EDIT: I have edited Annie girl's reactions to Nico's attempt, and that shall take the story in another direction.
EDIT (2): A/N has been deleted (anyways I'm not even sure how the story is going to develop, but even so, that's like many chapters away), some parts re-edited (right, thanks to Lucenthia's review *grumbles*). And forgive me if my writing is... atrocious, immature, blah blah blah. You have to take into account my age. Well, at least for those who know. Those who don't? Happy guessing.
Chapter 4: The First Attempt
Warning: Quite some descriptions of Nico drowning, struggling, dying. Skip if uncomfortable. It's kinda dark, but since I'm not exactly good at writing this stuff, so all con crit and flames will be graciously accepted. Yes, I did say flames. Anyways, here you have your next chapter...
He dreamed.
A paradise.
He was in paradise. Elysium.
Percy. He was bathed in a golden glow, smiling radiantly with his arms outstretched. Nico sprinted into his arms, his embrace. But when he put his arms around Percy's neck, there was nothing. Percy's form had turned into dust, the world around him spinning and changing. The sky darkened and all that hung in the sky was a moon, half-obscured by the dark clouds.
"No! Percy! Don't go! Please... please..." Nico begged, his voice hoarse.
He fell to the ground, his fingers, his palm, his hands sinking into a thick, sticky liquid. He quickly withdrew his hands, the liquid dripping off his fingers. The metallic smell filled the air. Nico knew it.
It was blood on his hands. Blood.
Why blood? Why?
His clothes soaked up the blood. Cold. It was cold. Not warm. He breathed in as slowly as possible, trying to ignore the overwhelming smell of copper. Nico sloshed about in the blood, trying to find land, desperately trying to escape.
Then he hit something solid. Nico was thankful for it, and his hands that were slick with blood gripped onto the surface for dear life. The surface was waxy. The ivory glint of a...
A bone.
Nico backed away in fear. The moon had broken through the clouds, its silvery light bathing everything beneath it. Round and flawless, like a pearl, but yet so unreachable. His surroundings were now clear. A red river of blood. Crimson blood.
There were bodies. Mountains of them. Some which he could recognize. Some which he couldn't.
The boy from the Ares cabin, Michael.
A girl he couldn't recognize, but was fairly sure he had seen her somewhere in camp before.
Feranda...
And the one in front of him.
Annabeth.
The wind whispered to him, whooshing past his ears, sending chills down his spine.
She lay there, motionless. She was foaming at the mouth, her face pale. There was blood flowing out of various cuts on her arms and bruises all over her body. It only dawned to Nico that she wasn't wearing anything. She lay nude in the river of blood, facing up. Little white moving things - maggots - crawled into he body and out, eating into the rotten flesh - black rotten flesh, a heaven for the maggots - and they crawled all over, and some fell onto Nico's hands, and he quickly retracted them, brushing it off. Her eyes were still wide open - as if she had died in shock - white and haunting.
"No... no... not like this... no..." Nico murmured. "Annabeth..."
He scrambled back, but realises that he's sinking. The blood seemed to rise around his ankles, his calves, his thighs.
A bog.
Nico struggled, twisted and turned, but it doesn't work. The blood now rose to his chest, then to his neck. The boy tried to get out, but no one helps him. The bog rises quickly, and Death Demigod tries to stay afloat, but there seemed to be force pushing him down, not letting him come up. Nico called out desperately for help, even though knowing that no one would save him.
But all that came out were half-choked gurgles.
The blood went into his lungs, filling it up, and blood spurted out of his nose when he tried to exhale. It went into his nose and ears and eyes. And down he went, raising his hand above the surface for a last time, before splashing back into the river, sinking to the bottom.
"Noooo!"
Nico woke up with a jolt. Should he still kill Annabeth? Should he?
Why not? Remember what she has done to you...
"But she did help me after all!" Nico's conscience battled with his inner demon.
Why did Percy break his promise then, may I ask?
"This..." Nico's conscience was clearly losing the fight. He struggled to hold on to it, but his mind decided that the devil within him had put up a much more reasonable argument. The devil took over his mind once more, banishing his conscience into the deep, dark, folds of his mind, along with any other rebellious thoughts. The Ghost King tried to hold on to the last shreds of his conscience, but the devil within him sent it spiralling down the deep abyss of his mind.
The devil was now in control.
How would you like some sun, Nico?
"Good," he snarled, picking up his sword from the floor. "Some sun would be good."
Nico stepped out into the midday sun. There was only one place where she would be, and that would be the Big House. The Ghost King swiftly made his way to the Big House and entered it. Chiron was apparently out training some new campers and Mr D., well, Nico had no idea where he went.
Taking the stairs up, he climbed softly without a sound and then treaded carefully across. Indeed, there was figure sitting there.
Annabeth.
Nico half-hoped that Percy wasn't with her, and thank the gods he wasn't. She was sitting alone, by herself, with her brows knitted. She seemed to be in deep thought, and Nico thought it was the best time to kill Annabeth.
Wait. Patience is a virtue. This time, attack, but do not kill. Torture her mentally. It'd be best if she goes mad.
Nico nodded and bit his lip nervously. He crept towards the daughter of Athena stealthily and pointed his sword at the back of Annabeth's neck. He could see her freeze in her chair. A smirk appeared on his face of the son of Hades.
Suddenly, she jerked her chair back, the sudden force sending the Ghost King tumbling to the ground. She unsheathed her knife and stood in a defensive position.
"What do you want, Nico?" Her voice was steely calm, and there was no trace of any emotions.
Nico stood up, sword still in his hand. He tiptoed a little and whispered into Annabeth's ear. The girl did not move, curious to know what he wanted to do, but was ready to counter if the other demigod attacked.
"I want to kill you. But first, I will torture you."
Then he drew his head back and disappeared into the shadows. Annabeth was stunned. She didn't think Nico would behave in this manner. But why did he even want to kill her? She left the thoughts for later and checked the back of the neck. There was blood, but just a few drops of it.
Annabeth was shocked, but yet at the same time remorseful. Despite all she had gone through in Tarturus, there was nothing more than someone whom she knew turning into a monster overnight.
Like the same thing that happened to Luke.
She couldn't save him - no, she refused to save him. It was her own choice that send Luke on the path of no return. Maybe... maybe Nico. She could try to help Nico.
But he was a monster. He had turned into one overnight, and from the tone he spoke, way the he threatened, it wasn't safe to confront him anymore.
So should she help him or not?
Annabeth weighed the choices and made up her mind. She would let everything take it's own course. What she could only do was to defend herself.
At least for now.
Annabeth sheathed her knife and gathered her items on the desk with slightly trembling fingers, still a little frightened by the actions of the innocent boy she once knew.
Meanwhile, Nico shadow-traveled back to his cabin. Despite having not killing Annabeth, he still had the sense of satisfaction that the girl was afraid of him. The way she froze and sat up in her chair when he pointed the tip of the sword at her, that shred of fear within her eyes despite trying her best to cover it up. All these little actions gave Nico a sense of accomplishment.
And it only meant one thing to Nico.
She was afraid.
He lay down on his bed and threw his head back as he let out a laugh.
Revenge will come last, but sweet shall it be.
Annabeth rummaged through the cupboard and took out a dagger and strapped it to her thigh. Then, she jogged towards the Hephaestus cabin to look for Leo.
"Leo?" she asked, knocking on the door. Repair boy opened the door, his hands covered in grease.
"Hey Annabeth, what's the occasion today?" he asked cheekily, grinning from ear to ear.
"Nothing actually. Leo, could you help me make half a dozen of throwing stars, or shurikens, as some of you call it?"
"That shouldn't be a problem." But why do you need them for? Leo wanted to ask. But he had learnt not to question Annabeth about her actions. Or at least most of them. "When would you want them by?"
"As soon as possible, Leo," Annabeth said it with a hint of urgency. Leo didn't get why these shurikens would be so important, but he nodded. Wise girl thanked him and walked off. Leo then closed the door behind him as he began to start work on the half a dozen shurikens Annabeth had requested for.
There you have your chapter. Remember to tell me about your thoughts! :D Oh oh oh and many many many thanks to NicoDiAngeloLover7 for helping to beta this story! :D
I really enjoy using this smiley face. :D
Oh and there's a band called Dead Can Dance. :D
:D
:D
:D
Oh and I'm feeling real random today.
:D
You really read this? Cookies for all of you for reading this random rant! Maybe some sugarcubes too? Lol. Finnick.
Blue cookies!
:D
Yum. :D
-G
