Disclaimer: I do not own anything besides the basic plot.
Pairing: Nico/Percy
Summary: AU: Percy likes comic books so when one shows him how to summon a demon he tries it. It was supposed to be a fake ritual but when it works and not only summons a real demon but the prince of demons dubbed the Ghost Kind he's not sure whether to cry or check himself into the looney bin. Little does he know of the full consequences of summoning this demon and it's way more than he bargained for.
Summon 16: Ritual
NICO
"The zombies, how did you deal with them?" Nico asked now that they were all gathered in the parlor. None of them had wanted to be away from each other.
"It took them a couple of seconds to explode after getting close to them and I used that to my advantage." Reyna explained while she had Annabeth as close to her as humanly possible. The demoness knew she was lucky that her mate had not been taken.
"That controlled angel, what happened to her?" Nico wanted as many answers as possible. Not just for his sake but for Hazel's as well. She wasn't doing well at all after having Leo taken from her and Frank was already in a perilous situation.
"She vanished suddenly just as the last zombie exploded. It was more than likely she was told to fall back once their objective had been completed." She let out a frustrated breath through her nose, "it doesn't make sense, that angel… why is she with Luke, with that Being. All the others we've encountered have all been controlled with a piece of their own bodies. What makes her so different?"
It was a question that Nico wanted answered. He honestly hoped there was no way someone would willingly align themselves with the possessed Luke, the mad angel. It was frustrating to the demon prince not to be able to do anything in the moment. They had to wait and bide their time.
"Then, we figure out what's tying that angel to Luke and get to the bottom of why she's on the wrong side and if there are more like her." To free her and then use her hopeful rage to get his mate back.
Nico handed Hazel more tissues. She hadn't stopped crying since being cut off from Leo mentally. It was bad enough that Frank wasn't with her but now she's lost their most vulnerable mate. The demon princess dabbed at her blotchy and tear stained cheeks and blew her nose.
"There is a theme, it seems," Hazel's voice shook with anger and sorrow. "That he takes the things most important to you and uses them to twist you any way he wants. All it does is destroy," she sobbed brokenly and silently in her brother's side. Nico pulled his baby sister closer. He hadn't seen her cry like this in hundreds of years. It was a near tipping point for his own tears.
"Nico?" Sally came into the room with her bags packed and an ever-confused Paul loitering behind her, "we're ready to go." By no means was the human woman timid but right now she was withdrawn.
Nico stood up and Annabeth collected Hazel to keep the demoness at least a little sane while her brother delivered the human couple to a safe house.
Outside Nico lead the human couple to an awaiting black vehicle with no plates and dark tinted windows. No one seemed to be in the driver's seat but Nico knew there was a ghost driving, the car was technically haunted.
Nico's ears perked as he heard Sally attempt to answer all of Paul's burning questions, but the mortal man seemed to be talking in circles asking the same questions over again. The demon felt bad for Percy's step-dad, the supernatural world was often hard for a mortal mind to comprehend and what the man had just seen and heard he was close to hysterics. Many of his questions went unanswered, brushed under the rug as Sally was slowly losing patience to explain everything for the fifth time.
Without a word Nico loaded the Blofis' luggage into the trunk of the vehicle. The driver's door opened and the ghost driver attempted to help Nico, but he was just a wispy ghost outside of the vehicle. With a defeated look and a nod from Nico the ghost resumed his position and stayed in the driver's seat.
Sally helped a still mumbling Paul into the back of the vehicle, a sigh escaped the woman's lips and Nico winced. This was his fault, his fault that Percy wasn't with them right now. If he'd just been a better mate, if he'd been there faster, if he were stronger, if.
With the two humans sitting in the back Nico chose to sit up front with the driver. The ghost driver seemed uncomfortable, nervous as his Lord sat beside him.
"Drive," was the command Nico gave. He did nee to tell the driver whereas the ghost already knew.
SUMMON
Nico's cheek was tingling, not because he'd been slapped but because Sally had surprised him (as per usual, after all she was Percy's mother). The small human woman had gotten up on her tip toes to give a soft kiss on the demon prince's cheek after he'd delivered to them to one of his numerous safe houses. In the background Paul had busied himself with exclaiming about the beautiful architecture of the house.
"You're allowed to cry too," she had whispered in his ear after the kiss letting her own tears flow quietly.
Nothing else was said before Nico had left the two humans. The unsaid had more impact. He'd lost something too and he'd get Percy back no matter what.
His hand wandered up to touch the spot Sally had kissed. How strange the affection of a human woman who wasn't scared of him, the mother of his beautiful and strong mate. Again Nico thanked any higher power that Sally had been Percy's mother.
"I'm back,' he called as he passed the threshold of the front entrance.
Hazel came flying toward him as soon as she had heard her brother's voice. Her arms squeezed him into a tight hug and he almost had a hard time breathing she was holding him so tightly. It nearly passed his mind that something might be wrong but there was a smile on his sisters face and her golden eyes twinkled. Fondly he hugged her back.
The demon princess' eyes continued to twinkle and shine like molten gold. She was excited about something and that could only mean good things.
"What's happened?" His question broke her from her bone crushing hug, and she released her brother and took a step back from him.
"Frank, he got another message to me. They're safe! Leo and Percy, they're safe." She was nearly vibrating.
Relief flooded through Nico's entire being. Though they could only stay safe for so long. His Percy was a troublemaker and put him and Leo together and there's bound to be a raging fire or all-consuming flood.
"The message was short as Frank didn't have much time to add too many details." Her initial excitement waned as the two made their way to the parlor. It was hard on his sister with only quick and short messages and now both of her mates in a very dangerous situation. Hazel was trying her best to keep her head up, if not for anyone than for her mates.
Hazel blew a breath out her nose as she plunked down on one of the overstuffed armchairs and Nico said across from her on the loveseat. The siblings knew that Leo and Percy would take care of each other, but it gnawed on them both. What if they were alone? What if?
Nico sat forward resting his elbows on his knees, "this gives us time, they're safe for now and we need to use our time wisely." Nico was right of course. It gave them a few more precious moments to come up with some sort of plan.
Annabeth had now joined them in the parlor sitting beside Nico on the loveseat. She looked bad, dark circles under her eyes and her hair looked like she'd been constantly running her hands through it. Knowing the Brainiac she probably had been.
The blonde girl made eye contact with Hazel, "can we though…" Annabeth gathered herself and sat up more and ran a hand through her already tangled hair, "get a message back to Frank using the mode in which he delivered it to us? Kind of like reverse engineering?"
"OH! I feel so foolish!" Hazel exclaimed as she slapped her knee. "Why hadn't thought about that?"
The idea hadn't even crossed Nico's mind, but it was so simple. The small undead animal that had brought the message to them in the first place would be the perfect way to send a message back. The spell was already there all they had to do was reverse it as Annabeth had suggested.
"Annabeth you utter genius," Nico said and clapped her on the back.
She rolled her eyes affectionately, "already knew that, we just need to get started on this already," Annabeth finished.
A glimmer of hope settled comfortably in Nico and Hazel's chest, soon they'd be getting back what is theirs. First, they needed little undead messenger that had just come to them from Frank. This time it'd been a mole, the animals varied each time. Nico would give the mole a proper burial once they were finished, it's the least he could do.
Later that evening they all gathered in the dining room. Reyna seemed calmer after spending some time meditating, it would ensure she wouldn't needlessly destroy something out of pure frustration. Her friends mates being taken had also taken a toll on her, she did not enjoy seeing the people she cared about frantic like this. Thus using meditation allowed her to be the strong pillar for them. After all her Prince and Princess treated her more like an unclaimed sibling than a regular guard.
The demoness guard looked up as Nico came in, his arm full of plain with pillar candles. As Hazel had been explain to Annabeth, while the two prepared for the ritual, all of this was necessary in order for their magic not to be detected and so they'd stay hidden. This would also ensure that Frank would stay safe from their enemies as he was deep in their layer.
"Arrange them in pairs at six points around the mole," Hazel instructed as she placed her pair of candles. "Then tie the sage with the twine around the two candles."
Each of them did as instructed and soon their ritual would be able to commence. The candles were placed on the chalk outline that Hazel had prepared earlier while explaining the entire thing in excruciating detail to Annabeth, the girl was a sponge for information.
Often, and this was one of those times, Nico had to admire his younger sister's skill in magic. To her it was like breathing how she used spells and made magic do her bidding. Nico watched as Hazel had reversed engineered this spell from a small trace of Frank's magic that had been left still lingering in the dead mole. Hell truly had a magnificent princess. Hazel's hours of being hunched over piles of spell books and practical magic books paid off. If only Bianca were here to see what kind of demoness Hazel had grown to be.
"Before we continue we need to open a window, this little guy needs to have an easy w ay to get out. I don't want him getting stuck inside, eliminate as many obstacle as possible." Hazel said while pointing to the ever so convenient double French doors at the end of the dining room that opened up into a large patio.
With a flick of her wrist Reyna used her own magic to open the doors allowing a cool breeze to settle over the room. It wasn't a strong wind but enough to play with their hair and cool the room a degree or two.
A nod from his sister and Nico snapped his fingers to use his own magic and light all the candles surrounding the mole. With a flicker they all blazed at once the flames reaching up and then settling into a regular candle glow. The wind from the doors made them flicker greatly.
Hazel began her chant. Annabeth only knew some of what she was saying from Reyna's memories. What the blonde could gather was that the demoness was creating wards to keep their own magic from being traced back to them and more importantly to Frank.
This whole process cemented everything she had just learned from Hazel and Reyna's memories. Her grey eyes catalogued each and every movement of the golden eyed demoness. She was saving this for her own use, it would be sure to come in handy. Annabeth bit her lip in order to keep the onslaught of questions from spewing from her mouth.
PERCY
"Frank, you can feel him?" Percy asked between bites of the food between them. He hadn't been too picky with what was there, and it all seemed to taste good.
"Yeah but I shouldn't be able to, right? Didn't they use spells and wards to make sure our connections were disrupted?" His wide brown eyes gave away just how worried he was.
"Mm, perhaps it's the proximity to your mate Leo," Bianca had returned to the pair with goblets full of ice-cold water. She handed one to each of them and gave them a stern look so, they each gulped down a few mouthfuls.
"B-but," stammered Leo suddenly feeling very concerned for Frank's safety.
"There are things that even our magics combined cannot explain. Mates will always be connected in some way, whether there are wards or not." Bianca explained trying to soothe the slowly panicking half-human. "His safety shouldn't be affected honey." Though she really couldn't be certain about that.
"It sucks, he's so close and yet, if he tried to come to me in any way he might get killed. I-I couldn't live with myself it that happened… Hazel would hate me for sure." Leo hung his head and his fingers sparked reflecting his lack of control as his unease made it harder to keep his emotions in check.
"Why don't you talk with him?" Percy asked softly watching reaching up to wipe away a few stray tears from Leo's cheeks.
"I can't!" Leo yelled and then burst into tears. Sparks flashed across his hands.
For a fraction of second Percy felt panic settle in his stomach before he pulled Leo close and just hugged him. Nothing could really be said at the moment, he just had to wait for the half-human to calm down. Percy was sure that this outburst was a culmination of all things that had recently happened. Heck, even he was on the verge of some sort of breakdown.
He heard a soft 'oh' from one of the girls and felt a soft cloth being pressed to his own face. For a moment if confused him until he knew it was because he was crying as well. He was trying to be strong for himself and Leo but, watching one of his very close friends cry was devastating and it finally seemed to bring home what kind of situation the two of them were in.
"I'm sorry," he apologized softly to Thalia who was the one who was surprisingly wiping up his tears.
The angel shook her head, her electric blue eyes boring into his green ones. "Don't be," she simply said.
SUMMON
Frank scurried through their enemy's hideout. Since Luke was convinced that he was just a regular rat he was basically allowed to go wherever he wanted.
When he had felt his connection with Leo strengthen his heart had started slamming against his rib cage. His mate, here? Of all the places… what had happened? He shoved those thoughts carefully from his mind. The demon couldn't allow them to consume him or he could be discovered.
The rat-disguised demon scurried down another hall, they all seemed to be the same. At this point he felt he wasn't making any progress in his little suicide mission. Knowing that his more human mate was here made his mission all that more important.
Frank broke out of his thoughts when he sensed a heavily guarded door, not with actually physical guards but, with magic and powerful wards. Scurrying up to the door Frank sat on his hind legs his little rat paws coming up to scratch the door and get a feel for the magic there. To anyone who might come down the corridor it would look as though he were just doing what a rat does best, getting into tight spaces like the little space between the bottom of the door and the floor.
What he fond was a harmonious (not that is created from harmony) magic, ancient and pure. Meaning it came from before there were demons and angels and when humans weren't even a thought in the universe. Timeless magic like those of the Beings and it felt like the power of the one controlling Luke, Kronos.
Instinctively he knew that what was beyond that door was the key to killing Kronos, it just had to be.
"Silly little rat, no one's allowed in there." Luke scooped him up and for an alarming moment Frank felt sorry for the angel. He was skinnier than he ever was, his skin pulled across his face and his hands trembled as he carried Frank away from the door as is even holding Frank as a rat was nearly too much for him.
SUMMON
"Tell me, how is he?" Thalia asked quietly as the four of them cuddled on the bed together for comfort.
"Jason is fine, though, I can't say for sure since our home was attacked just before this." Percy answered rather quietly himself.
The electric-eyed angel only nodded and ruffled his already messy hair. She seemed relieved that her brother was doing well. The angel wanted to ask more but, she realized that now wasn't the time. The two half-humans needed rest and she wasn't about to withhold that from them.
"Did you want to know more?" The more impish of the two asked, his large brown eyes staring into hers with little fear. Oh, he was cute.
Thalia hummed and Bianca reached across to hold her hand. "I would love to but there are two boys in here who need to rest. We'll have plenty of time to talk and scheme tomorrow. Ah, no arguments." She tapped Leo's nose making him go a little cross-eyed to look at her finger.
Percy chuckled from his position curled right up to Leo. The green-eyed half-human was finding it hard to stay awake. After the adrenaline died in his system it left him feeling extremely exhausted. He'd wanted to answer Thalia's questions just as much as Leo did, but the angel was right, sleep was calling his name. He just hoped that without Nico here he wouldn't have nightmares.
They were coming at him from all direction. The gross half decayed bodies of the not so recently deceased were hot on his tail. He'd run and run down the corridor but there didn't seem to be any exit. He'd heard Nico's voice echo to keep running that he was almost there but, he was no closer to the end than when he'd started.
Then he tripped and caught himself on his palms. The knees of his jeans ripping and his knees feeling very abused, this wasn't the first time he'd fallen trying to get away.
Breathing was getting difficult as his legs burned from the exertion of continuing past his breaking point. His stomach flipped and his lungs burned painfully in his chest as he couldn't seem to breath properly.
Percy fell again and this time the horde of groaning zombies overtook him. Taking his flesh into their mouths and ripping him apart. The sound of his own flesh ripping apart made him nauseas. He realized that he'd just gotten to the end of the corridor and it was in fact very short, he was just weak.
"Percy!" He was being shaken awake.
"Sit him up, grab some water." He heard rather than saw what was going on. The clinking of glass against metal and the sound the water made as it filled the goblet.
He felt the cool glass being pressed to his bottom lip. "Drink," was the order and he obeyed sucking down the cool liquid like a man dying of thirst. After the water settled in him and cooled him down, he came back to reality.
"Sorry," Percy croaked out as Bianca switched his glass for another one full of cool water. "Thanks." He drained this glass much like the one previous.
Three sets of worried eyes were trained on him and of course it made him squirm. He didn't like being the center of attention, especially this kind of attention.
"What… no, you don't have to tell me what it was." Leo said beside him.
"Thanks, it was just uh well you know?" He laughed at his own lame explanation.
The two girls opposite them shared a look. They'd had their fair share of nightmares when they'd first come to this place. Bianca seemed especially prone to them. Though Thalia didn't mind helping her through them, after all it was them against the world and they needed to be each other's allies.
"Really I'm ok. You can all stop looking at me like that now," Percy glared at them, though there was no heat behind it.
Once everything had calmed Leo had made Percy lay back down and cuddle with him. They clung to each other like lifelines while the two older girls went back to their own bed to sleep. Percy had a feeling that only one bed was usually used anyway.
Just as he thought dread would settle into him, he felt a small spark of hope bloom from his chest. There were allies here, he had his best friend and his mate's sister. He'd just have to think of something, and thinking wasn't exactly his favorite activity.
Percy fell asleep to the sounds of Leo's steady breathing.
…
A/N: It's been a long while. I'm currently rereading this fic so hopefully I can remember where I was going with this. I've lost all my notes. As always, thank you for reading.
