Prologue

They were facing Doomsday in less than 24 hours— honestly, it was nothing new— but Nico couldn't wipe the grin off his angelic features that identified him as the son of the Death god. He, being a progeny of the Big Three, undeniably had a lot of power. But no matter how much power he had within him, he couldn't stymie the flutter of his sporadic heartbeats when she pressed her lips against his, leaving her mark on him, claiming him for herself.

"Keep that smile on," she instructed in her stern, confident tone, one which Nico had grown fond of. "We'll be fine, I promise. No matter what happens, I'll always love you." And she really did, despite the dire consequences they were about to face. And of course, the rapidly approaching apocalypse. Gods forbid he had a normal year for once.

"Sadie," Nico breathed, brushing the caramel locks out of his lover's face, feeling her beneath his fingers, yet craving for something he couldn't fathom. Craving for something his father had been so worried about, something everyone was going great lengths to avoid. So much so that Sadie was the Greeks number one public enemy.

"Don't," Sadie's breath hitched as crystal tears coated her beautiful blue eyes. Nico knew how afraid she was, and even as she shed recalcitrant tears that betrayed her composed front, he knew just how brave she was. And how much of a wimp he was in comparison.

He reached up, gently kissing a rosy cheek, enveloping her in his arms. He felt her shudder at the slight cold of his deathly pale skin, another trademark of a child of the Underworld, but she didn't complain. She fell still, as her heart slowly regained its regular pulse, echoing after Nico's. If only they could stay like that forever. Nico would give anything.

A loud pattering of footsteps announced the arrival of trouble, to which Nico groaned. So much for freezing the moment in time. The one time Kronos would actually have been useful.

He reached into his jacket pocket, feeling for his Stygian blade and whipped it out just as the door burst open and dark shadows fell over them in the dim candlelight. Beside him, Nico could feel Sadie grasping her wand with a fierce determination. She wouldn't go down without a fight.

"Well well well, look who we have here," the leader of the antagonist pack sneered, a cruel glintin his eyes as he observed the two teenagers. "Submit to your fate, foolish children." Then to his mindless subjects. "Kill them in the most gruesome way ever. I want to hear them scream."


Five heroes, pantheons unite

To draw a dawn of dark or light

Drown the sun in magic's craft

And fear wars by the ghost king's wrath

To see the dark before dawn

Beware the path to be worn.