A/N: Hey what's up?

So I thought I should note two things.

~ 1. This story takes place after Blood Of Olympus and is basically taking the place of the Trials Of Apollo series. So pretend that neither The Last Oracle nor The Dark Prophecy has been written.

~ 2. I started writing this last spring and I just decided to edit it and post it so please excuse any mistakes or awkward dialogue which I may have accidentally skipped over. I'm a much better writer than I was last year.

Chapter One

Percy

"So how was school?" My mother asked setting dinner down in front of me.

"Fine." I said.

My mom raised her eyebrows but said nothing.

"How did your history test go?" She asked

"Same as always." I said absentmindedly

"That's not a real answer Percy."

"Why do you care so much!" I exploded.

She took a deep breath and said calmly "Is this about Annabeth."

"How does school have anything to do with Annabeth?" I snapped.

"Percy, watch your tone." My step-father Paul said.

I sighed "sorry mom."

"No It's fine."

We sat in silence eating the spaghetti and meatballs my mother had made.

"You know you can tell me anything." She said suddenly.

"Yeah thanks mom… It's just complicated."

"Paul and I here to listen if you want."

I took a deep breath "I guess you're right."

"About?" She prompted.

"I don't think I love Annabeth anymore."

"No?"

"Actually I don't know I ever did. I mean not like that. I do love her so so much and I'd do anything for her but-"

I was interrupted when the room darkened suddenly and Nico di Angelo fell out of the shadows and collapsed right there on my kitchen floor.

"Whoa! What's going on?" I asked jumping up.

"They sent me to get you." he said trying to sit up.

I started to help him up but he pushed me away and stood up by himself wincing as he did. He pulled up his T-shirt revealing four huge gashes on his stomach, like claw marks.

"I don't understand," He muttered to himself looking at the spot he'd appeared from "Something in the shadows? No, no that's not possible."

"Nico!" My mother said rushing forwards "You're hurt let me help you!"

He looked like he was about to refuse but he looked down at the blood which was now leaking through his shirt "Okay." Okay he said though looking reluctant.

My mom lead him to the couch grabbing the first aid kit. "Take off your shirt and lay down."

He opened his mouth to protest but seeing her stern expression he obliged. She set to work dabbing at his wound with disinfectant but the more she worked the more worried she looked.

"What happened?" I asked perching on the arm of the couch near Nico's head.

"While I was shadow traveling here something attacked me. I don't know what it was but with everything that's happened it can't be good. " He replied not meeting my eyes.

"Why were you shadow traveling here? What happened."

"The mist has fallen."

"What does that mean?"

He shrugged.

"Nico!" I yelled "What's the point of coming here if you won't even tell me why!"

"Chiron will explain as soon as I'm well enough to get you to camp." He said still avoiding my eyes.

"Can you please look at me!" I yelled in frustration.

He sat up and looked me right in the eye sending a shiver down my spine "I was told to bring you to Chiron and that's what I'm going to do. I can't tell you anything until I can shadow travel you back to camp." He winced in pain and lay back down looking if possible even paler than usual.

"I don't think you'll be shadow traveling anytime soon." My mom spoke up looking worried.

"What?" Nico asked.

She shook her head "Just a second. Percy hold this on his wound make sure you put pressure, we need to stop the bleeding." She handed me a bloody rag and walked over to the kitchen where Paul was sitting not sure what to make of the whole scene. They began to whisper urgently and I turned to Nico gasping as I saw his wound. It was black. The darkness seemed to be spreading lacing under his skin like a spider web. I touched the blackness feeling an evil wash over me.

"It's poison." I whispered.

"Fun." he said his breathing ragged.

I grabbed the rag and started to put pressure on his wound but something told me that stopping the bleeding was the least of our worries.

My mom finished her conversation with Paul and headed back into the living room where I was sitting with Nico.

"There's nothing you or I can do for him. Since we're currently out of ambrosia." We've decided that I'm going to drive you and Nico to camp. Nico can be healed and you can go help with whatever dangerous thing is happening this time."

"Should I pack?" I asked.

She shook her head "We need to go now, before it's too late to help him."

We carried Nico out to the car stopping only to give Paul a quick goodbye. Once we were all inside my mom pushed down on the gas and we sped off towards Camp Half-Blood.

It had been six months since the war with Gaea and my life had been normal and uneventful up until an injured Nico Di Angelo fell out of the kitchen shadows an hour ago. I knew I'd miss the quiet life with my mom and Paul but I was excited to be going back to camp. Fighting monsters was the only thing I was ever good at and plus I missed my friends. I'd seen Annabeth a little bit but I had no idea how everyone else was doing.

I turned around to see Nico asleep in the back seat. His skin was so pale it was white and his lips and eyelids were tinged black.

"We need to hurry mom." I said worriedly.

"I know." She replied looking in the rearview mirror "I'm going as fast as I can. Why don't you try and get some sleep we'll be there soon."

I wanted to refuse but her suggestion was too tempting. I nodded and lay my head against the cold window. Sleep took me immediately and I fell into the same nightmare I'd been having for months.

I was running. Running through darkness. I had to run. If I didn't I knew that everyone would die. The whole world would be swallowed by the suffocating darkness and that would be the end, so I ran my breath ripping from my lungs. My legs felt like lead and I could barely breathe but still I kept going. I ran for what seemed like hours until suddenly I saw white a little patch of white mist amid the darkness . I fell to the ground trying to grab at it but it slipped right through my fingers.

"Please!" I pleaded "Help me! Mom, Dad, Paul, Nico, anyone! I can't run anymore!"

"It's no use little Demigod" Came a cold clear female voice "You stopped running." The darkness held me tight pushing its way into my body through my eyes, ears, and mouth I felt a deep coldness and then there was excruciating pain. A bloodcurdling scream ripped through the blackness and then there was nothing.

I woke to my mom shaking my shoulder "Percy, are you okay?"

"Yeah just a nightmare."

She nodded looking concerned.

I realized suddenly that we were stopped "we're here?"

She nodded getting out of the car and opening the back door. I unhooked my seatbelt and helped her carry Nico up the hill. We made it to the border and she stopped.

"This is as far as I can go."

I nodded. I knew she could only go so far but it didn't stop the sadness that I was leaving her again.

"Can you carry him by yourself?"

"Yeah." I said adjusting to cradle Nico in my arms "He's not heavy."

"Be careful Percy."

"I'm always careful." I smiled.

"No," She shook her head "promise me, please Percy."

"I don't make promises I can't keep."

I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek trying to ignore the tears that were welling up in her eyes. "I love you mom."

She hugged me quickly "I love you too, now go save Nico."

Whispers followed me as I made my way to the infirmary "Oh my gods, is he dead?" I heard one girl from the Aphrodite cabin say as I walked past.

"Put me down." I looked down to see Nico was awake.

"No, I'm bringing you to the infirmary."

"I'm fine." As soon as the words were out of his mouth he started coughing up black liquid.

"Yeah right."

He was going to die if I couldn't get him help in time. Taking a deep breath I took off running trying not to think of my nightmare. I made it to the infirmary just in time. As soon as I was inside the Apollo kids started questioning me. I answered them best I could, explaining what had happened. They nodded and then grabbed him from me and started doing their thing. I was pushed outside and the door was shut with a snap. I sighed collapsing on the ground. I closed my eyes and prayed to the gods; Please let Nico be okay. He can't die! Please I owe him that much.

"Percy!" I looked up to see Annabeth "Come on everybody's waiting at the big house."

I got up and followed her.

We walked in to see all the counselors seated around a table all of them were fidgeting and seemed restless. Leo waved vigorously as I walked in Jason smiled, Clarisse glared, and Piper stuck her tongue out but then smiled her eyes sparkling. Annabeth sat down and I took my usual seat next to her. There was an empty seat on my other side which I figured was probably Nico's since every other seat was taken.

"We expected you to be here hours ago what happened?" Chiron asked.

"There were complications. Nico couldn't shadow travel so my mom had to drive us."

"What kind of complications?"

"Well for starters Nico almost died" I paused "Or maybe he did die I dunno they kicked me out of the infirmary." I said worriedly.

"I'm sure he's fine." Jason said "He's a tough kid."

"Yeah." I agreed.

"But Percy what happened?" Annabeth asked.

"I'm not completely sure he stumbled into my kitchen and immediately collapsed. He had these four huge gashes on his stomach like claw marks. My mom tried to help him but we didn't have any ambrosia and whatever attacked him was poisonous. I've never seen anything like it," I shuddered "It was black it reminded me of my dream…" My voice faltered "anyway he was talking about shadows but I don't remember what exactly."

"I said that there was something in the shadows."

I jumped and I wasn't the only one everyone looked startled and Clarisse had accidentally stabbed her knife into the table just barely missing her hand.

"Gods Di Angelo, don't do that I nearly impaled my hand." she growled.

Nico looked good as new which surprised me especially since it'd been barely more than fifteen minutes.

"Wow you look good." I said my face turning red as soon as I'd said it. Nico blushed "I didn't mean… I um what I meant was you look healthy not that you look bad I mean you look fine… You know what I'm just going to shut up now." I said stumbling over my words.

Nico still blushing slightly said "Apollo healed me."

The room erupted into talking.

"Quiet!" Chiron yelled. He turned to Nico "I don't mean to be offensive but why would Apollo come here just to heal a camper?"

"I dunno I was barely conscious but he said something about a favor for Aphrodite and something about needing me alive to stop the darkness."

"Why would Aphrodite want you alive so bad." Leo asked. "I mean you're not exactly the fall in love type." Nico blushed and looked down suddenly to study his feet as if his black sneakers were the most interesting things.

"Oh, never mind." Leo said with a smirk.

"Anybody can be the fall in love type." Jason said defending Nico.

"Anyways" I said feeling the need to change the subject "Is anyone gonna tell me why I'm here?"

"The mist has fallen and there's been another major prophecy." Chiron said.

"What do you mean it's fallen, like it doesn't work anymore? I asked.

Chiron nodded.

"So mortals can see the same things we can then?"

"Yes, and the world is in chaos." He answered.

"Okay um so what's the prophecy?"

"An altered seven will quest to hide them all.

Love and death will crash then fall.

Though best attempts one will stay behind.

Ground and sea cannot understand the secrets to find.

The truth will come out no longer hidden by mist.

Friendship and love put to the test.

In the end war will fight for those whom she despises.

Death will fight against the one who rises.

The ultimate sacrifice, Hell on Earth.

He loves and there he will find courage, in being the first

The darkness will take advantage of the flaws.

Wash out their minds, forget what they saw.

Wishes don't come true in death's land no longer hidden, forgotten.

Beware children his heart's turned rotten.

46 11 28 N 122 11 40"

There was silence as everybody processed what they'ed heard.

"Is somebody going on a quest then? And that was definitely the longest and weirdest prophecy I've ever hear. " I said Chiron.

"Yes Percy, I agree."

"what does 'An altered seven' mean" Leo asked.

"I'm assuming it means the same seven from the last prophecy except Frank and Hazel since they're busy at Camp Jupiter." Annabeth said.

Clarisse put her feet on the table and leaned back "But who replaces them?"

"Well it talks about death a lot so I'm assuming Nico unless someone has another child of Hades stashed somewhere." Annabeth said.

"Nope sorry I don't stash away children of Hades anymore." Leo said holding his hands up in surrender.

Annabeth ignored Leo and said "okay so Nico and I guess Clarisse."

"Wait why me?"

"Because the prophecy also talked about war."

"That could mean any child of Ares."

"Would you rather another child of Ares? Are you scared?" I asked smirking.

"I'm not scared!"

Chiron interrupted before a fight could break out. "Okay it's settled then Annabeth, Clarisse, Jason, Leo, Nico, Percy and Piper will head off on their quest first thing tomorrow morning. Do you all accept this quest?" There was a chorus of yes's.

"What's up with the part at the end 46 11 28 N 122 11 40? It didn't rhyme or seem to fit in with the rest of the prophecy, Like somebody slapped it on at the end." Jason said.

Annabeth pulled out a laptop and started tying keys clacking. "It's coordinates for a mountain called Mt St Helens. That's the volcano you made erupt wasn't it Percy?"

"Oh yeah! One of Hephaestus's forges right?"

"But why would this be the place we have to go to restore the mist?" Annabeth asked.

Surprisingly it was Nico who answered "Hades mountain."

"What?" Annabeth asked

"Wishes don't come true in death's land no longer hidden, forgotten." He recited "Hades Mountain is referred to as the land of death. That mountain holds a lot more secrets than just a forge. "

"I've never heard of Hades Mountain." Annabeth said looking a little offended that Nico knew something she didn't.

"No you wouldn't have. I only know because I've heard the dead whispering about it. The story is that you can travel to it from the underworld and if you can make it up from the bottom you'll be brought back to life. Of course no one's ever done it so we don't know but it's said to be the heart of death and also in some instances magic."

"So where is Hades Mountain?" Leo asked

"That way." Nico said pointing to the west.

"Real helpful thanks Nico." Leo said rolling his eyes.

He just shrugged "I can feel it. I always have, it was the strongest when I was in the labyrinth all those years ago. If I stopped paying attention for even a second I find myself heading there." He shivered and muttered "I hate the feeling that place gives me."

"What feeling?" Jason asked.

"Evil, pure evil. Worse than Tartarus. It's as I said before that mountain holds a lot more secrets than a forge. There are secrets buried there that came before the gods, even before the primordial Chaos who they say created this world no one can sense it besides my father and me. Though I suppose Chaos knows it's there and so does Tartarus."

"Why doesn't your dad tell anyone." I asked.

"Nobody will believe him. The gods really don't want another war. Nobody believed that Kronos was back until the last possible moment."

"This is bad." Leo groaned. "We barely defeated Gaea! We can't defeat something like that!"

"Hopefully it won't come to that." Nico said "Everybody just has to be careful and we'll be fine. It's slept since the beginning of the world. There's no reason why it should wake up now."

Leo gave a nod but he still looked worried.

"Now everyone go pack! This isn't something we can do anything about right now." Chiron yelled you have a big quest ahead of you.

The seven chosen headed off to their cabins while the rest went to their usual activities. Annabeth followed me to my cabin plopping down on an empty bunk and watching me go through the stuff I'd kept here during the year. I pulled out a blue fleece hoodie.

"So that's where this went!" I said slipping it over my arms and zipping it up.

There was a knock and I turned to see Nico standing in the doorway.

"Um hi Percy."

"Hi Nico, wanna come in?"

He eyed Annabeth nervously then shook his head "I just wanted to thank you for saving my life."

"Oh I didn't do anything it was Apollo that saved you."

"Shut up and accept my thanks Percy."

"Oh okay, you're welcome I guess." I said with a smile.

Nico blushed and turned away. What was up with that boy, always blushing?

He started to walk away but then turned back "What I don't understand is how Apollo knew, I mean gods are pretty busy how did he notice one worthless son of Hades."

"Well I kinda prayed cause' I thought you might die and yeah…"

"Oh thanks." He said twisting his skull ring around his finger.

He turned to leave and I called after him "You're not worthless you know."

"Thanks Percy." He sounded so genuine that I wanted to grab him and hug him.

I watched him leave then turned to Annabeth who was sitting there with the look of accomplishment she wore whenever she figured out a puzzle.

"What's that look for?"

"I want to break up with you Percy."

"That wasn't the answer I was expecting." I said with a laugh.

She smiled and patted the spot beside her "Let's talk."

I sat down and looked her in the eyes. I'd always liked her eyes you could see how brilliant she really was when you looked at them. You could see the pain and the happiness, the good times, the sunshine, memories but the feeling I used to feel was gone. I knew in that moment that we were standing on the brink of something though I wasn't sure what.

"You don't seem very upset for someone who just got dumped."

"You don't seem very upset for someone who just dumped someone."

She laughed "that's true I suppose."

"So are you gonna tell me why I'm being dumped?"

"I guess I could say it's because I don't love you anymore but that's not true because I do, more than anyone but I just…"

"Don't love me in that way?"

She nodded "at first I was worried you'd be hurt but after seeing you the other day I was pretty sure you felt the same way."

"I do but I didn't realize you felt that way too."

"That's because you're stupid seaweed brain."

"Thanks." I said sarcastically.

She laughed and I hugged her.

"Romantic love is overrated" I said into her shoulder "People break up and then it's over but love like this, whatever it is that our love has become is beautiful and something tells me it'll last forever."

"you've got that right. And plus there's somebody who loves you a lot and I think you love them too."