Chapter 9-
Nico leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, peace finally settling over his weary soul. That peace treaty would be signed the next day, a peace treaty that could save thousands of lives. It would cure the tortured children, save the sick babies. It would give all of them a new lease on life.
He had came to tell their headquarters as quick as he could, so they could give new hope to their people. Their messege, "don't give up yet", would finally be believed throughout their world. For the first time, Nico was proud of himself. The old thought of killing himself never even crossed his mind. Who would do that to themselves when they were as happy as he was now?
Nico was their leader, the one who led them to this peace treaty. In doing this, he saved their lives. He changed the world for the better, and he couldn't stop smiling at that.
"Nico, what should we do with the prisoners?" Octavian, one of the guards, asked. "Should we kill them if we have no more use for them?"
Nico frowned, opening his eyes. "Excuse me? What prisoners?"
"...the only prisoners we have?" Octavian tilted his head in confusion, the common movement having become popular since facial expressions couldn't be read. "If we're doing a treaty, we have no more reason to send in videos. So, should we kill them?"
Nico stood up and headed for the only locked door, his blood starting to boil. "You've kept prisoners in the dungeons?!"
"That's what the dungeons are for." Octavian muttered. "What else would we use them for?"
"Storage! Or just leave them empty!" Nico turned to him and grabbed the front of his shirt, his hand shaking from anger. "What did you do to them? Who's left?"
Octavian looked at him for a minute before speaking, his tone of voice emphasizing his hidden smile. "We sent torture tapes in. That's probably why they're doing a treaty, you know. So no more of their citizens get-"
Nico punched him as hard as he could, the realize of energy curing some of his anger. He then turned to Annabeth, her shaking form by the front door. She had came with him to find Will, having hoped to see her old friend and share the good news. Now, she was terrified as her mind raced with possibilities of what could have happened to him. Nico could tell without even seeing her facial reactions, having gotten to know her over the past year. She was one of the reasons they won.
"I told you specifically to take care of them! Get answers peacefully! Not torture them in the dungeons!" Nico stomped on him before looking to Annabeth, tilting his head towards another door. "Go get the keys."
She ran off to do so, leaving him to stare at the dungeon door in fear. Will...Will was an enigma to him. How could he like a boy so much that he barely knew? The last night they spent together, they cuddled under the stars without even worrying about what the other would think. They just felt right together, like they stuck together perfectly. Two meeting puzzle pieces.
"Here," she handed him the keys before moving her fingers to her gas mask, having develpoped a nervous habit of playing with the bottom of it. "Will he be okay?"
"Just let me see." Nico unlocked the door, taking a couple minutes to steady the key in the lock. God, why was he shaking so bad? This was just a boy, just a POW... Right?
Through his closed eyelids, Will could see the light that finally filled the dark room. Too exhausted to move, he didn't bother opening them. Whoever entered, they were probably just there to make another video. Nothing important; it wasn't food time, wasn't water time. He could just continue to sleep.
His mind started to turn hazy again when he heard Nico's voice, but he began to think it was a part of his imagination. "Will? Are you okay? I'm going to get you out of here, okay?"
"I'm dreaming, just dreaming." Will assured himself. "I'm only dreaming."
He felt his bonds loosen and then leave his imprinted wrists altogether, but he continued to blame it on a dream. The light stayed and he felt himself being picked up, but it was just a dream. Why open his aching eyes for a false reality?
"Annabeth, follow me!" Nico's voice came again, more urgent. "We need to get him to the city!"
The city? Why...
Will could barely make sense of it, this the weirdest dream he had had yet.
"Will? Don't die. Do you hear me?" Annabeth's angry tone overpowered Nico's voice in Will's mind. "You aren't dying today!"
If only he could die, maybe the pain would go away. But Annabeth didn't have to worry, even if she was just a dream. Even death was a sweet relief that he would never get.
