Erm… Hi guys! I have returned (you all sigh) So, thank you SO much again for reviewing, favouriting and giving me really useful advice. Responding to my lovely reviews…
Juli Beawr: Ha-ha… funny :) I DID consider that, but I decided Carter prefers to defend more than attack. Anyway, I got impatient. Ah well, thanks for all the compliments!
Guest: GREEKS FOR LIFE! Totally :) Percy is SO much better that Jason!
Venita-Daughter-of-Pandia: I'm glad I got it. Senjata… eccentric, but not a bad name :) I'm glad you liked Chapter 3
Kaitie85386: More detail, okey dokes :). Personally I don't think Phillip gave THAT much away, but I see your point. Thanks for all the tips! I'm glad you liked it
Chiisana Pierrot: Slowpoke? Thanks :S Yes, I AM hurrying. I'm glad you think it necessary to decapitate me.
The Book Worm Assassin: Quick question… with your pen name, does it mean you kill book worms or you are a book worm? Anyway, thanks for pulling me up on the Phillip thing, a couple of other people did too. I find the Macedonia king/ Greek/ Egyptian thing funny too. Glad you like my humour!
Storm Dragon Wolf Princess: That would have been funny :) Wish I'd thought of it.
Guest: Glad you think that :) I do try
Annabeth Brady: What the Hades?! NEVER post my birthday online EVER AGAIN. Yes, you do get previews. Glad you liked it BB
Camp Olympus: Erm, I thought it was kind of a given… I know he prefers bow and arrow, but he can fight with a sword… he's a kid of Mars for Jupiter's sake! So… yeah
Why not try again: Thanks! Sorry, just a dumb mistake – thanks for picking it up.
GirlOfTheForestGreen: I'm glad you liked Chapter 1 :) Erm… it will SORT OF have a bit of Sadie/Nico…
Dorkzilla: I wish you luck with your story. Hope the writer's block goes away soon!
NinjaxSketechax: Yeah, the last bit is a bit OOC (been told that by a couple of people). Percy is going to be reckless, and I know Annabeth's been hurt before. Remember how he reacted in TLO when she got hit protecting him? Anyway, thanks!
Deathly – Hunger – Jackson: I'm glad you like my detail :) I do try! I'm sure you could write MUCH better than me!
So, now that's over… the chapter!
Chapter 4: Nico
Nico di Angelo was tossing in his bed in the Hades cabin shivering from cold sweat. His nightmares had been getting worse lately, and this one was been the most strange. He was in a graveyard. Skeletons and ghost were agitatedly chattering together, wandering around. It was almost like Asphodel. Normally he was fine around the dead; it was like his home turf. But this was different. Something far more powerful than him was controlling them, and he didn't like it. Suddenly a boy, with brown eyes and messy black hair, wearing a leather jacket, came up to one of the tombstones and sat down. Nico watched him cautiously. It seemed like HE was controlling the dead. Suddenly the strange boy locked his eyes on Nico, and Nico knew that he knew he was there.
"Son of the Dead, I've finally managed to reach you." He had a soft voice that reminded Nico a little bit of Thanatos. The boy sounded no older than 16.
"Who are you?" Nico brushed his long hair out of his face and looked at him closer. Suddenly he realised. That face was all too familiar.
"YOU!" Nico drew his Stygian iron sword.
"Me." The boy said quite sadly. "Look, Nico, our history has been a little bumpy…"
"Bumpy?!" Nico asked incredulously, rubbing his skull ring anxiously. "You think?"
"Erm… yes." The boy fidgeted, and Nico realised the boy was more nervous than him.
"Hey, can you tell me what you want and let me return to my life?" Nico said sharply. This guy had completely destroyed his past life.
"Yeah, sure. Look, Nico, I'm sorry about… well, everything."
"Do you think sorry will bring my sister back? Do you think sorry is going to bring back all the times at school when…" Nico froze in a furious position as the strange boy held a finger to his lips.
"Let me talk, Son of Death. There is much to learn, but little time. Nico, my name is Anubis. We're not as different as you think."
"Anubis huh?" Nico crossed his arms and glared at him. Anubis coughed.
"Nico, I'm telling you this because the gods trust you. Believe it or not, you're the only mortal they trust on earth. They KNOW you can keep a secret. You managed to keep the Roman camp hidden from the Greeks, vice versa and you managed to keep the great Percy Jackson oblivious of his own identity. You've impressed the gods."
"You flatter me." Nico said dryly. "Continue."
"Nico, ancient beings more horrible than anybody – even the gods – can comprehend are stirring. The time will draw near where a decision will be placed on your shoulders - a decision that could destroy or save the world." Nico suddenly had a taste of what Percy Jackson must have first felt when he read the first Great Prophecy. He shivered.
"Why me?" It didn't make sense. He wasn't brilliant like Annabeth. He wasn't charming like Piper. He couldn't control the earth or the sky or the sea. He couldn't fix anything. He couldn't shape shift. He was an average fighter. He wasn't strong or brave or charismatic. What WAS he good at? He shook his head in shock. This Anubis guy was wrong. Percy Jackson or somebody would save the world again. Like he always did.
"Because you don't let your heart rule your head. But you still have a heart. Percy is too impulsive, and he would make the wrong choice. Jason is a disciplined robot. He wouldn't be able to handle this decision either. Only YOU could do this."
"Sure!" Nico yelled. "Sure! I'm going to be the Saviour of Olympus." He managed a bitter laugh. Suddenly it felt like he was blacking out. Anubis looked around.
"I've been here too long." Anubis said quickly. "Walt needs me. Good luck, young king!"
"Walt? Young… king?" Nico tried to yell, but his voice was lost in the wind that had sprung up.
"Wake up Death Breath!" Nico sat up groggily to see Percy anxiously shaking him awake.
"Yagh…. I'm up." He slurred.
"I need you! Hurry!" Percy gave him a forceful push, toppling Nico off the bed and leaving him sprawling on the floor.
"What was that for?" Nico demanded, rubbing his sore bottom.
"Look, meet me at the beach in 5 minutes. I've got a plan. About…"
"I know what it's about. 5 minutes."
"Cool." Percy left. Nico sighed and jumped off the ground. He pulled on a plain black T-shirt, jeans and combat boots and left the Hades cabin. On the way he made a stop in the infirmary. He walked softly over to Annabeth's bed and looked at her, concerned. Annabeth was like a big sister to him, and her life force was ebbing away by the minute. He winced. There was nothing he could do. He pulled himself away from the bed and left. He could tell why Percy was so desperately looking for Carter Kane. As he walked silently down to the beach, he shivered in the cold. It was about 3am. Nico walked faster, rubbing his hands on his skinny shoulders, until he saw Percy at the shore. He decided to give him a scare for waking him up at 3am. Concentrating very hard, he pictured a wolf. Nico pointed his finger at the ground and a growling wolf skeleton erupted from the soil. He smiled evilly. He pointed at Percy and the wolf charged.
"What the Hades?" Percy was bowled over by 100 kg of pure bone wolf, complete with teeth and attitude problem. "Nico!" Percy spluttered. Blasting the wolf with a torrent of sea water, scattering the bones, his next target was the suddenly worried looking Nico di Angelo. Nico was starting to think irritating Percy had not been such a good idea when he was saturated with a torrent of water, knocking him to the ground.
"Ha." Percy said with a grin. "I win."
"Yeah yeah." Nico picked himself up off the ground and tried to wring out his shirt. "So, what did you need to tell me?" Nico crossed his arms and tried (and failed) to look menacing.
"Yup. I have a new lead. A dream I had last night. My dad and I had a bit of a chat." Percy choked slightly, and Nico knew why. For all demigods, getting a chat with your godly parent was a rare occasion. He made a gesture with his hand, saying, continue…"
"Yeah, so I had a dream and my Dad told me a lot of stuff. But he gave me one lead without realising about Carter Kane. Long story short, he's in Brooklyn." Oh great! Nico thought. That's helpful. Now all we need to do is go door knocking at every house in Brooklyn until we find somebody named Carter Kane and kill him. Yay.
"Oh, and I know where they live." Nico looked up in surprise. Percy's eyes lit up, the way they do before he was about to do something life threateningly crazy.
"Tell the others we're headed to a place called Brooklyn House for a visit."
"And you know this because…" Nico creased his brow. Percy shrugged.
"An albino crocodile told me." Percy said casually.
"Naturally." Nico muttered. "Erm… not meaning to be a wet blanket…"
"You usually are."
"Shut up. Not meaning to be a wet blanket, but how do you propose we're going to find Brooklyn House? I doubt we could Google it." Nico said sarcastically. Percy raised an eyebrow and held up a small gold disc.
"That's where this will come in handy."
"Lovely." Nico took the disc from Percy and flipped it between his fingers casually. "What does it do?"
"It's a long story." Percy obviously didn't want to tell him.
"You flipping woke me up at 3am. We've got plenty of time."
"Well Leo made it for me. But he found the design…" Suddenly there was a loud rumble of thunder. Nico smelt rain. It wouldn't rain on Camp Halfblood. He forced himself to relax. Just count to ten and… boom! A clap of thunder scared him senseless. Then he felt the rain.
"Run to the pavilion!" Percy yelped. Nico noticed he was shielding the water from wetting him. Lucky duck. His long dark hair was dripping with rainwater.
"How could this happen?" Nico yelled over the noise. Suddenly the gryphon returned.
Yup. That's it. I'll update after 45 reviews. That SHOULD give me enough time. Until then, see you!
