of them skeptically. “Go back to your business. Your job is done.”

Again, they obeyed him and turned down the hall. Nico stared after them until they had all turned the corner, leaving him alone. 

“Right.” he said to himself as he looked around, “Now what?”

He was in an ornately gilded hallway with windows spaced along the walls looking over the fields of the dead. There were no doors so he simply had the choice to follow the skeletons or go in the opposite direction. It was an easy choice. 

At the end of the hall, he found himself at a T. One direction led to a closed door a few feet down the passage, and the other direction opened up into a larger hallway with several turn-offs that led further into the palace. Sounds of several boney feet shuffling around came from down the hall as though it led to a barracks of some kind. Out of the furthest alcove, two more skeleton guards emerged and started to walk toward Nico. He decided to try the door. 

Inside it appeared to be some sort of storage room. Windows along one wall cast faint green pillars of light allowing Nico to see the contents of the room as he closed the door behind him. Weapons were stacked along the walls and piled on shelves. Some seemed to be stored away with reverence, sitting on their own shelf or placed on a stand. He walked past a long imposing spear on a pedestal that read, “Varatha”. It was easily twice Nico’s height. Next to the spear was a shield leaning against the wall underneath a plaque that read, “Shield of Chaos”. His eyes widened at that one. He’d love to see a shield wielded as a weapon. 

Nico picked his way further into the room. There were so many weapons in here, just sitting around collecting dust. He started to look for something he could use. He doubted Hades would even notice anything missing and if he did Nico didn’t care. It would just mean he paid more attention to the whereabouts of his rusty old weapons than his son. 

Maybe there was something in here he could use, it’s not like Hades would care.  He briefly looked back at the spear before deciding against it. He didn’t know how he’d carry something that tall. He paused on a sword placed on a shelf on its own. Its blade was a deep red, the hilt decorated with a skull. Nico could imagine that it had slayed many a foe.

He reached out for it but stopped as something else tugged his attention away. Behind a few more spare bronze swords was something so dark it looked as if it absorbed light. Nico shifted the weapons around it to reach the hilt and held it in front of him. 

It was a traditional Greek sword but its blade was made of metal as dark as night itself. Looking at it was like looking at a rip in space. The grip was wrapped with simple black leather and fit his hand perfectly. As he held it, it almost felt as though the sword hummed with excitement. 

On the other side of the door, Nico could hear the rattling of bones getting closer. There was a possibility he’d be able to convince the guards they’d seen nothing, but considering they would stumble upon him raiding their weapons he didn’t want to take the chance. He snatched up a belt from one of the shelves and tied his new sword around his waist. As the handle to the door began to turn he hopped into the nearest window and slid out into the palace grounds. 

Nico’s fists clenched as he stalked around the gates of Erebus. Once free of the grounds he began to really mull over the events of the afternoon. What was he thinking, coming down here to ask for his sister back? He should have known this was going to be pointless. Not only was his sister gone but his father wanted nothing to do with him. He was worthless if he couldn’t stack up to Percy.

Nico hated Percy. All this was Percy’s fault. It was Percy’s fault his sister had gone on that quest and never come back. Percy had come back, why hadn’t Bianca? Percy broke his promise. He cared more about saving Annabeth than protecting Nico’s sister and now Nico was alone because of him.

If Percy hadn’t shown up back in December nothing would have gone wrong. They wouldn’t have known about the gods or the hunters or prophecies. Nico thought it would have been better that way. 

He looked up and realized through all his storming about he’d made it all the way back down to the river. The banks were crowded with a fresh ferry load of souls lining up for their judgments. It hit him then. He didn’t know how to get out of here. He was stuck. 

What would happen if you died in the Underworld? Would you just become a ghost right on the spot? Would you be teleported to judgment? If he didn’t figure out a way back to the surface, Nico was going to find out. 

“Lost, master?” said a voice a little way down the bank, its owner hidden in shadow.

“Huh? Who are you?”

“Nothing but a humble shade, master. You are Hades’ son, are you not?”

Nico took a step toward the shadows, gripping the hilt of his sword, “So what if I am? What do you want?”

“Merely to help you. I think we can help each other.” A dark shape materialized out of the darkness. It looked like the ones Nico had seen above ground, a patch of air that distorted his view of what was behind it, vaguely in the shape of a man. He couldn’t see any of its facial features. It spoke with a reassuring tone, “You want to get out of here, I know the way. There are paths in the labyrinth that reach even all the way down here.” 

“I don’t want to leave if I can’t find my sister.” 

“Ah yes, I know of her too. I know where she is.”

Nico took in a sharp breath, “Tell me where.”

“Oh, it’s not where that should be the question. It’s how .” The shade drifted closer. “ I can show you, but it will be a lot of work.” 

“Anything.”

The edges of the ghost’s form rippled, “Good. This way.” He started to glide away from Nico, further down the bank of the river. 

“Wait,” Nico stayed where he was for a moment despite his feet itching to follow. “What’s your name, shade?” 

“Call me Minos.”

Chapter Text

Minos knew a lot about the undead. Nico wasn’t sure if it was because he was technically an undead being himself or if he had some knowledge from his previous life. Minos never answered any of Nico’s questions about when he was alive. Instead, he kept their conversations on Nico and what he could learn. 

The first few weeks were exciting. Minos taught him incantations, old Greek and Latin chants that were the building blocks for communing with the dead. With every new thing he learned Minos praised him and assured him of the great things he would be able to do. Nico was just glad to finally have something he was good at, to have company - even if his company was dead. 

“I did it!” Nico cheered, his voice echoing through the mist of the cemetery. He’d have worried he was disturbing the dead if that wasn’t already what he was here for. 

The skeleton that stood before him tilted its skull at him as though waiting to be told what to do next. Nico had been spending each night this week attempting to summon it from the ground. This was the first time he’d done it without passing out from exhaustion. He hopped around in a circle before holding out a hand out to the skeleton, “Wanna dance?” 

The skeleton reached out and put its bony hand in Nico’s. 

In the darkness of the trees behind him, Nico heard a scoff.  “They are not for dancing with.”

Nico turned toward the voice as the skeleton finished twirling him in a circle, “Why not? I think they like to dance.” The skeleton’s bones rattled in what Nico took as agreement.

Minos’ ghostly shape came out of the shadows. During their time together Nico had slowly begun to be able to make out what he thought of as expressions, subtle shifts in the way the air distorted. Minos didn’t look happy. “It doesn’t matter what it thinks. It is a tool to do your bidding.”

Nico scowled, “They are still people, though.” 

“They are simply a means to an end. Now dismiss it so you can try again.”

Nico looked back at the skeleton as it waited patiently. “You may go. Thank you.”

He felt the ease of tension in his head as he released the soul from his summons. The bones clattered down to the ground in a pile. He took a deep breath that quickly turned into a yawn. 

“Foolish boy.” Minos mumbled, “You’ll learn soon enough.”

Nico pulled his coat around himself tighter. He didn’t care what Minos said, beings deserved respect regardless of if they were alive or undead. 

They never stayed in one place very long. Minos led him in and out of the Labyrinth with surprising skill. Occasionally he would take Nico down a path that led to a monster on purpose. The intense way Minos would demand he kill it made Nico uncomfortable but Minos had insisted it was part of his training.

Basilisks. Snake-like monsters with the ability to breathe fire and spit acid. Very poisonous and very aggressive. Will run at the sight of a common weasel. 

Nico readjusted his grip on his sword as he circled around the basilisks. His focus shifted from one to the next trying to keep tabs on all three of them at once. This was proving difficult in the darkness of the Labyrinth since he’d only get temporary glances each time one of them spit fire in his direction. 

The monster closest to him hissed. It sent a plume of fire into the air before arching back about to spit, the spikes around its neck flexing outward like a ruffle collar. They kind of reminded Nico of clowns, but there was nothing funny about them when they were about to shoot acid at him.

“Now! While it’s distracted” Minos’ voice called. Nico swiped his sword blindly in front of him, hitting nothing. Another burst of fire lit up to his left. He swerved and slashed down again. This time he felt it as his sword connected and sliced through the basilisks' tough scales. He felt the now familiar vibration through his sword as it absorbed the monster’s essence. 

When he had first seen it, Minos had praised Nico for his choice of sword, though he hadn’t really put much consideration into it at the time. Apparently, it was Stygian iron and could only be wielded by Hades or his children. As soon as he made a killing blow the essence of the creature he’d attacked would be absorbed into the sword, preventing them from being able to reform. That was assuming, of course, that he could actually hit them.

“Yes, that’s it. Again.” Minos insisted.

Nico hefted his sword back up, eyes darting through the darkness. He didn’t know where to look next, spinning in circles as he heard Mino’s voice hover around him. “Keep moving, box them in. “

“I can’t!” Nico cried as he sidestepped just in time to avoid a bite to his ankle. “I don’t know where they are!” He let out a huff of frustration as he scanned the ground around him. It was so dark he couldn’t even see his shoes. He was getting really tired of Minos’ unhelpful advice.

“Behind you!” 

Nico whirled around and brought his sword down again. It sparked as it scratched along the floor, missing the basilisk by inches. He had just enough light to see the second basilisk slither closer to him. 

He brought his sword around and caught it mid fire-breath. At the same time, he felt a searing pain in his thigh. 

In the fading light of the dying breath of its comrade, Nico saw as the final basilisk arched back for a second attack. He collapsed to his knees as the acid burned into his skin, off balance and unprepared. A dull ringing started to echo in his ears. This was it. After running for months he was finally going to be done in by a snake. Nico wondered if Charon would recognize him. He gritted his teeth in pain and braced himself for more.

Before the basilisk could take advantage of its downed prey, a dark mist swooped down over Nico and toward the monster. It pushed the basilisk back away from Nico. Minos drove it further into the darkness before Nico heard a soft thud as its body fell limply to the ground. 

Nico’s eyes watered as he fumbled for his bag. All his focus was being put into not crying out and drawing more monsters to his location. His leg burned as if he had just poured burning coals on it. He thought he could feel the flesh melting as the acid worked its way deeper. 

Finally, he found what he was looking for, the ambrosia he’d taken from Camp Half-Blood months before. He shoved several squares into his mouth and began to chew. 

For a moment, it seemed like it was working. The pain in his leg dulled, and the muscle tightened as though stretching itself over the wound. Then he felt a new burning, this time in his gut. He began to sweat. The burning sensation grew until he felt like all his organs were on fire. He cried out, all awareness of his surroundings lost. 

He didn’t know if it was seconds or hours later but eventually, the pain shifted. The physical burning turned into something deeper, more sinister. Anger burned in him and overcame all other emotions. He wanted retribution, revenge. He’d had him imprisoned and thought he’d finally won, but instead, he’d been tricked. He’d been made a fool. He would do whatever was necessary to finally deal out the punishment that was deserved. 

The next thing Nico knew he was on his side, his face pressed against the cold ground. The air smelled of vomit and his clothes stuck to his clammy skin. His throat burned as if he’d just swallowed fire and then it had come back up. His leg was healed, the skin knit together with barely a scar. His pants were ruined, but there was nothing he could do about that now. He sat up carefully and peered into the darkness looking for the shimmering form of Minos. 

Nico wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he glared at the ghost, “What did you do?”

“I had to cleanse your system.” Minos’ figure hovered cautiously a few feet away. “You must be careful with ambrosia, master. Too much will cause you to burn from the inside out.”

Nico spat on the ground trying to get the acidic taste out of his mouth. He growled in frustration, “You couldn’t have told me that before?” 

“I did not know how much you had! Forgive me.” 

“There was more. I felt… angry.”

“Must have been the effects of the ambrosia. Overloaded your system.”

Nico eyed Minos as he got up unsteadily. The ghost didn’t usually sound so aloof. He pulled away from Minos sharply as the ghost approached to steady him. His nerves felt frayed, he was on edge. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was someone he wanted to punish. 

Time blurred together and soon Nico didn’t know if it had been weeks or months since he had been tossed out of his father’s throne room. He continued to train with Minos every night. The ghost didn’t seem to be able to come out in the sunlight but that didn’t matter. Nico slept most of the day. His powers were getting stronger but he couldn’t help noticing that physically, he was weaker. He didn’t have time to try to get money for meals so he had to make do with whatever he could find. He had trouble focusing and staying alert unless he was with Minos. Something about the ghost’s presence kept him going, fueled him with the need to see his plan through, even if he wasn’t entirely sure what that plan was. 

Nico scowled as he knelt down next to a pit full of half-eaten burgers and a few pieces of fruit. This time he’d stolen them from a stand off the side of the road, hoping that the fresh fruit would be a greater incentive this time. It had been, just not for the souls he was looking for. 

Yet again, Nico had attempted to summon Bianca’s spirit. Dozens of spirits had come to answer his call, all attempting to eat from his offering and get a momentary respite from their eternal existence as undead. He’d had to keep them back as best he could, waiting for his sister to come. She never did. Eventually, his energy had depleted to the point that he could barely keep standing and had to release the ritual. 

“Why didn’t she come?” His voice came out harsher than he intended. 

“Patience, master,” Minos said calmly. He’d hovered closer and closer to Nico throughout the night. Now they were practically shoulder to shoulder - if ghosts had shoulders. “You are still getting stronger.”

“But I am stronger! I’ve been trying for weeks and nothing.” Nico balled his hands into fists. He was tired of all this. He just wanted to talk to his sister. “Why doesn’t she want to see me?”

He bit his cheek as questions he’d been trying to avoid bubbled to the surface. Was she purposefully ignoring his summons? Did she not want to see him? He knew she had been so eager to join the Hunters but had she really just been trying to get away from him? What if she never answered? 

“Perhaps she will not come until you’ve avenged her - you know, a life for a life.” 

Nico looked over at the old ghost in disgust. “You mean kill someone.” 

“If that’s what it takes.”

“No. I won’t do that.”

“Very well,” Minos gilded nonchalantly away from the pit. “You may change your mind.” 

Minos dissolved into the darkness leaving Nico by himself in the shadowy corner of the graveyard. Nico stared after him indignantly. How could he suggest such a thing? Of course, he wasn’t going to kill someone. Sure, his moral lines had been getting a little fuzzy lately. He probably shouldn’t be conning people out of their money or stealing from grocery stores, but he didn’t care. He did what he had to. However, even then, there were lines he would not cross. 

Yet, someone needed to pay for what had happened to his sister. Percy had broken his promise and still hadn’t answered for it. The ember of anger that had been smoldering in Nico’s gut flared. 

Chapter Text

Nico stepped out of the labyrinth and into the dying light of sunset. This particular exit had taken the form of a service door that let out into an alley between two brick buildings. Out in the street, crowds milled about on the sidewalk, arms full of shopping bags. 

He scanned the street for any potential dangers before stepping out of the alley. Minos had been strangely absent the past few days, leaving Nico to his own devices. It was just as well, Nico wasn’t getting any closer to finding his sister and the stagnation was putting him in a foul mood. He didn’t want to be around anyone, really. 

Unfortunately, he did at least need to figure out where he was and find a place to hide out for the night. In an unknown city, it was generally easiest to figure out where the rest of the homeless people camped out and find some corner just out of their way. Typically that gave him a place well used enough to know he wouldn’t be at risk of being shooed away, but far enough away that he wasn’t encroaching on anyone’s territory. He just needed to find the right people.

It was just his luck that there appeared to be two very such people loitering in an alcove of the building next to him. They were huddled into the corner next to a window, out of view of anyone inside thanks to a tall bookshelf blocking half of the window. They seemed to be trying very hard to appear asleep but every so often one of them peered through the window at something inside. 

They both clearly looked like they spent most of their time on the street, both disheveled and looking like they hadn’t been able to find a place to take a shower in quite some time, but that’s where the similarities ended. One was tall and willowy with a complexion even paler than Nicos - which, considering all the time he spent in the darkness of the Labyrinth, was saying something. He wore a red and white striped scarf and a thick black leather jacket. The other had a rich deep brown complexion though Nico could barely see underneath the many layers of clothing he had on, covering nearly every inch of his body. Yep, these guys looked like they’d have the answers Nico was looking for. 

He had no reservations about approaching them. He’d regularly dealt with people and monsters much stranger than them over the past few months. He came up to them from behind and tapped the one with the scarf on the shoulder as he glanced inside the building, “Excuse me, where are we?”

The man jumped and looked around abruptly in alarm. His companion opened one eye to see what the commotion was then immediately sat up and made a few hand gestures that appeared to make the first calm down. He then looked up at Nico in confusion. 

“He can’t hear you, kid. What did you say?”

Nico repeated his question now that he had both of their attention. The man with the scarf looked at him critically. 

“The library, just west of Copley Square.” 

“No, I meant what city.” Nico scowled. He didn’t have the patience for this. 

“What city? What-” The man in enough layers to clothe three people pushed his hat back to look at Nico more directly. As his eyes scanned the figure standing over him, he sighed. Nico’s scowl deepened, he knew he didn’t look particularly intimidating, but that didn’t mean he shouldn’t be taken seriously. Finally, he got his answer, “Boston.”

Nico gave him a terse nod. He’d never ended up in Boston before. It was a new one for the bingo card. The man who was apparently deaf tapped the other on the shoulder and started making more hand gestures. Nico knew there was some kind of language where deaf people used their hands instead of talking but he’d never seen it. For a brief moment, he was so fascinated he forgot he was irritated. He watched, intrigued, as the two had a quick exchange. 

After a few moments, they turned back to him. The one who had spoken to Nico looked him over as if searching for something and mumbled, “but you’d be awfully short for an elf…” then more directly to Nico, “First time in Midgard?”

“What?”

Candy cane biker dude rolled his eyes and made another few quick gestures. Nico really wanted to know what they meant. He pulled a small bag from his jacket and retrieved some tiny domino-looking thing. He waved it around like warding off bad spirits. A short humorless laugh escaped Nico’s lips. As if that would do anything. 

When he finished he looked up at Nico expectantly. Nico stared back into his ice blue eyes unimpressed. He was about to say, “Sorry but I’m not going anywhere,” but the words slipped back down his throat as he felt his whole body relax. His jaw loosened and he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. His mind felt clearer than it had in weeks, as though some weight he’d been carrying around had been lifted from his shoulders. The man nodded, satisfied, even as his own shoulders dropped with exhaustion. 

“You can call me Blitz,” The shorter of the two men pointed to his friend as he got up from the ground, “That’s Hearth. What’s your name?”

“Nico.”

“Why don’t you stay with us, Nico? At least for the night?”

Nico looked up at the two men as he took a deep calming breath. That didn’t sound like such a bad idea. 

Turns out that in Boston, all the cool kids hang out under bridges. Apparently, this was one that didn’t get checked or cleared out very often because Blitz and Hearth had a small camp set up. They led Nico to a corner tucked between the bridge and a concrete support pillar and offered him a couple of smelly old blankets. He accepted them gratefully. Minos didn’t like him to build fires since it made it difficult for him to stay corporeal so the only source of warmth he’d been able to rely on was the old aviator jacket he’d won. 

Biltz got a small fire of his own going while Hearth busied himself waving another one of his strange dominos around their camp. Nico didn’t think much of it. If he wanted to wave around superstitious symbols so be it, but it was kind of funny to watch.

Biltz caught him staring. “He’s not crazy, I swear. He’s helping.”

Nico shrugged and pulled the blanket over his shoulders, “Eh, I’ve done weirder shit.”

His eyes widened as he clasped his hand to his mouth. He wasn’t supposed to say that. It had just come out. Bianca would have insisted he wash his mouth with soap for saying something like that. Then again, Bianca wasn’t here to care. So why should he? 

Biltz just laughed and turned back to the fire, “Haven’t we all.” 

Hearth returned from the border of their small camp and sat next to the fire across from Biltz. He made a few signs to Blitz who nodded then brought his hand down in front of him from his chin, palm open. 

“What are those gestures you’re making?” Nico asked, curiosity getting the better of him. 

“Sign language, ASL” Blitz said. He continued signing as he spoke, “Hearth is deaf, it’s the easiest way to communicate.” 

“Could you teach me?”

Biltz exchanged a few more signs with Hearth then chuckled, “Sure, kid.” 

They passed the rest of the time until dusk going over basic signs with Nico. Blitz would tell him what it meant in English and Hearth would sign it. Nico learned the alphabet and how to spell his name. He also learned thank you, I’m sorry, and, though Blitz gave him a weird expression when he asked, ghost. Eventually, though, Hearth started to yawn and let them know he needed to turn in for the night by signing goodnight, laying down, and promptly starting to snore. Nico settled himself deeper in the blankets, though he still fought to stay awake.

He only half succeeded. Nico was still awake but his eyes were closed when he heard another person enter the tiny camp. It sounded like he was welcome and Biltz had been expecting him. 

“Who’s that?” said the newcomer. He sounded young, maybe only a little older than Nico. 

“Some kid. Needed a place to crash. I think he’s asleep though.”

“You’re not going around collecting all the hopeless kids are you?” The words were accusatory but the tone was friendly. 

“Nah, Hearth insisted we make an exception to our one hopeless kid rule, for this one. Just for tonight though, I have a feeling he won’t linger.”

“Poor kid, he can’t be older than 12.”

“I bet he can protect himself.” Blitz tapped the hilt of Nico’s sword that he’d tried to wrap underneath him as carefully as he could. He and Hearth had both acted as though they couldn’t see it when he’d approached them that afternoon, but Nico still thought it was good to have it tucked away. He remembered being told about the Mist and how it made mortals think whatever was strapped to his waist was harmless. Apparently, Blitz still knew it was something . 

“I don’t doubt that.” The newcomer said appreciatively, “Being on the streets as young as that? He’s got to be tough as nails.”

Nico lay still as Blitz and the newcomer moved on to less relevant topics. He really should go. It had been a long time since he'd stayed with others for so long and it was only a matter of time before monsters would catch his scent and he’d put them in danger. At least on his own, he knew the only one at risk was himself. 

Yet, Blitz and Hearth seemed like they could take care of themselves and it could be nice to have other company besides an old ghost. In fact, he hadn’t seen or heard any sign of Minos as the night progressed. It was kind of nice. Maybe he could stay for a little while.

He dismissed the thought as soon as it came up. He couldn’t get comfortable. It was just like Minos said, he couldn’t keep company with living souls. As a son of Hades, his place was to command the dead. Maybe if he got his sister back they could figure out how to be children of the Underworld together and he could allow himself to have more than the dead for company. 

That settled it. Nico desperately needed to get to Bianca. That was the only goal he had and he could only do it with Minos’ help. He couldn’t accomplish that if he stayed here.

Since he was already here and was safe as far as he could tell, Nico decided he’d at least get some sleep. He’d make sure to be gone well before the others woke up. Come the morning, he had to go back to searching for his sister. 

***

Nico was feeling more ghost than human these days. He’d been training for months and was improving in both his self-defense and necromancy. However, as his powers got stronger his body temperature got colder. He went longer without eating and only slept for an hour or two at a time. 

Finally, though, Minos told him he was ready. He was just wrapping up his training for the night, waving to the half dozen skeletons he’d summoned to dismiss them. They crumbled to the ground, bones sinking back into the earth. The sky was beginning to glow in the east, casting the faintest of glows over the field around him. It was nearing the time of year that the nights were short, the sun set late and rose early, so very different from the cold winter nights he’d endured when he’d first run away from camp. Soon it would be too light for Minos to appear so Nico was surprised as the dark cloud in a vaguely humanoid shape made its way through the grass toward him. 

“Very good, master,” he whispered, “You have come far.” 

Nico eyed the ghost as he wiped the sweat from his brow. “Far enough? You said you could help me get to my sister. I think it’s time you owned up to that promise.” 

“Yes, yes of course.” 

“Well?”

“Yes, I think you’ve come far enough. I think you are ready.” Minos came to a stop near Nico. The outline of his form was crisp, unwavering. 

“Tell me what I have to do.” 

Finally, Minos began to explain how he could get to Bianca. 

As the sun rose Nico mulled over the plan Minos had told him. It was hard to believe it had all led to this. The months of hard work were about to pay off if only he could do what he needed to do. He would get Bianca back and they could forge their own path. It’d be just the two of them again. He burned with determination, ready to prove himself capable. To show his father he wasn’t useless, to show his sister he was worth staying for. He had the power to get back what was taken from him and he was ready to use it. 

A coil of tension began slowly unraveling in his core. Beneath that fierce desire, Nico also felt relief. These days he was constantly angry and perpetually exhausted, he barely recognized himself. There was a part of him that longed to finally get past this, to get back to something normal. If he succeeded tomorrow, it would all finally be over. 

Chapter Text

Part 3: The Battle of the Labyrinth

He failed. 

Nico stalked the banks of the Styx, pulling his coat closer against the chill mist that hung over the water. It had been such a simple plan yet even after months of training he hadn’t been able to do it. He’d approached the gates of Elysium just as Minos had instructed and called for his sister. He’d been told that as a son of Hades, he should be able to instruct the spirits at the gate to bring her to him. He commanded the dead; he should have been able to do it. 

He fingered the lighter in his pocket he’d stolen from a convenience store a few days before. He itched to build a fire, something to stave off the dead cold drifting from the river. At least that was something he knew he could do - unlike getting his sister back. 

It wasn’t that he hadn’t been able to command the spirits. Oh, they had listened to him. At least until he demanded they retrieve his sister. Then they went into full defensive mode, blocking the gates and glaring at him, almost as if they had been told to expect him. Minos had whispered to him that now was his chance, that he should defeat them, make them bow to him and claim what was his. This was what he’d been training for, to take what he wanted by force. 

But he couldn’t. 

Nico dug through his bag. If he was going to build a fire, it needed kindling. He scowled as he remembered how weak he had been. He had faltered, he’d hesitated . He knew the power of his sword by now, able to absorb the essence of a being and prevent it from reforming. If he used it on something undead, even a spirit, it would cease to exist. No rebirth, no afterlife, nothing.

He couldn’t bring himself to do it. He couldn’t take that away. He couldn’t kill indiscriminately. 

Instead, he’d given them enough time to come to their senses and forcibly remove him, the gates to Elysium slamming shut behind him. By the way the guards formed tight ranks around the entrance, he knew he’d not be allowed near them again, not at least while still living.  He’d been tossed to the banks of the Styx like a sack of dirty laundry, as though removing him was nothing but a mindless chore. As the cherry on top of the dejected ice cream, his actions hadn’t even warranted a reprimand from his father.

Nico piled his Mythomagic figurines in a small pyramid. They were of no use to him now. He didn’t want anything to do with any part of the Greek world. It had given him nothing but misery. He flicked the lighter and held it under the wooden figures until they caught, burning with eerie blue flames. Eventually, the fire spread across the pile. He threw a few Mythomagic cards in and stoked the flame. Soon the fire burned bright enough to give off some heat. 

“Useless” he muttered under his breath as he tossed another card into the fire. “I can’t believe I ever liked this stuff.”

“A childish game, master” A voice carried over the river. Nico glared in that direction. So now Minos shows up.  

“I’ve failed,” he admitted. The words felt uncomfortable and foreign in his mouth. “There’s no way to get her back.” 

Minos remained unusually quiet. He was usually quick to assure him and insist he push to just get a little bit stronger. Nico glanced toward him. “Is there?” When he was met with more silence he pushed for more, “Speak.” 

“It has never been done, but there may be a way.”

Anger flared in Nico’s gut. Why hadn’t he mentioned this earlier? “Tell me.”

“An exchange” Minos’ form bobbed from side to side as though he was hesitant to say more. “A soul for a soul.”

“I’ve offered!” Nico wasn’t proud of the way his voice broke as he cried out. He took a deep breath to try to calm himself. 

“Not yours. You cannot offer your father a soul he will eventually collect anyway. Nor will he be anxious for the death of his son.” Nico rolled his eyes. He doubted that. “I mean a soul that should have died already. Someone who has cheated death.”

“Not that again. You’re talking about murder. “

“I’m talking about justice.” There was a hungry tone to Minos’ voice. “Vengeance.”

“Those are not the same thing.” 

“You will learn differently as you get older.” 

Nico stared at the flickering blue flames. The edges of the Mythomagic cards curled in on themselves. “Why can’t I at least summon her? I want to talk to her. She would… she would help me.” He made a face at the words. They felt like too simple of a way to put how much having his sister back meant to him. 

“I will help you.” Minos drifted forward eagerly, “Have I not saved you many times? Did I not lead you through the maze and teach you to use your powers? Do you want revenge for your sister or not?” 

Nico turned away from Minos. That wasn’t the kind of help he wanted. He wanted out of this cloud of darkness. He wanted to be reminded that someone out there cared for him. He blinked a tear from his eye. Hopefully, Bianca would forgive him. “Very well. You have a plan?”

“Oh yes.” Minos hummed a strangely delighted sound, “We have many dark roads to travel. We must start immediately. You must get prepared”

Turns out when Minos said there were dark roads to travel, he meant that quite literally. Nico’s first stop in his preparations was a Wal-mart of all places to gather candles, flashlights, and a few other supplies for a dive deep into the labyrinth.  Minos had also instructed him to get, among other things, three of the largest flannel shirts he could find, which was why he found himself weaving through racks of shirts almost as tall as he was. 

“What would the old ghost need these for?” Nico muttered to himself as he sifted through shirts checking the tags. When he found the largest size he could, he yanked down the hanger and added it to his already impressively large bundle of supplies. 

As he dug through a few more racks, he couldn’t believe how he’d gotten here. How were a few packs of soda, a couple of shirts, and some random snacks supposed to help him get a soul to trade for his sister? While he was at it, could he even do that? Hadn’t he just failed because he hadn’t been able to get himself to take a soul? 

Minos had been strangely insistent that this was the only way, which seemed odd after he’d trained Nico for months for the first plan. It was almost as if Minos had known he would fail and this was his plan all along. 

Something about that didn’t sit right with Nico. He remembered how Minos had said they could help each other, but he’d never asked Nico to do something for him. Nico was beginning to question the old ghost’s motives. There was more to this than Minos was telling him. 

As he pulled another hanger down and added another ridiculously large shirt to his pile, he decided he needed to collect more information. He should hear from another source if this was really the only way. 

With the third shirt collected, he glanced around the clothing section again. Across the aisle, something caught his eye. He wandered up to get a better look. In the section of clothes more suited to people Nico’s size, amidst colorful tees with cartoon characters and dumb slogans on them, was a black t-shirt. It had a simple design on it consisting of a white skull. He chuckled to himself. What better design for a son of the Lord of the Dead? He grabbed the one on the top of the pile. 

Nico couldn’t steal this much stuff at once so he brought out the last of his hard-conned money as he approached the counter. The girl behind the register gave him a bemused look as she started ringing everything up. 

“What are you going to do with all this, kid?” she asked, sliding one of the six-packs of soda across the scanner. 

He stared at her as he deadpanned, “Summon the dead.”

She stopped mid-scan to stare back at him. He kept a straight face. Eventually, she let out a short laugh, “Right. You kids sure are getting weird these days.”

Nico decided not to reply as he tucked his items into a few plastic bags. When she got everything rung up and told him his total, Nico handed over the money and gathered his bags to leave. As he turned to head out the door, she called after him with a laugh.

“Good luck with your dead-summoning!”

Nico paused a moment before turning and giving her a small smile, “Thanks.”

As he walked into the parking lot, he saw a pair of familiar golden arches across the street and knew exactly where he was headed next. 

He had to wait until the fall of darkness to perform his ritual but fortunately, it was a clear night in the cemetery. In the distance, Nico could hear frogs croaking. As the sky began to darken, he summoned a few of his skeletons to get started digging the pit while he sat on one of the larger headstones. He nibbled on some fries and kicked his feet absently. It was kind of a pleasant evening. That thought soured when he heard a familiar voice behind him. 

“What are you doing, lord?” Minos asked it sweetly, almost innocently. 

Nico felt irritation rise in his throat as the ghost approached as if his presence alone fueled his anger. “What you trained me to do.”

“But there is no need to do any more summoning, we have a plan.” 

“No, you have a plan.” Nico scowled at him. “I want to be sure of what I’m getting into. I don’t want a repeat of last time.”

“But last time, you didn’t follow the plan. You did not do what I said, you were too -”

Nico cut him off, “Be quiet! I command the dead. We will do what I decide.” 

The sound of digging filled the air between them as Nico waited for Minos to argue back, to tell him again that it was his fault he was too weak. The ghost remained silent. 

After a few more minutes he let out an impatient huff of air, “Is it deep enough yet?”

“Nearly, my lord.” Minos hovered over the edge watching the grave diggers’ progress, “But, my lord, I tell you this is unnecessary. You already have me for advice.”

“I want a second opinion!” Nico snapped. He gestured for the skeletons to climb out of the grave. He tried to push down his anger at Minos as he addressed them, “You are dismissed. Thank you.” 

“You might as well thank the shovels. They have as much sense.” 

Nico bit back a reply as he pulled his supplies out of the bags next to him. He emptied the cans of Coke into the grave and then began piling the extra Happy Meals he had gotten on top. He’d gotten his favorites for the offering. This was going to be an important conversation and he wanted to start it off on the right foot.

“In my day, we used animal blood,”  Minos mumbled, “It’s perfectly good enough. They can’t taste the difference.”

“I will treat them with respect,” Nico said, not for the first time. 

“At least let me keep the toy.”

“Be quiet!” Nico ordered. He took a deep breath and began the ritual. “Let the dead taste again, let them rise and take this offering, let them remember…”

He felt the pull of them before he could see them. Dozens of souls came to meet his call, approaching from all around him. A dense fog settled around them. Nico shivered and scanned the presences out of habit, looking for a sign of Bianca. She wasn’t there, and his control wavered for a moment before he remembered what his goal was. He stretched his influence further, searching for what he was looking for. 

“There are too many,” he heard Minos’ voice in his ear, “You don’t know your own powers.”

“I’ve got it under control.” He pulled out his sword, he wouldn’t let himself be weak again. “One at a time.”

He watched cautiously as a single soul separated from the masses. It partook from the offering, carefully sipping from the grave. Slowly, it became more substantial, taking the form of a young man in Greek armor. He had green eyes like Percy. Nico scowled, annoyed at himself for the comparison. 

“Who are you? Speak.”

The spirit searched for the words before speaking hesitantly, “I am… Theseus.”

Nico adjusted his grip on his sword. He’d not realized he could summon the Theseus. He tried to keep his confidence as he asked, “How can I retrieve my sister?”

“Do not try. It is madness.”

“Just tell me!” 

Theseus drifted along the edge of the grave, reminiscing, “My stepfather died. He threw himself into the sea because he thought I was dead in the Labyrinth. I wanted to bring him back, but I could not.” 

Minos let out an agitated hiss in Nico’s ear, “My lord, the soul exchange! Ask him about that!” 

“That voice. I know that voice.” Theseus paused. Minos hovered behind Nico. 

“No, you don’t, fool! Answer the lord’s questions and nothing more!” 

“But I know you” Theseus’ spirit attempted to peer around Nico, searching. A memory itched at the back of Nico’s mind, a story he’d read about Theseus and the Minotaur. Where had the Minotaur come from? He’d figure that out later. Right now he had more important questions.

“I want to hear about my sister. Will this quest into the Labyrinth help me win her back?”

“Ask him about the exchange of souls.” Minos hissed, “He will tell you.” 

“A soul for a soul,” Nico asked, “Is it true?”

“I- I must say yes. But the specter - it’s familiar -”

“Just answer the questions, knave!” Minos’ voice rang through the cemetery. The other souls began to get restless, whispering among themselves. Nico could feel their nervous energy, they wouldn’t stay long. 

“I want to see my sister! Where is she?”

Theseus’ voice shook as he responded, glancing around as though looking for an unknown threat. “He is coming. He has sensed your summons. He comes.”

“Who!?” 

“He comes to find the source of this power. You must release us!” 

Nico looked around for Minos for guidance but the ghost had vanished. “Fine, go! I release you!” 

He ended the ritual just seconds too late. As the souls around the pool dispersed, a new form loomed out of the darkness. A chill settled over the grave. It approached slowly, steadily, as though it knew what was waiting for it would give it no challenge. 

Nico tried to take a step back but tripped on a rock and stumbled. He looked up from the ground as the figure reached him and he could make out the harsh features of his father. He scowled as Nico scrambled back to his feet. 

“I told you I would not bring your sister back, yet you defy me.” Hades’ voice was deep and cold. 

“If you won’t, I will.” 

Hades’ eyebrow quirked up ever so slightly, “You think after a few months of training you can surpass your own father?”

“Not surpass him.” Nico set his jaw and stared back at him. “Just do what he is unwilling to do.”

Hades let out an impressed laugh, “You can try, but don’t come crying to me when you fail and find yourself roaming the fields of Asphodel.” 

Hades turned from Nico, his dark robes shifting eerily as he made his way back through the cemetery. Mist rolled in between the headstones and clung to the lord of the dead as he walked away from his son.

Chapter Text

Nico attempted to summon the dead one more time before seeing Mino’s plan through, but he was more careful about it this time. In the Labyrinth, just a couple hundred feet from the exit, he constructed another pool. He called specifically to Bianca, holding out one last hope that she would come to him and he wouldn’t have to commit to the dangerous task Minos had set him. 

He waited by the pool for nearly an hour, glaring at any soul that made to approach. His sister never came. He shouldn't have been surprised, she’d never answered his call before, but this time it stung differently. He was hoping for one last chance to turn away, to not have to hunt down another soul on a quest as dangerous as the one that had claimed her life, but she remained out of reach. 

He got up from the ground and dusted his pants off. It was decided then. One way or another he’d see his sister again. 

Nico reached the end of the tunnel and was stopped by a set of metal bars blocking the way out.

“Hmph.” He stared at the bars with frustration. Minos had said this was the right exit, but he hadn’t said anything about there being no way out. 

The bars were too close together to squeeze through them. They looked like they were locked closed with a latch on the other side, but it was too far away to reach through the bars. Nico studied them, squinting as he tried to keep his eyes in their shadows. If only he could just pass through them. 

He held out his hand and waved it behind the bars. He could sense the coolness as his hand passed in and out of the shadows. It was like the shadows were connected, pulling him in. He could almost imagine his hand passing from one shadow to the next without ever touching the sunlight. 

He pulled his hand back abruptly. Maybe he was on to something. He took another look at the latch on the other side of the gate. It was in the shadow of a metal railing reaching above the entrance to the labyrinth. If that shadow was somehow connected to the shadows back in the maze… 

Nico reached out his hand hesitantly towards the deepest shadow in the corner of the gate. Halfway there he almost pulled back. This was a ridiculous idea. He was reaching toward a solid wall, what did he think was going to happen? Yet, something told him to keep going. 

As his hand passed into the shadow, he expected to meet resistance, to brush his fingers on the rough stone. Instead, it felt like he was dipping his hand into an ice-cold pool. His hand kept going well past where it should have run into the wall. 

Nico reached out with his fingers, concentrating on the latch he had seen above him. Finally, his fingers hit something metallic. He stole a glance up and saw two fingers reaching up from the shadow at the base of the latch on the other side of the bars. He tapped his fingers on the metallic surface he felt through the shadow. The disembodied fingers moved accordingly. 

He had to fight down a wave of nausea as it hit him that those were his disembodied fingers. He kept just enough control to pull the switch and unlock the bars before quickly pulling his hand back in toward himself. 

He stared down at his fully intact hand in amazement. Everything was still there, still attached, maybe a bit cold and paler than usual, but still there. 

A surprised laugh escaped his lips. He’d just reached through shadows! He’d figured out another one of his powers without anyone’s help. 

He turned back to the bars blocking his path with new determination. Now that they were longer locked closed, he was able to push them up enough to create a gap he could climb through. He relatched the gate as he got up. He didn’t want anything following him from the maze. 

His surroundings were not what he expected. He’d come out of a lot of random labyrinth entrances but usually, they were in dark tunnels or alleyways in metropolitan areas. Not open fields in bright sunlight. He put a hand over his eyes as he looked around at the rolling hills. They were dotted with the deep greens of trees and cacti and the dull grays and browns of boulders. The muted color palette only made the bright red cows stand out even more. 

Red Cattle; cattle of the sun, sacred to Apollo. Once stolen by Hermes who gave Apollo the gift of a lyre as an apology. 

“Whoa,” Nico said under his breath. “Those are some holy cows.” 

Behind him Nico heard a chuckle, “You could say that.”

Nico’s hand went to his sword as he whirled around, but he still wouldn’t have had much of a chance. The speaker was at least three times Nico’s size with arms that could have easily lifted one of the cows over his head. He was carrying a large club and at his side was a greyhound with - Nico blinked twice to be sure of what he was seeing - with two heads. 

“I’m Eurytion.” the man said, “you come from the Labyrinth?”

“What? I didn’t say that.” Nico tensed as the dog came up and sniffed his hand. It let out a dissatisfied huff and quickly got distracted by a bush nearby. 

“You didn’t need to. I know a demigod on the run when I see one.”

“I’m not on the run. I came to speak with Geryon.”

“You sure about that?” Eurytion eyed him wearily, “You could turn around now and I won’t say a thing.”

“No. I was told Geryon has the information I need.” Nico readied himself. If had to get the information by force, he would. “I’m not leaving until I have it.”

Eurytion sighed, “I was afraid of that. Come with me.”

Eurytion led them down a dirt path through the rest of the ranch. Nico saw all sorts of mythical creatures he recognized from his Mythomagic decks. It appeared they were raised here at this ranch. As he saw some of the enclosed pens crammed with animals, he wondered for what purpose. The cow herder wiped the sweat off his brow as they walked and it struck Nico that it had to be over a hundred degrees out. He was still in his oversized aviator jacket but he’d barely noticed the heat. It was like his body ran 15 degrees cooler than it should. 

The dirt path led to a big white ranch house, all sleek designs and large windows. Out front was a man even larger than Eurytion. He had slick black hair and a mustache that reminded Nico of an actor from a movie he’d seen with his sister. He thought it was called Gone with the Wind. Except this man didn’t look nearly as friendly. His shoulders were so broad he would have to walk through doors sideways to be able to fit. He turned toward them as they approached and Nico finally understood why Minos had said he’d need three shirts. The man had three separate torsos. They connected awkwardly at the shoulders and all three melded together at his waist. Nico’s jaw dropped as he stared openly. 

Geryon scowled as his eyes landed on Nico. Eurytion nudged him and Nico quickly snapped his mouth shut. “What do you want?”

“Geryon, this demigod says he has business with you.”

“Business? You don’t look like the livestock type.”

“I need information.” Nico tried to sound much more confident than he felt.

“Information, you say?” Geryon looked him over again. Nico didn’t like the way his eyes lingered on his Stygian blade. “I suppose I have a few minutes. What did you say yer name was?”

“I didn’t.”

“Well, how do you expect to do business if we don’t know each other’s names?” 

Nico bit his cheek before he reluctantly said, “Nico di Angelo.” 

Geryon smiled as if he had just heard a clever joke, “Nice to meet you, Mr. di Angelo. Shall we go inside?”

The inside of the ranch house was as expansive as it looked from the outside. The high ceilings and wide windows made the rest of the ranch appear as an extension of the living area. Beams crisscrossed above their heads. The living space had a couple of large couches lining the walls opposite the windows. Geryon settled himself down in one and patted the chair next to it in invitation. 

Nico sat on the edge of the cushion, trying to sit as tall as he could. He stared back at Geryon nervously for a few seconds before the other man spoke, “You gonna tell me what yer here for?”

“I want to make a deal. An exchange of information. I need you to tell me where I can find Dadealus,” Nico swallowed as he said the name. Minos told him the inventor had cheated death several times over. His soul was the soul that would be great enough of an exchange for his sister. His soul was the one Nico would have to take. 

Geryon narrowed his eyes, “And what information would I get in return?”

“I - “ Nico cleared his throat. “I know there are forces out there looking for demigods. I can tell you the name of a powerful one.”

Geryon tilted his head in subtle interest.

“ -and to help you think about it, I’ve brought you these.” Nico dug into his bag and laid out the shirts and king-size candy bars he’d gotten the day before. 

Geryon picked up a chocolate bar and unwrapped it. He took a bite and spoke as he chewed, “I do love a good bribe, but how do I know your information is worth anything? I won’t get good money for just any demigod.”

Nico kept his face as neutral as he could. This was a dangerous move, but if it helped him get Bianca back, any running or hiding he had to do afterward would be worth it. “They are a child of one of the big three.” 

Greyon’s face twisted into a smile as he leaned back, “Are they?”

“Do we have a deal?”

Instead of replying Greyon’s gaze fixed out the window. “Oh, would you look at that? Excuse me… Mr. di Angelo”

The rancher stood from the couch and headed out to the porch. Frustrated, Nico turned and looked through the windows to see what had interrupted his meeting. Walking up the path to the house along with some of his friends was the last person Nico wanted to see - Percy Jackson.

What’s worse than being interrupted by your least favorite person while you’re trying to get information to save the sister he failed to protect? Having to ride with him on a shitty - literally, and Bianca wasn’t here to tell Nico off for saying it - tour of a ranch that was very clearly inhumane.  Nico spent the entire time squished in the back next to Eurytion glaring at the back of Percy’s head. Geryon was rambling on about his clients and how much money he could get for renting out his flesh-eating horses instead of telling Nico what he needed to know and it was all because Percy had shown up to ruin things, again. 

Nico climbed out of the car at his first opportunity as Geryon surveyed his empire of horse muck. “I came here for business, Geryon and you still haven’t answered me.” 

Geryon barely acknowledged him, “Hmm. Yes, you’ll get a deal, all right.”

“My ghost told me you could help. He said you could guide us to the soul we need.”

Nico heard the others murmur in confusion. 

“Wait a second,” Percy said, “I thought I was the soul you wanted.”

Nico stared back at him. What in the Hades was wrong with him? Did everything have to be about the powerful son of Poseidon? “You? Why would I want you? Bianca’s soul is worth a thousand of yours! Now, can you help me, Geryon, or not?”

“Oh I imagine I could,” the rancher picked at his shirt absently, “Your ghost friend by the way, where is he?”

“He can’t form in broad daylight. It’s hard for him.” Nico glanced around anxiously, “But he’s around somewhere.”

“I’m sure. Minos likes to disappear when things get… difficult.”

“Minos?!” Percy gaped at him, “You mean the evil king? That’s the ghost who’s been giving you advice?”

“It’s none of your business, Percy!” Nico snapped. He turned back to Geryon, “And what do you mean about things getting difficult?”

Geryon smiled and let out a dramatic sigh, “Well you see, Nico - can I call you Nico?”

“No.”

“You see, Nico, Luke Castellan is offering very good money for half-bloods. Especially powerful half-bloods as you know. And I’m sure when he learns your little secret, who you really are, he’ll pay very very well indeed.” He gave Nico a devious look, “Son of Hades.”

Nico gulped. How did he know? Nico drew his sword but Eurytion knocked it out of his hand. 

“I would stay in the car, all of you.” Geryon was walking calmly back to the rest of the group. Percy was now pinned down by the two-headed dog. “Or Orthus will tear Mr. Jackson’s throat out. Now, Eurytion, if you would be so kind, secure Nico.”

“Do I have to?”

“Yes, you fool!”

The next thing Nico knew, he was being hefted up and slung over Eurytion’s shoulder like he weighed nothing. He kicked at the large man, but it was no use. 

“Pick up the sword too,” Geryon ordered, “There’s nothing I hate worse than Stygian iron. It doesn’t help that it can only be wielded by children of the Underworld.”

Now Nico understood. How could he have been so stupid?! He’d come to the ranch trying to barter with information when he’d already given Geryon all he needed to know without ever saying a word. Eurytion grabbed the blade, and Nico wished he could reach it from across the cowherd’s back. 

“Now, We’ve had the tour.” Geryon concluded, “Let’s go back to the lodge, have some lunch and send an Iris-message to our friends in the Titan army.”

“You fiend!” Annabeth stared at Geryon in disgust.

“Don’t worry, my dear. Once I’ve delivered Mr. di Angelo, you and your party can go. I don’t interfere with quests. Besides, I’ve been paid well to give you safe passage, which does not, I’m afraid, include Mr. di Angelo.”

Chapter Text

Nico quickly realized struggling was no use. He hung limply over Eurytion’s shoulder as he listened to Percy make a deal to make sure all five of them went free. He didn’t know why Percy was trying so hard. Nico didn’t want his help. He could figure things out on his own. Granted he didn’t know how he was going to get out of being sold like a prize cow, but he’d figure something out. He trusted himself more than he trusted Percy. Even so, Percy reached an agreement with Geryon and left to clean the stables while Nico and the others were hauled back to the ranch house. 

Eurytion tied them up efficiently while Geryon pulled out a grill from a shed around the back. He whistled as he started fussing with streamers and balloons, hanging them on the porch like getting sold to the highest bidder was worthy of celebration. Eurytion let Orthus loose to run through the fields behind the house. 

Nico pointedly looked away from the others. He didn’t want to be lumped into whatever plan they came up with. He’d find his own way out. 

When Geryon went into the house to presumably get some meat for the barbeque, Grover inched over and whispered to Annabeth, “Do you have a plan?” 

She struggled against the ropes around her wrists, “Tyson, can you break these?”

Tyson - the cyclops but Nico couldn’t freak out about that right now - wiggled around, tugging at his restraints. He frowned at Annabeth, his single large eye wide like a sad puppy, “No. The ranch has strong ropes.”

Annabeth sighed, “I don’t see anything we could use to cut them.”

“Does that mean -?” Grover looked toward the house anxiously. 

“Yeah," Annabeth said, “We have to hope Percy’s better at cleaning stables than he is at cleaning his room.”

They continued waiting, tied up next to the picnic table. They could see Geryon through the large windows bustling about the house gathering up more supplies for their little ‘party’. 

Eventually, Nico heard the soft scrape on the dirt as Annabeth inched closer to him. He peaked at her through the corner of his eye. 

“What do you want?”

“I just wanted to talk.” Annabeth said quietly, “I wanted to say I know how you feel.”

Nico rolled his eyes, “Did your sister die on a quest she shouldn’t have been on?”

“Well, no… but -”

“You have no idea how I feel.”

Annabeth scooted a little closer. “I know how scary it is to be alone, on your own. I ran away from my dad’s place when I was little. It was really hard before I found camp.” 

“You ran away from one home to another.” Nico glared at her, “I have no home.”

Annabeth’s concern deepened. She watched him carefully for a few seconds then added, “You could.”

“Hey!” Geryon had emerged from the house carrying stacks of hamburgers and a spatula. He’d even put on a ridiculous set of aprons. “No chatting! Eurytion, make sure they stay quiet.” He tossed a few rags from the table at the cowherd. 

Eurytion got up begrudgingly and tied the rags around their mouths. They were tight enough to keep them quiet but not enough to cause them any pain. Nico suspected Eurytion regretted having had to tie them up at all. When he’d finished, Eurytion settled himself on a picnic bench near the porch and started cleaning under his nails with a pocket knife. 

Nico continued to avoid eye contact with any of the others, stewing over what Annabeth said. He didn’t believe her. There was no way he’d have a home at Camp Half-Blood. He didn’t even have a cabin and for good reason. Besides, why would he want to stay there anyways? All he wanted was his sister back. 

Percy came back to the house just before sundown. He was soaked and out of breath, but somehow he made it on time. It was no surprise to Nico, however, when Geryon went back on his deal. Why wouldn’t he when he had everything he needed? 

Nico watched as Geryon, fed up with Percy’s arguing, threw two carving knives in Percy’s direction. Percy had clearly had a lot of training because he matched the monster's attack with a swing of his own. The two traded blows back and forth but Percy just couldn’t get the upper hand. He was chased into the house as Geryon continued to fling cooking implements at him. 

From where they sat tied, the rest of them could just barely see as Percy snatched a bow and quiver off the wall and aimed it at the rancher. Nico didn’t see how the bow was going to be any better than his sword, but Percy set up his aim anyways. He had a vague thought of how Percy’s stance was too wide, his draw too tense, before the arrow went slicing through all three of Geryon’s chests, sending Greyon back to Tartarus in an explosion of dust.

Once they had gotten untied, Nico watched hesitantly as Annabeth and Percy spoke with Eurytion. His source of information was gone, but that didn’t mean he was about to abandon his plan to get his sister back. Percy caught his eye before he was able to turn away. 

“You could stay here until we’re done with our quest,” he offered, “It would be safe.”

“Safe? What do you care if I’m safe?” Nico glared at him, “You got my sister killed!”

“Nico” Annabeth was using the same understanding tone she’d tried on him earlier, “that wasn’t Percy’s fault. And Geryon wasn’t lying about Kronos wanting to capture you. If he knew who you were, he’d do anything to get you on his side.”

“I’m not on anyone’s side,” Nico looked around for his sword and found it laying underneath the picnic table, “And I’m not afraid!”

“You should be. Your sister wouldn’t want - “

“If you cared for my sister, you’d help me bring her back,” Nico spat.

“A soul for a soul?” Percy asked.

“Yes!”

“But if you didn’t want my soul - “

“I’m not explaining anything to you!” Nico was tired of trying to rationalize that he was doing the right thing, “And I will bring her back!”

“Bianca wouldn’t want to be brought back,” Percy said, “ Not like that.”

“You didn’t know her! How do you know what she’d want?” Nico’s breaths were shallow as he tried to control his anger. He stared at Percy as he contemplated the flames in the barbecue pit. At last, Percy said, “Let’s ask Bianca.”

Nico’s shoulders sank, “I’ve tried. She won’t answer.”

“Try again. I’ve got a feeling she’ll answer with me here.”

Nico didn’t like how sure Percy sounded about summoning Bianca. If she didn’t come to speak to her brother, what made him think she’d come to talk to him? Part of him had wanted to refuse out of spite, but that was quickly overridden by his desire to see Bianca again. If there was even a small chance what Percy said was true, he had to try. 

They’d waited until after dark to begin the ritual. Nico had made sure they’d filled the pit with the best food they could scrounge up from the ranch house. They all gathered around him as he began the chant. Nico told himself it was the audience that was making him so nervous. 

He tuned out the others’ whispers as he called on the dead. In a matter of seconds, he felt them answering his call, chilling the air as they approached. He kept his eyes closed as he searched for a sign of something familiar, of Bianca. 

Nico felt as a shade separated itself from the crowd and moved to the pool to drink. Too late he realized that it wasn’t his sister, “Stop him! Only Bianca may drink!”

Even as Percy drew his sword, the ghost began to solidify into the shape of a bearded man in long flowing robes. His face wasn’t familiar but somehow his eyes were. Those eyes had led Nico through many dark tunnels. 

“Minos! What are you doing?”

“My apologies, master” Minos grinned, “The sacrifice smelled so good, I couldn’t resist. It is good to see myself again. Almost in solid form - “

“You’re disrupting the ritual!” As Nico’s attention was pulled away from his task the other spirits began to get restless. He quickly went back to chanting. 

Minos nearly chuckled as he floated around them, “Yes, quite right, master. You keep chanting. I’ve only come to protect you from these liars who would deceive you.”

What did he mean liars? What was Percy keeping from him?

“Percy Jackson… my, my” Minos taunted, “The sons of Poseidon haven’t improved over the centuries, have they?”

“We’re looking for Bianca di Angelo. Get lost.”

“I understand you once killed my Minotaur with your bare hands. But worse things await you in the maze. Do you really think Daedelus will help you?”

So Percy was looking for the inventor too? What did he need with him? Nico was sure it wasn’t to help him bring back his sister. 

“Daedelus cares nothing for you, half-bloods,” Minos said, “You can’t trust him. He is old beyond counting, and crafty. He is bitter from the guilt of murder and is cursed by the gods.”

“The guilt of murder?” Percy asked, “Who did he kill?” 

Nico slowed his chanting to better hear Minos’ reply. If Daedelus had killed someone, Nico would only be doing justice by taking his soul. He had to believe there was some way to justify what he had to do.

“Do not change the subject!” Minos returned to hovering protectively over Nico’s shoulder, “You are hindering Nico. You try to persuade him to give up his goal. I would make him a lord!”

“Enough, Minos,” Nico ordered the ghost. It didn’t matter what he promised, Nico was still the one who commanded the dead.

“Master, these are your enemies. You must not listen to them! Let me protect you. I will turn their minds to madness, as I did the others.”

“The others?” Annabeth took a step away from the pit. “You mean Chris Rodriguez? That was you?”

“The maze is my property,” Minos said defensively, “Not Daedelus’s! Those who intrude deserve madness.”

Nico was getting tired of all this other discussion. This was not what they were here for. “Be gone, Minos! I want to see my sister.”

“As you wish, master.” Minos hissed, “But I warn you. You cannot trust these heroes.” 

Nico dove back into his chant. She was close, he could feel it. A small faint glow in the distance slowly becoming brighter. Another spirit separated itself from the others and approached the pool. The words died in Nico’s mouth as the spirit drank from the offering and materialized into the form of his sister. 

She stood confidently among the spirits, keeping them at bay with a simple gentle gesture. If he hadn’t already known, he never would have guessed she was a child of the Underworld like he was. While he seemed to be falling deeper into darkness and shadow, she embodied a more hopeful side of death, the peace at the end of a life with purpose. 

She looked just as he remembered her before she’d left him at camp. Her silvery Hunter’s jacket nearly glowed. Her green cap sat lopsided on her head. He remembered how he’d convinced her to pick that one as a birthday gift to herself. Even if she looked exactly like the sister he’d always known, he couldn’t do anything but stare. She was beautiful and she was finally here.

“Bianca” Percy mumbled, “I’m so sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Percy. I made my own choice. I don’t regret it.”

The sound of her voice brought Nico back to his senses, “Bianca!”

She turned toward him and gave him the same sad smile she had when she’d told him she was leaving him, “Hello, Nico. You’ve gotten so tall.”

“Why didn’t you answer me sooner? I’ve been trying for months!”

“I was hoping you would give up.”

The words shot through Nico like an arrow. “Give up?” He fought back tears, “How can you say that? I’m trying to save you!”

“You can’t, Nico.” Bianca’s tone was patient, like every time she’d kept him out of trouble - something she wouldn’t be able to do anymore. “Don’t do this. Percy is right.”

“No! He let you die! He’s not your friend!” Nico felt the cold sting of mist as Bianca reached out to touch his face. She wasn’t warm and comforting like she had been in life. Her hand melted away before she could make contact. 

“You must listen to me. Holding grudges is dangerous for a child of Hades. It is our fatal flaw. You have to forgive. You have to promise me this.”

Nico looked away from his sister’s ghost. “I can’t. Never.”

“Percy has been worried about you, Nico. He can help.” Nico could hear her speaking but he wasn’t understanding the words. “I let him see what you were up to, hoping he would find you.”

“So it was you,” Percy interrupted. “You sent those Iris-messages.”

Rage filled Nico as Bianca nodded. She had been contacting Percy? How could she be sending messages to Percy when her own brother had been desperately trying to speak to her? She'd been ignoring him all these months. He couldn’t contain himself as he screamed, “Why are you helping him and not me? It’s not fair!” 

“You are close to the truth now.” Bianca said, her voice steady, “It’s not Percy you’re mad at, Nico. It’s me.”

“No.” No, she couldn’t be right. It was Percy’s fault she was gone. Percy was the reason she wasn’t with him.

“You’re mad because I left you to become a Hunter of Artemis. You’re mad because I died and left you alone. I’m sorry for that, Nico. I truly am. But you must overcome the anger. And stop blaming Percy for my choices. It will be your doom.”

“She’s right,” Annabeth said, “Kronos is rising, Nico. He’ll twist anyone he can to his cause.”

“I don’t care about Kronos.” Tears were falling freely now, “I just want my sister back.”

“You can’t have that, Nico.”

“I am the son of Hades! I can!”

“Don’t try,” There was a hint of a plea in Bianca’s voice, “If you love me, don’t…” She looked around at some unseen force. The other spirits around them stirred, “Tartarus stirs. Your power draws the attention of Kronos. The dead must return to the Underworld. It is not safe for us to remain.”

“Wait, please - “ Nico reached out to his sister only for his hand to pass through her.

“Goodbye, Nico” Bianca said, “I love you. Remember what I said.”

Nico didn’t get any sleep that night. He found a corner of the house tucked away from the others and hoped they couldn’t hear him as he cried. The emotions came flooding over him again and even though it had been months since she passed, Nico finally let himself feel the full weight of his grief. It felt like he was standing on the edge of a dark cliff and nothing was holding him back from falling into the abyss. Bianca didn’t want to come back. She was gone. Forever. He existed in a world without his sister in it and he didn’t know what to do with himself anymore.

Chapter Text

Besides a quick goodbye to Annabeth and the others to prove that he hadn’t run away again, Nico spent the next day in the ranch house. Eurytion checked on him every so often, but he didn’t linger. Nico appreciated that. He just needed some time alone. He might have spent the time crying as he grieved, but the tears were gone. They had run dry sometime in the night. Instead, he sat on the porch staring out over the fields as he thought.

It was quiet again. Not the quiet that had been unbearable back in January, but the kind of quiet that let him slow down and appreciate his surroundings. He could see Apollo’s cattle slowly being herded from one side of the ranch to the other as Orthus ran around them, barking enthusiastically. He could hear the trickling of the river down by the stables and see how the sunlight reflected on the water as it rippled. 

He’d spent so long chasing after a singular goal that he’d forgotten what it felt like to be still. In a way it was peaceful. His heart still ached, he still felt lost, but the world had stopped swirling around him. He could finally focus. 

What was he supposed to do now? He’d had Minos whispering in his ear so long he’d lost track of where his thoughts ended and the ghost’s influence began. The thought of Bianca being gone forever still tore at him, but he wanted to honor her wishes. He had to figure out a way to move forward, to forgive her. The idea seemed impossible. How could he continue without her? 

It was nearly dark when Eurytion came up the porch for a final time, Orthus bounded up after him. He smelled of dirt and sweat and had a satisfied expression on his face. He sighed as he came to a stop next to Nico.  

“What do you say we get something started for dinner?”

Nico nodded to him and followed him inside the house. 

They made a simple dinner, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and ate in relative silence. Eurytion seemed to understand Nico didn’t want to talk. He sat across the table, letting Orthus lick peanut butter off a spoon. 

“I’ve got a few changes I’m going to make around here,” he said as Nico pushed himself away from the table. “Could use an extra pair of hands.”

“I don’t think ranching is really for me.” Nico avoided looking at him as he took his plate into the kitchen.

“Some work in the sun might do you some good. How about you stay for just a few days, while you figure out where you’re headed next?” 

Nico kept his eyes on his half-eaten sandwich. He’d not had much of an appetite all day, but it had been nice to have something fresh. He liked the idea of not having to scrounge up his next meal from a dumpster in an alleyway. And there was a comfortable couch he could sleep on tonight if he stayed. “Okay, just until I figure out what I’m doing.”

Eurytion nodded, satisfied. “Of course.”

Nico expected a visit from Minos that night but as the darkness outside deepened, he saw no sign of the old ghost. That was probably for the best. He needed some space to figure out what he wanted on his own. 

He hadn’t liked how Minos had stolen from the offerings for Bianca. He could have ruined all they’d been working towards, the one chance Nico had had of seeing his sister. Then again, the shade had always seemed to have his own motives, as much as he tried to hide them. He must have had his own reasons for leading Nico to Geryon. Given that the rancher had wanted to sell him off to whoever could give him the most gold, Nico wasn’t convinced Minos was all that concerned with his safety. He was beginning to suspect Minos wasn’t being honest with him. 

The next morning Nico carefully folded up his jacket and left it on the couch. If he was going to be doing a lot of work outdoors he probably wouldn’t need it, and he didn’t want it to get damaged. Eurytion was already waiting for him in front of the house. He waved Nico over and started leading him to a new part of the ranch. 

“I figured you could start with feeding the horses.”

Nico gaped at him, “With what? My arms?”

Eurytion let out a deep laugh. Nico realized it was the first time he’d heard him do that, “No, the flesh-eating ones are on the other side of the ranch. These are regular old horses. You’ll be fine.”

Nico wasn’t completely reassured. 

They made it to the stables a few minutes later. Eurytion pulled back the door and led him inside. As Nico entered, the horse nearest him huffed and backed into the corner of its stall.

“I don’t think they like me.”

Eurytion waved a hand dismissively, “They’ll warm up to you eventually, but I’ll let them out into the field to give you some space to work.” He let himself into the stall carefully. With a gentle pat on the horse's side, he clipped a rope to its halter and lead it out of the stall. 

“I thought I was feeding them.”

“You are.” Eurytion grinned as he grabbed a shovel from the side of the barn and held it out to Nico, “but first you’ve got to clean up after them.”

Nico scowled as he took the shovel. Eurytion chuckled as he walked out to the pasture and left Nico to get to work. 

Nico helped out with a lot of the ranch chores over the next few days. Even if it was a lot of work, it felt good to do something to feel useful. It cleared his head. Hours shoveling hay or repairing fences gave him a lot of time to think. 

He still didn’t have a place to go. As much as he appreciated Eurytion’s hospitality, he couldn’t stay here. He knew now he had to be careful. Kronos’ army would be looking for demigods and if they figured out who he was, he was in danger. He didn’t want to be caught up in any more conflict that he had to, but he may not have a choice if Kronos found him. 

At the same time, he couldn’t go back to camp. He was sure by now they all knew who he really was. Any of the kindness they might have shown him when he was a harmless unclaimed half-blood would be gone once they understood what he was capable of. It was probably best if he stayed on the run. He’d learned a lot on his own. He could fend for himself. 

Just one more day, he told himself as he crawled under the warm blanket each night, just one more day at the ranch, and then he’d leave.

Nico had been at the ranch for two weeks when he finally heard the familiar whisper in the back of his head. He hadn’t seen any sign of Minos since the night they’d talked to Bianca. He had no use for him now, but he would be a fool to think he’d be rid of the ghost just like that. Nico needed to put an end to their deal. 

He pushed his plate of food away from him as he got up. Across the table, Eurytion cocked an eyebrow. The cowherd had been quietly eating his own dinner, keeping Nico company as he did every night. One of these nights Nico thought he might decide to start talking to him. He probably had a lot of stories, being a demigod who’d been given immortality. A faint glimmer of curiosity budded in the back of his head. Nico from six months ago would have had so many questions he’d want to ask. It was pushed down as he heard the whisper calling out to him again. He winced. 

“I need to go,” Nico said.

“You’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like,” Eurytion said, “but I suspected you’d come to that conclusion.”

“I have… business to attend to.”

“Not the same business you came here for, is it?”

“No,” Nico sighed, “I don’t have any reason for that anymore.”

Eurytion studied him, “At least wait until it’s light out. You’re safe here.”

“I can’t.” Nico felt another whisper in his mind, insistent. He threw his jacket over his shoulders and grabbed his sword, “but it should only take a minute.” 

Eurytion didn’t look like he believed him. He got up from the table and followed Nico out to the porch. “Come right back here when you’re done, alright? There are monsters out in the dark” 

“I can handle monsters,” Nico nodded to the cowherd as he hurried down the steps. He paused when he got to the bottom.“Thanks, Eurytion”

The man nodded solemnly, eyes following Nico as he turned and headed into the dark field. 

He trudged down the dirt path with no particular destination in mind, just trying to get away from the house. It didn’t take long for Minos to find him. The ghost’s form was more solid than usual like he’d kept some of the strength he’d stolen in the ritual for Bianca. Nico felt some of his own strength leave him as he glared at him. He gripped his sword a little tighter, “Go away, I don’t need you anymore.”

“You can’t mean that.” Minos hovered close to Nico as he whispered, “I was helping you get stronger.”

“It doesn’t matter, I can’t bring Bianca back.”

Minos sounded almost amused, “But that was never the real goal. Don’t you want to become a lord? Together we will be so powerful.” 

Nico scoffed. Powerful? Power meant nothing to him now. Power couldn’t help him feel whole again. “Leave me alone, I’m not helping you.”

“Oh, but what if it’s not me you need to help?”

Nico’s pace slowed, “What do you mean?”

“What good was all your training if you’re not going to use it?” 

“Get to the point, Minos” Nico looked back toward the lights of the ranch house, “I don’t need to use it, I’m safe here.”

“That’s just it though. You’re safe, but what about your friends? How could you stay here and leave the others to the perils of the labyrinth?”

“They’re not my friends,” Nico kicked a rock across the path. “And they’ll be fine.”

“Will they?” Minos looked mildly concerned before he smiled maliciously, “You don’t want them to go the same way as your sister, do you?”

“What are you saying?” Nico’s heart rate ticked up a few beats, “Are they in danger?”

“Why don’t you see for yourself?” 

Minos waved a hand through the air, leaving a trail of mist. The mist shimmered until Nico could see an image through it like he was looking through a foggy window. In it, he thought he could make out Percy in the middle of an arena. He was climbing chains that hung above the combat area as he avoided swipes from a giant. The monster looked like it was drawing up dirt and constructing its body from the Earth itself. 

Behind Percy, at the front of the crowd, Annabeth sat next to a girl with bright red hair. They looked like they were being held hostage, forced to watch as Percy took on the giant. Around them, the stands were filled to bursting with more monsters, all booing and cheering as they watched the ongoing battle. It didn’t look like Percy was going to win.

Nico stared wide-eyed at the scene as Minos’s lips turned up into a smirk, “Are you just going to stand there?”

Without another thought, he took off in a run toward the Labyrinth entrance. 

He was a hundred yards down the tunnel when he had a horrible realization. He didn’t know where he was going. Minos had always directed him when he needed to go somewhere specific. He knew if he went charging through the labyrinth with the goal of finding Percy he’d run into a horde of monsters on his first turn. Before he could consider going back up the tunnel, he saw a glimmer down the hall. 

A faint voice whispered, “This way.”

 “Minos?”

 Silence but the glimmer shined a little brighter. Every second he delayed was another moment the others spent in danger. Nico followed it. 

Chapter Text

When Nico made it to the arena he found it in shambles. The stands that he’d seen full of monsters were empty, discarded bits of armor and clothing were the only signs of the crowd that had been there before. Hanging from the ceilings were dozens of tangled chains, all looped and knotted together. In the midst of them hung a large tattered cloth, that looked suspiciously like a lion cloth. Nico hoped whatever had been wearing it wasn’t running around commando.

His heart sank as he realized Percy, Annabeth, and the other girl were nowhere to be found. 

Stupid, he thought to himself, what did you think was going to happen? You were going to run in here and save the day just like Percy himself?  

Now he’d gotten himself lost in the Labyrinth, essentially in enemy territory.  

Unlike most of the rooms in the Labyrinth, this one was surprisingly well-lit. Torches around the walls flickered and cast shadows in several directions, making it difficult to find a place to hide. Still, Nico tried, hunkering down behind one of the half walls that bordered the stands as he entered. 

He peered around the wall to see a few monsters deep in conversion. Regardless of whether he asked it to or not, his mind flashed with information.

Telekhine; dog-headed sea demons, skilled in metalworking and said to have created Kronos’ scythe. Sensitive to loud high-pitched noises.

“We seem to have lost them.” said the telekhine, its ears folded down like it was ashamed.

“Lost them? How is that possible? We have the string!” The other monster put her hands on her hips and glared at the other. 

Empousa; minions of Hecate originally released from Pandora’s jar. Known to seduce young men to lure them in and suck their blood. Surprisingly ugly now that Nico had a good look at one. 

“Yes, Kelli, but the string only leads us in and out of the maze.”

Kelli let out an impatient huff. “Luke will not like them getting away.” 

Who was Luke? Nico thought it was Kronos who was gathering an army. He leaned forward as he listened. 

“What does it matter when we already have a way to the workshop?” the telekhine asked. 

“I suppose you’re right. Soon we’ll have all we need to infiltrate the camp. It is only a matter of time. What was that?”

Nico fumbled against the wall, toppling over into the dirt. He rolled over to see Kelli looming over him, her metallic leg directly in front of his face.

“Who do we have here?”

Nico kept his mouth shut and gave her a stubborn glare.

Kelli pouted. “You don’t want to tell me your name? Well so be it. It won’t matter anyway.”

Behind her, another voice said, “This is the demigod I promised - the son of Hades.”

“Minos?!” Nico gaped at the ghost as he drifted forward. Despite the well-let cavern, he was easy to make out. He looked nearly as tangible as any of the rest of them. “What are you doing?”

The king gave Nico an unpleasant snarl. “Helping myself. It’s really a shame you went back on our agreement. You had so much potential.” The telekhine seized his opportunity to grab Nico’s wrists and pull him forcibly to his feet. Nico struggled against the monster but his grip held firm. Minos turned to Kelli, “Our deal stands? The demigod for Daedalus?”

“Oh yes, Luke will be very pleased with you.” Kelli was eyeing Nico with new interest. She ran an unnaturally manicured nail under his chin. He had to strain his neck to keep it from cutting him. “Yes, Minos, we’ll take you to the inventor. We were just on our way to the workshop now.”

Kelli led them to the far exit of the arena. The telekhine handed Nico off to a pair of Lastrygonian giants who slapped some shackles on his wrists before following the empousa deeper into the maze. Minos trailed behind them with a pleased smirk. Nico couldn't look at him, the traitor. 

Instead, he watched Kelli’s lopsided gait, her donkey leg just a little faster than the metallic one, as he said,  “I won’t help you.” 

“You won’t, will you?” The empousa looked over her shoulder at him, eyes glinting with delight. “I think Luke might think differently.”

“I don’t know who this Luke thinks he is, but he can’t force me to do anything. ” 

“I’d be careful what you say, son of Hades,” Kelli snorted, “Soon Luke will be as powerful as the Titan Lord himself.”

“What do you mean? How can a mortal be as powerful as Kronos?”

Kelli looked down at him with a smirk like she knew a very coveted secret. “You’d be amazed what a little swim can do.”

A swim? She had to be messing with him. He looked away from her, she wasn’t going to give him any helpful information. 

As they made their way down the dark tunnel, he tried to come up with a plan. He was pretty much stuck with the monsters while they were in the maze. Even if he could somehow get out of the shackles, he’d be hopeless trying to navigate to an exit. With Minos on their side, Kelli and the others would be able to find him in no time. 

So he had to wait until they made it outside. Kelli had said they were heading to the workshop. Daedalus’s workshop. There was no guarantee that there would be a way out from there, but Nico had to hope. Maybe he’d be able to escape and start his life on the run, just like he figured he’d have to do. He wondered how many unwitting drunks he’d have to hustle to make enough money to buy an international plane ticket. He could change his name to something like Norman or Nazario, maybe find some European farm to work at, and hope an ocean would be too far to go to come looking for him. 

The image of Nico - or Nazario - the potato farmer vanished from his mind when their party came to an abrupt stop. In front of them was a set of large steel double doors. A glowing greek Delta was set into them, casting a cool blue light on the tunnel. The giants pushed Nico forward as Kelli grabbed his wrist. 

He tried to pull his hands away but she forced his palm over the symbol. The doors let out a hiss as they slid open and he was shoved inside. 

If you’d asked Nico what he expected to find inside the inventor’s workshop, he would not have said a hellhound, a thirty-something man in a Camp Half-Blood t-shirt, and three people he was getting really tired of running into. Annabeth was glaring daggers at the man who Nico had to assume was Daedalus, with a mess of papers at her feet. If Nico didn’t know any better he would have suspected they had interrupted an argument. 

Nico’s captors filed into the workshop behind him. Kelli kept a hand on his shoulder, holding him firmly in place. 

“There you are, my old friend.” Minos stepped further into the room. He was substantial enough his feet actually touched the ground. Nico felt a wave of exhaustion flow through him as Minos straightened to stare at the inventor. 

“What is the meaning of this?” Daedalus was speaking to Kelli, as though he knew her.

“Luke sends his compliments,” she said, “He thought you might like to see your old employer Minos.”

“This was not part of our agreement.” The inventor said. Nico narrowed his eyes at him, Daedalus had been working with them?

“No indeed,” Kelli nodded, “But we already have what we want from you, and we have other agreements to honor. Minos required something else from us, in order to turn over this fine young demigod.” Nico flinched away from her nails once again, “He’ll be quite useful. And all Minos asked in return was your head, old man.”

“Treachery.”

“Get used to it.”

Percy reached out a hand towards Nico, face full of concern, “Nico. Are you okay?”

Nico kept his eyes on the floor, not out of anger this time, but shame. “I - I’m sorry, Percy. Minos told me you were in danger. He convinced me to go back into the maze.”

“You were trying to help us?”

“I was tricked.” Nico managed to glance up and see Percy’s incredulous expression, “He tricked all of us.”

Percy turned on Kelli, “Where’s Luke? Why isn’t he here?”

Kelli gave that same coy smile from before, “Luke is… busy. He’s preparing for the assault. But don’t worry. We have more friends on the way. And in the meantime, I think I’ll have a wonderful snack!” 

Nico felt claws dig into his shoulder as Kelli prepared to attack and the room burst into action. Percy and Annabeth launched themselves toward the empousa as the giants pushed past them, headed for Daedalus. In the commotion, Nico fell to the ground, his hands still bound. 

Above him, Minos yelled, “Kill the inventor! Kill him!”

As the hellhound made a chew toy out of one of the giant’s arms, Nico inched his way under a workbench. Annabeth and Percy chased Kelli as she wreaked havoc around the room. She overturned tables and threw metal contraptions to the ground, smashing them to bits. The red-headed girl ran for the wall and started pulling off sets of wings as wide as Nico was tall, hopefully saving them from Kelli’s destruction.

Nico had to get free. He was no use to anyone with his hands bound. Maybe there was a way he could find some way to pick the lock. He looked around himself frantically, but all he could see were scraps of paper and random wires. He needed something thin and solid, like a needle. 

As he had the thought he felt a coolness settle between his fingers, just like the chill he had felt when he reached into the shadows back at the ranch. He glanced down and saw what looked like a shard of glass about two inches long. It was as dark as his sword and seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it. He stared at it in amazement. He was holding solidified shadow. 

He didn’t have time to process what that meant as next to him a jar of green liquid shattered and erupted into flames. He took the shadow needle and wiggled it in the lock of his shackles. It met resistance at first, but he soon got the feel of it and managed to get them unlocked. 

He quickly got to his feet as Minos called around the room, “To me! Spirits of the Dead!” 

“No!” Nico could feel the power rushing toward Minos as he called on the might of the Underworld. What was more, Nico could feel the power coming from him. It was like Minos was using him as a conduit, an access point to the depths of force that ran through Erebus. 

He stumbled as Minos laughed at him, “You do not control me, young fool. All this time, I have been controlling you! A soul for a soul, yes. But it is not your sister who will return from the dead. It is I, as soon as I slay the inventor!” 

Spirits began gathering around them, armed soldiers prepared to fight for the will of the one who had called them. More power was tugged away from Nico as Minos pulled the attention of the soldiers onto himself. 

“I am the son of Hades,” Nico said through gritted teeth. “Be gone.”

Minos let out a harsh laugh, “You have no power over me. I am the lord of spirits! The ghost king!” 

Except he wasn’t. Minos hadn’t been the one to summon the dead. He couldn’t command the undead to his will. All this time he’d been teaching Nico to do those things. He’d been driving Nico relentlessly in the name of helping him get stronger but he had really been grooming him for his own purposes. All Minos did was lie and manipulate and Nico hated him for it. 

Minos had no power of his own. But Nico did. 

“No.” He drew his sword as he willed the power to stop flooding through him to Minos. He called on the force of the dead himself, feeling its full extent for the first time. His body hummed with power, with anger. All of the hatred he’d built towards Percy, all the hurt he felt at being abandoned by his sister, all of the rage toward Minos for betraying him, for manipulating him. All of it fed his power. He was done being a victim. He would no longer allow himself to be exploited. He was the son of Hades, prince of the Underworld and he commanded the dead. 

“I am.”

“Never!” Minos’s form rippled, “I will not -”

Nico thrust his sword into the ground. The midnight blade cut through it with unnatural ease, sending out a wave of force. The windows shattered as this time Nico intentionally willed the ground to open. He grinned to himself at the sound of Minos’ scream as he and the other spirits were pulled back to the Underworld. 

The fissure closed with a snap and Nico fell to his knees, covered in sweat. The red-headed girl rushed to him and helped him over to the sets of wings that she had pulled from the wall. The green Greek fire blazed feet from them, consuming the work tables and piles of schematics like fresh kindling. 

“So that was pretty impressive,” she said as she slipped a harness around his shoulders. “I’m Rachel by the way.” 

He felt the wings affix themselves to his back as he gave her an exhausted wave. Percy and Annabeth had finally dealt with Kelli and were rushing over to get fitted with wings themselves. The inventor was still locked in combat with the giants. Nico had lost track of the hellhound. 

“Daedalus!” Percy called into the workshop. “Come on!” 

“I won’t leave Mrs. O’Leary!” Daedalus called back, stepping back as he dodged a swing to his head, “Go!”

Nico turned to the window and for the first time realized how high up they were. He gulped. They were seriously just going to jump!? “None of us know how to fly!” 

“Great time to find out!” Percy gave Nico a thrill-seeking grin before he jumped out of the window. 

Chapter Text

After being taken prisoner, hauled through the Labyrinth, reclaiming his power, jumping out of a five-hundred-story window, and flying around the Garden of the Gods - a beautiful national park in Colorado apparently (had he gotten state bingo yet?) - the last thing Nico wanted to do was go back into the Labyrinth. Yet, when they’d landed and disposed of the wings in a nearby dumpster, Percy had decided the most efficient way back to camp was through the maze. Nico still wasn’t thrilled about the idea of returning to camp, but he couldn’t very easily ditch the others, not when they were so careful about keeping an eye on him. 

Even so, he supposed it was fair. He’d just called down the wrath of Hades on Minos and several undead spirits, and the last time they’d left him alone he’d managed to get himself captured. He was too exhausted right now to care. 

While Percy and Rachel tried to sort out a way to leave the park, Nico accompanied Annabeth to the gift shop to find something to eat. He had assumed he’d just have to sneak a few candy bars under his coat or something but Annabeth had insisted she pay for them. She made her Iris message to Chiron while he leaned against the wall outside, nibbling on the granola bar she had gotten him. With a little food in his system, he felt a bit more alert. 

Things didn’t sound great at Camp Half-Blood. They were preparing for Luke’s army to come through the Labyrinth right in the center of camp with barely any ability to set up defenses. Hearing how Chiron wanted every demigod they could get to help defend camp, Nico was beginning to worry just how many demigods wouldn’t make it to the other side of the battle. 

He heard Minos’ words in his head, What good was all your training if you’re not going to use it?

As much as he hated the idea of returning to camp, he had an obligation to answer the call. If he could make sure no one else had to go through the loss of a sibling, like he had, he would. 

Annabeth waved to him when she’d finished her call and they made their way back to the parking lot. Somehow, Rachel had secured them a car, complete with a flustered and overly accommodating driver. They spent about an hour randomly driving around waiting for her to see something that could be a Labyrinth entrance.

Nico wasn’t sure why they were trusting her to lead them, but when she abruptly told them to turn off the highway and head to an abandoned mining museum that turned out to have Daedalus’ symbol on the door, he had to give her some credit. 

The two girls struck up a conversation as they headed deeper underground leaving Percy to fall back with Nico. Maybe, if he was lucky Percy would decide to keep his mouth shut. 

He was not. 

“Thanks for coming after us.”

“I owed you for the ranch, Percy,” Nico said carefully. He wanted to be angry with him, to have some explanation for why his guard was still up, but the more time he was forced to spend with the son of Poseidon the easier it was to see how genuine he was. He had to remember this wasn’t Percy’s fault. “Plus… I wanted to see Daedalus for myself. Minos was right, in a way. Daedalus should die. Nobody should be able to avoid death that long. It’s not natural.”

“That’s what you were after all along. Trading Daedalus’ soul for your sister's.” 

Nico resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Of course, that was his goal but Percy still didn’t get it. Getting his sister back wasn’t just about bringing her back from the dead. It was about reclaiming the only support he had ever known. For as long as he could remember it had just been the two of them. Then one day she was leaving him, and the next she was dead. He was lost without Bianca. She was the only person that could understand him. “It hasn’t been easy, you know. Having only the dead for company. Knowing that I’ll never be accepted by the living. Only the dead respect me and they only do that out of fear.”

“You could be accepted,” Percy said, “You could have friends at camp.”

Not this again. He’d seen how they’d reacted at camp when he’d lost control of his powers even just a little. Now that he was training them, embracing them even? Now that he was the ghost king ? No one would want to be friends with him. “Do you really believe that, Percy?”

“I -” Percy hesitated. As Nico expected, he didn’t have a response. 

Ahead of them, Rachel came to a sudden stop, staring down a side tunnel. The expression on her face told them something evil was down there. It smelled of eucalyptus trees and death, which, after spending months with the undead, was a smell Nico was intimately familiar with. Annabeth guessed it must be the entrance Luke had been using to move his army of monsters.

“Luke could be right there” Percy insisted, “Or… or Kronos. I have to find out what’s going on.”

Nico leaned against a wall as the other three argued for a few more minutes about who should go. The answer seemed simple to him - don’t go down the spooky tunnel you think leads to your enemies. But then again, maybe that’s what made Percy so great that Nico would never be able to live up to him. 

Annabeth pulled her hat from her back pocket and handed it to Percy. Nico recognized it as the one Percy had had back in December. “At least take this. And be careful.”

“Thanks. Here goes nothing” Percy said as he put on the hat. With that, Percy disappeared. 

They only made it a minute or two of waiting before the girls started to argue. Rachel paced back and forth across the tunnel Percy had gone down, while Annabeth leaned against the wall next to Nico. 

“We should go after him.” Rachel said again. Her face was pale but her eyes looked alert. 

“We need to be careful.” Annabeth reminded her. “Percy can handle it.“

“We’re wasting time.”

Annabeth let out a huff of air, “Reconnaissance is an important part of a strategy. We need to know all we can about Luke’s forces.” 

“Strategy’s not going to do us any good if we don’t get out of here. We shouldn’t have let him go.”

“You don’t know what he’s capable of.” 

Nico’s eyes swung between them like he was watching the world’s most lackluster tennis match. Maybe he should rethink his position on only having undead for company. At least they didn’t argue back. 

“What if he’s walking into a trap?” Rachel asked.

“How would they know he was coming?” Annabeth threw her hands in the air. “We can’t risk putting the rest of us in danger. If they get Nico -”

“We’ll all be put in danger if Percy messes this up!” Rachel stopped pacing and glared at the other girl. “Did you know when he first met me he tried to cut me half?!”

Nico failed to hold in a snort of laughter. “He what?”

“Swiped at me, with his sword. Thought I was a monster.”

“You?”

“I know, right? I’m as non-monster-like as they come!” 

“Oh no,” Annabeth put her head in her hands, “He is going to mess this up, isn’t he?”

“That’s what I’m saying!” Rachel pulled Nico and Annabeth away from the wall, “Now let’s go!”

The three of them stopped in their tracks as they came out of the tunnel. They were staring at a dark marble fortress. It sat imposing at the top of a mountain overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the walls as tall as the gates of Erebus. 

At the entrance, they could see two figures. The one closest to them looked like Percy running back to them. But something was wrong. He was frozen in place, one leg lifted like he was about to take a step, but it couldn’t reach the ground. Behind him was a man in his early twenties. He approached Percy casually, in contrast to the fierce glow coming from his eyes. He carried a large golden scythe. 

Nico spotted two telekhines trembling further into the fortress and he made a horrible realization. 

Kronos. Advanced Monster Card. Titan King and personification of time. 365000 health. 6000 attack. While fighting Kronos, all speed rolls must be made with disadvantage. Consumed his children Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Hades and Poseidon to maintain power until overthrown by Zeus in the Titanomachy. Holy shit the actual King of the Titans. 

“PERCY!” Rachel yelled. Either she didn’t realize who they were looking at or she had nerves of steel. From her bag, Rachel pulled out the only thing she could use as a weapon - a blue plastic hairbrush. 

She threw it with impressive aim, hitting Kronos in the eye. Nico was starting to have some serious respect for this girl. 

“Ow!” 

For the split second Kronos was distracted, Percy unfroze and sprinted toward them. He grabbed Annabeth, who was staring at Kronos in distress and booked it for the tunnel entrance. Rachel and Nico followed as fast as they could. 

As they ran, Nico realized the Labyrinth entrance wouldn’t be the safe haven they were hoping for. Without any intervention, Kronos and his goons would be able to just follow them into the maze and the monsters probably had more experience navigating the dark tunnels than they did. They were going to need a serious distraction. 

Power itched at his fingertips as they made it to the bottom of the hill, begging him to test its limits. Without Minos siphoning energy from him, Nico had a hunch his limits were much less restrictive than he previously thought. 

So as they heard Kronos yell, “AFTER THEM” he was ready. 

“No!” he yelled as he clapped his hands together, calling on the earth. This time instead of opening the ground, he pulled up. A spire of rock burst from the ground in front of the fortress, shaking the foundation and causing the front to collapse. Nico blinked away dust as he picked back up into a run. 

Several minutes and countless turns further into the Labyrinth later, they finally stopped running. Annabeth was still distraught, asking what had happened to Luke and Nico determined that Luke must have been who that body had belonged to before Kronos had taken it over. So that was what Kelli had meant that Luke would be as strong as the Titan Lord. Nico wasn’t sure why this was so distressing to Annabeth, Kronos or not; he'd been amassing an army against them, but there was no reasoning with her. Just when it looked like she and Rachel were about to start arguing again, she broke down in tears. 

It was time to get everyone focused. Nico stood and took a deep breath as he said to the others.“We have to keep moving. He’ll send monsters after us.”

Percy shared a glance with him in agreement before he helped Rachel up, “You did good back there.” 

“Yeah, well. I didn’t want you to die. I mean… just because, you know. You owe me too many favors. How am I going to collect if you die?” Rachel gave Percy a small smile. 

“Hey, I’m sorry. We need to move.” Percy whispered to Annabeth. 

She rubbed her nose on the back of her hand. “I know. I’m… I’m alright.” 

“Back to New York.” Percy declared, turning to Rachel, “Can you-”

The beam of Percy’s flashlight froze in front of them, focused on a clump of fabric. Nico squinted at it. Why was Percy so concerned about some ratty rag? Who knew how long it had been down here. 

It all made sense as Percy choked out, “Grover.”

Chapter Text

Nico wiggled his feet in his soaked shoes as they climbed out of the underground river at the center of the cave. The ice-cold water hadn’t been as uncomfortable for him as the others, his body still ran much colder than most people’s, but he hated the feeling of wet clothes stuck to his skin. He eyed Percy’s perfectly dry shirt with envy. 

They had followed the path from Grover’s rasta camp and eventually, thankfully, found Grover still alive with Tyson hovering over him. After getting quickly caught up to what had happened to the satyr and cyclops, they made their way across the water toward the large cave that waited on the other side. Power emanated from and drew them in. It felt like the opposite of the power Nico had grown accustomed to, full of life and warmth and healing. 

Nico had met seven gods, four immortal souls, and several dozen monsters at this point but it still hadn’t prepared him for what waited in the cavern. Amidst strange, beautiful plants were sparkling crystals and soft verdant moss. Surrounded by animals that Nico was pretty sure should be extinct, was a large bed holding an old satyr. 

Pan; god of the Wild. For every turn Pan is in play all other heroes gain 100 health. When no heroes are available, Pan can activate Panic, disabling all enemy attacks for three turns. Typically in the form of a satyr, Pan is also the god of fields, groves, and wooden glens… and apparently caves. 

Pan smiled at them as they entered, gesturing for them to gather around him. Everything about the cavern felt peaceful, a sheltered refuge in the middle of a storm. Nico joined Annabeth and Rachel in kneeling respectfully as the god greeted Grover. 

Despite the calm, something didn’t seem right here. The more he considered it, the easier Nico recognized that Pan wasn’t fully there. He was only a wisp of himself. Grover was determined to get the god to the surface so the other satyrs could see that he’d returned but Nico knew it was no use. A hum started buzzing in Nico’s head, faint but growing louder. He suspected he was sensing the approach of death. As if he could read Nico’s thoughts, Pan gestured to Grover, “Dear Grover, you must accept the truth. Your companion, Nico, he understands.”

Nico formed his words carefully, “He’s dying. He should have died long ago. This.. this is more like a memory.” 

“But gods can’t die.” Grover blinked in confusion.

“They can fade,” Pan said gently, “when everything they stood for is gone. When they cease to have power, and their sacred places disappear. The wild, my dear Grover, is so small now, so shattered, that no god can save it. My realm is gone. That is why I need you to carry a message. You must tell the satyrs, and the dryads, and the other spirits of nature, that the great god Pan is dead.” 

Pan continued his farewells, imploring them all to carry on his spirit. As he turned to each of his companions, Nico heard another sound in his head, loud enough to push away the ringing in his ears signaling Pan’s end. 

And you demigod I will advise privately, Pan’s voice said, W e are not so different, you and I. Wherever there is life, there is also death. You cannot have one without the other.

Your battles have just begun but you will not make it through them if you are lost to the first. Time will heal you, but you must let it. Allow yourself to move to a new future as trees shed their leaves to welcome the buds of spring.

Nico bit his lip as he looked around at the others. Rachel wiped a tear from her cheek as Pan turned from her to Grover. Even as the god began to speak, his voice continued in Nico’s head; 

Remember, son of Hades, even in the most desolate landscapes hope blooms. When you are at your worst, when even misery herself can find no fault, find it. Find hope and treasure it. In it lies the connections that will be your fiercest power.

As his last words faded in Nico’s mind, so did the last wisps of energy swirling around them as the god dissolved. The cavern dimmed, and the animals crumbled to dust. 

Grover took a shaky breath, “We should go now and tell them. The great god Pan is dead.”

Rachel led them through the Labyrinth back to New York without issue after that. The commotion of Times Square was jarring after the dark eerie tunnels, even after Percy led them away to an out-of-the-way alley. With a high-pitched whistle, he summoned a few friends - pegasi from Camp Half-Blood. 

As the others got started saddling up to their steeds, Nico approached the one closest to him carefully. He remembered how the horses back at Greyon’s ranch hadn’t been keen for him to be in their stalls, shying away from him as soon as he got near. 

After the fifth attempt of even just getting a hand on its mane, Nico was getting frustrated. Why’d they have to do everything Percy’s way anyway? “Go without me!” He said, “I don’t want to go back to that camp anyway.”

Percy came up to them and patted the pegasus on the neck. He seemed to have some conversation with it and it settled down. “Nico,” he said, “we need your help.”

Nico glared back at him, ready to argue that he’d helped enough already, but Annabeth’s hand on his shoulder stopped him. “Nico, please.” 

He saw genuine respect in her eyes. She knew what he was capable of and was convinced that he would make a difference. Even if it was only because they were heading into battle, she was asking him to join them. “All right. For you . But I’m not staying.”

Nico climbed onto the waiting pegasus and joined the others in the air as they made their way to Camp Half-Blood.

When they landed at camp they were met by Chrion, an old satyr, and a couple of the Apollo cabin archers. Nico pointedly looked away from them, not wanting to meet their gazes, especially the tall one with the medic armband tied around his bicep. He wondered if Lee had noticed his missing supplies back in December. 

Unfortunately, Chiron instructed him to follow the Apollo archers as they made their way into the clearing. Nico tried to stay a few feet behind them, but Lee intentionally stayed back. 

“It’s nice to see you, Nico, “ Lee looked down at him with a sympathetic expression, “You’ve been missed.”

Nico didn’t have the opportunity to ask him what he meant before they made it into the clearing and he saw the full extent of the military operation. His first thought was surprise at how many people there were. He had guessed that camp had been quiet back in December, but he’d not had a good understanding of just how many people were missing. There had to be a dozen archers running into the trees, and three or four demigods assessing and calibrating each of the five catapults. A tent in the back held several children of Athena, pouring over maps of the forest and directing others into positions. The entire front line was made up completely of children of Ares. As amazed as he was, he knew it would be nothing compared to what was coming.

“We’ve got groups of archers positioned all around Zeus’ fist,” Lee said, pointing to the mass of rocks at the center of the clearing. “Since they’re coming straight into camp through the Labyrinth, we’re hoping to keep them contained to the forest.” 

They passed Beckendorf hefting a boulder into one of the catapults. Behind him, Travis and Connor were making the last adjustments to a few traps rigged between the trees. 

Lee eyed the sword at Nico’s waist, “Looks like you would be best suited with the close-range fighters. You can join the Ares cabin or a group of Hermes kids over there.” He pointed toward a cluster of shields and spears. 

Nico nodded and unsheathed his sword. Here in the bright afternoon, it was apparent how dark the blade was. It didn’t even reflect the sunlight. Lee looked Nico over nervously one more time before nodding, “I need to head into the woods and get into position with my siblings, good luck.” With that the son of Apollo ran into the trees. 

 Nico didn’t join the other campers. He didn’t want to be distracting or get in the way of their planned formations. Besides, if he ended up needing to use his powers, he was going to need a lot of space to work. He had just enough time to jog over to a corner of the clearing that had been left relatively open when he felt the ground shake and the chaos began. 

By now, Nico had held his own against several monsters but he’d never been in a battle. At first, the sheer number was overwhelming. Monsters poured out of Zeus’ first like a tidal wave. Giants surged into the ranks of demigods, clashing with the Ares cabin’s barricades. Others, dracaena and telekhines dodged the rain of arrows coming from the trees and looked for less fortified points of entry. Nico ran to meet a telekhine that had separated from the main group. He brought his sword down on the monster’s shoulder and felt the essence flow into the blade. He barely had time to regain his balance before he was dodging a stab from a dracaena’s spear. 

The next several minutes were a blur, full of slashing, ducking, swiping, and dodging as much as he could. Boulders were flung from catapults and jars of greek fire erupted all around him. A few of the campers were engaged with other demigods, some of the half-bloods Luke had recruited. Nico was afraid he’d not be recognized and would have to cross blades with one of the kids defending the camp, but it seemed that he was cutting a path through the monsters effectively enough they could tell which side he was on. 

Nico shook his head, trying to clear it as he made a stab toward another dracaena. The clearing was filled with the sounds of celestial bronze on steel, shouts from campers, and the snarling of giants, but it wasn’t enough to down out the ringing that had begun in his ears. It had grown steadily from the start of the battle and now it was a constant tone. After his encounter with Pan, Nico knew what it meant. He was surrounded by imminent death, for both monsters and demigods. He couldn’t decipher it well enough to isolate any one person in particular, but he knew one thing for sure. They wouldn’t be getting out of this fight without casualties. 

He tried not to focus on that idea as he dodged away from the hammer swinging for his face. As he stabbed the telekhine on the other end, he heard a voice call across the clearing, “Nico!” 

Percy was pointing towards a gap in the clearing. A group of dracaena were slithering towards the path that led out of the forest. All the other groups of fighters were already engaged in the main fight. There was no one to keep them from making it to camp proper and wreaking havoc. 

Nico held his sword out in front of himself and called upon his powers, pouring all his energy into his command, “Serve me.” 

In front of the snake women, the ground cracked with a deep snap. From the depths crawled out a dozen undead warriors. These weren’t the wisps of souls or skeletons that he had summoned before, but whole corpses of military forces from across time. Following Nico’s will, they raised their swords and engaged the dracaena. 

Nico had just enough time to feel relief that it had worked before he fell to his knees and his vision went dark. 

Chapter Text

Nico woke up coughing, the taste of something sweet in his mouth. Percy was hovering over him, “Nico, what happened? Can you talk?”

He felt like he’d gotten trampled by a herd of centaurs, but he was still whole. He nodded, “Never tried to summon so many before. I - I’ll be fine.” 

Percy and Tyson helped Nico sit up and gave him something to drink. Percy said it was nectar, which explained why it tasted like he was drinking hot chocolate even though it looked more like sparkling lemonade. After a few sips, his head was feeling a little clearer and he scanned the crowd that was milling behind the others. It looked like the battle was over, the clearing was quiet, but the sense of death was still hanging over them. 

“Daedalus.”

“Yes, my boy.” The inventor stepped toward them. He had a few scratches along his arms, bleeding golden, but he was still here. He was still alive. “I made a very bad mistake. I came to correct it.” 

Nico nodded as he studied the man in front of him. His body wasn’t quite human, he could see now that it was made of metal plates and gears underneath the layer of skin. So that was how Daedalus had escaped death for so long - he had made himself an automaton. Long after his mortal body had decayed, his soul still lived. 

It was unnatural, how Daedalus had managed to avoid passing into the Underworld, but there was a defiance to it that Nico could understand. When the world insisted there was only one path forward, but you had the power to deny it, it was easy to justify using that power for the wrong reasons. Just as Nico was trying to learn, Daedalus seemed to understand he was just prolonging the inevitable. 

Nico knew what needed to happen next, but he was willing to give Daedalus the time he wanted for goodbyes. His cue came when the inventor said, “I will take what comes, and trust in the justice of the Underworld, such as it is. That is all we can do, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

Daedalus stared straight at the prince of the Underworld, “Will you take my soul for ransom, then? You could use it to reclaim your sister.” 

“No.” Nico took a deep breath, “I will help you release your spirit. But Bianca has passed. She must stay where she is.” 

“Well done, son of Hades. You are becoming wise.” He turned to Percy, “One last favor, Percy Jackson. I cannot leave Mrs. O’Leary alone and she has no desire to return to the Underworld. Will you care for her?” Nico finally noticed the massive hellhound. She licked Daedalus’ hair and sniffed at Nico’s feet. He wondered if animals from the Underworld were as uncomfortable with him as horses seemed to be.

“Yeah, Of course, I will.” 

“Then I am ready to see my son... And Perdix. I must tell them how sorry I am.” 

Nico drew his sword as Daedalus turned toward him. He followed his intuition as he rested the flat side of the blade on Daedalus’s shoulder. “Your time is long since come. Be released and rest.” 

Daedalus faded to dust with a sigh of relief, the last bits of ash getting picked up in a slight unnatural breeze. Nico felt the release as the soul made its long overdue journey to the Underworld. The ground shook underneath them as the Labyrinth collapsed. 

Percy surveyed the clearing with a deep sigh, “Come on. We have work to do.”

The others followed Percy and Annabeth to clean up after the battle, leaving Nico to roam about trying to find something useful to do. He didn’t have any more energy to summon any undead to help with returning the catapults back to camp, and he was hesitant to try to help the wounded. The after-effects of using so much of his power were causing him to leave dead grass wherever he walked and he doubted others would find much comfort in someone who killed the grass at their feet treating their wounds. Instead, he settled on roaming the perimeter stabbing the remains of slayed monsters that hadn’t yet returned to Taratus like some kind of mythological trash collector. 

He felt the satisfying hum as his sword absorbed the energy of an armless telekhine and turned to survey the state of the clearing.

“Will?” Nico asked as he saw the son of Apollo rush between the trees. A half-full quiver of arrows was strapped to his leg, the bow long forgotten. Instead, he was lugging a large bag across his small shoulders full of bandages, herbs, and nectar.

Will stopped mid-stride and turned to him startled, “Nico?” His eyes were rimmed red.

“Will, what are you-?” What was Will doing running around as a medic? Wasn’t his brother the head healer? “Where’s Lee?”

“Lee?“ Will swallowed hard and glanced behind himself into the trees, “He’s - he’s gone.” 

Nico’s heart sank low into his gut. He had been right, today couldn’t have ended without the loss of demigod life. He struggled to find something to say. 

“Will! We need you!” An urgent voice called past the clearing. 

The blonde boy whipped his head around with wide eyes. As his gaze found the source he took a shaky breath and wiped his eyes on his already blood-stained sleeves. He gave Nico one last confused glance before he jogged into the trees.

Nico watched the funerals from a respectful distance. As a child of the Underworld, he felt an obligation to oversee them in some capacity but felt like he’d make others uncomfortable if he was out in the open. Word of his elite force of undead warriors had quickly spread through camp, solidifying his status as the ‘creepy son of Hades’. Sure, they’d been thankful for the reinforcements - especially ones that couldn’t die - but as soon as the battle was over nobody wanted to be near him. At best he was forced to ignore them as they lowered their voices as he walked past, at worst they actively avoided him. As much as he dreaded it, he deemed it necessary to brave the stares and whispers to watch over the rites and ensure he felt it as the souls of the heroes passed into the Underworld. 

Castor Linares, Son of Dionysus

Harriet Rowe, Daughter of Demeter

Aiden Flowers, Son of Aphrodite

Lee Fletcher, Son of Apollo

Each of the cabins draped a shroud over their sibling; a rich green one embroidered with flowers for Harriet, creamy white silk for Aiden, and a deep purple embroidered with grapevines for Castor. Each member of the Apollo cabin held an edge of the golden shroud they draped over Lee. It seemed like the entire camp felt the weight as it settled on his body. They’d all been greeted by his cheerful smile in the infirmary at some point, even Nico. 

Pollux attempted to say a few words in remembrance of his brother, but he choked up. Instead, he took the torch from Chiron solemnly and lit the pyre. The fire caught and spread to the others in a matter of seconds. 

As he watched the embers of the fire float above the trees Nico wondered what color shroud would have covered Bianca. Would it have been black for their father or silvery for Artemis, or as her brother would he have gotten to choose? He regretted running away from camp before he could find out. In fact, he wished he could have had any kind of funeral for her.  

When the ceremonies had ended and the last of the campers were trickling back to their cabins, Chiron rolled up to Nico in his wheelchair, “I trust the last rites were performed correctly?”

Nico nodded. “Perfectly.” 

“Well, I do have some practice.” The centaur’s face was grim. “Though I don’t usually have a child of Hades overseeing things.”

“I guess it’s not really a secret now.”

“No, though it needn’t be in the first place. We have trying times ahead of us, we must trust each other.”

“Trust?” Nico’s fists clenched, “If I’ve learned anything in the past months it’s that I can’t trust anyone.”

Chiron sighed. “I suppose we have failed you there. I can’t convince you we are worthy of your trust, but I hope I can at least convince you to follow me to the Big House for the night. While there is no Hades cabin, there is at least a couch you can sleep on.” 

Nico wanted to argue but restrained himself. Chiron was doing him a favor by offering somewhere out of the judgemental eyes of others and the thought of somewhere comfortable to sleep for the night was too good to pass up. He let out a huff of defeat and started toward the Big House, leaving Chiron to follow. 

The next day camp was still busy with cleaning up the aftermath of the battle. A few children of Demeter went out to the clearing and did what they could to heal the dryads that had gotten injured in the many fires that had broken out. Beckendorf and a few of his siblings went straight to the forge to begin repairing the weapons, shields, and traps that had all taken damage. They were convinced they would need them back in commission sooner rather than later. But the busiest part of camp was the infirmary. 

Nearly everyone had sustained some kind of injury. Now that the direst cases had been triaged and stabilized, the back room of the Big House had become the most hectic walk-in clinic you could imagine. Children of Apollo buzzed from cot to cot trying to quickly assess and treat each new demigod that came in. Some simply needed a bandage and a few squares of ambrosia before they were sent on their way. Others were not so fortunate, the blood seeping through their bandages indicating that their injuries needed to be treated more than the temporary fixes they had gotten last night. That meant cleaning wounds, setting bones, assessing infections, and performing stitches and only a few people at camp had those skills. One of them had burned underneath a golden shroud the night before. The other was… well - 

“Will! Can you look at this?” 

“I need help over here! Will, where is the gauze? 

“Am I doing this right, Will?”

The son of Apollo took a deep breath as he turned from one sibling to another. “That looks fine. Check the top left cabinet, and I don’t know if that’s right. I - I can’t remember.”

Nico watched from the doorway as Will continued to be peppered with questions. He remembered the conversation Lee and Beckendorf had had about Will in December and wondered if the other Apollo kids had gotten as much instruction in medicine as he had. 

It seemed that Will was the only one who had the experience to handle the most serious injuries, but he kept getting pulled away from them to answer questions from his siblings. If he had fewer interruptions he’d probably get through the patients twice as fast. 

To his own surprise, Nico found himself considering stepping in to help. He’d treated himself a few times in the middle of the Labyrinth, he could probably help with getting some of the easiest wounds taken care of. 

It took more courage than he would admit to grab a roll of bandages and approach a girl cradling her wrist. She wasn’t actively bleeding and didn’t look to be in any intense amount of pain so she probably just needed the joint wrapped up tightly and a few bites of ambrosia. “Here, let me help you.” 

As Nico reached for her hand, she jumped. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to help, your wrist is injured isn’t it?”

“You’re that son of Hades, aren’t you?” 

“My name’s Nico.”  He tried to keep his voice even as he took her hand in his carefully.

“Ah! Don’t touch me!” She pulled her hand away sharply, “Your hands are as cold as the dead. I don’t want you healing me, you'll only make it worse!”

Nico scowled at her. “I will not -”

“It’s okay, Nico” Will appeared next to him and gently took the roll of bandages from his hand. “I’ve got this.” 

Nico bit back his retort as he saw the tiredness in Will’s eyes. He wondered if he’d gotten any sleep last night. “Fine. Probably best if I stay away from where you’re trying to heal people anyway.”

The girl nodded firmly, still holding her arm protectively away from him while Will’s brows furrowed in concern. “That’s not what I-“

Nico turned and stalked away from the infirmary before anyone else could chip in to agree. 

By dinner, Nico was itching to leave. He wanted to get away from the stares and whispers and back to the quiet of being on his own. There wasn’t even a normal place for him to sit in the dining pavilion. Connor and Travis had offered him a spot at the Hermes table, but one look at the anxious expressions of the others told him everyone would be more comfortable if he found somewhere else. Chiron had even suggested that he sit up with him at the head table, but that was somehow worse. He couldn’t stand the thought of being on display, sitting up there where everyone’s eyes could be on him. 

Instead, he hovered in the shadows as the others ate. He watched as the campers lined up at the hearth in the center of the pavilion to make offerings to their parents. Pollux remained at his table, not needing to get up because his father was sitting across from being unexpectedly supportive in the young man’s grief. 

All the cabins who had lost one of their own had their own way of supporting each other. Demeter’s children were each checking on each other, making sure they’d had enough to eat or drink. At the Aphrodite table, Silena was telling stories about her brother and trying to help the youngest of them smile. 

Nico found himself most drawn to the Apollo table, the group of them leaning on each other in their shared grief. Each of them was somehow touching one of their siblings; holding their hands, leaning against shoulders, resting in each other's laps. He wanted to go up to them and say something but what could he say? Welcome to the dead siblings club? He shook his head at the ridiculous idea. Bianca would have known what to say.

Maybe now, after everything with Pan and Daedalus, Nico understood what she had been trying to tell him. He couldn’t hold on to what wasn’t there. He had to find some new way forward, a new normal. Still, he had one thing he wanted to say. With everyone’s attention focused elsewhere, he made his way quietly into the shadows and headed for the woods.

He pulled a cookie out of his pocket as he walked. He had nicked it from the dining pavilion earlier that day, out of habit from being on the streets, and tucked it away to eat later. It wasn’t the most glamorous of offerings but it would have to do. He dug the hole himself, the overturned earth from the battle was easy to manipulate. He supposed he could have willed the ground to give way to a pit of the exact specifications but the act of pulling his fingers through the dirt was therapeutic. He didn’t think he needed to be precise. He felt closer to the Underworld now than he ever had while roaming the surface. His command over the dead was the strongest it had ever been, all he would need to do was reach out. Besides, if it didn’t work this time then it never would. 

With the offering prepared he knelt on the ground and began to chant. Relief flooded through him when he felt a response almost immediately. He hadn’t realized how afraid he had been. 

Bianca’s form shimmered between the trees as she approached. She took a small bite of the offering and sat cross-legged across from him. “Hello, Nico. I can’t stay long.”

“I - I know. I just needed to see you again.”

“You’ve grown.” 

“You said that last time.” Nico picked at the grass, "I’m not any taller.” 

“That’s not what I meant.” She smiled at him patiently, “I’m proud of you.”

“You are?”

“Of course I am. I’ll always be proud of my little brother. Even if I'm not there to tell you”

Nico blinked back tears, “What am I supposed to do without you?”

“Try to find a spark of who you used to be. You might not ever be the same, but you were a happy curious kid once. That’s all I want - for you to be happy.”

“I’m going to miss you.”

“I know, but you have to move forward.” Bianca’s spirit didn’t make a sound as she stood. “You won’t be able to call on me again. I’m going to try for rebirth.” 

“So this is goodbye?”

“I’m afraid it is.” She smiled sadly and reached out to touch his face, but all he felt was an icy cool mist. “Goodbye, Nico. I love you.” 

“I love you, too.” 

He sniffed as he turned away from his sister’s fading ghost. Percy was staring through the trees at him, no doubt afraid Nico was going to disappear again. 

“Saying goodbye,” Nico said in a way of explanation.

“We missed you at dinner,” Percy said, as though that was justification for following Nico into the woods. “You could’ve sat with me.”

“No.”

“Nico, you can’t miss every meal. If you don’t want to stay with Hermes, maybe they can make an exception and put you in the Big House. They’ve got plenty of rooms.” 

Nico almost laughed. Percy still thought Nico would find a place here? He’d proved he could make it on his own just fine. “I’m not staying, Percy.” 

“But… you can’t leave. It’s too dangerous out there for a lone half-blood. You need to train.” 

“I train with the dead. This camp isn’t for me.” Nico glanced past Percy’s shoulder to the glowing lights of the cabins. “There’s a reason they didn’t put a cabin to Hades here, Percy. He’s not welcome, any more than he is on Olympus. I don’t belong. I have to go.”

He didn’t mention that spending all his time at a camp full of kids with barely any privacy was not his idea of a good time. Camp may be great for people like Percy, but not Nico. He needed time alone. He needed answers. 

“When will you go?”

“Right away. I’ve got tons of questions. Like who was my mother? Who paid for Bianca and me to go to school? Why can’t I remember what came before the Lotus Hotel? I know nothing about my past. I need to find out.”

“Make sense, but I hope we don’t have to be enemies.” 

Nico looked at his feet. He didn’t think he’d ever actually be Percy’s enemy. “I’m sorry I was a brat. I should’ve listened to you about Bianca.”

“By the way…” Percy pulled a small figure out of his pocket. “Tyson found this while we were cleaning the cabin. Thought you might want it.” In his hand was the small Hades figurine. The last thing Bianca had tried to give him. 

“I don’t play that game anymore. It’s for kids.”

“It’s got four thousand attack power.”

Nico couldn’t help himself, the words came out of his mouth automatically, “Five thousand, but only if your opponent attacks first.”

“Maybe it’s okay to still be a kid once in a while.” 

He tossed the figurine to Nico, who caught it and admired it for a moment before tucking it safely away in his pocket, “Thanks.”

Percy offered his hand. Nico shook it cautiously, watching for him to flinch at the difference in temperature. His eyebrows raised slightly, but he didn’t pull away. Maybe it was a good thing Percy was one who’d have to face Kronos. He was brave, even if foolhardy. But if what they had seen on the mountain was any indication, he was going to need to be a lot stronger.

“I’ve got a lot of things to investigate. Some of them… Well, if I learn anything useful, I’ll let you know.”

Percy gave him a slow nod as though trying to figure out what he meant. “Keep in touch, Nico.” 

Nico turned and headed deeper into the shadows, feeling as though they followed him as he trekked into the woods.

Chapter Text

Part 4: Shadows of Past and Present

Nico got only a few steps into the forest before he realized he didn’t know where he was going. He smacked his head as he remembered the Labyrinth had died with Daedalus. So much for a dramatic exit. He was going to have to turn around and hope he didn’t run into anyone as he tried to figure out the conventional way out of camp. 

Where was he even going anyway? He needed to get answers, yes, but where should he start? He didn’t have anything to go off of, except maybe his own last name. As much as his father had made it clear he wanted nothing to do with him, Nico figured asking Hades was his best bet. He just didn’t know how to easily get to Charon’s entrance on the west coast. That was a long way to go above ground. How many monsters would he run into? Kronos’ army was probably already regrouping and they’d be on the lookout for wayward demigods. 

He paced between the trees as he tried to come up with a better option. At his feet, the shadows from the trees were stretching toward him, as if reaching out. What if he could just teleport to the Underworld? 

His mind thought back to how he had been able to reach through the shadows at Greyon’s ranch. Why couldn’t he just do that with his whole body; step through one shadow here and emerge from another somewhere else? 

It was worth a shot, he told himself. The worst that could happen would be he’d walk straight into a tree and deal with being laughed at by a dryad. 

With a deep breath, he focused on the dark crevasse in the large oak next to him. The void called to him, welcoming him like an open doorway. He glared at it.

Okay,  he thought, Now just walk into it. Straight at the tree. Just walk. Into. The tree. 

His feet didn’t move. He let out a groan of frustration. This was crazy, but if Percy could talk to horses and summon tidal waves and keep his clothes dry an- and all those other cool things - why couldn’t Nico walk through shadows? 

With one more second to steal his nerves, Nico charged the tree. 

He collided with it. 

“Ow!” He rubbed his head as he stumbled backward. He heard giggling from behind him. Called it, he thought.

“What’d you do that for?” 

“I thought -“ He glanced back at the trunk of the tree, looking as solid as ever, “Never mind.” 

The dryad scrunched her nose at him as she came closer. Her skin was a soft shade of green, a few shades lighter than her hair. 

“You’re Nico aren’t you? Are you trying to leave camp?” 

Nico hesitated just a moment before he said, “Yes.”

“You’re going the wrong way.” 

“I only ever got here by sun chariot, pegasus, and underground Labyrinth. None of which are an option now.  I don’t know which way to go.”

“Well, through Oak’s trunk is not it.” She smirked at him. “But the road is that way. It borders the forest for half a mile just west of here.” She pointed behind him. 

“Thanks, uh -”

“Juniper.” She held out her hand to him. “I hope we see each other again. Grover tells me you’re a powerful demigod. We’re going to need you.” 

“I’m not, really. You don’t need me.”

“We’ll see.” Juniper gave him a sad smile, “Good Luck, Nico.”

He didn’t make it to the west coast, but he did manage to hitchhike to New York City. Between the nonchalant delivery driver, the trio of college-age kids on their way to a concert, and one unsuspecting trucker who had an extra piece of cargo for 50 miles, Nico made it to Central Park.  He couldn’t quite explain it, but he had a feeling there was a way to get to the Underworld from here. 

He paced the trail that looped around the pond. There had to be an entrance here somewhere, it was just hidden by the Mist. At that thought, a memory invaded Nico’s mind - an old orientation film for Camp Half-Blood of all things. 

“ It’s Misty and it’s magic and it keeps the monsters out… ” He sang under his breath, “ that’s what it’s all about. ”

On the last word, Nico heard the shifting of rock. He turned to see the pile of boulders behind him open up, leaving an entrance of a dark tunnel. 

“Did I just… sing that open?” Nico asked the empty park. There was no answer, thank the Gods. Nobody needed to hear him sing. 

He could sense the weight of death hanging over the opening. It definitely led to the Underworld. With an amused shake of his head, he gripped his sword and headed on his way to chat with his father. 

It was just as easy to enter Hades’ palace as it had been the first time. Nico supposed that there wasn’t a lot of reason to guard the doors if the Underworld was primarily filled with listless souls roaming through Asphodel. Still, he was more careful than he had been the first time, he didn’t want to have another run-in with Persephone. 

He made it to the entrance to the throne room after only a few wrong turns. At the doors, he paused, admiring their formidable beauty. He’d not had the time to really appreciate how magnificent the palace was before. Everything was intricately carved and inlaid with gold, depicting various scenes of gruesome deaths. It was an imposing show of power and wealth, even if no one was around to see it. 

For one brief moment, he considered knocking, but he figured that would more than likely just summon guards and get him kicked out before he even had a chance to see his father. Instead, he pushed open the doors as assertively as he could. 

He was prepared to storm into the room and demand answers but he stopped in his tracks as he realized the room was empty. Two thrones sat at the back of the room, one dark and made of bones, the other woven together with delicate vines of silver, but they were empty. Where was Hades?

The God of the Underworld came into the room from a side entrance, leisurely taking a bite of a candy bar. He scowled as he saw Nico. “You again. I thought I made myself clear the first time.”

“I’m not here for Bianca, I’m here for answers.” 

“And to raid my weapon stores, I see.” Hades nodded to Nico’s belt as he sat on his throne. 

Nico’s hand went to the hilt of his sword defensively, “You weren’t using it.”

“Hmph. I suppose you’re right. So why shouldn’t I immediately call the guards to drag you out of here?”

“I could just tell them to bring me back?” Nico offered, “I can command the dead too.”

“Oh is that right?” Hades took the last bite of his chocolate bar and wadded up the wrapper. “I heard about that, calling yourself the Ghost King now, are you?”

Nico flushed, “I was only claiming what is rightfully mine. You might not care, but I am a child of the Underworld.” 

“And why are you here, Oh mighty Ghost King?” Hades looked amused like Nico was playing a game of pretend. What was he going to have to do to get his father to take him seriously? 

“I came here for answers. How did Bianca and I end up at Westover? Who was paying for that? You have to know.”

“Even if I do, I have no reason to tell you.”

“Then what about the Lotus Hotel? Why was I there? Who came to get us out?”

“None of that matters now. ” Hades waved his hand indifferently. Nico clenched his firsts. He was getting aggravated. 

“Then tell me about my mother! Who was she? Why don’t I remember her?” 

Hades’ expression darkened, “Do not speak of her.”

“Why not?” Anger flashed in Nico’s gut, “She’s my mom! I deserve to know!” 

“You do not know what you’re asking for.”

Nico glared at his father. The temperature of the air around him dropped ten degrees. “I know exactly what I’m asking for! I need to understand my past!” 

“Enough!” Hades’ voice echoed through the room as he stood. “The only thing you need to understand your past is that damned prophecy.”

“The one about Percy?”

“Foolish boy,” Hades scoffed and then began to recite, “

A half-blood of the eldest gods

Shall reach sixteen against all odds

And see the world in endless sleep

The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap

A single choice shall end his days

Olympus to preserve or raze”

Nico just stared back at his father when he’d finished. How was that supposed to explain his past? That didn’t sound like it had anything to do with him, but it also didn’t sound good for anyone. If it really was about Percy then they didn’t have much time - a year? Two? - before it was supposed to come to pass. 

“I’ve given you all you need to know.” Hades declared. 

“But wait - that didn’t -” Nico tried to argue that he still didn’t know anything when he was cut off. 

“You again?!” A harsh voice came from the entrance to the throne room. Persephone was glaring at him, her face as red as the roses in her hair. “What are you doing here?”

“I want to know about my mother!” 

“I don’t want to even hear that woman’s name!” the goddess stormed into the room and thrust a finger into Hades’ chest, “You said you’d never talk about her again.”

“And I haven’t!” Hades held up his hands in surrender.  “Blame him for bringing her up.” He stepped away from his wife and pointed at Nico in such a sheepish way that it would have been funny if Nico wasn’t more concerned with having the goddess’ rage deflected to him.

She turned to Nico. “You. I liked you better as a dandelion.” 

“Wait! -” 

The goddess flicked her hand and before Nico knew it, there was a puff of dandelion seeds.

Nico’s first thought when he was back to being human; A freaking dandelion? Again!? He sneezed. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he was allergic to dandelions and he’d bet Persephone knew it. There wasn’t any other explanation for why she chose that specific plant. 

He shifted slightly and heard the crunching of ceramic. Apparently, he’d been carried out as a dandelion and turned back once he was fully outside the palace grounds. The gates were closed firmly behind him. It seemed they were learning that they shouldn’t keep their door open for any old demigod to come barging through. 

Nico picked himself up and dusted the dirt off his pants. If his father wasn’t going to give him anything to go off of, he’d have to find the information elsewhere. He trudged back down towards the Fields of Asphodel. Currently, the soul-judgment situation was a mess as Daedelus began his punishment; building a new overpass system to help with the traffic. None of it bothered Nico. The souls parted as he walked through them as they had the first time he was here. Ever since he had declared himself the Ghost King souls had even more deference toward him. He knew it mostly had to do with his growing powers over the dead, but it was difficult to be proud of it. It just made him feel more alone. 

He walked without direction for a while, getting more acquainted with the Underworld in general. Eventually, he found himself nearing the familiar sight of the gates of Elysium. The skeletal guards stood at even more strict attention as he approached, their bones creaking as their spines straightened. He waved them off lazily. 

“I’m not here for her.” He said flatly, “You can be at ease.” 

The two skeletons closest to the gate relaxed slightly. Nico could see past them to the souls milling about the paradisiacal afterlife. 

“Hey - um. I’m actually looking for some other… friends… of mine.” Nico said, “They died heroes. I just want to make sure they made it here as they should have. Castor Linares, Harriet Rowe, Lee Fletcher?”

As Nico said his name, a spirit with curly blonde hair turned toward the gates. He was as youthful and bright as he had been in life, moving gracefully through the streets on the other side. He looked at Nico, surprised, and hurried to the threshold, “Nico? What happened? Did you -?” 

Nico raised a hand to cut him off. “I’m alive, Lee.” He looked up at the son of Apollo’s spirit with a mixture of relief and heartache, “I’m just… visiting.”

Lee relaxed visibly as he understood, “Oh, right. You’re a son of Hades, I suppose this must just be one of those things you can do.”

“You knew before? Did Percy tell you?”

“No, Percy didn’t say anything, but some of us guessed. Will said you made plants wither when you were upset.” Lee got a distant look in his eyes, “Oh, Will…” 

“He’s okay.” Nico assured him, “Alive. He would have ended up here anyways if he wasn’t.” 

“I’m sure he would have.” Lee sighed, “Next time you see him, can you tell him something for me?” 

“Um, I -”

“Can you tell him I’m sorry? I wish I hadn’t had to put so much on his shoulders.” 

Nico didn’t have the heart to tell him that he had no idea when he’d see Lee’s brother next. Instead he just nodded. 

Lee smiled, even as a spirit it seemed to make him glow just briefly. “Thanks, Nico.”

He waved as he turned to head back into Elysium. Nico watched him go and tried to push down the guilt at the knowledge Lee’s message would go undelivered. He planned to stay away from Camp Half-Blood for as long as he could. 

The guard skeletons began to close in as he lingered just a little too long at the gate.

“I’m going, I’m going,” he told them, “Don’t get your ribs in a twist.”

He was turning to explore another corner of Asphodel when he heard a new voice, “Hey stranger.”

The voice belonged to a spirit coming around the boundary between Asphodel and Elyisum, a man in a traditional Greek chiton, leather strapped sandals, with a standard Greek sword strapped around his waist. His dark curly hair fell around his face. He kept a respectful distance but did not appear as hesitant in Nico’s presence as the other shades.

“What are you doing here?” Nico asked. With a glance at the endless fields below them, he added, “You’re not like them.”

“No, I have certain privileges,” said the shade with a gentle smile, “I roam the perimeter of Elysium to ensure all stays in order. I don’t usually run into demigods though.”

“I’m not staying.”

“Then perhaps I can accompany you.” the spirit offered. The soft smile stayed genuine but a firmness in his eyes told Nico this was not optional. He suspected this shade was sent to quietly escort him out of the Underworld. 

“Fine.” Nico walked past the shade and continued his way back into Asphodel, toward the tunnel he had used to come down. It took no time at all for him to catch up. They walked together in silence for a few moments before Nico looked up at him cautiously. “What’s your name?”

“Patroclus” the shade replied patiently, “And you are Nico, the son of Hades, are you not?”

“I am.”

“You still belong with the living. Why do you linger down here?”

“I have nothing up there.” Nico snorted, “It’s only a matter of time before I’m down here for real, why wait?”

Patroclus’ brow furrowed, concerned. He studied Nico for a moment before gesturing to his sword, “Where did you get that?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Do you know how to use it?”

“Of course I do.”

Patroclus slowed to a stop and nodded to Nico, “Show me.”

Nico rolled his eyes and unsheathed his sword. He got in a ready stance he’d learned while training against monsters with Minos. 

Patroclus tsked under his breath as he walked around Nico. “No, your stance is unstable. You need to be lower to the ground. Keep your weight evenly distributed.” 

Nico self-consciously tried to adjust as Patroclus drew his own sword. He taped their blades together and nodded, “Attack me.”

“What? I’m not going to do that! This is Stygian iron!”

“Yes, I know, and if you’re going to carry it around, you need to know how to use it.”

“But what if I hit you?”

“That’s the goal.” The corner of Patroclus’ lip twitched upward, “Though I doubt you will.” 

Nico scowled. He knew how to use his sword. He’d held his own just fine in the battle of the labyrinth. Of course, he’d only been attacking monsters. He’d wisely avoided clashing with any of the demigods. Patroclus raised his eyebrows in challenge. 

With a huff of annoyance, Nico swiped at his opponent. Patroclus easily stepped out of the way and deflected the blade. “Good attempt, try again.”

Nico did, this time aiming for Patrolcus’s exposed calves. He stepped out of the way gracefully before lowering his sword and gesturing for Nico to do the same. 

“You need to be deliberate and precise,” he said, “Stygian iron can be a powerful tool, but you need to be able to control it. You must only make the deadly strike when you mean to.”

He held up his sword and demonstrated. The swift cut of the blade made Nico step back in surprise. 

He stared up at him skeptically, “Why are you telling me this?”

“So that you’re prepared.”

“Like for the war with Kronos? I’m not going to fight. On either side.” Nico had his own things to worry about. The war was Percy’s problem for all he cared.

“There are lots of things worth fighting for on the surface, but if you’re so convinced…” Patroclus turned away from Nico and continued the trek to the tunnel.

“No, wait! Can you show me some more?”

Patroclus chuckled as he raised his sword again. “Very well.”

They trained for several hours. Patroclus led Nico through basic stances and attacks that he never learned when just slashing away at monsters. When he’d picked those up, they sparred, stygian iron to celestial bronze, forcing Nico to focus on controlling his swings. Patroclus never tired, matching Nico’s attacks with fluid parries and dodges. The training cleared his head, and gave him something productive to pour his energy into. Sparing with a ghost on the banks of the Styx, Nico felt the most himself he’d felt in weeks. 

Eventually, Nico needed a break. As he sat on the ground and took a swig of water, he squinted up at the shade. “How come you’re so good at combat?”

“I was a warrior in my time, though I never felt I was a very good one. There were… others who claimed that title.”

“Other heroes?”

“Yes. I fought alongside some of the mightiest. They could have been gods.” Patroclus’ gaze turned wistful and his eyes drifted towards the dark shape of Erebus on the horizon.

Something about that piqued Nico’s interest, “Could they have been as strong as a Titan?”

“I’m not sure, perhaps.”

“There’s one demigod, Luke. He’s managed to share his body with Kronos.”

“That should have burned him from the inside out.”

“But it didn’t. Do you know how he could have gotten that strong?”

Patroclus folded his arms, “Hm... I only know of one such warrior with that level of invulnerability, and it was not without a price.” He looked further along the bank of the river. From here, they could see the small cliff that led to the tunnel Nico had arrived through.“It’s time you headed back to the surface. You need to regain your energy with food and fresh air.”

“But I was getting better!” 

“I have faith you’ll continue to make progress on your own. You cannot spend all your time down here. Perhaps I’ll tell you a few more tactics on our way.” With that, Patroclus started on his way leaving Nico to scramble after him. 

Chapter Text

Turns out there weren’t a lot of places a 12-year-old could go for answers. He was laughed at when he tried to get into the New York State Archives and got weird looks when he started asking around city hall. At one point someone tried to get him to wait while they ‘made a few calls’ but he was smarter than that. He slipped out of their office as soon as their back was turned. 

The one place that didn’t bat an eye at a lonely boy wanting to look up nearly century-old records? The library. 

“Hi, can you help me?” Nico asked the first librarian he saw. 

“Of course! What do you need?” The woman behind the counter looked at him over her half-moon glasses. She had a smile that crinkled the corner of her eyes.

“I need to look up some… genealogy.”

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. 

“It’s for um, a school project.” Nico went to fiddle with his sword hilt but remembered it wasn’t on his belt. He’d tucked it in a corner behind the building, out of the way. Even if the Mist made it look like he wasn’t carrying a deadly weapon, he still wouldn’t have been allowed in with even the most innocuous of baseball bats. 

“I can show you where you can find the census records,” She walked around the desk and gestured to him to follow, “What are your parents' names? Or grandparents?”

“Erm. We’re just supposed to look up our last name in general. I’m looking for di Angelo.”

They rounded a corner and made their way deeper into the stacks of books, 

“Ah. Well, you can start with these. They’re organized by year, then alphabetically. So you can pick a year and go from there. It might help to start with the family members you know.” The librarian pulled a few dusty books from the shelves and handed them to him. “You can leave the books on that cart when you’re finished with them.”

“Thanks.” 

Nico looked at the title of the top one; Census of the City of New York: 1990 . He sighed. If his father was to be believed, he was going to have to go back much farther than that before he found anything. He carried the few books over to a nearby table and settled in. 

A few hours later, Nico had exhausted all of the New York City censuses back to 1950. He’d also found the regional records, army enlistment records, and telephone records. He stretched in his chair and glanced out the window. It was getting dark. The library would probably be closing soon, and he’d barely touched the surface of the information here. He’d have to come back tomorrow.

He returned to the library each day for the next week. He sorted through endless books and records searching for something that might give him a lead on figuring out who his mother was. All he could find was a reference in an old newspaper to some diplomat with the last name di Angelo who had moved to Washington D.C. in the 1940s. He felt like that should mean something, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t remember anything before he and Bianca had been pulled out of the Lotus Hotel. He couldn’t even remember what year he was born. Part of him was fine with that for now. Being 12 was hard enough, he didn’t want to also have to deal with being elderly. 

He sighed as he closed New Orleans Passenger List: 1943 . A small mention in a decades-old newspaper really wasn’t much to go off of, but it was all that he had for now. With his luck, it was probably just a coincidence. 

Even if he wasn’t finding everything he wanted to know, the library was an easy place to hang out. As long as he didn’t bother anyone, he could find a quiet corner and have a relatively comfortable place to spend the afternoon. Eventually, he got tired of looking at census records and started pursuing what other books he could read. 

He let out a snort at the title of one particularly relevant book, 1900-2000; Everything you need to know about the past century. He pulled it from the shelf and brought it to his corner, settling into the comfortable chair as he flipped through the pages. 

A lot can happen in a century but turns out most of it was war. 1920, Women fight for their right to vote (they hadn’t had it already?), 1939; World War II starts. 1940; McDonalds is founded, 1941; Pearl Harbor is attacked. 1949; Nato is founded (because of more war) and 1950; the Korean War starts. 

“War… war… oh, look, even more war,” Nico mumbled to himself. “Ares was really busy in this century…” 

He was just about to close the book when the entry for 1969 caught his attention. His eyes widened as he read the title and he snapped the book shut. He had to find a whole book on this, he couldn’t believe it -

We went to the MOON???

With the help of his new librarian friend, Nico quickly found himself going down the space mission rabbit hole. Missions to the moon, sending satellites to Jupiter, landing robots on Mars?! It was amazing. It was also pretty funny how many NASA missions were named after Greek gods. Nico wondered how Artemis felt about the missions to the Moon being named after her brother. 

Speaking of Greek myths… Ever since his encounter in the Underworld, Nico had been wondering just who Patroclus was. He had to have been significant, to have been given the freedom to roam the Underworld and the responsibility to escort Nico to the exit. But Nico couldn’t remember who he was. 

The next afternoon, he skimmed the shelves with various mythological anthologies. One of them should have something. Picking a few at random, he brought them back to his little nook. 

The first was a collection of snippets from the Iliad. Nico barely got into the first section describing Apollo and his plague (Nico needed to remember to never get on the god’s bad side) before it dawned on him. A swim. Invulnerable. Achilles. 

“That’s it!” he exclaimed. 

“Shhh!” His outburst was met with a chorus of shushing from all around him. He blushed and muttered quick apologies as he gathered his things. He had some investigating to do. He knew how Percy could beat Kronos.

Over the next few weeks, Nico tried to keep on the move. Most of the time he snuck his way onto trains or swindled a few bucks to buy a bus ticket, but occasionally he tried his own method of travel. After his failed attempt back at camp, he’d been hesitant to go charging into any more trees, but every so often when he found himself in a particularly dark alley he’d reach out to the shadows again. 

He hadn’t been making it up the first time. The shadows did really feel like they could act as doorways. He just had to figure out how to open the door and step through. 

He glared at the dark patch of shadow against the brick wall between two buildings. The sun was setting, making perfect conditions for long deep shadows. He could hear the horns of rush hour traffic in New York City coming from the alleyway entrance. He was determined this time. This time he’d do it. 

With a deep breath, he rushed the wall. 

SMASH! His nose and the bricks played a game of ‘who can smash harder into the other?’ - the brick won. He tasted the sharp tang on his lips telling him his nose was bleeding. 

“Ugh.” He held the back of his hand under his nose as he dug into his bag for some ambrosia. He’d managed to grab a little bit more in the aftermath of the battle, but he’d felt guilty taking advantage of the hectic infirmary. He didn’t want to imagine the look on Will’s face if he found out Nico had stolen from him. 

He leaned against the wall as he had the smallest of bites to help his nose heal. Why did he keep running into solid walls? He knew he could go from one shadow to another. He’d done it with singular body parts. Why couldn’t he do it with his whole body? 

Maybe he just had to feel it. He was trying to storm through the shadow as though it was two-dimensional, to spend as little time in it as possible but maybe that wasn’t right. A shadow was like an endless void, pulling him in, not a doorway from one bright space to another. If he let himself surrender to the darkness, maybe he’d have an easier time navigating it. 

He took another deep breath, trying to focus on what being surrounded by darkness would feel like. He closed his eyes to ignore the dying sunlight. He stopped listening to the traffic on the street. He let all sense of his surroundings go. 

And then he was falling. 

Icy coolness encompassed him, there was a roaring in his ears and he felt squeezed from all directions. The sensation ended as quickly as it had come and the next thing he felt was the unpleasant squishing as he fell into a puddle of mud. 

He blinked as he started up in the sky. Bright blue and clear. It had been dusk in New York. Did he just -? 

He sat up and looked around. He was in the middle of a flooded field. All around him were other segmented terraces each filled with a different type of crop. Next to him, Nico could see green stalks shooting up out of the water. He was in a completely different place. He did it! 

His excitement was short-lived as he immediately felt light-headed and dizzy. He fell back into the mud with a splash. 

When he woke up he was incredibly hungry. He was also no longer wet. His clothes were caked with dried mud, and he was lying on a small cot in the corner of a room. Across from him, two people were busying themselves with a stove. 

For a frightening moment, he wondered if he’d been captured. Kronos’ army was still out there, gathering strength. What if he’d fallen right into their laps? 

Still, getting him warm and dry while he was unconscious didn’t seem like a thing bloodthirsty monsters would do. The two people at the stove seemed as human as could be, quietly going about their routines, easily stepping out of each other's way as though they’d shared the space for years. He didn’t think telekhines and empousa would get along that well. 

As Nico tried to sit up, the cot groaned and squeaked, letting the others know he was awake. They turned and hurried to his side. The first, an older woman, pushed him back down to keep him from getting up too quickly. The second, a man in worn work clothes, immediately started talking in - was that Mandarin? 

Oh great, he had no idea what they were saying. His confusion must have been clear on his face because they soon started communicating with gestures as well as words. The woman held out a small bowl to him. He took it greedily and snarfed down the small bit of rice she’d offered. 

Mouth still half full he managed a muffled, “Thanks.”

The man raised his eyebrows at him in surprise and nudged the woman. They had a quick exchange before the younger of the two headed outside. He came back a minute later with a boy a year or two younger than Nico. He waved and said very carefully, “Hello.”

“You speak English?” Nico asked.

“A little. I am learning. At school. What is your name?” 

“Nico. What is yours?”

“Yufei” He turned to the man who urged him to continue, “My father wants to know how you got here.”

“Where is here?”

“Um.. I don’t think I understand.”

“Where are we? What city or um... village?”

“We are in Ganzi Village.” He gave Nico a weary glance before adding, “China.” 

China . He’d fallen through a shadow and ended up on the other side of the world. Nico gripped the edge of the cot to keep the world from spinning.

“Are you okay? You slept very long. Many days.”

“I did?” 

“Yes. We were…” Yufei ran his fingers through his hair like he was trying to remember a word, “worried.”

“Oh.” He knew using his powers made him tired, but he didn’t expect to pass out for days. Nico swung his legs off the cot and looked around him. Where were his things? Oh gods, what happened to his sword? “I had a… bag.”

Yufei dug underneath the cot and pulled out the beaten-up duffle Nico had carried with him for the past several months. Nico took it gratefully and dug through it. There didn’t seem to be anything missing. In fact, there might have been a few pieces of fruit that hadn’t been in there before. He found some ambrosia and took a few bites. Soon he was feeling well enough to try to stand. Yufei’s father put a hand on his arm to steady him. 

“You also had this,” Yufei pulled out another long object from under the bed and handed it to Nico. It looked like a gardening tool with a long wooden handle and a piece of bent metal attached to the end. As he wrapped his hand around the handle, it shifted in Nico’s vision into his familiar dark sword. He had a mini heart attack as he realized Yufei had been holding it by the blade. 

“I got it!” He quickly took it from the boy and returned it to his belt as Yufei cocked his head in confusion. He really needed to figure out a better way to carry it. With the ambrosia clearing his head and all his things returned to him, Nico started for the door. The others watched him, too surprised by his burst of energy to do anything. 

Before he left, he turned back to Yufei, “How do you say thank you?”

The boy smiled, “xièxiè”

Nico repeated the words, nodding his head to Yufei’s father and the older woman. He was sure he’d butchered the pronunciation, but hopefully, he just didn’t say something vulgar. It was the thought that counted, anyways, right?

As he made his way out of the building, he looked for the nearest out-of-the-way shadow. The best thing he found was a dark corner between a shed and a tall tree. He sat against the trunk of the tree and tried to remember what he had done the first time, something about focusing on the empty void and ignoring everything else.

It was easier this time now that he knew it was possible. It didn’t take long before he felt the shadows pulling at him. He tried to envision New York, giving himself a point to aim for. He took a deep breath and let himself fall. 

He emerged somewhere new. Luckily this time it wasn’t in the middle of a field. 

He was on a sandy beach, in the shade under a dock. The sun was low above the ocean, and he could hear people further down the beach chattering - playing games of volleyball and setting up bonfires. So not New York… but at least he was back in North America. 

His eyes drooped as he tried to get himself up. This new travel-through-shadows thing really did make him tired. He was going to need to find a safe place to take a nap. Even so, he smiled as he stumbled up the beach toward the street. No amount of tiredness could take away his excitement. Who needed swords that could turn into pens or the ability to keep your clothes dry in icy-cold rivers? 

Nico could teleport . 

Chapter Text

“Ow,” Nico rubbed his shoulder gingerly as he made his way to the fire escape. He was slowly getting the hang of this shadow-travel thing, but it had still taken him three tries of smacking into a wall before he’d successfully made it to the top of Percy’s building. At least he’d made it to the right place this time. 

Shadow travel was a weird way to navigate. All shadows were interconnected, Nico was learning, he just had to know how to make it from one to the next. Sometimes that involved picturing the place he wanted to go, seeing it in his mind as though it was simply on the other side of a doorway. Other times he could get around with feeling. He could step through a shadow with the purpose of getting close to some specific goal and he would find himself coming out of the shadow nearest wherever that goal was. That was how he’d managed to make it to the Jackson apartment without having ever been there before. 

It was a modest place, with a decent view of the New York City skyline. He could have made a nice evening of sitting out on the fire escape watching the sunset here only an hour or two before. Now, everything was illuminated by the bluish glow of the full moon. As he hopped down the third ladder, Nico saw Percy climb out of the window on the level below him. He stopped to watch as Percy pulled out a small silvery plant from his pocket and carefully dug a hole for it in the planter on the railing. He poured a few drops of nectar on it and a small bud emerged, blossoming in the moonlight. 

“Nice plant,” Nico said as he swung down from the ladder. His feet barely made a sound as he landed next to Percy. 

“Ah!” Percy jumped back half a step. The wind brushed his hair to the side making it very easy to see his eyes. They shone in the moonlight just like the plant on the railing. Nico had never noticed how green they were.

“Sorry” he mumbled, looking away quickly “Didn’t mean to startle you.”

“That-that’s okay. I mean… what are you doing here?”

“I’ve done some exploring. Thought you’d like to know, Daedalus got his punishment.” 

“You saw him?” 

Nico nodded and told Percy how Daedalus was now building overpasses through Asphodel, despite Minos having other ideas. Percy seemed to relax at the idea that the inventor got to spend some time with his family while in the afterlife. “But that’s not the real reason I’ve come. I’ve found some things.” 

He’d found more than a couple of things if he was honest. With the ability to teleport between the surface and the Underworld, he’d been able to do a lot of investigating. He still wasn’t any closer to learning about his family and he generally tried to stay away from his father’s palace, but he had made a very important discovery. “I want to make you an offer. “

“What?” Percy gave him a look like he didn’t know what Nico could possibly offer that he would want.

“A way to beat Luke. If I’m right, it’s the only way you’ll stand a chance.”

Percy took a moment to readjust his expectations. “Okay. I’m listening.”

Nico opened his mouth to explain but got distracted as he looked inside Percy’s window. On the dresser was a plate with a slice of cake, blue cake. He was reminded of his own disappointing birthday celebration. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a birthday cake. “Is that… is that blue birthday cake?”

Percy glanced into the room and then back at Nico. “Come inside for cake and ice cream. It sounds like we’ve got a lot to talk about.”

He swung his legs back inside and waved for Nico to follow him. After a hesitant glance back up to the roof, he did.

They came into the kitchen to the sound of three people cheering. Tyson and two adults who were probably Percy’s parents were playing a game of Monopoly. Tyson was happily taking money from the man next to him. The woman looked up at them as they entered. 

“Mom, this is Nico. He’s… from camp.”

Percy’s mom gave him a meaningful glance as though Nico was not the first guest to appear out of nowhere this evening. Percy just shrugged. She let out a good-natured sigh and turned to Nico, “Hello, Nico. It’s nice to meet you. You can call me Sally and that’s Paul and Tyson.”

Tyson beamed at him, “Hi Nico! I own all four railroads!”

Paul chuckled, “And he’s just bankrupted me, so that’s the game.”

“So you’re from camp?” Sally asked as she got up from the table “Percy didn’t tell me he had friends from camp coming.” 

“He wasn’t expecting me, and I don’t actually stay at camp.” Nico hovered by the doorway as Percy started helping Paul and Tyson put away the game. “I’ve got a lot to do so I stay moving.”

“Hm,” Sally studied him a moment before nodding, “Would you like some cake?”

Nico’s lips quirked up slightly, “Yes, please.”

After they’d finished their cake and gotten all the pieces back into the Monopoly box, Paul got Tyson to help him with the dishes while Sally tidied up the last remnants of Percy’s small birthday party. Percy took Nico into the living room and asked him about his plan. It didn’t take long to explain but by the end of it, Nico was on the edge of his seat, bouncing his leg with anticipation.

“I don’t know, Nico,” Percy said, leaning back into the couch, “What if it doesn’t work?”

“It’s the only way. Without it, you don’t stand a chance against Kronos. You saw him on the mountain.”

“I did.” Percy crossed his arms, “Still, You’re asking a lot. It’s a really dangerous plan. ”

Anger briefly flashed through Nico, Says the guy who let my sister die. He bit back his retort as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. That wasn’t what Bianca wanted. It wasn’t Percy’s fault, he needed to let it go. Instead, he kept his tone tight, “Of course it’s dangerous, but if you’re going to take on Luke, you need to be prepared.”

Percy fiddled with a zipper on one of the couch cushions. “I’ll- I’ll think about it. Just give me some time.” 

“We don’t have much time.” 

Sally interrupted them as she stepped into the room carrying a bundle of pillows and blankets, “Nico, are you going to stay the night? I’m about to get Tyson set up in Percy’s room, but I can find some things for you as well. The three of you can have a sleepover.” 

“No!” Nico stood from the couch abruptly, “I mean, I can’t stay.”

Percy eyed Nico like he wanted to argue but didn’t say anything as Nico made his way to the door. It was fully dark by now, he’d be able to find a good shadow to step into just outside.

“Are you sure?” 

“Yeah, I’ve got to get going. Got somewhere else to be.”

Sally followed him down the hall to say goodbye. When Nico’s hand touched the handle he turned back to her. “Thank you, Ms. Jackson, for the cake.”

“You’re welcome, anytime.” She put a hand on his shoulder, and added in a whisper, “I mean it. You can stop by whenever you need. It doesn’t matter whether Percy’s here or not.” 

Nico swallowed as he stared back at her. She stepped back as he opened the door and stepped into the warm summer night. “Stay safe, Nico.”

***

Nico’s world opened up, literally, once he got the hang of shadow travel. He could go anywhere he wanted with a bit of focus and exertion of his powers, provided it wasn’t so far a distance that he immediately passed out, and he didn’t do it several times in a row, and he wasn’t too distracted so that he could aim properly. Generally, he thought he’d picked up the skill and was figuring out its limits pretty quickly but it wasn’t without its mishaps. A few of them were generally positive.

Once, he’d ended up in the nosebleed section of a Yankees game. It was a nice sunny autumn afternoon and there were still three innings left so he decided to stay and watch the game. The Yankees won. Another time he woke up on a popcorn-covered couch in the middle of a disheveled living room, a group of college-aged guys hovering over him. They’d been convinced he was some kind of child prodigy that had snuck into their frat house for the party the night before which made him the coolest 12-year-old they knew. He decided to keep the whole demigod who could command the dead thing to himself. 

After a particularly close call with some Lastrygonians in Boston, Nico managed to escape by rushing through the shadow behind a few recycling bins. He was too concerned with getting away from them that he didn’t really think about where he was trying to go. 

Even so, he tumbled out the other side to find a strangely familiar sight. He was behind a dumpster in a tucked-away alleyway. Brownstones lined the street on either side of him. For a minute he was afraid he’d just returned to where he started and he listened carefully for the flustered grunts of giants who’d lost track of their prey. He didn’t hear anything.  Then he realized that it was very dark for being the early afternoon. If he really had returned to Boston, the weather couldn’t have changed that quickly. The sky above him was as dark as it was in the Underworld, only the streetlights and ample lighting on each of the porches prevented it from feeling like he’d made it to his father’s realm. 

“Nico?” a voice called from the entrance to the alley. The speaker was looking him over with confusion and concern. He wore a well-tailored three-piece suit and his thick braids were tied back in a neat knot. Still, he looked familiar. 

“Blitz?”

Blitz looked relieved to have been recognized, “So you are a dwarf! I gotta tell Hearth!”

“What? No, I’m a demigod.” 

“That doesn’t stop you from being a dwarf. I would know.” 

“What - are you a dwarf?” Nico took Blitz in with a new perspective. He was kind of short, and his ears had the smallest of points to them. Maybe he wasn’t exactly human, but he still looked nothing like any of the dwarves from stories Nico had heard - and those stories were supposed to be fantasy! 

“Course I am! Why are you surprised? You’re in Nidavellir for gods' sake! There’s dwarves everywhere!” 

“I’m where?”

“Nidavellir” Blitz said each syllable individually, “Geez, did you hit your head?”

“The realm of the dwarves? In Norse mythology? Are you messing with me?”

“I’m much more dwarf than myth” Blitz straightened his collar smugly, “but I’m not messing with you. I thought you said you’re a demigod. If you know that, surely you know of the Nine Realms.”

“I’m a greek demigod.” Nico clarified. It was a good thing he was still sitting down. His head was spinning, he hadn’t ever thought that was something he would need to clarify. But, if the Greek gods were real, what stopped the other mythologies from having their own sort of influence? Still, stumbling into the realm of the dwarves was a bit of a stretch, even for him.

“Whew” Blitz wiped his brow and mumbled to himself, “Well the boss did say he had associates…” then to Nico, “How’d you get here then?”

“I- I shadow-traveled.”

“Well, that’s a new one” Blitz chuckled, “Never heard of that. Clearly, you weren’t trying to end up here so where were you trying to go?”

“Nowhere specific,” Nico picked himself up from the ground, “I just had some monsters on my tail and needed to get somewhere safe.”

Blitz grinned and held out his hand, “Well that, my friend, you have found. Let’s get you to my place.” 

Blitz’s place was an apartment just down the road from where Nico had appeared. The dwarf had been on his way home from what he called, ‘a few errands for the boss’ when he had seen Nico in the alleyway. He led the way into the small one-bedroom and gestured for Nico to make himself comfortable while he cobbled up something for lunch.

“So, if you live here,” Nico said, running a hand along the wooden curio in the back of the room. In contrast to the state Nico had first met Blitz in, all the furniture in the place had clean lines and neutral tones, all kept immaculately clean. However, this cabinet seemed the most well-cared for. “Why were you camping out under a bridge in Boston?”

“It’s a long story” Blitz called from the kitchen as he pulled out a few things from the pantry, “But the short version is we gotta keep an eye on Magnus.”

“We? You’re friend, Hearth, is he a dwarf too?”

“Nah, he’s an elf. He takes the day shift while I take the night. Works better that way.” 

Nico decided his brain was already spending enough energy trying to wrap around the idea of dwarves that he didn’t have the capacity to ask for more details about elves . He’d have to read up on his Norse mythology the next time he was at the library. Blitz went about making a couple of sandwiches while Nico sat in one of the chairs around the dining table. 

When he was finished, Blitz set a plate in front of Nico and sat across from him, “So you said you’re a demigod - who’s the lucky parent?”

Nico rolled his eyes, “Hades.”

“The god of death?”

“Underworld. Thanatos is the god of death. I haven’t met him yet.”

“Well, death, underworld, close enough. I guess that explains the fashion choices.”

“What do you mean?” Nico looked up mid-bite, “I like my clothes - and black is practical.” He didn’t want to think about the amount of blood and dirt stains his clothes had accumulated on the streets. 

Blitz held up his hands in surrender, “Nothing wrong with a strong statement. You could just stand to accessorize. Make this death thing a whole look.” 

“I’ve never had the time to care.” 

“Hold on.” Blitz’s eyes lit up. He got up from the table and headed into the bedroom. A minute later he came back with something small and silver in his hands. “This is sjal, most ghastly among rings, made by myself, Blitzen son of Freya.”

He handed the ring to Nico. It was molded into a skull, the eye sockets inlaid with small emeralds. “I think it really pulls your look together.” 

“Um, thanks.” Nico twisted the ring and slipped it onto his index finger. 

Blitzen nodded as he glanced over Nico’s ensemble, “No problem. You know, Hearth was right about you.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re like him. An empty cup. You just need to be shown it’s okay to fill it.”

Nico had no idea what that was supposed to mean so he nodded politely and took another bite of his sandwich. 

Blitzen was a good host, and his apartment did make for a comfortable spot to rest for a little while. Nico allowed himself a few hours respite before deciding he had to try to get ‘his world’, Midgard, he guessed. After some lunch and a couple hour nap, he stepped into the darkest shadow he could find behind Blitz’s building, his view of the universe a whole nine worlds wider. 

Chapter Text

In October, Nico tried to talk to Percy again. He’d said he needed time to think about Nico’s offer but the longer they waited, the greater an advantage Kronos would have. Nico was getting progressively more anxious about what would happen if Percy was unprepared by the time his next birthday rolled around. 

He emerged out of the shadow of a wall of lockers in an empty hallway. The walls were decorated with large butcher paper banners and flyers advertising various after-school clubs and activities. One of the banners on the wall read “Not all heroes wear capes, some wear crowns. Honor your hero and vote for Homecoming King.” Nico snorted. That was such a dumb slogan. He was technically a prince and he didn’t have a crown or a cape. Now that he thought about it though, he kind of liked that idea. Maybe that would count as accessorizing.

As for heroes, Percy wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Nico paced the hall, peering into the classrooms until he found the familiar mess of black hair in one of the back rows. Percy was leaning back in his chair, twirling a pen between his fingers as he stared out the window. Nico wondered if that was Riptide or just a normal pen. 

Even if Percy wasn’t paying the closest attention, Nico figured it would probably be frowned upon if he interrupted a lesson so he leaned against the wall and waited for class to end. He realized this was the first time he had been in a school since last December.  If he was still at Westover, he would be a seventh grader now. Seventh grade was when he would have started taking a foreign language. He had been so excited about the idea of getting to learn an ancient language like Latin but most people told him to pick something more practical. If only he’d known just how useful knowing Latin would be.

Within a few minutes, a teacher came around the corner. She had her hair tied in a tight bun and scowled as she laid eyes on Nico. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Nico shrugged, “Waiting?”

“Why aren’t you in class?”

“I don’t go here.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line, “You won’t if you keep this up.”

“No, I really don’t. I’m uh.. ” Nico glanced around the hall, “waiting for my cousin.” He figured that would be more convincing and more accurate than friend. Since they were both children of the Big Three, he and Percy were technically cousins.

“Your cousin? Why -” the teacher’s question was drowned out as a bell rang through the hall followed by the sound of several classrooms full of students getting up from chairs and gathering their things. As the hall began to fill with students, Nico took the opportunity to slip into the crowd. He caught sight of Percy’s teal backpack bobbing through the hall and followed it toward the bathrooms. 

Percy was washing his hands as Nico walked in. He couldn’t see anyone else in the room but made a quick glance under the stall anyways. When he stood up, he stared straight at Percy through the mirror.

“Percy.”

“Ah!” Percy jumped back from the sink as he saw the son of Hades behind him, “Nico?”

“No, it’s Annabeth,” Nico said flatly. 

“Wha -?”

“Of course, it’s me. I’m checking on my offer.” He crossed his arms and rested against the wall. “I’ve done some more investigation. I think I’ve got a way to be sure my plan works.”

“I told you I need to think about it.”

“But we’re going to run out of time. The sooner we do this the better.” He held out a hand, “Come with me and I’ll prove it will work.”

Percy raised his eyebrows, “Now? But I’ve got class.”

Nico barely restrained a groan. There were more important things than math class. “After school then.”

“I’ve got swim practice and homework. If I don’t finish up this essay for English I’m gonna fail, and that would be really awkward since my teacher is going to be my stepdad soon.”

“Fine. This weekend.”

“I’ve-” Percy ran a hand through his hair and studied the strap of his backpack, “I’ve got plans with Rachel.”

“Plans that are more important than beating Kronos?”

“Well, I -” 

“I see.” Nico pushed himself off the wall, “Have fun with Rachel.”

“Wait, no - Nico!” Percy called after him, but Nico was already through the door. 

He pushed past the crowd of high school students, making his way out toward the exit. He didn’t know why it irritated him so much that Percy had other plans. It’s not like they were friends that got together to hang out after school. If he went to this school, they wouldn’t even be in the same grade. Still, the sting of disappointment lingered as Nico stepped off the school grounds and started down the street. Percy had his own friends, his own life, he didn’t want Nico barging into it. 

Nico kept up the training Patroclus had introduced him to on his own. With what he learned from Minos, it was easy to summon a skeleton or two as sparring partners. It was good practice to challenge himself both mentally and physically, though he had to be careful he didn’t make a wrong swing and dismiss his companion permanently. The summoning was coming easier to him now. Souls were eager to answer his call, to be of service to the Ghost King. He just wished they made as good conversationalists as they did minions. 

“I think chicken nuggets win out over hamburgers,” Nico said to the skeleton next to him as he sat on a raised tombstone in the middle of a cemetery somewhere in Kansas. He’d been training for the past three hours and needed to take a break. A quick jaunt over to the nearest Mcdonald's had been a no-brainer. The skeleton turned its skull toward him but said nothing.

“But -” He waved a french fry at the skeleton before stuffing it in his mouth. “If you consider cheeseburgers, it’s much steeper competition.” 

“Demigod tastesss better than any of those, don’t you think Muriel?”

Nico stiffened. Behind him, he could hear the scratching of scales on dried grass. 

“Oh yesss, but I like my demigods with a little more meat on their bonesss. It’s a good thing this one is going ssstraight to Luke.”

Nico reached for his sword as he hopped down from the tomb. He held it up defensively even as his muscles screamed at him for a break. Approaching through the trees on either side of him were three dracaena. Two of them wore brightly colored suit jackets that Nico recognized from his first night away from camp, one in orange, one in bright pink. The third, Muriel, held a long leather whip. 

“We can do thisss the easy way or the hard way,” she said as Nico met her eyes. 

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” Nico threw his hand out toward his skeleton companion and willed it to take a defensive stance against the dracaena to the right. He turned to face the one on the left but had trouble keeping both that dracaena and Muriel in his vision at the same time. 

“You got away from usss once, you won’t get away from usss again!” The snake woman in the orange blazer snarled as she made to attack.

He lunged, meeting the dracaena as she pulled back her spear. He was slower than he’d like to be, the wear of the training he’d done causing him to be sluggish and out of breath. Even so, he deflected a few attacks before he heard a sharp crack and felt a sting along his thigh. He looked down to see blood beginning to seep into his jeans around a thin but long cut. 

Muriel was still standing twenty feet away, but her whip had impossible reach. She grinned at him devilishly. He wasn’t going to stand a chance against her and her companions at the same time, not when he was already exhausted. In a quick strategic decision, he snatched up his bag from the ground and ran. 

“Come here little Hadesss,” Muriel called after him, “The Titan Lord will be ssso glad to have your help.”

Nico doubted he’d have any say in the matter. Knowing Kronos, he’d have to help or be perpetually frozen in time or you know, just dead. “The only help I’ll give him is a way back to Tartarus!” 

In front of him, he could see a large tomb, the kind that formed their own little shrine, complete with a small enclave that you could walk into. In the shadows of the early evening sun, the tomb made a perfect shadowy doorway. If he could just make it there, he could shadow travel out of here. 

He glanced back as he weaved around a few gravestones. His skeleton friend had fought valiantly but had been effectively dismantled by the third dracaena. It had bought him some time, but not enough. It was now three-on-one.  

Another crack snapped through the air. The blades of grass feet from Nico were cut in half as the whip sliced across the ground. 

“Luke sssaid to bring you alive, but he didn’t sssay to bring you unharmed.” Muriel taunted. 

“He also didn’t ssspecify whether or not he had to keep all his fingers,” the traffic cone-colored dracaena licked her lips. Nico was getting really tired of being thought of as a snack.

“You’ll have to catch up to me first!” He reached the steps of the tomb. All he had to do was pull the shadows around him and step into the void. He was halfway there when he heard the whip crack again and this time felt the snap as the tail wrapped around his ankle and held fast.

They were connected now, from the whip wrapped around his leg to the handle in Muriel's hand. He realized with dread that if he shadow-traveled like this he would bring her with him. That would not end well for him, especially if he passed out as soon as he fell out of the shadows. 

He tried to put all his focus into separating his leg from the whip mentally, distinguishing them as separate objects. The grip on his ankle wouldn’t matter if they weren’t actually touching. With a sudden dropping sensation in his gut like he had just missed a step going down stairs, Nico felt his leg phase out of existence. The whip released him and fell loose to the ground as shadows completely surrounded him. 

He made it out the other side clammy and shaken. He immediately reached down to pat his leg and make sure it was still there. It felt solid again, mostly. Had he just turned into shadow? He had no idea he could do that. 

He glanced around to check his surroundings, they were empty. Muriel hadn’t been able to follow him through. Instead, he was alone in a tight cobblestone alleyway. At one end he could see the path open to a wide square and on the other, it inclined and arced over a canal in an elegant stone bridge. His leg was sticky with blood around the slice from Muriel’s whip, and the opposite ankle still felt wobbly and insubstantial. He hissed in pain as he propped himself up against the wall as he dug out a small piece of ambrosia from his bag.

He contemplated his situation as he took a bite of the godly pastry, lessening the sting in his leg. It still tasted like lemon bars but the sweetness was muted. This alleyway didn’t look like anywhere he’d been before, and the sky was completely dark. He’d need to figure out some place to hunker down for the night while he let his leg heal. The ambrosia would accelerate the healing, but it would still be useful to wrap it up while it was actively bleeding. Get everything in the right place, he had been told, and ambrosia would do its thing.

He muttered a curse as he dug through his bag. He’d run out of bandages and didn’t have anything he could repurpose into one. He’d outgrown the few things he’d had when he first set out on his own and it was a lot easier when the only clothes he had to worry about carrying were the ones on his back. 

Pulling his leg up, he tried to test his weight on it and winced. He wouldn’t get far until he’d had more time to heal, but he could probably make it a block or two to find a general store. He leaned on his sword like a cane as he made his way out of the alley. 

What he had thought was a square was actually a long boardwalk along the banks of a wide river. To his left, the ground was illuminated by the lights coming from the nearest building, a tall cathedral with a green stone domed roof and greek columns around the base. From the view from the water, it kind of looked like the Parthenon. It was the only building along the bank with signs of people inside, so Nico carefully climbed the steps to the entrance. 

Inside the walls were adorned with renaissance paintings framed by stone columns. The ceiling reached the interior of the dome, quickly fading to darkness as it extended past the candlelight. At the back of the cathedral was an elaborate altar decorated with tall white candles, marble statues, and crosses of every size. Standing in front of the altar, in simple black robes was a young priest addressing the small congregation sprinkled throughout the benches in the center of the room. 

Nico made his way as quietly as he could to sit on the farthest bench. For a moment the words the priest was speaking weren’t familiar and he sighed as he prepared himself for more awkward communication with hand gestures. After a few minutes, though he realized he could decipher what they were saying, it was just a different language than English. They were speaking Latin. 

His vision went out of focus as he was hit with a memory. He was sitting on a very similar bench, listening to a very similar sermon, but he was much shorter. His feet dangled as he looked up at the person sitting next to him. Everything about them was fuzzy and out of focus like he was trying to look at them through a wall of water, but their voice whispered into his ear crisp, clear, and full of affection, “Pay attention, mio angioletto , you may need to know this someday.” 

His world tilted. He threw out a hand to keep himself from falling off the bench. The stinging in his thigh confirmed he was back in the present, though he wished he could will himself back into the memory, to hear that voice again. His mother’s voice. She had called him her little angel. He had so many more questions he needed answers to. 

Why, after months of trying to learn anything about her, was he getting this memory now? Why couldn’t he see her face? Where had they been? What was she telling him to pay attention to? Had she known he’d have a use for Latin or was she referring to the sermon? Did this mean she was Catholic? Was he Catholic? 

He was saved from having a religious crisis right there by the priest calling out to the congregation, “The mass has ended. You may go in peace.” 

He hadn’t spoken Latin this time, instead, he’d dismissed them in Italian yet Nico had understood what he said. As the others began to file out of the church, the priest approached him from the side aisle. His thick eyebrows were pushed together in concern, “Sei smarrito, cucciolo?”

Nico shook his head, even if his most recent revelation was leaving him feeling untethered. He surprised himself as he replied, “No, ho solo bisogno di aiuto.” He pointed to his leg. 

The priest covered his mouth in shock as he took in the slice along Nico’s leg. He nodded once before briskly walking to a back room. He came back a few moments later with some rubbing alcohol, some towels, and a clean bandage. 

Nico waited patiently as the man carefully cleaned around the deep cut. He apologized for not having any extra clothes Nico could change into, ones that weren’t stained with blood, but Nico was used to it by now. He waved off the apologies along with any questions about how he had gotten the injury. Once it was neatly wrapped, he could feel the wound start to close as the ambrosia took over. 

“Grazie,” he said as he got up to leave. 

The man stopped him with a gentle hand on his shoulder, “Aspetta fino a domattina. Per favore.” He nodded to the room he had come from, a small office with a well-worn couch. Nico stared at it longingly. It had been a few weeks since he’d had somewhere soft to sleep, and his mind was reeling too much to put up much of an argument. He nodded and followed the priest further into the church for a restless night’s sleep. 

After his jaunt to Venice gave him way more questions than answers, Nico was getting desperate for information about his past. If his mother had been Italian, he had no idea how he ended up in the United States. Had he been brought there alone or did he have more family in America? Were they responsible for him and Bianca being put into the Lotus hotel? What had happened to his mother? 

He had so many directions to try to investigate, he couldn’t pick one to focus on. He was afraid of picking the wrong one and going down a rabbit hole that eventually led him nowhere. He decided he might as well put his search into the hands of the Fates. 

After making sure he had refreshed his supplies and had as good a night’s sleep as you could get under a bush in a community park, he stepped through the shadow behind a public restroom with only the intention of ‘learning about his family’. 

He emerged in the shadow of a large white stone structure. It wasn’t until he walked around to the front did he realize it was an above-ground tomb. He was standing on a small walkway lined with them, all intricately decorated with pillars and names carved into the front. Some had vases of flowers set outside, others were bordered with short iron fences. The Fates had some sense of humor, sending a son of Hades to a cemetery to learn about his family, but he supposed it was as good a lead as any. 

He roamed the walkways, studying each tomb for the name di Angelo. Even though there were a surprising number of Italian surnames, none of them were his own. A sign at the entrance read “St. Louis Cemetery, New Orleans LA”. Could it be possible that his mother had moved from Italy to New Orleans? Or did he have other family buried here? It was going to be really hard to figure that out without raising a few of the dead to ask them himself. 

He didn’t get very far into that thought before he was distracted by a sudden change in brightness around him. He looked up to see a cloud of darkness hovering only a few feet above his head. That certainly wasn’t normal.

As though some force was reaching down to grab him, Nico felt himself be picked up from the ground. “Hey! Put me down!” 

Whatever force controlled the cloud paid him no attention and he was soon pulled into the darkness.

Chapter Text

Nico was shoved unceremoniously out of the shadow and onto a wide stretch of grass. Apparently whoever had sent for him had no sense of safe distances off the ground or the meaning of the word gentle. 

“Ow.” He stood and glared up at where the shadow had been, brushing off his jacket. It was noticeably colder here than it had been in the cemetery. It was going to be a pain to try to get back, he still wasn’t used to shadow traveling so soon after a recent jump. Though that might not be a problem, unfortunately. He had a feeling whatever he was summoned here for wasn’t going to be a quick five-minute trip. 

“ Nico? ”

“Bianca’s little brother?”

Nico spun around to see Percy and Thalia, back to back, slowly lowering their weapons as they realized who he was. He scowled at the Hunter of Artemis, he didn’t like how his sister’s name sounded in her mouth. 

“Why’d you bring me here? One minute I’m in a New Orleans graveyard. The next minute -” he looked around, taking in the familiar skyline, “is this New York? What in Hades’s name am I doing in New York?”

“We didn’t bring you here.” Percy said, raising his hands in surrender, “We were - we were brought together. All three of us.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The children of the Big Three.” Percy pointed to each of them as he rattled off, “Zeus, Poseidon, Hades.”

Thalisa gasped, “The prophecy. You don’t think Kronos…” 

Nico rolled his eyes. Of course, this was a prophecy thing. Everything was a prophecy thing, he couldn’t escape it. The ground beneath them rumbled. Thalia nocked an arrow as the boys drew their swords.  As Nico scanned the surrounding trees for threats he completely missed it as the ground opened up underneath their feet and they tumbled into darkness. 

After much screaming on all three of their parts (thankfully not just Nico's), they landed in a frustratingly familiar garden. Rows of faintly glowing flowers lined the paths just as they had the first two times Nico had visited. Fortunately this time they were lacking a transfiguration-happy goddess. Just to spite her, Nico picked a pomegranate off one of her prized trees. 

“I’ve been here before,” Percy said, surveying the flora. 

“My stepmother Persephone’s garden.” Nico glowered at the fruit and dropped it to the ground, “Don’t eat anything.”

“Heads up” Thalia’s draw was as fast as lightning. 

Speak of the devil, a woman with flowing black hair and an elegant silk dress approached the three of them from the other side of the garden, completely unbothered by the arrow aimed at her face. 

“I am Persephone,” she said.” Welcome, demigods.”

Nico squashed the pomegranate under his boot. It made a gratifyingly unpleasant squish sound, “ Welcome? After last time, you’ve got the nerve to welcome me?”

“Um, Nico -” Percy warned.

“It’s all alright.” Persephone held up a hand genially, “We had a little family spat.”

“ Family spat?! You turned me into a dandelion! Twice!” 

Persephone had no patience for his disdain and turned away from Nico coolly, “As I was saying, demigods, I welcome you to my garden. As some of you don’t have the manners to ask.” 

Nico was sure that last comment was meant for him. He snorted. As if he cared. Now that he could shadow travel, he could come and go to the Underworld as he wished. 

“You sent the golden deer?” Thalia asked

“And the hellhound,” Persephone nodded, “And the shadow that collected Nico. It was necessary to bring you together.”

“Why?” 

“Lord Hades has a problem.” the goddess announced. At the sound of his father’s name, Nico perked up with new interest. “And if you know what’s good for you, you will help him.”

Turns out Hades’ problem was a sword that could give the wielder power over death. According to a legend Nico remembered reading - his many afternoons in the library were paying off - Hades had a set of golden keys that could lock or unlock death. One of these keys had been set into a sword intended to be Hades’ new symbol of power, forged in secret and without his brothers’ knowledge. That seemed like a pretty important weapon to Nico, you know, something you would take great care not to lose. Apparently, that was not the case.

Persephone informed them that the sword had been stolen, and it was their job to retrieve it before the thief was able to make it out of the Underworld. The entire realm had been shut down to prevent anyone from getting out, but the search still needed to be quiet and efficient. They didn’t want to raise any alarms within Hades’ realm and give his servants any more reason to consider siding with the Titans than they already had. It would not take much to convince them they’d find greener pastures with a new ruler. To avoid this, the goddess’s version of an effective search squad was three demigods and a flower. 

Nico made a face at the stupid carnation as he walked past Thalia to lead the way through the throngs of souls outside Erebus. It was prettier than a dandelion and that just wasn’t fair. 

As much as he disagreed with Persephone’s methods, Nico did feel an obligation to see this through. Not only was this sword incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands, but he also wanted to prove to Hades that he was capable. If he succeeded with this he might have a chance at convincing his father to tell him more about his past. 

The flower led them through several corners of the Underworld, tilting its head as though looking for sunlight each time they diverged from the most direct path to the thief. Once they had exhausted themselves wading through the souls drifting through Asphodel, they trudged past the Fields of Punishment. The wails from tormented souls sent shivers down Nico’s spine. 

At last, they reached a large hill, blocking their view of whatever was on the other side. Only a loud grinding noise alerted them to what was waiting for them. It continued for a few moments before it stopped abruptly and was replaced with thunderous booms that shook the ground. From the curses that followed, Nico had a pretty good idea who was waiting for them on the other side.

Thalia exchanged a look with Nico, “Is that who I think it is?”

“Afraid so. The number-one expert on cheating death.” He grimaced at his companions before hiking up to the top of the hill. 

Sisyphus

Tormented soul card. Playing this card allows the wielder to either 1) resurrect one card from the last round or 2) force your opponent to repeat their last turn without any of the benefits. While Sisyphus’ punishment is unending, this card can only be used five times consecutively. 

Sisyphus looked every bit the part of a tormented soul. His hair stuck up at odd angles, and he was covered with grime and sweat from millennia of hauling a boulder up the mountain. He had a crazed look in his eye as he kicked the boulder and screamed, “I won’t! No, no no!” 

After a long stream of very colorful language, he stomped away from the rock. Once he got about ten feet away, his feet jerked back the other way forcing him to turn back around sulking. “All right, All right, Curse you! But this is the last time. Do you hear me?”

Nico saw their opportunity, “Come on. While he’s between attempts.”

He scrambled down the hill, Thalia and Percy close behind. 

“Sisyphus!” 

The once king of Corinth turned to them in surprise, “Oh, no! You’re not fooling me with those disguises! I know you’re the Furies.” 

“We’re not the Furies,” Percy said, “We just want to talk.” 

Leave it to Percy to be the hero and try to reason with a tortured soul. There was nothing he was afraid of. Nico looked away from the other boy as he felt his cheeks grow warm. 

“Go away!” Sisyphus cried, “Flowers won’t make it better. It’s too late to apologize!”

“Look” Thalia tried to step in, “We just want -”

“La la la!” Sisyphus slammed his hands over his ears like a child, “I’m not listening!”

He dodged around the boulder as Thalia tried to catch him. After several attempts to dart around her, she finally caught him by the hair. 

“Stop it! I have rocks to move. Rocks to move!” 

“I’ll move your rock!” Thalia rolled her eyes impatiently, “Just shut up and talk to my friends!” 

Sisyphus looked up at her hopefully, “You’ll- you’ll move my rock?”

“It’s better than looking at you.” She shoved the old man towards them. “Be quick about it.” 

The Hunter of Artemis braced herself against the boulder and began to inch it up the hill. Sisyphus regarded them in disbelief before deciding the best way to trust them was to pinch Percy. 

“Ow!”

“So you’re really not a Fury.” he said in awe, “What’s the flower for?”

“We’re looking for someone.” Percy said, “The flower is helping us find him.” 

“Persephone?” The old man looked as fond of Nico’s stepmother as he was, “That’s one of her tracking devices, isn’t it? I fooled her once, you know. I fooled them all.”

Percy stared blankly at Sisyphus before turning to Nico, “Translation.”

“Sisyphus cheated death,” Nico offered, glad to know something Percy didn’t. The story of the king’s exploits came to his mind readily, “First he chained up Thanatos, the reaper of souls, so no one could die. Then when Thanatos got free and was about to kill him, Sisyphus told his wife to do incorrect funeral rites so he wouldn’t rest in peace.” Nico threw an amused look at the grimy old guy, “Sisy here - May I call you Sisy?”

“No.”

“Sisy tricked Persephone into letting him go back to the world to haunt his wife. And he didn’t come back.”

Sisyphus gave them all a toothy grin, “I stayed alive another thirty years before they finally tracked me down!” 

“So that was your punishment,” Percy said, nodding to Thalia who was about halfway up the hill now. “Rolling a boulder up a hill forever. Was it worth it?”

“A temporary setback!” Sisyphus cried, “I’ll bust out of here soon and when I do, they’ll all be sorry!” 

Nico saw where this was going, “How would you get out of the Underworld? It’s locked down, you know.”

Sisyphus turned to him with a wicked grin, “That’s what the other one asked.”

“Someone else asked for your advice?” Percy sounded apprehensive.

“An angry young man,” Sisyphus stroked his chin as if remembering, “Not very polite. Held a sword to my throat. Didn’t offer to roll my boulder at all.”

“What did you tell him?” Nico asked, “Who was he?”

Sisyphus looked around them leisurely, eyes gazing lingering on Thalia for a moment. She was almost at the top of the hill. He stretched his shoulders as he replied, “Oh… it’s hard to say. Never seen him before. He carried a long package all wrapped up in black cloth. Skis, maybe? A shovel? Maybe if you wait here I could go look for him…”

“What did you tell him?” Percy demanded. 

“Can’t remember.”

In a flash, Nico unsheathed his sword and held it to the trickster’s neck. His practice had been paying off; his grip was steady, his blade didn’t waver. 

Sisyphus eyed the sword, “What kind of person carries a sword like that?”

Nico glared at him. “A son of Hades. Now answer me.” 

Sisyphus balked at the command. “I told him to talk to Melinoe! She always has a way out!”

Melinoe… Nico knew that name. He racked his brain, he’d read about a Melinoe somewhere… 

Melinoe

Bringer of nightmares and madness. Lurking in the shadows, Melinoe brings night terrors to mortals by manifesting strange forms. She can take the form of their deepest fear, their greatest desire, their most guarded insecurity. Those who are caught in her illusions are driven to madness.

“Are you crazy?!” Nico said, “That’s suicide!” 

Sisyphus was unconcerned, “I’ve cheated death before. I could do it again.”

“What did this demigod look like?”

“Um… he had a nose.” Sisyphus scrunched his own in concentration, “A mouth. And one eye and - 

“One eye?” Percy interjected, “Did he have an eye path?”

“Oh… maybe. He had hair on his head and…” He gasped and pointed over their shoulders, “There he is!” 

They shouldn’t have fallen for it. Yet as both Percy and Nico turned around, Sisyphus shot down the shot yelling, “I’m free! I’m free! ACK!” When he’d reached the bottom of the hill he was pulled back by the invisible force yet again, toppling onto the ground. As he tried to climb back up, Nico and Percy had the opportunity to grab him by each arm and haul him back. 

“Curse you! I’ll never help you! Go to Hades!”

“Already there,” Nico muttered.

“Incoming!” From above them, Thalia tried to get their attention as the boulder,  finally at the top of the hill, teetered from side to side before starting to roll straight for them. Percy drove to the right, Nico to the left, leaving Sisyphus to be crushed by the oncoming rock. 

“Nooo!” He branched himself and stopped it before he was run over. “Take it again! Please, I can’t hold it!” 

“Not again,” Thalia was out of breath and she joined them at the bottom of the hill, “You’re on your own.”

Sisyphus returned to his tirade of cuss words and was clearly no longer going to be of use. Nico tried to refocus them on the task at hand. 

“Melinoe’s cave is this way,” he said. He’d never been there before, but he knew his way around the Underworld enough to have a good idea. All he had to do was follow his growing sense of dread. 

“If this thief guy really has one eye, “Percy said, “That could be Ethan Nakamura, son of Nemesis. He’s the one who freed Kronos.”

“I remember.” Nico said not wanting to think back to those dark days last summer, “But if we’re dealing with Melinoe, we’ve got bigger problems. Come on.”

He pushed past them both and led them further into the Underworld. 

Chapter Text

It wasn’t long before they encountered some less friendly company along their journey. A group of Keres, spirits that fed off violent death, attacked them out of nowhere. They all did their best to fend them off, but there had been a few too many for them to handle without collateral damage. Percy cried out as one slashed at his shoulder from behind, slicing his shirt and skin like running fingers through water. 

Nico lunged for the monster and stabbed it before it made another pass, but the damage had been done. Percy curled up and gritted his teeth against the pain. 

Nico and Thalia both rushed to him, assessing the damage. It didn’t look good, but they poured some nectar on it anyway. Percy passed out once they’d gotten his shoulder cleaned and dressed. Thalia hovered by his side, slowly feeding him ambrosia until he was lucid enough to talk. That left Nico with the responsibility of keeping watch while holding the dumb plant. 

“The Keres?” Percy muttered. 

“Gone for now,” Thalia replied, “You had me worried for a second, Percy, but I think you’ll make it. 

Nico crouched next to them, eyeing Percy’s shoulder with concern. “The Keres will be back. That wound… the Keres are spirits of disease and pestilence as well as violence. We can slow down the infection but eventually, you’ll need series healing. I mean a god’s power. Otherwise…”

Nico didn’t like the thought of otherwise. There was too much at stake for Percy to die now. A small part of Nico’s brain whispered that it wasn’t just the prophecy that made him so important. 

“I’ll be fine.” Percy braced himself as he tried to sit up. He immediately laid back down, his face turning a shade of green. 

“Slow,” thalia said, “You need rest before you can move.”

“There’s no time. One of the daimones mentioned Iapetus. Am I remembering right? That’s a Titan?”

Nico met Thalia’s grim expression before she explained, “The brother of Kronos, father of Atlas. He was known as the Titan of the west. His name means ‘the Piercer’ because that’s what he likes to do to his enemies. He was cast into Tartarus along with his brothers. He’s supposed to still be down there.”

Nico didn’t like where this was going. If the sword had the power to command the dead, what was stopping it from also commanding even more nefarious creatures?

“But if the sword of Hades can unlock death?” Percy looked between the two of them trying to understand. 

“Then maybe,” Nico took a shaky breath, “it can also summon the damned out of Tartarus. We can’t let them try.”

“We still don’t know who them is.” Thalia reminded them. 

“A half-blood working for Kronos,” Percy insisted, “Probably Ethan Nakamura. And he’s starting to recruit some of Hades’s minions to his side - like the Keres. The daimones think that if Kronos wins the war, they’ll get more chaos and evil out of the deal.

“They’re probably right.” Nico said, “My father tries to keep a balance. He reigns in the more violent spirits. If Kronos appoints one of his brothers to be the lord of the Underworld - 

“Like this Iapetus dude”

“- then the Underworld will get a lot worse.” Nico grimaced. “The Keres would like that... So would Melinoe.”

 Nico didn’t like the idea of walking straight into the lair of the goddess of ghosts, but this situation was getting more and more dire. If Ethan managed to get out of the Underworld with the sword, there was no telling what Kronos' army would be capable of. Nico wasn’t a huge fan of either side of this war but he did like his world Titan-free and his friends- if he could call them that- alive. They were going to need to hurry and catch up with this thief if they were going to keep it that way. 

He was musing over how much begging he’d have to do to his father to heal Percy’s arm when the sound of roaring water stopped him, “Uh oh.” 

In front of them was an inky black river. Foam churned on the banks as the water rushed past them. There were several rivers throughout the Underworld, but this one Nico had been fortunate to avoid. Until now. 

He cursed, “The River Lethe. We’ll never make it across.” 

In blatant disregard for the vein of doom cutting in front of them, the flower pointed straight to the other side. Nico turned slightly and watched the head of the carnation stay focused in that direction as if pulled by a magnet. 

“There’s got to be a way across,” Percy said. 

Thalia bent down to get a closer look. 

“Careful!” Nico said, “This is the River of Forgetfulness. If one drop gets on you you’ll-” Nico paused, “you’ll start to forget who you are…” 

Thalia gave the water a wide berth, “I know this place. Luke told me about it once. Souls come here if they choose to be reborn so they totally forget their former lives.”

Nico nodded, pushing down an itch in his brain that he was missing something here, “Swim in that water and your mind will be wiped clean. You’ll be like a newborn baby.”

The three of them paced the bank of the river, trying to figure out a way across. Thalia offered to shoot an arrow to act as a tether, but Nico quickly rejected the idea. He didn’t like the sound of trying to inch their way over the river on an unanchored line. They briefly considered summoning some undead help, but the little issue with dead and running water kind of reduced their usefulness. Nico could do some pretty neat things, but convincing souls to cross running water was a lost cause. 

They were really only left with one option, though Nico really wished there was another. Percy, despite his ruined shoulder, was going to try to control the river to give them a path through. 

Percy winced as he raised his arms, “Here goes nothing.”

As though being pulled by an invisible string, the river rose. It continued to create an arc of raging water until it was tall enough for Thalia and Nico to walk through. They stared at Percy in awe. 

“Go.” Percy said through gritted teeth, “I can’t hold this for long.” 

They didn’t need to be told twice. Nico and Thalia scrambled to the other side of the bank, ducking under the water. Thalia reached the other side first and turned to hoist Nico up the last few feet. 

Percy was losing concentration on the other side of the river. His arms were shaking with the strain. 

“Come on, Percy!” Thalia called, “Walk!”

He took a halting step forward. The arc of water lost form for just a moment, a few drops of water landing in the river bed. 

“I can’t make it!” 

“Yes, you can! We need you!” 

With Thalia’s encouragement, Percy took another step forward. At a painstakingly slow pace, he made it into the river bed. He was halfway across when he stumbled. Percy’s concentration faltered and Nico and Thalia were powerless as they watched the water ripple from the opposite bank. 

Thalia called, “No!!” but it made no difference. The Lithe crashed down on top of him. 

No, no, no, no, Nico thought as they rushed to the side of the river. They couldn’t see anything through the inky blackness. They had no way to know if Percy survived the force of the river slamming on top of him. Even if he did, he’d be nothing like the demigod they knew. 

They stared at the water for a few more minutes in disbelief. 

Thalia cried out as a hand appeared out of the water. Percy pulled himself out of the river as the other two scrambled back in surprise. He took a few steps forward before collapsing to his knees and passing out. 

He looked dry. His clothes were dry, his hair was as messy and disorganized as ever. The bandage on his shoulder had loosened, but the injury looked no worse than before. Thalia was already pulling out a flask of nectar as Nico cautiously kicked Percy’s shoe. Was it too much to hope that he’d somehow managed to stay safe? 

Nico got to work rebandaging the wound while Thalia started to slowly drop nectar into Percy’s mouth. Nothing changed for several minutes. He was still alive, still breathing, but still unconscious.

“We can’t risk any more nectar.” Thalia mumbled, “He’ll burst into flames.”

Nico crouched next to Percy’s good shoulder and shook it gently. “Percy? Can you hear me?”

Slowly, miraculously, Percy’s eyes fluttered open. “Flames. Got it.” With effort, he got to his feet. 

“We’re close,” Nico said, nodding toward the dark cave looming in the distance. A small dusty trail led the way up the mountain. “Can you walk?”

Percy took a deep breath, “Ready.”

“I don’t like this.” Thalia held their potted tracking plant. Its pedals were nearly all gone. They didn’t have much time.

“A creepy cave, the goddess of ghosts, what’s not to like?” 

As if on cue, fog began to pour out of the mouth of the cave, crawling down the mountainside. It reached them and began to solidify in the form of a woman. She faced Percy and Thalia, her features unclear and fuzzy like a ghost’s, but from Thalia’s expression, she looked very much alive.  

“Mother?” Thalia asked, her voice much smaller than it had been before. 

Nico swallowed. They had to be face-to-face with Melinoe. 

The spirit threw a phantasmic glass at Thalia, her expression full of disdain, “That’s right, girl. Doomed to walk the earth, and it's your fault! Where were you when I died? Why did you run away when I needed you?” 

“I - I- “

Percy tried to shake Thalia out of the vision, “Thalia, It’s just a shade. It can’t hurt you.”

“Oh, I’m more than that, and Thalia knows it.”

“But - you abandoned me .” Thalia cried, shrinking away from the woman.

“You wretched girl,” The spirit shrieked, “Ungrateful runaway!” 

“Stop!” Nico drew his sword and stepped to Thalia’s side. 

The spirit turned away from Thalia. Her form changed as she faced Nico. She wore a black velvet dress and hat. A string of pearls sat elegantly against her neck. She looked like the faceless woman in Nico’s memories except this time, he could see her face. She had dark rich brown eyes, her lips were a deep shade of red that complimented her olive skin. Her thin eyebrows were bunched together in concern. 

Nico took a step back, “No…”

“My son,” she said, “I died when you were so young. I haunt the world in grief, wondering about you and your sister.” 

“Mama?”

Nico was caught in his mother’s sorrowful eyes. He lost sense of his surroundings. He wanted nothing more than to follow her, to be held her in arms. He stumbled forward into the fog, trying to get just a little bit closer. 

The next moment the fog dissipated, clearing away from them as though blown away by a sudden wind. The spirit no longer looked like a graceful woman in pearls. One half of her skin looked charred and hardened, the other half pale and drained of blood. She leered at them as Percy swiped at her with his sword. 

“What is that? ” Thalia asked staring at Melinoe in disgust

Nico wiped his cheek and glared at the ghoul, “It was a trick. She fooled us.”

Nico hated Melinoe, he knew that for certain. It was one thing to nearly be lured into insanity by the memory of his mother, but now because of her stalling, the thief had made it. Ethan Nakamura stood at the top of the hill above them, a half-completed sword in his hand. Next to him stood a large man in a gray jumpsuit. His hair and beard were coarse silver. Ethan had succeeded in summoning Iapetus. 

If they wanted any chance of getting the sword back, they had to fight a Titan. And this Titan was not going to go down easily. 

“Flee? Iapetus does not flee! I have waited for three eons to be summoned from the pit. I want revenge, and I will start by killing these weaklings!”

He charged for Percy, spear raised. 

As Percy and Thalia engaged the Titan, Nico caught sight of Ethan in the corner of his eye.

“I don’t think so!” He raised his arms and summoned a trio of armored skeletons, effectively cutting the son of Nemesis off from the others. Nico couldn’t let his opportunity to prove his usefulness to his father get away from him. He drew his sword and sprinted toward the Titan. 

Percy was already a step ahead of him. Iapetus’s calf was sliced clean by Riptide’s blade causing golden ichor to spray from the wound. 

“You die first!” the Titan roared, backing Percy up against the bank of the Lithe. Thalia tried to distract him with a charge of electricity but he was unfazed. Nico aimed for the Titan’s ankle but was swatted away without a second thought, crashing into a nearby boulder. Percy was on his own. 

“I will kill you all! Then I will cast your souls into the eternal darkness of Tartarus!” 

Nico’s head was still spinning from its collision with the rocks. He wasn’t sure he understood what happened next. One moment, Iapetus loomed over Percy, his spear aimed at his chest. The next, the two of them were toppling over the bank and straight into the river. 

For the second time that day, Nico and Thalia rushed to the water searching for some sign of Percy. He climbed onto the bank a few moments later, out of breath and still completely dry, hauling a dazed Titan with his good arm. 

Behind them, Ethan finished off the skeletons and stared at Iapetus in surprise, “My - my lord?”

The Titan sat up and smiled at them all sweetly, “Hello. Who am I?”

“You’re my friend!” Percy blurted out, “You’re… Bob.”

Their new friend seemed to like that answer, “I am your friend Bob!”

Ethan eyed the sword of Hades lying in the dirt between them, having been discarded mid-fight. It was clear he was trying to come up with a way to get out of this without completely failing. Before he could act on any of those ideas, Thalia planted a silver arrow between his feet.

“Not today, kid.”

Ethan immediately turned tail and ran straight into Melinoe’s cave. Thalia wanted to take him down before he could make it back to Kronos, but Percy stopped her. 

Nico gathered the half-finished sword reverently into his arms. He stared down at it in amazement, “We did it. We actually did it.”

“We did?” Iapetus asked

“Yeah, Bob” Percy glanced at him with a small smile, “You did great.”

Getting back to the palace wasn’t a big deal once they had good news to report. Nico summoned a few ghosts to send word ahead and in moments the Three Furies greeted them from the air to carry them all back. Percy’s poisoned shoulder wound healed quickly as soon as Bob the Titan noticed it. 

“Owie,” he said as he pointed to it. He reached out and gently touched it. In seconds the shoulder was as good as new.

Nico took the lead in informing his father of their mission. It went well considering he hadn’t known of the existence of the sword before their conversation. Persephone had been the real mastermind behind it all, keeping the secret even from her own husband and manipulating the three demigods to correct her mistakes when her decisions came back to bite her. At least they had an oath from Hades that he would not use this new weapon against the gods. If his stepmother had her way they would be brandishing it for the whole Olympian council to see, ensuring all would know what power would meet them should they threaten their realm. 

If there was one good outcome of these events, it was the new perspective Nico had gotten for how isolated his father was from the overworld. He would need someone other than Persephone to advise him. If the minuscule shift in his demeanor toward Nico was anything to go off of, there was a possibility that person could be his son. 

Percy, Thalia, and Nico met to say their goodbyes on a balcony overlooking Asphodel. Nico glanced inside at Bob, constructing a toy house out of a handful of bones Nico had scrounged up for him. 

“I’ll watch him,” he said, “He’s harmless now. Maybe… I don’t know. Maybe we can retrain him to do something good.” 

“Are you sure you want to stay here?” Percy asked, “Persephone will make your life miserable.”

“I have to. I have to get close to my dad. He needs a better adviser.”

Percy looked like he wanted to argue but didn’t have anything convincing enough to say, “Well, if you need anything.”

“I’ll call.” Nico shook hands with both Percy and Thalia then turned to leave. He was nearly back inside before he figured this would be his last chance to ask for a while, “Percy, you haven’t forgotten my offer?”

Percy shivered, “I’m still thinking about it.”

“Well, whenever you’re ready.” He turned and headed back into the palace. 

Chapter Text

Part 5: Friends in Unlikely Places

Nico left Percy and Thalia on the balcony and stepped back inside the palace. It was a small room next to Hades’ throne room, but that didn’t give it any excuse to be any less opulent. Tall pillars of obsidian lined the walls, matching the color of the tiled floor. Gold filigree lined the ceiling. Despite the high ceiling, the room felt oppressive and overbearing. Nico sighed. He supposed he was going to have to get used to this place. 

“Hey Bob,” Nico crouched next to the pile of bones the Titan had been carefully stacking. “That’s a nice tower you’ve built there,”

Bob grinned at him as he placed another femur at the top, “Thank you, son of Hades.”

“You can just call me Nico, okay?”

“Thank you, friend Nico.”

“That wasn’t what I - you know what? Nevermind.” 

“Are you going away with Percy and Thalia?” Bob asked.

“No, I’m going to stay down here. Keep you company and find a good use for your skills.”

Bob liked the sound of that. He hummed delightedly to himself as he searched for another bone to add to his tower. Nico barely repressed a smile. He pushed himself up from the floor and stared at the door across from him. Now for the hard part. 

When Nico entered the throne room he half expected it to be empty. Knowing what he did of his father, he was probably going to have to wait three days before he even got to speak to him. He should have thought of bringing a tent to set up camp. 

To his surprise, the tent was unnecessary. Hades was reclining on his throne, having a tense discussion with Persephone as Nico walked in. He suspected his father had more thoughts and feelings about her manipulation than he had been willing to share with the rest of them. 

They stopped speaking abruptly as he walked in. 

“Why haven’t you left, boy?” Persephone shot at him.

“I’m staying.”

“You’re what?” Hades turned from his wife and looked at Nico with new interest, “Has your status as a living soul changed in the past few minutes?” 

“No, I’m still alive and I’m staying here. In Erebus.” Nico planted his feet and met his father’s eyes. 

Persephone rolled her eyes and began to raise her hands but Nico was ready. He stepped to the side and into the shadow of a pillar. He appeared on the other side of the room just in time to see his stepmother’s eyebrows crease in a frown, “That was annoying.”

Hades looked Nico over with what might have been the smallest amount of amusement. “And clever.”

Nico resisted the urge to yawn, keeping his eyes fixed on his father. “You can kick me out, but I’ll just come back. I can travel in and out of here at will.” 

“Why would you want to? Why should I let you stay?”

“You’re isolated down here” Nico’s eyes flickered to Persephone, “I can give you new perspective.” 

Hades rubbed his chin, “I wouldn’t have thought I needed a new perspective yet…” He frowned at his wife, “It seems there’s a lot I don’t know going on in my realm. I could use an informant.”

“Hmph.” Persephone sank in her seat, her arms folded. 

Nico blinked, “so I - I can stay?”

Hades shrugged, “I suppose repeatedly banishing you would get tedious.”

“And I will be free to roam about independently?” Nico wasn’t about to get himself trapped down here.

“If you are to report to me, I will expect you to leave the palace to get the job done.” Hades seemed to be warming up to the idea of having someone to tell him what others were up to in his domain. It wasn’t exactly what Nico was thinking, but he’d take it. “You will only enter this room when asked for and you will only speak when spoken to.” 

“And you will stay out of my garden,” Persephone interjected.

Hades waved his hand dismissively, “Yes, yes. And you might as well have a room too so that you stay out of my face.” He snapped his fingers and a pair of skeletal guards entered from a side door. 

Nico nodded respectfully. This was going much better than he expected. He thought he’d have to shadow travel in and out of here at least another half dozen times. He took a half step back, best to leave while he was ahead. The skeletal guards moved with him, standing at either shoulder. 

“And you will join us for dinner so that we can have proof that our hospitality is not being taken for granted,” Persephone added. “I want to keep a close eye on you.”

Nico paused, “wait - dinner?”

“Yes, dinner. But you must clean up first, you look like an unwashed garlic bulb.” 

Without another glance at him, Persephone waved her hands and Nico was led away. 

There was a chance the skeletons were just going to lead him into some cell in a dungeon and call it good. He certainly hadn’t attempted to bargain for anything that satisfied a higher standard of living. So he was surprised as he was led up a few flights of stairs and down a sparsely decorated hallway. 

The fact there even was a room here he could use was unexpected on its own. It wasn’t like Hades did much hosting and the guards and servants didn’t exactly need their own quarters to sleep in. His bony escorts led him to a door in the middle of the hallway, stepping aside as they opened the door so that he could see into the room. 

It was a modest room as rooms in palaces go. A small twin bed was tucked against one wall. The bedding was dark and rough and the mattress was thin. There was a short desk with a wooden stool against another. Across the room was an unlit fireplace with a threadbare lounge. A bookcase with a few thin books sat underneath a small window that looked over Asphodel. If he squinted he could just barely make out the glow that came from the gates to Elysium. The room was cold, dusty, and without any of the fanfare of the rest of the palace. Nico sighed as he heard the door close. It may be all of those things, but that didn't matter. I t was his . 

First things first, he needed to get cleaned up. He’d finally managed to make it out of Persephone’s presence without the threat of potted plant, he was not about to mess that up. A quick scan of the room revealed a side door that led to a bathroom, complete with a shower tiled in obsidian. 

He laid his sword and jacket out on the bed before heading into the bathroom. He didn’t have any cleaner clothes, so washing himself off was going to have to be enough. He paused before reaching for the tap as a thought occurred to him, Where did this water come from? There was a lot of water in Hades… and none of it was good. Did they just pump up water from the Styx? Dam up the Lithe? What if he forgot his name as he reached for the soap? 

He paced around the bathroom for a few seconds to psych himself up. 

It’s just a shower, Nico, he thought, You can do this. You used to take showers all the time. Wait… When was the last time I took a shower? Weeks ago? Months? Ew. Okay, that settles it. 

He stuck a tentative finger under the running water. It didn’t shrivel up, he still remembered who he was. It seemed okay. He took a deep breath and stepped in, Styx water be damned.

If the water had to come from one of the rivers, Nico would have bet it was the Phlegethon. That water could have boiled off his skin, it was so hot. He decided to not question the pomegranate scented body wash that had been in there waiting for him, at least he was clean. 

A set of clothes was waiting for him on the bed; a pair of tan shorts with a plain white button-down shirt. They looked three sizes too small and several decades too old. There was even a thin black ribbon he assumed was supposed to be a tie. He eyed them suspiciously as he pulled his own black jeans back on and strapped his belt back onto his waist. There was no way he was wearing that . Now that he knew the water wasn’t going to tear him apart, he’d figure out a way to wash his current clothes.

He had no idea what time it was when he was finished cleaning up. The Underworld remained as dark as ever with no sense of night or day but the grumbling in his stomach urged him downstairs. It was probably better to be early rather than late when meeting your goddess stepmother for dinner for the first time. 

Nico shook out his wet hair as he looked for some indication of where he should go. He was back in the grand hallways of the first floor. The walls were adorned with intricate paintings of the American Civil war, depicting fields of soldiers fighting to their deaths on both sides. He idly wondered if they were originals. 

Take a left at the confederates, got it. Nico thought. It was going to take weeks to figure out a mental map of the place. 

Finally, he stumbled on a few sentries in the red and blue uniforms of French officers. Pieces of flesh still hung to the side of one officer’s face. The other looked like it was missing three fingers. 

Nico rested a hand on the hilt of his sword and turned his chin up in an effort to look a little less lost, “Where will I find Lord Hades and er… Queen Persephone?” 

The sentries stopped and turned to him in surprise. 

Nico cleared his throat, “Take me to Hades and Persephone. Erm, Please.”

At his command, the two zombies turned and led him down a separate hallway, past more murals of death, and to a large dining room. The gods were already there, sitting at one end of the long banquet table. The table was already set for dinner, impractically large arrangements of winter florals sat in the center. 

“Do we have to?“ Hades was saying to Persephone in an undertone as Nico entered.

“Yes,” she hissed, “if you’re going to allow him to stay here, I insist he learns some manners. You could stand a refresher too.”

Hades let out a huff and picked at a napkin with disinterest. Nico awkwardly took a seat at the other end, in front of the last place setting, pretending to not have heard. This was not the commanding Lord of the Dead he was used to. He stared at Persephone for some cue of what she expected next. 

“You’re late.” She observed, waving to the servants around the room to get started. “At least you’re clean.”

“You didn’t tell me a time.” Nico said carefully, “I can’t tell noon from midnight here anyways.” 

The goddess made a noise of disgruntled agreement, “You may have a point.” She waved her hands and a vine sprouted from the table. It grew into a large bulb that opened up to reveal a silver watch. Nico took it and looked it over. The face had a metallic green shimmer to it and hours were marked with Roman numerals. There were two sets of hands, one solid black, the other golden. They were indicating two different times. 

“One tells you the time at the surface, at Charon’s entrance. The other is the time down here.” Persephone explained, “See to it you are not late again.”

“Thank you,” Nico bowed his head as he slipped the watch onto his wrist. 

Half a dozen servants emerged from a side door carrying trays of food. Others flitted about the table filling their glasses. They set something different in front of each of them. A colorful leafy salad in front of Persephone, a filet of some kind of fish in front of Hades. Something gray and rectangular was placed in front of Nico. He peered at it, there were suspicious flecks of green in it.

Hades and Persephone both immediately started in on their food, an act Nico couldn’t help but be intrigued by. They were gods, did they even need to eat? Also, did they go to this much fanfare every meal? It seemed excessive for the three of them. Nico was looking forward to getting this over with and shadow traveling to the closest open Mcdonald's. Maybe he could make it to the one in Des Moines. They could always be convinced to give him free stuff. After a few minutes, Persephone frowned at him. 

“Why aren’t you touching your food?” 

“Aren’t mortals not allowed to eat food from the Underworld?” Nico asked, thankful to have a ready explanation for his disinterest. “We’ll be stuck forever?”

“Nonsense.” Hades said looking at Nico for the first time since he sat down, “That’s only pomegranates and as my child, even those don’t apply to you. You’re already tied to this place.” 

“But the pomegranates do induce a death-like trace, so don’t touch them.” Persephone didn’t need to add an ‘or else’; the violence with which she stabbed a leaf with her fork was threat enough. 

“O-Okay.” Nico eyed his plate again, “so this - what is this?”

“Meatloaf.” 

“ - This meatloaf… is okay?” 

Persephone rolled her eyes, “Yes - it is an essential meal for growing mortal boys and if you don’t eat it all you won’t get dessert.”

Hades and Nico turned to the goddess with identical bewildered expressions. 

Persephone swallowed uncomfortably, “Okay, that felt weird for me too. Just eat your dinner.”

Begrudgingly, Nico took a bite. It was definitely not a favorite. With his mouth still full of food he asked, “Why were clothes laid out for me?”

“Close your mouth while you chew,” Persephone ordered. 

Nico scowled and very deliberately swallowed, then asked again, “Where did the clothes come from?”

“Seph said you needed new ones.” Hades shrugged, “They looked like what you used to wear.”

“When? When I was like five? Wait -” Nico leaned forward, “did you know me when I was five?”

“I know of all my children, regardless of whether they know of me.”

“So did you know I’m Italian? Was I born in Italy? When did I come to the US?” 

“Elbows off the table.”

Nico forced himself into the back of the chair and glared at Hades waiting for an answer. He took his time, taking another bite of his meal before eventually saying, “That is information you have not earned -” 

“But it’s my -”

“ - you will need to prove more of your usefulness before I consider sharing that with you.”

“Hmph.” Nico folded his arms and slumped in his chair, looking away from them both. 

“Speaking of usefulness, you will begin your duties tomorrow.” Hades continued. 

“Duties?”

“You will patrol the borders of the fields, making sure the souls stay contained, reinforcing the boundaries. I need to stay informed if there are breaches. We had quite the disruption when Daedalus began his project. It was a mess, lost souls were everywhere. You will see that it doesn’t happen again.”

“So, you want me to be like a cow herder but for souls?” Nico smirked at the idea. He had a little experience with that. “What do I do when I’m done?” 

“When you’re finished you will find something else to occupy yourself and stay out of my way. I don’t want to see you unless I’ve specifically summoned you.”

“Like for a dysfunctional family dinner?” 

Hades glared at his son. “Apparently, yes.” Persephone sniffed defensively.

“What about Bob? We need to find something for him to do. He could help me with the rounds.”

“No.” 

“But - 

“I cannot give him such free reign, and I will not risk sending him back to Tartarus so he can share what he’s learned. I’ll keep him here. In a cell.”

Nico shot forward in his seat, “But he’s harmless! He doesn’t deserve that! At least give him something useful to do.”

Persephone twirled her hair absently, “I have been meaning to find a new janitor.”

“Excellent idea, my dear. He can be restrained to the palace, and do something useful.” He raised an eyebrow towards Nico. “That should satisfy us both, does it not?”

“No, he -”

“If you continue arguing, perhaps you should join him in a cell. I did not have to be so generous with your accommodations.” 

Nico bit his cheek to keep himself from retorting and glared back at his father. It wasn’t fair to give Bob a mindless task just to keep him out of the way. Sure, it wasn’t unlike what Hades was doing to him, sending off on some unless patrol. The difference was that Nico was taking the job voluntarily - he’d asked for it, really, anything to get himself closer to his father. Bob didn’t have a choice but do what they said or get locked away like a criminal. Nico knew what it felt like to be judged unfairly. Bob was capable of so much more and Nico wanted to believe that he could be good if he was given the chance. 

Hades took Nico’s silence as agreement. “Good. Now can we get the rest of this dinner over with?” 

The rest of dinner passed in relative silence, aside from Persephone occasionally correcting Nico’s posture or the order in which he used his forks. It was aggravating and felt pointless, but Nico forced himself to tolerate it. If it was all Persephone required in exchange for letting him have a place to stay in the Underworld, he would try his best to keep it that way. 

He wasn’t in the mood for trying to leave in search of some good ol’ fried potatoes after dinner, so instead, he just tried to navigate back to his room. After an hour, by his new watch, he finally found the right floor from the right staircase. 

He pushed the old clothes onto the floor and sat on the bed with a frustrated grunt. What had he gotten himself into? Why had he thought he’d have a chance of getting closer to his father? 

He didn’t know why Hades had agreed to let him stay, but he clearly didn’t take Nico seriously. It was all an amusing game to him. He knew about Nico’s past and was simply refusing to tell him about it. The thought irritated Nico. He was closer in proximity but he had a long, aggravating road ahead of him if he was going to learn anything about his past.

Glancing around the room, he considered if it was really worth it. An itch in the back of his head was telling him it was time to leave, that he couldn’t stay in one place for long. He’d made it on his own for so long by staying on the move. Erebus was just like everywhere else, he wasn’t supposed to be here. He wasn’t wanted. 

Yet, he didn’t really have anywhere else to go. At least here he had a place to sleep, he even had a job to get to in the morning. If he was going to stick to the agreement, if he really wanted to convince his father he could be trusted, he couldn’t leave, at least not on a moment’s notice.

Maybe making it more difficult to just pick up and go would force his brain to settle down. He pulled out his duffle bag and began unpacking what meager possessions he had. He tucked the few spare pieces of clothing; extra socks, extra underwear, in the closet, and put his toothbrush next to the sink. Then he pulled out the packs of bandages and ambrosia. He was almost out of the godly food. He wondered if Hades and Persephone kept any around the palace. He’d have to check for a supply he could keep on his person for emergencies.

At last, he pulled out the small Hades figurine Percy had given back to him over the summer. It was beginning to get a bit battered from all the travel, but Nico had been sure to protect it from the most severe damage. It was the last thing he had from his sister. He set it carefully on the bookshelf where he could see it from the bed. 

There were a few books on the shelf already, though Nico didn’t know why any would be kept in here. It didn’t look like this room had been used for decades, if not a century. He glanced at their spines. There was ‘Influenza: 1850 to 1900’, ‘Great Wars of the 1800s', and ‘Pestilence, Plague, and Poison: Deadly Diseases of the Past Century’. 

Oh great, books on various ways to die. Just the kind of delightful light bedtime reading you’d expect to find in the palace of the dead. Nico paused at the last one. It didn’t have a title and was smaller than the others, like a notebook. It intrigued him.

He flipped through the pages and brought the book to the bed. Tight, scribbled handwriting covered the first half of the book. The pages didn’t have dates, but it was clear these were journal entries. He opened it up to the first one; 

Well, I’ve ended up back in father’s domain. Not permanently, thank the gods, but not for lack of trying on the Fates' part. With the war and this new sickness on the surface, things are a mess down here. Hades needs help managing it all and since my siblings are … otherwise occupied… I offered to stay. I didn’t expect him to take me seriously, but he responded by giving me this room. So I guess I’ll be staying here for the foreseeable future, or at least until this wave of death passes and things calm down around here.

Nico’s eyes widened as he finished the first page. Was this written by another child of Hades, one that had also lived in Erebus? He’d never thought about the fact that there must have been other children of Hades. They were probably dangerous, given that there was a whole pact preventing there from being more, but this author didn’t seem particularly evil. In fact, they were only here trying to help. Nico sifted through the next couple of pages.  They didn’t keep a detailed account of their time in the Underworld, but they did write a new entry every few days. 

  … Father joined me in overseeing judgments today, it was the first time he’d done it since I came down here. He seemed impressed with our efficiency, though sometimes I fear Minos makes the decision to send souls to punishment too hastily… 

Occasionally they lamented about the lack of sunshine or passive-aggressively disapproved of their siblings, though they never wrote about them specifically enough for Nico to get any idea of who they were. It sounded like they were partially responsible for how hectic the underworld was. Nico read on hoping to learn more. 

Even if they thought this arrangement was temporary, this sibling of his seemed to settle into a routine.

… Persephone caught me in her gardens today. I just can’t help admiring the gorgeous blooms, they’re almost as beautiful as those on the surface…

… Father seems to be warming up to me. I might have even caught a smile the other day. I think he’s beginning to like the company, though I’m sure he’d deny it if I ever asked…

Nico yawned as he tucked the journal back on the bookshelf, wanting to save the rest for when he could fully pay attention. He looked around the room with new appreciation before starting to get ready for bed. The fact that someone else had lived here before was a comforting thought. Even if they were long gone, he had some connection with the author of that journal. For once Nico wasn’t the first or the only. Someone, at some point, had gone through the same thing he was going through. He held onto that thought as he drifted off to sleep. If they’d been able to find a way to get along with Hades, maybe Nico could too. 

Chapter Text

The next morning he spent a good amount of time wandering the main floor trying to figure out where he might find something to eat for breakfast. He could have tried to find the dining room where he’d eaten with Hades and Persephone the night before, but he was not eager for another lesson in etiquette over his orange juice. He supposed could have left the Underworld, but he’d noticed last night how differently the two sets of hands on his watch moved. He could be gone for fifteen minutes on the surface and come back to find he’d been away the entire day. Since today was the first day of his ‘official duties’ - if they could really be called that - he didn’t want to take the chance of losing a day to realm timezone inconsistency. 

He was passing the one room he already recognized, the throne room, when he saw someone familiar coming out of the large double doors. 

“Patroclus!” 

The shade startled at his name and turned toward Nico. He looked the same as the first time they’d met. His bronze sword was strapped to his waist, his dark hair tied neatly behind his head. His expression turned concerned as he recognized who had called him, “Hello, friend. I did not expect to see you back here so soon.” 

“I’ve decided to stay here and try to get closer to my father. With the war brewing up top he needs someone to talk sense into him.”

Patroclus nodded, “Ah. Well, I’m glad to see you have something you’re fighting for.” He stroked his chin, “If you’re staying here for a while we may need to pick back up on your lessons. I’d like for it to be a very long time before you are back here permanently.” 

“Really?” Nico couldn’t help his building excitement, “You’d do that?”

“Actually,” the shade smiled to himself, “I know someone who may be much more suited to your training than I. I will see if I can bring him to meet you.”

“Oh! Okay. Well, I’ll be here.” Nico gestured around the hall vaguely.

“I will find you.” Patroclus inclined his head politely and turned back down the hallway. 

With the promise of something much more interesting on the horizon, Nico headed out for his first day on the job.

Turns out his job was exactly like what he did with Eurytion back on Greyon’s ranch. He patrolled the border of Asphodel and the fields of Punishment looking for souls aimlessly wandering too far from the rest. The two areas were divided by a barely visible barrier of shadows. It had no effect on Nico’s ability to move through the border but did seem to effectively contain souls. Occasionally, he found a patch of the border that felt weaker than the rest and he would pause to use his powers to reinforce it. 

Nico dove into the task determined to prove to his father that he could handle it. For the first two weeks, he worked long days, repairing the boundary and wrangling souls. He barely had enough energy to join Persephone for an uncomfortably silent dinner before collapsing into his bed. Hades was only mildly interested in his progress, waving off Nico’s attempts to negotiate for more responsibility.

Eventually, Nico had repaired the borders enough that he only needed to do a routine check for an hour or so every morning to keep things under control. Unfortunately, Hades still refused to be convinced to give him more to do. That left Nico with a lot of free time and the boredom was hell. Perhaps more accurately, Hell was filled with boredom. 

Since his father kept him out of the throne room, and he didn’t want to risk running into Persephone unawares, there just wasn’t a lot for him to do. He could never go too far or else he would risk missing his one obligation; dinner with Hades and Persephone. While his father could probably not care less, the wrath of his stepmother was not something Nico wanted to experience. 

He tried to find things to do. He’d wandered the halls of Erebus trying to make a mental map of the place and had ended up in the kitchens. He was shooed away by a skeleton wearing a tall chef's hat. He walked along the banks of the Styx and watched remnants of forgotten dreams float down the river but got overrun by souls every time Charon’s ferry arrived. He'd even considered traveling up to the surface and collecting a few library books but as interesting as they may be, he couldn’t sit still staring at a single book for long. He longed for his days in the New York library where he had any kind of book at his fingertips, rather than having to be satisfied with just one or two.

He was kicking a rock across one of the many courtyards, killing time before his mandatory awkward family dinner, when Patroclus found him again. This time he was walking with another man, leading him into the courtyard as they talked. The new shade had long blonde hair tied at the nape of his neck and he wore a simple white tunic under leather armor. His sandals were laced tightly around his ankles. 

Nico’s eyes widened as he recognized the newcomer; 

Achilles 

Myrmidon Hero of the Trojan war. +100 defense, 1000 attack. Achilles can only be defeated by a Hero of Troy; Hector, Paris, or Deiphobus. Achilles’ fierceness in battle and incomprehensible invulnerability led him to be one of the greatest of Greek heroes. They also apparently make him more suited to teaching Nico combat skills than Patroclus.  

Nico blinked his eyes a few times trying to wrap his head around the idea. Of all the heroes Patroclus could have brought to teach him, he had gotten freaking Achilles .

Achilles took in Nico with a skeptical eye as they approached. He seemed to make his assessment even before they’d been properly introduced. He turned to his companion, “My dear Patroclus, I love your optimism but you can’t be serious. This is the demigod you were telling me about?”

Patroclus smiled, “He’s fiercer than he looks.”

Nico stood a little taller at Patroclus’ praise, determined to make a better impression. 

“Hm.” Achilles tapped his chin thoughtfully and gave Nico another once over. He walked around him, tilted his head from side to side, pursed his lips, then finally, “Why don’t I see for myself? You have a weapon, yes?”

“I do.” Nico nodded hastily and reached for the sword at his waist, only to realize he’d left it in his room. Damn Persephone and her ‘no weapons’ at the table rule. “Just not on me.”

The warrior reached a hand out to Patroclus, who was already handing over his sword. Achilles passed it to Nico and reached for his own at this waist. “This will do. Attempt to strike me.”

Nico gripped the unfamiliar sword tightly and prepared to attack. He thought he’d made great progress in learning to wield his sword effectively since the last time he and Patroclus had met. He wanted to prove it to them both. He lunged.

Achilles was very fast. He stepped out of the way of Nico’s attack before he could even register what was happening. In one fluid motion he dodged, redirected Nico’s blade, and stepped forward to put him on the defensive. Nico struggled to find his footing but managed to block Achilles’ attack, sending a loud metallic clang through the courtyard. Satisfied, the warrior eased away from Nico and gave him room to take another swing. 

 They continued this dance a few more times. Nico would come in with an attack, Achilles would deflect it and make a move of his own. Nico managed to dodge or parry each one, but not without great effort. By the time Achilles stepped back for the final time, Nico’s breaths were coming in deep gulps. 

Patroclus stepped away from the wall where he’d been watching and offered to take the sword from Nico, “Well?”

“Very well.” The hero nodded to Nico, “Same time tomorrow.”

Nico was so eager for his next meeting with Achilles he barely slept. In the morning, he made very quick work of patrolling the fields and may have left a few patches of barrier weaker than they should have been. It didn’t matter, he’d just go out and fix them tomorrow. For all his excitement, he was nearly late. Apparently, his mental map needed work, Erebus was still a giant maze to him. 

Achilles and Patroclus came together, the former carrying a couple of blunt bronze swords. He tossed one of them to Nico, “We will start with basic forms.”

Nico caught the training sword and stared at it, “With this? But I already have a sword.”

“One that is not suitable for sparring.” Achilles stretched out his shoulder while Patroclus made himself comfortable leaning against the courtyard wall. “Stygian Iron is dangerous, especially for shades such as myself.”

“Patroclus sparred against me with it!” Nico insisted. 

Achilles raised an eyebrow and looked over at the other man,  “And he will never hear the end of it. He can be a bit… reckless.” From where he sat watching them Patroclus shrugged like, what can you do? Achilles continued, “I want to challenge you, which I can only do if you’re not holding back. We’ll train with your weapon soon enough.”

“Fine” Nico muttered and unbuckled his own sword, leaving it leaning against a wall. 

“Now we’re going to start with a defensive stance. It needs to be your default, ingrained in your muscles.”

Achilles drilled Nico long into the afternoon, covering stances and maneuvers before moving on to jabs, parries and dodges. By the time they called for a break Nico’s shoulders burned, his shirt was damp with sweat, and he was out of breath. Training with Achilles was much more challenging than sparring against a few skeletons of his own. He loved every minute of it. 

“You’re a quick study,” Patroclus nodded to Nico as he took the training sword back from him. 

“Thanks.” Nico wiped sweat from his forehead. “Hey, I’ve been wondering, why aren’t you in Elysium or some other afterlife? Why do you serve the palace instead?”

Patroclus shrugged “This is my afterlife. My life was too gray for an easy conclusion. I didn’t earn my place among the heroes, but I’m thankful I avoided the worst of the fields of Punishment. In the end, I was given something in the middle, serving your father and doing what he needs of me. ”

“He tries to sound humble about it, but he likes that it lets him have a purpose.” Achilles took the swords from Patroclus and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, “Even if we both know he deserved Elysium with me.”

“I am not a hero like you,” Patroclus said, looking down. Achilles tucked a strand of dark hair behind the other man’s ear and said something too soft for Nico to hear. It made Patroclus smile.

“So if you work for my father, do you regularly bring souls to the palace? Like how you brought Achilles to meet me?”

“Achilles is a special case, but I do spend a lot of time going between here and Elysium. Why do you ask?”

“I was hoping I could learn more than just swordplay.” Nico twisted the skull ring on his finger. It had felt like a very relevant accessory down in the Underworld, “The boredom down here could be its own punishment”

Patroclus chuckled, “ I can ask around. Perhaps a few other shades would welcome a change of pace in exchange for imparting some of their knowledge - 

“Oh I’m sure of it -” Achilles interjected

“ - As long as you’re an attentive student.”

“I will be,” Nico assured him. 

Patroclus included his head, “I will see what I can do.”

So began Nico’s Erebus routine. He’d start his day with his regular check around the borders of Asphodel, shoring up anywhere the barrier looked weak and rounding up any unusually wayward souls. He’d get back and just have enough time to find something to eat before he would meet Achilles in the courtyard to train. Patroclus always accompanied the warrior and stayed around to tend to any nicks or scratches Nico got while training. When they’d exhausted Nico physically, Patroclus went to retrieve someone to challenge him mentally. He had tutors in all sorts of subjects; history, philosophy, and geography. He’d even asked if there was someone who could teach him various languages, including Mandarin and ASL. 

He was then let loose for a few hours before he’d have to meet Persephone and Hades in the dining room for dinner. Eventually, he’d figured out who the skeleton in charge of their meals was (spoiler; it was the one with the chef’s hat) and he was able to request his own choices for dinner. Persephone would come after him if there wasn’t something green on his plate, but otherwise, he managed to have much more appetizing things than suspiciously gray meatloaf. 

They didn’t talk much at dinner. Nico had tried to ask about what Hades knew of his past, but he was always met with the dismissal that he hadn’t earned it yet - despite the fact that Hades hadn’t given him anything else to do. At this rate, Nico wouldn’t finally earn the privilege of knowing his mother’s name until he was a permanent resident of the Underworld. He needed to come up with another way to get information out of his father.

They were halfway through another silent dinner when Hades spoke up, “I hear you’re training with Achilles.”

“Mm?” Nico looked up from his plate of spaghetti mid-bite, not expecting to be spoken to. Pasta dangled out of his mouth and swung past his chin. Persephone groaned and put her head in her hand. Nico covered his mouth and swallowed, “Excuse me. Yes, I am.”

“I did not know you had so much free time. You’re not neglecting your duties are you?” 

“Oh, no. erm, sir. I check the fields every morning. I figured you would approve of additional training.”

Hades stroked his chin, “Yes, I suppose combat training would do you good. Especially if you insist on carrying around that infernal sword of yours.”

The corner of Nico’s mouth twitched, “I thought it was yours.”

“Yes, whatever.”

A few of the serving skeletons came into the room and collected the empty dishes. Nico shoved the last forkful of spaghetti into his mouth before holding out his plate for them. Without missing a beat, another skeleton brought out a tray of dishes. Nico smiled to himself, he could see the eerie green flame from here. 

“What is this?” Hades asked as the slice of cake was placed in front of him. 

“Birthday cake.” Nico nodded his thanks as he received his own serving complete with a lit candle, “Thought you could tell me how old I am today.”

“Why is it blue?” Persephone poked at her slice with her fork. 

Nico felt his ears grow warm, “No reason. I just wanted a blue birthday cake.” He cleared his throat, “back to the point - It’s my birthday today, I think. I should be turning 13, but for some reason, I don’t remember when I was born. You said you knew me when I was young, so you must know how old I really am.” 

“What does it matter? You’re biologically 13, so you’re 13. You can’t trick me into sharing information” Hades took a bite of his dessert, “Even if this is a good cake.”

Nico scowled. “If you won’t tell me, I’ll just come up with other ways to get the information out of you.”

Hades sat back in his chair, with a smug expression “If you have so much time on your hands, then I must need to give you more to do. If you can handle it.” He had a mischievous glint of challenge in his eyes, “Since you so recklessly banished one of my judges to Tartarus -”

“I did what?” Nico dropped his fork in surprise. Is that where he sent Minos?

“- Perhaps you should sit on a jury.”

Nico’s eyes went wide. “Like for souls?”

Persephone snorted, “You just said he’s barely 13, you can’t give him that responsibility.”

“I can’t?”

“He barely knows anything.”

“Hey!” Nico protested.

 Hades paused, considering. “I suppose you’re right. The paperwork for misjudged souls is horrendous.” Nico looked back and forth between them anxiously. Sure, he wanted to prove his usefulness but he definitely wasn’t ready for that kind of responsibility. He’d not really thought through all the consequences of assuming Minos’ title. 

“Then he will learn.” Hades declared. He turned to Nico, “You will… shadow me. Learn how things work here.”

Nico gulped, “I will?”

“Yes, consider it an extension of your training. If you prove yourself not completely incompetent, I may be able to find a use for you yet.”

When Nico got back to his room that evening, he went straight to the notebook on his bookshelf. He had no idea what kind of responsibilities his father regularly did, or what it took to participate in a judgment. He wished he had someone he could talk to about it, someone who knew what to expect. He hoped the mysterious journal-sibling might have some advice. 

I’m getting exhausted these days. Acting as judge of souls is a heavy burden to bear. It seems every soul that comes through met their end too soon. The Influenza is ruthless, and there are too many innocent men dying in the middle of pointless conflict. I wish there was more I could do than just decide their afterlife….

That was not reassuring. Nico scanned the book for more and found something else that caught his eye. 

I judged a sibling today. They were not the first demigod I’ve seen come through judgment, but they were the first that shared my parentage. They were not happy to see me. They went into a rage and would not calm down until father got involved. It’s a mess when a child of the Underworld gets upset down here. I had to step out while the rest of them deliberated, but with what I know of their life, I do not believe they would be headed for Elysium. I wonder if Father would have preferred to at least send them to Asphodel.  I wish we had been closer when they were alive,  Gods know our lives can be so isolated. I wonder if that’s why so many of us take such a destructive path… 

Nico sighed as he closed the book. He was left with more questions than answers. It would be easier if he could just talk to this person, but he doubted he’d have much luck finding them, not without knowing who they were. 

He didn’t understand why they seemed so different. He’d been told children of Hades were powerful and dangerous, but whoever was writing this didn’t seem to share the same destructive attitude as their siblings. 

Nico envied them, having a demigod sibling that could understand what it was like to have the father they did. He would give anything not to have to go through this alone. He clutched the notebook under his pillow as he fell asleep. His one connection to someone like him. 

That night he dreamt of siblings. Vague whisperings of sisters long dead, roaming the fields of Asphodel. He tossed and turned trying to ignore it. It couldn’t mean anything to him. Bianca had gone for rebirth, she was gone even from the Underworld. He had no reason to think he’d see her again.

Chapter Text

Nico was early to meet his father the next morning. Unsurprisingly, the doors to the throne room were closed when he got there. He yawned as he ran a hand through his hair and leaned against the wall to wait. 

He’d not slept well the night before. He blamed the journal for getting his thoughts all jumbled with thoughts of dead siblings. He figured he’d wanted to talk to the author of the journal so badly his brain had conjured the idea of them waiting in Asphodel. He knew it couldn’t mean anything, though. He had no way of finding them and he doubted they’d want to talk to him anyway.

He had to get used to the idea that he didn’t have a sibling anymore. Any children of Hades before him were long gone and Bianca was unreachable. As much as he wished he could talk to her again, she had made her choice. 

His eyes were drifting closed again when he was woken up by someone calling his name. 

“Nico!” Bob waved from the other end of the hall, pushing a cart with a mop and a couple of brooms. He beamed at the son of Hades and came over to greet him. 

“Hey, Bob. How’s it going?” 

“Good!” Bob nodded, “I’ve been very busy! Persephone has a lot of things that need to be cleaned.” 

Nico winced, “About that - I’m sorry I couldn’t convince them to give you a different job.”

Bob tilted his head in confusion, “What are you talking about? This is a great job! I even get my own jumpsuit. See?” He pointed proudly to his chest. Under his finger, embroidered on his blue coveralls were the letters; BOB. 

Nico managed a smile, “That’s great.” 

“And that’s not even the best part! After I finish up in here I get to go pick up after Cerberus!” 

“Yay?”

“Yay!” Bob repeated, “Playing with Cerberus and the hellhounds is one of my favorite things to do.”

“Oh! Neat! Percy has a hellhound.” Nico didn’t know why that came to mind right then.

“Does he play with them a lot? Hellhounds need lots of exercise.” 

Now that he thought about it, Nico didn’t know where Mrs. O’Leary spent most of her time. He couldn’t imagine her fitting in the tiny Jackson apartment. “I assume so. Percy’s a good guy so I bet he plays with her a lot.”

Bob grinned as though that was exactly what he wanted to hear. 

Hades appeared from the corridor opposite the one Nico had come down, in his hand was a half-eaten chocolate bar. Nico wondered if that was his breakfast.  He took a bite as he scowled at them both. 

“Bob, get back to work,” he said. He pointed at Nico, “You, come with me.”  

Nico pushed off the wall and followed his father to the double doors. As he waited for Hades to open them, he turned back to Bob, “I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Bye, Nico!” Bob waved and began whistling as he pushed his cart down the hall. 

“Today I’m holding meetings on how to make the judgment process more efficient,” Hades said as he led the way into the throne room.

It was as ornate as ever, though Nico realized he’d always been a bit too preoccupied to get a good look at it. The black and gold patterns on the floor tiles spiraled throughout the room creating a twisting design that reminded Nico of the gates of Elysium. Dark green and black banners hung along the walls, in between tall pillars made of black marble that reached the ceiling. Nico followed them up and craned his neck to admire the intricate paintings above his head depicting several scenes of heroes dying in battle.  They looked like they could have been painted by Leonardo da Vinci himself. The detail was mesmerizing. One figure with an arrow in its heel looked impressively similar to the Achilles Nico trained with. 

“Wow,” he said under his breath, “Fascinating.”

“Is that sarcasm? This is serious business.” 

“No, I was just -” Nico pointed up. 

“Oh.” Hades followed his gaze, “Yes, those are quite impressive, I had them put in a couple hundred years ago. I forgot they were there.”

“Oh yeah, they’re really forgettable.”

“But you just - “

Nico raised his eyebrows at his father.

“Ah, yes. That was sarcasm, wasn’t it?”

“Bingo.”

Hades let out an irritated puff of air and turned back to his throne. “I will be meeting with several of my staff today. You will sit over there - ” He pointed to a simple chair carved from black marble off to the side of the room “-and be silent. When we’re finished you will give me a summary of the meeting so I know you were paying attention.”

“Can I take notes?”

“No.”

“How long do these meetings go?”

“Depends, can be several hours.”

“What if I need to use the restroom?”

“You will wait until we are finished.”

“O-okay.” Nico was glad he thought to take care of that before leaving his room this morning. He sat in his designated chair and drummed his fingers on his legs. He looked up at his father expectantly. “Then what are we waiting for?”

With his rounds of the fields of Asphodel, training with Achilles, tutoring, and shadowing his father, the days began to fly by. 

His time sitting in his father’s throne room was fascinating. He had no idea so much went into maintaining order in the Underworld. Not only did Hades handle the logistics of receiving, judging, and containing millions of souls, but there was also the management of thousands of minions and monsters to consider. He had the Furies and other scouts reporting on the movements of monsters making their way to the surface and he would decide when to send teams of guards out to disperse them if their groups were getting too large. 

There were also meetings with minor gods, to ensure they were content and had no reason to consider siding with the Titans. Nico marveled at the level of diplomacy he saw from his father as he negotiated Underworld real estate and claims of godly domains. He pointedly avoided looking at Melinoe when she came to hear Hades’ offer of a larger cave in exchange for her keeping her exit to the Underworld locked down to everyone but herself. 

After every meeting, Nico faithfully and accurately summarized what had been discussed and any relevant conclusions. It was a surprisingly effective way for him to learn how the Underworld worked. The fact he couldn’t take notes forced his mind to stay engaged the entire time. 

His studies with Patroclus were also proving to be useful. He could pick whatever he wanted to learn and Patroclus would find someone who had been an expert in it in life. He caught up on modern history and dove deeper into ancient history. He learned the basics of emergency first aid and even spent a few days getting to chat with one of the guys that went to the moon. 

He had the most success with languages. He still struggled to read and write languages that were not English or Italian, but for some reason, it was very easy for him to pick up speaking in other languages. Patroclus suspected it had to do with the fact that he could communicate with the dead and the dead spoke every language. 

Training with Achilles was incredibly effective. He was getting more confident with his sword, faster with his reactions, and for the first time, he was beginning to see muscle definition in his arms. Coupling that with the fact he’d grown a couple of inches taller, his clothes started to fit a little differently. He was soon reminded he’d not found any new ones since he came down to the Underworld. So when he had a moment free, he popped to the surface to find some. He figured nobody would notice. That was apparently a bad assumption. 

“That’s new.” Persephone pointed to his shirt from across the table during dinner one evening. 

“This?” Nico was wearing a simple burgundy tee that hung loosely off his shoulders. It wasn’t the best fit, but at least it didn’t cling to him awkwardly. He obviously hadn’t had any time to ‘earn' some money at a random bar so he’d just grabbed what he could when the clerk’s back was turned. That method of shopping certainly didn’t give him much time to peruse. 

“There are a few new things in your room, too.” Hades added, “When did you get new bedsheets?”

Okay, so he’d stolen those on a bit of an impulse. The old ones were so scratchy. “What new bedsheets?”

“Don’t play dumb with me.” Hades said. “Where did they come from?”

“I… acquired… them,” Nico said carefully. 

Hades raised his eyebrows, he was not fooled, “You know I punish thieves for a living.”

“I - um,” Nico shrank into his chair.

Hades let out a resigned sigh, “I am also the god of wealth.” He snapped his fingers and a thin black rectangle appeared between his fingers. He slid it across the table to Nico, “No more stealing things.”

Nico studied the rectangle. He was surprised to see that it had his name on it. With how often he was called ‘you’ or ‘boy’ he was beginning to think his father didn’t know his name. Now that he was holding it, it was clear it was a credit card, except where the name of the card would be, it said, ‘Bank of Erebus’. He doubted he’d run into a spending limit with this card. 

“Um. Okay.” Nico tucked it carefully in his pocket. He should probably get a wallet. It took him a few seconds before he hastily added, “Thank you.”

Hades nodded once and then avoided Nico’s eyes. He seemed just as uncomfortable giving the gift as Nico was receiving it. 

“Well, you can use it the next time you go to the surface.” Persephone told him, pulling their attention back to the table, “Perhaps we’ll run into each other.”

“On the surface?”

“Yes. It’s nearly mid-spring, I’m leaving in a few days.”

Right. Persephone didn’t live in the Underworld full-time. Nico was startled to realize that if it was spring, then Percy’s birthday - and the prophecy's deadline - was only a few months away. He’d been so caught up in everything going on down here that he’d forgotten Camp Half-Blood was preparing for war. 

“Does that mean I don’t have to meet you for dinner every night?” Nico asked hopefully.

“That’s up to your father.” 

Nico looked toward Hades. “Well?”

“If it were up to me, you wouldn’t be going to the surface at all.” Hades crossed his arms and glared at Persephone. “It’s dangerous up there, especially now.” 

“You know that’s not possible,” Persephone said.

“What do you mean?” Nico asked, “What’s happening on the surface?” 

“The rest of my family is a bit preoccupied. Trying to handle the Titans.” Hades shot a glare at the ceiling, toward Olympus, “Which is why you would be safer down here. Let them run themselves ragged trying to solve their own problems. It’s not like they asked for my help anyway.”

“He thinks he should trap me here all year.” Persephone explained, “Just because he’s bitter he’s being left out.” 

“That’s not the reason.”

“It’s not?”

“No.” Hades said, “I just think with the Titans rising, it is best if you stayed here. Fortify what we have, in case anyone starts to get any ideas.”

“And like I’ve told you,” Persephone flipped her hair over her shoulder, “My mother would never allow it. Titans be damned.”

“I don’t give a damn about what your mother thinks!” Hades threw his hands in the air. “I’ll drag her down here if that will shut both of you up.” 

Persephone sat back, her lips pressed into a thin line, “Oh? You will, will you?”

“That’s not what I -”

“Ah.” Persephone held up a finger. “I would stop there if I were you. We’ll talk about this later.” The goddess delicately set her napkin on top of her plate and disappeared in a flurry of flower petals. 

Hades put his head in his hands and sighed, “I’m going to regret that, aren’t I?”

Nico took a sip of water to keep from laughing, “Uh huh.” 

“The answer is yes, by the way.”

“What?”

“Yes, you will still be obligated to join me for dinner.”

Nico cursed under his breath, “Shit.” 

“I heard that.” 

That night in his room Nico found himself flipping through the journal again. After his weird dreams, he wanted to just leave it alone but somewhere deep down he was comforted by reading what someone else had gone through. With the reminder that Percy and the others were probably busy preparing for another battle against Luke / Kronos’ army,  there was a small part of him that was beginning to doubt if he was making the best choice by staying here. 

The journal didn’t help. 

I’ve been thinking, I have always been attuned to the vitality of others - another blessing from father that feels like a curse - but I wonder if I can’t use it for something productive….

 One of today’s judgments was the soul of a young soldier, left for dead on the battlefield. He hadn’t even had a serious injury, he died of exposure. I could have saved him. Why am I here with the dead when I could be helping the living? 

The next few pages were blank leaving Nico to wonder if they really had found a way to help the living instead. He tossed the book to the other side of the couch and stared into the green flames in the fireplace. What good could a child of the Underworld do? Nobody had wanted his help back at camp. They’d even been afraid for him to touch them. If he showed up to help with the battle half of them might even assume he was on the other side. 

There was one thing he knew only he could do, but he still didn’t have an answer yet. He tried not to think of the consequences if he was unable to convince Percy to go through with his plan. He couldn’t see another option for defeating Kronos and if they didn’t defeat the Titans… 

He pushed the thought to the back of his mind. It was still spring, he told himself, there was plenty of time.

Chapter Text

Nico found the opportunity to use the gift from his father the day after Persephone left. Hades, probably sulking because his wife had not listened to him, had canceled his meetings for the day and Achilles and Patroclus agreed that Nico should have some time to take a break. They had been eager to send him to the surface, actually, insisting that it would do him some good to spend time with living souls his own age.

So Nico found himself sitting in a mall in the middle of Los Angeles, treating himself to what the cashier had called frozen yogurt. The taste had been a bit of a surprise when he’d been expecting something like ice cream, but he supposed if he went into it with the knowledge that it was very much not ice cream, then it was okay. 

He had a few bags with him, filled with practical things that he needed - new shoes, new clothes that actually fit. He’d chuckled to himself as he heard Blitzen’s voice in his head, “Might as well make this whole thing a look.” So he pulled any shirt with skulls, skeletons, or ghosts he could find off the rack and tried it on. In the end, he had a decently sized wardrobe filled with black jeans and dark t-shirts all befitting a son of Hades. 

He couldn’t get himself to get a new coat. His aviator jacket had been with him so long that it felt like part of him. It had provided him comfort when he had nothing and he just couldn’t part with it. 

A trio of girls about his age walked past him, giggling to themselves. Hearing Patroclus’ voice in his head urging him to ‘give the living a try’, he tried for a friendly smile. Unfortunately, he was mid-bite and ended up grinning goofily around his spoon. The girls’ giggling doubled as they exchanged looks with each other. He thought he heard one of them say to their friends, “What a dork.”

“Hmph.” Nico scowled at his yogurt. So much for meeting kids his own age. He didn’t even know how to smile without making a fool of himself. The dead were so much easier. They didn’t laugh when you did something stupid…

Luckily he was quickly distracted from that thought as he began to hear music coming from a nearby store. Intrigued, he threw away his trash and gathered up his things.

The store in question looked to be a record shop, though they had a lot more than the vinyl records Nico remembered. 

Oh, right, h e thought, Those must be over 70 years old now .

This whole ‘having been stuck out of time’ thing was really annoying sometimes. He’d have a memory of something that he thought of as everyday knowledge - candy bars cost 5 cents, or FDR was president of the US -and then remember that he was working with information that was decades outdated. Before he understood just how much time he’d spent in the Lotus Hotel, he’d often just write off his confusion as some weird deja vu, but now he couldn’t get over how different the world was from what he thought he knew. He encountered something that reoriented his worldview every week since his first visit to the Underworld. 

Technology was the worst. The day he realized that people had personal phones that they carried in their pockets had been mind-blowing. Maybe it was a good thing he didn’t spend time with kids his own age. He’d never be able to keep up. 

He walked into the store and glanced around. The walls were covered with posters of all sorts of bands from the Beatles, to AC/DC to the Ramones. The middle of the room was filled with short bins filled with both vinyl and CDs, all neatly organized by genre and then alphabetically. 

The music that had intrigued him, with its driving beat and angsty lyrics, was blasting from the speakers. Behind the counter a young guy was scrolling through his phone, holding it up to his face, the black paint on his fingernails clearly visible. 

“What is this?” Nico asked as he approached the counter, pointing to the speaker. At the sound of the question, the guy looked up in surprise, taking note of Nico’s ripped black jeans and shaggy hair falling into his eyes. Nico suspected the guy was wondering whether Nico had been trying to steal his look on purpose. “Kid like you? I would have guessed you knew already.” He pointed to a CD case propped up next to the register, “It’s MCR.”

“MCR?”

“My Chemical Romance.” 

“Oh.” Nico studied the album cover. It had a marching skeleton on it, no wonder the guy thought he’d know it already. He listened for a few more seconds, bobbing his head to the guitar solo. He definitely hadn’t heard music like this before the hotel. “I like it.”

“I’m not surprised.” The guy chuckled as he got up and walked around the counter, “Let me show you their other albums.”

All in all, it was a productive day. He didn’t meet any new people or strike up any new friendships but he’d spent an afternoon doing things typical of 13-year-olds. Along with the new clothes, he’d decided to get a few CDs and a speaker. The guy at the music store had been full of recommendations, across many of the decades Nico was sorely ignorant of, and told him he was welcome to come back if he ever wanted more. 

With a fuller closet and his own music playing out the speaker next to the fireplace, the room in Erebus was beginning to feel like his own. As he lay on his bed working his way through each of his new albums, Nico could pretend he was a normal, modern teenager. 

On his next break from training, Nico decided he didn’t need to back up to the surface. Instead, he found Bob just outside the gates of Erebus tossing one of the largest bones Nico had seen for Cerberus to chase. 

“Hey, Bob!” Nico called as he walked up to the reformed Titan. 

“Nico!” Bob grinned and waved. He was so distracted by his friend’s approach that he was nearly toppled over by one of Cerberus' noses nudging him to throw the bone again. 

Nico joined them and reached a hand up to pat Cerberus’s far head on the side of the nose. The hound returned the affection by licking Nico’s entire chest. He laughed, “I’m glad to see you, too. I’m surprised you remember me.”

“Cereberus would never forget you!” Bob insisted, “You’re the only one who scratches behind all six of her ears.”

Nico smiled as he did just that. There were a lot of unpleasant and gruesome monsters in the Underworld that he did his best to avoid, but Cerberus was not one of them. When he’d first learned that Bob was put in charge of taking care of and cleaning up after the hound, he’d been happy to offer the Titan some help. Animals on the surface weren’t particularly fond of him, but Underworld dogs? They seemed to love him.

Behind Nico, three hellhounds appeared, barking happily as they bounded through the shadow of Ereberus’ outer wall. They dropped their own, much smaller bones, in front of Bob. 

“Did they just -?”

“Oh hello!” Bob cooed, petting the hellhounds behind the ears. “Again? Okay, we can do it again.” He picked up one of the bones and took a step back. With a throw more suited to a javelin than the Underworld equivalent of a random stick, Bob hurled the bone out over the fields of Asphodel. It flew above the fields for several hundred feet before disappearing in the distance. 

All three hellhounds barked with joy and leaped in the direction of the bone. In two steps, they disappeared, jumping through a sphere of shadow that materialized in front of them. 

“Oh, they definitely just shadow-traveled,” Nico confirmed. 

Bob nodded happily, “Hellhounds can run far. I have to throw their bones really hard.” 

“That’s pretty cool. Maybe they can teach me a few things.” 

“Your brain’s going to explode with all the things you’re learning,” Bob said, sticking his tongue out at Nico.

“It is not.” Nico leaned against the side of Cereberus’ nose and began twisting the ring on his finger. She let out a content puff of air and settled her other two heads next to Bob, “I have a lot to catch up on. If I can’t learn about my past, I might as well learn about everything else I’ve missed.” 

Bob scratched his head, “I wonder if I've missed anything. All I’ve known is meeting you and working here.”

Nico’s hands stopped fidgeting and stared at the Titan. He’d not realized the similarities between them. They both had a past they couldn’t remember. The only difference was that Nico was aware of it. Was it possible that what had happened to Bob had also happened to him? If so, who was responsible? Was that why he couldn’t remember anything about his mother?

He didn’t like the idea of continuing Bob’s ignorance, but he much preferred to have Bob on his side than Iapetus against him. If he was happy with how things were, maybe it was okay. Nico eyed the Titan carefully,  “Are you happy here?”

“Yes! Persephone keeps me busy and I get to play with Cereberus and chat with you, it’s great! I do miss the others though.”

“The others?”

“Percy and Thalia. I thought they’d come visit.”

“Oh, yeah..." Nico was surprised by the disappointment in his own voice. Now that thought about it, Percy hadn’t tried to reach him at all since he decided to stay down here. He thought maybe after the whole thing with the sword they just might start to be friends. “I’m sure they’re just busy.”  

“You’re busy, but you still make time to see me.”

“Well, yeah. You’re my friend.” Nico nudged the Titan’s arm playfully, which made Bob giggle, “Percy’s a friend too. He’s just got a big prophecy to worry about right now. He knows we’re safe down here, so probably doesn’t want to mess with that. When I was on my own, he tried really hard to make sure I was safe.” 

“He did?”

“Yeah, he’s good.” Nico glanced at his shoes, “Really good.” He hoped he got to see Percy again soon. This heart did a little excited flutter at the thought. That was weird. 

Nico glanced at his watch, noting the position of the set of dark hands, “Oh! I need to go. It’s almost time for dinner. I thought I’d get out of it with Persephone gone, but no - I’ve got to get some quality time with good ol’ dad.”

“Don’t annoy him too much,” Bob placed a large hand on Nico’s head and ruffled his hair, “Cerberus and I would miss you.”

Nico snorted, “I’ll try” He patted each of Cereberus’ noses and waved to Bob, “See you later!” 

Bob waved as he hefted the large bone back over his shoulder in preparation for another throw. 

After yet another silent dinner with Hades, Nico settled onto the couch in his room trying to do math homework of all things. Having been dead for as long as he had, Patroclus didn’t know a lot about modern education but as soon as he realized that Nico hadn’t finished sixth grade -essentially the mid-way point in the typical educational journey these days - he insisted that Nico’s tutoring included pieces of modern curriculum. 

Nico hated geometry. Especially because the soul who was tutoring him in it, Euclid himself,  insisted he had to practice, with homework . He much preferred the stuff Ms. Shelley, his English tutor, assigned him to do. She had excellent taste in books. In contrast, Nico was convinced Euclid had nothing better to do down here than make up problems to confuse him. So now he spent a good part of his evenings staring at triangles willing them to tell him their secrets. Quickly though, his attention drifted away from the paper in front of him and to the bookshelf across the room. 

It was much fuller than it had been when he got here. Instead of the few outdated books on influenza, it now had two whole shelves filled with CDs, organized by how much Nico enjoyed them. The three shelves below that now had a collection of books, both novels he’d kept for himself and a few library books he needed to return the next time he ventured to the surface.

Squished between The Hobbit and The Princess Bride (He didn’t really get what Wesley saw in Buttercup but he could definitely see what Buttercup saw in Wesley, he was a pirate for Gods’ sake.) was the old journal. He’d almost forgotten it was there. The last time he’d read it, he’d been convinced that a child of the Underworld couldn’t make much of a difference on the surface. But as they got closer to the prophecy’s deadline, he wondered if his mysterious journal sibling had ever had success. 

He grabbed the book off the shelf and flipped it to where he’d left off. After a few empty pages, the entries picked back up again; 

Well, I had a good run, but I’m back again. It all became too much - too many people I couldn’t help. That poor girl especially. I couldn’t leave her on her own, not when the rest of her family had already succumbed to the fever. I stayed by her side as she fought the flu, but my hands aren’t meant for healing. I could sense every moment of her slipping away. It was too much. At least Father seems pleased to have me back…

Nico let out a disappointed sigh. He’d had hope that this sibling could have paved a path forward. But it looked like Hades’ children were destined for a life of isolation. He wondered what had happened to the author, why weren’t they still staying in Erebus? It only took a few more entries to get his answer,

I’ve started to feel fatigued, and my breaths are coming in shallower. At first, I thought it was just an adjustment back to the Underworld climate, but I’m beginning to suspect it is something more. This is how it started with the others….

And the next; 

This will be my last entry. I’m waiting for my own judgment as I write this. It’s a disorienting thing, dying while already in the Underworld. One moment I’m resting in my bed trying to sleep off the fever, and the next I’m wide awake sitting next to my body. Father knew as soon as it happened, he seemed more disappointed than I expected. I don’t know who will read this, if anyone, but I hope you have more luck than I did. I hope you find your purpose. I may not have made the impact I wished on the world but hope that it was at least a good one. I tried to not follow the path of my siblings. I wonder what it is like to be reborn.

Nico flipped through the rest of the pages. That was it, the rest of the journal was blank, leaving him with dissatisfaction and confusion. He had so much he wished he could ask them. What was their time back on the surface like? What had they meant it was all too much? 

Walking back across the room, he put the journal back on the shelf, this time much more reverently next to the small Mythomatic figurine, collecting his reminders of siblings-past. He needed to know what happened to them, in the end. Did they get Elysium? Were they reborn? He doubted he could get any information from his father. If he wouldn’t tell Nico about his own past there was no way he’d be willing to talk about another child of his. He let out a resigned sigh as he realized he was going to have to ask a different resident of Erebus. 

Chapter Text

He got his chance a few days later when he found an expected envelope waiting for him on his bed. The stationary was the lightest shade of green, standing out against the dark colors of the room, and had a faint smell of sweet grass. In it was an invitation of sorts, a time and place where he was to meet his stepmother… for afternoon tea. He rolled his eyes as he tucked it into his back pocket. He doubted he had much choice in attending, but at least she’d given him advanced notice this time, instead of plucking him out of a New Orleans cemetery out of the blue. 

He found Persephone sitting at a table outside the shop. A colorful umbrella shaded her from the harshest of rays, but she still wore sunglasses as she sipped her tea. She looked different up here, more vibrant and full of life. Her floral sundress matched the patterns on her teacup. 

“Hello.” Nico approached her table, “You summoned me?”

Her nose scrunched up, “Summoned? You were invited .” 

“I know better than to think this was optional.” Nico said as he sat across from his stepmother, “So why am I here?” 

“So blunt and to the point. You’re spending too much time with your father!” Persephone laughed. Apparently, the sunshine and fresh air had just as much effect on her mood as they did her complexion. Nico raised his eyebrows at her. “Fine. This is an extension of our deal. I need to continue to keep an eye on you if you’re staying in Ereberus.”

A waitress stopped by their table to refill Persephone’s teapot with fresh water and set out plates with the tiniest sandwiches Nico had ever seen. Everything was very orderly and elegant. No wonder Persephone enjoyed it. He took a bite of one of the sandwiches, finishing half of it in one go as the goddess leaned back. 

“So, are you staying out of trouble?”

“As much as I can.” 

“And your lessons, you’re paying attention?”

“Yes, it would be kind of pointless if I didn’t.”

“And your training? Is that progressing?”

“Yes, Seph, it’s going fine.”

Persephone scowled. “What have I said about calling me that?”

Nico shrugged, “Not to?”

Persephone sighed and Nico thought he caught a hint of affection underneath the annoyance. She said this was to keep an eye on him, but he suspected there was more to it. Was it possible that she’d begun to like their regular meals? Was she missing them now that she was on the surface? Nico chuckled to himself at the thought. Maybe she didn’t dislike him as much as she pretended to. He figured if he’d ever have an opportunity to ask her something out of the blue, now would be it. 

“So I’ve been wondering something. My room. It once belonged to a…” He thought about the odd dreams he’d had, how much he’d had to remind himself it couldn’t have been Bianca, “It belonged to a sister of mine?”

Persephone considered him a moment, searching for something, “A brother. But yes, you’re not the first of Hades’ children to stay in Ereberus.”

“Why did my father let him do that?”

“Your father doesn’t listen to me, that’s why. Yes, we allowed him to stay, thought he’d be helpful, and what did he do? As soon as he realized how dreary the Underworld can be he ran back up there and got himself sick.” 

From what Nico had read in the journal, that sounded like a gross oversimplification, but he kept his mouth closed. Persephone was still going. 

“Sick enough that, wouldn’t you guess, he died . That shouldn’t have been much of a problem, he might have gotten Elysium - he would have been one of the first of your father’s children to do so - but no, he chose rebirth.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

 Persephone crossed her arms, “Typically no, but when you’ve carved a bit of a place for yourself in the Underworld and the rest of us were just starting to get used to the idea of you staying around, choosing to ignore that in favor of an entirely new life has a bit of a sting to it. Your father was devastated, though he would never admit it. I think he’d been warming up to having one of his children around long term, but that idea died with your brother.”

Nico leaned forward. Hades had actually enjoyed having company? He never would have guessed it.

Persephone seemed to enjoy having a captivated audience, “So imagine my surprise when I learned he’d been keeping a secret from me.”

“What secret?”

“Your sister. And you and your mother.” The goddess rolled her eyes, “I suppose she had an effect on him… but that didn’t last long. Zeus made sure of that. You’re quite like her, you know.”

Nico felt as if the chair gave out underneath him. “I am?”

Persephone nodded as she took a sip of tea, but otherwise ignored Nico’s astonishment, “Yes. But as I was saying, your father kept her from me, if he hadn’t I most certainly would have talked some sense into him. As it was, her death hit him even harder than your brother’s. He doesn’t often get attached to mortals… and to lose two in such a short time… For the lord of the dead, he has a very hard time coping with mortality.”

Nico bit the inside of his cheek. He’d known fundamentally that his mother had to have died by now. He and Bianca had been stowed away for the equivalent of a lifetime. It was still difficult hearing it said out loud. 

“He withdrew after that, kept relationships as purely transactional. He became focused only on what others could do for him. That’s why I keep an eye on you.”

“Me?”

“The moment he stops seeing a use for you, you’ll be gone. I want to make sure I see that moment coming.” 

Nico gulped and stared back at his stepmother trying to comprehend what he’d just heard. He hadn’t exactly considered what the end of their little arrangement would look like. A part of him wondered what his end of the transaction was even supposed to be. He’d never exactly nailed that down and it wasn’t like his father thought he was that useful in the first place. What did Hades think he was getting out of this?

There weren’t any more big reveals from Persephone over the rest of their meal and Nico was anxious about asking any follow-ups to what secrets she had shared. Instead, they finished the unreasonably small sandwiches in casual silence. After so many of their dinners in Ereberus, this was familiar territory. 

He mulled over what Persephone had said about Hades’ reaction to his mother’s death. Hades had always been so dismissive about anything having to do with her, Nico had assumed he’d not cared. He’d never stopped to consider whether the god himself might have had a hard time talking about her. Nico felt the smallest of tugs of sympathy for his father. He knew what it was like to lose someone you cared about. 

Since there were no seasons in the Underworld, Nico didn’t get anything like a summer break from his routine. He did however get a week at the beginning of August when Patroclus let him have a break from the academic side of his studies. 

Nico filled it with more training with Achilles.

He was finally getting to the point that the shade was allowing him to spar with his own sword. Unfortunately, that meant Achilles was also wielding a sharpened blade. 

“Fuck!” Nico’s sword clattered to the ground as he reached across to the fresh cut along his forearm. He’d been getting too confident in his last approach and left his opponent an easy opening. Since Achilles was a strong believer that mistakes are only learned from if there are consequences, he took it. 

“Oh it’s just a scratch,” the warrior said playfully as he glanced at Nico’s arm. Despite the jest, he moved out of the way to let Patroclus inspect the injury. He deemed it superficial enough to only warrant a bite or two of ambrosia and let Nico lean against the courtyard wall as he wrapped it neatly in a bandage. 

“Says the guy who’s invulnerable,” Nico muttered. 

Patroclus snorted, “Not completely.”

“How’d it work exactly?” Nico asked, shaking out his newly bandaged arm and walking over to his discarded sword. “Did you just heal so fast you never really took damage?” 

Achilles considered a moment, “More like I had skin of steel. Nothing could cut me.”

“Neat.” Nico could only imagine how helpful that would be in the battle against Kronos. Anyone who followed Achilles’ footsteps would be unstoppable and from what they knew, at least one person on the Titan’s side already had. They needed someone just as powerful if they were going to have any chance. If only Percy would commit to it. Nico still hadn’t heard anything from him and they were up against the deadline. 

Achilles grimaced, “There was more to it than simply being powerful. It was a very heavy burden. I would not recommend any mortal follow that path.”

Patroclus looked the other man over with concern, “But you - “

“I did as I must. I do not hold the power, I can only serve as a warning.”

“A warning that it would make you a total badass,” Nico said appreciatively.

Achilles scowled. “I do not have a bad ass.”

Patroclus doubled over, “That’s not what he meant!” 

“Yeah, I meant like, super cool.” Nico tried to explain while holding his own snort of laughter. “Being invulnerable makes you really cool, the bees’ knees, a badass.”

“What would make you a badass -” Achilles said the word uncomfortably like he was trying it out for the first time, “is being able to dodge a blade on a direct path to your sword arm.”

Nico scowled at the jab, “Too soon.”

“Just soon enough,” Achilles insisted, lifting his sword in a ready stance, “Come. Again.”

With a grunt, Nico raised his sword and prepared for another bout.

As they got to the second week of August, Nico was becoming increasingly nervous about his proposal to Percy. The son of Posideon hadn’t made any effort to contact him about the plan, at least that Nico knew of. It was entirely possible that there were forces preventing any messages from getting to him down in the Underworld, but since the only people that should know about the plan were Percy and himself, Nico didn’t think that was likely. 

Either way, Nico was beginning to realize that he would need to do his own bit of reconnaissance if he wanted to know how things were going in preparation for the fight against the Titan forces.

He took his opportunity the next morning when he’d finished his rounds of herding wayward souls. He was getting pretty efficient with it nowadays, but every so often he felt like something, or someone was still out of place. The first couple of times he’d made a few extra passes across the border between Asphodel and the Fields of Punishment just to be sure, but he never found anything so he brushed it off. Spending most days surrounded by ghosts was bound to make anyone a little paranoid eventually. 

Instead of shadow traveling back to his room in Erebus when he was finished, he transported himself to the surface, materializing in the shadow of a pillar of a Greek pavilion on the top of a mountain. The sky was dark, the only light was coming from the hearth inside the pavilion. The air smelled of salt and eucalyptus. In the distance, he could see the Pacific ocean. A quick glance at his watch confirmed that while it was considered late morning in Erebus, it was just past midnight on the west coast. 

Nico peered around the pillar at the two figures around the brazier, studying the flames. They seemed to be discussing a recent attack on Luke’s forces. Apparently, Camp Half-Blood had made a pre-emptive strike.

“Big explosion,” one said. He was covered from head to toe in black armor. “Took out a lot of forces.”

“It doesn’t matter,” said the other, his harsh features mimicking the glare from his glowing golden robes. “The gods have answered the challenge. Soon they will be destroyed.”

Nico crouched down and continued to listen as they bickered over who had what chance to prove their worth to Kronos. From the sounds of it, there were several more Titans in play than they had originally anticipated; Atlas, Krios, even Typhon was on his way to New York City. The gods had their hands full. 

Just as the golden Titan made a dramatic fiery exit, Nico felt a prickling in the back of his head. Someone was watching him. The more he focused on it, the more it felt like his mind was somehow connected to something. It was like someone had found his mind as they were flipping through tv channels and had pulled up a chair and a bag of popcorn to tune in. He turned and looked straight at the rocky hillside. Something about it shimmered like an Iris message, except fuzzier and more nebulous. He could faintly see a mop of black hair in the center. Percy could see him.

“You see, Percy?” he whispered into the dark, “You’re running out of time. Do you really think you could beat them without my plan?”

The sense of being watched vanished as soon as he spoke the words, but he knew Percy had gotten the message. He spared one last look toward the brazier and the Titan in midnight armor before pulling the nearby shadows around him and heading back to Erebus. 

With the Titan forces amassing, Nico figured it was time to start taking some action of his own. Hades had not spoken of the war since the argument with Persephone, and while that meant he hadn’t had to try to convince his father out of any foolish decisions, he also had no reason to believe that Hades would get involved at all. If Nico was going to make any difference in this war, it would have to start with Percy, not his father. 

That was just as well because instead of coordinating with his brothers and offering any of his forces for support, Hades was holing himself away in the Underworld, perfectly content to ignore anything that was happening on the surface. Unfortunately, that also meant following through on his threat to keep Persephone out of harm’s way. 

Nico was on time, if not a little early, to dinner so he was taken aback when he arrived at the dining room to see not the two place settings awkwardly spaced at opposite ends of the table that he’d been used to these past couple of months, but four. Three of them were already occupied.

“It is so dreary down here, Kore. I don’t understand how you can stand it.” 

“Mother, you are a guest. Please keep your critiques to a minimum.” Persephone let out a frustrated sigh as she glared at the woman next to her in a golden shimmering dress. The way the stitching swayed as she moved reminded Nico of the wheat fields in Kansas. 

Demeter, goddess of the harvest

1000 attack, 2000 defense. For the duration of the round, all players gain one additional stat point in the category of their choosing. Mother of Persephone, goddess of spring, whom she is very protective of.

Demeter looked up at him as he carefully stepped into the room, “Who are you?”

“My name’s Nico, ma’am.” Nico tried to sound as respectful as possible. He doubted Persephone’s mother was any more relaxed about formalities than she was. 

“He’s one of Hades’.” Persephone rolled her eyes and waved at him to sit down.

“He looks so scrawny. Have you even been feeding him?” Demeter accused. Nico subconsciously opened up his shoulders as he took his place at the far end of the table. Sure, he wasn’t on track to be Beckendorf but he wasn’t completely skin and bones. 

“Please” Hades muttered, from Persephone’s other side, rubbing his temple, “Can we just get started?” 

The two goddesses fell silent with identical huffs as dinner was served. 

If Nico thought dinners with his father and stepmother were awkward, dinners with the two of them and his step-grandmother were on a whole new level. After every other bite, Demeter would make some judgment about the decor or passive-aggressively comment on Persephone’s poor choice of men. Nico wondered why she even agreed to come down here. Had Hades actually dragged her? The god in question ground his teeth at every jab. His eyes stayed focused on his plate as if seriously weighing the consequences of banishing his mother-in-law to Tartarus. 

Nico tried his best to remain as inconspicuous as possible, but it was only a matter of time before Demeter turned her attention to him. 

“You, demigod.” she gestured to him with her fork, “What do you do around here?”

“Um,” Nico tried to sit up straighter, “I patrol the borders of Asphodel every morning, sit in on meetings -” 

“Have you slayed any great beasts?”

“Er, no.” 

“How about quests? Proven your worth?”

“No.” Nico glanced away from her and down at the biscuits on his plate. Demeter must have also had a say in the evening’s menu. 

“Figures.” Demeter scoffed, “I must admit Hades, I didn’t even know you had skin in this prophecy game. I thought it was only Zeus and Posideon who had been dumb enough to break your little treaty. Though I’m not surprised you wanted to keep it a secret when this -” she waved at Nico, “ -is your option.” 

“He is too weak to have gone on any quests.” Hades agreed. Nico felt himself shrinking into his chair as Hades glared across the table at him. “Now, his sister, she went on a quest mere days after learning of her true identity.”

“One where she died,” Nico mumbled. 

“What was that?” Demeter asked.

“Nothing.” 

“His sister would have made an excellent candidate for the prophecy, I do regret she died so young” Hades sighed, “but with the deadline so near, the Fates seem to have decided it will be that son of Poseidon.”

Nico broke his biscuit into small crumbles, avoiding eye contact. Even after months of dutifully staying by Hades’ side and doing what was asked of him, he still wasn’t living up to his father’s expectations. Maybe if he proved he could be useful in the war against the Titans, he could change his mind.

“Father.” Nico cleared his throat and wiped his hands on his pants, “About that, if we’re going to have any chance against Kronos’ forces, I need to bring Percy down here - to the Styx.”

Hades arched an eyebrow at him, “You do? You think taking a little bath like Achilles is going to make a difference?” 

“I do, and I’m asking for your consent,” Nico glanced at Demeter, “Consider it a quest. If Percy is really going to do what the prophecy says, he has to be prepared and I can be the one to ensure that happens. Any glory Percy earns would be because of your generosity.”

“By escorting him to the Styx?” Hades stroked his chin, a devious glint sparkled in his eyes. His eyes flickered to his mother-in-law as though he’d found something she’d finally approve of. “Maybe you can prove your worth after all. Now that you mention it, I’d like to have a chat with that boy.” 

“I don’t want to put Percy in danger.” Nico warned. “The whole point is to make him harder to kill.” 

“I won’t kill him.” Hades promised. He was agreeing to this far more easily than Nico expected. 

“Or gravely injure?” 

“No harm will come to him. I’ll even make it worth your trouble, if I am to be so generous,” Hades grinned mischievously, “Bring Percy to me in the next two days before you try the silly stunt with the river, and I’ll tell you about your mother.”

“Not her again -” Persephone interrupted, but she was silenced by her mother.

“Hold on, this is getting interesting.” 

“You will?” Nico’s attention was focused solely on his father. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He’d never gotten such a clear bargain from his father. He had to have an angle here, but when it came to learning about his past, Nico couldn’t afford to be picky. Besides, if he really just wanted to talk to Percy, how bad could it be? 

“I will.”

Slowly, Nico began to nod. “Okay. I’ll do it.”

A satisfied smirk crept its way onto Hades's face. “Good.”  

Chapter Text

Part 6: The Last Olympian

Nico paced around his room double checking he had everything he needed. Sword? Check. A few squares of ambrosia? Check. His new favorite shirt with some dancing skeletons on it? Check. He wasn’t really sure why that last one mattered to him so much, but for some reason, if he was going to show up to Camp Half-Blood and demand Percy follow him into the Underworld, he had to at least look the part. 

He kept running through his plan in his head to make sure he wasn’t missing anything. There were going to be a few more steps than simply grabbing Percy and taking him for a swim. Before he even brought the plan to Percy, Nico had spent days researching how it could even be possible to swim in the Styx. For it to work correctly, there had to be something that prevented a hero from being destroyed. He was almost 100% sure that it had to do with their family, but he still needed to confirm if what he suspected had actually been what Luke had had to do. For that, he wanted to bring Percy along. If he had any lingering doubts, Nico hoped that Percy would be convinced when he saw that they were doing exactly what Luke had done. 

With one last pat down on his pockets and tug on his sword belt, Nico stepped into the dark closet he kept unlit for this precise purpose and shadow traveled to Camp Half-Blood. 

Sometimes, when he was unfocused or distracted, Nico wouldn’t emerge from quite the right shadow. He’d resurface behind a locked gate, inside a supply closet, or in the branches of a tree. It was that last one that he fell victim to as he made it to Long Island. He stepped through the shadow expecting solid ground underneath his feet but instead it was a thin flexible tree branch. 

He lost his balance as his foot slipped and he toppled a few feet to the ground. 

“Ow.” He mumbled as he pushed himself up and looked around. He was on the outskirts of a clearing, though it didn’t look as healthy as the last time he’d been in this forest. The grass was dry and yellow, and several of the trees were missing leaves despite it being the middle of the summer. Most surprising though were the two figures staring at him in shock, a stout satyr and a delicate-looking nymph. 

“Nico?” the nymph asked, her vibrant green eyes studying him with concern. He remembered her from when she’d seen his first shadow travel mishap. 

“Juniper?”

“Nico! Oh, I’m so glad you’re here! I’ve been trying to get Leneus to help me but he keeps refusing. Have you heard anything about Grover? Would you know if anything happened to him?”

Nico tried to flatten his hair down, “Um, Grover? Well since he’s a satyr I can’t really -”

“Juniper, who is -?” The satyr tried to ask but he was quickly cut off by a thunderous bark coming from the trees. Nico smiled at the sound, he’d forgotten he might get to see her. Sure enough, not a second later a giant hellhound burst into the glade, tongue lolling out of her mouth. Both Juniper and the satyr jumped out of the way in alarm. 

“Hey, Mrs. O’Leary,” Nico said as she came up to him and started sniffing him eagerly. He wondered if she could smell her other hell-hound siblings on him. She nudged him playfully as he reached to scratch behind her ears. 

Not far behind the hellhound came Percy himself. As he ran into the clearing Nico noticed his skin had a bronze glow to it like he’d been spending a lot of time in the sun and his shoulders had filled out, making his shirt fit a bit snug in a few places. Then he wondered why he’d notice such a thing. 

Percy paused at the sight of a satyr, a nymph, and a son of Hades - geez, that sounded like the start of a bad joke - until Nico nodded to him and he made his way all the way into the clearing. 

“Will someone - what is this underworld creature doing in my forest!” The satyr grumbled and stomped his hooves, pointing at Percy, “You there, Percy Jackson! Is this your beast?”

“Sorry, Leneus,” Percy said, “That’s your name right?” 

Leneus grumbled even further, crossing his arms over his impressively round belly, “Well, of course, I’m Leneus. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten a member of the Council so quickly. Now call off your beast.” 

“WOOF!” Mrs. O’Leary joined in. 

Nico patted her nose and whispered, “That’s right, you are a great beast.” 

“Make it go away!” Leneus was trembling, “Juniper, I will not help you under these circumstances!” 

Juniper turned to Percy. If he remembered right, she had been close to Grover - they might have been dating? If that was a thing nymphs and satyrs did… She wiped her eyes as she tried to explain. “Percy. I was just asking about Grover. I know something’s happened. He wouldn’t stay gone this long if he wasn’t in trouble. I was hoping that Leneus - “

“I told you!” the satyr interrupted, “You are better off without that traitor.” 

“He is not a traitor!” Juniper balled her fists, “He’s the bravest satyr ever and I want to know where he is!” 

“WOOF!” 

Leneus’ hooves began to knock together, the hair between his horns sticking up to give him a poofy little mohawk “I… I won’t answer questions with this hellhound sniffing my tail!” 

Nico tried his best not to laugh as he offered, “I’ll walk the dog.” 

He started toward the other end of the clearing, whistling to her to follow him. 

Nico used his powers to summon a bone of some large animal through the ground and tossed it into the trees for Mrs. O’Leary to find. She barked cheerfully as she bounded through the bushes. Nico continued walking along the perimeter of camp until she found the bone and brought it back to him, insisting he throw it again. 

As he passed the cabins he saw the head counselor for the Ares cabin, Clarisse, gently leading Selina out of the Aphrodite cabin. Selina had a numb expression on her face and seemed to only be barely listening as Clarisse said, “Why don’t we go for a walk, it’s no use to be stuck in your cabin all day. Charlie wouldn’t want that.”

Selina nodded as she stared into the distance and for a moment Nico considered going up to talk to her. He knew why she was so upset. Patroclus had suggested that he make a stop by Elysium before he headed to the surface, mentioning that there was someone there he might want to talk to. He had been right. 

Nico had found Beckendorf sitting patiently just inside the gates of Elysium. The guards were used to Nico by now so didn’t give him any trouble as he waved to the son of Hephestus. 

“Hey, Beckendorf.” 

“Nico?” the older boy chuckled, “I guess I should have expected to see you down here.” 

"What happened?"

"There was a ship with a bunch of Luke's forces on its way to New York," he shrugged, "Someone had to make sure it didn't get there."

"I'm sorry," Nico said. Then, “You look like you're waiting for someone."

Beckendorf smiled, “I am, but I hope it’s a long wait.” 

Nico wondered why he looked so content with the idea. 

The older boy seemed lost in his own thoughts for a moment before he turned back to Nico, “Hey, Nico, you’re against the Titans right?” 

"I don’t want the gods destroyed any more than you do.”

“Good, good. Next time you see Percy can you let him know I don’t blame him? I bet he's beating himself about the whole thing and he shouldn’t. It wasn’t his fault.”

“Um, sure.” Nico nodded at the ghost of the boy who had been weeks away from leaving camp and striking out on his own. Now, he’d be stuck here for eternity waiting for someone to join him. “I’ll tell him that.” 

“Thanks Nico.” Beckendorf made to pat him on the shoulder, but his ghostly hand only lightly grazed Nico’s jacket. “Take care.”

“I will. I hope you find who you’re waiting for.”

Beckendorf unconsciously patted his pocket as he smiled, “I will.”

Back at Camp Half-Blood, Nico wondered if he should let Selina know how at peace Beckendorf had been. He was just about to approach her when he heard his own name in low tones next to him. Two other children of Aphrodite who Nico hadn’t even met by name but recognized from last summer, had their heads together. They weren’t particularly careful about their voices carrying, 

“Is that the son of Hades?”

“I think his name’s Nico.”

“Whatever. What is he doing here?”

“I know, right? We must be doomed if he’s here.”

Nico looked away from them and pretended not to hear. Apparently, his reputation preceded him. Just lump him together with black cats, broken mirrors, and crows, his presence was an omen of death. He turned away from Silena. No one would find him comforting. 

He passed a few campers outside the Ares cabin, as he walked back to the clearing. They were grumbling about some curse as they scrubbed their cabin’s charred walls. For some reason every other sentence they said rhymed. As he made it back to Percy and Juniper,  he passed a very shaken-looking Leneus who jumped as Mrs. O’Leary tromped past him to investigate some interesting-smelling bushes. 

“Good job, Percy.” Nico said as he joined the others, “Judging from the trail of goat pellets, I’d say you shook him up pretty well.”

Percy offered Nico a smile, but his eyes betrayed the anxiety he must feel at seeing Nico at camp, “Welcome back. Did you come by just to see Juniper?”

Nico immediately felt his face grow warm. Why would Percy think that? “Um, no. That was an accident. I kind of… dropped into the middle of their conversation.”

“He scared us to death!” Juniper said, “Right out of the shadows. But, Nico, you are the son of Hades and all. Are you sure you haven’t heard anything about Grover?”

“Juniper,” Nico tried to look her in the eye, “like I tried to tell you… even if Grover died, he would reincarnate into something else in nature. I can’t sense things like that, only mortal souls.”

“But if you do hear anything?” Juniper’s hand grazed his arm, and Nico had to fight the urge to step away. He didn’t want to seem any closer to the nymph than friends.

"Uh, you bet. I’ll keep my ears open.”

“We’ll find him Juniper,” Percy promised, “Grover’s alive, I’m sure. There must be a simple reason why he hasn’t contacted us.”

The nymph nodded, the color of her dress losing some saturation, “I hate not being able to leave the forest. He could be anywhere and I’m stuck here waiting. Oh, if that silly goat has gotten himself hurt -” 

Mrs. O’Leary chose that moment to rejoin them, sniffing around Juniper’s hem. 

“Oh, no you don’t! I know about dogs and trees!”

She poofed away in green mist, leaving just Nico and Percy and a disappointed Mrs. O’Leary who wandered back into the forest for something new to sniff.

Nico fidgeted as silence fell between the two of them. How should he start here? He mindlessly pulled up a skeleton of a long-dead field mouse and watched as it knit together and scampered around the undergrowth, “I was sorry to hear about Beckendorf.”

“How did you -?”

“I talked to his ghost,” Nico told Percy about his conversation at the entrance to Elysium. Beckendorf’s message seemed to only be mildly comforting. 

“I had a vision you were on Mount Tam,” Percy said, “Was that - “

“Real. I’ve been busy with family stuff, but I was in the neighborhood.”

Percy raised his eyebrows with new interest, “So how’s that going? Any luck?”

“No” Nico kept his eyes on the ground, following the skeletal mouse as it jumped over roots, “but I may have a new lead soon.”

“What’s the lead?”

“That’s not important now,” Nico said quickly. They had to get back on track. “You know why I’m here.”

Percy’s shoulders tensed, “I don’t know, Nico. It seems pretty extreme.”

“You’ve got Typhon coming in, what… a week?” Nico threw his hands in the air, “Most of the other Titans are unleashed now and on Kronos’ side. Maybe it’s time to think extreme.”

Percy glanced uneasily back at camp. The sounds of campers yelling at each other in rhyming couplets drifted into the forest. Nico had no idea what that was about, but they certainly didn’t sound like a coordinated powerful army. “They’re no match for the Titan army. You know that. This comes down to you and Luke. And there’s only one way you can beat Luke.”

The son of Posideon rubbed his arm subconsciously as though remembering an old injury but he still wasn’t convinced. Nico pressed on, “We can give you the same power. You heard the Great Prophecy. Unless you want to have your soul reaped by a cursed blade…”

“You can’t prevent a prophecy,” Percy said. He almost sounded resigned. 

“But you can fight it.” Nico stepped forward. “You can become invincible.”

He was getting desperate. If Percy said no they might find a way to beat Kronos but Nico would lose his only chance to learn about his past. His father was expecting him today. Ugh, if Percy would just - 

“Maybe we should wait. Try to fight without -" 

“NO!” Nico snapped, his temper getting the better of him. His voice had a low growl to it that he hadn’t heard before. He glared at Percy, “It has to be now!” 

Percy raised his hands carefully, “Um, you sure you’re okay?”

Nico forced himself to take a deep breath. It would do him no good to make Percy more uncomfortable with the idea. “Percy, all I mean.. When the fighting starts we won’t be able to make the journey. This is our last chance.” He chewed his lip before finally getting to his last argument. “I’m sorry if I’m being too pushy, but two years ago my sister gave her life to protect you. I want you to honor that. Do whatever it takes to stay alive and defeat Kronos.”  He figured Percy had to respect Bianca’s memory. It was easier to make his point from the perspective of his sister’s life than to admit how nervous he was himself about the idea of Percy falling to Kronos. 

Percy’s expression hardened with resolve, “All right. What do we do first?”

Finally. Nico smiled “First we’ll need to retrace Luke’s steps. We need to know more about his past, his childhood”

“Why do we need to know about that?”

“I’ll explain when we get there.” Nico waved the question away, “I’ve already tracked down his mother. She lives in Connecticut.” The hours scouring old records in the library had been good for something. 

“Luke ran away when he was really young. I didn’t think his mom was alive.”

“Oh, she’s alive.” Nico had found a few references to May Castellan, even including a few medical assessments that left Nico wondering what exactly Luke’s childhood had been like. He wasn’t surprised to hear Luke had run away.

“Okay… so how do we get to Connecticut? I can call Blackjack”

“No.” Nico shuddered at the thought of last summer and the wild ride back to camp. He hadn’t thought he was afraid of heights until he was several hundred feet in the air on the back of a thousand-pound winged horse. That made him reconsider. “Pegasi don’t like me, and the feeling is mutual. But there’s no need for flying”. 

With a whistle, he called Mrs. O’Leary back to the clearing. “Your friend here can help. You haven’t tried shadow travel yet?”

“Shadow travel?” Percy eyed him in confusion.

Nico leaned over to whisper in Mrs. O’Leary’s ear, “We need to hop through some shadows, can you do that for me?” She tilted her head attentively and he stepped back to give room for Percy to approach, “Hop on board.”

As Percy clambered up Mrs. O’Leary’s shoulders up to her back, Nico explained a little bit of how shadow travel worked. 

When he finished Percy still didn’t look convinced, “You’re not coming?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll meet you there.”

Percy leaned down and told the hellhound where he needed to go. Nico watched as they bounded into the forest before stepping into a shadow himself. 

Chapter Text

Nico stepped out of the shadow and into a wide yard lined with trees. To the right was a white two-story Colonial house, the light from the windows giving it a warm glow. To the left was a cliff bordering a highway, though the road was far enough away that the rumbling of traffic was just white noise. 

Nico stumbled forward but was caught by Percy’s firm grip on his arm. The spot he’d touched tingled long after Percy let go. 

“I’m okay.” Nico held back a yawn. 

“How did you do that?” Percy asked. Next to him, Mrs. O’Leary had already settled in for a nap. 

“Practice.” Nico shrugged, “A few times running into walls. A few accidental trips to China.”

“Are you going to take a nap too?”

Nico shook his head, half in answer and half to make himself more alert. “The first time I shadow traveled, I passed out for like a week. Now it just makes me a little drowsy, especially on the surface. I can’t do it more than once or twice a night up here. Mrs. O’Leary won’t be going anywhere for a while.” 

Percy turned his attention to the house, “So we've got some quality time in Connecticut. What now?”

Nico held out a hand, gesturing for Percy to follow the path up to the house, “We ring the doorbell.”

May Castellan was not at all like Nico expected. Sure, he thought she’d be a little cookey but he definitely wasn’t prepared for the glowing green eyes… and the way she’d grabbed him… He shuddered. The way she had spoken had been raw and almost demonic. He didn’t care how special she and her ability to see through the Mist was, something had gone seriously wrong in her head. He was not eager to go back in there, no matter how many burnt cookies she offered.

At least they had learned what they needed. Luke had visited her before he went down the Styx, and he had gotten her blessing. 

Nico was ready to attempt to shadow travel away as soon as they left May Castellan’s tupperware-filled rooms but it turned out the gods had other ideas - or one god in particular. Outside the house, back at the cliff and tendering a warm fire next to Mrs. O'Leary was the same girl Nico had seen during his first visit to Camp Half-Blood. 

She wore a simple brown dress, her hair in a bun to keep it out of her eyes. She looked no older than eight or so, and even though it had almost been two years since the last time he’d seen her, she didn’t seem to have aged a day. He hadn’t recognized her then, but now he knew her on sight. 

Hestia goddess of the hearth.  

“Hello again, lady” Nico bowed, affording her the respect a goddess like her deserved.

She kept her focus on Percy, waiting for his response. Once he’d put it together that it was best to follow Nico’s lead she greeted him. 

“Sit, Percy Jackson. Would you like some dinner?” 

With a simple wave of her hand, Hestia produced a picnic large enough to feed half of Camp Half-Blood. There were baked potatoes, bowls of fresh fruit, and loaves of bread that would make Demeter jealous. The two boys sat around the fire opposite the goddess. Before digging in, Percy paused and threw a portion of his meal into the flames, “For the gods.”

Though sacrifices to his father had never seemed particularly necessary when he was sitting across a dinner table from him, Nico figured, in this case, he should do the same. 

Hestia smiled, “Thank you. As a tender of the flame, I get a share of every sacrifice you know. “

“I recognize you now,” Percy said, “The first time I came to camp, you were sitting by the fire, in the middle of the commons area.”

Hestia nodded forlornly, “You did not stop to talk. Alas, most never do.” She looked at Nico, with a small smile, “Nico talked to me. He was the first in many years. Everyone rushes about. No time for visiting family.”

Nico turned away to hide his blush. He hadn’t expected the goddess to remember him. He was sure he was nothing like the kid she’d met before. 

“You’re Hestia,” Percy stated and Nico tried his best to restrain an eye roll. “Goddess of the Hearth.”

Hestia was much more gracious about Percy’s slow uptake, she simply nodded. 

“My lady,” Nico asked, “Why aren’t you with the other Olympians, fighting Typhon?”

“I’m not much for fighting” The firelight danced in her eyes, much more alive than just a reflection. “Besides, someone has to keep the home fires burning while the other gods are away.”

“So you’re guarding Mount Olympus?” Percy asked. 

“‘Guard’ may be too strong a word. But if you ever need a warm place to sit and a home-cooked meal, you are welcome to visit. Now eat.” She gestured to the picnic and both boys helped themselves eagerly. 

Once they’d finished Hestia shared a bit more about May Castellan. Knowing that she had once been a talented young woman, enough to attract the attention of a god, made it all the worse to see what she’d been reduced to. She had been fractured, broken. Now all that remained were just a few crumbled pieces of herself. It was hard to imagine that Luke’s father would have just left him to deal with that on his own. 

“It’s easy to judge others,” Hestia said as Percy voiced what Nico was thinking, “But will you follow Luke’s path? Seek the same powers?”

“We have no choice, my lady.” Nico kept his voice even, determined not to let his desperation through this time, “It’s the only way Percy stands a chance.”

“Hmm.” Hestia opened her palm casually. The fire between them shot up thirty feet with a blazing roar. As soon as it started, it stopped. “Not all powers are spectacular. Sometimes the hardest power to master is the power of yielding. Do you believe me?”

Nico blinked the imprints of the fire from his eyes. Hestia may not be one for fighting, but from Percy’s nervous nod, she was certainly convincing. 

Hestia leaned back and smiled. “You’re a good hero, Percy Jackson. Not too proud. I like that. But you have much to learn. When Dionysus was made a god, I gave up my throne for him. It was the only way to avoid a civil war among the gods.”

“It unbalanced the Council.” Percy agreed, “Suddenly there were seven guys and five girls." 

Hestia seemed unbothered by the long-resolved issue, “It was the best solution, not a perfect one. Now I tend the fire. I fade slowly into the background. No one will ever write epic poems about the deeds of Hestia. Most demigods don’t even stop to talk to me. But that does not matter. I keep the peace. I yield when necessary. Can you do this?”

Nico watched the goddess wearily, he didn’t know what point Hestia was trying to make. Their goal was to make Percy strong and indestructible. Why would he need to yield? 

“I don’t know what you mean,” Percy admitted.

“Perhaps not yet. But soon. Will you continue your quest?”

Nico held his breath as he waited for the answer. 

“Is that why you’re here - to warn me against going?”

Hestia shook her head. “I am here because when all else fails, when all the other mighty gods have gone off to war, I am all that’s left. Home. Hearth. I am the last Olympian. You must remember me when you face your final decision.”

Percy glanced back at Nico, who was clenching his jaw in anticipation. Finally, he gave his answer, “I have to continue, my lady. I have to stop Luke… I mean Kronos.”

“Very well. I cannot be of much assistance, beyond what I have already told you. But since you sacrificed to me, I can return you to your own hearth. I will see you again Percy, on Olympus.” 

She waved her hand and everything faded in a whiff of campfire smoke. 

Nico was afraid when she said ‘your own hearth’ that he’d end up back in his room in Ereberus. Luckily, that was not the case. He and Percy were sitting together on a couch in Percy’s mom’s apartment. Unluckily, Mrs. O’Leary had come along for the ride and was taking up every other square inch of the living room. 

It was no time at all until the rest of the apartment’s inhabitants were aware of their arrival. Paul and Sally had a rough time making it out of their room and to the kitchen - a process that involved shifting and dismantling most of the furniture to move around the giant dog. Nico tried his best to just stay out of the way until everyone had made it to the table. 

When they were all assembled, Percy caught them up on their evening’s activities and Nico’s plan. Nico remembered from Percy’s birthday that Percy’s mom already had some idea about the lives of demigods, but Paul, his stepdad, took in the new information with a surprisingly level head. He was more excited than anything else. It made Nico think of how excited he had been when he first met Dionysus. He couldn’t believe he’d really shoved a playing card in the god' s face. 

Percy’s mother was, understandably, much more concerned with what they planned to do next. 

“Percy, it’s dangerous.” she said, “Even for you.”

“Mom, I know, I could die. Nico explained that. But if we don’t try - “

“We’ll all die.” Nico leaned forward. “Ms. Jackson, we don’t stand a chance against an invasion. And there will be an invasion.”

Paul looked between the two demigods, “An invasion of New York? Is that possible? How could we not see the… the monsters?”

“I don’t know.” Percy said, “I don’t see how Kronos could just march into Manhattan, but the Mist is strong. Typhon is trampling across the country right now and  mortals think he’s a storm system.”

“Mr. Jackson.” Nico focused on her, everything was riding on her answer, “Percy needs your blessing. The process has to start that way. I wasn’t sure until we met Luke’s mom, but now I’m positive. This has only been done successfully twice before. Both times, the mother had to give her blessing. She had to be willing to let her son take the risk.”

“You want me to bless this?” She shook her head. “It’s crazy, Percy, please - “

“Mom, I can’t do it without you.”

Nico watched as Sally Jackson battled with the idea of losing her son in order to give the rest of them a chance. He realized how difficult of a choice she was having to make. There was always that looming question, what if they could do it without the risk? What if the process failed and they still lost and Percy’s, and even more so Sally’s, sacrifice was for nothing? 

For the first time, Nico considered the possibility of it being him. He could take the risk, be the one to stand toe to toe with Kronos. But then… he couldn’t. The process wouldn’t work for him. There was no mother he could ask to give her blessing. 

They needed to hurry up here. Too many things were riding on this decision. Finally, painstakingly, Sally agreed. 

“Percy,” she said, “I give you my blessing.”

That was it. Step one was done. Next, they need to head to the Underworld and make a short detour. At least Nico hoped it would be short. 

He nodded as Percy glanced at him, “It’s time.”

As one last request as they got ready to leave, Sally asked for Percy to give her a sign if he made out of all of this alive. They settled on blue lights coming from Olympus. It sounded ridiculous but Nico couldn’t help feeling a little jealous. He wished there was someone out there who cared enough about him to ask for ridiculous blue lights. 

Chapter Text

Nico led them to the closest entrance to the Underworld - the cave entrance in Central Park. Mrs. O’Leary knew exactly where to go as they approached the pile of rocks that would open into a door. Percy looked anxious as she began sniffing around them. 

“It’s okay.” Nico said, “She just smells the way home.”

“Through the rocks?”

Nico sighed as he realized not everyone had the extensive knowledge of the Underworld he did. “The Underworld has two major entrances. You know the one in L.A.”

“Charon’s ferry”

“Most souls go that way, but there’s a smaller path, harder to find. The Door of Orpheus.” 

“The dude with the harp.”

“Dude with the lyre.” Nico corrected,” But yeah, him. He used his music to charm the earth and open a new path into the Underworld. He sang his way right into Hades’s palace and almost got away with his wife’s soul.”

It had been one of Nico’s favorite stories, someone daring enough to brave the dangers of the Underworld for someone they loved, and the harsh reality that even that might not be enough. 

“So the Door of Orpheus” Percy scanned the rocks, not looking totally convinced, “How does it open?”

“We need music,” Nico said. He paused a moment before asking, “How’s your singing?”

Percy swallowed uncomfortably, “Um. No. Can’t you just like, tell it to open? You’re the son of Hades and all.”

That wasn’t really going to work, given that even when he’d opened it the first time Nico had been singing some dumb version of the hokey pokey. There was no way he was about to sing that in front of Percy, so he said, “It’s not so easy. We need music.”

When it became apparent that neither of them was willing to go as far as serenade the other for a way into the Underworld Percy said, “I have a better idea.” He turned to the park at large, “GROVER!”  

The satyr didn’t come. They waited a long time, but it wasn’t until Percy used some weird telepathic connection with his friend did they get any response. When they did, the satyr came tumbling out of the tree. 

The two friends shared enthusiastic greetings but their reunion was soon soured as Grover realized just how long he had been missing. He hadn’t even noticed that Camp Half-Blood hadn’t heard from him for two months. The cause had gradually become clear as Grover told them about a man in black, who stalked among mortals, causing them to drop into a heavy sleep as he passed. 

Dread built up in Nico’s stomach as he listened. He knew this man, he’d encountered him once before while sitting in a corner of Hades’ throne room. It had been one of the more difficult meetings for him to sit through as he kept dozing off as he listened to the two gods speak. He’d been afraid his father was going to reprimand him for not paying attention but he had just sighed and said, “Yes, I forgot he does that.” Nico couldn’t remember the exact details of the gods’ conversation but from what Grover explained, the meeting had not gone well. 

The god of dreams was definitively working for Kronos and from the way he spoke of a ‘main event’ Nico was starting to suspect he knew how the Titans intended to invade New York. There’s not much contest if your opponents are asleep. 

When Grover had finished his story, Percy and Nico told him theirs. He was anxious about their plan but agreed to play the music needed to open the Door of Orpheus. Nico had never thought he’d learn what Nirvana sounded like on a reed pipe but here they were. After an anxious goodbye, Grover left them to rouse the nature spirits and call on his girlfriend, leaving Nico and Percy to start their trek down to the Underworld. 

“Ready?” Nico asked as they turned to the newly opened passageway. He was so close, so close to getting Percy to the Styx, to proving to his father he could be useful, to finally learning about his mother. Still, for some reason, he felt a knot of doubt work its way into his gut. Crazy mothers and drowsy satyrs aside, this was going too smoothly. There had to be something coming. More to reassure himself than anything else, he said, “It’ll be fine. Don’t worry”

Percy eyed him cautiously before taking one long look at the sky and following NIco into darkness. 

Nico hadn’t remembered the climb down taking so long. Maybe it was because of what he was expecting on the other end, or maybe it was the fact that he was in such close quarters with Percy. Though he didn’t know why the thought of spending so much time with the son of Poseidon made him nervous. 

I just have to get him to the palace, he thought. Then Father will see I did as he asked and let us continue to the river.

He could tell himself that all he wanted, but there was still a voice whispering that it couldn’t be that easy. 

Finally, they could hear the roar of a river echoing through the tunnel. They emerged on a cliff overlooking the Styx, the palace a dark shape in the distance. Mrs. O’Leary bounded along the beach beside them, looking delighted. She found a bone and brought it to Percy in an obvious bid to play. 

“Um, Maybe later, girl” Percy said, his eyes focused on the dark water, “So Nico… how do we do this?”

“We have to go inside the gates first,” Nico said tersely. He kept his eyes focused on their destination. 

“But the river’s right here.”

“I have to get something. It’s the only way.” He walked purposefully away from the river, forcing Percy to follow him. 

They passed Cerberus on their way up to the palace. Mrs. O’Leary ran ahead and tried to greet the three-headed beast. Seeing as Cerberus was easily three times Mrs. O’Leary’s size, it was an amusing sight. 

“Mrs. O’Leary, no!” Percy tried to call her back, “Don’t sniff… Oh, man”

Nico wondered if Mrs. O’Leary would like to come down here to visit every so often. From the way Cerberus’s tail was sweeping through the crowds of souls waiting in line to be admitted to Asphodel, she’d certainly be welcome. Maybe Percy could come to hang out too if Hades’ allowed it. With that thought, Nico’s amusement slipped away. “Come on, They won’t give us any trouble in the line. You’re with me.”

Once they were through the gates, Nico forged ahead through the fields of Asphodel. They were practically there, his father should sense their presence soon enough. 

“Hey” Percy called from behind him, “we’re inside the gates already. Where are we -”

He was cut off by Mrs. O’Leary’s growl. Above them, a shadow appeared, swooping down to taunt them from the top of a poplar tree. So Hades did know they were here.

“Mrs. Dodds.” Percy glared up at her. 

“Welcome back, honey,” The fury said as her sisters landed next to her in the branches. 

“You know Alecto?” Nico asked.

“If you mean the hag in the middle, yeah. She was my math teacher.”

Nico nodded, somehow the image of the Fury droning on about polynomials made sense. He took a steadying breath before he called up to them, “I’ve done what my father asked. Take us to the palace.”

“Wait a second, Nico. What do you -” Next to him, Nico could feel Percy tense. He winced, he knew what this probably sounded like. 

“I’m afraid this is my new lead, Percy. My father promised me information about my family, but he wants to see you before we try the river. I’m sorry.” 

“You tricked me?” Percy’s eyes were as dark as a storming sea. Before Nico could react, he lunged at him. He was only stopped by the Furies pulling him into the air. His feet dangled as his sword fell back down to the dirt beneath him. 

“Oh, don’t struggle honey” Alecto laughed “I’d hate to drop you.”

Nico felt his own arms get pulled into the last Fury’s grasp and soon he was also hovering above the trees. Mrs. O’Leary barked at Percy, trying to reach him

“Tell Mrs. O’Leary to behave” Nico called. He knew a hellhound making such a ruckus in Asphodel would quickly gather attention, “I don’t want her to get hurt, Percy. My father is waiting. He just wants to talk.” 

Percy continued to glare at Nico, his face a mask of hatred that stung Nico to his core. He hadn’t expected it to go like this, he thought he'd have more time to explain, to help Percy understand that this was what he had to do.

When he called down to his dog, it was through gritted teeth, “Mrs. O’Leary, down! It’s okay, girl.”

She did as he asked, whimpering as she stared up at him. Percy then addressed Nico. “All right, traitor. You’ve got your prize. Take me to the stupid palace.” 

When the Furies set them down in the palace garden, Nico was tempted to grab Percy’s hand and shadow-travel them away. He couldn’t bear the look of betrayal on the other boy’s face. But he reminded himself, this was about his past, about his mother. He needed those answers more than he needed Percy to like him. He could apologize after this was over. 

It was a moment for the gods to arrive, two empty thrones sat in front of them. Then when they finally did, they did so all at once, and to no surprise, while in the middle of an argument. 

“- told you he was a bum!” Demeter said

“Mother!”

“We have visitors!” Hades called, “Please!” 

He scanned over the two demigods in front of him, grinning with satisfaction. “Percy Jackson, at last.” 

Demeter rolled her eyes, “Hmph. Demigods. Just what we need.” 

Nico knelt, figuring the respect could only do him good, “Father. I have done as you asked.”

“Took you long enough” Hades muttered, “Your sister would’ve done a better job.”

Nico kept his head down to hide his disappointment. Would he never be good enough?

Percy had the gall to stare down the god of the dead. “What do you want, Hades?” 

“To talk, of course. Didn’t Nico tell you?”

“So this whole quest was a lie. Nico brought me down here to get me killed.”

Still kneeling, Nico winced. That’s what Percy thought of him? That he’d been lying all this time? That he wanted Percy dead?

“Oh no.” Hades nearly laughed at his son’s naivete. “I’m afraid Nico was quite sincere about wanting to help you. The boy is as honest as he is dense. I simply convinced him to take a small detour and bring you here first.” 

“Father.” Nico looked up, “you promised that Percy would not be harmed. You said if I brought him, you would tell me about my past - about my mother.” 

Persephone let out an impatient sigh as if she hadn’t just been hinting to Nico about his past only months ago, “Can we please not talk about that woman in my presence?”

“I’m sorry, my dove.” said Hades, “I had to promise the boy something.”

Demeter grumbled as she paced behind the thrones. “I warned you, daughter. This scoundrel Hades is no good. You could’ve married the god of doctors or the god of lawyers, but noooo. You had to eat the pomegranate.” 

“Mother - “

“And get stuck in the Underworld!” 

“Mother, please -” 

“And here it is August, and do you come home like you’re supposed to? Do you ever think about your poor lonely mother?”

“DEMETER!” Hades veered on his mother-in-law “That is enough. You are a guest in my house.”

“Oh, a house is it? You call this dump a house? Make my daughter live in this dark, damp - ” It was their dinner all over again. Demeter complained about every little thing she could find. If Hades didn’t already regret his threat to bring her down to the Underworld, he certainly did now.

“I told you.” Hades said, “there’s a war in the world above. You and Persephone are better off here with me.”

“Excuse me.” Percy called, “But if you’re going to kill me, could you just get on with it?”

Demeter turned her attention to him, “Well this one has an attitude.”

“Indeed,” Hades nodded, “I’d love to kill him.”

“Father!” Nico gasped, “You promised!” 

“Husband, we talked about this,” Persephone rolled her eyes, “You can’t go around incinerating every hero. Besides, he’s brave, I like that.”

Nico scowled. Sure, she called Percy brave but Nico was just a nuisance. 

“You liked that Orpheus fellow too. Look how well that turned out. Let me kill him, just a little bit.” 

“Father, you promised!” Nico shouted, “You said you only wanted to talk to him. You said if I brought him, you’d explain.”

Hades grumbled as if put out by being reminded of his end of the deal. “And so I shall. Your mother - what can I tell you? She was a wonderful woman” With a glance at Persephone he added, “Forgive me, my dear. I mean for a mortal of course. Her name was Maria di Angelo. She was from Venice but her father was a diplomat in Washington, D.C. that’s where I met her. When you and your sister were young, it was a bad time for children of Hades. World War II was brewing. A few of my, ah, other children were leading the other side. I thought it best to put you two out of harm’s way.” 

“That’s why you hid us in the Lotus Hotel?” That didn’t make sense. 

“You didn’t age. You didn’t realize time was passing. I waited for the right time to bring you out.”

Nico still didn’t have the answers he wanted. How come all of this was new information? “But what happened to our mother? Why don’t I remember her?”

“Not important.” Hades snapped. 

“ What? Of course, it’s important! And you had other children - why were we the only ones who were sent away? And who was the lawyer who got us out?”

Hades was losing patience, “You would do well to listen more and talk less, boy. As for the lawyer. “

Next to him, Alecto began to morph into the shape of a middle-aged man. One Nico was surprised to recognize from so long ago, “You!”

“I do lawyers and teachers very well!” The Fury snickered. 

Nico felt his breaths coming in shorter. He clenched his fists. He was finally getting what he’d asked for, but he felt as lost as ever. “But why did you free us from the casino?"

“You know why,” Hades said, “This idiot son of Poseidon cannot be allowed to be the child of the prophecy.”

Percy picked that moment to throw a ruby at Hades in frustration. It did nothing, “You should be helping Olympus! All the other gods are fighting Typhon and you’re just sitting here-”

“Waiting things out.” Hades agreed. “Yes, that’s correct. When’s the last time Olympus ever helped me, half-blood? When’s the last time a child of mine was ever welcomed as a hero? Bah! Why should I rush out and help them? I’ll stay here with my forces intact.”

“And when Kronos comes after you?”

“Let him try. He’ll be weakened. And my son here - “ Hades looked at Nico as though he was his least favorite dessert. Not what he wanted, but it would be inappropriate to complain. “Well, he’s not much now, I’ll grant you. It would’ve been better if Bianca had lived. But give him three more years of training. We can hold out that long, surely. Nico will turn sixteen as the prophecy says, and then he will make the decisions that will save the world. And I will be king of the gods.” 

It was all coming together now. Here was the other end of the transaction. Hades hadn’t cared about Nico until he saw what he could stand to gain. He’d been allowing Nico to stay with him, not because he might have appreciated the company, but so he could keep an eye on him until he could put him to use - and even then, Nico was simply the backup, the consolation.

“You’re crazy” Percy spat “Kronos will crush you, right after he finishes pulverizing Olympus.”

“Well, you’ll get a chance to find out, half-blood.” Hades gestured as though inviting him, “Because you’ll be waiting out this war in my dungeons.”

“No!” Anger flared in Nico’s chest, “Father, that wasn’t our agreement! And you haven’t told me everything!”

“I’ve told you all you need to know,” Hades said, “As for our agreement, I spoke with Jackson. I did not harm him. You got your information. If you had wanted a better deal, you should’ve made me swear on the Styx. Now, go to your room!”  

With a dismissive wave of his hand, Hades transported Nico out of the throne room. 

Chapter Text

“AHH!” Nico growled, slamming a fist into the wall of his room. “I’m such an idiot!” 

He couldn’t believe he’d been so gullible, so oblivious. He should have been more suspicious. He should have seen this coming. His time in Erebus had made him comfortable, made him forget what he learned with Minos. He should have known better than this. Just because Hades was his father didn’t mean he wouldn’t manipulate him. 

He punched the wall again.  It did nothing but crack open his dry skin. The harsh sting of his knuckles managed to clear his head a little. 

So his father intended for him to be the prophecy child. Apparently, he wasn’t even his first choice, but still, he thought he could assume power over Olympus by forcing Nico into carrying the weight of the decision that impacted the world. Nico had been a fool to think there could have been any lingering affection for him. 

In terms of the prophecy, Nico was not eager for that responsibility, but more importantly, if he was to be the one to reach sixteen, that would mean Percy would never be given the chance. He’d led Percy to his death.

He suspected Hades wouldn’t kill him outright - that would give Poseidon too much reason to retaliate. But if he could capture him and claim that he died by some mishap, there’d be no way to prove it had been intentional. 

Nico paced around his room, trying to figure out where Hades might be keeping him. If he could get to him fast enough, maybe he could make up for having brought Percy down here in the first place. 

For all his wandering around the palace, Nico had never found anything that looked remotely like a dungeon. Why would you need one when your backyard was literally a playground for punishing souls? He let out a groan of frustration as he realized was just going to have to go down there and search. 

He made it down to the first floor with no problem. Hades probably assumed that since he’d been sent to his room, Nico didn’t pose any threat. Nico scowled as he peeked around a corner to the main hall, Hades had never considered Nico a threat, only a pawn. 

He expected to see a few skeletal guards looming at the doors to the throne room, but instead, he saw a friendly face. 

“Bob?’ Nico whispered. 

“Nico?” The titan mimicked Nico’s low tone as he peered down the hall. He was leaning against this broom again, taking a break from his regular rounds to keep the palace floors spotless. “Are you okay? I thought Lord Hades was very angry with you.” 

“I’m fine, an idiot, but fine” Nico grumbled as he approached the Titan. He tried to conceal his raw knuckles behind his back. Bob reached out and healed him anyway. Nico gave him a nod of thanks before getting to business, “Bob, did you see where they took Percy?” 

“Percy? He was dragged away. He must have done something really wrong, they were headed for the dungeons.” Bob frowned as though he’d just learned a friend wasn’t who they said they were. 

“No, Percy is good,” Nico assured him. “He’s - ” Brave? Skilled? Talented? Funny? Nico felt his cheeks warm as he thought of all the words he would use to describe Percy. He could go on for hours about how cool Percy was but he settled on, “He’s a friend. I have to save him.” 

Bob nodded seriously, having no reason to doubt what Nico said. Inwardly, Nico wondered if he really deserved such effortless trust. “They took him to the deepest dungeons. They’re made of solid rock, no doors.” 

“Can you tell me where they are?”

“Down that hall,” Bob pointed, “There’s a set of stairs in a small alcove. They go very deep, but at the end, you’ll find our friend.”

Nico started down the hall Bob indicated, he didn’t have any time to waste, “Thanks, Bob. I’m going to fix this.”

Bob propped his chin on the top of the broomstick as he waved, “Good Luck!”

Nico quickly found the set of stairs Bob mentioned. He didn’t know why he’d never noticed them before. They were set in a dark portion of the wall pushed out from the rest. The tunnel led down deep under the palace, barely wide enough for a person to walk through. Nico supposed skeletons weren’t as wide as living humans with all their extra flesh, and souls could be as thin and wispy as they wanted. 

He headed down the stairs as efficiently and quietly as he could, keeping an ear open for the rattling of bones. When he reached the bottom, he saw that his father wasn’t completely unconcerned.

The stairs opened to a dark hallway, only the faint light from a few torches allowed Nico to see down it. The walls of the hall were smooth, and it was impossible to tell where a cell might be. There were half a dozen skeletal warriors positioned at even intervals, giving no indication of where Percy might be kept. 

Nico doubted they would be particularly inclined to listen to him so he was going to have to find some way to subdue them. He thought about how he’d dismissed the skeletons he’d summoned on the surface. If he could force them to be dismissed, they might go ‘lifeless’  - as it were for undead - like they’d gone to sleep. 

He focused on the nearest one trying to exert his will on a creature that he hadn’t summoned. It was tricky and used more of his power than he would have expected, but after a moment, the bones clattered to the floor in a pile. 

Nico stifled a yawn as the other guards turned toward the sound. How the skeletons could hear without ears, he’d never know. Anyway, he’d given himself away now. There was no going back. He stepped into the hall and pointed at the next skeleton. It gave way to his power just as it started to advance on him. 

Nico ran down the hallway taking care of the rest of the skeletons. Soon he was in an empty hallway, stepping over collections of bones. His eyes drooped as he looked around. So now where was Percy? 

Nico racked his brain for some way to pick out his location from all the rocks. Everything in Erebus was either a god or dead. Everything except the two demigods that were in dungeons. Maybe if Nico tried to figure out where the sense of death was the faintest? He closed his eyes. 

He had it! Two-thirds of the way down the hall. It was small, but it was like there was something pushing against the harsh Underworld environment. Now that he knew where he was going, he pulled the shadows around him. 

He stepped through the darkness into a tight stone room. No windows, no doors, and barely enough room to lie down on the hard floor. Percy was slumped against one wall, his chin touching his chest. Nico’s throat constricted for a moment, worried that the son of Poseidon was already dead. 

“ Percy!” Nico hissed. 

Nope. Definitely not dead.

Like a serpent lashing out at his prey, Percy lunged at Nico. In a flash, his sword was in his hand, the tip pressed against the underside of Nico’s chin. Percy’s other hand had a firm grip on the bottom of his throat. His eyes were filled with rage. 

“Want… to… rescue.” Nico rasped. He was afraid if he swallowed, Riptide’s point would trace a line down his neck.

“Oh, yeah? And why should I trust you?”

He had a point. So Nico said the only thing he knew was true. “No.. choice?”

With a huff Percy let him go. Nico rolled into a ball on the floor, coughing as his throat tried to recover from the vice grip. He rubbed his neck as he got up. He guessed he deserved that. Still, he watched Percy carefully, looking for any signs he’d lash out again. 

“We have to get out of here,” Nico said. 

“Why?” Percy leered at him, “Does your dad want to talk to me again?”

Nico shrunk back a little, “Percy, I swear on the River Styx I didn’t know what he was planning.”

“You know what your dad is like!” 

“He tricked me” Nico admitted, “He promised - … Look, right now we need to leave. I put the guards to sleep but it won’t last.” 

Nico glanced at the wall, looking for a way to open it. He should be able to just command it to, right? With a gesture, he willed the wall to open. A section vanished leading back into the hallway Nico had been in before. He stepped through, “Come on.”

Slowly, Percy followed. 

As they made it to the top of the stairs, Nico realized they were going to have to go a less conventional way out of the palace. He wished he really did have a map of the palace as he led the pair of them through the maze-like corridors. Every time they turned a corner they ran into more guards. Nico pointed at them all, commanding them to sleep but with every guard, he got more and more tired. Handling the whole kitchen staff had made him nearly collapse from exhaustion. Percy had to haul him up by the arm to keep him upright. He was surprisingly warm, Nico was practically falling asleep on his shoulder. 

They’d nearly made it out to Asphodel when Percy nudged him and Nico realized he could faintly hear a ringing of bells. Well, they hadn’t been particularly stealthy. 

“Alarms?” Nico murmured. 

“What do we do?”

Oh yeah, they should do something about that, shouldn’t they? “How about… run?”

With a groan, Percy dragged Nico out the door. 

Nico didn’t remember exactly how it happened, but eventually, he was sliding off Mrs. O’Leary well out of sight of Erebos. Percy was tossing ambrosia at him. Nico nibbled on it and in a few seconds, he could actually keep his eyes open. 

“Better.”

“Your powers drain you too much.”

Nico shrugged, “With great power… comes great need to take a nap. Wake me up later.”  He began to slump back onto the ground for a nice comfy sleep on the rocks. 

“Whoa, zombie dude.” Percy pulled him back upright, “We’re at the river. You need to tell me what to do.” 

Percy shoved more ambrosia at Nico. He was too tired to mention he had some of his own and took it anyway. He was cautious about eating too much and stopped as soon as he felt the first signs of warmth in his gut. After a few moments it subsided and he was much more alert. 

“My father will be coming soon” Nico studied the swirling current of the river next to them. “We should hurry.” 

“So... I just jump in?”

Why did Percy always have to make the most dangerous scenarios sound like a walk in the park? Why did Nico think that was kind of cool? He shook away the thought, “You have to prepare yourself first or the river will destroy you. It will burn away your body and soul. 

“Sounds fun.”

“This is no joke.” Okay, maybe Nico didn’t think it was that cool. “There is only one way to stay anchored to your mortal life. You have to…” Nico drifted off as he saw a familiar shade appear behind Percy. 

Achilles stood just a few feet behind them, in his full battle armor. He made an impressive sight and it was hard to believe he was the same shade Nico had spent countless afternoons sparing against. He didn’t acknowledge Nico, his eyes focused solely on Percy. He warned against going through with their plan, telling them that the waters would increase Percy’s weaknesses as well as strengths. As he continued to outline the process in detail, Nico began to have his own doubts. What if Percy couldn’t find his tether to what kept him mortal?

As the warrior disappeared, Nico looked at the water with new apprehension. “Percy, maybe he’s right.”

“This was your idea.”

“I know, but now that we’re here - 

Percy shook his head in frustration. His mind was set. “Just wait on the shore. If anything happens to me… Well, maybe Hades will get his wish and you’ll be the child of the prophecy after all.”

Nico frowned. That wasn’t at all what he wanted. Before he could say more, Percy turned from him to face the river. With one deep breath, he stepped into the river. 

For the first few inches, Nico thought nothing was happening. As the water reached Percy’s legs, he gasped in pain and fell face-first into the water. 

Nico rushed to the edge of the shore, careful to not let the water reach him. Percy’s form rippled under the water unnaturally. His skin was turning a harsh red like the river was boiling him alive. Nico looked on, powerless. What had he done?!

“He is strong.”

Achilles had appeared again, this time much more casually. He could have been meeting Nico for their regular training. Nico stared at him, “Why didn’t you tell me about the risks?”

Achilles raised his eyebrows as he folded his arms. “I didn’t expect you to do something so stupid.” 

Nico scowled, “It’s the only way.”

“Maybe, and that was Percy’s risk to take.” Achilles' gaze softened slightly, “But I am back to offer a warning to you.”

“Me? What kind of warning do I need?” 

There was a strange touch of sympathy in the warrior’s expression. “To be careful and to remember we can’t choose what keeps others mortal - only what we find solace in ourselves.”

Nico stared up at him, confused. He had no idea what that meant. “What-?”

He was cut off by the sound of splashing coming from the river. Achilles vanished a second time as Percy burst out of the water and landed on the shore next to Nico. 

“Are you okay?” He looked the other boy over with wide eyes, every piece of his skin looked burned, “Your skin. Oh, gods. You’re hurt!” 

He turned to dig for his own supply of ambrosia but Percy raised his hand, “I’m fine... I think.” Mrs. O’Leary came up to sniff his hand in interest. 

“Do you feel stronger?” Nico asked.

Percy had no opportunity to answer as a voice boomed from down the shore, “THERE!” 

Looming over an army of undead soldiers, Hades stood on his black and gold chariot. They were caught. 

“You will not escape me this time, Percy Jackson!” Hades gestured to his army and commanded them to attack, “Destroy him!” 

Well. Apparently, the dip in the Styx worked. It was a flurry of motion; swords clashed, waves of river water crashed onto the shore, bullets were fired and at the end of it all, Percy decimated Hades’ forces. He made it to Hades’ chariot and went toe to toe with him, knocking him to the ground.

Silence fell over the bank of the river as Percy managed to get the god under his knee. He looked as though he was about to run his sword right through him. Only the brief hesitation allowed Hades to escape skewering. He and his forces vanished into shadows, leaving them alone on the beach. 

Percy stumbled to his feet, his clothes were torn to pieces, but his skin looked remarkably untouched. Nico gaped at him. “You just - with a sword - and you just -”

“I think the river thing worked,” Percy said, studying his hands.

“Oh, gee. You think?”  

“Be free,”  Percy picked up Hades’ robe and dropped it into the water before turning back to Nico. “Go back to your father. Tell him he owes me for letting him go. Find out what’s going to happen to Mount Olympus and convince him to help.”

He gave out orders like a seasoned general. 

“I… I can’t.” Nico said. “He’ll hate me now. I mean… even more.” 

“You have to. You owe me too.”

“Percy, I told you I was sorry.” Nico tried to look him in the eye, “Please... Let me come with you. I want to fight.”

“You’ll be more help down here.”

It sounded more like Percy was keeping him out of the way, where he couldn’t cause any more trouble. “You mean you don’t trust me anymore.” 

“Just go back to your father. Work on him. You’re the only person who might be able to get him to listen.”

“That’s a depressing thought.” Nico kicked at the sand, “All right, I’ll do my best. Besides, he’s still hiding something from me about my mom. Maybe I can find out what.”

“Good Luck. Now Mrs. O’Leary and I have to go.”

“Where?”

Looking every part the hero, despite starting to climb on top of a massive hellhound, Percy said, “To get this war started. It’s time I found Luke.” 

Chapter Text

Nico shadow traveled straight to his room once Percy was out of sight. He was planning to search out his father to demand answers about his mother and insist Hades help the rest of the Olympians against the Titans. However, his body had no regard for his plans. As soon as he saw his bed, he collapsed into it and went straight to sleep. 

He dreamed he was walking through a city park. Ahead of him, he saw a trio; two children holding hands with a woman in a burgundy dress with crisp seams and a matching hat. He recognized her now, it was his mother. On one side was a smaller version of himself and on the other side, she held hands with Bianca who was happily licking an ice cream cone. 

“Isn’t the sunshine wonderful, my loves?” Maria di Angelo asked them, admiring the sky. 

Bianca shrugged, “It’s nice, but kind of bright.” 

“It’s melting my ice cream,” Young Nico said, in a much younger voice than he was used to. This must be some kind of memory, from before the hotel.

“Yes, but what about the good things about it? How it warms our backs, the way it shimmers through the trees…” she sighed, “Your father just doesn’t understand.”

“What do you mean?” Bianca asked.

“He wants the two of you to move,” The smallest creases formed between Maria’s brow. “To somewhere much darker.”

“Like Alaska?” Little Nico perked up, looking up from the drip he was licking off his hand. “I read it’s super dark there like half the year.”

Maria chuckled, “No, mio tesoro, not quite.”

Bianca glanced up at her mother, concerned, “Just two of us?”

 “That is what he wanted, yes. But you don’t need to worry, I told him you would not go. Besides, families must stay together. I would never be separated from you.”

Bianca relaxed with her mother’s reassurance. At her side, Nico pointed ahead to a carousel at the center of the park, “If we have to stay together, does that mean Bi has to ride the carousel with me?” 

His sister rolled her eyes, “Nico -”

Maria pursed her lips as though thinking, but there was a cheerful glint in her eyes, “I think all three of us must ride the carousel.” 

With a laugh, they took off running. 

Nico woke in his bed slowly. It was always dark in the Underworld so he had no idea how long he’d been asleep until he checked his watch. It had been a whole 12 hours since Percy had gone back to the surface to call out Luke and his forces. He wondered if the invasion of New York had begun already. 

He sat up, rubbing his cheek as he tried to figure out what he should do next. He needed to speak to his father, yes, but his dream had him thinking of another goal. After over a year of searching, he finally had a name - Maria di Angelo. He knew he needed to do what he'd promised Percy but he couldn't help it. He could finally try to speak to his mother. 

Gathering supplies was the easy part. He just snuck into the kitchen and found one of Persephone’s wines that she often had with dinner. It was a funny thing that she preferred mortal wine over godly nectar, but Nico thought it must remind her of the surface. 

Slightly more difficult, was finding a place to do the ritual. There wasn’t a lot of malleable earth in the Erebus and he didn’t want to waste the time finding a cemetery somewhere above. Fortunately, wine wasn’t the only thing his stepmother brought down to the Underworld. Paying little mind to whether she’d care, Nico set out to the courtyard to dig a hole in Persephone’s garden. 

With the hole deep enough, he prepared the offering and called out to his mother, “Let the dead taste again. Let them rise and take this offering. Maria di Angelo, show yourself!”

Smoke seeped through the garden toward him. A form began to take shape, but it wasn’t of the woman from Nico’s dream, it was a young girl in a silvery jacket, with a bow slung across her back. 

“Bianca” Nico said, “But -” 

Don’t summon our mother, Nico his sister said, She is the one spirit you are forbidden to see.

Her voice echoed inside his head like she wasn’t really speaking to him, but rather he was remembering her saying the words. It was as though this was a memory placed in his head, to relay a specific message when he should need it. Still, he asked her, “Why? What’s our father hiding?”

Pain. Hatred. A curse that stretches back to the Great Prophecy.

“What do you mean?” Why was everyone so vague? He just wanted answers! “I have to know!”

The knowledge will only hurt you. Remember what I said; holding grudges is a fatal flaw for children of Hades.

“I know that.” Nico grumbled, “But I’m not the same as I used to be, Bianca. Stop trying to protect me!”

Brother, you don’t understand - 

Nico swiped his hand through the smoke, dispelling the memory. 

“Maria di Angelo. Speak to me!” 

The smoke gathered again, but this time didn’t take the shape of a figure. Instead, it solidified into a wide rectangle like a window. In it, a scene unfolded. It looked like a fancy lobby of a hotel, tall marble columns reached for the ceiling while plush sofas were spaced around the room. Two children were chasing each other around the columns, laughing. Nico recognized the younger as himself. 

Nearby, watching the children from a sofa, was Maria di Angelo in an elegant black dress. She was talking to a man in a dark suit. Nico blinked at the image. He’d never pictured his parents together. 

“Please, my dear,” Hades said, “You must come to the Underworld. I don’t care what Persephone thinks! I can keep you safe there.”

“No, my love.” Nico melted at the sound of her voice. It was almost like she was there, in front of him. “Raise our children in the land of the dead? I will not do this.” 

“Maria, listen to me.” Hades looked unusually earnest. “The war in Europe has turned the other gods against me. A prophecy has been made. My children are no longer safe. Poseidon and Zeus have forced me into an agreement. None of us are to have demigod children ever again.”

“But you already have Nico and Bianca. Surely -”

“No! The prophecy warns of a child who turns sixteen. Zeus has decreed that the children I currently have must be turned over to Camp Half-Blood for proper training , but I know what he means. At best they’ll be watched, imprisoned, and turned against their father. Even more likely, he will not take a chance. He won’t allow my demigod children to reach sixteen. He’ll find a way to destroy them, and I won’t risk that!” 

Hades seemed more concerned with Nico’s safety in this scene than he had ever been since Nico first learned he was a demigod. What had happened?

Back in the scene, Maria was shaking her head. “Certamente. We will stay together. Zeus is un imbecile.”

Hades glanced to the ceiling, “Maria, please. I told you, Zeus gave me a deadline of last week to turn over the children. His wrath will be horrible and I cannot hide you forever. As long as you are with the children, you are in danger too.” 

“You are a god, my love. You will protect us. But I will not take Nico and Bianca to the Underworld.” 

Nico marveled at how certain she sounded. The Hades she knew was definitely different from the one Nico knew. 

“Then, there is another option,” Hades went on, “I know a place in the desert where time stands still. I could send the children there, just for a while, for their own safety and we could be together. I will build you a golden palace by the Styx.”

Keeping him out of time had been for his safety? Nico didn’t understand how his mother could have agreed to that. 

Maria laughed and looked at the god with affection, “You are a kind man, my love. A generous man. The other gods should see you as I do, and they would not fear you so. But Nico and Bianca need their mother. Besides, they are only children. The gods wouldn’t really hurt them.” 

A dark cloud passed over Hades’ face and Nico finally recognized the father he had spent the last several months with. “You don’t know my family. Please, Maria, I can’t lose you.”

She traced her finger lovingly down his cheek, “You will not lose me. Wait for me while I get my purse. Watch the children.”

She placed a short kiss on his lips and headed toward the stairs. Nico had never seen his father look after someone so longingly. 

Not a minute later, the god tensed. The younger versions of Nico and Bianca also stopped playing, looking toward their father. 

“No!” Hades yelled. He only had enough time to throw out his hand, creating a wall of solidified shadow around the children before the hotel exploded. 

There was another scene but Nico could barely see it through the tears. His mother lay broken in Hades’ arms. His younger self and Bianca were staring at their parents unable to understand what they were seeing. For the first time, Nico was glad he seemed to have no memory of his life before the Lotus Hotel. 

Expect that wasn’t true. Even as he blinked away the tears now streaming freely down his face, he could remember something . The trauma of seeing the scene of his mother’s death play in front of him again seemed to unlock something in his brain. There were fragments, a trip from Italy to the States, his mother saying the three of them would be safer there with their grandfather;  afternoons in the park with his parents where Hades actually played with him; and finally, Alecto bringing him and his sister to the Lithe, washing their memories clean. Nico envied the relief his younger self had felt when the grief, heartache, and confusion washing over him now had slipped away. 

He wiped his eyes and tried to focus on the scene playing out in front of him. His father was arguing with a young girl in a colorful dress. She had the same glowing green eyes as May Castellan. 

“Because of your so-called Great Prophecy.” Hades snarled, “And you have forced me into an oath to have no other children. You have left me with nothing!” 

“I foresee the future,” the girl said, “I cannot change it.” 

“Then, Oracle, hear the words of Hades” He towered over her as his face hardened. “Perhaps I cannot bring back Maria. Nor can I bring you an early death. But your soul is still mortal, and I can curse you.”

“You would not - “ The girl stepped back in shock. 

“I swear, as long as my children remain outcasts, as long as I labor under the curse of your Great Prophecy, the Oracle of Delphi will never have another mortal host. You will never rest in peace. No other will take your place. Your body will wither and die, and still the Oracle’s spirit will be locked inside you. You will speak your bitter prophecies until you crumble to nothing. The Oracle will die with you!”

Nico was knocked back from the vision as it exploded outward. He stared up in a panic at the towering figure that had replaced the vision. His father’s face was twisted into a cruel scowl. “And just what do you think you’re doing?”

Nico scrambled back further, “That- that’s why you didn’t tell me. You’re the reason I couldn’t remember anything, why I was pulled from time. It was all because you wanted to keep us stowed away.” 

Fire flickered in Hades’ dark eyes, “And I’d do it again if that was what was necessary!” 

“You mean if it benefited you!” Nico spat, “You couldn’t care less about what happened to us! If you did you wouldn't have left us there!” He climbed to his feet to stare at his father more directly.

“Did you not pay attention to what you just saw?” Hades threw his hands in the air, “I did that because I wanted you alive . I wanted you safe .”

“SAFE?” Nico roared, “How was abandoning us and leaving us with no memory keeping us safe?!”

“My brothers would never stand to let you live.” An expression Nico hadn’t seen before flashed across his father’s face. Was it remorse? “After Maria… after Henry... Well, I knew there was no other way.”

Nico stopped short. He’d never heard that name. “Henry? Is that who lived in my room before me?”

Hades narrowed his eyes at him, “How’d you know about him?”

“He left a journal. I asked Persephone about it.” 

“Figures” Hades rolled his eyes, “I should have learned my lesson with him. He was… different from my other children, kinder. I thought he might finally prove to Zeus and Poseidon that not all children of the Underworld follow the same path. But my brothers only see what they want to. They saw a demigod ushering souls to my domain like some greedy conman, not one trying to save lives... even if it cost him his own.” Hades sighed and looked across the garden as though staring at something familiar in the distance, “Shortly after he died, the second world war started, and with my other children’s involvement… well - There was no convincing my family.”

“That’s it?” Nico’s brows furrowed. “They didn’t believe you one time so you just gave up on trying to get them to understand?”

“I did not give up .” Hades looked insulted, “They will always assume the worst from me and my children, why should I try to prove them otherwise?” 

Well, that sounded familiar. Because of his father, Nico would never be understood by other demigods. Yet he was still here, fighting to make sure they stayed safe. It didn’t matter whether they accepted him or not, they didn’t deserve to lose their family and friends in a war they had no choice in being a part of. Nico glared at his father, feeling a flash of the anger that had driven him all those months with Minos, “So you’ve just holed yourself up here to feel sorry for yourself? That’s stupid!”

“I have not -”

 “You’re just afraid of what would happen if you did anything but prove them right but you’re too much of a coward to admit it!”

“You dare speak to me like that?”

Hades’ expression darkened and he loomed over his son. Nico gulped, he may have gone too far there. He took a few steps back, but the distance didn’t matter. Hades raised his hand and with a quick flick of his wrist, Nico was transported out of the garden. 

Chapter Text

Back in his room, yet again, Nico paced the floor. His mind was a jumbled mix of anger, grief, and frustration. He kept getting flashes of memories he couldn’t place, but he didn’t have the time to try to process them right now. Soon, if not already, there would be a war going on and he had to convince his father that helping was more important than sitting around doing nothing but proving his family right. He wracked his brain for how he could possibly persuade Hades to bring his forces to the surface. 

After what could have been hours, Nico still had nothing. Hades was convinced he had nothing to gain for helping Olympus, and he was more content to watch them burn than to offer any help. After millennia of being shunned away from the rest of them, who could blame him? Nico couldn’t figure out what could possibly get him to care enough. 

Even if it felt like he’d just slept, he was exhausted. Memories kept flickering in his brain as he forced himself to keep focused on the task at hand. His eyes began to drift close as he lay on his bed thinking but he didn’t have time right now. Sleep was going to have to wait until he’d made sure the world as he knew it didn’t come crashing down. 

Unfortunately, his body had other ideas. As soon as the idea popped into his head, he fell asleep. 

He dreamed of Central Park in New York City. The normally wide-open fields of grass were torn up from a recent battle. Tree branches littered the ground, soil was ripped up where roots had sprung up to form makeshift barriers. In the center was a massive maple tree, its bark twisting around itself as though wrapped around something inside it. So the fight had made it to New York, and they were already fighting in the streets. Nico couldn’t imagine what kinds of opponents they must have been facing to cause this much damage. He eyed the maple tree’s massive trunk warily. 

Nymphs were limping through the trees, trying to help up the satyrs that had collapsed with the effort of working so much nature magic. They seemed to have won the battle, but not without a price. 

His dream shifted and he was at the opening of a tunnel. Cars had been pulled to the sides to clear a path. At the far end of the tunnel, Nico could see dark shapes moving and the glinting of spears. A collection of demigods were crouched behind a large truck just to the side of the opening. It was easy to recognize a few of them as children of Hermes. 

“Okay, This is the last way into the city. If we don’t close this off they’ll overrun us in no time.” Connor was telling the others. He had a large gash on the side of his head, held together with two small pieces of surgical tape. “I’ve got the entrance rigged with some of the Hephaestus cabin’s explosives, but it’s not an automatic trigger. Someone’s got to be inside to set it off.” 

“But if they’re -” one of the other demigods started. 

Travis cut them off with a nod, “Then they’ve got to be fast. It’s a long run back and not a lot of time to do it.” 

“I’ll do it.” The others looked around to see Cecil standing up to peer over the truck bed. “Connor and Travis, you get everyone further up the road.” 

“Are you sure?” Travis asked, placing a hand on his brother’s shoulder. 

Cecil nodded, his jaw set. He was barely recognizable from the excitable kid Nico had shared a bunk with. “I can’t let anyone else take that chance. I’ll see you in a few minutes.” He gathered up his sword and jogged into the tunnel. 

Nico’s dream shifted again, and this time he was standing on the street just outside the Empire State Building. The ground was littered with torn clothing, discarded arrows, and paintball pellets. There had clearly been a lot of fighting here, but for now, there was a moment of calm. Tents were set up on either side of the street, both with groups of demigods trying to regroup.  Inside the one opposite the building were dozens of campers, either laying on the ground in rows with makeshift pillows or hurrying down the aisles assessing wounds and handing out ambrosia. 

Near the back, Will Solace was crouched over a girl in a silver coat like the Hunters of Artemis wore. He was focused, even as the fabric of the coat began to stain red, “Austin! I need your help to stop the bleeding!”

 A boy with dark hair braided along his head hurried to Will’s side. “What can I do?”

“Put your hands here” Will helped his brother apply the right pressure then turned to grab supplies from the bag at his knees. He quickly found what he needed and turned to the girl. “I can give you some ambrosia afterward but I’m going to have to do the stitches now.” 

She set her jaw as she nodded in understanding. 

“I’ll be as quick as I can,” Will said to her and then got to work; his hands steady, his eyebrows scrunched together in concentration.

Further down the aisle another child of Apollo wiped their eyes as they finished solemnly draping what looked like a bed sheet over another form that wasn’t moving. Two taller boys with the trademark smudges of grease on their arms of children of Hephaestus carefully picked up the demigod and carried them out the other side of the tent. Nico tried not to look at how small the shoes were. 

Instead, he turned his attention to the other side of the street. At the command tent, Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia were speaking with Chiron about the forces they’d set around the building. Apparently, they’d gotten some help from some centaur buddies of his and had been able to set up a two-block perimeter. The gods, however, were not having the same success. 

“The gods are tiring,” Chiron told them, “Dionysus was incapacitated yesterday. Typhon smashed his chariot, and the wine god went down somewhere in the Appalachians. No one has seen him since. Hephaestus is out of action as well. He was thrown from the battle so hard he created a new lake in West Virginia. He will heal, but not soon enough to help. The others still fight. They’ve managed to slow Typhon’s approach. But the monster cannot be stopped. He will arrive in New York by this time tomorrow. Once he and Kronos combine forces - 

“Then what chance do we have?” Percy asked. He looked exhausted but his bath in the Styx seemed to be doing its job. His clothes were ripped to pieces but there was not a scratch on him. “We can’t hold out another day.”

“We’ll have to,” Thalia said, “I’ll see about setting some new traps around the perimeter.” 

Nico woke suddenly, feeling as though he’d just stepped off the street. It was worse than he feared. The battle was wearing the Olympian forces down, and they were running out of time.  Already, the city was getting torn apart, and the demigod losses were stacking up. How could they just sit down here and do nothing? He had to convince his father, now. 

He grabbed his sword and jacket, glancing at his watch as he hurried from his room. It was one of the rare occasions where the surface time and Underworld time aligned, about mid-morning. 

He found the three gods in the garden. He shouldn’t have been surprised. Demeter insisted that the gardens were the only tolerable place in the Underworld. She was pushing large bowls towards Hades and Persephone, both of whom looked as though they’d have preferred a stroll through the fields of punishment over listening to the goddess drone on about the countries with the highest wheat production. 

“Now you might not expect it, but France comes in sixth place. I always knew there was a reason I enjoy summers in the French countryside.” Demeter said though she might as well have been talking to the pomegranate trees for how much the other two were paying attention. She looked up as Nico approached them, “Oh. You’re still here. I thought Hades had dealt with you already.”

Nico shrugged, “I guess he didn’t?”

Hades growled and avoided Nico’s eyes. There was something there though, reluctance? Demeter had a point. It had been clear Nico had enraged his father, he’d gone against his wishes and even insulted him, but he was still here. He hadn’t blasted Nico on the spot, he’d just sent him to his room. It was like Hades didn’t really want to get rid of him. 

“Well, you might as well eat. Cereal will bulk you up like a proper demigod.” With another wave of her hand, a fourth bowl appeared in front of Demeter which she pushed in front of the open chair. Nico ignored it, he was focused on his father. 

“The Olympians are losing ground. They’ve nearly made it to Olympus. ”

Hades looked unfazed, “What do I care?” 

Beside him Persephone sighed and began fussing with the flower arrangement on the table, changing the color of dahlias to unnatural shades and patterns. 

“What do you care?! You should care a whole lot! ”

“We are safe here in my palace,” Hades insisted, then rolled his eyes, “I don’t need to listen to this.” 

He waved his hand and Nico found himself in his room again. Well, okay, he should have expected that, but a little grounding wasn’t going to stop him. He squared his shoulders and shadow traveled back to the garden. 

The gods startled as he appeared next to them again. 

“I thought I - “ Hades started.

“You can't get rid of me that easily,” Nico said. “ You need to listen to me. Kronos’ forces have almost made it to the Empire State Building, the others need your help.”

“I will not help them.” Hades glared at his son and waved his hand again. 

After a brief rush of darkness, Nico was in his room - again. This time he was ready. He was beginning to form a plan. 

He was speaking before Hades and the goddesses realized he had reappeared. “You can’t ignore me. I’ll just keep coming back.” 

Hades scowled at him and Nico saw a hint of what he was looking for. He just needed to push it further. If he could get his father worked up enough, he might have a way to get through to him. If he didn’t kill Nico first. 

Well, if he was doing this, he might as well commit to it.“You need to get up off your sorry ass and help!” 

Demeter snorted from behind a box of cereal. Persephone’s eyebrows rose from behind the polka-dot flowers sprouting out of the vase in front of her. Hades pursed his lips. He raised his hand to send Nico away again but paused before clenching it into a fist and rising from the table. He began pacing up the path and Nico followed behind him. 

“What good is having all this power if you don’t use it?” Nico asked, waving his hands around for emphasis. 

Hades responded by throwing his hands over his ears as though if he couldn’t hear Nico, he wasn’t there. 

“You have an obligation to help!” Nico continued, “You have to!”

Hades twisted around with unexpected speed, his eyes boring into Nico. “I don’t have to do anything, I’m a god!” 

Nico stood his ground, “Father if Olympus falls, your own palace’s safety doesn’t matter. You’ll fade too.” 

“I am not an Olympian!” Hades growled, “My family has made that quite clear.”

“You are. Whether you like it or not.” 

“You saw what they did to your mother.” Nico flinched at the memory. “Zeus killed her. And you would have me help them? They deserve what they get!” 

Persephone continued to look disinterested, “Could we please not talk about that woman?”

“You know what would help this boy?” Demeter looked Nico over critically like she did every time he was in her presence, “Farming.”

“Mother -”

“Six months behind a plow. Excellent character building.”

Nico got in front of his father, forcing Hades to look at him, “My mother understood about family. That’s why she didn’t want to leave us. You can’t just abandon your family because they did something horrible. You’ve done horrible things to them too.”

“Maria died!” 

Nico scowled. He was well aware of the fact his mother was dead. “You can’t just cut yourself off from the other gods!” 

“I’ve done very well at it for thousands of years.” 

“And has that made you feel any better?” Nico could have been asking himself the same question. “Has that curse on the Oracle helped you at all? Holding grudges is a fatal flaw. Bianca warned me about that, and she was right.”

“For demigods!” Hades threw his hands up in exasperation, “I am immortal! I would not help the other gods if they begged me, if Percy Jackson himself pleaded -” 

Something in Nico’s gut squirmed at the mention of Percy’s name. He wasn’t sure if it was anger or… something else. He didn’t have the time to figure it out. He turned that frustration to his father, “You’re just as much of an outcast as I am! Stop being angry about it and do something helpful for once. That’s the only way they’ll respect you!”

Hades glared down at him, his hand filling with black fire. This was it. 

“Go ahead. Blast me. That’s just what the other gods would expect from you.” Nico lifted his chin and looked his father in the eye, “Prove them right.”  

“Yes, please,” Demeter called from the table. Leave it to his step-grandmother to ruin his dramatic moment. “Shut him up.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Persephone sighed. Was she really going to speak up for him? “I would rather fight in the war than eat another bowl of cereal. This is boring.” No. No, she was not.

The fire in Hades’ hand grew as he looked between the three of them. He roared and threw the flames at Nico. 

The tree next to him burst into a pillar of white-hot fire. It melted into a silvery pool in a matter of seconds. Nico had to scramble a few steps to the side to avoid the liquid burning his shoes. When he looked up Hades was glaring at him, but Nico was still alive. 

“I knew it,” he said, “You can’t do it. Even if you pretend not to, you still care about your family. You couldn’t get yourself to kill your own - and only  - son.” 

“Of course, I won’t do that.” Hades tried to look as though that had been his plan all along, but Nico wasn’t convinced. “You can’t be the child of the prophecy if you’re dead.”

Nico rolled his eyes, “Will you shut up about that? You only pretend to care about power and ruling the gods just to cover up how lonely you feel. Well, you’re only doing it to yourself. 

"I’m tired of trying to prove myself to you. You want someone fierce like Bianca, noble like Henry, and ruthless like all your other children. It’s impossible! I won’t be the child of the prophecy, I can’t be my siblings, I’m just me! You’re so busy being mad about the family you can’t have you don’t even try to get to know the one you do!”  

Now, Nico got to the crux of his plan. He realized he was putting a lot on the line here on only the very faintest of hopes. But it was all he had. Like Percy had said, Nico was the only person that might be able to get through to his father. He was the only person Hades might care about enough to want to keep safe. 

“I’m going.” Nico declared “I’m going to join the battle against the Titans and try to protect Olympus, and you can’t stop me.” He thought back to his dream and the small demigod who had already sacrificed everything, “Kronos’ army will likely overrun us within the day, and I will probably die, but at least I’ll die trying to do something good.” Nico was startled by how steady his voice was. It directly contradicted the pounding in his chest, “You can stay down here and let that happen, or you can help.”

Nico stared at his father for two full breaths, waiting for some kind of response but Hades just stood there, glaring at him. He made no move to attack again, he didn’t even attempt to send Nico back to his room. Nico’s eyes stung and he forced himself to swallow the growing lump of disappointment in his throat. His father was going to let him go. 

From across the garden, a thunderous bark drew their attention away from each other. Mrs. O’Leary was bounding over the crowds of souls toward the palace, her tongue lolling from her mouth. 

“Hey! Get that dog away from my lilies!” Persephone called, shooing away the hellhound from the table. Nico forced himself to turn away from his father and jogged over to the garden entrance. 

He whistled for Mrs. O’Leary to stay with him and patted her nose. What was Percy’s dog doing down here? She nuzzled his shirt and used her nose to nudge him away from the palace like she was trying to start a game of fetch. With a sinking sensation in his gut, he understood the meaning. She was trying to get him to come with her. This was the camp’s last desperate call for reinforcements. He rested his head on her massive shoulder and took a shuddering breath. Camp Half-Blood’s forces were going to be disappointed when all that showed up was a scrawny son of Hades. He’d failed, again.

He turned away from Mrs. O’Leary to look back at his father and blinked in confusion. Standing where Hades had been was a warrior in black armor, a deep red cloak falling from his shoulders. He cleared his throat as Nico took in the sight of him. 

“I cannot let my son go alone.” Hades said, “Perhaps when this is over I might get a chance to understand what I’ve been blind to before.” 

It was as much of an apology as Nico was going to get. He still had reservations about whether Hades really understood what he was trying to say. But what mattered now was that Hades was going to join the fight. The Olympians might not be decimated by the Titans just yet. 

“If you’re going, you can’t go like that,” Persephone interjected. For a moment Nico thought she was talking about Hades’ armor, but as she waved her hand he felt a cool weight rest on his head and arms. “You need at least something to protect that fragile mortal body of yours.”

He reached up and pulled off the helmet to look at it. It was made of lightweight but hard dark metal and was designed to look like a skull. He looked up at his stepmother in surprise. She winked at him.

Hades jerked his head toward Mrs. O’Leary, “Go on. We will be right behind you.” 

In the open space next to him, Hades’ black chariot materialized. Demeter clapped her hands in excitement, “Oh finally, he’s doing something worthwhile.”

Nico nodded to his father as he climbed onto Mrs. O’Leary’s shoulders. He fit the helmet back on his head and patted the side of the hellhound’s head, “Okay, girl, it’s time to bring some backup.”

Chapter Text

Nico let Mrs. O’Leary direct their jump through the shadows. They emerged on Fifth Avenue, a couple of blocks away from the Empire State Building. The view down the street was blocked by the massive crowd of monsters that filled the entire avenue. They were turned away from Nico, focused on something happening at the base of the building. 

Recognizing the familiar streets, the hellhound let out a howl of excitement, “Arroooooo!” 

The monsters nearest them, a few spear-wielding dracaena, spun around and glared at them. Mrs. O’Leary barred her teeth and forced them to back away as Nico slipped off her back. 

From somewhere ahead of them, a voice called, “Mrs. O’Leary?”

The enemy forces scrambled backward as Mrs. O’Leary prowled forward, creating a clear aisle from one end of the street to the other. On the other side, Nico could see Percy, his arms wrapped around a struggling Annabeth who was trying to fight her away to the figure in front of them. Luke - or Kronos, it seemed by the piercing golden glow coming from his eyes - stood over them, his deadly scythe raised. Apparently, Nico had arrived just in time.

Percy peered down the street in disbelief, “Nico?”

“ROWWF!” At the sound of his voice, Mrs. O’Leary lept past the rows of monsters toward Percy. Nico followed at a slower pace, savoring the tentative steps the monsters took back as he passed. They were right to be wary of a child of Hades. 

Nico grinned at Percy, “Got your message. Is it too late to join the party?” 

Kronos reared on him, spitting on the ground in disgust, “Son of Hades. Do you love death so much you wish to experience it?”

Nico raised an amused eyebrow. He could feel the ground rumbling under his feet. “Your death would be great for me.”

“I’m immortal, fool!” Kronos roared, “I have escaped Tartarus. You have no business here and no chance to live.”

Nico drew his sword. They were nearly here now, tiny flecks of asphalt were bouncing across the ground. He stared the Titan down, “I don’t agree.” 

As if on his cue, all around them cracks broke through the ground, in the walls of buildings. The skeletal hands of the undead reached toward the sky as Hades’ army began to pull itself to the surface. 

“HOLD YOUR GROUND” Kronos called to his forces, “The dead are no match for us.”

A harsh horn sounded through the air as the warriors began to form ranks behind Nico. He didn’t flinch as the sky darkened and the temperature dropped around him. He welcomed it. A huge chariot barreled down Fifth Avenue coming to a stop next to him. He glanced up to see his father at the reins, in all his imposing magnificence. Atop his head was the helm of darkness, a shifting miasma of shadow. It made Kronos’ forces squirm uneasily, as though it held the secrets of their deepest fears. Persephone and Demeter stood behind him in armor of their own. They were no longer the ethereal goddesses that had roamed the halls of Erebus. They were prepared for battle, embodying the intimidating power that befitted Olympian goddesses.

Hades eyed Kronos cooly, “Hello, Father. You’re looking… young.”

“Hades.” Kronos maintained his stance, “I hope you and the ladies have come to pledge your allegiance.”

“I’m afraid not,” Hades said dismissively. He almost sounded amused, “My son here convinced me that perhaps I should prioritize my list of enemies. As much as I dislike certain upstart demigods, it would not do for Olympus to fall. I would miss bickering with my siblings. And if there is one thing we agree on - it is that you were a TERRIBLE father.” 

“True.” Demeter nodded, “No appreciation of agriculture.”

“Mother!” 

Hades’ drew his sword, a deadly blade of stygian iron and silver, “Now fight me! For today the House of Hades will be called the saviors of Olympus.” 

“I don’t have time for this,” Kronos growled. He brought the handle of his scythe down causing the ground to crack further. The fissure grew and spread around the Empire State Building. It drew a line between him, Percy and Annabeth, and the rest of the forces. As the air over the crack shimmered, Nico realized he was sealing off the building. They wouldn’t be able to reach him. 

All around them, sounds of the city erupted. Civilians woke up and began staring out their car windows trying to make sense of the armies of monsters surrounding them. In anger, Hades crashed his chariot against the barrier. It held, even as he blasted it with the same fire he’d nearly thrown at Nico. 

He roared to his army of undead, “ATTACK” 

All around him, monsters and zombies charged each other. Nico ducked out of the way as a hyperborean giant swiped its club over the assembled skeletons, knocking them over like bowling pins. He shook his head trying to ignore the growing ringing in his ears. It was entirely unhelpful, impending death was everywhere. They were practically swimming in it. 

Now that they were awake, the pedestrians were running about, trying to avoid getting caught up in whatever conflict the Mist was causing them to see to make sense of the battle. Unfortunately, this made them much more likely to be caught up as collateral damage. Nico lunged to catch an empousa before they could skewer a few pedestrians running to cover in a nearby alley. Frantically, he searched the chaos for more civilians that might be caught up in the fighting. 

He blinked as next to him a wheat field spang up where a line of giants had once been. With the newly clear sightline, he noticed two familiar figures running along the boundary surrounding the building. “Ms. Jackson?” 

Percy’s mother and stepfather were clambering their way through the fight, dodging wayward attacks from all sides as they tried to make their way to where Percy was calling to them on the other side of the barrier. Nico slashed through monsters trying to get to them. 

He saw as Paul grabbed a sword from the ground and used it to stab through a dracaena attempting to catch them off guard and as Nico made it to them, Sally raised a long metallic-looking object and aimed it at an oncoming monster. With a swift click and a loud boom, the monster flew back toward Nico. He thrust out his sword, skewering it before it turned into dust. 

“When did you learn to fire a shotgun?” Percy demanded. Even if they couldn’t pass through the barrier, they could hear just fine. 

Sally grinned at her son, “About two seconds ago. Percy, we’ll be fine. Go!” 

“Yes.” Nico jogged the last few feet to join them. “We’ll handle the army. You have to get Kronos!” 

“Come on, Seaweed Brain!” Annabeth called to Percy, pulling him back toward the building. 

As they jogged away Nico nodded to Sally and Paul. “Nice work.” 

Sally gestured to the armies of undead around them, “Are you responsible for this?”

“It’s my dad’s army, I just convinced him to use it”

“Well, it looks like it’s just what we needed.”  Sally cranked the pump of the shotgun. Paul ducked as a nearby giant picked up one of Hades’ warriors and tore it in half. A severed arm came flying past them.  Nico was really glad the warrior was undead, so it wouldn’t have felt a thing. Hell, if the two parts found each other, they might reassemble and return to the fight as if nothing had happened. “Let’s keep moving.”

Nico stayed at Sally and Paul’s side determined to make sure the mortals stayed out of harm’s way. They didn’t really need him though. Together the three of them craved paths through the snarling monsters, ensuring that the rest of the civilians weren’t caught up in the battle as best they could. When she ran out of ammo, Sally discarded her shotgun and grabbed a spear. She even went toe to toe with an empousa for a few moments before Nico was able to come in from behind. With their help, Nico was able to herd most of the civilians in the vicinity down alleyways and into storefronts. 

He watched as Hades rode his chariot up and down Fifth Avenue, blasting waves of monsters with bursts of black energy. At one point Nico found himself on the business end of a Lastygonian’s spiked club, but before he was batted around like a baseball, the giant was knocked off its feet by a column of black fire. Nico looked up to see his father across the street, his hand extended in Nico’s direction despite his focus on the half a dozen dracaena surrounding him on the other side. He might have even been rolling his eyes. 

With the number of forces now fighting on the side of the Olympians, Nico expected them to begin to turn the tide. But with every wave of undead Hades summoned, more monsters worked their way through the city to the main fight. Kronos’ forces pushed them back towards the barrier, surrounding them from all directions until they had nowhere to go. Nico stuck with Sally and Paul, slashing through as many monsters as he could as more formed a ring around them, growling in anticipation. 

The sky darkened and the wind picked up as though there was an approaching storm. As Nico dodged a spear from a telekhine, he felt fat raindrops begin to fall on the back of his neck. The sensation sent a chill down his spine. Typhon.  He was nearly to Olympus. 

Paul looked over at him with uncertainty as he pulled his sword out of a dracaena, “The sudden storm can’t be a good sign can it?” 

Nico shook his head, “No.” 

As the rain began to come down harder a bright flash stretched across the sky followed by a sharp crack and a boom of thunder so loud the air shook. The storm picked up in response. It seemed even Zeus, wherever he was, couldn’t slow down the titan. 

This might be the end, Nico thought. He couldn’t see a way past the monsters’ surrounding them and even if he could, there was no escape once Typhon made it to the city. He would tear apart the streets, crushing buildings as he made it to Olympus in a few quick strides. It would all be over. Even the combined power of the Olympians hadn’t been enough to stop Kronos. 

The monsters drew in closer forcing Sally to press herself back to back with Paul. Nico kept his sword held out in front of him, ready to swipe at the first monster to dare get close. As he scanned the hoard, he glanced down 34th Street. It looked almost as though a wall of water was raging up past the tops of buildings along the Hudson River, but he couldn’t be sure that it wasn’t just the torrent of rain falling from the sky. 

A shrill horn sounded through the streets as though calling the attention of another army. Around them the monsters paused. Nico hoped against hope that the army was somehow on their side but he didn’t know who else had a move to play. The sky erupted in another series of flashes of lightning. The light arched towards the west and the air shook with thunder. From the river came the roar of millions of gallons of water crashing to the ground. The wall of water Nico had seen seemed to have vanished. He expected a wave to come flooding through the streets, but it seemed the water had all been channeled into the river. 

“Poseidon,” Sally whispered. She looked over at Nico hopefully, “You don’t think - ?”

“I dunno.” Nico said, “Maybe.”

The rain lessened as the sky began to lighten. What had just happened? Had Poseidon been able to rally troops of his own to come to their aid?  Was it possible that Typhon was no longer a threat? If the Olympians had succeeded in subduing the Titan, they would be headed back to Olympus, wouldn’t they? Maybe together they’d be able to make it through Kronos’ barrier and give Percy and Annabeth some godly support.

With new hope, Nico returned his attention to the crowd of monsters gathering their wits around him. He glanced at Paul and saw he was thinking the same thing. If there was a chance this was almost over, they couldn’t give up now. He gripped his sword and nodded to the others. They needed to hold out just a little longer. 

“For Olympus!” he called and charged into the horde. 

The next several minutes were a blur. Nico couldn’t count how many spears he dodged, chomping teeth he narrowly avoided, or sword attacks he barely parried. He was thankful for Achilles’ extensive training, but he began to have a new appreciation for how much surviving a battle was sheer luck. He couldn’t explain how he made it to the end, but he did. 

Somehow he was still alive when the monsters around him all froze and stared up toward the sky. A ripple passed through them as though they all collectively realized their worst fear and they turned around and ran. It was… very confusing. 

Nico shared an alarmed look with Sally and Paul as the monsters retreated, bolting for the fastest way out of the city and away from Hades' undead forces. What if there was something bigger, more frightening coming? It wasn’t until they looked up did they finally understand. Sally’s eyes began to water as she gripped Paul in a fierce hug. Nico let out a cheer. The top of the Empire State Building was glowing blue. 

It was over and Percy had made it

Chapter Text

In the aftermath of the battle, Nico sought out his father. After following Sally and Paul to the lobby of the Empire State Building only for them to be turned away by a very surly looking security guard, - “Mortals are not allowed on Olympus.” - Nico figured he should try to track down his own family. He had no doubt Hades had made it out of the battle just fine - he was a god after all - but maybe there was some merit to letting his father know that he was okay. His life had been his primary bargaining piece, after all. 

He found the lord of the Underworld just outside the building, thrusting this sword into a pitiful telekhine. The monster must have had the misfortune of being at the back of the pack as the monsters fled through the streets. 

Nico snorted. “I think it’s dead, dad.” 

“Huh?” Hades looked up in surprise at his voice. He tried to hide it, but Nico thought he saw relief pass across his face. “Oh. Right.” 

Nico kicked a broken arrowhead with his toe, “Thanks for the help. We would have been overrun without you.” 

“That we can agree on.” Hades turned from the dissolving monster and brushed off his armor. He glanced around at the emptying streets and seemed to decide he was overdressed. With a moment’s thought, the red cloak wrapped itself around him and morphed into Hades’ usual dark robes. He looked down his nose at Nico critically. “I’m glad to see you’re in one piece.” 

“Me too.” Nico took off his own helmet and held it under his arm. “So are you going to talk with your family?” 

“Why would I do that?”

“Well, you did just save them all.” Nico shrugged, “You should at least say hello. Maybe they’ll even say thank you.” 

“Perhaps,“ Hades pursed his lips, considering. “Fine. I will go - ”

“That’s great, I’ll just -” Nico turned to go back to the lobby.

“ -But you’re coming with me.”

“Me?” 

Without any other explanation, Hades grabbed Nico’s shoulder and together they vanished into smoke. 

Olympus in any state would have been awe-inspiring. However, seeing twelve powerful gods reassemble it was a level of mind-blowing Nico never could have imagined. The magnificent palaces and beautiful gardens were simultaneously pristine and in ruins. Squares with elegant fountains were mid-repair. Some were torn apart with pieces of statuary and brick strewn across the path. Others were in perfect condition, the water gleaming with a faint golden glow as it cascaded into the pool. A few of the gardens remained upturned. In them, rows of demigods were in various stages of healing - some resting their injured limbs on rocks, others actively being sewn and bandaged up by members of the Apollo cabin. Even if the battle had ended, the medics’ work was nowhere near done. 

What caught Nico’s attention the most was the great hall at the top of the hill. It had seen the most damage, leaving Nico to wonder just what had happened up here when Kronos had sealed them out. Despite being nearly destroyed, progress to rebuilding it was swift. It helped that most of the gods seemed to be directing their attention to it as well. One burly god with a metal leg (Was that really Hephaestus?) was inspecting the supports while nymphs encouraged vines to weave up the columns. He recognized Demeter and Persephone working together to regrow the gardens outside of it, bickering about what shrubbery was most appropriate for this time of year.

To add to the disorientation, when Nico and his father stepped onto the path that led through Olympus, all eyes turned to them. Gods and demigods alike all erupted into applause, and Nico realized in shock that it was for him. He heard someone that he thought could have been Travis Stoll yell, “Way to go, death kid!” 

Hades seemed just as confused as they stepped tentatively forward into the forming crowd gathering to congratulate and thank them. Nico had no idea what to do with himself so counted it a win when he simply managed to smile as nymphs shook his hand enthusiastically. 

It was a relief when a familiar small figure parted the crowd and beckoned to them. Hestia held out a welcoming hand to her brother, “Come. You must join us.” 

She led them up the hill and to the great hall where twelve thrones were piecing themselves together as their owners chatted with their children, praising their efforts in the battle. Percy was wiping his eyes as he hugged his father, while his brother, Tyson beamed at them both. Doing a mental count, Nico realized all Olympians were accounted for; Ares, Aphrodite, and even Dionysus though his head was wrapped in a bandage for some reason. Hestia guided them to a pair of humble chairs by the blazing hearth. She sat in one and gestured for Hades to sit in the other. Before Nico could look around for somewhere out of the way to stand, Hades wordlessly gestured to the spot on the floor next to him. Nico couldn’t sit down fast enough. 

Once all of the gods had been seated, from Apollo in his golden throne to Athena in her orate wooden desk chair, Zeus called for the council to begin. 

After a long rambling speech about bravery, during which Nico noticed Annabeth slip in and stand next to Percy and Grover, the gods began giving awards. Grover, Thalia, and even Tyson were graced with gifts and responsibilities, and titles. They were all appropriately humble and expressed their gratitude to Zeus and the council as respectfully as they could. Annabeth was promised the ability to redesign Olympus. By the requests already coming in from Apollo and Ares, that was going to be quite the job, but she looked thrilled. 

At last, Percy was called forward. For his courage and heroic actions he was offered any gift. Nico’s eyes widened as Zeus elaborated, assuming he already knew what Percy would ask for. For his part in the victory against the Titans, Percy was given the opportunity to become a god. A real-life, immortal, golden blood, fucking god. Nico was sure Percy would take it, who would turn down such an offer? 

Yet, with a longing look back at his friends, Percy did what no one in the room expected. He turned it down. 

“I’m honored and everything,” Percy said, trying to head off Zeus’ growing anger, “Don’t get me wrong, It’s just… I‘ve got a lot of life left to live. I’d hate to peak in my sophomore year.” 

The gods around the room remained silent. Nico wondered if it was possible to make someone a god against their will. Knowing what he did of Greek myths, he was pretty sure it was.

“I do want a gift though,” Percy said, “Do you promise to grant my wish?” 

Zeus stroked his beard, “If it is within our power.” 

“It is. And it’s not even difficult. But I need your promise on the River Styx.”

“What?” Dionysus looked insulted, “You don’t trust us?”

“Someone once told me” Percy nodded in Hades’ direction, “you should always get a solemn oath.” 

“Guilty.” Hades said with a shrug.

“Very well.” Zeus was getting impatient. “In the name of the Council, we swear by the River Styx to grant your reasonable request as long as it is within our power.”

The room shook with the force of the oath. Nico wondered under whose definition of ‘reasonable’ they would be held to.

“From now on,” Percy said. “I want you to properly recognize the children of the gods. All the children… of all the gods.”

There was an uncomfortable silence. Nico held his breath as he processed what Percy was asking for. Poseidon looked at his son carefully. 

“Percy, what exactly do you mean?” 

“Kronos couldn’t have risen if it hadn’t been for a lot of demigods who felt abandoned by their parents.” Percy explained, “They felt angry, resentful, and unloved, and they had a good reason.”

Zeus leaned forward abruptly, “You dare accuse -” 

“No more undetermined children. I want you to promise to claim your children - all your demigod children - by the time they turn thirteen. They won’t be left out in the world on their own at the mercy of monsters. I want them claimed and brought to camp so they can be trained right, and survive.”

“Now, wait just a moment -” Apollo scratched his head.

“And the minor gods” Percy went on, “Nemesis, Hecate, Morpheus, Janus, Hebe - they all deserve a general amnesty and place at Camp Half-Blood. Their children shouldn’t be ignored. Calypso and the other peaceful Titan-kind should be pardoned too. And Hades - 

Behind him, Nico felt his father stiffen in offense, “Are you calling me a minor god?” 

“No, my lord.” Percy said quickly, “But your children should not be left out. They should have a cabin at camp. Nico has proven that.” 

They should what? Had Nico heard that correctly? Percy was using his one gift from the gods to make sure he and others like him had somewhere to belong. Did that mean, even after how Nico had betrayed him, Percy wanted him around? His stomach did a little backflip at the idea.

“No unclaimed demigods will be crammed into the Hermes cabin anymore, wondering who their parents are.” Percy was still going, painting the picture of his vision for all to see. “They’ll have their own cabins, for all the gods. Any no more pact of the Big Three. That didn’t work anyway. You’ve got to stop trying to get rid of the powerful demigods. We’re going to train them and accept them instead. All children of the gods will be welcome and treated with respect. That is my wish.” 

Zeus rolled his eyes, “Is that all?”

“Percy,” Poseidon said, “you ask much. You presume much.” 

“I hold you to your oath.” Percy glanced around the room, meeting the gaze of each of the gods. “All of you.”

The expressions of the other Olympians ranged from mild contempt to vague disinterest, but finally, Athena spoke up, “The boy is correct. We have been unwise to ignore our children. It proved a strategic weakness in this war and almost caused our destruction. Percy, Jackson, I have had my doubts about you, but perhaps I was mistaken. I move that we accept the boy’s plan." 

“Hmph” Zeus crossed his arms, the friction between his sleeves causing small sparks of static, “Being told what to do by a mere child. But I suppose…”

“All in favor?” Hermes asked.

Nico watched in awe as every one of the gods, including his father, raised their hands. 

***

Shortly after the council ended, Hades took the opportunity to head back to the Underworld, perhaps to get a head start on expediting the judgments of those hunters for Artemis. That left Nico alone in Olympus, trying to figure out what he should do next. 

As the high of sitting in on an actual gathering of the Olympian Council began to fade, Nico finally took a mental inventory of his state after the battle. He’d made it out without any debilitating injuries, the armor from Persephone had done its job, but that didn’t mean he’d been unscathed. A large gash from when a dracaena’s spear had caught his arm had caused a line of blood to drip down his forearm. The bleeding had slowed and the trail was starting to get dry and tacky, but it was definitely going to need some stitches to close it up. 

When he made it to the garden the Apollo campers had turned into a field hospital, Will was just finishing up wrapping up the ankle of a son of Demeter. Nico considered turning around and waiting until a different child of Apollo was free, but Will waved him over to the table where he had supplies laid out. 

“Dracena spear?” he asked, inspecting Nico’s bicep. 

Nico nodded. 

Will sighed in relief, “I’m really glad those things weren’t poisonous. Poison is a pain to heal.” He dipped a needle in a small flask of nectar and dried it off with a quick wipe of a clean piece of gauze. He looked up at Nico as he prepared the thread. “Have you had any ambrosia already?”

“No, figured I should get stitched up first.” Nico pulled the sleeve of his shirt up to his shoulder to get it out of the way. “Someone once told me I had to get everything in the right place before ambrosia could start to do its thing.” 

Will tilted his head at him as though surprised, “You remember that?”

“Of course I do, it’s come in handy quite a few times.”

The hint of curiosity slipped away from Will’s face, “Right. While you’ve been… wherever you’ve been.”

He started working the needle across the gash in Nico’s arm. Nico made a conscious effort not to flinch, but Will’s ministrations were nearly painless. His fingers moved confidently like he’d done this countless times before. All Nico felt was the small tug of skin being pulled together. He searched for something else to say. 

“I thought you’d be with the archers.” 

 “I haven’t practiced archery in months, I doubt I even have the callouses anymore. Besides, I’m more useful as a medic.”

 “Well, at least you’re pretty good at it.” Nico offered. 

Will’s shoulders tensed ever so slightly and he glanced around at the several demigods nursing injuries, “I’ve had to be.” 

More awkward silence. It hadn’t been like this before, but then again Will hadn’t known who Nico’s father was before. Now that he thought about it, he’d not really talked to Will like this since before he ran away from camp. Maybe being a healer he was predisposed to dislike someone who controlled the dead. Nico tried to find something else helpful to say and the words were out of his mouth before he realized it, “Lee would be proud. He said he was sorry about all the responsibility he’d left you.” 

“Lee?” Will’s jaw went slack and stared wide-eyed at Nico who tried desperately to backtrack. 

“I - it’s just - You know, forget I said anything. I’m sorry.“

Will nodded slowly, his focus somewhere other than the bandage he was wrapping around Nico’s arm. 

Oh great, now he’d done it. Why couldn’t he just have a normal conversation like a normal kid and not bring up dead siblings? They didn’t say anything else as Will finished with Nico’s bandage and gestured that he was done. Nico accepted a small square of ambrosia and quickly got out of his way. There were a lot of other people that needed healing.

He headed down to the lobby next. The only thing left to do on Olympus was tend to the wounded and he’d already bungled his opportunity to help there. On the first floor and out in the street, demigods were trying to clean up what they could, though the mortals were getting in the way. Walking around dazed and gawking at the damage from the battle. 

Connor was chatting with a few demigods wearing the mismatched dark armor of Kronos’ forces a little ways from the rest. He seemed to be trying to explain what had happened during the council and convince them to come back to camp with the others. Only half of them looked to be considering it. 

Nico continued down the street looking for somewhere he could be useful. To his surprise, a few of the other demigods waved to him. Like, actual friendly waves. He wasn’t used to that. 

Down 32nd street, Argus, camp’s many-eyed security officer Nico had learned during the last battle, was helping load a few vans with supplies and a few of the more stable injured demigods. Others with a bit more mobility were clustered around a few pegasi - including one with a familiar head of red hair arguing with a son of Aphrodite.

“I need to go now!” she was saying, “It’s important!” 

“Rachel?” Nico asked. 

“Nico?” Rachel spun around, “Tell them to let me use a pegasus to get back to camp.”

“But she’s a mortal!” The other boy complained, “She shouldn’t even see the pegasi!” 

“What do you need to go to camp for?” Nico asked, trying to figure out what was going on here.

“I’m the only one who can do it - ” she said. Her green eyes flashed with determination and for a moment Nico was reminded of May Castellan. “The Oracle. It has to be me.” 

“Oracle? What do you mean?”

“I don’t have time to explain, I already talked to Chiron and know that this is what I was meant to do. And he -” She pointed to the son of Aphrodite with his hand protectively on the pegasus’ neck, “won’t let me.” 

“But, Rachel.” Nico warned, “The Oracle is cursed. I would know, my dad is the one who did it. The spirit of Delphi can’t have another host. If you try to claim the power, you’ll die.” 

Rachel set her jaw. “I have to.” 

She whirled back around and grabbed the pegasus by the reins. With unexpected agility, she hoisted herself onto the back of the beast and spurred him down the street. 

“But wait! That’s Percy’s -”. 

“Rachel! You can’t!” Nico called.

Rachel ignored him and cantered down 32nd for half a block before the pegasus spread his wings and took off into the sky. 

“Oh no” the camper mumbled, “Percy’s not going to be happy she took Blackjack…” 

“I think we’ve got a few bigger things to worry about than a borrowed horse,” Nico muttered to himself as he picked up into a jog back to find Percy. 

Percy and Annabeth were talking with Sally and Paul in the lobby. They looked content, with the worst of the day behind them. Nico hated to be the bearer of more bad news. 

“It’s Rachel,” He wheezed as he ran through the door. The battle had really taken it out of him, “I just ran into her down on 32nd Street.”

Annabeth’s expression soured, “What’s she done this time?”

“It’s where she’s gone.” Nico corrected. “I told her she would die if she tried, but she insisted. She just took Blackjack and -”

“She took my pegasus?” Percy yelled. Seriously? There were more important things going on here!

With a huff, Nico nodded, “She’s headed to Half-Blood Hill. She said she had to get to camp.”

Nico didn’t think there were many ways to make it to camp faster than a pegasus. Yet, Percy was full of surprises, as usual. They scrambled their way to the East River where he whistled out over the water. In no time, three wakes appeared as sea creatures answered the son of Posideon’s call. 

Hippocampi

With heads of horses and bodies of fish, hippocampi draw Posideon's chariot from the deepest depths of the ocean. They are generally slow to trust but may have a weak spot for certain young cyclopes. 

Nico was never going to know how to get to Camp the conventional way. Rather than taking a bus, or a cab, they sped along the river on the backs of hippocampi. When they arrived they found Rachel already at the Big House, her hands raised to welcome the spirit of Delphi. Percy tried to reach her but the satyrs held him back, and even Chiron himself warned against interrupting. How could the centaur allow this? Sure, the prophecy had been fulfilled, but they couldn’t know for sure that the curse had been lifted. 

Nico remembered how Rachel’s eyes had had the same crazed green glow that he’d seen in May Castellan’s.  Is this what had happened to her? Had she tried to become the new oracle but been prevented by leaving her fractured and lost between the past and futures that never were? If that was going to happen to Rachel - 

She wasn’t alone on the Big House porch anymore. The creepy mummy-oracle had emerged, green mist swirling around it. As it inched toward Rachel, someone new appeared. In a blaze of sunlight, Apollo arrived, hovering above the ceiling. He winked at the others as he called to Rachel. 

“Rachel Elizabeth Dare.” he said, “You have the gift of prophecy. But it is also a curse. Are you sure you want this?”

“It’s my destiny.” Rachel’s voice was steady. 

“Do you accept the risks?”

“I do.”

“Then proceed.”

With the god’s blessing, Rachel closed her eyes, “I accept this role. I pledge myself to Apollo, God of Oracles. I open my eyes to the future and embrace the past. I accept the spirit of Delphi, Voice of the Gods, Speaker of Riddles, Seer of Fate.” 

The green mist surrounded her, so thick Nico couldn’t make out if she was still standing. Maybe the spirit of Delphi was just going to make her dissolve, leaving nothing but a paintbrush. His ears began to ring as he watched the smoke clear and Rachel slumped to the ground. 

Despite Apollo’s warning not to disturb the next part - the most delicate he had said - they all rushed forward. The ringing in his ears was getting louder, and Nico could feel it as Rachel slipped away. Her body was fading, becoming more translucent. For a moment she split into two. One version of her was curled on the porch, but another form - her spirit - began to sink lower, towards the Underworld. 

Percy knelt over her as her two forms resolidified into one and her eyes fluttered open. “Percy?”

“Are you okay?”

She tried to sit up but quickly realized that was a bad idea, “Ow.”

“Rachel,” Nico said, “your life aura almost faded completely. I could see you dying.”

“I’m alright,” she promised, “Please, help me up. The visions - they’re a little disorienting.” 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Percy asked.

Apollo floated to the ground with a grand gesture, “Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce the new Oracle of Delphi.”

“You’re kidding,” Annabeth’s eyes were wide. 

“It’s a little surprising to me too," Rachel rubbed her head as she tried to explain, "but this is my fate. I saw it when I was in New York. I know why I was born with true sight. I was meant to become the Oracle.”

“You mean you can tell the future now?” Precy seemed unsure of the whole situation and Nico didn’t blame him. From what he’d seen, the role of Oracle was not an easy one. 

“Not all the time.” she said, “but there are visions, images, words in my mind. When someone asks me a question, I … Oh no -”

“It’s starting.” Apollo clapped his hands together.

Rachel bent over abruptly. When she stood back up and started speaking, her eyes were glowing green. Her voice was not her own, more like a chorus of Rachels all saying the same thing. 

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call

To storm or fire, the world must fall

An oath to keep with a final breath

And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death . 

With the final word, she collapsed again. Nico and Percy caught her and helped her back down to the porch. He expected to feel her slipping away, but this time she stayed as alive as ever. The ringing in his mind had dulled. She seemed to have no idea what had just happened. It was a good thing Apollo was there to explain. 

“The spirit will only speak through you occasionally,” he was telling her with a glance at the others, “The rest of the time, our Rachel will be much as she’s always been. There’s no point in grilling her, even if she has just issued the next big prediction for the future of the world.”

“What? But -”

“Percy” Apollo said, “I wouldn’t worry too much. The last Great Prophecy about you took almost seventy years to complete. This one may not even happen in your lifetime. 

Nico had his doubts about that. The last prophecy wasn’t supposed to have happened in his lifetime. Yet, here he was. 

“Maybe,” Percy said, “but it didn’t sound good.”

“No,” Apollo grinned and looked at Rachel with pride, “It certainly didn’t. She’s going to make a wonderful Oracle!” 

***

The rest of camp joined them in small groups over the next couple of hours. Cars, pegasi, and a chariot went back and forth between the city collecting the demigods and bringing them back to camp. 

The wounded were led up to the Big House infirmary where the Apollo cabin set up a schedule to ensure those who required additional attention were taken care of while the rest of the minor injuries were looked at and treated as needed. It seemed they had a lot of experience triaging this way which made Nico wonder just what it had been like at camp over the past year to give them so much practice. 

When the cars that brought the dead arrived, Nico made it his mission to ensure they were properly taken care of. The cabins that had fallen members - nearly all of them - supplied shrouds for their siblings. He brought them over to the amphitheater, making sure each warrior was given the respect they deserved. Nico made sure he got the names of them all. 

Silena Beauregard, daughter of Aphrodite

David Turner, son of Ares,

Flora Fernandez, daughter of Demeter,

Harper West, daughter of Hephestus,

Ethan Nakamura, son of Nemesis

and more…

There were many whose bodies were unaccounted for, Micheal Yew, son of Apollo, Nick Campbell, son of Hermes, and Emma Whittaker, daughter of Athena. At first, Nico wanted to wait, to give them the chance to make it to camp and prove that they’d made it through against all odds, but as he heard the stories from their siblings - they were caught under a collapsed wall, they were dragged by the leg into a tunnel, they fell off a bridge when Percy tore it in half, he understood the chances of them making it back were essentially nonexistent.

Nico led the funeral rites at the campfire. Being who he was, no one questioned it as his responsibility. He appreciated having some way he could contribute to the camp that he felt suited to. The ceremony came naturally to him, the ritual and prayer flowing from his mouth without having to think about it. He only wished he had the ability to speak to who they each were as a people, but their siblings handled that; brave, determined demigods - every one of them. When the ceremony was finished, Nico stayed long after the others had retreated back to their cabins. He watched the last embers float into the sky as he felt the souls of comrades, of friends, pass into the Underworld. 

Dinner was quiet that evening. Nico briefly lingered on the outskirts of the dining pavilion unsure of where he should go until Chrion rolled up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, “Come sit with me.” 

Even if he made sure to get Chiron to agree to get him his own table - he couldn’t sit at the head table all the time if he was really staying here - sitting with Mr. D and the centaur wasn’t that bad. No one seemed to mind as they passed him to leave their offerings in the central hearth. Every so often a kid would walk behind him and pat him on the back, complementing his fighting skills or asking about his sword. For as determined as he had been that he didn’t belong, it was beginning to feel like he might have a place here.

He even got caught up in some commotion with the others after dinner. He’d been wandering around, unable to decide if he should listen in at the campfire or crash on the couch in the Big House Chiron had promised him until they were able to get started building the new cabins when Connor waved to him, 

“Hey, Nico!” he whispered. “Come see this!”

He was hiding behind one of the pillars of the dining pavilion. Next to him were Travis, Clarisse, and a few of the Athena kids. They all were trying to hold in laughter as they peeked into the pavilion.

Nico jogged up to him, asking quietly, “What’s going on?”

“Shhh,” a daughter of Athena hissed as she tried to get a better look. Nico peered around the column to see what had gotten everyone so excited. 

Sitting at the Poseidon table, Percy and Annabeth were talking, the remnants of a big blue cupcake sitting between them. Percy seemed to be having a hard time with whatever he wanted to say to Annabeth, and she was trying very hard not to smile. 

Finally, he said something that made her laugh and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She said a few more words to him before she closed the gap between them and kissed him.

Nico’s heart rate picked up as something in his gut clenched. 

“Well, it’s about time!” Clarisse called, stepping into the view. The others took that as their cue to also come out of hiding. Nico hung back.

“Is there no privacy around here?” Percy asked, trying to sound irritated though he was grinning like a fool.

Something in Nico ached. It didn’t make any sense. Why was he feeling like this? It was just Percy and Annabeth, they’d been a pair ever since Nico had met them. He should feel happy for them. But - he didn’t. 

He was… jealous? Is that what he was feeling? Is that what it meant that when he saw them being hoisted into the air by the others he wished it was him holding hands with Percy? 

Wait. 

No. 

Nico took a few steps back as the rest of the eavesdroppers carried the lovebirds to the canoe lake and cheered as they tossed them in. 

This didn’t mean - 

He didn’t - he couldn’t .  

Could he?

Chapter Text

Part 7: Delinquency is not a Coping Mechanism

The next day after the battle the campers began to tackle the massive task that was building a whole collection of new cabins. Annabeth was quick to draft up some plans and Chiron called a counselor meeting to discuss how they’d approach actually getting the work done. To his surprise, Nico was included in that meeting and it was held in the rec room of the Big House of all places.

Compared to his father’s hall, the rec room felt much too casual to be having meetings like war councils and strategy sessions. Yet, the walls were covered with maps of Manhattan with drawn-in defensive lines and circled points of weakness. Now that the battle was behind them, the rest of the demigods paid them no notice, like they were doodles on the wall of a kindergarten classroom.

Nico stood against the wall off to the side, while the others all found seats around the ping pong table, digging into various snacks that Nico suspected might have been some additional spoils of war from Manhattan. Travis and Connor Stoll were gleefully digging into a bag of Doritos while the counselor for the Demeter cabin, Katie, picked through a bag of gummy bears. 

Nearly all of the existing cabins were accounted for, with the exception of the Apollo cabin. Nico supposed they were still dealing with the aftermath of the battle - healing wounds was more important than starting a new construction project. 

Annabeth had already drafted out a few plans which she’d laid out on the table, “We’re going to need to make sure we leave room for expansion,” she was saying as she pointed to a diagram of the camp, the locations of the current cabins were marked with x’s. The places she proposed the new cabins would go were indicated with circles. “We know for sure that we’re going to need at least 5 more, but I’d rather plan for twice that now than rush to build something later.” 

“You think of everything, Wise Girl.” Percy beamed at her, and her cheeks reddened though she tried to hide it. The adoring look in Percy’s eyes made Nico want to look away. 

“10 cabins is a lot,” Jake Mason said, studying Annabeth’s designs. Nico had learned he was the one who had taken up the Hephestasus counselor role from Beckendorf. He didn’t have the same steady presence as his brother and Nico figured he was uncomfortable in this new leadership role, but he did seem to know how to get a job done. “It’s going to take some time to get all the supplies.”

“We can start with the ones we know,” Annabeth said. 

Connor started counting them off on his flavor-dusted fingers, “We’ve already had kids claimed by Nemesis, Tyche, and Nike.”

“Don’t forget Hypnos, late last night,” Travis added as he yawned.

“And Hades.” Percy nodded toward Nico. Nico’s stomach flipped and he couldn’t look Percy in the eye.  The others craned their necks and spun around in their seats like they’d forgotten he was there.

“Right.” Annabeth said, “I propose we break into teams to lay the initial foundations”

“Do we have to?” Drew picked at her nails. She was the newest counselor here, besides Nico, and she seemed to be wanting to carve her place as an aloof Aphrodite kid that had better things to do than sit around a ping-pong table. “The Aphrodite cabin can’t lay cement or hammer walls. Call us in when you need to decorate.”

“But Cabin Nine can’t handle all of them,” Jake tried to explain.

“Ares’ got some muscle, We’ll help.” Clarisse said from where she had her feet propped up on the end of the table. Her tone was not as harsh as Nico had heard it before. He wondered if something during the battle had softened her.

“I can build my own.” Nico offered. Jake jumped slightly even though he’d just turned around to look at him. “I can… summon help. Then you can have one less cabin to worry about and when I’m done my helpers can move on to the other cabins.” 

Drew scrunched her nose, “These helpers. They’re dead, aren’t they?

“Well, when I summon them they’re technically undead.” 

“They’re still like - zombies?”

“Well it depends, but zombies, skeletons, spirits, yeah.”

Drew leaned away from him and turned to Annabeth, “You can count the Aphrodite cabin out for sure. We’re getting anywhere near those creepy things.” A few others murmured vague agreement. 

“Oh, come on guys,” Percy said. 

Nico's dropped back down to his shoes to hide his disappointment. It didn’t help that Percy was speaking up for him.

“That’s a great offer, Nico.” Annabeth interjected, glaring at Drew, “Why don’t you start with yours, I’m sure Jake would appreciate one less building to worry about. Then we can see how things are going when you’re done.” 

Nico nodded and folded himself closer to the wall. The discussion moved on to the actual layout of the cabins, trying to balance the major and minor gods with the order they ended up being built. Nico didn’t have much to contribute but did get small satisfaction that it was decided that Hades would be cabin 13. Unlucky 13, and the first of the new additions. Drew may have just agreed to it to move on from his cabin as quickly as possible, but it was still a minor win. 

The harder part of the meeting was seeing Percy and Annabeth together. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other; a brush of Annabeth's hair behind her ear, a hand over Percy’s to stop him fidgeting with Riptide. Every time they touched they stared just a little longer than necessary at each other with coy smiles on their faces. All the other campers rolled their eyes at the behavior, but every time Nico saw them he wanted to sink further into the wall. He didn’t like the way his chest squeezed or his own eyes lingered on the contact. It confused him and made him want to run away from the rec room so that he didn’t have to see it.

Over the next few days, Nico tried his best to avoid Percy and Annabeth. But somehow, they were everywhere - cuddling by the campfire, chasing each other to the canoes, sitting together at the dining pavilion. The only thing he could do where he wouldn’t run into them was work on his cabin. 

Nico summoned a few skeletons to help with the building process, making sure they were adequately compensated for their work with donuts from the dining pavilion. With a motivated crew, the cabin was completed in just a few days. It was a bit smaller than the others, it only needed to house him after all, but he’d made up for it with other design choices. The green torches out front were his favorite touch.

When that was finished, he was back to trying to stay out of Annabeth and Percy’s way. He’d offered to help with the assembly of the other cabins, but it seemed Drew was right and the other demigods were only excited about the undead when they were charging into battle for them. 

“Hey, need some help?” Nico asked as he walked up to a camper he didn’t recognize. He was able to spy the 9 on their shirt under the camp half-blood logo that identified them as a child of Hephaestus. 

“From those?” The boy eyed the skeletons behind him suspiciously as he set up a ladder against the wall of a partially completed cabin.

“Yeah, they could go up on the roof for you.” Nico offered. One of the skeletons waved.

The boy scowled and took a step back. “Yeah… no thanks.” 

“Oh. Okay.” Nico looked around. “Well, is there anything I can help with? I could -"

“No. I’ve got it.”

“Oh.”

Nico led the skeletons away from the construction, feeling a bit useless. “Sorry, guys. I guess you’re not needed today.” 

The skeleton that had waved titled its skull. 

“Yeah, apparently I’m not either. Thanks for the reminder.” Nico retorted. “Maybe I’ll go train or something.”

He waved his hands and sent the skeleton’s into the forest before he dismissed them. He doubted finding piles of bones scattered about camp was going to endear him to anyone. 

Percy and Annabeth were at the training arena so Nico turned right back around and headed to his cabin. He didn’t have to think about how weird he felt watching the two of them if he was never around them. It wasn’t like anything had really changed. He heard the other campers whisper how they’d all seen it coming for years, and of course, they’d end up dating because they were ‘meant to be’. 

But something had changed for Nico. It was like he was seeing Percy through a new lens and thoughts he’d always had were in a different color. He couldn’t trust his memory of his own feelings. He’d spent all those months longing for Percy to contact him because he needed to talk to him about his plan to defeat Kronos, right? Or was there something more? The way he’d always been excited at the idea of showing Percy how much he’d learned during his training, the way he’d been so eager to tell Bob how great Percy was...

That was all because he thought of Percy as a friend, right?

It had to be, because if he really did - you know, like Percy like that , then he’d be - 

No. No, he couldn’t be. 

He blinked as he realized he’d made it back to his cabin, staring at the dark steps. As he stepped inside, he sighed. The room was empty besides the old worn down mattress some of the other campers had pulled out from one of the back rooms of the Big House. Nico had been eager to get out of the Big House and into his own cabin, to be just like everyone else, but he had to admit his own cabin still left something to be desired. He may have been able to get some undead help with the construction, but he still had to furnish the place. It made him long for his bookshelf and stereo back in his room in Erebus. He hadn’t thought about what he was going to do with those things. 

A knock on the door brought his attention back to camp and the empty room. 

“Yes?” He asked as he opened the door. 

Chiron was stepping back off the porch, ducking his head to make sure he didn’t bang it on the eaves. “Hello Mr. di Angelo, I’m glad I caught you.”

“What do you need?” Nico’s grip on the door handle tightened. 

“As we near the end of the summer, I realized this will be the first time you’ll be staying with us as a year-rounder. I wanted to catch you up on how things go.”

Nico raised his eyebrows for Chiron to continue. 

“I cannot let my charges fall behind in either their training or their education so I teach a general curriculum to those campers who wish to stay here rather than return home to their families and attend school there. I assume it has been a few years since you’ve had any formal education?”

Nico nodded. He wasn’t sure he liked where this was going.

“I see. Then we will need to determine where it’s best to start you.” Chiron dug into the bag at his side and pulled out a large stack of papers with several colored tabs. “These are the benchmarking tests I use to compare my teaching to the standards outside of camp. I will need you to complete as much as you can before summer ends and our classes begin next week. I will be able to use them to determine if you should be with the fifth graders or eighth graders.” 

“Fifth graders?” Nico asked, “But I was in sixth grade at Westover.”

“Which you did not have the chance to complete. I am only wanting to be sure we start you with the curriculum that is most suited to your abilities.” Chiron dropped the stack of papers into Nico’s arms. He grunted as he caught them. “See that you get these back to me before next week.”

Chiron retreated from the porch as he waved to Nico, who groaned. He’d wanted something to keep his mind occupied and now he had a huge stack of distractions.

The summer campers left the next day. Nico didn’t have much reason to see them off, it wasn’t like they were friends he’d spent the whole summer with. Despite the original warm welcome, most of them hadn’t even talked to him since things settled down after the battle. 

He stayed back at the pavilion, the mass of assignments spread out in front of him. He would have been working in the privacy of his own cabin, but it didn’t have a desk and he hadn’t had the opportunity to find one, so he was stuck working on his endless pile of tests out in the open. 

He’d just finished struggling through a quiz on the events that led to the Great Depression, something he hadn’t even known he’d lived through, and was moving on to the first of the stack of math tests when he felt someone hovering over his shoulder. He turned to find a son of Ares reading the paper in front of him. Nico thought his name was Sherman. 

He laughed as he finished looking over the page, “Are you learning addition and subtraction?”

Nico glanced back at the sheet. It was actually addition and subtraction of fractions, something he’d had a lot of practice with back when Euclid had been giving him problems to work through. It was also probably the most basic of worksheets he had been given, but he didn’t want to explain all of that to this kid. 

“It’s none of your business,” he said. 

“I heard you haven’t been to school in years,” Sherman smirked at him. “You’ve been like living with ghosts for two years. I bet you can’t even add two numbers together.” 

“I can to. Just because I wasn’t in school doesn’t mean I’m stupid.”

“You look pretty stupid to me. I mean who wears a big jacket in August?” 

“You know what -” Nico whirled around to face Sherman. He stood to glare at him and realized he only went up to the boy’s shoulders. This was probably not a fight he should pick. Sherman was a big kid. Besides, he’d left his sword back in his cabin. "Nevermind."

“Whatever.“ The son of Ares shrugged, amused as Nico forced himself to sit back down “Chiron’ll just stick you with the elementary school kids.”

He laughed as he turned and headed out of the pavilion. Nico glared after him. 

Nico decided to work on the floor of his cabin after that. He hated it. He couldn’t stay focused, couldn’t sit still. All of these assignments were so boring. He didn’t care what the difference between a simile and a metaphor was. He missed his training with Achilles and how he could just ask Patroclus to find him a teacher on whatever subject he wanted. Following a specific curriculum - one he was behind in and no doubt would be made fun of for - filled him with dread. 

Yet, he was supposed to be here, right? The whole Olympian council had agreed that this is where he belonged. He just had to make sure he proved them right. He was determined to finish all of the assignments Chiron had given him so that he’d have no choice but to put him in the grade he was supposed to be in.

He didn’t leave his cabin much over the next few days and the one time he did it was only because he was so hungry. He’d been deep into a geography quiz that he’d been trying to piece together from all of the times he’d emerged out of the labyrinth and time had gotten away from him.

It wasn’t time for dinner yet, but he had to hope he’d find something to snack on in the meantime. He wouldn’t make it to dinner before he started eating his assignments like some scholarly goat. He heard a voice calling to him across the green as he made his way to the dining pavilion.

“Hey! Hey, Nico!” 

Will Solace jogged up to him from the Apollo cabin. That was a surprise in itself, all of the Apollo kids had spent most of their time in the infirmary since the battle, but Will had been practically living there. 

“What?” Nico scowled at the boy that was delaying his finding food even longer. 

“I -” Will paused at the tone of Nico’s voice. “I just wanted to say hi. Ask how your day’s been going.”

“It’s been fine.” Nico continued toward the pavilion. Despite Nico having given no invitation to follow him, Will kept pace with him. “I’ve been busy.”

“Oh. Right. I hadn’t seen you around much. I almost thought you’d left again.” 

“Well. I haven’t yet.”

“Are you staying as a year-rounder?” Will’s expression brightened for a moment before it fell away, “Unless you have somewhere better to be.”

“Chiron’s given me a whole bunch of assignments to work though, so I better be staying,” Nico muttered. He really had to get back to finishing those. 

The sunshine was back on Will’s face, “Cool!  I’ll be around this year. That’s new for me.” Will looked a bit overwhelmed at the idea, “and I heard Percy was going to stop by on the weekends.”

Nico shot a glance at Will out of the corner of his eyes, “Why would you think I’d care about that?” 

“He’s like the only person you talked to before the whole thing in Manhattan. I figured you two were friends.”

“Oh. Yeah, I guess. “

They had made it to the steps of the dining pavilion. Sensing that a snack was imminent, Nico’s stomach let out a low grumble. 

“Sounds like you need to find something to eat.” Will chuckled softly, “I’ll leave you to it, I guess. Bye!” 

He waved as he turned and jogged back across the green to his cabin, calling to a sibling of his with green tipped hair. Nico scowled after him. 

***

When Nico finally finished the huge stack of tests, he brought them to the Big House and waited in the sitting room as Chiron studied them. He bounced his knee anxiously as he sat on the couch. 

“Well you certainly put a lot of effort into these, I thank you for that.” Chiron said as he rolled into the room. 

“So?” Nico prompted, “How did I do?”

“You did quite well considering your circumstances.” Chiron smoothed the blanket over his illusionary legs, “I think the sixth grade curriculum will suit you nicely.”

“Sixth grade!?” Nico yelled as he stood from the couch, “But I should be going into eighth grade!” 

“You certainly were at an eighth grade level in some subjects. I was quite impressed with how well you did with the history and language arts assignments.” Chiron tried to placate him, “but overall I think it would be best for you to start with the general curriculum for early middle school. Not to worry though, I like to group my students together so you won’t be alone in your studies.”

Yeah, I’ll be with the younger kids. Nico grumbled to himself. No doubt Sherman was going to get a kick out of that. 

“It won’t be that bad,” Chiron said, seeing Nico’s frustration, “The important part will be that you’re learning.”

“Fine.” Nico took a deep breath. “I’ll try.”

Chiron smiled, “That’s the spirit.”

At dinner that night, Chiron announced the fall schedule to the remaining campers. There were a few demigods from about half of the cabins - the Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Artemis, and Dionysus tables were all empty. There was a trio of daughters of Demeter talking amongst themselves at the table across from where Sherman sat with another burly son Ares. Will sat with two of his siblings at the Apollo table, fiddling with a bandage around his arm. Connor and Travis were still wrangling the largest group of campers, but most of them were either all true children of Hermes, or demigods waiting for their own cabins to be finished. Nico sat at a small picnic table off to the side that had hastily been declared the ‘Hades Table’. It barely had enough room for him to sit at, the legs were too short so his knees banged against the table and he could easily reach from one side to the other without standing up. He wondered who had 'so generously found’ it for him. 

Chiron outlined that they’d be in their cabin groups for camp activities such as ranged or close combat training, arts and crafts, and the rotating list of camp chores. Each group was assigned a task to help things run smoothly; organizing the training equipment, cleaning out the pegasi stalls, weeding the strawberry fields, etc. Each week they would rotate tasks so that no one cabin would get stuck with a particular duty. Being a cabin of one, Nico would be on his own to scrub the algae out of the bottom of the canoes this week. 

Chiron then went into the lesson schedule. They were to meet in one of the large rooms in the Big House that apparently had been designed as a classroom for this very purpose and would flip between independent learning time and lectures from Chiron so that he could give instruction to each group individually. To make this manageable, he’d divided them into groups. The ninth and tenth graders were a group - consisting of Travis, the oldest of the daughters of Demeter, a few children of Hephaestus, and both children of Aphrodite. The seventh and eighth grade group was the largest and it included Will and one of his siblings, Connor, Malcolm, Cecil, and both sons of Ares. That left Nico lumped in with the youngest of them, sixth grade and below. 

He saw Sherman chuckle as Chiron outlined the groups and he forced his attention on the plate in front of him. He tried to tune out the whispers about how he sure looked like a sixth grader. 

He wasn’t looking forward to tomorrow. It didn’t matter if he had a cabin now, he was still singled out just like before, now just in more ways. In addition to being a child of the Underworld that everyone thought was creepy, he’d be on his own for all his camp chores and he’d be the only teenager sitting with the elementary school students in class. He wouldn’t even be able to properly train because he’d have no one to spar against. He wouldn’t have stood out more if he’d walked around with a big red sign that said, I DON’T BELONG HERE. 

Chiron had said that when Percy was there they could do activities together since they were both the only occupants of their cabins, but even that thought wasn’t comforting. In fact, Nico didn’t really know how he felt about that. He’d had enough trouble being in the same room as him during the counselor meeting, he couldn’t imagine trying to spend an entire afternoon with him. 

Maybe he was rushing into things here. He clearly wasn’t used to being around all these people, and they weren’t really sure what to do with him. Maybe he needed to give them some time for things to settle down before he expected them to be open to a child of Hades regularly roaming about camp. Camp didn’t feel like home, so why was he trying to force it? 

The tension in his shoulders eased as he realized this wasn’t his only option. He had a perfectly good room, with his own belongings in it and everything, down in Erebus. He didn’t have to stay and deal with Sherman laughing at him for sitting with the elementary kids. He most certainly didn’t have to sit around being anxious about the next time Percy would show up to camp and make Nico feel all…. weird and confused. 

He could go back to how things were, just better. He had a place at camp now, and that was great, but maybe he’d had a point in the first place. He belonged in the Underworld. 

Chapter Text

“What are you doing here?”

The question was called casually across the table in the dining room of Erebus. Nico had shadow traveled straight outside the door from camp, he’d barely waited for dinner to be over. It wasn’t like he had any obligation to tell anyone where he was going. Hades seemed to be just finishing dessert. That, or Persephone wasn’t around to stop him from having ice cream for dinner. 

“I’m staying here.” Nico sat at the table and grabbed a spoon as one of the serving skeletons set a dish of ice cream in front of him. “Thanks, Ferdinand.”

“I thought Jackson’s whole deal was for you to have a place at that camp.” Hades' expression darkened, “Have the others not been living up to the bargain?” 

“No, they followed through. I just -” Nico grimaced, “I just don’t really belong there. You know how it is.”

Hades eyed him critically before letting out a sigh, “I do.”

“So I’ll be in my room.” Nico stood, taking the dish of ice cream with him. 

“Wait - you can’t expect to live here without responsibilities -”

“Yeah, yeah.” Nico waved his spoon nonchalantly as he made it to the door, “I’ll be out patrolling Asphodel in the morning. You should really give me something harder to do.”

He left Hades staring after him perplexed as he made his way down the familiar halls of his father’s palace.

Nico thought he’d fall right back into the routine he had before Manhattan, before building his cabin, before that evening hiding with Clarrise and the others… but he couldn’t. Even in the Underworld, he was restless. He tried to get back into the routine of his rounds around Asphodel, he visited Bob and the hellhounds, he even asked his father if he could sit in on his meetings again. Still, he felt out of sorts, out of place. 

He found himself shadow-traveling to the surface to wander alone, trying to find that same clarity and sense of purpose he’d had after Bianca when the only thoughts that he had room for in his head were how to stay alive. But he couldn’t. Things were different now. He had a place to return to, a safety net. Unfortunately that freed up space for his mind to wander. 

For no apparent reason, his mind regularly wandered back to Percy. What was he doing right now? Had he noticed that Nico wasn’t at camp anymore? Was he and Annabeth still being all ‘lovey-dovey’? He tried to tell himself that it was stupid, and it didn’t matter. But his brain wouldn’t shut up. Everything reminded him of Percy - of he and Annabeth holding hands, of them stealing kisses at the campfire. 

Why couldn’t he get Percy out of his head? He couldn’t remember ever feeling this way before - feeling this overwhelming sense of longing. It was like those stories Bianca used to tell him about when you knew the two characters really liked each other because they couldn’t stop thinking about each other. Except… he wasn’t supposed to feel this way about Percy - about a boy . 

But here he was, like one of those pining girls in Bianca’s books, daydreaming about the hero and the day they could be together. 

Stop it, he told himself, You can’t feel like that. Not about Percy, not about any boy. That would make you - 

He couldn’t even think the word, but he knew it was something he definitely did not want to be.

“Hey - hey kid” a raspy voice pulled Nico from his own head. He looked up from his shoes to realize where he was. He had paused at the opening of a dark alley, the only light was cast by a flickering street lamp half a block away. The sky was dark, the sun having set over Boston Harbor long ago. He didn’t know why he’d ended up in Boston, but ever since meeting Blitz and Hearth there, he had a bit of fondness for the place. Except he’d never wandered to this part of town. It was definitely one he would have avoided when he was first out on his own, too many places to stumble into someone or something he shouldn’t. 

It didn’t matter much to him now, so he just looked at the homeless man with a raised eyebrow, “You talking to me?”

“Yeah, kid.” the man crawled toward him, unsteady even on his hands and knees. He smelled strongly of alcohol and sweat. “I need ya do to me a favor.”

Nico decided to humor him, how much of a threat could a drunkard be compared to an army of monsters, “and what’s that?”

“See that store over there?,” the man pointed with a lazy hand across the street to a gas station, “I’ve been in there one too many times and they won’t let me back, hurt my feelings, they did. I want you to go in and get me something - something to ease my pain if you know what I mean.”

“You want some aspirin?”

“No,” the man grumbled, “Giggle juice, sauce, booze -”

Nico was picking up on his meaning, he crossed his arms as he asked, “Moonshine?”

“Now ya get it!”  The man’s eyes were wide in a way that made Nico suspect alcohol wasn’t the only drug in his system. 

“Why should I do that?”

“You look like you’re looking for trouble. Why else would you be walking around these streets at this time of night? I merely aim to provide.” the man said amicably. He probably was trying for the tone of a sly businessman trying to seal a deal but his words slurred together so much that the effect was lost. 

Nico considered the man. He should just walk away, he had no power over him and he was asking Nico to do something illegal. Then again, he had a point. He’d been wandering around looking for something to get his mind off things and he did like a challenge. Even as he stood there he could feel excitement creeping in. 

“Okay.” he said, “I’ll do it.” 

“Many thanks, kid.” the man grinned with an unsettlingly few number of teeth. 

The gas station was well-lit. If Nico had had any plan of shadow traveling out of there, he had to forget it. There was no way he’d find shadows deep enough. He nodded to the attendant behind the counter as he walked in trying to appear casual. 

He first perused the aisle of candy, grabbing a few as though they were the main reason he was there. Then he made his way to the back, where the shelves of alcohol lined the wall. He didn’t have anything in particular that he was looking for, the drunkard didn’t look like he had a particularly discerning taste. 

His eyes swept over the various bottles until he found one that looked like it might be a good one, some kind of rum with a pirate flag on it. Just as he was about to reach for it he paused. How was he going to do this? He had the money, thanks to the Bank of Erebus, but that didn’t eliminate the fact that he was a minor. There would be no way he could claim to be old enough to buy it, even if he was apparently well over 80. According to Sherman and the other campers, he didn’t even look his physical 13 years old. 

Fuck it, I’ll just steal it.

With that thought, Nico grabbed the bottle off the shelf and tucked it into his jacket. 

He was nearly to the door, trying to act as nonchalant as possible in the way he was avoiding meeting the attendant’s eyes, when he tried to adjust his grip on the bottle. It slipped in his hands and clanged against his belt. 

He froze, staring up at the cashier that definitely knew something was up by now. 

“Hey, kid! You -” 

Nico didn’t hear the rest of this sentence as he bolted for the door, the cashier close behind him. As soon as he was out into the night, he took a hard right and stepped into the nearest shadow. 

He emerged, panting, just a block or so away. As he caught his breath, his pants turned to laughter. He’d done it! He’d just successfully stolen alcohol! It wasn’t like when he was on the streets and stealing because he needed it to survive, he’d just done it for the fun of it. And the thrill, the high, it was fun . Any concerns, any thoughts about a certain son of Poseidon that he shouldn’t be having, were blown from his mind. He was still chuckling to himself, as he peered around the corner to head back toward the genius behind this whole thing. 

The man was out cold when Nico made it back to him. He rolled his eyes, Figures.

Nico tucked the stolen bottle of spirits into the folds of the man's grimy jacket figuring that he’d find the surprise gift when he woke up eventually. Or not, Nico didn’t really care, he was too busy floating on adrenaline. As he turned to continue down the street, he unwrapped a candy bar from his pocket, relishing in his own spoils of his successful heist. Idly, he wondered if there were more drunkards that wanted a visit from Moonshine Santa Claus. 

***

Once, he relented and went back up to Camp Half-Blood. He wasn’t sure why, maybe to prove to himself he’d made the right decision, maybe in the hopes of getting a glimpse of Percy. He told himself that if he ran into anyone he would confidently tell them he wasn’t staying, he did not belong there, and had better places to be. 

He didn’t get the chance, though, because he didn’t leave the forest. 

He’d arrived after sunset, the chill of late September setting in between the trees. He pulled his jacket around him closer as he made his way to the faint glow he could see coming from camp. 

They were all there, Cecil and Maclom, Drew and Jake, Will and Connor, all sitting around the campfire chatting among themselves. Slightly removed from the rest of them, huddled together on a log were Percy and Annabeth. Nico hadn’t even thought Annabeth was in town, let alone at camp, but here she was cuddling with the boy he - 

Stop it, he told himself, You don’t like him like that.

Nico paused on the outskirts of the forest unsure of what to do. Sure, he could just walk over to the campfire and sit down but what kind of weirdo did that? And he told himself that he wasn’t coming back to stay, he was just… stopping by. 

He snorted. Yeah, that sounded more pathetic than a wounded telekhine. No one would buy it. The creepy son of Hades, just coming to stop by and say hello? Yeah, right. 

He hung back in the shadows of the trees watching for a few minutes. Cecil pulled out a deck of cards. Will encouraged one of his siblings to start strumming a few chords on a guitar. They all seemed so… happy. So at ease in each other’s company. How could they do that?

Nico was brought out of his contemplation by a squeal of laughter. Annabeth was clinging to Percy as he tickled her, “Seaweed Brain!!” 

The others looked around with vague surprise but quickly dismissed them. The couple giggled together, stealing a few kisses once everyone had turned back to the fire. Nico’s breath hitched and a ball of jealousy started turning over in his stomach. Why’d they have to be like that? Flaunting their happiness around everyone else? 

No, Nico had definitely made the right decision not to stay at camp. He couldn’t imagine regularly seeing that and having to pretend it didn’t bother him. Why didn’t anyone else say anything?

It bothers you because you like him.