For once Nico was having an ordinary day. So of course the fates had to mess it up.
It had started as a harmless Saturday afternoon at camp half-blood. Nico had woken up late and slowly made his way to the dining pavilion for lunch, all the while glaring at the sunlight streaming through the weak wispy clouds. It was raining outside the border, but the camp was lively and full of activity in the spring weather, most campers excitedly getting ready for capture the flag later that evening. Nico could hear the tell-tale signs of sparring in the distance, the occasional twang of a bow, and hammering from the forges further up the camp. He couldn't help but grin. Chiron had explained yesterday at dinner that today's game would have an unusual twist, but he wasn't willing to explain further until lunch this afternoon.
"Nico!" Will called from the Hades Table. He was sitting with Annabeth and Percy; they were clearly waiting for the son of Hades before they began eating. Nico dodged between the gatherings of campers swarming toward the sacrificial fire as he made his way to the table.
"Hey guys," He breathed. "Sorry I slept in." Shaking his head Will bumped Nico's shoulder as he sat down.
"No problem death boy, we were going to wait for you anyways. What's a few extra hours?" Will stated while grinning fondly.
Percy grumbled from across the table, "Can I please eat now?" His face had an unusual paler too it, and bags underneath his eyes highlighted how little the son of Poseidon had been sleeping lately. Nico understood what Percy was going through. He was still plagued with visions of Tartarus on a nightly basis. Annabeth shot him a worried glance before summoning a grilled cheese to her plate and some chopped veggies. Percy quickly summoned some blue cheese pizza as he began to munch.
The afternoon continued in much the same fashion as the four finished lunch then practiced sparring and battle strategy. No one knew what the teams for capture the flag would be, as the last game ended in a draw after hours of fruitless fighting on both sides.
Finally dinner rolled around and Annabeth dragged Percy excitedly towards the dining pavilion; Will and Nico following behind with their hands loosely linked. After seating themselves once again at the Hades table, this time Piper and Jason (who had yet to return to New Rome) joined them, Chiron stood at the head table.
"Now campers," Chiron's voice echoed over the dining pavilion,"today's game of Capture the Flag has a new twist on it as i told you all yesterday. Now, as it was not my suggestion to bend the rules to provide a much needed refresher, Mr. D will explain today's game!" Chiron nodded to the slightly pudgy man seated beside him sipping a diet coke wearing a hideous orange hawaiian shirt with dolphins on it. Mr. D rolled his eyes dramatically and Chiron took a step back.
"Well brats, it goes like this," Mr. D paused to take a sip of his diet coke, still seated, then continued to outline the bizarre new rules of Capture the Flag. "there will be no more cabin teams for this game. You may all play on your own, or you may form alliances with other campers, teams and partners are not restricted to godly parents; choose whomever you please. Also each team or pairing will be given their own flag, which doesn't have to be attached to a location. One person per a team is designated as the 'flag bearer' and they will remain so for the duration of the game. A flag can only be attained from this 'flag bearer' if they are deemed unworthy to continue fighting or they forfeit willing, and the flag must be kept in plain view at all times. A maximum of 15 campers to a team, minimum of one. It's a free for all, the team at the end of the night with the most flags wins. Lastley," Mr. D said his final statement with an evil gleam in his eye,"All tricks, powers, strategies or surprises are allowed. Don't hold back kiddo's." With that Mr.D leaned back and continued to sip his drink. Chiron then dismissed everyone to work out final alliances and strategies. The game started in an hour.
Everything was going wonderful. Nico had teamed up with Will and they were currently hiding up a tree watching the carnage from above. Piper, Annabeth, Percy, and Jason had all teamed up and were currently winning after having gathered a total of 5 flags including their own. Nico and Will had been up in the same tree for almost 3 hours, watching the mayhem unfold. The game had started simply at first. A group of Demeter kids unleashing hell on a group of Hephaestus kids almost won just for half the Athena cabin to swoop in and take both groups flags in one well planned maneuver leaving both the other teams totalled. Various teams passing below them but none of them noticed the two boys above them. Nico quite enjoyed himself, even if he was crammed uncomfortably up against a rough tree branch. He go to snuggle into Will to keep warm, and that alone was enough to make him feel content with the game. Will must have felt the same as he had wrapped his arms around Nico's shoulders some time back.
A shout of victory startled Nico into reality as Percy whooped and gathered a sixth flag from a team of three Hecate campers. Annabeth smiled and pecked him on the cheek as Piper cheered. Nico squinted at the team below them, then elbowed Will in the stomach lightly. He looked as if he was about to doze off.
"Ugh, what?" Will blinked rapidly and shifted more upright, breaking his hold on Nico.
Nico pointed below them to the celebrating demi-gods. "Where did Jason go?" he whispered panicked.
"That can't be good" Will muttered as his eyes widened. "Nico I think it's time to relocate."
Nico nodded and gripped Will's arm willing the shadows to gather them and take them to a different tree across the forest when a sharp gust of wind blew the boys from the tree. Nico yelped as he was thrown into the clearing below him, Will a millisecond behind him. Before they could land headfirst on the unforgiving ground a cushion of air formed and softened their fall into a gentle tumble onto the grass. Jason landed gracefully beside them as Percy laughed outright at the murderous expression on Nico's face.
"Okay Nico give up the flag nice and easy and you two love birds won't get hurt too badly." Jason said while grinning madly, his golden sword out and at the ready. Nico just sneered at Jason with a twinkle in his eye as he gripped his sword harder.
"Oh it won't be that easy. Come and get it sparky!" Nico grinned as he rolled to his feet, pushing Will behind him. Percy and Annabeth had settled themselves around the four demigods, ready for a great show, Piper had unsheathed her dagger and challenged Will.
Jason laughed and lunged at Nico, and Nico whipped out his stygian iron sword and parried the blow easily. Jason and Nico began to duel with Will fending off Piper behind them. Nico twirled and dodged Jason as he tried to knock him off his feet with strategically placed bursts of wind. Nico parried easily and slipped into the shadows just to appear behind Jason to try to get the upper hand. Jason spun and fell to his knees to hold back the fierce drop cut Nico delivered. The two boys continued to spar all the while grinning madly.
Piper and Will were faring well. Piper repetitively took swipes at Will while trying to use her charmspeak to influence will.
"Will you will do the chicken dance right now. You feel like dancing. How about the Macarana?" Piper suggested too Will as she dodged a swipe from his sword. Will grinned and continued to sing a charmspeak cancelling hym he had picked up the month previous when Piper had charmspoken him into wearing black for a full week. The two continued to duel, neither gaining the upperhand.
Nico almost had Jason's flags when Jason launched himself over Nico's head in a last desperate move. He landed and swung his leg out behind him sending Nico to the ground. Before Nico could even blink Jason's sword was at his throat.
"Good fight Nico, but im afraid im going to need that scarf now." Jason panted. Sword balanced precariously on Nico's collarbone.
"Aw i'm sorry Jason, I just can't do that." Nico tutted, not at all sorry. Nico grinned wide as he slipped into the shadow, Jason's sword slipping to the ground as he vanished. Percy groaned in the background.
Jason huffed, "Come on dude I totally had you!" he spun looking for Nico. Percy and Annabeth had started to scout the immediate area as well looking for Nico and Will and Piper continued to duel loudly in the clearing.
"I said do the funky chicken! Will you really want to do the funky chicken!" Piper was practically shouting her charmspeak at Will, but he just continued to sing louder. Percy was beginning to twitch and want to dance as her charmspeak started to affect him. Annabeth noticed and was trying her hardest not to laugh at her boyfriend when Nico launched himself out of a shadow directly in front of her, causing her to fall onto her butt.
Nico tucked and rolled right into Will, effectively pulling him from his battle of the voices with Piper, and whisking them away into the shadows. Piper stopped charmspeaking the moment the two boys vanished into the shadows, huffing as she blew a piece of hair out of her face.
She turned and marched over to Jason. "I was this," she showed Jason with her fingers, "close to getting him. I could feel it." She pulled Jason to his feet and turned to Annabeth and Percy. "Well guys, what our game plan. We should have about an hour left until the game ends."
Annabeth started counting on her fingers, "Well we have six flags and I think there was 16 teams so if we can snatch a few more i think we-" Annabeth was cut off by Piper gasping as she went to sheath her dagger.
Piper stood in the center of the clearing cupping her dagger with two hands as she stared at the blade intensely. The remaining three demi-gods rushed over to see the vision hopefully before it ended. Percy turning white as a ghost when he saw the scene the dagger had to show them.
Turning to Annabeth, Percy said, "Stay here I'm going to get Chiron. I think Nico and Will aren't coming back for awhile." before running into the woods calling for Chiron.
"What do you think it means…" Piper whispered as she stared at the repetitive scene in the dagger.
Annabeth shook her head. "I don't know, but I have a good idea and a bad feeling." Annabeth, Jason and Piper continued to stare into the dagger as a distant horn signalled the end of the game, and the sound of Chiron's hooves drew closer.
In the bronze dagger the imagine of a scrap yard was prevalent. Celestial bronze pieces and trinkets littered the dusty road leading through the mountains of scrap. What looked like a large bronze foot lingered in one of the mountains, and trudging through the scrap piles were a younger Percy, Thalia, Grover, and two hunters of Artemis. One wearing a circlet and one with darker hair and freckles. As the group continued through the junk heaps, the hunter without the circlet lags behind and picks up a small trinket, just as she is about to pocket it, Nico and Will burst out of a shadow nearby. The vision stopped there and repeated itself until Chiron could see it, then the bronze dimmed and the image disappeared, Nico's scared face the last image etched in everyone's mind.
Percy sat heavily on the ground and placed his head on his knees. Annabeth dropped down beside him and rubbed his back. Chiron approached a moment later, and gently laid his hand on his shoulder.
"Percy." Chiron said solemnly.
Nodding Percy looked up with grief in his eyes. "That was the junkyard of the God's. That was the day Bianca died."
Thank you to max for pointing out the weirdness that was this chapter after I tried to fix it yesterday. I fixed it again (I hope).
Thanks for reading guys! Reviews are welcome :)