"We are close to death." Bob announced, broom in hand.
"Close to the Doors of Death," Percy corrected but the silver haired Titan shrugged and held out a hand, motioning for the small group to stop.
Bob and Nico had found Ker and Percy exactly where they had left them. The goddess of violent death had been engrossed in creating bleached white swords from rib bones off a ribcage large enough Nico could stand on the backbone with his hands reaching up over his head and not touch the closest one. The swords were lethal looking, reflecting the red atmospheric disturbances as Ker twirled them around in her hands testing them out. The air whistled as the blades sliced and slashed up until she was satisfied. Whether it was because the weapons were white or some remaining magic from the behemoth of a monster they had once belonged to, they appeared to glow in the faint atmosphere of the pit.
She had handed them to Nico then as if she had never intended to keep it for herself. She didn't appear to have any weapons on her but just because he didn't see them didn't mean they weren't there to be had. Besides, for all he knew, she could shoot blades from her fingers while she flew over fields of battle.
That's a ridiculously terrifying thought.
"You have practiced with two blades." Ker stated rather than asked.
"Yes." He had answered and took the additional blades. A few slashes through the air and he got the feel for them, one shorter than the other and yet the balanced one another. They felt natural in his hands and Nico thought, perhaps, he could feel the residual energy of the monster that had died and its ferocity in the blades. They thirsted for the blood in the way his Stygian blade wanted to suck the life and soul from anything it encountered.
Percy had looked at Nico like he wanted to ask where he had gone and why but he kept his word and Nico was thankful.
He wasn't sure he could have lied to Percy and it was better to save the truth until it was absolutely necessary.
"Has Riptide returned yet?" Nico asked. That whole near-death-episode and waking up in the other demigod's arms had thrown him for a loop. Not that he had time to feel anything (let along figure out what that meant) about it. Nope. There were more pressing things than Percy Jackson crying over him and kissing his forehead… like making sure the kelp for brains didn't wind up any closer to death than he already was and somehow getting passed masses of monsters and safely topside. So, basically a normal Wednesday in the life of Nico di Angelo.
Percy shook his head, fishing through his pocket to return empty handed.
"No." He didn't need to say anything else. Nothing about Tartarus made sense, including the impact it had on magic. Riptide would return eventually
Nico nodded and motioned for Percy to take his sword. "You keep it for now. Just be careful not to cut yourself. The last thing we need is for you to get your soul banished to the Fields of Punishment." Percy accepted the blade, removing it from where it was sheathed at Nico's hip. Those fingers brushing against his hip bone were entirely an accident. Still, it sent a shiver through him. Brown eyes locked with green ones for a moment before they fell at his feet.
"We should probably get going," he said, voice thicker than he would have liked.
As they had made their ways towards the Doors of Death Nico had kept both blades out. They were comforting in his hand, which was probably the same reason Percy held of the stygian blade.
Nico stood beside the silver Titan and gazed out across the landscape. He had felt it, of course, the rumbling as they got closer. The ground shuddered from the hundreds of thousands of feet, all sizes, gathering around the Doors of Death. Although they were still a way off, Nico had seen them as much as he had felt them. But that wasn't what had frozen his limbs in place. And it wasn't the sight of the giant heart like landscape with glowing veins traveling in all directions trembling with each beat of Tartarus' malignant heart. No, it was the sight of more monsters than the son of Hades had ever seen gathered in one place in his whole life.
The feel of Percy's hand resting on his shoulder pulled Nico from his thoughts.
"Has it been this way the whole time?"
When the teenager blinked, he turned to look at Percy and he could feel the other boy's breath against his cheek from how close he stood. Nico didn't turn away. Percy meant, of course, the landscape. He was seeing it finally in all of its entirety. Of course that was what he'd be shocked at… not the potentially thousand monsters waiting to rip them limb from limb.
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Nico shrugged, dark curls falling across his eyes. He brushed them to the side and tucked them behind his ear (but they wouldn't stay). "We needed to make it out the other side."
And it went without saying: the son of Hades couldn't afford for the other to lose faith. For a second, Percy looked like he wanted to say something but he closed his mouth and nodded. His grip on Nico's shoulder tightened for a moment and warmth spread through the ice that had rooted in the boy's insides. A blush might have crept its way up his cheeks if they hadn't been near enough death as it was. "So what's the plan?" The son of Poseidon finally asked.
"The doors are anchored in place with chains. They have been guarded by giants and Titans, but they work in shifts. I could not tell you which will be waiting now. Neither are known for being particularly punctual." Ker answered. If possible, Nico thought he might be getting used to the protruding proboscis (as much as anyone could get used to an instrument meant for sucking blood from arteries popping out of someone's face). "They will be working overtime now. The closer Gaea gets to waking, the faster they will send her forces to the surface."
"Why are you helping us again?" Percy questioned.
"Ker loves death." Bob answered helpfully.
Percy, who was unmoved, stared blankly between them. His brows furrowed together to meet in a line in the middle of his forehead and while he had never been the quickest to jump from points A to B eventually leading to C, Nico couldn't help the small smile as he observed the other. Dark hair looked like it had been freshly dried after a dip in salt water, wavy and longer than normal. It had grown since they'd fallen into the pit. The curve of Percy's jaw was beginning to darken the slightest bit— even though Nico doubted he could grow a full beard, the patchy bits of stubble were beginning to grow. The green of his eyes was also darker, bags beneath them giving away how exhaustion weighed on him, even if he didn't show it. Exhaustion and pain. The Phlegethon had done much to help with the muscles and flesh torn away, but it did not heal it.
It will get infected if he doesn't get to the surface soon.
The skin near it was warm, not yet tracking or signs of blood infection but it was not only useless but sapping away his strength. And then there was the blood loss…
Nico cleared his throat. "When the Doors of Death return then Thanatos can take control of them once more. That's when the natural order of death can return to order. But, really, he's been working overtime. His remit is peaceful death. Ker is the more violent side."
Percy's eyes moved from Nico to the goddess and his brows settled once more in understanding. "Ah, got it. All you can eat buffet whether we win or lose. That's just… fantastic."
Ker shrugged an emaciated shoulder. "Maybe I'll start a new career after the war if your lot are successful. It seems to be working wonders for Bob."
Nico didn't bother arguing. Instead, he returned his gaze to the pulsating plane before them, the thick black and purple muscles of Tartarus' heart pumping blood through glowing veins streaking out across the landscape. The sky, acidic and filled with red haze defused the closer to the center of Tartarus where the monsters gathered. Purple electrical storms crackled in the air overhead, occasionally throwing a massive bolt of lightning across the jagged terrain. A massive bolt hit down and a shriek followed; it must have injured one of the monsters from the jarring screeches that echoed through the air.
Even from where they stood he could make out the shakes of dragons against the landscape, their necks whipping back and forth in excitement, breathing fire as they saw fit. Flying demons, too small to make out from where they stood, avoided the immediate area surrounding them, probably so they didn't wind up as deep fried crispy wings falling to any number of hungry monsters below. Nico would have been lying if he said that the sight didn't turn his blood to ice. There were so many of them and the doors… Percy was still favoring his one side over the other. He wasn't sure how long his ankle would hold out if he were forced with any one on one combat. Forget one to one Nico, it's a lot more likely to be hordes on one. Swallowing he closed his eyes and pushed everything else down into that deep and dark place so when he looked at the landscape once more he saw it for what it was: a puzzle.
"Bob and I will go ahead. We'll cause a distraction to get the focus on us. In the mean time, you head around this way," Nico pointed. "The terrain is irregular enough that it should help to provide cover. See that massive outcrop… well, tumor really." He pointed with a thin finger and turned to Percy waiting until he was sure the other boy spotted it. "You wait there until everyone's honing in on Bob and me, then you make your way to the Doors. You should be able to break the chains so the doors can reset. Then we'll just need to get inside and up it goes. Ker, I take it you're okay to make your own way and keep a lookout overhead?"
Nico turned attention to the goddess before she could point out the obviously omission in his plan— the fact that one of them would have to hold the button in order for the elevator to go up. The goddess, who gave him a pointed look, nodded. Percy, on the other hand, interjected.
"Nico, there's no way the two of you can take all of them."
"Bob won't take anyone anywhere. He will cause big mess! Yes, the biggest mess! I have cleaned up man so, I know much about messes."
Nico clapped a hand on Bob's arm and gave him a smile. "See, Bob's got it covered. As for me— trust me. I've got a few extra tricks up my sleeves."
"There's four of us. We should go together."
"Percy," Nico turned to face him. His brown eyes did their best not to melt into green ones but he gave the smallest of smiles. "You're injured. That arm is going to throw you off balance, and your other ankle is still too swollen. At your peak, I wouldn't dream of asking you to sit this one out," Nico reached out and took hold of the other demigod's good hand (ignoring the trill in his own stomach as he did so because it was comfort, just comfort), "I can't afford to be distracted and if I'm worried about getting you back to Annabeth, I'll be distracted." It twisted his insides to cause Percy Jackson's face to fall like that, to watch the way his green eyes fell at his feet and his shoulders slumped accepting the assessment of the situation. Percy Jackson had been their team's less-than-secret weapon so many times that being asked to sit this one out? It was unimaginable.
"Okay."
Nico tucked a finger under the other teenager's chin and bumped it back up playfully so he could catch his eyes once more. "We haven't let each other down yet, have we?" He asked with a small smile.
"No." Percy's look finally warmed as he nodded and he gave Nico's hand a squeeze in return. "I'll give you cover from there. No reason I can't pop a few of this creep's veins and hose down some monsters."
"Exactly."
The part of Nico that was wired for battle was in overdrive, that sixth sort of sense tingled like he possessed a hundred million more receptors trying to translate each movement of his body, each sight and each sound to determine potential danger and translate that into lightning like reflexes. His heart pounded, that extra adrenaline coursed through his system and not for the first time he felt almost weightless. Nico felt like a different person heading off to battle but he could feel Bob's nerves. Literally. At that moment he was hitching a ride by clinging to the back straps of the Titan's coveralls. Both of his legs were bent, knees pressing in to the small of the Titan's back to help keep himself balanced and take some of the pressure off his arms. As much as they were charging in to cause a scene, the longer it took the monsters to realize that even one of the demigods had managed to get close to the doors, the better.
"You ready to make a scene?" Nico asked.
The Titan gave a glance over his shoulder and nodded. Small Bob had taken to nesting on top of Nico's hair and he was half sure the small smile the Titan gave him was in part at the sight. "Ready, friend."
And with that, Nico took a deep breath and released his hold and fell the few feet to the ground impacting sooner than anticipated— the whole growth spurt thing and Geras was unsettling. But that was for another time. Small Bob stayed nestled in Nico's hair which really killed the whole son of Hades Ghost King thing he was going for but the skeletal cat had lodged its nails into his skull. Apparently Small Bob was not yet ready to join them in making a mess. Nico reached behind him and grabbed the two bone blades Ker had fashioned and made a run towards more monsters than probably any hero— Greek or Roman— had ever seen before.
Nico sees his move then, that part of his brain hardwired for battle translating what he saw a thousand times faster than he could consciously recognize. A hellhound. The thing is easily three times the size of Mrs O'Leary and just as angry looking. The son of Hades slips into a shadow and a moment later pops out atop the thing's back and Nico sinks one of the bone swords into the thing's back. It wasn't enough to kill it, but enough to royally piss it off. Holding tight to the sword, using it like an anchor to keep himself atop the demonic dog. It took off at a speed— as if running might somehow stop the aching in its shoulder as Nico dug the blade in deeper or twisted just a bit (he felt awful about that but these hellhounds would not listen). As the thing took off running, Nico wielded the other sword striking at gryphons as they flew overhead, cutting off a foot here or clipping a wing there.
"Someone grab Mr Snuffles!" One of the giants shouted. A few Earthborn took off after the thing but given its size and speed, they didn't have much luck. Nico bailed just before the thing nearly ran head first into a dragon snail looking thing. Seriously. Ugly.
Bob wasn't all that far away, but in the opposite direction of the Doors, had taken to spraying array and Cyclops with his cleaning spray. They clutched at their eyes and shrieked as they began to smolder. Apparently having the cleansing strength of Acheron was too much for them. Nico grinned and slipped into a shadow cast by a hundred handed one and popped out beneath one of Bob's siblings legs. They were stood nearest the doors and clearly the guardians. One had his fiery bright thumb jammed against the up button whilst the other stood as lookout. Nico used the flat of the sword to kick out the back of Hyperion's knee before slipping back into shadows. When he reappeared just to the right of a group of giant ant like monsters burrowing into Tartarus, it was in time to hear the one Titan roar at his brother and wind up to punch him in his fiery face. Apparently he'd mistaken the brief assault to be his brother playing a trick on him.
"I'm trying to hold the button! Do you know what could happen if I let go!? The earth mother would be furious with you."
"I didn't do anything!" yelled Krios. The black of his armour rippled with purple energy like a disney villain getting angry. Nico didn't have time enough to pay attention because Small Bob had chosen that moment to join the fray. The skeletal kitten jumped from the nest he'd made in Nico's curls and grew to a ten foot tall saber tooth skeleton and roared towards the any creatures. They let out what he could only describe as a chatter to one another as Small Bob pounced, taking down the nearest with a swipe of one massive paw turning the thing to dust. It immediately dissipated into the swirling acidic air of Tartarus, sucked back into the ether.
"Iapetus— is that you? Brother, it's been too long! I heard that fool Percy Jackson went and threw you into Lethe. Have you come to join us?" Nico didn't have time to listen too closely because the other Titan had called for a new group of monsters to take their places at the doors. There was shouting, swatting, and a number of fights that broke out as the monsters grappled to take their place in the elevator. Whoever decided that all monsters should collect at the same time and wait until their ticket number was called clearly, Nico thought, lacked any kind of precognition. Have they ever actually met monsters? They don't exactly do sit-around-and-wait-patiently. It was perfect cover, though, for him to continue to dip in and out of the shadows, slash here, raise the ground and trip another there. Each time he dipped into a fraction of his powers, he could feel the marble sized sphere in his pocket warm and the son of Hades was sure that if he pulled it out, it would be pulsing with energy as if responding to him. It called out to him to use it… but not yet.
"Red Forty Seven! No— I said Red Forty Seven, not Blue Thirteen you idiot." Shouted Krios and Nico wasn't positive if he should feel a little underwhelmed with the fact that the monsters were so incompetent things felt just a little too easy. "I don't care if it's a color. If you missed your designated departure time you'll have to go to the back of the queue and take a new ticket."
But just like any time in the history of the world someone realized that something felt too easy (especially when that someone was a demigod), something colossally bad happened. Nico caught sight of Percy as he slipped across the planes, keeping low. Between his dark hair, the fact he was covered in gore from the Phlegethon, and the monster hide clothing he wore, he was barely a blip on the landscape. He was nearing the Doors of Death and had Nico's stygian blade in his hand ready to begin cutting through one of the many chains that held it in place. That was all fine except he could see three steps ahead, the angle that caused the chimera to be in Percy's blind spot and yet nearly underneath its nose.
The lion headed creature sniffed as if it had caught a whiff of something delightful (at least from the way it shivered from its lion head down its goat like back to its serpent tail) in the air and began snuffling at the ground to track the scent. Its tail, a venomous snake, flicked its tongue into the air tasting for whateveritwas that caught its attention and from the way it coiled in on itself, Nico was positive that it had caught the sea prince's scent and it would only be a few seconds before it was on top of Percy. Whatever which way it found him it wouldn't matter— fire from the lion head or a whack from a massive hoofed foot or maybe a venomous bite from its snakeheadtailthing?
Nico opened is mouth to shout to the other demigod when the words were stolen from his throat. A fiery haired empousa was grinning at him from where she had latched herself onto his arm. The flames atop her head danced and crackled reminding him of the fire from camp… if it reacted to the lustful blood cravings of a vampire donkey woman.
"Don't mind me, precious. I just wanted to have a little bite." Her tongue dragged along the bite on his arm and she sucked in a way that turned his stomach; it was entirely vulgar. So was the way she leaned down as if revealing her cleavage and flawless pale skin of her figure would cause him to swoon. "Put your weapon down. You'll feel much better once I've finished." A finger traveled from his chest down to his bellybutton and she smirked all the while, lapping at his wound once more.
"You're barking up the wrong tree, bitch."
The bone white blade sent her head flying from her body; the fire sputtered out as her skull rolled across the landscape. Her body fell, disintegrating to gold dust until it was nothing. The wound on his arm was still bleeding but Nico turned back towards Percy as a few things happened.
One, the Fiery Titan was thrown from where he'd stood by the elevator.
Two, the hoard of monsters had fixed their gaze where the empousa had just been largely due to the shrieks of her sisters running towards him.
Three, Small Bob dropped from where he'd been apparently riding a pterodactyl like demon and was currently fighting what Nico could only describe as a wisp of smoke.
Four, the chimera opened its massive maw ready to deep fry itself some son of Poseidon.
Nico ran, blades disappearing into their sheaths, and the teenager became a shadow once more. He moved without weight, without limitation, and without effort across Tartarus' innards until he snapped back into existence so quickly he practically rugby tackled Percy and as he was falling forward winked them both back into the shadows. They emerged, Nico beneath Percy, a few yards away. Apparently he'd sort of lost control in the whole instantaneous winking in and out of existence thing and they'd gotten turned around. The spot they had been a split second before was smoking. As hard as his lungs tried to get oxygen, they fought against him but he convinced himself it was fatigue and being less-than-totally-into-cardio. Completely not because Percy Jackson was on top of him and he might have suffered a minor stroke.
"You need to get the Doors freed. I'll take care of that." Nico motioned to the chimera (which was already approaching) the second he found his voice.
Green eyes were unblinking as they stared at him. He wasn't sure what they saw but they were as intense as high tide. With his good hand near Nico's head, the other did a one armed pushup without ever letting go over the Stygian blade. One Percy's feet were back under him he flashed a mischievous grin.
"I'd offer you a hand but I'm afraid I've only really got the one useful one at the moment and it's a little full."
Nico snorted and rolled his eyes as he pushed himself to his feet. "I know this is shocking, but I'm capable of standing on my own."
Percy flashed him a wicked grin. "When'd you go and get sassy on me, di Angelo?"
And he was off.
The child of Hades spun around and took off at the chimera in a run. Apparently the lion-she-goat-snake wasn't accustomed to having its prey turn and run straight at it screaming. For a moment, the monster skidded to a stop and cocked a head to the side as it attempted to determine if its prey was sick. Nico felt the tug in his core as he reached out to the ground beneath him and called it forward, it surged up as thick and black as tar and about as cooperative to his commands. It fought against him but still obeyed him. Just not quick enough. Not fast enough to take him out of reach of the venomous fangs of the snake head rapidly approaching him. Before Nico could so much as blink one of the pulsing veins beneath them ruptured forcing its way down the open snake mouth at such a speed that the chimera's stomach began to bloat and the thing exploded in a shower of icy water and quickly disintegrating monster bits. As he wiped some chimera goo off his face he glanced over his shoulder at Percy who was grinning at him maniacally.
Good thing you're fucking cute, Jackson. Was his first thought. And then his second was, I can't believe I like that barnacle brain.
The hoard of monsters was focussing on Bob and Small Bob who were still causing complete chaos. When Bob was saying he was going to be good at causing a huge mess Nico had been skeptical. His profession since joining the Underworld was cleaning. But apparently that gave him the down and dirty (quite literally) into what makes the best mess because he'd managed to topple a drakon which was floundering on its back because its legs couldn't reach to get back onto its feet. It had squashed a number of other monsters including his Titan brother who was absolutely livid if the way he was beginning to glow was any indication.
Wait… is he going to go supernova?
Nico dropped to the ground whilst he called out to the others before the Titan became a flaming ball of fire. It was blinding in the dark that was Tartarus. The drakon didn't catch flame, also being a best of light and fire, but instead went flying into the atmosphere where it caught itself on its wings and somehow managed to take flight.
If the blast had been bright, the crack of inverse lightning was black-purple and sucked light from the landscape as it zigzagged across the landscape. It collided with the ground with such force that it sent ripples across the landscape like an earthquake. The crack was so loud it caused a ringing in Nico's ears as he pushed himself back to his feet, swords at the ready and that was when he spotted it. There, in the crater that the force of the black lightning had created was a being easily four times Bob's height. The Titan came to about the thing's knees. Both Hyperion and Krios were steaming piles of nothing which, the son of Hades, was positive was not a coincidence considering the mist was swirling towards the abyss that was the monster's face.
The blood in Nico's veins ran cold.
FOOLS. HAVE THE MOST COMPETENT OF MY BREED ALREADY TRAVELLED ABOVE? IT SEEMS INCOMPREHENSIBLE THAT DEMIGODS, NO MATTER THEIR PARENTAGE, SHOULD GET SO FAR.
Although his knees don't feel entirely his own, Nico swallows rests a hand over his pocket. He can feel the warmth of the orb radiating through the fabric. It called on him to use it. Not yet, he thought to it. Soon, but first, we have to get Percy to safety. He was positive he could feel the energy pulse at that as if in response. Brown eyes found Percy across the landscape, stygian blade in hand, unmoving as he stood over the last of the chains that had held the doors of Death in place.
PERCY JACKSON. YOU SHOULD BE HONORED BY MY PRESENCE. NEVER BEFORE HAS ANYONE HAD THE PLEASURE OF CALLING UPON MY PERSONAL ATTENTION. NOT EVEN YOUR SLIME FOR BRAINS FATHER OR HIS IMBECILE BROTHERS.
Tartarus' physical form was the same thick purple and black muscle that rippled across the landscape and it was equally as pockmarked and imperfect. Red veins like lava pulsed across his tree trunk legs disappearing beneath the thick armor that he wore. Like his father's robes, it appeared to be in motion. Monster pushed and pulled as if they might be able to escape the armor and each had something in common; they appeared to be crying out in pain. He radiated darkness. Tartarus held out his hands and moved them slowly, clearly not used to having a physical form. Each of the monsters across the plane were like comets dotting the sky, their life forces swirled like mist towards Tartarus and Nico was positive that just like Hyperion and Krios, he could do as little as think about snapping his fingers and they would be lunch.
When Tartarus made a motion towards Percy like a silent boo the teenager dropped the stygian blade and fell to his knees.
Percy Jackson was paralyzed with fear.
AND CHILD OF HADES… THAT OATH YOU MADE TO STYX WILL BE USELESS. YES, I KNOW OF YOUR DEAL. I AM EVERYWHERE. THAT TINY SCEPTER WON'T BE OF ANY USE HERE… EVEN IF YOU COULD CALL FORTH LEGIONS OF THE DEAD YOU DON'T HAVE A PRAETOR TO LEAD THEM. THIS ONE ISN'T FIT TO LEAD A SCHOOL OF FISH, LET ALONE AN ARMY.
Even before he turned Nico could feel green eyes staring him through. Bob growled and charged at the forty foot tall primordial and for a second the son of Hades forgot to breath. That's exactly where he should have been. That's exactly what he should have been doing. The monsters stood watching, as Tartarus smacked at the Titan but Bob was up as quickly as he fell down. The broom end popped off revealing a spear that grew three time the length and width. He threw it like a javelin and it punctured the primordial's tree trunk leg, golden ichor spilled forth as Bob reached his hand out and called it back to him.
IAPETUS. YOU ARE EVEN MORE DISAPPOINTING THAN YOUR BROTHERS.
With a massive hand, he swatted the Titan and sent him flying. The spear in his hand snapped and Bob cried out as he fell. The spear disappeared and Bob was holding his stomach as he rolled over onto his side. Nico ran. He ran away from Percy and towards Tartarus and Bob just as Small Bob launched himself at the forty foot tall man. He hollered and Nico thought, probably, he was frustrated with how having a real body meant things actually hurt when you were stabbed. Or a skeleton saber toothed cat ran up your body and under your armor like you were a playscape at McDonalds.
Nico skidded to a stop and dropped to kneel beside Bob. He offered his hand and helped the Titan back to his feet and clasped a hand on his shoulder. "You okay, Big buy?" When the other nodded, he turned to find Percy still frozen in place. "Percy — the chains!"
Green eyes blinked at him for a second as if unseeing. The son of Poseidon had once held the weight of the sky on his shoulders and as he attempted to force himself to his feet, he appeared to bare that weight once more. Teeth were bared and eventually he stood, stygian blade back in his hand.
AND WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?
The god of the pit raised his hand and a swarm of arai shot down from where they had been flying. The winged women rushed towards Percy. He had Nico's stygian blade in hand but who knew who had cast those curses. If he dared to protect himself the curses would be let loose on him. Tartarus laughed, a deeply disturbing rumble, inside their heads. The first one the son of Poseidon cut down had blood pouring from his skin though their didn't seem to be any wounds. The second had him sneezing uncontrollably (which made it incredibly difficult to use a sword with any accuracy).
"Go, help him. Too many curses and he may not make it." The Titan said. "Say goodbye." The smile he offered Nico did not reach his eyes. There was sadness and knowing there.
Nico flashed Bob a small smile of his own as he sheathed one of the swords and reached into his pocket. The marble sized orb immediately began to glow and grew until it fit perfectly into his palm. When he closed his eyes he focussed and felt that tug in his stomach, the one so far down that twitched as the lesser used of his abilities sprung to life. When he opened his eyes there were five other shadow Nico's like ghost versions of himself with maniacal smiles. They raised their ghost swords and took off towards Tartarus.
"I'll be right back, Big Guy."
Although he would have liked to have shadow traveled the split second it would have taken to cover the distance between them, Nico knew he couldn't afford it. Already he was tiring and he needed to save his energy. As he approached the arai took notice of the son of Hades so he reached behind him and drew one of his swords. When one got too close he slashed at it and immediately felt his left eye begin to twitch. How fucking lame and annoying! He grumbled to himself. The next one to collapse into dust.
It wasn't the arai that were the biggest of his problems. From the hoards of monsters jumped a massive wolf with eyes that glowed red and shaggy brown black fur. Its whole body seemed to ripple as it growled at him and smashed a massive paw into the ground before it leaped. Nico ducked and rolled however ungracefully across the pock ridden landscape and narrowly missed being crushed to death by the rabid animal (it was practically foaming at the mouth). When he was back on his feet, the Ghost King slashed at the animal with the two bone swords but they did little more than pierce his hide; the animal snarled sending its hot sour breath in his face.
He attempted to pull the bone sword from the thing's hide but it was stuck. By the time he pulled it out, a massive paw had raked across his face. Nico howled in rage and pain as he fell to the ground, clasping the left side of his face.
"Percy!"
It burned, like acid on his skin. But the son of Hades ran towards Percy, away from the lycanthrope as it chased after him. What they needed was to send the arai scrambling without harming any more of them— they didn't need any more curses. And they needed to get rid of the lycanthrope before it tried to eat them both. Nico stabbed one of the pulsating veins and thick, dark blood spilled forth with a force that sent the curses shrieking. Percy, sensing the presence of water, levied the Phlegethon's stream towards the arai. Those that weren't quick enough to dodge the fire water caught fire and flapped around, lighting up the landscape before they eventually crashed into the ground and disintegrated into dust.
The burst vein continued to split, blood spurting across the landscape. Nico wasn't sure if it was the other demigod's intention but he was soaked with the red blood. Probably to replenish him once more. Percy ran towards him, stygian blade at the ready and as Nico somersaulted (he could feel the whoosh of claws slashing above his head), the thing impaled itself on the dark blade. It let out a pitiful how as it thrashed, its essence devoured by the sword.
The doors dinged open behind them.
This was it.
This was their chance and they had to take it.
WHY WON'T YOU DISSOLVE IAPETUS? Tartarus shouted, his voice rang so loud inside of Nico's head it felt like his eyes might pop out. Although all the other monsters appeared to be comets with their essences trailing towards the physical formation of Tartarus, Bob and all his silver glory was free of any such thing.
"I am Bob, not Iapetus. I do not belong to Tartarus. I belong to me!"
"What kind of monster curses someone to bleed through their pours?" Nico grumbled but Percy was looking pale. He'd vanquished the lycanthrope but blood was seeping from the corner of his eyes. A few of the arai done more than bestow curses; the had also ripped the skin of Percy's already damaged arm and shoulder.
"The kind that also make your left eye keep twitching."
Nico brought his bone blade down and broke the final chain on the elevator.
"Come on, let's get Bob and let's go." Percy smiled as best at him, pushing his sweat soaked hair from his eyes. It wasn't even a dark smile. It was relief. It was lighter than anything he'd seen since they'd entered Tartarus— how long ago? Who could even keep track.
"Percy… it's not that easy. The elevator — someone has to stay and hold the up button. It takes twelve minutes for the elevator to reach the House of Hades. If the up button isn't pressed for the entire time it won't complete the journey. It'll reset."
"Wait, what are you talking about?"
Percy stood with green eyes fixed on him, unblinking and Nico could practically hear the gears turning in his head as the other demigod attempted to make sense of what he was saying. Of what that meant. When Percy didn't say anything else, Nico knew that he couldn't connect the dots on his own. When he went to open his mouth, his throat felt tight. Since when had it been difficult to swallow? Reaching out, he laid his hand on the other's upper arm.
"Percy, I'm not coming back."
"No! You have to go back. I can't just leave you behind."
"You don't have a choice. You're not leaving me, Percy. I'm telling you that someone has to stay to distract Tartarus and to hold the button until you make it safe back up top."
"Then that someone is going to be me."
And there it was, Percy Jackson and his attempts to be selfless would never cease. His eyes were hard and unyielding, willing to throw his own life away so Nico could escape. So Nico could go on and keep living. Damned be the prophecy or his girlfriend who was waiting for him on the other side of the doors. With his blood streaked body, sea swept hair (even in Tartarus), bright green eyes, one less than functional arm, and a frame that looked more emaciated since their trek in Tartarus than his previous swimmer's build for the moment… Nico had never seen anything more beautiful than him. And he knew that as he burned all of it into his memory, that he would never love anyone the way that he loved Percy Jackson.
Like water.
Like air.
Like the very life in his veins.
Like he'd ever had a choice in the matter (he didn't and he didn't care).
"No, it can't be." He said softly. "You have a prophecy to be a part of, Percy. You have a world to save and a girlfriend waiting for you."
Percy snorted and his face contorted, brows pushing together in anger. "So what— you want to stay down here? You want to die, Nico? Is that it? Instead of fighting to get back to your sister? You always run away." The words cut as they crashed over him like waves but just like the ocean, Nico knew better than to fight against the current. Best to swim with it. Percy wasn't angry at Nico, not from the way his eyes glistened… there just wasn't anywhere else to direct his anger at the fact that Nico was right. That someone had to stay. That Nico was the only choice.
That this was one thing that Percy couldn't fix and somehow the son of Poseidon would have to live with it.
"You know that isn't true, Percy." Nico said with a hand on the other boy's shoulder. "Who's going to make sure you don't get yourself killed? Who's going to keep saving your ass silently from the shadows without you ever noticing?" He waited, watching the words take root in Percy, watched as his eyes grew wider and recognition blossomed. "Trust me, I would give anything to come with you. But I can't."
"—Nico—"
"Make sure that Hazel gets this. You'll need it. I'm not sure when or how. Jason and Reyna will know what it is." Nico placed the scepter in Percy's hand. It was the length of one of his fingers but no more.
"—Nico—" Percy tried again but the child of Hades had to finish before his voice failed entirely.
"Tell Hazel… tell her and my father that I'm sorry and I love them." There was a storm brewing behind those green eyes but Nico smiled in the sad sort of way that meant his throat felt like there was a boulder lodged inside of it (and it might never reopen) and his eyes shone with unshed tears but he blinked as quick as he could in an attempt to push it aside. The fingers of his right hand tugged on the skull ring that adorned his left pointer finger and placed it in Percy's hand and closed his fingers over it.
"—Nico—"
Percy looked down at it, brows knit, clearly confused and when he looked back up he knew that Percy would say something now that he was finished. There wasn't anything left for Nico to say. So instead? Percy fucking Jackson would say something. It would be stupid or infuriating or maybe it would be both. And it would make an impossible task all the more impossible (because he had, always, been a survivor, and there was no surviving this but it hadn't quite sunk in, not yet) . It would break his heart and it would break his will. And what was the alternative then?
No, he couldn't let Percy Jackson do that.
So instead, he reached up and slipped his fingers along the line of Percy's jaw until they disappeared into his hair (it was softer than he'd ever dreamed and if he was being honest with himself, which he was, he had dreamed about it often) and his thumb rested against Percy's cheek. Before Nico could change his mind, before Percy could utter a single sound, Nico leaned forward and captured the other demigod's lips with his own. And he shouldn't have… he shouldn't have, he knew that he shouldn't have, but how could he not? How could he not let himself have that one small thing? That one thing he'd always wondered and wished while pretending he didn't. Pretending he wasn't that way. Pretending Percy Jackson wasn't everyfuckingthing in the world from the stars in a clear night's sky to the feeling of a cool breeze on the back of his neck.
Nico couldn't help himself.
And Percy tasted like salt water taffy and that blue birthday cake he'd eaten once, the one that Sally had made and let him have three huge slices. The kiss was tongues and teeth and too much wanting, so much more than he ever should have dared divulge. It was the first kiss to end all kisses and his heart would never have sung the way it did at that moment (never ever again no matter who or what or when) and he kissed Percy Jackson until his lungs ached and when he pulled back, pupils blown wide and tears in his eyes, Nico wasn't ashamed. Tears streaked down his cheeks but he didn't brush them away. Nico's thumb traced along Percy's cheekbone. Percy's face was flushed, his eyes wide and lips moist. Nico had never seen the son of the sea speechless before and he couldn't help himself. He laughed. He was so beautiful his chest ached and Nico knew a piece of him would always belong to Percy.
It always had.
"Don't forget me."
Nico pulled back and as he did so, Percy's hand caught his wrist but he was too slow. The Ghost King slipped out of the grasp just as quickly and pulling back, he called upon the shadows so when he thrust his hand forward a wall of darkness shot forth and wrapped itself around Percy's middle, hurtling him back against he far elevator wall. Ker was already waiting inside. She bowed her head.
"Nico— Nico let me go! I'm not leaving you— let me fucking go!"
Like the water.
"I swear to the fucking gods Nico—"
Like the air.
"You coward — you fucking coward! I can't do this without you— Nico!? NICO!"
Like the life in his veins. Nico took one more moment before he reached up and grabbed the gated doors and brought them down with a shriek of protesting metal. Through the slats, he gave one last look to everything he would never have before and then?
"Se tutto per me." And then he turned away. ("You are everything to me.")
"Bob!" Nico shouted. "It's time to send this thing up."
The Titan was bleeding, favoring one leg over another and his spear was in splinters somewhere on Tartarus' floor. Across the black and purple pulsating landscape, Small Bob scampered in his kitten form once more. He slipped through the bars of the gated doors and landed on the other side at Percy's feet.
The ghost Nico's were still running across the landscape, stabbing Tartarus here or conjuring the earth and rocketing it at him there. But it was time for the real Ghost King to show Tartarus that he chose the wrong demigods to mess with. He broke into a run, passing Bob and giving the other a high five on the way (the brief contact their only it was nice to know you) and he knew the second the Titan jammed his finger onto the up button because the elevator began to chime as it rocketed up level after level— up and up and up and away from Tartarus. The ground rushed up to meet him making a stair case as he ran up and up and up with the scepter glowing a menacing blue black in his hands.
YOU ARE A FOOL. WHO ARE YOU, SON OF HADES, TO FACE ME? DO YOU THINK YOUR SHADES CAN HARM ME?
"No, but I know I can hurt you."
YOU DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF POWER. The voice laughed in his head as he continued to bat at the specter versions of himself. They got back up as quickly as they fell and it was clear as they jumped astride their own mountains, that the god of the pit could not tell which was which. NO CHILD OF OLYMPUS HAS EVER BEEN THAT POWERFUL.
"I'm not a child of the Olympians, asshole. I'm the heir to the Underworld."
He flashed a toothy smile, not unlike his father's (and just as dark).
And then there it was: that familiar tug. The one much further down, the one that reached out and felt for the thing that everything was made of. Ashes and dust and the building blocks of the universe. The thing even the gods were made of, especially Tartarus. There was so much of it — it spanned so wide, he could feel everything, all of it — the orb grew colder and colder in his hands, fiery ice and his fingers disappeared beneath the surface of it as if the marble itself was pliable. They anchored there and it became part of him, joined his powers and focussed them. When he opened his eyes he saw with a new clarity, body buzzing with focus and energy.
Nico glanced over his shoulder for the briefest of seconds, just long enough to see the elevator as it disappeared into the toxic clouds and he smiled.
Nico loved Percy Jackson but he could never keep him.
The tugging sensation grew and Tartarus bellowed, confusion and rage piercing through Nico's skull with his cries. The god lifted his massive black claws to his ears and scraped at them as if he could alleviate the pressure. The pressure built so strong in Nico's head that if it weren't for the orb, he was sure he would have fallen to his knees and succumbed. But the orb protected him. It used the son of Hades own powers to create a wall of shadows around himself. One by one the monsters joined in with their father's cries and they crumpled in on themselves, howling and shrieking, as one by one they crumpled to dust.
Children of Hades hold grudges the way they hold love: clenched so tight to their chests so it can never slip from their grasp. Nico closed his eyes and sent his love hurtling up towards the surface… and then he let Percy Jackson go. He felt lighter.
The orb cracked and Nico's own screams joined the procession of dying monsters.
The orb turned to ash and the whole world tore apart.