"C'mon Seaweed Brain, that all you got?" I grinned ducking under a wide sweep from the blade named Riptide. Percy, the son of Poseidon didn't reply except with a grunt as he narrowly avoided a slash at his throat by an all too familiar black Stygian iron blade. Finally after what felt like hours back and forth I brought out the trump card so far we had been sticking to simple swordplay but this was a demigod duel in such things anything goes. I concentrated shooting from Percy's own shadow dark tendrils curled around his ankles nearly tripping him but he was more than prepared he countered his attack by freeing the water from both of our drinking bottles and promptly forced the water into my nose, eyes, mouth, and even ears i stumbled to the ground coughing and sputtering trying to the clear the water from my lungs. Glancing up into the celestial bronze sword pointed at my face i couldn't help but let out a string of foul words in ancient Greek.
"Now, now Death Breath don't be a poor sport," he grinned back offering a hand up but even as he tried to hide it could tell he was fatigued, as he should be I thought to myself letting him hoist me up. I stood eye to eye with Percy and he stepped back almost unconsciously as he made eye contact I tried to hide the hurt but it all came with the territory that being a son of Hades entailed. My height wasn't the only change that had come about in the two years after the war with Gaea, Percy and Annabeth had left camp and both went to university in New Rome, Leo and Piper were both busy with their cabins, Jason and Frank their duties, and Hazel well I liked to avoid her as much as possible, no need to cause her the extra problems and stress that seemed to follow me around wherever I went plus she worried too much I winced as I thought about her distressed looks after they had rescued me from my fate.
Father rarely called on me these days, the year after the Doors were closed was hectic trying to return souls to the underworld but now, not much work to be had that left me with a lot of spare time on my hands. A lot of time to think and that simply wouldn't do I trained harder with the others at first, but as I began to pass them in skill I couldn't bare the looks of fear any longer I took to training by myself raised warriors made surprisingly good sparring partners, the only one who could still beat me was Percy although if i had anything to say about it, not for long.
I wiped the thin layer of sweat out of my eyes but Percy was particularly dry, as usual. We walked up the path from the training people calling out and waving at Percy who took it all in and nodded and waved back graciously, also as usual. I hunched my shoulders and glared a bit as i heard snippets of conversation about why Percy Jackson was hanging around with the likes of him.
Percy seemed to notice and glanced over an emotion I tried my absolute hardest to stay away from very clear in those sea green eyes, concern. "How have you been Nico?" He asked studying me closely. I knew what he was looking for things had been bad after we came back I closed off much like I did after she died, I didn't eat, didn't sleep Gaea's imprisonment on me had more of an effect than i would admit I had been good for a while but then i broke. Slowly things had started to get better thanks to Hazel and Jason eventually the hurt faded and my strength returned, the fear fade too but it remained just so, on the edges of my mind always, but the anger? No, that never went away and i doubt it ever would, the worst part was i was just fine with that after all if was angry it replaces all other emotions. I stared back at him a moment too long for there not to be anything i wanted to tell him about the nightmares, the constant feeling of dread but I couldn't i wasn't Percy's problem anymore.
"I'm fine Percy, how have you been? How's Annabeth," I pushed the conversation away from me we had reached my cabin and Percy hesitated only a moment before following me in.
The outside of my cabin was a pitch black that was only accomplished by the thin layer of shadows over the paint partial skeletons stuck from the outside warning away other campers and a single lamp of hell fire hung above the door all the plant life surrounding the cabin was dead in a brown crisp but inside the cabin was completely different. Percy was one of the very few demigods allowed into cabin 13 and was quite surprised as the outside displayed the whole God of death thing the inside was all about God of riches and stone the wall were a smooth black onyx or something of the like inlaid with gold and silver and other precious metals there were six beds although only two looked as though they were ever used mine with the customary black bedspread and sheets only the small mythomagic statuette and an ancient Greek text about burial rituals that i had read dozens of times. The other one was Hazel's bed, the one she used when she visited camp which wasn't often he sheets were a molten gold like her eyes while her desk although used rarely was crowded with belonging she had left behind picture and half finished drawings along with weapons jewels and other miscellaneous things. I still eyed it distastefully I didn't like clutter especially not my own who knew when you had to pack up and leave again?
I pulled the black hoodie of so i was wearing just the muscle shirt underneath I heard Percy's sharp intake of breath, "That's new", I looked down at what he was staring at and nodded now linked from my fingertip almost the my left ear was my newest tattoo it was a swirling shadow pattern that bordered on tribal it was a design i had found in my father's castle it almost looks as if it moved as I did I loved it but i almost loved the look of disapproval on Percy's face more on the opposite forearm where the Romans had wanted to brand me with the SPQR tattoo was instead an Italian quote I often heard Lord Hades use vivere le ombre, live the shadows.
Glancing in the mirror i could vaguely tell what had worried him while i had gained a considerable amount of weight and height mostly in muscle mass i could still be considered lithe unlike him and Jason, i had let my dark hair grow so that i had to tie it into a half pony which made the small black hoop i wore in my ear even more noticeable. My style had evolved branching away from emo into more of a punk feel. Percy now a responsible adult of 19 felt it was his responsibility to impart his wisdom upon the younger generations. He of course said I would regret the body modifications I replied simply that i was sixteen had lived through two wars and who would hire me anyway? He had no answer for that. I knew, however, it was not those particular life choices that worried him today more the dark circles under my already onyx eyes, the pale olive skin that looked almost deathly. The concern flickered in his eyes again and I knew I had not thrown him off with the Annabeth question.
He turned politely around while i changed into ripped black jeans with combat boots I grabbed my plain leather jacket (as I had grown out of the aviator) and pulled it on over my tank covering the dark bruises from our spar and played with the skull ring on my finger nervously. "Sooooooo, about Annabeth," He replied his eyes lighting up the way they always did when he said her name, I grimaced knowing where this is going, "Have you thought about our offer?"
"Ya, i'm gonna have to pass on that one Perce, third wheelin' with you two in New Rome doesn't sound like much fun." I shrugged fiddling with my shoelaces or tapping my fingers on the bedspread as long as I was moving it was fine as long as I was always moving.
"You don't have to third wheel Nico, there are plenty of demigods in New Rome, lots of pretty Venus girls," He said but catching my expression his face dropped instantly losing the natural tan in it, "Oh, uh that's not what I meant, I mean i'm sure there are guys there too and-" he stumbled over his words trying to correct the fatal mistake while i felt a pit drop in my stomach.
"It's fine Percy forget it," I turned not letting him see the hurt in my eyes. He sighed looking relieved yet put out at the same time.
"Listen Nico it's not just social contact, there's classes you can take too at the university there, you wont have to deal with this anymore," he gestured around him to the empty cabin.
"I like being alone," I replied stubbornly letting a little bit of my dark aura seep into my words, "besides what am I going to take? I doubt they have any specialized classes for kids of Hades".
"Well they didn't have any for me either! But i'm taking Marine biology and I love it so maybe you should just give it a chance." Percy set his green-blue eyes to my black one crossing his arms I knew that he cared about me deep down but at this moment I couldn't care less after all why would what I do matter to him?
"And what exactly would I take Percy? Embalming 101? How to scare the shit out of people for beginners?" I snapped fingers twitching along with the shadows on the walls.
"Ya why not?" he replied completely oblivious to how that could be mildly insulting the room dropped ten degrees instantly the shadows not dancing like they were coming from a flickering flame. I grabbed my always ready to go bag and stormed out of the cabin Percy on my heels. The camp was just finishing breakfast so most half bloods were right outside watching the scene of the angry son of Hades be chased after by their Hero. "Hey hold up, Nico I'm not done talking to you!", he called as the see of campers split in fear.
"Well i'm done talking to you," I replied not turning around trying to take deep breaths and calm the death pulse all the residents of camp half blood had to be feeling.
"C'mon we're worried about you, isolating yourself like this isn't healthy, Hazel is in complete panic mode all the time, you're like a little brother to me Nic don't do this," he pleaded I turned seeing the desperation in his eyes and the pieces clicked this was the whole reason for his trip to try and get me to come back with him I glanced around and saw Leo and Piper with sympathetic gazes they all knew about this. The pit in my gut turned to a full on boulder and i found myself choking on my words as disbelief rolled through me this was like betrayal.
Percy tried to take a step closer but the panic was still rolling of of me causing the camper to go white even making a few faint while other retching their recently ingested breakfast. The shadows around me lashed out like tentacles they seemed to have a mind of their own. They whipped around me toward campers who dived out of the way a very pale Percy stepped forward and a shadow tendril shot out catching him across the face and splitting his cheek open as sure a blade of celestial ground began to shake ever so slightly small pebbles rattling around my feet. I saw Leo and Piper step in front of Percy like I was about to lunge at him.
"Whoa man, maybe you should put the shadow away we don't want anyone to get hurt," Leo said in a calm voice like he was speaking to a trapped animal.
"Ya Nico, it's okay no one here is going to hurt you just relax," Piper stepped forward smiling a little bit I felt myself calming my heart rate lowering my breathing becoming more regular and then I saw the absolute terror in her eyes. She was charm speaking me! The shadows returned with a vengeance whipping my hair around me and tearing my clothes.
"You want to help me Percy?" I said deathly calm my voice echoing yet quiet, " stop trying to change me, I'm a son of Hades this is who I am, learn to accept it, they all have," I said and the shadows died almost immediately.
I gathered what was left of my strength to me and walked straight through the shadows not knowing where I was going and not really caring. It was only after I left that I hadn't even drawn my sword to control the shadows.