When Nico, Percy and Luna made it home, a huge party awaited them. Malcolm handed Nico a virgin piña colada and slapped him on the back to congratulate him. Percy and Luna heartily danced to the party anthems such as "Your Love Is My Drug" and "Here We Go Again", but Nico slunk into the background and quickly escaped, leaving the balloons, refreshments and confetti behind.
Nico reached his cabin and set his drink down on his nightstand. Luna had given him Hestia's necklace back, so he set that down too. He hung his sword back on the wall, picked his piña colada back up and stepped over to his summoning pit. Nico began to chant, rhythmically and monotonous; ancient Greek flowing from his mouth like lava from a volcano. He had no food offering, so he did the next best thing. He dumped the entire virgin piña colada into the pit. It began to sizzle and ghosts began to emerge. He swatted them away with his hand, sending them back to wherever they came from. He finished his chanting, stood up and spread his arms.
"HADES, God of the Underworld, SHOW YOURSELF!" Nico bellowed
The pit began to hiss. Smoke blacker than the darkest ash seeped out of the dry pit. The smoke snaked up Nico's nostrils and down his throat, infecting his lungs. The smoke began to leak out of his pit more profusely and then it erupted into flames so hot the singed Nico's eyebrows. It cooled, and Out of the ash stepped his father, Hades. His presence was intimidating and Nico willed his knees not to quiver.
The God before him was dressed in all black, just like Nico. He wore a leather jacket and chains hung from his jeans. Rings were piled on every finger, and many satanic necklaces hung about his neck. His unruly hair grazed his shoulders. When he spoke, the ground rumbled, but Nico knew he wasn't as powerful above the ground as he was below.
"I cannot be summoned like some mongrel pup!" Hades snarled
"Apparently you can" Nico retorted
"Don't test me, son" He spat the last word out as if it left him with a bad taste.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Speak to me in a tolerable tone!"
"Why should I?" Nico stepped so close; he had to look up to see his father.
"Because I'm your father!"
"Yeah, you're a real prize."
Neither father or son noticed Percy standing in the doorway.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Nico repeated
"Tell you what?"
"About my demon sisters?"
"What are you babbling about?"
"Aizella and Hecraetia, you dumb-ass!"
"B-but they…didn't she…..I thought…"Hades was at a loss for words
"HA! So you DID know!"
Infuriated, Hades stepped back and turned his back on his son. There, on the mantle, he noticed the Mythomagic figurine of himself. The one Bianca had risked her life for. The one Nico called his most prized possession. Hades saw it. Hades snatched it up and turned to face his son.
"This is how you respect me!" Hades almost yelled and lifted it up, preparing to smash it on the ground.
Nico didn't know what came over him. Inexplicably, the next instant, a wave of fire flew out of his hands, trapping his father. It sent him sprawling backwards into the pit. Nico kept the fire going, harder and harder. Before he could control what was happening, Hades had disappeared. Nico di Angelo had just sent his father back to the underworld.
A glint of silver caught his eye. Nico rescued his figurine and set it back onto his mantle. Then he heard a voice behind him.
"D—did you just send your dad back to the Underworld?"
Nico turned and nodded to Percy. Before he could ask what he was doing here, Percy answered.
"Luna sent me to get you. She said she needs to talk to you."
Nico nodded again, and Percy went to get Luna. When she arrived, he could tell something was wrong.
"What's wrong?"
"It's Michael."
"What about him?" a thousand thought raced through his head. Does she still like him? Is she breaking up with me? None of them were even close.
Luna drew in a deep breath. "It was his birthday the day before we went on our quest. He got permission to visit his family in Kansas. On his way back home, he was killed." Silent tears streamed down her angelic face.
"I'm so sorry." Nico cradled her body, not knowing how to make her feel better.
"I know it sounds silly, but I want to go see him. See his burial, to know he is at peace. Like I did wi-with my sister."
Luna shuddered before continuing.
"Somehow, I feel it's my fault. I don't know how or why. But I'm leaving tomorrow."
"Oh, Luna, baby, it's not your fault. Do you want me to come with you?"
Luna shook her head. "No, Nico. This is something I have to do alone."
"How will I know that you're safe? I have to know. You mean everything to me."
Luna smiled through her tears. "I'll be back at sundown tomorrow."
The next morning, the couple shared a passionate goodbye kiss, and Luna left.
