Sorry for not updating last week. Bragi something he had to deal with, and I was having issues with this chapter. I pretty much said fuck it, and then ignored it for three days. And then Bragi beat me until I got back to work on it. Ok, so that didn't happen. He did suggest something to make the final scene easier on me. But this entire chapter drained the fuck out of me. After the smut, I didn't want to go on. Oh...spoiler... Anyways... I'm hoping to have this wrapped up in ten more chapters. And I already have more ideas to be starting. But I wanted to say thank you to all that review. If it weren't for you, I would have burned this fic. There's not much else to say. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and the smut. Enjoy the Perico moments as well. They should be back in full swing in the next chapter or two.

Oh, and ten points if you can spot the Lord of the Rings quote.

Warning: Sex! Smut! Death. Language. Violence.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 38

Zagereus let out a heavy sigh as he dismounted from his horse. Ulfric fell in step beside him as the two of them made their way through the evacuating city. "What are we supposed to do now?" Zagereus asked. "We couldn't hold them off any longer, and the city still isn't finished evacuating."

"The others will surely be here before Minos reaches Tartarus," Ulfric tried assuring him.

They walked up the steps of the castle and pushed the doors open. Soldiers and guards were running around trying to get supplies where they needed to go. The castle was dark and cold, but Zagereus barely felt it. He had been outside fighting in the cold for the past several days, and he just felt numb. He pushed the doors to the throne room open and smiled.

Sprawled out on the throne was Nico. His legs dangled off the side of the mighty chair, right above Lupa's head. "You look so noble, dear brother," Zagereus chuckled. Morgrem and Lupa barked at each other and ran up to one another.

Nico smiled and shrugged. "Well, it's not like anyone is really coming in to see me. They are all busy getting out as fast as they can," Nico reasoned. He frowned as he looked his brother. "From what I gather, we may not have enough time to evacuate."

Zagereus frowned and shook his head. "No, but I was sort of intending to make a stand here."

"I think it's for the best," Ulfric agreed. "We need to buy the people enough time to get as far away as they can."

Zagereus nodded. He arched an eyebrow at a piece of parchment in his brother's hand. Nico smirked at him and waved it lightly in the air. Zagereus pursed his lips and turned to Ulfric. "Would you mind giving us a moment?" He asked.

The Lord of Alagaesia nodded and took his leave. As he was walking out, Bianca made her way into the throne room. "Oh good, you're back," she said breathlessly. "Nico and I have had our hands full for the past few days."

Zagereus arched an eyebrow at his brother. "I can tell."

Nico scowled at him. "I have been busy! Bianca has been tending to the people, while I've been giving orders to the troops," he grumbled.

Zagereus smiled and walked up to the throne, where he smacked Nico on the head. Nico glared up at him, but removed himself from the chair. "What is that?" Zagereus asked, gesturing to the piece of parchment.

Nico tossed it to him. "You can give it to Percy. It'll look better coming from you anyways." He smirked and placed his hands behind his head. "It's a letter from Annabeth, letting Percy know Kinzie is dead. She figured it would be better for him to get it upon his arrival."

"Won't that distract him during the battle?" Bianca asked.

Nico shrugged. "It's better than waiting until after the battle is over."

Zagereus nodded his head and placed the parchment beside him on the throne. "I agree with Nico." All three siblings looked towards the door as two horn blasts sounded in the distance. "It looks like we have company."

All three di Angelos made their way out of the castle, their giant wolves following in step behind them. Zagereus breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of both the Solitude and Sparta banners being flown in the air. The sound of thundering footsteps echoed throughout the city as both Chiron and Ares's armies came to a stop in front of the castle. Ares and Chiron rode to the front and dismounted from their horses.

"I think we're overcrowded," Nico said as the two lords walked up towards them.

Ares chuckled and glanced back at the two armies that were filling the city to the brim. "I suppose we'll have to make camp around the city," the Lord of Sparta said, rubbing his beard.

Zagereus smirked. "That would be most helpful," he agreed. "We're still behind on evacuating, so I would just like as much open space as possible."

Ares nodded. "Alright, you heard the man, move out and set up a perimeter around the city!" He yelled to his men.

"The same goes to all of you!" Chiron ordered. Thousands of soldiers turned around and made their way back out of the city to set up camp. Ares's family stayed behind, dismounting from their horses. Macaria walked up to her siblings and hugged each of them tightly.

"And where's Perseus?" Ares asked.

"Should be here by tomorrow," Zagereus informed them. "Right now, we're just trying to work on securing the city."

"We have scouts out now," Nico added. "They'll inform us when Minos's army is nearly upon us."

Zagereus nodded. "From there, we'll put the city on lockdown. Any civilians left in the city will be moved into the citadel."

"And I trust that we'll be able to move our troops inside the city walls when that happens?" Ares asked.

Zagereus nodded again. "Yes, I don't want anyone outside of the walls before the battle starts." He pointed along the walls. "Our catapults are going to use flaming projectiles, since that seems the best method for eliminating these things."

Ares smirked and clapped the young lord on the shoulder. "Good, that's very good. Now, let us go feast like your father and I did back when we fought in a war."

Nico let out a heavy sigh as the others all laughed and drank. The room was dimly lit and he actually had to wear his fur cloak to stay warm. He hadn't actually worn the thing since he had come home for Zagereus's wedding. He felt a little negligent of his family, but he was torn. He wanted to see both his family and Percy, but there would probably never be a solution to that. And now he had lost another member of his family.

"Are you alright?" Bianca whispered, putting her hand on his.

Nico looked up at her and nodded. "Just thinking," he replied.

Bianca sighed and ran a hand into his dark hair. "Maybe you should get some sleep."

Nico rubbed at his eyes and shook his head. "I'll be fine."

Bianca frowned at her brother. She glanced around to make sure the others weren't paying attention to them before speaking. "Is this about...what happened?"

Nico frowned and shook his head. "No, I'm fine," he lied.

Bianca sighed and stood up. Zagereus fell quiet from his conversation with Ares, Macaria, and Eros to look at his sister. "I'm going to take a walk with Nico," she informed them.

Zagereus glanced over at Nico and frowned. Nico waved him off as he stood up. Nymeria and Lupa rose from the floor and padded over to their masters' sides. The four of them walked out of the room and began walking through the halls. Nico frowned at the glass on the windows as ice started to thicken and creep across the surface.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Bianca asked.

Nico shook his head. "I'll be fine," he said, faking a smile. "She's gone, and that's all that matters."

Bianca let out a sigh. "Look, I know you love Percy, and I'm happy that you can have him back now, but I'm not sure I agree with the method you used." She placed her hand on his shoulder to force him to stop. "What if someone discovers what you did? What if Percy finds out? How do you think he will react?"

Nico frowned and cast his eyes to the floor. "He won't find out," he mumbled. "And I know I left those children without a mother, but I swear upon our family name that I'll do everything in my power to ensure their safety."

Bianca frowned at him. "Is that for them, or for yourself?"

Nico's shoulders slumped. "Can't it be both? They aren't mine, but they are the key to Percy not having to get remarried. But perhaps in time, I'll come to be fond of them. Hopefully, they won't hate me."

Bianca sighed and shook her head. "Just make sure no one finds out. You know Zagereus, Hazel, and I won't say anything, but I can't say the same about anyone else that might discover what really happened. I'm just worried about you."

Nico smiled and pulled his sister into a hug. "Thank you," he whispered. "I'll be careful, don't worry. And I was very careful about the act itself."

Bianca rolled her eyes and squeezed her brother tighter before pulling away. "Just do me a favor, and get some sleep. You look exhausted. You've been working yourself into the ground the past few days, and you've barely taken any time to get rest."

"That's because there's been a lot of stuff to do," Nico mumbled. He glanced out the window and watched as people with torches ran around, working through the night to better fortify the city. "I just want to help make sure we're ready. This is our home, and I don't want to lose it."

Bianca wrapped her arms around her brother's waist and rested her head on his shoulder as she gazed out the window with him. "Well, I can't promise you that everything will be fine, but we'll do all we can," she tried to assure him. "We are well defended, and well armed."

Nico frowned. "But will it be enough? The undead do not rest. They do not grow tired. We can't hope to hold out forever. And with every village or settlement that they pass to get here, they potentially grow stronger."

"We're trying to evacuate as fast as we can," she reminded him. She pulled back and brushed his bangs from his face. "Now then, off to bed with you."

Nico scowled at her. "I am old enough to take care of myself."

Bianca smiled. "I know." She glanced down at Lupa. "Make sure he gets some sleep. If he doesn't, I worry he'll fall asleep during the battle."

Lupa wagged her tail and took the back of Nico's cloak into her mouth. "Don't worry, I'll lay on him so that he can't escape," the wolf chuckled.

Nico huffed down at his wolf as he followed along behind her. "I don't see how that is helping me. If anything, it'll harm me. I think you would crush me," he mumbled.

Lupa growled at him. "Are you calling me fat, little one?"

Nico blinked at her for a few seconds before waving his hands in front of him and chuckling nervously. "What? No! Of course not!"

The wolf leered at him as she dragged him towards his room. He smiled and pushed his way inside upon their arrival, only to be tackled from behind. "I may be a wolf, but I am still a girl wolf."

"Gee, I hadn't noticed," Nico mumbled into the floor. "I do hope you're not planning on having me sleep down here. It's freezing."

Lupa huffed at him and climbed off. "I should hog your bed all to myself, since I probably won't be sleeping in your bed much in the days to come."

Nico smiled as he sat up on the cold floor. "I'm sure Percy won't mind."

The wolf climbed up onto the bed and planted herself at the foot of the bed. "That doesn't mean that I want to hear what goes on between you two at night...or in the middle of the day...or when you wake up... Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I wonder if I want to follow you around at all."

Nico smiled and removed his cloak. He gently ran his hand down Lupa's back before returning his hand up to scratch her ear. "We'll figure something out. Besides, I've known you longer," Nico chuckled.

"You could always make him sleep on the floor," Lupa said, wagging her tail.

Nico hummed to himself and collapsed on his bed. "I thought you liked Percy?"

"Oh, I do, but that doesn't mean I don't like that he never got to see what a horrid woman his wife was."

Nico shrugged. "I suppose, but it's too late now."

Lupa whined and crawled up to lay beside Nico as he climbed under the covers. "Your sister is right, you need some sleep. You look like one of the undead."

Nico scowled at Lupa. "Gee, thanks," he said sarcastically.

"Your sister was just too nice to tell you," Lupa said, licking his face once.

Nico rolled his eyes and draped his arm over his wolf. He let out a sigh before closing his eyes. Tomorrow, Percy would arrive, and then maybe his nerves would ease. But he knew it was too much to hope for that he would actually get to sleep with Percy tomorrow night. He wasn't going to delusion himself into thinking that Percy wouldn't be upset that his wife had died. Percy was just too nice of a person to not get upset at something like that. Not to mention that Lupa was right, he never knew what a horrid woman Kinzie really had been. With that final thought, Nico finally gave in to his exhaustion, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

In his dream, Nico found himself standing in front of the castle of Atlantis, except something wasn't right. Not all of it was there. Pieces of the castle floated around in the air, like it didn't fully exist. Some parts of the castle looked solid, while other pieces he could see through. The air about the place also felt different, but somehow familiar. He felt safe, but at the same time, there was a sense of danger.

He then looked around and frowned. There was a large black mountain curled around the castle itself, and there was something very odd about it. It was as if the mountain was moving, possibly breathing. There was also a deep rumbling sound coming from it, which also sounded very familiar to him. His body went stiff when he felt a hot puff of air blow against his back. He swallowed a lump in his throat and slowly turned around.

The mountain curved around, slowly lowering to the ground, and curving around where Nico stood. As he looked closer, he could see scales lining the "mountain". Nico's eyes widened and he fell backwards as a golden eye opened up in front of him. The eye rose far above Nico's head as the mountain began to shift, and it was then that Nico realized what he was really staring at.

A giant dragon, so big that it could crush Tartarus with one snap of its jaws, rose to stand above him. It growled down at him, giving him a murderous glare with its golden eyes. Its body was entirely black, except for its red belly. Two massive golden horns jutted out from the top of its head, and its razor sharp teeth looked to be the size a small village. A giant claw slammed down next to Nico, causing the boy to cringe. The dragon growled at him as it lowered its head back to the ground so that it was face to face with Nico.

"Nico di Angelo!" The dragon boomed, moving its mighty jaws to speak as if it were a human. "Do you know who I am?"

Nico quickly shook his head, pursing his lips tightly. "N-no, s-sir, I-I don't," Nico stuttered.

The dragon emitted a low growling sound as his mouth lit up like it might breathe fire on him at any second. "You ran from me the last time you came to my realm!" Nico cringed again as the beast spoke. He actually had to cover his ears because the thing was so loud; it actually shook the foundation of the world.

"I'm sorry, but I still don't know."

"Foolish human, do you not know when you stand in the presence of a god!"

Nico's eyes instantly went wide with panic as he bowed, slightly curling in on himself from fear. It wasn't hard to figure out who the dragon actually was now. "W-what do I owe the privilege of gaining an audience with the great Drakon?" Nico fumbled.

Drakon came closer to Nico's face and snorted smoke at him. "Do you think me blind, tiny human?" He boomed at Nico's face. Nico shut his eyes tight as hot air blew his hair back. "You know why I stand before you tonight. We both know what you've done. I should smite you right here and now!"

Nico's eyes widened again as he began to shake. "No, please! I-I just-"

"What excuse could you possibly have?" The dragon growled. "My favored house is on the brink of extinction, and you killed the wife that was going to help it grow again! How do you think I feel at having you slay the woman that conceived triplet males within a month of being married to young Perseus?"

Nico swallowed, his breathing becoming ragged. "Drakon, I meant no disrespect, I swear it," he pleaded.

"Time and time again I have suffered, and once again, I find your family's hand tainted by the act." The dragon snapped its mighty jaws at Nico, who quickly crawled backwards to avoid being eaten. "My own brother gave your family the means to kill my children!"

"B-but they were destroying everything!"

Drakon's eyes flashed dangerously. "They were being controlled, just as they are now. I detest you, little human. Your family got to keep your wolves, my brother's children got to live, while my children suffered and died."

"It wasn't my fault!"

Drakon slammed his giant claw down above Nico, slowly closing it around the boy. "Speak to me in such away again, mortal, and it will be the last thing you ever do," Drakon growled. Smoke blew out from his nose as he removed his claw from above Nico. He lay down again, curling himself around Nico, while one of his eyes stared at the Wolf Prince. "But none of this is why I've summoned you to me. We have much to discuss, and little time to do so."

Nico rapidly nodded his head. "Anything you wish," Nico said.

Drakon let out another growl. "Choose your words carefully, human, for they may be your undoing." His tail swiped across the ground, uprooting several trees. "As you are well aware, five of my children still exist. And like before, they are being controlled by a family I did not bless."

"What would you have me do?"

"I want at least one male and one female to remain alive."

"But they are destroying our lands."

"Do not test my patience, boy! This is the price you offer me in return for allowing you and Percy to once again be together. My brother and I have communed, and these are the terms we have agreed upon." He puffed more smoke out at Nico. "I let you get away with your little stunt in the woods," Drakon hissed. "I refused to enlighten my priests to what you were doing, and in return, I now get your word that my children will live on." His eyes narrowed. "And you do not want to test me at the moment, unless you don't want my help for what is to come."

Nico's brow furrowed. "What d-do you mean?" He asked.

"I have spoken, champion of my brother, do not disappoint me." His giant head crept closer to Nico until the tip of his snout was pressed against Nico's body. "Fail me, and there will be nowhere safe for you to hide from me, tiny human." Drakon's head shot back and fire came to life in his mouth. Nico's eyes widened as the dragon unleashed a torrent of fire at him.

Nico felt himself being shaken awake. He groaned and opened his eyes, finding Percy above him. He made a face as he realized he was covered in sweat. "Good morning, sleepyhead," Percy chuckled. "You looked like you were having a bad dream."

"You have no idea," Nico mumbled as he sat up. Lupa whined from where she sat on the floor. Nico frowned at her and assured her that they would talk later. He threw on a smile for Percy. "When did you get here?" He slowly climbed out of bed and walked over to his wardrobe.

Nico smirked to himself as he felt Percy's eyes follow him with each step. "Oh, just a little while ago. Your brother said he had news for me, but I thought I'd come and check on you first," Percy said.

Nico chuckled as he lifted his shirt over his head. He turned around to find Percy staring down at his chest. Percy's cheeks quickly darkened and he cleared his throat, tearing his eyes away from Nico. "Were you worried about me?" Nico asked with a huge grin.

Percy scowled at him. "No," he mumbled. "Well, maybe a little. I mean, there's a huge army of undead on its way here. How could I not be worried? And the last time I saw you, you were really upset about your brother."

"And you wouldn't let me get to the rest of my family."

Percy grumbled under his breath as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I guess there is that." He frowned at Nico as the boy slipped his shirt on. Though, he cleared his throat and looked away again when Nico began to undo his pants. "I just wanted to make sure you were fine." Percy's face turned into a scowl as he stared at the wall. "I mean, I can't really rely on your brother to tell me news about you, now can I?"

Nico smiled as he slipped himself into his pants. He walked over to Percy and placed his hands on the young lord's shoulder. "Well, I appreciate the sentiment, even if I am capable of taking care of myself."

Percy smiled and rose to his feet. He pulled Nico into a brief hug before walking towards the door. "Well, I guess I'll go see what your brother wants now."

Nico's smile fell. He bit down on his lip as he watched Percy walk out the door. Nico opened his mouth, but stopped himself just as Percy let the door close. What was he supposed to say? He couldn't say anything, not unless he wanted Percy to be suspicious of him. It would be best if he claimed no knowledge of Kinzie's death until after Percy told him. He frowned down at Lupa as the wolf licked his hand.

"You worry too much, little one. He's practically yours again already," she tried assuring him. Nico gave her a lopsided smile and gently nodded his head.

Nico cringed and stopped himself from opening the door to the throne room. Percy had just let out a very loud yell, followed by some sobbing, and then some yelling at Zagereus. He quickly stepped back as the door was flung open and Percy marched past him, the piece of parchment in his hand.

"Percy?" Nico called after him.

The young lord stopped and let out a long breath, crushing the parchment tighter in his hand. "I just want to be alone for a little while, Nico," Percy whispered. He turned his head to look at Nico from the corner of his eye. "Kinzie is dead."

Nico pursed his lips and looked at Percy with sadness. While he wasn't sad that the girl was dead, it hurt him to see Percy so upset. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Percy sighed and ran a hand into his black hair. "I don't know what to do anymore. Now the triplets have to grow up without a mother."

Nico stepped closer to the young man that he loved and tilted his head so that he could look Percy in the face. "You'll have help raising them, Percy. You're never going to be alone with that."

Percy's shoulders slumped and he lightly shook his head. "Why did I let her go?"

"You couldn't have known, Percy," Nico tried to calm the green-eyed lord. He felt bad doing this, when he was the one that caused Percy pain, but it had to be done. "And I'll always be there for you. If you need anything at all, you only have to ask."

Percy nodded his head, but still refused to look at Nico. "Thank you," he whispered. "I couldn't...ask of you to return with me to Atlantis after this is all over. You probably want to be here, and I'm not going to be much company for a while-"

Nico clamped his hand over Percy's mouth. "I don't mind going back with you. I don't want you to be alone as you mourn your loss."

Percy gave him a lopsided smile before sighing again. "Thanks. I'm just not sure about," he gestured between himself and Nico, "us. I mean, I know what you'd ask of me, but I just want to make it clear that I'm not ready for that right now."

Nico nodded his head. "I understand." It hurt his heart a little to hear Percy say that, but he did understand. "And I'll be waiting whenever you're ready. I do still love you, Percy."

Percy moved his hand out to brush the back of it against Nico's hand. "I have missed being with you, but I just need some time." He reached up and brushed Nico's cheek. "And it's not just for myself, but it would be an insult to Kinzie, and I can only imagine how people would react if I moved on so soon. You understand, though, don't you?"

Nico smiled and nodded his head. "I'd wait an eternity for you, Percy," Nico whispered.

Percy smiled and dropped his hand with a sigh. "I already feel like a bad person for even doing this. But I'll let you know when it's ok for us to be together again." He pulled Nico into a brief hug before walking off down the corridor.

"Well, I think you both took that better than I expected."

Nico turned around to roll his eyes at his brother. "I can be reasonable," Nico retorted.

"Says the person who tore the girl apart in the woods," Zagereus said with a smirk.

"Be quiet," Nico hissed. "And I'm not a child anymore. I understand he's upset, and I'm willing to wait. I mean, I've already had to wait for this long, what's another few weeks?"

"I just wish you'd come home and visit more often."

Nico smiled. "I'll try and work on that. Sorry, I've just been busy lately," he apologized.

Zagereus smirked. "I can tell. Well, I'm just thankful the manipulative bitch is out of the way."

"What about you and Percy?"

Zagereus arched an eyebrow. "What about us?" He asked.

"Are you two going to get along now? Are you still going to push for him to sit on the throne, now that I can have him again?"

Zagereus sighed and ran his hand into his dark hair. "I don't know, Nico. I don't want to sit on the Iron Throne, and I really do think that he would make a good king." He placed his hand on Nico's shoulder. "But this doesn't mean you can't still have him. It just means that you'll have to be more discreet with your relationship."

Nico nodded and placed his hand on top of his brother's. "How are you?"

Zagereus sighed. "Tired, exhausted, worried, stressed, and anxious pretty much sums it up. I can't believe this is happening."

Nico frowned up at his brother. "We haven't lost yet."

"The 'yet' is what worries me," The elder of the two sighed.

Nico looked out the window, a frown slipping onto his face. "I don't like to think of what might happen if we don't win here," he mumbled. "If we fail..."

Zagereus nodded. "The kingdom will fall. But I just don't know how we're supposed to come out of this victorious."

Nico pursed his lips and stared off to the side. Drakon had said something about helping, but the god never said what it was. Perhaps there was hope, he just wished he knew what it was. And he didn't want to tell anyone else about his dream, at least not yet. He wasn't sure how people would react to him being singled out and threatened by a god. As far as he recalled, the gods didn't usually visit mortals very frequently in their dreams. So, for now, all he could really do was wait and hope that something would happen.

"Must you leave so soon?" Apollo whispered as he watched Robert pack up for his journey in the morning. He didn't like it, but he knew there was no talking his lover out of it. He frowned as he pulled his legs up to his chest under the cover.

Robert placed his sword on the table and turned to smile at Apollo. "I'll be fine. And I'm still here for the moment. You have me for the rest of the night," he said soothingly. He walked over to the bed and crawled across it until he sat in front of the younger blond. He ran a hand up Apollo's soft tan arm, admiring all of the exposed skin that he could see.

Apollo buried his head into his knees, a small smile spreading across his features. "You've been doing an awful lot of staring lately." He looked back at Robert and slowly slid the covers from his naked body.

Robert grinned and ran his hand up Apollo's leg, resting it on the young man's thigh. "I'm just committing your body to memory." He chuckled and leaned in to Apollo's ear, nibbling on the blond's earlobe. Apollo moaned and wrapped his legs around Robert as they fell back on the bed. "I'm going to miss you."

"So don't go," Apollo whispered.

Robert placed a chaste kiss on Apollo's lips. "I need to go."

"What if I came with you?"

Robert frowned down at his lover. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"But I can help," Apollo moaned as Robert began biting his neck. "We could use our magic again."

Robert sighed and ran a hand down the smaller blond's chest. "You don't know how scared I was watching you use it the last time. I don't want to lose you."

"And I don't want to lose you either, but here you are about to run off to fight," Apollo sighed. He frowned and ran his hands up into Robert's blond hair, brushing it out of his face so that he could stare into Robert's green eyes.

"I guess we should make this night memorable then," Robert said, pressing his lips firmly against Apollo's.

The shorter blond sighed in contentment and wrapped his arms around Robert's neck. Robert ran his hand up Robert's thigh and grasped his lover's arousal. Apollo gasped as Robert slowly began stroking the curly haired blond. Robert reached over and grabbed a bottle of oil and smiled down at the younger blond, whose eyes were half-lidded with arousal.

Robert coated two of his fingers and moved his hand down to Apollo's entrance. He lightly kissed the shorter blond's clavicle as he inserted his index finger. Apollo let out a quiet moan and wrapped his legs tighter around his lover's waist. He reached up and grabbed the eldest Septum's face, and dragged Robert down for a kiss.

Robert smiled into the kiss as he slipped in a second finger. He quickly thrust his fingers to where he knew Apollo's prostate was, earning a loud gasp from the young man beneath him. Apollo's head fell back as Robert continued to brush his fingers against Apollo's prostate. He buried his head into the crook of Robert's neck and lightly bit down on the flesh there.

Robert removed his hand from Apollo's arousal and picked the bottle of oil back up. He coated his fingers in the liquid and coated his own arousal with the substance. He slowly removed his fingers and lined himself up with Apollo's entrance. Apollo crashed their lips together again, emitting a faint moan into Robert's open mouth as the older blond penetrated him.

Robert slowly slid himself in to the hilt before stopping. He gripped Apollo's legs and raised them to his shoulders. He sealed their lips together a third time before slowly beginning to thrust in and out of his lover. Apollo placed both of his hands on either side of Robert's face and held the older male there as they kissed.

Robert slowly began to pick up his pace, which ended up causing Apollo's head to fall back and moan, thereby breaking their kiss. Robert descended on the ex-prince's neck and began sucking and biting. "You're going to leave a mark," Apollo hissed.

"That's the point," Robert mumbled into Apollo's flesh. He sank his teeth in deeper, causing Apollo to jerk with a hiss. Robert grinned and slammed his hips into the boy beneath him, bringing a very loud moan from Apollo's lips. "You're so beautiful."

Apollo moaned again and grabbed Robert's head, slamming their lips together yet again. "I love you," Apollo whispered.

Robert slammed into Apollo again, forcing the blond's eyes to close. He pecked Apollo on the lips and smiled. "I love you too."

"Forever."

Robert slid his tongue into Apollo's mouth and continued on his set rhythm of thrusting into the younger blond. He reached up and touched Apollo's cheek and stared down at the younger man. "I'll never stop loving you."

Apollo tightly wrapped his arms around Robert, allowing the eldest Septum to inch him off of the bed. He sat Apollo in his lap as he continued to thrust into the younger blond's entrance. Apollo had his eyes shut tight as he started to pant out Robert's name over and over again.

Robert kissed Apollo on the cheek and took a firm grip of his lover's waist. He began thrusting up rapidly into the younger male. Apollo's head fell onto Robert's shoulder as he neared his released. His toes curled up as he released himself onto both himself and Robert. Robert grunted as he felt Apollo tighten up on him, the younger male's body collapsing in his arms. Robert slammed up into his lover and spilled his essence into the smaller blond.

He gently laid Apollo down and kissed his temple. Robert rolled off of Apollo and curled up behind him. He wrapped his muscular arms around Apollo's waist and pulled the curly haired blond against his chest. Apollo smiled and pulled the covers over the two of them. He turned his head and pressed a kiss to the corner of Robert's mouth.

"I'm going to miss you," Apollo whispered.

"I know," Robert replied. "I don't want to leave you, but I need to protect you."

Apollo nodded his head and slid his hand into Robert's. "You'll come back to you, won't you?"

Robert kissed Apollo's ear. "Nothing could keep me away from you."

They had heard the army coming long before they had seen them. It was the slow, steady, thundering marching that gave them away. It sounded through the hills, and even echoed into the castle itself. The horn had been blown, and the city had been locked down. The city had been evacuated, but Nico worried that the legion of the undead might still catch them. Nearly every inch of Tartarus was covered with soldiers, all prepared to fight until their very last breath to ensure the safety of their kingdom.

Nico let out a slow and steady breath as he held his bow in his hand. He looked beside him, to Percy, and watched the young man's face. The green-eyed lord's features alone were enough to rally courage. If Percy was frightened, he didn't let it show. He turned his head to look at Nico, probably having felt the brown-eyed boy's gaze on him.

"Are you alright?" Percy asked with concern.

Nico nodded his head and returned his attention to the fields around Tartarus, which were slowly being consumed by Minos's approaching army. The wind blew harshly against their faces, and Nico worried that some of them might actually die from the cold, that was, if the undead didn't get to them first.

Percy glanced at Orpheus, who stood on Nico's other side. "Keep an eye on him for me if I have to leave the wall," he said.

"Of course," Orpheus replied with a nod. He smiled and placed his hand on Nico's shoulder.

Percy let out a long breath. Nico's heart began pounding in his chest as the undead legion came to a stop just outside of firing distance. Everything fell quiet. The only thing making a noise was the wind. Nico blinked down when he felt Percy squeeze his hand. "You'll be fine. I will protect you," he whispered into Nico's ear. "I won't lose you as well." Nico nodded his head, keeping his eyes on the undead.

Martin and Jason climbed up to the wall and stood on Percy's other side. "Everyone is awaiting your orders," Martin announced.

Percy nodded. "Tell them that we stick to the plan as long as we can. We'll launch the catapults and hit them with arrows for as long as we can. We need to keep them away from the walls. If Minos managed to destroy the Wall, I'd hate to see what he could do here."

Jason nodded and exhaled as he took in the sight beyond the wall. There were so many of them, and Nico knew it was shaking Jason's nerves to look at them. The blond tore his eyes away from the fields and looked back at Percy with a look of determination. "Whatever luck you may have, Percy, let's hope it lasts," he said.

"Your friends are with you, Percy," Martin assured him. Percy nodded.

"Let's hope they last as well," Jason mumbled. Percy nodded again and the two departed to their places in the courtyard.

Everyone yelled and covered their ears as a loud screeching noise rang throughout the air. The vast army parted and a man clad in black armor stepped to the front. Nico felt a chill run down his spine. He knew who the man was. He may not have ever seen him, but he knew the presence of him from the man's encounters with Theseus. He was Minos. Minos held an icy spear up and let out another screech. He slowly lowered his spear and it was like a dam breaking.

The undead poured down the hill towards the city walls. "Archers!" Percy yelled. Nico quickly nocked an arrow to his bow and took aim. "Catapults!" The boulders were set on fire as the army continued to charge towards the city. "Fire!"

Yells filled the air as arrows and flaming boulders flew through the air, crushing and hitting many undead. Percy began to frown as many of the undead simply got back up and began running again. He cursed under his breath and ordered everyone to fire again. Nico fired shot after shot at the undead, but nothing seemed to stop the creatures. Even arrows to their head seemed to do nothing to stop the undead legion.

Everyone on the wall hunched over and clutched their ears as a raspy voice rang out inside of their heads. "You fight in vain. You fight for justice? I will show you true justice. I will show you the justice of the grave, and the true meaning of fear."

As the undead reached the walls, they began to bang against the stone. Some began to climb on top of others, slowly making their way up to the top of the wall. Nico nocked another arrow and fired down at one the undead that was trying to grasp the ledge. She fell back down to the ground, but simply got back up. The men in the courtyard rushed to the gate as the undead began rushing it as well.

Percy drew his sword and lopped off the head of one, which never got back up. A raspy breath flowed through the air, causing Nico to shiver. He fired another arrow and looked back up at Minos, who had his arms raised to the sky. The wind picked up and hail began to fall from the sky.

Several of the undead began to climb over the wall. They began tackling archers off of the wall, though they were put down by the men in the courtyard. Nico let out a gasp as someone grabbed his arm. He turned his head to find it to be Percy. The young man had a fierce look on his face as he began to drag Nico away from the edge of the wall. "What are you doing?" Nico asked.

"We have to get off of the wall," Percy hissed. He pointed to the stone beneath their feet when Nico frowned at him. Ice began to creep across the wall. Nico watched with wide eyes as the stone began to crack. "Get off the wall! Now!" Percy yelled out.

Archers quickly made their way to the stairs, giving up their posts without a moment's hesitation. Percy nearly had Nico down the stairs when the wall behind them exploded. The two of them went flying into the courtyard as pieces of frozen rubble rained down around them. Nico groaned and pushed himself up.

Percy was already back on his feet and driving his sword into the oncoming undead. Nico's breathing picked up as he looked back to the destroyed wall, undead now pouring inside the city. The armies of men formed ranks around the destroyed barrier and worked to keep them at bay. Percy yanked Nico to his feet and pulled him behind the blockade. He covered Nico with his shield as another explosion went off.

Eros came running up to Percy and Nico. "They've broken in on the east side," the man reported.

"They've done the same over here," Percy replied.

"What do you think?"

Percy frowned, his eyebrows knitted together. "We hold out as long as we can. We're not losing here."

Eros nodded his head and ran back off to where his men were stationed. Nico placed his bow on his back and pulled out his twin blades. Lupa came bounding up to him, carrying a severed arm in her mouth. The troops in front of them groaned and moved back a few inches. "I don't know how much longer we can hold them!" Martin yelled.

"We have to keep trying!" Percy yelled back. He let out a low growl when more of the wall began to crumble away, allowing the undead more space to enter from. Another explosion rang from the west.

A wispy ball of ice glided into the courtyard, where it attached itself to a building. Percy tilted his head to the side as he stared at it. A few men went up to inspect it. Nico gasped as the thing hardened and grew sharp. It quickly expanded and impaled several men. The building it had attached itself to collapsed.

Percy growled again as men started going down near the borders of the wall. He grabbed Nico's arm and made the younger boy look at him. "Find your brother and find out how things are going," he ordered.

Nico nodded and climbed onto Lupa. The wolf bounded off through the crowded streets, Nico slashing at any undead they came across. He pressed himself against the wolf as a building collapsed above him and they were forced to race under it. Nico began to panic as he saw undead destroying the courtyard of the castle.

Zagereus and Bianca were fending off several undead when he found them. Morgrem leapt on top of one and ripped the undead man's head from its socket. Nymeria was busy tearing into a woman's stomach, mutilating the decaying woman's intestines. Nico shoved through the crowd of soldiers and undead and made his way over to his siblings.

"They got through the wall," Bianca stated.

"Well, I know that much," Nico replied, thrusting his blade into an undead's skull. "There are at least three holes in the wall-" Another explosion went off. "Or maybe four holes, but who's counting?"

Zagereus snarled and drove his sword up inside an undead's head. "Our problem is that they won't stay down," he said.

"Unless we burn them," Bianca added.

"Well, I don't think we really have time to make a fire at the moment," Nico grunted as he kicked an undead woman with a cleaver back. He cursed under his breath as he looked above them. Ice was beginning to descend from the top of their castle. He quickly stabbed an undead in the chest before cutting off its head.

Yelling came from their left, and soon, Chiron and his men came running from around the corner. "Chiron, what happened?" Zagereus yelled.

Chiron growled and sliced through an undead member of the Night's Watch. "We were getting overrun," he replied. "Ulfric fell back towards where Ares is, and I pulled my men here."

"Well, I'm afraid we aren't doing much better."

"We should prepare for a retreat," Bianca suggested.

"I'm not losing our home!" Zagereus snapped as he sliced off an undead's head.

"Zagereus," Nico hissed, "we may not have a choice. They will overrun us if this keeps up. All we're doing right now is biding citizens more time, but at the same time, we're giving Minos more power. Each of us that dies only makes him grow stronger."

Zagereus sighed and turned to Bianca. "Alright, go with Chiron and help Ares secure his gate. I don't want to be trapped in here with no way out."

Bianca nodded and ran off with Chiron and his soldiers. Nico kicked a woman in the head as she tried to climb the steps towards them. He turned to watch Lupa bound into several undead soldiers and began tearing into them. He turned towards his brother, his eyes widening with fear. "Zagereus!" He yelled. Zagereus turned around and froze.

Coming towards them, sword in hand, was their brother Theseus. But he was no longer the brother that they knew. His eyes were no longer his normal brown color, they were icy blue. There was no love for Nico and Zagereus in his eyes, and Nico knew he wouldn't hesitate to kill both of them. But Nico couldn't find the strength in him to do what needed to be done and kill his brother.

Theseus raised his sword and brought it down toward Nico's head, only to be met by Zagereus's blade. "Theseus," Zagereus whispered. Theseus growled and tried to drive his sword through Zagereus, only for it to be deflected again. "Theseus, this isn't you. Don't you recognize your own family?" Theseus swung at Zagereus a third time, but the older brother dodged out of the way.

"It's no use, Zagereus," Nico cried. "He's not our brother anymore."

A horn blew at the same time that Theseus made a lunge at Nico. Zagereus shoved Nico out of the way and ended up getting cut on his back. He hissed and blocked a second attack from his undead brother. Theseus growled and lunged at Zagereus, both of them tumbling to the ground. Zagereus's sword ended up going into Theseus's stomach by accident, but the undead young man didn't seem to notice it.

Theseus pulled out a knife and brought it up to his brother's throat. Zagereus grabbed his brother's wrist and struggled to keep it away. "Stop!" Nico yelled.

Zagereus cut his eyes over to his brother, to find that the boy had his bow aimed at Theseus's head. Nico's hands shook as he tried to steady his aim. A few tears threatened to spill out of the brown-eyed boy's eyes. "Nico, do it!" Zagereus yelled at him.

"I-I can't," Nico cried out.

"Nico!"

"But-"

Theseus's knife nicked Zagereus's throat. "Do it! Now!" Zagereus yelled.

Nico shut his eyes and released his arrow. The projectile flew through the air and sank into Theseus's temple. Their undead brother was knocked off of Zagereus, allowing the eldest male to get to his feet. Zagereus ran over to Nico and grabbed the shaking boy by his shoulders.

"Nico, are you all right?" Zagereus asked.

"He-he was going to hurt you," Nico whispered. "I h-had to."

Zagereus pulled his brother into a quick hug. "I know you did. You saved my life."

Nico's eyes slowly opened, instantly going wide. He shoved Zagereus away right before Theseus's blade sank into him, right below the ribs. He began falling backwards, and somewhere behind him, he heard someone yell. He hit the ground rather harshly and clutched at his wound. He felt a chill spread out across his body, letting out a shudder.

Zagereus knocked Theseus's sword from the undead man's hands. A flash shot past Nico and caused Zagereus's eyes to go wide. Nico turned his head to look just in time as his brother's headless body slumped to the ground. Percy stood above the decapitated man, his eyes blazing in anger. He grabbed Zagereus by the arm and said something. Nico's head turned back to look at the sky, his vision starting to go dark. He could feel the icy chill of Minos's magic coursing through him.

He slowly blinked a few times. Lupa appeared above him and began licking his face. A frantic looking Percy was next to appear. He yelled at Nico, but the boy couldn't understand him. The young lord scooped Nico into his arms, which was the last thing Nico saw before he lost consciousness.

Nico woke up shivering. His lips felt numb, but he appeared to be all right. He groaned as he sat up, finding himself wrapped in his fur cloak. He was inside a tent, where Lupa lay at his feet. The wolf perked up when he sat up and wagged her tail.

"I'm glad you're all right, little one," she said soothingly.

"What happened?" Nico groaned, rubbing his head. He winced and then glanced down at his chest. His wound had been wrapped up and treated.

"Tartarus has fallen."

Nico's breath hitched. He shook his head frantically. "You're joking, right? Please tell me we were victorious." Nico's heart began pounding in his chest when the wolf remained silent. "Lupa?"

The wolf got up and moved up to place herself in his lap. "I truly am sorry, my little one," she said softly.

Zagereus and Morgrem pushed their way into the tent. He smiled softly upon seeing Nico awake. "Finally. I was beginning to worry about you," he said.

"Brother, please tell me our home is fine," Nico pleaded.

Morgrem grunted at Lupa. "You had to break it to him as soon as he woke up?" The alpha wolf grumbled.

"He would have found out sooner or later, and I don't coddle him," Lupa retorted.

Nico bit down on his lip. "What happened? How did I get here?" Nico asked.

Zagereus sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. "It's true, Tartarus has fallen. There were a lot of casualties, and now I worry that we may have made it worse for us," Zagereus replied. "But Percy convinced me to retreat, so we did. He carried you to a horse and refused to let go of you until we made it here."

"Am I..." Nico trailed off. He was scared of what else he might learn, but he needed to know.

Zagereus forced himself to smile and he squeezed Nico's shoulder. "You're fine. We had you treated, and the wound wasn't that bad. But Martin-"

Nico's brow furrowed. "What about Martin?"

Zagereus frowned and stood back up. "You should see for yourself." He held out his hand and helped Nico to stand up.

Nico followed after his brother as he was led through camp. He looked around at the depressing sight before him. There were so many wounded, and out of those, some looked near death. The construction of the camp looked rushed, probably because it had been. Nico had no idea how far they were from Tartarus, or how long they would actually be able to stay there.

Zagereus opened up a tent and motioned for Nico to go inside. Nico let out a long breath and stepped through the threshold. Inside, several people were gathered around a cot. Ulfric was kneeling beside the bed, clutching someone's hand. Ares and Chiron stood off to the side, lips pursed tightly. And beside Ulfric, was Percy. He sat on the edge of the bed, leaning close to whoever it was.

As Nico moved closer, he saw that the person in the bed was Martin. He was whispering something to Percy, who was shaking his head. Blood was staining the bandages that were wrapped around him, as well as the sheets underneath him. He looked very pale, and he seemed to have a hard time speaking.

Percy's eyes flickered over to Nico, his lips pursing. He looked back at Martin and whispered that everything would be all right. The blond weakly shook his head. Ulfric buried his face into the blood-stained sheets and began weeping.

"Percy," Martin began, "I do have one last request."

Percy let out a breath and nodded. "Anything," Percy whispered.

Martin winced as he struggled to sit up. Percy quickly did the best he could to help him, helping hold Martin's head up. Martin smiled up at him and grabbed Percy by the shirt. Percy's eyes widened as the blond pressed their lips together for a brief moment. Martin fell back onto the pillow and closed his eyes. Percy's mouth hung open as he stared down at the blond. Martin chuckled up at him before squeezing his father's hand.

Martin slowly closed his eyes, and Nico watched as his breathing slowly faded away. Ulfric hovered above Martin's body and pulled the blond's corpse against him, slowly rocking it. Percy stumbled as he moved away from the bed. He was trying to calm his breathing as he mumbled under his breath.

"I know this is hard, Ulfric, but we can't leave the body for long," Chiron said softly.

Ares nodded his head. "He's right, it's too dangerous."

Ulfric buried his nose into Martin's hair. "Just give me a moment," he whispered.

Percy released a long breath and shook his head. He quickly stepped out of the tent without saying a word. Nico frowned and walked after him. He found the green-eyed young man pacing around outside. "Percy? Are you ok?" Nico asked.

Percy shook his head. "Why do so many people have to die, Nico?" Percy whispered.

Nico bit down on his lip. "I don't know. I'm so sorry."

"I didn't even know he liked me in that way. We've been friends since we were babies, how could I have not seen it?"

Nico remained silent. He didn't know what to say. He couldn't be angry with Martin. It was the young man's dying act, how could Nico fault him for that? And he and Percy weren't even actually back together. And while he had felt no remorse over ending Kinzie's life and putting an end to competing with her for Percy, he couldn't help but feel sad about this.

He blinked in surprise when he felt Percy's arms wrap around him. "I'm glad you're all right," Percy whispered into Nico's ear. "I can't lose you, not after all of this. It's just been too much."

Nico slowly wrapped his arms around Percy. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

Yep... Anyways, uh, Martin is dead. It's more tragedy for Percy. And it eliminates the competition. And I don't have possible new side plots coming into the story. So, Tartarus has fallen. It's not destroyed. Minos just wanted to get rid of them. That's all I got. You're welcome for the smut? A taste of what is yet to come. Anyways, I'm off to work on a fic. (Hint: I didn't say a name of a fic there, now did I? What could that possibly mean?) All right, I'll see you guys later.