A God's Grief
Chapter IV
[Two weeks later, at Camp Half-Blood]
Time was certainly a mysterious thing; it was hard to believe that Apollo's whole ordeal occurred almost two weeks ago.
Nico and the Lord of Poetry had become very close, for once in his godly existence; Apollo listened to his sister's advice and really endeavored to keep his relationship with the Son of Hades as strong as possible.
In the last two weeks Apollo had visited Nico at Camp which actually impressed the half-blood and that was saying something since it was really hard to impress the Son of Hades.
Apollo's injuries were healing, true he still needed crutches but he was quickly regaining his former radiance.
It was on a warm Thursday night that Apollo appeared in his usual manner and proceeded towards the Hades cabin but when arrived he saw that there was note taped to the door he limped up to the door and took the note it read:
"Apollo, meet me in the forest near Zeus's Fist. -Nico" The sun god turned on heel and vanished and reappeared in the woods "Nico!" he calls. "Up here."
Apollo looks in the direction of the teen and discovered him lounging on a large branch near the top of a great oak tree.
The Lord of Music shook his head and settled himself down against the tree trunk; put his arms behind his head and relaxed.
They both sat in silence for a moment before Apollo spoke "I have this nagging feeling."
He said quietly looking at the reclining demigod above him. "Nagging feeling? About what?" Nico asked his dark eyes scanning the stars.
"It has been two weeks now and Hera has yet to make her move, with me in this condition; she'll never have a more opportune moment."
Apollo explained watching his sister's moon in the sky, casting an ethereal silver glow.
"Humph! If she tries something, I'll gut her like a trout!" Nico replied confidently.
Apollo chuckled at the half-blood's audacity "That would be technically impossible Nico."
Nico looked down at the god and then felt something approaching, the half-blood leapt from the branch and landed next to the relaxing Sun Lord.
Apollo's smile vanished when he saw the look on Nico's face.
Whatever was approaching it was big and it wasn't friendly. "Stay here Apollo" Nico stated "I'll investigate" The Lord of Prophecy looked at the demigod for a moment and then put his hand to his chest; when he pulled it away there was and orb of golden light in his hand "Here take this with you, I have a bad feeling about this"
The orb of light levitated up a few inches and then zoomed up to Nico and then turned into a medallion, landing in Nico's hand.
The Son of Hades looked at the trinket and then at the sun god with quizzical look on his face.
"What's this for?" asked Nico now examining the medallion. "It's for emergencies" the god explained "Like I said I have a bad feeling about this."
Nico nodded and pocketed the medallion "I'll be back in a flash" Apollo acknowledged with a thumbs up as the Son of Hades disappeared into the forest.
Nico ran at a blinding speed as a foreboding sense of danger began to overtake his senses.
He came up to a clearing and finally saw what he had sensed earlier.
In front of the demigod stood a Minotaur and a big one at that
"So you're what I've been sensing romping around out here." Nico said with a hint of humor in his voice since Minotaurs were fairly simple to dispatch.
The son of death soon notices that he is surrounded by about ten extremely large minotaurs.
"Di Immortals!" Nico curses under his breath and draws his stygian iron blade.
They all charge at once but Nico sees it coming and shadow travels causing them all to crash into each other. "You idiots are going have to be faster than that" Nico says stepping out of the shadow of a tree.
Nico rolls under a high strike from his one of his adversaries and clouts his sword into the upper thigh of a gargantuan Minotaur which roars in pain.
The Son of Hades proved that he was no push over he managed to dispatch three of them quickly enough.
He hears a loud roar and wheels around; raises his sword to defend but was a little too slow and caught a large hoof in the gut.
He his sent hurtling into a nearby boulder which cracks from the force; Nico staggers to his feet and is sure his right shoulder is dislocated if not fractured.
He readies his sword as three of the remaining monsters charge at him which with a few graceful and skillful moves he destroys them.
Nico looks up at the five lingering Minotaurs and prepares for a charge but just as he is about to make his move all five begin to glow a bright shade of white and start melding together for a few moments Nico was awestruck but regains his senses quickly as the bull-men merge together and transform into a single figure.
The half-blood sees that this figure is a woman, with long brown hair and devious blue eyes.
She is wearing a simple white ancient Greek dress and golden sandals.
At first Nico didn't know who she was but once he caught sight of her scheming cobalt eyes he realized it was Hera, the queen of heaven herself.
"Hera!" he whispered ominously. The woman now identified as Hera grinned maliciously
"Well hello spawn of Hades, I hope this isn't a bad time" the goddess states tauntingly.
Nico is unsure of how to react; he had never had a real interaction with the goddess of marriage.
Nico adjusted his stance so as not to give the Olympian queen any openings; not that she needed it, Hera could destroy him with a mere thought.
"No offence Lady Hera but why are you here" the demigod questioned although he already knew the answer.
"Ares and Aphrodite managed to get to Artemis quite nicely; I was thinking it was about time to get the ball rolling.
" Hera said deviously. Nico had no idea what she was talking about "What do you mean?"Nico asked in fear for his immortal cousin.
"Haven't you guessed I was the true mastermind behind the attack on Apollo's palace."
The goddess answered simply. For a few moments the Son of Hades was still and then unrestrained rage tore through the demigod
"THAT WAS YOU!" the half-blood roared before charging at a speed only demigods could manage.
The young teen swung his stygian iron sword with all the strength he had left but Hera caught the blade as if it were a twig.
The godly queen then swung a punch with all the might the goddess could muster and nailed the Son of Hades square in the chest, the impressive impact sent the demigod sailing through the air and into the lake.
Nico tried to get up but his body was shutting down.
Then there was a flash of white light and Hera appeared, towering above the collapsed demigod.
Hera smiled her set of pearly whites glistening in the quickly brightening sky while she pulled back her arm preparing for a final blow.
Nico's eyes widen as he witnesses this, Hera was going to kill him and in affect hurt Apollo.
Nico was usually calm and collected but not right now as he began silently praying to the gods that someone would stop the rampaging queen and just as he sent the plea a bright yellow glow began emanating from his pocket more specifically from a certain medallion.
As Hera's death blow was inches away from the boy's chest the attack stopped abruptly; Nico and Hera both looked to see a strong tanned hand firmly holding the peacock goddess's arm.
"Hello stepmother, I would appreciate it if you didn't kill my friend" Apollo snarled coldly.
Hera's eye flashed with fury "Well if it isn't my husband's bastard son" the marriage goddess retorts.
The Sun Lord's eyes begin to flicker with horrible rage but he kept himself under control "If you are trying to infuriate me dearest stepmother, as God of Truth I feel it is my sworn duty to inform you that you are failing miserably." Apollo replies honestly with a mischievous smile gracing his features.
The Olympian queen was not amused "You won't be so smug after this" Hera then pulls out a very jagged and nasty looking black crystal and then with mind numbing speed thrusts said crystal into the sun god's stomach.
His bright blue eyes widen as an ear-splitting and blood curdling scream that escapes the Lord of Music's throat and rips through the air.
It was obviously heard throughout the camp because many came running to the source of the scream at the front of the stampede was Percy Jackson the Son of Poseidon, Annabeth Chase a daughter of Athena and Will Solace one of Apollo's only surviving sons as well as Chiron the ages old hero trainer.
When they arrived Will Solace's face was blank, his mind in a state of morbid shock as has Queen Hera tortured his father.
Percy and Annabeth saw Apollo trying to fight back but his weaken state was becoming a major hindrance. The jet black crystal seemed to be send jolts of dark electricity through the sun god's body.
They all gasped when Apollo stumbled back as he was losing his footing.
As the Lord of Prophecy staggered Will Solace inhaled sharply as Apollo's whole form began to flicker; Solace realized what it was and notched an arrow and fired it straight at the Marriage Goddess but she blasted it and him away with a thought.
Apollo continued to howl in pain as the black crystal seemed to have attached itself to the god's body. But everything stopped when the crystal suddenly shattered with a black and silver flash
when everyone looked closer they saw none other than Nico Di Angelo standing in front of the reeling sun god who'd collapsed gasping for breath his flickering form returning to normal.
They looked at the Son of Hades amazed, he was bleeding from multiple places and his right shoulder appeared injured his dark sword glinting in a romantic fashion.
"Not on my watch Queen Hera!" Nico shouts with every emotion he was feeling most powerful of all was hate and contempt.
"You were trying to destroy him weren't you" The Son of Hades stated through gritted teeth.
Hera smiled deviously "That was the intention but, the effect I'm seeing now is much more appropriate I think.
" Hera taunted looking at the collapsed sun god with unyielding hatred as she disappeared with a flash of white light.
The Son of Hades wheeled around so fast he gave himself a head rush and then ran to his immortal friend's side; Will, Percy, Annabeth and Chiron right behind him.
"Apollo, are you alright" Nico asked as the god opened his eyes slowly and gave him a what-do-you-think look.
Nico looked into the Sun Lord's eyes and saw the first sign of what Hera meant.
Apollo's eyes had lost their godly glow and his hair no longer looked to be spun of gold but dirty blonde almost brown.
Nico's eyes got as wide as dinner plates "Oh no!" Annabeth gasped from behind him Nico knew she must've put it together too.
"What's with all the shocked looks" Apollo asked weakly while wincing from the residual pain. "Lord Apollo…I don't know how to say this but…"
(bum-bum-bum! Oh no a cliff hanger what do you think Hera did to Apollo please Review and sorry for the typo in the author's note I meant chapter 4)