9 - Death


Percy cupped his face, not even caring who was witness to his tears. Nico, the unbendable Nico di Angelo laid dead in his arms. Cold and stiff. Thanatos cruelly cut his life short. He was in a state of shock, believing but not quite believing.

"You can bring him back," his conscious niggled in his ear. "You can," it pressed.

"How?" he silently inquired. He gripped Nico's body closer to his. He'd do anything to have the sarcastic boy alive once more. Living and breathing, making snarky comments until they both died naturally.

"Challenge Hades," his mind supplied. "Challenge Death."