Nico couldn't stand to stay around after the war was won. The heroes were the seven, how could anyone else have possibly helped? Reyna said 'they'll notice that we helped one day', they wouldn't. Nico knew they wouldn't.
No-one ever noticed Nico, it even took Hazel a while to notice him through all the celebrations. Nico had helped win the last war and he had helped win this war but of course, Percy always got all the credit – even when Luke should have really got a lot of the credit last time even though it was his fault but that's something to go into another time.
Everyone seemed to notice that Percy and Annabeth woke up screaming, that it was harder for them to eat, but did anyone notice that Nico woke up screaming, that Nico never ate? No they didn't. For all they cared, Nico might aswell already be dead.
Nico wanted to get away, but he didn't want to die. There would be no-one waiting for him in the underworld. He wanted to let go and have some fun for once, he wanted to have the childhood that was cut so miserably short. He thought about how everyone took pity on Leo and felt sorry for him because he had had nowhere to go after his mom died, how he'd ran away time after time, but no-one took pity on Nico, because Nico already knew he was a demigod when he ran away. He was still only ten though. Nico had grown up so fast that no-one realised that he was still only fourteen.
Nico fled Camp Half Blood quickly devising his plan. He said goodbye to Hazel, he had to lie, he told her he would be back in a week – but Nico knew he certainly wouldn't be. He went to see his father, he told him where he was going. He told him that if he should need him again he should come and get him but not because some stupid kid had noticed he was missing, he'd gone missing before and he could go missing again – perhaps for a lot longer this time.
Nico went to the Lotus Casino. He could almost forget the past four years when he was in there playing endless games, spending endless money with a comfy bed and shower to himself. But it was only an almost, for the heartbreak and the misery was always still lingering at the back of his mind, he wouldn't forget this time round, but nothing compelled him to leave, it compelled him to stay because no-one cared about him. They would all go on to live their lives. Frank would rule as Praetor, Hazel by his side. Jason and Piper would live long happy lives, Leo would maybe get Calypso back, if not he would find someone else. Percy and Annabeth would get married and probably have ten kids. But Nico, Nico would stay here, where he had no worries, where he could enjoy himself. There wasn't anything for Nico out in the real world, not anymore.
He knew how dangerous the timewarp in the Lotus Casino could be but he didn't care, he forgot about it soon enough. He played for months, and those months turned into years. It seemed as if he had been there for just short of two years when a familiar face turned up, well, not exactly familiar but he knew who it was. It was Hermes the messenger god. He looked at Nico sternly. 'You know, I try my best to deliver peoples messages but when people go missing for millennia – then it gets hard.' He pointed at Nico. 'I've been looking for you for almost a thousand years. Message after message I've had to send back, or give to your father. He said oh no, he's not dead just missing! MISSING. There was a boy that wrote to you almost every month for seventy years. SEVENTY YEARS WORTH OF MESSAGES and you are missing. I've searched and searched and searched for you, because I like to try my best. There was a girl that wrote to you every year, another boy that wrote every once in a while and most recently a centaur.' Hermes handed him a message after he had finished his rant. 'Try not to go missing again Mr di Angelo, you're more important than you think' he said like a fed up teacher. Then he dissaperared. Nico tore open the letter and read it. Who were these people writing to him?
Dear Nico, it said. Please come back to Camp Half blood. I'm afraid another great prophecy has begun but all the demigods are undertrained. The older ones all got killed on a quest and I am only a centaur, I cannot train them on my own. I need your help. You were one of the best.
Yours sincerely.
Chrion
Nico didn't know what to do. Someone asking him for help. He decided to go, after all Hermes had said it had been a thousand years, apparently he had gotten a lot of mail in that time, he'd better check it out.
He arrived at half-blood hill and he saw the valley stretched out, looking exactly as it had when he had left. The cabins were still there, the big house and the strawberry fields, the woods and the climbing wall, the dining pavilion, all still there. It brought back memories, not many but some. Thalia's pine tree stood next to him and he wondered if Thalia was still out there, serving Artemis as a huntress. He walked down the hill and was greeted by lots of campers running towards him. The youngest was maybe six and the oldest only twelve. Where had all the demigods gone? Nico was taller than them all, he was probably seventeen by now, maybe sixteen. They all started shouting until one of the oldest ones, still half a foot smaller than Nico put his hand up and said 'SHUT UP!'
'Are you a demigod?' He said abrubtly.
'Yes . . .' Nico nodded his head slowly.
'But you look too old to have just found out.' He criticized.
'I found out I was a demigod a long, long time ago.' Nico continued.
'How come you haven't been at camp half blood then?' One of the younger ones said.
'I like to live my own life.' Nico awnsered than Chiron came trotting towards the group of young demigods surrounding Nico.
'Nico di Angelo' he called. 'I have waited for the day when we would see your face again. Many thought you were dead, though us immortals knew better.'
When Chiron said his name all the campers gasped. 'Nico di Angelo' they whispered in unison. Then the shouting began. It was commotion, all of them shouting different things like 'But he died a thousand years ago' and 'how is he alive' and 'who was his dad again?' and 'what did he do?' and 'why is he here?'
Chiron silenced them and smiled at Nico. 'He is here to train you. One of the most powerful demigods I've ever met. Perhaps more powerful than Percy Jackson.' That hit Nico in the heart. He was powerful, but was used to his power being pushed aside for that of Percy Jackson or Jason Grace. Nico di Angelo certainly wasn't used to being called the most powerful.
'MORE POWERFUL THAT PERCY JACKSON!' one of the youngest boys shouted amazedly. 'OH MY GODS!' He sounded excited, kind of like Nico when he was nine or ten.
'I'm sure Nico will tell you the story as to why he is still alive later, and as to why he is the most powerful to those who haven't heard it, won't you Nico?'
Nico nodded reluctantly. The campers ran off at Chirons instructions. 'Thank you for coming' he said. 'Your cabin is exactly how you left it, I've had to send people in to dust though.' He chuckled.
So he went to his cabin, the cabin that he had only slept in about five times. He went over to the only bunk and there he found a pile of about a thousand messages burying his bed. A lot were short and sweet but some had pages and pages and pages. They were all signed with the same name, Percy. They all had dates on the top and the dates ranged from a week after Nico went missing to 2076. He prayed to Hermes that they be sorted in date order and suddenly they were. The first one said,
Dear Nico,
We miss you, all of us. A lot of people are saying you're never going to come back including Jason. He said you felt like you couldn't stay because you don't belong but I don't believe that, I've never believed that. Please come back.
Percy.
A tear came to Nico's eye. There was more to read though. The second was sent a month after the first.
Dear Nico,
If you got my last letter, you know that I want you to come back, where are you? Please write, or even better come back – I know it only takes a second to shadow-travel. If I knew where you were I'd come and get you. I've been looking for you, so has Hazel and Jason. Annabeth hasn't, she said it's payback for when you didn't tell her you'd found me – I don't blame you though. Hazel's miserable and Jason thinks it's his fault you're gone, but I know it's my fault. I didn't know how much I liked having you around until now. Please come back, I miss you.
Percy.
They had looked for him?
This one was dated three months later.
Dear Nico,
Frank and Hazel went back to new Rome. Hazel misses you a lot. Leo still hasn't found Calypso. Everything is good here, but it would be better with you. Still missing you.
Percy.
A lot of the letters went like that. With a couple of month gaps, updating Nico on what was happening, asking him to come back.
The next was dated Percy's birthday.
Dear Nico,
It's my birthday today, eighteen. Two years since the prophecy. Can you believe it's been six years since I found out I was a demigod? I've had nothing to do the past year, aside from look for you. I wish you'd come back. I'm still looking for you. Oh, and you'll never guess what Annabeth told me this morning. She's pregnant. I'm going to be a father, how great is that! She doesn't know if it's going to be a boy or a girl but it's due in March. I hope you're back before then. If it's a girl we're going to call it Bianca, if it's a boy, Luke. You could be Uncle Nico, how cool would that be? I still miss you loads.
Percy.
The fact that Percy was planning on naming his child Bianca, that brought more tears to Nico's eyes.
The next letter was dated two months after that.
Dear Nico,
I keep having nightmares. I've been having them since Tartarus but no-one knows, not even Annabeth. They are getting worse and I don't know what to do. Did you have nightmares like this? I wish you were here to hold my hand when I cried. I know you would understand.
Percy.
More tears. Why did Nico have to go and leave? He should have stayed.
The next few were short, explaining about Annabeth's pregnancy and when they told the other campers. Mr D's hilarious reaction. Then came the one dated the 19th March.
Dear Nico,
Annabeth had the baby last night. It's a girl, Bianca. I hope you don't mind. She's beautiful and I love her more than even Annabeth. We got a small apartment in New York and Annabeth got a two year contract as an Architect. At the end of a year if she does well, she gets five million dollars, she's designing a massive skyscraper for someone really important, I don't know who. I miss you and I wish you could see Bianca.
Percy.
The next was dated almost two years later.
Dear Nico,
You still haven't come back. Everyone says you're dead because you haven't gone missing for this long before. I don't believe it. I never told you this in the other letters but shortly after you went missing I went to the underworld looking for you. Hades said you weren't dead but you wanted to get away. I don't know what that means and only you can tell me. Hermes keeps sending the letters I write back to me, he says he can't find you. I hope you read these letters one day, see how much I miss you. I'm sorry I haven't had chance to write in a while, everything has been hectic with a new-born baby and stuff. I sometimes help at Camp Half-Blood too. I have to take Bianca with me because Annabeth is usually at work but I don't mind, the campers love her. I love being a father. It's tiring but the best thing in the world. Today, I was training a new kid. I took him to the weapons store and there was a glass case in there labelled DO NOT TOUCH, thank you, Hades lord of the dead. You know what was in that case? Your stygian iron sword. I don't know where you are but why don't you have your sword with you? Are you dead? I hope you are not, I hope you are somewhere safe enough that you don't need your sword, but I want you here, with me more than anything. I still have nightmares and only you could make it better Nico. I have a feeling things are going to get worse. Please come home.
Love Percy.
He didn't say come back there, he said come home. Nico didn't know what to say, what to think.
Later on, when he had regained his composure from the last letter, he ran across to the weapons store then and smashed the glass box with his sword in. It felt good and familiar in his hands. An alarm went off then and someone came running. 'You can't take that!' a child's voice said. 'Hades will kill you, that's his sons sword! The one who went missing.'
Nico turned and smiled a manic smile, the smile that came to his face in the middle of a battle when it was clear who was going to win. 'And what if I am that son who went missing? Is he still going to kill me?'
The younger demigod gulped. 'No sir. Sorry.' The poor kid even bowed. Nico ruffled his hair.
'It's okay kid. Just doing you're best.'
'Can I . .. can I touch it . . . sir.'
'Of course' Nico laughed.
'How many monsters have you killed?' The child of about eight asked him in awe.
'Too many to count.' Nico said.
'A hundred'
'More than that.'
'A thousand?'
'Maybe.'
'Coooooool!' The kid said. 'Chiron and Percy and Jason told us stories about you, how you went through the labyrinth alone and how you held of Kronos' army while Percy Jackson helped kill Kronos on Olympus and how you brought someone back form the dead and how you fought you're way through tartarus and found the doors of death!' Nico winced at the mention of Tartarus. A thousand years and he still hadn't forgotten.
Nico tried to smile. 'Well, maybe one day you'll have killed as many monsters as me.' He said. He hoped the kid didn't have to try. 'You know, you remind me of a little boy I used to know a long, long time ago. He used to play mythomagic.' Nico told the kid. He really reminded him of himself.
'Oh my gods, I love mythomagic!' At that Nico had to smile. 'You know, you have a mythomagic card! Wanna see them!' He dragged Nico along.
They had made mythomagic cards of Percy, Jason, Hazel, Leo, Frank, Piper, Annabeth, Reyna, Thalia, Nico and even Festus. Nico had to smile at them. 'I never thought I'd meet you' The little boy said. 'This says you died in 2010.'
'Well, I didn't'
'I love your sword' He said. The kid was easily distracted like a lot of demigods. It must've been the ADHD.
'I've got to go now' Nico said after the little boy explained his cards. 'But you really do remind me of that little boy.' Nico didn't say this, but the boy reminded him of himself, years ago when he was happy. He wished he could go back to that. He went back to his cabin and began to read the rest of Percy's heartbreaking letters, he knew he was only going to make himself suffer by reading them but who cares, he wanted to know if things did get worse or if Percy was just fretting.
This one was only a month later.
Dear Nico,
Things did get worse. Annabeth's dead. She died two days ago in a car accident, what a normal way to go after all these years. Here I am, left holding the baby with her millions of pounds in my hand. You're the only person I can tell all of this too, the others don't know yet but they will soon. I'm crying writing this and Bianca's asleep. I envy her because she won't remember Annabeth, she won't remember what a wonderful person she was and how amazing she was and just everything about her. One day I'm going to tell Bianca about her mother and all the adventures we went on but not yet. One day I'll tell Bianca about her namesake, your Bianca and how amazing she was, I'll tell her how amazing you were too and how many times you saved my stupid life and how much I miss you too. Now I have two people to miss. Annabeth was my best friend aswell as my wife, did I tell you we got married? – I think I did. Bianca is all I have left and I have to be strong for her. She's two now. I need to organise Annabeth's funeral but I don't know how, my heart is broken and I don't think it can be fixed, now I know how you felt for I realise now that I broke you over and over so I'm sorry Nico. I didn't know what it was like to lose someone you truly loved with all your heart, now I do. I would've killed myself yesterday if I didn't have Bianca. I don't need to get a job because Annabeth earned enough money to keep me going for years, I just need to look after Bianca. I need something to take my mind off Annabeth so I might go back to camp half-blood to train the younger demigods once Bianca goes to nursery. I haven't slept since Annabeth died two days ago, I haven't eaten either. I couldn't bear sleeping in that bed alone, the nightmares would be worse. I'm going to have to sleep eventually but I don't know how, I wish you were here to hold my hand, because you would understand. Please come home and hold me while I cry, I don't want to be alone Nico. I know, I left you alone but please, don't leave me alone. Come home.
Love Percy.
Three years of happiness, is that all Percy was allowed after all he'd done? Nico wished he'd been there for him, to comfort him.
Dear Nico,
Are you down there with Annabeth? Did she choose Rebirth? (she said she would years ago)Or are you alive, just hiding? Are you ever going to come home?
The others found out yesterday. I had to invite them to the funeral. They told me to organise your funeral aswell but I don't believe you're dead, I won't believe you're dead. I still haven't slept. Piper and Jason offered to look after Bianca for a while but I said no because I can't let her go. I let Annabeth go, just to go to work and look what happened. I will never let Bianca out of my sight because she is the most precious thing in the world to me. Hazel's been staying with me, she doesn't know I haven't slept yet. She thinks I'm sleeping when really I'm crying, when really I'm writing these letters to you. I want you to come home. When I cry, I'm not only mourning for Annabeth, I will mourn for you too, until you come home. The thought that one day, you'll turn up at my door – that thought will keep me alive.
Love Percy.
Nico had to stop reading for a moment. He couldn't see - everything was fuzzy. He took a deep breath.
The next letter was three years later.
Dear Nico,
My heart still hurts. It will remain broken forever I fear. Every night I wake up screaming. It must scare Bianca but I can't stop. She's five now and she's all I have. I took her to school for the first time yesterday. I got asked by one of the other moms, 'is she you're little sister?' very politely. I'm only 23 remember (I don't look it, I only look eighteen still). I replied 'No, she's my daughter.' Politely. The woman said 'Oh, where's your girlfriend, shouldn't she bring her to school while you earn a living?' I said 'My girlfriend died, my daughter is all I have left.' The woman looked at me disgustedly, I don't know why, maybe because I'm so young. A few of the other moms, when they heard she was my daughter, asked me how old I and Annabeth were when we had her. I said eighteen. They didn't like that. They asked me why I didn't put her up for adoption, they said 'poor girl' when she skipped by. This made me angry, I wanted to get my sword out and stab them all because I'm trying my best and I think I'm doing pretty well. I love Bianca and I'm going to raise her as well as I can. I went into the nursery with her, she didn't want to go, she cried and that broke my heart. I stayed with her that day because they let the parents stay on the first day, the nursery workers took pity on me too because I was a young single parent. Bianca enjoyed it. She's at nursery now, and I'm sat in a coffee shop writing you this letter. My mom say's I'm a great parent, her and Paul come by every now and then, so does Hazel and Jason. Mrs O Leary is still at camp half-blood. Bianca loves her. Blackjack is there too, he asked me why you're never with me anymore. I told him you were gone. He didn't ask anymore. Connor Stoll came up to me this morning and he asked me where you'd gone. He said he remembered that winter when you were in the Hermes cabin with them. He said you'd be twenty now. Ten years since we found you. He said it's a pity you ran away, they really liked you, you know. My mom asked me if I still talked to you too. I said yeah, because I'm kind of talking to you, even though you never respond. You might not think it but everyone misses you, especially me. Hazel misses you too, she wants you to come home more than I do.
Love Percy.
Hearing of how these horrible people treated Percy made Nico want to punch them into Tartarus, but then again he wouldn't wish Tartarus on anyone, not even Gaia, not even Tartarus himself, if that made sense. Hearing how everyone asked after him, made Nico cry. In the Lotus he saw a film, about time travel called Meet the Robinsons but there was this boy, Goob, and he thought everyone hated him, but they didn't really. Nico was a bit like him.
The letters started getting less and less frequent.
Dear Nico,
I'm twenty-six now. Ten years since the Prophecy, crazy isn't it. Bianca's eight now. She's starting to ask questions about Annabeth because she's realised that all the other kids have a mommy and a daddy. She only has me. I told her that Annabeth loved her but she died. I think she understood. Bianca looks like Annabeth, and it kills me. I don't like saying goodbye to her at the start of the school day because what if she doesn't come back? The other day, the teacher came out and said to me at the end of the day 'I know it breaks your heart to see her go' she said as Bianca skipped around. I looked at the teacher Miss Ember i think it was. She only looked about twenty-four. 'Out of all the parents I've seen, you seem to love your child the most. I can tell you've lost a lot Mr Jackson.' I replied with 'Biancas all I have left.' She said 'I thought so, perhaps you may want to tell her about her mother. We're going to be doing a project on families soon, so maybe it might be best to awnser the difficult questions now.' Miss Ember smiled. I nodded at her. That's partly why Bianca started asking questions. Today Bianca drew a picture of her family. She drew me and her, then she drew Annabeth, as a ghost which made me cry. They got asked to describe their family and do you want to know what she put? She put Usually it's just me and daddy. I don't remember mommy but daddy said she was the best person in the world. Sometimes Uncle Jason and Auntie Piper and sometimes Auntie Hazel are here too. Daddy says he wants Uncle Nico to come home but I never met him. I wish I could because daddy says he's the best person he'd ever met. How cute is that? I told her about you and Bianca. The other kids always ask her about her Uncles and Aunties because most of them only have one or two. They got asked at school who their favourite person In the world was Bianca said, my Daddy, but if I knew him, Uncle Nico because he was daddy's favourite person. I didn't know what to say to that. I wish she could meet you, and you could meet her. I haven't stopped looking for you Nico.
Love Percy.
0h my gods. This was hard.
Dear Nico,
Where are you? I saw your dad today. Weird isn't it? I was coming back from dropping Bianca off at school and I saw a guy in a weird coat, in central park. The fabric was like, moving. I realised it was your dad and his cloak of souls. I've never seen him out of the underworld. He looked as if he was looking for someone. He looked real sad. I went up to him and asked him if he'd lost something. He said he'd been to the summer solstice on Olympus. I asked him about you but he just said he didn't know. He told me it was my fault you went missing, was it? I don't know if he cared but I told him we named our child Bianca. He said he wanted to see her, so I thought, well I can't refuse the lord of the dead. All the other moms were whispering about him One even asked me who he was. I said he's my uncle, which he technically is. Bianca wasn't scared of him, but the other kids were. He took one look at Bianca and said that she'd live along and happy life, unlike her namesake. Then he disappeared. Yesterday Bianca came out crying. She said that all the other kids moms had told them to stay away from her because of me. They had said 'My mom said your dad's trouble.' She didn't like that. Also, the god's seem to have finally relaxed after the war nine years ago. My dad visits me sometimes, he said he has more time now. I wish you'd visit me too, if you're still alive.
Love Percy.
Dear Nico,
It's Bianca's birthday today, she's ten. We had a little tea party for her, my mom and Paul came over, my dad even showed up with Athena which was really strange because Athena like, hates me. They didn't stay long though, it gave my mom a shock. Jason and Piper came round and so did Hazel. Tomorrow some of Bianca's friends are coming round, I don't know whether their parents will let them come though. I wish you could be here. The pain still hasn't gone away. I love you Nico.
Love Percy.
The letters started getting less and less frequent.
Dear Nico,
Bianca moved out today. She's twenty. I almost couldn't let her go. Why haven't you came back yet?
Love Percy.
Finally Nico got to the last letter.
Dear Nico,
I'm dying and you're still not here. I've waited for you my entire life so I hope you're down there waiting for me when I die. If not, I'll wait a little while longer. Bianca is here holding my hand, she's married and she's got three kids. Luke, Annabeth and Nico. She chose the names after the stories I told her. I can barely write now. I'm eighty-one, can you believe I lived that long, I thought I'd die at sixteen. The nightmares never went away and I never loved anyone else, not after you and Annabeth. I have loved you my whole life Nico. Please, if you get this, come say goodbye, that's my dying wish. I have no-one down there, Annabeth will have chose rebirth. I don't want to die without you by my side. I still miss you, I never stopped looking for you, I never stopped loving you. I hope I'll see you soon but if not, I'll wait.
I miss you and I love you,
Percy.
Nico was really crying. He didn't know what to say. He got a lump in his throat and he sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. Percy never forgot him. Nico had made some bad choices before but not sticking around was the worst choice he ever made. He wished he could turn back time. He cried for hours but eventually his eyes ran dry.
Nico stumbled out of his cabin and made his way to the campfire in the middle of the green. Hestia was still there after all these years. 'Hello my Lady' Nico said, his voice hoarse.
'Nico di Angelo. It's been a long time, too long.' The goddess said. 'Sit' she patted the space next to her.
Nico sat. 'I've er . . . been away.'
'I noticed. You still made time to talk to me. The first and last still.' Hestia said sadly. 'I'm glad you're back.'
Nico smiled. 'I'm still the only one that talks to you?' He said. He would have thought someone would make time, not just him surely.
'Yes, many ignore me. They do not have time for me, they do not notice me, and perhaps they do not have the courage. Well, those demigods do not know how to play the game of the gods and so they will not be trusted with the gods' secrets. So be it.'
Nico laughed. 'I'm not sure I would want to be trusted with the gods secrets.'
'Oh, but you have been many times. You are the best player there is in the game of the gods, you are the only demigod who understands the rules so to say.'
'The best player there is. Is that why I'm so powerful?' Nico asked, intruiged.
'Part of it, yes. Mind Percy Jackson was very, very powerful but well, he did not understand the etiquette, he did not know how to play the game of the gods. You have known since you were ten years old and many never do.'
'Since I decided to talk to you.'
'Yes, and for many other reasons too. Where have you been?' Hestia demanded.
'I went to the lotus. I, er, I wanted a childhood since, well, mine was taken from me. I had ten years then my memories were washed away in the lethe, then suddenly my sisters dead and, and I'm on my own, running. I ran for a long time and it was too much – I almost went insane.'
'You've changed Nico.'
'Tartarus tends to change a person.' Nico said bitterly. Hestia looked at him with concern.
'I wouldn't know.'
'Well, I'm glad you're still here.' Nico said, getting up.
'And I'm glad you're back. A thousand years with no-one to talk to, that can be lonely.'
Him and Hestia stared at the fire for a while.
Nico walked away then, over to the lake. The lake that reminded him of Percy, long dead Percy. Suddenly the horn sounded for the campfire. By the time Nico got there all the campers were sat there. When they saw him, they made a space right at the front. 'Can we hear a story?' one of the younger campers asked.
'Er . .' Chiron thought. 'A story, okay erm . .'
'I can tell a story.' Nico interjected.
'Okay, fire away.'
All the campers looked at him, waiting. 'Well, a long, long time ago a little boy was born in Venice. It was 1932 and world war two was brewing. Italy was under the ruling of Mussolini, it wasn't a good time to be in Europe.' Nico explained. 'The little boy had an older sister, a sister he loved with all his heart. She was only two years older than him and she was his best friend.' Nico paused. He couldn't cry. 'The little boy's mother decided to move to America, Los Angeles to be exact. She took the little boy and his sister with her and they stayed in a hotel, until they could find somewhere, but all this is not important to the story really.'
'Tell us the proper story then!'
'Okay . . . The little boy's mother was killed, in an explosion. It was 1942 now. The little boy and his sister's memories were washed in the Lethe after that and their father put them in the Lotus Hotel, a place where time stands still. They stayed there for many, many years until the world became troubled. The little boy's father had a plan for him, for when he grew up but the little boy had only met his father a few times. He didn't even know his name.
'Suddenly, one day, the little boy and his sister were taken out of the lotus hotel by a lawyer. They were taken to a boarding school near New York. Then one Christmas, the little boy noticed four new people at the school but no-one else noticed them. There was two boys and two girls. That's not important though. One of the boys, I'll call him the Hero, he took the little boy and his sister and he told them there were monsters looking for them. There was a monster but the Hero defeated it. Then a strange group of girls came out of the woods and his sister joined them. The little boy's sister was the only person he'd ever truly loved and he loved her more than anything. Now she had left him alone in a heartbeat.
'The little boy's sister went on a quest with these girls and the Hero that had saved them. The Hero was the little boy's dreams come true, he admired everything about him, he loved everything about him.' Nico smiled, remembering.
'The little boy's sister was killed on this quest and this killed the little boy. His sister was everything to him and now, she was never coming back.' A tear trickled down Nico's cheek but no-one noticed so he carried on. 'The little boy was angry at the Hero, for not protecting his sister. He was angry at the Hero for making him feel the way he did. The hero said his sister had died getting a figurine for him. The only figurine the little boy didn't have in his game of Mythomagic. The Hero gave the figure to the little boy, but the little boy didn't want it. He took one look at it and threw it back at the hero. The figurine was the little boy's father, but I won't tell you who it was just yet. You might guess.
'For months the little boy searched for his big sisters ghost, to talk to her or to even bring her back but she did not want to be found. The little boy had fled into the labyrinth. He was desperate and he was alone. His sister had left him all alone, he had lost everything. In the labyrinth he saw a ghost. The ghost helped him try and find his sister. The ghost said, a soul for a soul. But this little boy was too kind to take another's soul. He had a heart of gold, but over the years he built a cage of steel up around it. So he offered his own but his sister would not take it. Months of the little boys life wasted. He was truly alone. He hated the Hero no matter how many times he tried to help him, no matter how many times the Hero saved his life, but the little boy saved the Hero many times because no matter how much he hated the hero, he loved him twice that much. The hero couldn't know that though.
'The little boy accepted that he couldn't get his sister back eventually, but he never really gave up hope. He went to live with his father and he was told a lot of secrets about the great prophecy. 'Seven half-bloods shall awnser the call, to storm or fire the world must fall, an oath to keep with a final breath and foes bear arms to the doors of death.' He was told of the goddess Hera's plan, for the Hero and for another boy. He was told of another camp, for demigods in the west, one that the other camp could not know of. He was told that Death had gone missing. Death had gone missing. The little boy might be able to get his sister back. He searched the underworld for her, but never found her. He was told she'd chosen to be reborn. She really had left him all alone, even in death.' Nico took a deep breath then continued.
'The little boy walked dejectedly through the fields of aposhdel for a long time. There he noticed a girl, about his age but something about her was different, she remembered her time living. He brought her back from the dead, he gave her a second chance. He took her to the camp only he knew about and she was happy there. The little boy visited his sister from time to time, but never for too long, he never stayed in one place for too long. Then he heard that the Hero had gone missing. He loved him, but he knew it was part of the gods plan.
'The Hero turned up at the camp where the little boys sister was staying, this surprised the little boy because he hated the hero and he loved the hero. He didn't say anything though. The little boy disappeared soon after, he went to look for the doors of death, because they needed closing on both sides and only he could find the other side. The little boy looked and looked, and he fell. He fell into Tartarus alone. But the little boy was strong, he may not have looked it with his pale skin and dark hair, but he was strong. He fought his way through with his stygian iron sword and reached the doors of death. He almost went insane and now I think maybe he actually did. But at the doors of death he got captured by giants.
'He was imprisioned in a jar for days. He gave up hope of being rescued very soon because who cared for him? He did get rescued though. The hero and the heros friends rescued him. the Hero didn't like it that the little boy didn't tell him who he was when he saw him at the other camp but that was forgotten because the heroes girlfriend was dangling above tartarus, about to fall in. The hero tried to save her, but they both fell. The little boy knew exactly what was down there, and he knew that the hero, the hero he both loved and hated, didn't stand a chance.
'Before the hero fell though, he made the little boy promise to lead his friends to the Doors of Death in Eprius, Greece. The little boy promised, because what else could he do? The little boy did it, still hiding his secret love for the Hero. They saved the Hero but then the little boy had promised that he would leave forever and so he did. He left and he never went back until now, when everyone he knew was long dead and gone.' Nico finished.
'And do you want to know who the little boy's father was?'
They nodded.
'I'll give you a clue, the figurine the little boy pitifully refused was Hades, Lord of the Dead.'
'And the little boy was you.' One of the campers finished for him. Nico nodded solemnly.
Everyone was silent as Nico got up and walked away. They watched him go then, as soon as he walked into his cabin and shut the door, they all went back to their cabins too. Nico slid down the locked door and landed on his bum. He brought his knees up to his chest and he cried. Why did he ever leave the lotus casino, where he was happy playing games for eternity? Oh, yeah, that's right. Because someone needed him.
Because someone needed him. He had done so many things for people who needed him, and what had he got in return? He had been pushed aside and been ignored as soon as the quest or whatever was over. He'd never even been sent on his own quest, he'd always just helped with others or made up his own, to follow leads on his family or whatever. Nico was just a piece in someone else's games.
He cried for hours, about the train wreck his life had been, about the life he could have had with Percy if the fucker made his mind up earlier and actually said he would miss him if he disappeared, and about the stupid things he'd done, like disappear. If only he'd stayed.
But, wait. Maybe Percy's ghost was in the underworld. Maybe, just maybe, he could see him again.