TRIGGER WARNING

Self harm is in this chapter, not much but a little bit. NOT GORY

Hey everybody! Now, quick thing here, I don't think you guys know I updated last week because the chapter uploaded, but the date of uploading didn't change so yeah. If anybody knows how to fix that, please let me know! Hopefully it will just be one of those things that just randomly occurred.

Alrighty then! Thanks for checking out this chapter.

I still own nothing! :(

Nico's POV

Everything slowed for a few seconds for the quartet that joined the others. Bianca was wrestling on the ground, eyes closed without a chance of opening. Jason looked at Percy and I before nodding in my direction.

The crowd moved away as a dark haze flew from the center of my being.

"You stupid, power-abusing hunter. No respect for yourself or your comrades," I seethed, making the darkness fly around in chaotic directions. Of course, this was not the right thing to say at the moment, but you know what I didn't care. If somebody was going to die on my watch they better have a pretty darn great reason for doing so.

The effects started right away, when I was about five feet from her body. They took away my breath, causing me to stagger slightly as I made my way towards her. The demigods around me started to ask questions in loud tones, but I didn't really understand what they were saying.

Probably because my body was starting to shut down. Cough, cough, thanks Artemis, really, cough, cough. IT'S NOT LIKE I HAD ANYTHING IMPORTANT GOING ON TODAY! NO, NOT AT ALL!

Right, you see, another stupid curse was just brought down my stupid mouth.

I staggered towards Bianca, brushing past snarling hunters by sending out shoots of darkness towards them. They backed off.

Yeah, I know what you're thinking, what could I possibly do? My body is slowly shutting off from lack of oxygen, so how the flipping Chaos am I still moving? Well, the simple thing is that I can't feel the pain of this. Sure, my limbs are slowly shutting down, and I just fell into the dirt beside Bianca, but I can't feel anything. I'm not numb either. This curse was just designed to be a prison within my own skin.

Anyways, as soon as I get down to Bianca, my arms start to fail me, and I feel as if I were hiding out in barrel for a couple of weeks without anything, and so yeah I've also got that going on for me.

Thankfully Jason and Percy know what I'm about to do and come to my aid. Although I can't hear them ( thanks for that too, Arty) their hands are on my arms, gently guiding them to where they need to be to perform. I channel all of my thoughts into making a pure sphere of shadows and darkness, the element that will restore her. Also, hopefully, won't kill her.

If she rejects the energy I give her then she'll die, but if she accepts then she'll just need sleep, so yeah. Fun and good times, right?

When I sense that the core is strong enough, I try to make a small nod, but even that movement is tough, and all for somebody who I really want to live but live a better life, even though I know they won't. It sucks, okay? It really does.

I feel my head fall with the small movement, and then focus on channeling the shadow into her body. In another second it's done and somebody says softly," The balance is restored,"

Instantly I feel better, and I take a long deep breath before lifting my head straight into a slap.

"I didn't need your help, you idiot," Bianca snarls, unaware of how much that statement actually hurt, and not because of Artemis.

"Then next time I'll let you die, a slow and painful death," I reply curtly, glaring at her.

"Sure, I'll die, totally die," Bianca mocked me, and I could feel the anger spreading through my chest. I hold in, but barely.

I rise to my feet and ignore her, the hunters, and the whispering crowd of demigods. I would've walked if I hadn't felt a hand on my left shoulder.

"Honestly, I wouldn't have died, so stop trying to give yourself some self-worth. You don't deserve any," she growls at me and I fight to keep my face neutral, despite my ideas about shoving her in the darkest corners of Daedalus' labyrinth.

"Overuse of powers can and will be your downfall, Bianca. Honestly, why do you think so many fall at the massacres?" I say quietly, but everybody seemed to have heard it," I don't need your thanks, your love, sympathy, friendship, or even envy. So keep you pride intact and let's keep going on with the day,"

"Oh yes, our 'gameday' that you three love so much, hmm? Well, two of you, at least. You're not one for civility are you?" She tries to taunt me and I grit my teeth together to keep me from replying something else that would just activate another curse.

"Weapons can protect or they can destroy. It is only those who wield them that decide," I say before shrugging off her hand and walking towards my brothers, who have gone to the safe distance of twenty feet at tree with the other nine.

Bianca shrieks at me but I ignore her taunts as the crowd of demigods fills in my place to make sure everything was fine. I guess Percy was kind enough to cover the whole thing in mist.

"You can't run, hide, or survive, Weapons. Remember that," I hear Artemis' voice as in my head as I make my way over. I ignore her and continue on. Behind me, I hear the medical examiners go over standard procedures and stuff.

"Well, that went well," Leo spoke as I got to the tree. He was eyeing me suspiciously, as if I was going to pull something on him.

"What was that?" Hazel asks, worry clear in her voice.

Instead of replying verbally, my arms, hands, and fingers create a path of their own. My limbs create a small wind because I'm ranting so fast.

Percy and Jason just nod for the thirty seconds I rant at them, every single pulse of anger slowly creeping away for now.

Percy is the one to reply, just signing A century's the prize which in reality was century. Prize.

"What's that even mean?" Hazel asks us," A century's the prize?"

"Yeah, and why'd you suddenly go into sign language?" Leo butted in.

I say the answer in sign: a century without being hunted down by the Hunters or a century of Tartarus. Because if I spoke I would literally kill anything that heard my voice right now.

Hazel, Annabeth, and Reyna seemed to get what I was saying but nobody else did.

"I speak morse code, dude, not this heeby jeeby stuff, talk to us man,"

Well, if you want to die, then I opened my mouth as if I was going to speak.

Immediately, the girls shook their heads, and Reyna even went as far as to hit Leo. I laughed.

"If he talked right now, he would kill you just by speaking," Jason told the kid calmly.

"O-kay then, don't talk. Take all the time that you need," he put his hands up in a surrender fashion.

"Anyways a century's the prize means that we get a century of either being free of the hunters or being stuck in Tartarus," Percy explained.

The idea of being free of the hunters, made me think of a day when we could actually be free, free of bullets, knives, monsters, arrows….arrows?

I smiled and turned to Percy, scaring Frank half-to death.

" Uh, why's he smiling like that?" the praetor asked nervously, pointing for a brief second.

"Huh, oh he just wants an arrow," Percy said glancing at me as I opened up a hand expectantly. Right now, the only thing I can think of is how painful it'll feel.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You got some arrows off of those crazies and didn't tell me. Nico, you freaking hid them with your shadows, didn't you?" Jason gave me an accusing glare and I just gave him an innocent smile back," Not cool, guys, not cool,"

" Don't worry, I got one for you too, sheesh," Percy rolled his eyes playfully as his arm reached up to snag and arrow out of his arm.

I undid the shadows so he could see better and the others gasped as they saw them.

They were about a foot long and a beautiful mix of imperial gold and celestial bronze. As soon as one was placed in my hand I made several cuts along my arms, decorating them in fading slits. The pain danced along my nerves almost making me groan in delight.

Finally I stabbed my shoulder with the arrow and then I did a couple of arm circles, making sure that it would stay there for the rest of the day. I looked over and saw that they were doing the same. The seven just looked at us like we were crazy.

"Care to explain?" Reyna asked precariously.

"For the pain, why else?" Percy asked.

"Yeah, why?" Clarisse asked.

"Why what?" Jason replied.

"Yeah, why do you want the pain?"

" Because it's so rare we actually feel pain," I say not really even bothering to use Athena's blessing to decipher their confusion.

"Dude, you were literally gasping from lack of air five minutes ago," Clarisse grunted.

"Yet, I didn't feel any of it," I shot back, earning a raised eyebrow," I didn't," I repeated like a little kid.

"But you can feel this?" Annabeth asked?

"Yeah, because it's made out of both imperial gold and celestial bronze. Trust me, some of the curses weren't that bright," Jason replied.

"What's the next game?" I asked as the clump around Bianca began to disperse.

"Swimming," was the steady reply.

"Well, I guess we all know who's going next round!" Percy laughed as the groups started to make their way to the lake.

Normal POV

The next few competitions went by fast, an ambassador winning each and every one. People were starting to take sides and cheer them on, but by the end of the day any and all bets were placed on the Ambassadors. Needless to say, the hunters became angrier with each and every loss, especially when they remembered they would have to see their patron in the morning.


By the time the campers got up the next morning, the hunters were long gone and mood had been restored to a peaceful balance that replaced yesterdays anxiety and fear with joy and glee. The campers were more focused on the holiday though.

Normal POV

Annabeth opened her eyes and felt the holiday spirit kick in, slowly making its way to full speed.

All around her other campers were getting ready to head back home, Malcolm and herself excluded. They were the only Athenian children who stayed year round.

So instead of crazy aunts and uncles, annoying siblings, and terrifying cousins, they would be spending Christmas at camp. She had already designed some of the decorations that the remaining campers would be putting up over the course of two days, just in time for the big day!

Wait, two days? Suddenly her festive mood dimmed. They had wasted a day! They had one day to complete her designs! Well, schist. Most of the decorations required two days to fully set up! She bolted upwards scaring those closest to her.

" You okay, Annabeth?" Malcolm peered at her as the others resumed their packing.

"Two days! The plans! They need to be cut or they need to be sped up somehow! What are we going to do!" she gasped for air.

Thankfully her sputtering and rapid syllables were caught by Malcolm, who just nodded," Yeah, I know. I already took care of it. Yesterday I started working on it with some of the others while the "Ambassadors were showing off," he said calmly, but curtly.

By now the cabin had been cleared out, as their siblings had realized that the disruption had nothing to do with them.

"Oh, thank Athena! You're amazing Malcolm, I'm so sorry I blanked out yesterday. I'll make it up somehow, I promise!" Annabeth jumped out of bed and nearly squeezed the life out of her half-brother.

Guess it was a good thing that he was used to her random spurts of emotions. Which prepared him for dropping the book he had been holding as his sister pulled him out of the cabin for breakfast.

When they met up with Reyna, Hazel, and Rank, who were also trudging to the dining pavilion.

"So how'd you win the best sibling award, Malcolm?" Hazel asked, accustomed to her friend's strange behavior.

"Prepared for Christmas?" He said stumbling as Annabeth finally let him go.

" He's amazing," she beamed, a scarish glint in her eyes.

"Yeah, well, the Romans are going to enjoy every bit of your magnificent works again this time, I'm sure," Reyna said with a sly smile.

"You bet! In fact, you're going to enjoy it even more!" Malcolm replied grinning while cracking his knuckles.

They made it to the dining pavilion , where the last goodbyes were being said.

The Ambassadors were nowhere to be found. She shrugged it off and dove straight into to large breakfast before diving into giving orders.


Normal POV

The ambassadors were spending the day in the forest, learning every nook and cranny. They wanted to be prepared for the summer, the time when no doubt they would be teaching the kids how to fight properly.

They noticed the camp was busy with some sort of excitement, but they couldn't make it out, and decided to leave them be. Some campers were staying but a majority of them had their stuff packed up as if they were leaving.

About midday, when they were resting comfortably in the giant oak that they had claimed as theirs, they noticed strings of lights and candy canes and other such trivial items littering the camp grounds.

Confused they decided to try and figure out what was going on by guess, not by eavesdropping for two seconds.

Giving up they continued on their quest, still taking meticulous notes.

They had just finished when a lively din rose out of the dining pavilion. Stealthily, the trio came closer, but stayed within the tree line, not wishing to intrude with their presence, especially after the last few days.

Secluded in a world of their own, the campers' happiness overflowed. Some were wearing bright red and white caps with puff balls or bells on the very tip. Even Chiron the centaur was getting in on the action, considering the white beard and red suit and cap he was wearing.

The younger campers were stuffing their faces with all sorts of sugars. Cookies, pies, funnel cakes? All were being delivered by older campers and harpies.

After an hour, a special array of fireworks went off, loud, slightly annoying, but dazzling. Not long after a series of Christmas lights started making patterns that went along with some music.

Finally getting that today was Christmas Eve, they retired to the Hades' cabin, deciding to play a couple rounds of cards that Nico may or may not have lifted from the Hermes' cabin.

About midnight, Hazel came in, dropping onto her bed after a half-mumbled hello and goodnight to the boys.

The next day passed in a similar fashion, except gifts were exchanged and couples hung out more obviously.

Slowly the days started to crawl by. The buzz about the Ambassadors quieted. Mainly because they would disappear deep into the forest, far deeper than even Chiron would venture, and wouldn't come back till dinner or at the earliest.

Nobody questioned them and they didn't try to socialize. Well, except with Hazel, whenever she was there. They got along pretty well, so well that many assumed she was romantically involved with one of them. Well, that was the rumor from the Aphrodite cabin, at least.

Finally, the first day of summer arrived.

Nobody had been looking forward to it, because that meant the war with Gaea was close and nobody wanted to fight.

Well there you guys go! I hope you enjoyed, I know it was sucky. Mainly because it was a filler episode. Don't worry, next chapter is when we actually move onto the plot! ( everybody shouts and screams and is happy ) Yeah! So see you next week!

~THIS