Nico held the gun up to the boy's head, his expression cold as he gazed at him. "Go home or never see the light of day again."

Inside, however, Nico's chest was about to explode with emotions. Could he really kill this boy? Yes, he realized, he could. He had killed before.

"Percy!" a woman tried to fight her way through the now silent soldiers as they watched the scene. "Percy!"

The boy in front of him, Percy Jackson, glanced over at her. He spoke quietly, his eyes shinning with an unknown light. "I'll be okay, mom." he then turned to Nico. "I'm not giving up anytime soon. Nico, you should see why. You of all people should want to protect fami-"

"Shut up!" Nico hissed, digging the barrel deeper into the his forehead. "You mention her even once and I'll blow your brains across the pavement."

"You wouldn't." Percy replied.

"Want to bet?" Nico fingered the trigger. "Kronos wants you dead, and so do I."

Two Years Earlier

"She wanted you to have this." Percy whispered, his breath visible in the cold air as he took out the small figurine.

Gently, Nico took it in his palm. "You promised you would protect her."

"Nico," Percy managed. "I tried. But Bianca gave herself up to save the rest of us. I told her not to, but she-"

"You promised!" Nico yelled, glaring at him. "I shouldn't have trusted you. You lied to me. My nightmares were right."

"Wait. What nightmares?" Percy asked, immediately confused.

Nico threw the figurine, not caring as it clattered against the ground. "I hate you!"

Percy's face fell. "She might be alive. I don't know for sure-"

"She's dead." Nico closed his eyes, cutting him off again as he trembled with rage. "I should've known it earlier. She's in the Fields of Asphodel, standing before the judges right now, being evaluated. I can feel it."

"What do you mean, you can feel it?" Percy was once again in confusion. Before he could get an answer, however, he turned around at Nico's gasp and saw the skeletons.

"You're trying to kill me!" Nico screamed, immediately assuming the worst. "You brought these…these things?"

"No! I mean, yes, they followed me, but no! Nico, run. They can't be destroyed."

"I don't trust you!"

Percy began fighting as they charged, but nothing he could do could injure them. "Run, Nico! Get help!"

"No!" Nico shouted. "Go away!"

Percy stopped fighting when the ground started rumbling, the skeletons freezing. Rolling out of the way in time, he watched as the skeletons were eaten into the fissure.

It was silent as Percy stared at the mark on the ground before he turned to Nico. "How did you-?"

"Go away!" he yelled. "I hate you! I wish you were dead!"

Nico ran down the steps as fast as possible, heading for the woods. When he finally looked back, Percy wasn't behind him.

Nico continued running, not stopping until he was too far in to be seen. Crumbling to his knees, he let himself cry out in disappear. Bianca, his only sister, his only family…she was gone. All because of Percy Jackson. Nico would get revenge, one day, and nothing could stop him. Percy was powerful, but Nico was also a demigod. He had to have some powers. And he could train those powers, and finally get his revenge.

And then came the thought of bringing Bianca back. It was possible, right? There was an Underworld, that much he knew, so her soul wasn't gone forever. She was somewhere where he could grasp her in his hands, bring her back before anybody could notice. It almost sounded too easy.

Would she want to come back? Yes, Nico decided, she would. She had barely lived and had a lot more to do before her life was over. He had to give her a second chance. That way, he could finally do something right. Something he could be proud of.

His thoughts turned back to his nightmares, how he knew that she died, how he knew she was being judged. Then he thought about the skeletons, the figurine that Percy had given him. Could he possibly be….No, he couldn't. To be a son of a major god…he wasn't even powerful.

Hearing the snow crunch nearby, he quickly jumped up. He had to get out of there quickly, before they found him. He wasn't ready yet to fight, and if he saw Percy Jackson again, he would attack.

Stumbling deeper into the woods, he tried to ignore the monsters as he hid behind a mound of rocks. As soon as he crouched, however, he was free falling until he landed on a stone path.

Looking around in fear, Nico's eyes widened as he backed against the wall. His breaths escaped in short gasps, his heart racing as he tried to figure out where he was.

"Master, don't fret."

Nico jumped, holding his arms in front of him as a shield. Looking around, nothing was there. "Where are you?!"

A man stepped forward, his whole form transparent and blurry. Towering over Nico, the man wore white robes that hung from his body with a pointed beard that man him unforgettable. Inside, Nico wanted to laugh at it, but he couldn't find it in him to smile.

"Who are you?"

"Minos." the man took a step forward. "I'm here to help, sent by your father."

"My father…" Nico found himself mumbling. "It couldn't be-"

"Yes, the king of the Underworld. We have much to talk about. Come." the man held his hand out.

"How should I trust you?" Nico asked, peering at him. "I know your name. You were that evil king."

"Was I really that evil?" he asked, smiling. "Ask yourself that. Those around you would call you evil for getting revenge on that Jackson boy, but you know it isn't evil. I'm the same."

Nico nodded a little. "What do you want? What do we have to talk about?"

"Your father sent me to train you." he gazed at him. "Believe it or not, you're one of the most powerful demigods of this century. With a little training, you could be unstoppable."

"And I can get revenge on Percy." Nico smiled, warming up to the idea. Deep inside, he knew he shouldn't be trusting this easily, but what else did he have to loose?

Minos, as he introduced himself, held his hand out again. "Come, there's lots to do."

Nico nodded, following him. "What powers do I have? What did I inherit?"

"All in good time. Now, we need to lead ourselves out of this maze. Ever been to New York City?"