Ch. 18

Everyone in the camp seemed to be staring at Nico. The son Hades looked like he was ready to turn into a shadow himself when Percy stood up. Everyone watched him as he approached Nico.

Frank sucked in a breath, this is awkward, he thought to himself, remembering the last time he saw Nico and how Percy pretty much accused him of being obsessed about him in front of the entire Olympian Council.

"Nico," Percy began but stopped when he saw the look he got in return.

Frank cleared his throat and looked at Reyna who seemed confused why it was so awkward between Percy and the son of Hades. She caught his look and nodded, sending the Legion back to the barracks with a promise of explanation later. Though they weren't thrilled, the legionnaires knew better than to disobey an order from their praetor.

Once the legionnaires were gone and only the small group of Percy, Clarisse, Frank, Reyna and Nico remained, Percy put a hand on Nico's shoulder only to be shoved hard, sending him stumbling backwards.

"Don't touch me," he hissed. Only Percy and Frank seemed to understand his anger.

"Dude, I'm sorr..." Percy started but the withering glare Nico sent him seemed to make his throat close up.

"I didn't come here for you, I came to help the Legion."

Reyna took a step towards Nico, holding her hands up in a placating manner. "And we're grateful Nico, but why are you so angry?"

Nico shot a look of distaste towards Percy but didn't respond. Reyna eyed Percy, waiting for an explanation but he seemed to just have remembered the heads of Tyson and Ella lay on the ground like discarded garbage. He knelt down next to the box and looked like he was about to put the decapitated appendages back in the box before Frank pulled him back with a hand on his shoulder. Clarisse grabbed the box and carefully placed the decapitated heads inside and started back towards the city to get them away from Percy as quickly as possible.

There would be a time to mourn Tyson and Ella but this wasn't it.

"Nico," Percy started softly. "I thought you were trying to kill my little brother and sister. What I said was so far over the line, I understand if you hate me. I'm not going to make any excuses, I was a jackass, plain and simple."

Nico continued to glare at Percy, "That's a bit of an understatement," he seemed to think for a second, "and for the record, I'm already with someone. Don't flatter yourself by thinking I would care enough to hurt children over you."

Percy rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, I kinda realized that about ten seconds after you left the throne room."

Reyna was looking back and forth between the two, wondering what in the name of Pluto they were talking about. She would have asked but Frank just looked at her and shook his head indicating this was not the time to ask. She stayed silent but planned to get an answer from Percy first chance she got. Nico was one of her few personal friends and it sounded like whatever was going on between them had to do with Percy being a jerk.

"Whatever," Nico grumbled. "We have bigger problems than you being an ass." He turned to Reyna, "We need to talk."

They ended up back at Reyna's home, in her living room. She made some coffee but everyone other than Nico was already too worked up for caffeine. Once Clarisse arrived, they all sat down to hear what Nico knew.

"So who is this guy Nico?" Frank finally asked, anxious to find out what they were up against.

Nico took a long sip of his coffee and set it down on the table and looked up at Percy and Clarisse. "You guys remember all the demigods who joined Kronos during the Titan War?"

They exchanged a look and nodded, remembering all the demigods they were forced to fight in the streets of New York.

"Well after Luke gave his body to host Kronos, another demigod stepped up as the leader of the enemy demigod army, that was Alabastor Torrington, son of Hecate."

Before Nico could continue, Clarisse threw her hands up in protest, "No way that guy is just a son of Hecate! No demigod can do the stuff I've seen him do."

Nico shot her an irritated look, "If you'll let me finish, there's obviously more to his story."

Clarisse scowled but didn't speak again.

"Right, well after we won the war, part of Percy's gift from the gods was a general amnesty for all the minor gods and demigods who turned against Olympus." Nico took another sip of coffee and cleared his throat.

"Well Alabastor wasn't interested in giving up. He tried to rally everyone to keep fighting but once Kronos was defeated, those willing to oppose Olympus dried up real quick. Zeus made a deal with Hecate, if she would rejoin Olympus, he would spare Alabastor. Hecate had already lost a number of children and agreed in order to spare her son."

Everyone was leaning forward listening to Nico with rapt attention. None of them had heard this story and were anxious to learn more.

"Well Zeus did spare him but banished him from either demigod camp so he couldn't corrupt other demigods against Olympus. With nowhere to go, Alabastor wandered for a while but still tried to gather followers to oppose Olympus. When Zeus found out, he kept his word to Hecate and didn't kill him but this time cast him into Tartarus, assuming he wouldn't survive a day in the pit."

Both Nico and Percy felt a chill go up their spines at the thought of Tartarus. Although they both survived, both knew what kind of hell Zeus sent him into.

"Well," Nico cupped his coffee in his hands and looked directly at Percy, seeing if he had pieced together the rest.

Percy's eyes went wide and he sucked in a deep breath, "Shit."

Nico nodded solemnly while the other three still looked confused.

"What?" Frank asked, irritated they weren't explaining better.

"He mentioned his mistress," Nico added but Percy already pieced it together.

Percy ran a hand through his hair, "When me and," he swallowed hard at her name, "Annabeth were in the pit. We had to go through the Mansion of Night. We met Nyx," he paused and shook his head, "she made Kronos seem like a demigod. Just being near her made me feel like a wanted to curl up in a ball and crumple under her power."

"So?" Frank asked.

Percy just shook his head, "His power over shadows, his unnamed mistress..." he paused for a second, "and we may have definitely pissed her off when we got away so she'd definitely enjoy helping someone who hated me."

"Yeah," Nico agreed. "Well the details from there are hazy but something happened and Alabastor appeared about a year ago. He set out taking revenge against anyone he felt wronged him. I spoke to a son of Hermes in the Underworld who said Alabastor had tracked him down and taken his time with revenge. He said it was like trying to fight a god and Alabastor had powers no demigod had business having."

"So what?" Clarisse asked, "he's a god now?"

Nico shook his head, "No, he a demigod with a major friggin power upgrade. And as long as he's a demigod, no immortal can attack him directly."

Reyna had listened to the whole story without speaking a word, but she finally asked what most people were thinking.

"And he wants revenge against Percy why?"

Nico held up his hands with palms up, "He's Percy Jackson. He's the hero of Olympus, vanquisher of Kronos, part of the Seven who defeated Gaea, and the one who asked for a pardon that took away just about every possible follower he could have recruited into his anti Olympus ranks."

"He's still just a demigod." Clarisse shook her head. "Powers or not, he's gonna get smashed."

Nico rolled his eyes at her very Ares like remark. "We really don't know much about what he is. I caught him off guard but his powers over shadows are greater than mine. He's a son of Hecate which means he has magic and powers over the mist plus who knows what else. He may be a demigod but he's probably the most powerful one that's ever walked the earth."

Nico's statement hung over the room like a shadow. No one spoke for a minute until the son of Hades stood up, "I need to get back to Camp Half-Blood, Will..." he stopped himself from saying more, "I, uh, have other obligations I need to get back to."

Percy stood up and nodded to the door. Nico hesitated for a minute but then followed Percy outside.

Reyna watched them disappear outside and could only see Nico's back through the window from her seat. He seemed to be animated for a minute but then caught himself and calmed down. He and Percy talked for a good five minutes before Reyna saw Percy's hand on Nico's shoulder. Nico tensed for a second then relaxed before he stepped into the shadow of her house and disappeared. She wasn't sure but she thought she saw the smallest traces of a smile on his lips before he vanished.

Percy came back inside a moment later but one look made it clear that whatever he and Nico discussed was not going to be repeated. No one pressed him on it.

No one seemed to know what to say now that they had heard all Nico had to say. Frank seemed to catch a look from Percy and stood up. He nudged Clarisse who looked at him with an irritated expression.

He leaned down and whispered something to her that wiped the irritation off her face. She nodded and stood up as well.

"We're gonna go check on the twins and then see where the legion is on fortifying the city from the next attack." Frank announced. Percy raised an eyebrow at him but Frank just nodded telling him he knew what he was doing.

"Thanks guys. Can't tell you enough how huge you've been for me and Luke and Zoe."

"Eh, they're more fun to hang out with you anyways," Clarisse grunted but Percy knew it was her way of saying you're welcome.

The two children of the war god left, leaving Percy and Reyna alone in her home. Percy plopped himself down on the couch next to Reyna and forced himself not to think of his lost brother. He knew Tyson and Ella would reform but he didn't know if he'd ever even get to see them again, a thought he wasn't ready to come to grips with yet.

"So it looks like you and Nico made you're peace," Reyna commented, "whatever it was that you did to him."

Percy nodded but didn't elaborate. Reyna didn't press the subject, she knew Percy had a lot on his mind.

"So what next?" She asked, unsure of what she even meant but it seemed like the right question to ask.

Percy sat up on the couch, trying to think of what he needed to do next. After a short silence, he stood up.

"Now we prepare for war." Reyna looked at him confused at what he meant. He smiled a little, the first time in hours, "we do what Romans always do before battle. It's time to visit the temple of Mars Ultor."

A.N: Not a great chapter, but it's been a while... I needed to shake some rust off. Oh, and hi everyone... Long time no see! ;)