Alright everybody. If you're reading this, then you must have already read My Prince of Shadows, which comes before this. Or you're one of my loyal followers and knew this was coming, lol. Well, let's get started with the sequel of MPoS.
Fun fact: I've used the term Percico so much my word app now recognizes it as a word. No red squiggly line of death for Percico!
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Nico's POV
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"Yes dad, I got it," I said, cutting off our communication. I hated having regular calls and check-ups from my dad, but that was the conditions I had to agree with. After three years of it, though, it got old and tiresome and a tad annoying. Sighing, I crouched at the edge of the forest he'd told me to go to, scanning the small town in front of me. Three years of chasing this dumb ass monster and I still hadn't gotten any closer to finding it. Sighing, I set my sword and binoculars aside and fished my last drachma out of my pocket. I promised myself I'd wait to use it, but right now I was so lonely I was desperate. I pulled the spray bottle I'd "borrowed" at the last gas station I went to and began to pump. "Oh Iris, accept my offering," I chanted. "Show me Hazel." The scene wavered and then showed me Hazel, who was busy cuddling with Frank on her bunk. "Hazel!" I hissed.
"Oh, Frank," she said to him. "I'm feeling thirsty. Wanna go get me something from the camp store?" He nodded and left, and after she checked to make sure he was gone, she turned to face me. "Nico!" she exclaimed. "That was a close one! Frank can't find out you're talking to me or he'll call Percy back… oh." I don't think I heard her right.
"Percy left?" I asked numbly. "I thought he was going to be there when I came back. Hazel, when did he leave?"
"He left a couple weeks ago," she admitted. "He wouldn't tell anyone where he was going though. No one's been able to get ahold of him, and our Iris-messages aren't getting through. It's like he doesn't want to be found right now. Dad's being no help. He won't tell me if he's in the Underworld or not… Nico, it's nothing like that. You know he can go in there at any point. It's not like he hasn't done that before."
"You're right, you're right, I'm not worried," I lied. "He's bound to turn up sometime. I'm no closer to finding this stupid thing than when I first started out. I don't think I'll be home in time for the summer solstice or Fourth of July or any of that. I'm sorry." She gave me a kind smile and shook her head.
"It's okay Nico," she replied. "I understand. You have to find that…whatever it is. You still won't tell me." She scowled at me.
"Sorry sis," I said with a tiny smile. "Dad made me swear on the River Styx not to tell anyone what I was up to. I don't want anything to happen to me by telling you. I really am sorry, but this quest was for me and me only. But right now, I'm starting to think this quest isn't all that worth the time and trouble it's getting out of me." I raked my fingers through my hair, which had grown longer and shaggier than I remember. "I better get going," I said reluctantly. "Not only am I almost out of water and my arm is tired, monsters don't just hunt themselves. Though if they did it would save me and dad a lot of trouble." I stopped pumping and watched as Hazel's laughing image disappeared. I sighed. That was actually the best thing that had happened to me in weeks. At least I had updates about Percy. If I finished this dumb quest maybe I could hunt him down next. I was still cursing my dad for keeping me away this long.
~Three Years Previous~
"Dad, please," I begged. "There's got to be another way! Why can't you go hunt this thing down yourself? Or get some other half-blood to do it? There's plenty of half-bloods willing to go on a quest, even for you!" I knew this was getting into dangerous territory. He might be my dad, but don't let that fool you. Hades wouldn't hesitate to stick me in the Fields of Punishment and watch me die over and over if I pushed the wrong buttons. Or worse, and I didn't really want to think of what could be worse than that. All the same, his eyes flared with dangerous light, and I was either one step away from him backing down on this or one step away from being a soul stitched in his clothing.
"Nico," he finally said, slumping over one arm of his throne. I was confuses for a moment. He never called me Nico. He called me The Boy or some other stuff like that. "Gods are forbidden to go on quests at the moment. As for half-bloods, well, I'm sure there are some willing to go on this quest. But I need your help. I can't risk Hazel yet, and frankly, no other demigod has any clue what this monster is. But you, my boy, know exactly what you're after." My blood turned to ice, like Khione had paid an unexpected visit.
"You are seriously not asking me to track that down are you? Dad, this quest could get me killed!" He regarded me coolly, like I was an interesting flower in Persephone's garden that had sprung up unannounced.
"Possibly," he agreed, only confirming my fears of this quest. "But that is why I need you to do this quest. Only you have any real idea of what you're getting yourself into. That means you'll be careful. But," he added sharply, and it felt like a rock had sunk in my stomach. "You can't have any contact with anyone but Hazel while you're on this quest. That includes your…boyfriend…Percy Jackson."
"That's not fair!" I interrupted. "Why can't I contact my boyfriend? That's like asking me to not breathe! I love Percy dad!"
"I don't care!" Hades roared, and I stopped mid-rant. "This quest is top secret, dammit, that's why you can't contact him! I'm not heartless, however, and Hazel is your sister, so you can keep in touch with her. No more than a few minutes though. I don't want you to blow your cover. I'm also giving you until the end of the week to prepare and say your final goodbyes. You're going to be away a while, so you may want to tell that Percy of yours to not wait for you too long." Right then I hated my dad so much I visibly shook. "You may not like it Nico, but on the off chance you don't return, it may be for the best." All my anger left like someone had popped a balloon.
"Right," I mumbled. "I may not come back from this."
"Does that mean you'll go?" dad asked me. Against my better judgment, I nodded. "Great!" Hades exclaimed. "Back to camp for you to visit your friends then. See you in a week!" He waves his cloak and vanished in a flash of black smoke. I rolled my eyes shadow traveled away. My dad and his stupid parlor tricks.
~Back to Present~
I sighed and sat with my back to a tree, gazing out at the small town again. Still no movement. If nothing happened in the next few hours, I could cross this town off my list and move on. I'd probably already spent too much time here already, but I wanted to be thorough. I shifted uncomfortably and wiggled in my spot. Something bumped against my chest, and I took a quick breath. I reached inside my shirt and wrapped my hand around my necklace charm and pulled it out from under my shirt.
"Oh Prince," I said, uncurling my hand and staring at the N. I still remember the day he got it for me. Hard to believe it had been three years since I last saw him. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you much about this quest. Or call you. I will as soon as I get back, I promise." I tucked my necklace back inside my shirt and turned back to the town. I stood up and stretched my hands over my head. My Camp Half-Blood shirt rose up in the process. I lowered my arms and stared down at my shirt, feeling tears in my eyes. The first time I wore this shirt was the week I had to leave. The reason I wore it was the same thing Leo told me the day of my goodbye party. They were my family, plain and simple. I couldn't ask for a better one. And Percy. Gods, I missed Percy like you wouldn't believe. My darling Prince of the Sea.
Movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention. I whirled back to the town, where something big was lurking in the shadows. I got down on one knee and sprang my shield to life. "Show me what lurks in the shadows," I whispered to it. That was the phrase I used when I was hunting this beast. The shield went from polished metal to screen shot of the town, where a big, hairy, ugly thing was maneuvering its way around buildings, cars, and lamp posts. Somehow, no light got on it, so I didn't see it much. But I knew exactly what it was. Trust me, you didn't want to know what I was after, or you'd have nightmares for years. I still have them from time to time in addition to those dreams demigods always got.
Unslinging the hunting bow I got at a hunting cabin a few months back, I sneaked forward. I nocked an arrow and approached the monster from behind, crouching behind a lamp post and watching as it slipped from shadow to shadow. Since I don't want to tell you what it's actually called, let's call it the Shadow Creeper, or Creepy for short. Creepy waited for the longest time before silently slipping to the next patch of shadows, almost too quick to follow. I shuddered and sighted, drawing the arrow back. I shot and knew I'd snatched at the string. The arrow flew wide and bounced harmlessly off the side of Creepy's head. I ducked out of sight as Creepy turned back, peering into the darkness. Those red eyes still haunted my dreams. I shadow traveled back into the woods just as Creepy roared and took off in a sprint that would leave me hunting him for days.
"Great Nico," I scolded myself. "This was the night you were supposed to stop that dumb ass beast, and you fuck it up. Stupid, stupid, stupid." With each stupid I slammed my head against a tree. "Now you're going to spend even more time hunting this dumb ass thing down. I guess I won't see you soon Prince."
"Don't beat yourself up too bad." I nearly sprang into the nearest tree when Hazel's voice came out of nowhere. "You'll see him soon enough. You know, when he comes back from wherever he is. I'm sure he'll be back by his birthday. Even if he leaves, he always comes back for his birthday. Hey, speaking of birthdays, you recently turned sixteen, right?" Reluctantly, I nodded. Besides Percy, no one really knew my birthday. I'd told Hazel not only because she's my sister but also because I was incredibly lonely and she was my only other source of companionship right now. She held up a cupcake to the screen, dark chocolate with chocolate frosting and one green candle. Oh gods, green… "Happy belated birthday Nico," she said softly. "Make a wish."
"You know what I wish?" I said to her. She blew out the candle for me, and I couldn't help but smile. I think Hazel and I are around the same age, but she acts like the cute, younger sister I never had. "I wish I was back at camp with you guys, splashing in the lake, flying pegusi that hate me sometimes because I smell like the Underworld, finally whooping Leo's ass in sword training, and laying with Percy in his cabin, just enjoying the fact we're together. That is what I wish for my birthday."
"Oh Nico," Hazel said softly. "I know you'll return home shortly. I have faith in you. Dad does too. That's why he sent you. He's proud of you Nico, and what better way to prove how mature you've gotten than to go on a solo quest hand-picked by your dad? Percy is beyond proud of you too." At my Prince's name, I closed my eyes. "For months after you left he went around and told anyone who asked how proud he was of you and how glad he was to call himself your boyfriend. He misses you still. I don't know where he may be Nico, but know this, wherever he is, he loves you and misses you more than ever."
"Thanks sis," I croaked, trying to swallow the mouthful of cotton I'd gotten at her words. "That means a lot to hear you say that. Listen, I'm sorry to cut this short, but I have to get on the move again. Since that thing bolted, I'll be chasing it again. I've got to keep moving or I lose its trail. I'll find a drachma and contact you when I settle down again, I promise. Love you sis." I slashed my bow through the misty screen and cut the connection. I hated cutting our conversations short, but since it was part of the conditions, I had to. At least I now knew my Prince was proud of me and loved me still, even though I'd been gone almost three years. With my sixteenth birthday came the realization that I'd been on the run, hunting down this menace and the current bane of my existence, for three years, longer than I'd originally told everyone.
I hurriedly packed up my mini-camp, stuffing things in my backpack and jacket pockets. One thing I'd perfected over the years was quick setup and dismantle. I'd also learned to fight with just about any weapon in my possession. I stopped packing and pulled the photo I carried around with me at all times out of my pocket. It was Percy and I with our arms around each other the first year I'd been at camp. We'd won Capture the Flag and he had the flag in his other hand. Annabeth took the picture to help me remember my first victory at camp. I was grinning at the camera, and Percy was grinning down at me. It was the first time he'd really looked at me, and whenever I looked at the photo, I was surprised by the love and affection in his eyes. The picture always made me smile though. I put it back in my jacket pocket.
"I'll see you soon enough Prince," I said. "I'll kill this dumb ass and you bet I'll hunt your ass down too." Chuckling to myself at my own wit, I shouldered my bag and began to follow Creepy.
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First chapter done! I really hope you enjoyed it!
