AN: I saw the musical The Lightning Thief a while back and it was PHENOMENAL! Rick Riordan truly approved.

Time in quarantine has given me some time to write, but I still have a lot of other school work to do, so it's challenging to manage my time. There is a lot of uncertainty and anxiety during this difficult time as well as loss and fear. I hope y'all are safe and healthy. We will all get through this, as tough as it may seem.

Also, I have experience with losing a family member so I am trying to recount my own experiences, but it is a difficult concept to capture and it's not an easy thing to overcome. and theme to deal with and even I struggle with grief and sadness about it.

Finally (some housekeeping), I had seriously bad writer's block so I went through ALL of my stories and edited them for grammar stuff, plot inconsistencies, and shortened some of the longer paragraphs. Pretty much everything is the same, besides irrelevant plot stuff as well as dates of events. I shortened this book so, as a-halfblood-with-an-attitude pointed out, the chapters are now "off". I mostly condensed the chapters down so now instead of 28 chapters, as it was, it is down to 23 chapters and this is the 24th chapter (if that's not too confusing).

Enough of me, back to the story

Disclaimer: All rights to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot. A LOT OF THIS IS VERBATIM BUT PLEASE DON'T SUE ME DISNEY

Themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression are expressed within this story. TRIGGER WARNING! Please do NOT read if these themes upset you. TRIGGER WARNING!

Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave me suggestions! Enjoy!

Nico's POV:

Nico had just been left alone in the ranch house of Triple G Ranch by Geryon, a monster who Minos promised would have information about a spirit that he could use to bring his sister back. Minos did not join him, unable to manifest in the sunlight, but Nico wasn't scared; just frustrated that Geryon wasn't taking him seriously, as he was so young.

He pushed out of the glass doors onto the porch. "Geryon, I won't wait for—"

Nico froze, noticing Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, Grover Underwood, and Tyson on the wrap-around porch. A mixture of feelings shot through him: longing, anger, guilt, hate. He acted on the final emotion, drawing his Stygian Iron sword.

Geryon snarled when he saw it. "Put that away, Mr. di Angelo. I ain't gonna have my guests killin' each other."

"But that's—"

"Percy Jackson," Geryon supplied. "Annabeth Chase. And a couple of their monster friends. Yes, I know."

"Monster friends?" Grover said indignantly.

"That man is wearing three shirts," Tyson said like he was just realizing this.

"They let my sister die!" Nico's voice trembled with rage. "They're here to kill me!"

"Nico, we're not here to kill you." Percy raised his hands. "What happened to Bianca was—"

Nico had to hold himself back from hurting Percy. "Don't speak her name! You're not worthy to even talk about her!"

"Wait a minute," Annabeth pointed at Geryon. "How do you know our names?"

The three-bodied man winked. "I make it my business to keep informed, darlin'. Everybody pops into the ranch from time to time. Everyone needs something from ole Geryon. Now, Mr. di Angelo, put that ugly sword away before I have Eurytion take it from you."

Eurytion sighed, but he hefted his spiked club. At his feet, Orthus growled. Nico hesitated. He wasn't sure that he trusted Percy yet. But Eurytion was scarier than Percy Jackson. He sheathed his sword.

"If you come near me, Percy, I'll summon help. You don't want to meet my helpers, I promise."

"I believe you," Percy said.

Geryon patted Nico's shoulder, who flinched back. "There, we've all made nice. Now come along folks. I want to give you a tour of the ranch."

The group boarded a kiddie trolley as Geryon began the tour of his ranch. Nico sat in the very back, Eurytion sitting right next to him.

Geryon began his spiel on all his animals. Nico interrupted once, reminding the monster that they had business, but he merely ignored the son of Hades. Eventually, the train stopped, as Geryon considered his flesh-eating horses. Nico had had enough; he got up and stormed over to the three-bodied man

"I came here for business, Geryon," Nico said, trying to sound adult-like although he was only eleven. "And you haven't answered me."

"Mmm." Geryon examined a cactus. His left arm reached over and scratched his middle-chest. "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."

"Wait a second," Percy said. "I thought I was the soul you wanted."

Nico looked at Percy, incredulously. Did he really think that everything was about him? Nico thought.

"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 said. "Your ghost friend, by the way, where is he?"

Nico looked uneasy. "He can't form in broad daylight. It's hard for him. But he's around somewhere."

Geryon smiled. "I'm sure. Minos likes to disappear when things get…difficult."

"Minos?" Percy questioned. "You mean that evil king? That's the ghost who's been giving you advice?"

"It's none of your business, Percy!" Nico turned back to Geryon. "And what do you mean about things getting difficult?"

The three-bodied man sighed. "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. And I'm sure when he learns your little secret, who you really are, he'll pay very, very well indeed."

Nico had never met Luke, but he had heard stories of the rogue demigod. And Nico was not about to be sold to him. He drew his sword, but Eurytion knocked it out of his hand. In the corner of his eye, he noticed Percy try to draw his before the dog jumped on his chest. Nico felt fear go through him; as much as he hated Percy Jackson, he didn't want to demigod to die.

"I would stay in the car, all of you," Geryon warned. "Or Orthus will tear Mr. Jackson's throat out. Now, Eurytion, if you would be so kind, secure Nico."

The cowherd spit into the grass. "Do I have to?"

"Yes, you fool!"

Eurytion looked bored, but he wrapped one huge arm around Nico and lifted him up like a wrestler. Nico tried to fight to get away, but the cowherder was much stronger than he.

"Pick up the sword, too," Geryon said with distaste. "There's nothing I hate worse than Stygian Iron."

Eurytion picked up the sword, careful not to touch the blade.

"Now," Geryon said cheerfully, "we've had the tour. 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 cried.

Geryon smiled at her. "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."

After Percy had once again saved the day, he convinced Nico to try and summon his sister again; Nico agreed.

It was after dark. A pit had been dug out in front of a septic tank. After wondering where Minos was, Nico began the ritual. He poured root beer and tossed barbecue into the pit, then began chanting in Ancient Greek. Immediately the bugs in the woods stopped chirping. He could feel his sword becoming colder as he summoned the spirits. Sulfurous mist seeped out of the ground. Shadows thickened into human forms; the first spirits appeared. One blue shade drifted to the edge of the pit and knelt to drink.

"Stop him!" Nico said, momentarily breaking his chant. "Only Bianca may drink!"

Percy drew Riptide. The ghosts retreated with a collective hiss at the sight of his celestial bronze blade. But it was too late to stop the first spirit. He had already solidified into the shape of a bearded man in white robes. A circlet of gold wreathed his head, and even in death, his eyes were alive with malice.

"Minos!" Nico said. "What are you doing?"

"My apologies, master," the ghost said, though he didn't sound very sorry. "The sacrifice smelled so good, I couldn't resist." He examined his own hands and smiled. "It is good to see myself again. Almost in solid form—"

"You are disrupting the ritual!" Nico protested. "Get—"

The spirits of the dead began shimmering dangerously bright, and Nico had to take up the chant again to keep them at bay.

"Yes, quite right, master," Minos said with amusement. "You keep chanting. I've only come to protect you from these liars who would deceive you."

Nico ignored them as he focused on the words he was saying. He eventually dismissed his mentor, not wanting any more interference from the ghost. He faded into the mist. Nico focused on the pit as Annabeth and Percy kept the agitated spirits back.

"Bianca, appear!" Nico intoned.

He started chanting faster, and the spirits shifted restlessly. Then a silvery light flickered in the trees—a spirit that seemed brighter and stronger than the others. It came closer, kneeling to drink at the pit. When it arose, it was the ghostly form of Bianca di Angelo.

Nico's chanting faltered as he saw his departed sister. Her familiar green cap was set sideways on her thick, black hair, dark eyes and olive skin. She wore jeans and a silvery jacket, the outfit of a Hunter of Artemis. A bow was slung over her shoulder. She smiled faintly, and her whole form flickered.

The other spirits started to crowd forward, but Bianca raised her arms and they retreated into the woods.

"Hello, Percy," she said.

The first words Bianca has said since she did and they were directed at Percy? The person directly responsible for her death? Anger ran through Nico.

"Bianca!" Nico stumbled forward, interrupting Percy.

She turned toward him. Her expression was sad as if she'd been dreading this moment. "Hello, Nico. You've gotten so tall."

"Why didn't you answer me sooner?" he cried. "I've been trying for months!"

"I was hoping you would give up."

"Give up?" He was heartbroken. "How can you say that? I'm trying to save you!"

"You can't, Nico. Don't do this. Percy is right."

"No! He let you die! He's not your friend."

Bianca stretched out a hand as if to touch his face, but she was made of mist; her hand evaporated as it got close to living skin.

"You must listen to me," she said. "Holding a grudge is dangerous for a child of Hades. It is our fatal flaw. You have to forgive. You have to promise me this."

"I can't. Never."

"Percy has been worried about you, Nico. He can help. I let him see what you were up to, hoping he would find you."

"Why are you helping him and not me?" Nico screamed. Percy was the one everyone chose; everyone overlooked Nico. "It's not fair!"

"You are close to the truth now," Bianca told him. "It's not Percy you're mad at, Nico. It's me. 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 about 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 broke in. "Kronos is rising, Nico. He'll twist anyone he can to his cause."

"I don't care about Kronos," Nico spat. Unlike Minos and everyone else seemed to think, Nico didn't want power. "I just want my sister back."

"You can't have that, Nico," Bianca told him gently.

"I'm the son of Hades! I can."

"Don't try," she said. "If you love me, don't…"

Her voice trailed off. Spirits had started to gather around us again, and they seemed agitated. Their shadows shifted. Their voices whispered, Danger!

"Tartarus stirs," Bianca said. "Your power draws the attention of Kronos. The dead must return to the Underworld. It is not safe for us to remain."

"Wait," Nico said. "Please—"

"Good-bye, Nico," Bianca said. "I love you. Remember what I said."

Her form shivered and the ghosts disappeared, leaving the demigods alone with a pit, a Happy Flush septic tank, and a cold full moon. After a beat of silence, Nico pulled himself away from the depression, moving towards the forest. He heard Percy and Annabeth call after him, but he ignored them, sadness and anger overtaking his being. He found himself enclosed by the trees, blocking out the sounds of his name being called.

Tears were freely flowing down his face as he realized the harsh reality: his sister was gone. And she wasn't coming back. He fell to his knees in the woods, allowing his grief to overtake him.

"Nico," a voice said.

Nico whipped around, ready to tell Percy off for following him. But it wasn't him.

"Father?" He whispered. The entire day and evening, Nico had been experiencing a feeling of déjà vu. He hadn't really thought anything of it, until now, when it disappeared. "You aren't supposed to be here. This… this isn't what happened."

His father smiled softly. "This is good; you are remembering what is a dream and what is reality."

"This… this is real?" Nico wasn't sure. It felt real; but, the feeling of déjà vu was too strong to be normal.

"We just talked about this," his father informed. "That you would have to relive your memories and come to terms with them. You have to learn to identify what's current and what's past."

Nico vaguely recalled being in a cloud-like room, with his father and another camper. It was the Hypnos cabin at Camp Half-Blood. His memories came flooding back. His father was forcing him to face his issues with his dead sister.

"You expect me to come to terms with this?" Nico asked incredulously. "It's my sister's death! I just lost my best friend! And I'm supposed to just be okay with that? Especially since I have the ability to bring her back, but she won't come?"

"It is a very hard reality to accept, that you have the ability to bring people back, but that you can not." His father mused.

"But WE can!" Nico exclaimed. "We can bring her back! We can bring anyone we want to back."

"Thanatos would have a field day with us if we began reviving the dead. And if my brother would get involved, I'd probably lose my throne." His father explained. "At any rate, the whole concept of mortality is that life is fleeting; that the most has to be made of it."

"But Bianca didn't get that opportunity!" Nico defended. "She died before she could make anything of her life!"

"The moment the prophecy came from the Oracle, Bianca's death was set in stone."

"Prophecies can be interpreted in different ways," Nico spat. "Minos taught me that."

"Minos loves loopholes, but the more you try to avoid a prophecy, the more you are ensuring it to unfold." His father said. "Her death wasn't for naught; her sacrifice allowed the success of the quest and the eventual defeat of the Titans. Her death allowed you to discover your heritage and grow your powers. You were strong enough to help defeat Kronos in Manhattan."

"But—" Nico tried, a lump in his throat. "But, I miss her. I still want her back. She's-" his voice faltered over his the words 'she's still my best friend'.

"I know," his father replied. "You will always miss your sister, as she was such an important person in your life. But, as you get older, it will get easier to handle. You will still feel grief, of course, but you will be able to realize the importance of her sacrifice as well as be grateful that you were able to be with her during her short life."

"Hurts," Nico sniffled, wiping away his tears.

"Unfortunately, it always will," Hades' eyes grew dim, remembering long-forgotten memories. "I have lost so many important people in my life. That's the price of immortality; you have to watch those you care for, ignite and extinguish all in the blink of an eye. The memories will fade but the pain will always be there. But, you have to move through the pain and heartbreak to experience the joy and excitement of life. You have to learn how to handle the pain."

"And if I can't?"

"You have to."

Nico closed his eyes, feeling the tears roll down his cheeks. Three years later, his sister's death still hurt as much as the day it happened. But, he knew his father was right. That this was something he would have to come to terms with. However hard or difficult it would be. However long it would take.

"Okay," Nico replied.

Will's POV:

Dawn was breaking at Camp Half-Blood. He was still wide-awake, sitting with his father and Meg outside the woods, hoping his lost siblings would reappear. After waiting all night long, there was still no sign of them. He turned to Apollo and Meg, who had just finished discussing something.

"What are we going to do?" He asked.

Before Apollo could respond, a thumping sound interrupted him.

"Is that a helicopter?" Meg questioned as Will and Apollo stood.

The machine appeared in the air. It was a dark red copter, cutting north along the coastline. On the side, there was a bright green logo, emblazoned with the letters "D.E.".

"That," Apollo smiled, "is Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Let's go see what the Oracle of Delphi has to say."

Will wanted to see what Rachel had to say but also wanted to check on Nico's condition. And to make sure that his boyfriend hadn't ignored his order to stay in bed and rest. He informed Apollo and Meg that he would meet them in Rachel's cave. Apollo asked him to tell Chiron that Rachel had arrived. From there, Apollo and Meg went to where Rachel was waiting and Will headed towards the Big House.

He went straight to Nico and found him still snoozing away on his cot. Pressing a quick kiss to his forehead, Will then headed up the staircase to speak to Chiron. Together, they headed to the cave. When they arrived, they found the walls covered in white paint and the whole place trashed.

Chiron looked sadly at Rachel. "Rachel, where are Millard and Herbert?"

She bowed her head. "They arrived at my house badly wounded. They...they didn't make it."

Who was so determined that the demigods don't have communication with each other? Will watched as the centaur trotted over and lowered himself to the ground, folding his legs underneath himself. Meg joined Apollo on the couch. Will stayed standing at the entrance, not really feeling like he was part of the group.

Rachel leaned forward on her seat. "Tell me what's been going on here."

Chiron, Apollo, and Meg brought her up to speed on the disappearances and his father's misadventures with Meg. Apollo explained traveling to Delphi in the maze.

Chiron blanched. "I did not know this. You went to Delphi?"

Rachel stared at Apollo in disbelief. "The Delphi. You saw Python and you..."

"At present," Apollo said, "I cannot defeat Python. I am much too weak. And...well, the Catch-88."

Chiron sipped his Arizona tea. "Apollo means that we cannot send a quest without a prophecy, and we cannot get a prophecy without an Oracle."

Rachel stared at her overturned tripod stool. "And this man...the Beast. What do you know about him?"

"Not much," Apollo explained what he had seen in his dream, and what they had seen in the Labyrinth. "The Beast apparently has a reputation for snatching up young demigods in New York. Meg… Um, she's had some experience with the Beast."

Chiron raised his brows. "Can you tell us anything that might help, dear?"

Meg sank into the sofa's cushions. "I've crossed paths with him. He's—he's scary. The memory is blurry."

"Blurry," Chiron repeated.

"That's all right, Meg," Rachel said after a beat. "I have some information that may help." She fished her phone from her coat pocket. "Don't touch this. You guys have probably figured it out, but phones are going even more haywire than usual around demigods. I'm not technically one of you, and even I can't place calls. I was able to take a couple of pictures, though." She turned the screen toward Chiron. "You recognize this place?"

"That is the building you described last summer," Chiron said, "where you parleyed with the Romans."

"Yeah," Rachel said. "Something didn't feel right about that place. I got to thinking...how did the Romans take over such prime Manhattan real estate on such short notice? Who owns it? I tried to contact Reyna, to see if she could tell me anything, but—"

"Communications problems?" Chiron guessed.

"Exactly. I even sent physical mail to Camp Jupiter's drop box in Berkeley. No response. So I asked my dad's real estate lawyers to do some digging."

Meg peeked over the top of her glasses. "Your dad has lawyers? And a helicopter?"

"Several helicopters." Rachel sighed. "He's annoying. Anyway, that building is owned by a shell corporation, which is owned by another shell corporation, blah, blah, blah. The mother company is something called Triumvirate Holdings.

Meg made a sour face. "What does that mean?"

"A triumvirate is a ruling council of three," Apollo said. "At least, that's what it meant in ancient Rome."

"Which is interesting," Rachel said, "because of this next shot. These are the owners of Triumvirate Holdings. Just getting this one picture wasn't easy." She blew a frizzy strand of hair out of her face. "I've spent the last two months investigating them, and I don't even know their names. I don't know where they live or where they came from. But I can tell you they own so much property and have so much money, they make my dad's company look like a kid's lemonade stand."

"The Beast said that his organization was everywhere," Apollo recalled. "He mentioned he had colleagues."

Chiron's tail flicked, sending a paintbrush skidding across the cave floor. "Adult demigods? I can't imagine they would be Greek, but perhaps Roman? If they helped Octavian with his war—"

"Oh, they helped," Rachel said. "I found a paper trail—not much, but you remember those siege weapons Octavian built to destroy Camp Half-Blood?"

Will distinctly remembered the onagers. The very same weapons that had destroyed his relative, Octavian. He remembered Nico feeling responsible for Octavian's death when it was the augur's own arrogance that had gotten him killed.

Rachel continued. "Anyway, the weapons were paid for by Triumvirate Holdings."

Chiron frowned. "That is not good."

"I found something even more disturbing," Rachel said. "You remember before that, during the Titan War, Luke Castellan mentioned he had backers in the mortal world? They had enough money to buy a cruise ship, helicopters, weapons. They even hired mortal mercenaries… That cruise ship, Princess Andromeda, was property of Triumvirate Holdings."

Will sucked in a breath. All the battles and problems that Camp Half-Blood had had in recent years were because of this empire, Triumvirate Holdings. How did they get so much money? What was their aim? Before he could voice his concerns, he heard his name whispered. He turned around to find Nico standing outside the cave looking uncomfortable. Will immediately left his position on the wall and walked out to him.