Chapter 11: Talking among Souls

After the whole prophecy fiasco, Chiron disbanded the demigods to their cabins; calling for the night. Though, he couldn't fool Nico, for he knew the centaur's plans. Sending the demigods off to bed to have their dreams. Dreams for possible leads, warnings, ideas. Anything that would be good enough to send three off to a quest, taking the problem with them. Nico didn't work like that.

He doesn't wait for answers, he goes after them. It may not be the traditional demigod way, but it's the way that kept Nico out of the dark. Kinda funny though, a son of Hades that didn't like being in the dark. But after living nearly seventy years in it, you can't blame him for his curiosity.

At his cabin, finally bird-free, he made no hesitation of summoning the Ancient Spirit that occupied inside. The Spirit himself didn't made any hesitation either while appearing in front of the boy.

"Spirit, you said something about being taken in by a guardian angel." Nico reminded, the Spirit man nodded in confirmation. "Tell me where you were taken in." It was not a question, but a demand. Although, Nico found it quite puzzling when the ghost didn't look a tad faze from it. Normally ghost hated being controlled. Skeletons were so much easier.

"I-I don't know where...he just sorta appeared out of a bright light..he welcomed me in a soft voice..and before I know it, other souls and myself were all gather around him." The Spirit's hollowed eye sockets relaxed, soften if you might say and continued, "he said he will give us the life that we have lost..and one day roam free from the coldness."

Nico felt indifferent about that. Though he pitied the lost souls, the thought of some angel that had the power to summon many souls at once...it was almost impossible to believe. Whoever it was, had connections to the Underworld. Nico could only think of anyone with angel-like descriptions that had that power was Thanatos. But the chances of it was him were unlikely. Right? Thanatos practically lived on the code of death, and whoever this angel was, was definitely going against it...Beware of the white demon that calls itself an angel.

With those words playing through his mind, a disturbing hypothesis woke itself in him. Nico looked up suddenly at the spirit, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "Why did he sent you to find me?"

Was this Spirit the cause of the disturbance of the birds? The dreams? The whisperings?

Again, the Spirit was not fazed by the threat, but spoke up hopefully, "Why, he said he wanted me to find the Sovrano. Serve the Sovrano as he will help bring my memories back."

There it was again, the word Sovrano. If this spirit was really out to get Nico, why would it call out to him so formally? Nico studied the ghost narrowly, not once in their conversation did he picked up any threat from the old spirit's words and actions. In fact, it was almost too convincing to just ignore. The spirit doesn't seem wanting to cause harm; no, it was this angel.

Nico took a seat on the edge of his bed. Hand under chin, he started thinking everything through. All the while, the ghost just levitated where he was, across from Nico, exploring his surroundings in interest. Nico thought back from their previous talk before. He remembered the spirit describing how his latest memory was at the River Lethe...Why? Who knew...for the spirit must of obviously fell in the river and lost all his memories. That's when Nico got an idea.

"Spirit, you said you were at the River Lethe. That's what you last remember right?" Nico asked, bringing back the ghost's attention. There was a moment of pause silence before the spirit nodded back. "What happened after that?" Nico once again asked.

Scratching his beard, if a ghost could really scratch, he answered hesitantly. "I..I was taken...by another this..woman..She led me down a long ways from the river."

"You were escorted?"

"Yes. I asked him where he was taking me. He said 'it was for their safety' whatever that meant." The spirit shrugged, confirming Nico's guess was as good as his.

Nico only replied, "The person that escorted you, what did she looked like?"

"Like, a bat. She had a woman's body but with dark wings and fangs."

"You were taken by a Fury...where did she take you?"

The spirit hummed in thought, "It was a sad place...gloomy and dark. Big doors separated it from the outside."

The Doors of Death. Nico almost gasped out loud. That explains why it was a Fury that escorted him, it was their job. But that didn't answer the question of why the ghost was sent there? When he had no memory or let alone a threat of any kind to be sent there.

For their safety.

Who were 'they'?. What have they done or will do that the spirit had to be sent to Tartarus? Better yet, how did he escape from it?

Nico glanced over to the spirit. "The angel, you said it just appeared in front of you, right?" The spirit nodded again. Taking in a shaky breath, Nico added, "while you were still inside the dark place, am I right?" Another nod. Getting off the bed, Nico shuffled his way slowly towards the built in fireplace on the right side of the wall. It was there. It was in Tartarus. Why of all places...Nico's mind was boggled. He wondered if his father knew about this.

Hades doesn't have access there. It wasn't part of the Underworld; it was much deeper. Not only that, but this angel manifested itself in there, without having a Fury dragging it in; for that was the only way for souls to cross the doors. And it also allowed a soul out. The likelihood of it leaving by itself was very high. What will it do if it did?

Turning towards the spirit, Nico's face soften. He felt bad for the ghost man; he didn't know the coast of dangers he was a part of. He only wanted to remember who he was. Nico could relate to that. For seventy years, he had no knowledge of his past, and how another five years it seem like for him just to find it.

Breathing out a sigh, Nico confronted the spirit. "I'm sorry for all the troubles you have gone through. But I am afraid I can't retrieve your memories back just like that. It takes godly power to do so, but even that can't be predictably done."

"There is no need to apologise. All I know that if I serve my Sovrano like the Guardian said, someday my thoughts will finally come." The spirit man consisted, a confident smile spread on his face.

Amused by the spirit's determination, Nico decided to humor him. "Well, since there is no way of stopping you from doing so, may I call you by a name then?"

"Why of course! But I do not know my name…"

"I'll give you one...how about...Sol? S-O-L."

If the spirit's smile could get any bigger, his face might have been ripped. "Splendid! Sol at your service, Sovrano." He bowed gracefully. Nico couldn't hold in a chuckle.

"Nico, would be just fine." he stated.

Straightening from his bow, Sol consider the offer before asking, "Would Master Nico do?" Nico shrugged.

"Whatever helps you sleep I guess." Rolling his eyes, Nico turned back to the fireplace. He came to a conclusion: the angel was in Tartarus. And had the power to leave it if it wanted to. With lost souls on its side, who knows what else it was capable of. This was what Nico feared, the Underworld was involved to all this. Plus, it was all happening without even Hades knowing, for Tartarus was out of his domain. Nico knew only then what he had to do.

Tapping a finger to his ring, he order Sol to stand back. Eyes glued to the empty fireplace, Nico raised up the arm where the ring resign on. After tapping it, the skull's eyes glowed, only then casting beams straightforward in front of him. The beams illuminated a portal like mirror. Nico spoke in greek gibberish. (*)

An image appeared on the other side seconds later.

tbc

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All right! Sol is here! Well he was here but has a name now! So, tell me what you think of Sol. Do you like him? Irritated? We will see more of Sol's personality and posable history in later chapters! Also, our boy Nico gain a new friend, which is always exciting!

**If you are a fan of anime, then yes, I did steal the ring idea from Death the Kid XD

Idk, I thought it would be cool you know? I can't really see Nico IMing, or is that just me? I mean, hey, the kid can travel through dreams, I am sure he has easy access of everything else as well. What do you guys think? Tell me!

Note: This story is full of headcanons. You have been warn

Also I like to say, our winner is Jason! Although, he won't really appeared later but picking him really did make this chapter and the next one possible. See? Every. Choise. Counts. If it were Thalia, let's just say there would have been some..interruption.

Thank you for voting and reading! See you in like...two/three days!

R&R!