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.
Chapter 17: The Bone Room
PERCY
As it turns out you can't actually die from boredom though, Percy wouldn't have been surprised if he and Leo would be the first. Currently Leo was laying upside down on the couch eating grapes hand fed to him by Percy who was trying and failing not to fall asleep.
He'd only wake when his head would bob, and Leo would ask for Percy for "another" before nearly choking on said grape. The girls on the other hand thought the two of them were being a tad dramatic but let it pass considering they'd gone through a lot in such a short amount of time.
Thalia moved her hand from running it through Bianca's hair, "this is getting ridiculous." Mostly she was referring to the inability for her to do anything about their situation. The two girls had previously exhausted all avenues of escape.
Percy watched the two girls, how Bianca seemed to know exactly what to say to Thalia to get the angel to calm down. Even though he'd been here such a short time he understood her frustration.
SUMMON
Frank was once again roaming the castle where Luke had made his hideout. With it being an old building there were lots of places for him to hide and it even had servants corridors meaning he could slip into those and get form room to room much easier.
It had been on him to find the room where each part of the controlled angels and demons were kept. Yet, at every turn it seemed that he couldn't find it. No matter how he searched it seemed to evade him and as things were going the magic that Persephone had gifted him was running out and soon his own magic would be found out.
With Leo and Percy also being here that brought a dangerous element to this, one he wasn't happy about at all. There was more at stake than just him now and in this form with his borrowed magic running out he couldn't even attempt to take down the wards keeping his mate and friend locked up.
His little rat body had nearly ran itself to exhausting as he begrudgingly returned to Luke's office, he'd never been in the angel's personal quarters. Luke had seemed to do everything to keep the rat in his office. That was another room that he couldn't get into.
It just seemed like all he could find was dead end after dead end. There wasn't much time left.
SUMMON
Leo and Percy were now making a game of eating grapes. Percy on one end of the room with Leo on the other and the whole goal was to throw the grape as weirdly as possible and have the other person try to catch it with their mouth only.
The game ended quickly when one stray grape has connected with Thalia's cheek. She leveled the boys with a murderous gaze, and it had the both of them running for cover from the electricity sparking on the tips of her fingers.
"What do you expect? They're bored just like us," Bianca had defended them while calming down the quietly seething angel.
Percy peeked out first, "if I had a white flag, I'd be waving it, we surrender our grapes."
Thalia rolled her eyes even though secretly she enjoyed the change of pace. There was no way she was going to tell the two half-hums. She knew they were troublemakers and she didn't want to give them any more ammo.
Bianca now had a lapful of grapes and she ate them while Thalia plucked a few here and there. The two boys looked like kicked puppies from their side of the room. Of course, Bianca wanted to go easy on them, they were just so endearing. Thalia on the other hand liked to make them squirm even if she was already fond of them.
"Come on, why don't you two read a book?" The two boys looked scandalised at the suggestion and Bianca rose a brow. "Is reading controversial?"
"No, but I don't see how reading's going to help," Leo said.
"It isn't," Bianca said truthfully, "but, at the very least it will serve as a distraction to this whole situation." That had Percy humming thoughtfully.
"A distraction huh?" The gears in his brain were turning, if they could make enough of a fuss would someone come in to check on them. If so, then could they possibly use that person or even persons to get out? How big would the distraction have to be? Annabeth would be proud of him for thinking so much.
Leo seemed to catch one when he saw the faraway look on his friend's face. A smile crept its way onto his face and the ends of his curls started to smoke. "What're you thinking Jackson?"
"I'm thinking that we need to start something," he gazed meaningfully at the smoke trails coming from Leo's head. "It needs to be big, explosive even."
"Now you're speaking my language my friend," Leo grinned even wider as he started looking around the room for something to use. It never ceased to amaze Percy how the guy could seemingly create things out of junk and it seemed this room had a lot of odds and ends.
SUMMON
Luke picked Frank up, still the angel felt so weak as if it took everything in him to hold Frank in his hands. Frank had made it back to the angel's office just in time for said angel to walk back in and scoop him up from the desk.
He carried Frank out into the hallway, with him was another angel he had seen a few times. Later he learned that her name was Clarisse and she always carried her spear, Maimer, everywhere. The angel was never without it.
The two angels walked the hallways quietly and then they turn into a hallway Frank had no idea exists and he cursed himself for being so blind. Of course, they'd have hidden passages like this it was supposed to be an evil hideout.
Down the hall the three of them went until they entered a room at the very in, in fact it was the only door in the hallway. The only other thing down the long stretch of hallway were floating wall sconces evenly spaced to give just enough light not to trip over your own feet.
Luke stepped forward and Clarisse gave him room and Frank knew he needed to pay attention. The door was also heavily warded, and Luke carefully recited exactly the spell to unlock each other wards to allow him entry. Eagerly Frank catalogued this information away.
They all stepped into the room and from behind him he heard Clarisse take in a sharp breath before she rested her favourite weapon in what looked like an umbrella holder.
"You've come," a voice washed over Frank and it had Luke shaking like a leaf and Frank afraid the angel would drop him. Kronos.
In front of them on a three-foot raised dais was a stone tomb with ancient symbols carved into it and chains held the cracked lid in place. The chain looked to be bronze, no doubt celestial in nature otherwise the Being inside could have easily broken out.
To the left of the coffin there was a small opening as if to a cave while to the right there were carefully carved out spaces in the walls which held jars of carrying sizes and shapes. He'd found them! Yet, he wasn't excited about Kronos sharing the room.
"Yes, my Lord," Luke spoke as he gave a small bow and no doubt Clarisse did the same even if he couldn't see her right now.
"Even though you've yet to yield results you've decided to show your face to me," the voice said calmly but it didn't diminish the hard edge to it.
"My Lord," Clarisse began before she stopped speaking all together.
From the left the controlled angel Frank had learned was Chris walked out. His eyes devoid of emotion, reflecting the light like his eyes had been replaced with glass marbles.
"I don't tolerate failure and seeing as you don't seem to understand that, we have to make sure you remember to never fail again." Chris was moving as Kronos seemed to speak from the smoke now pouring out of the cracked lid of the tomb.
"But my Lord killing the Prince of Hell is no easy task," Clarisse tried, and the smoke seemed to curl in disgust.
"All I hear are excuses," the smoke curled and changed directions to Luke who hide Frank in his hoodie pocket.
Kronos' smoke entered Luke though his nose and mouth making the angel's eyes turn a brilliant golden before they turned back to his usual blue. Frank felt it more than saw that Luke was now someone else. Luke felt so strong and nothing like he had a few minutes ago.
"Too bad, really. You knew what was at stake and still failed." It wasn't Luke as there was an ancient power reverberating through his voice.
There was silence from Clarisse, but the not-rat could feel the tension radiating off her. Then Kronos, using Luke's body, took Frank from his hoodie pocket and regarded the fake rat with critical eyes. Even though he was so tempted to let fear take over he resolved to think like a rat.
Kronos threw Frank to the side and this allowed him to scurry away to a hiding place, "he gathers like creatures, this useless vessel."
"My Lord," Clarisse implored seeming very afraid which wasn't a usual colour on the angel's face.
"Another word and it will be your last, what I'm doing is a mercy," Kronos said but it was clear he didn't mean it.
Kronos opened his hand and Backbiter appeared in it as he closed his hand around the handle of the blade. Clarisse trembled as Kronos took slow steps towards Chris relishing in her fear as he came ever closer to the defenseless controlled demon.
Even Frank had to look away now that Kronos was dealing out his punishment on the demon. Clarisse on the other hand refused to look away, tears shone in her eye's, but they didn't fall. Chris screamed and screamed, and Frank was too terrified to see what was happening but there were enough sound of flesh ripping and bone snapping to get a picture.
Frank could use this, hopefully, now that he knew why it seemed Clarisse was so willing to do as the enemy said. She wasn't being controlled like the others, but Chris was important to her, important enough to do many evil things.
NICO
"Do you think it'll get to him?" Hazel worried her bottom lip.
"We can't think that it won't, we can't afford that," Reyna said from across her.
They were all sitting at the table now. The windows in the kitchen were still blown out, but they'd worked together to tarp and duct tape them up for now. After being attacked and then reverse engineering Frank's spell they'd been too exhausted to use magic to repair the house.
"I made sure to add information that he might need," Annabeth said while glaring at her cup of tea, she hadn't drunk a single drop of it since it'd been put in front of her.
"There's a lot he's missed," Reyna agreed. She too couldn't bring herself to drink her now cold cup of tea. Nothing seemed to look appealing.
While Hazel had been explaining everything to Annabeth just a few hours ago when they completed the ritual the girl had suggested that they encrypt it. Sort of like encrypting messages on a digital platform they just take the same sort of suggestion and apply it to magic. Honestly the demon princess was always impressed how this girls brain worked.
Which meant that anyone besides Frank, who had Persephone's magic, could not read it as they didn't have the right magical signature. It was a way to make sure that no one besides the involved parties could get their hands on any sensitive information. Persephone's magic was the key.
Nico had been the quietest at the table next to Hazel who only added to the conversation when necessary. Hazel was going through major withdrawal being away from both of her mates and Nico was going through much of the same. Then there was magical exhaustion to top it off.
The demon prince yawned quietly and decided he need to go and assess the damage to the mansion. Tomorrow he should have enough energy to start repairing things. The biggest challenge would be the mess from all the exploding zombies. It had taken out part of the garage and left large craters all over the lawn.
The demon stood and every head turned to him. "Just a walk," he assured. "I've got to see what I need to do tomorrow." He had to keep busy.
Hazel stood beside him and her hard stare told him that he'd have company whether he wanted it or not. He held out his arm for her to take and the two headed outside. It was clear that Reyna and Annabeth also needed some time to themselves.
The pair made it to the lawn and it was hard to navigate without nearly twisting your ankle from all damage done. No words were exchanged as they moved around the outside of the house. Parts of it, mostly all the glass, was broken. Miraculously nothing had been set ablaze, but it looked a little worse for wear.
Hazel gasped when she saw how the garage had faired in all the chaos. She looked angry and Nico pulled her closer to himself.
"That," she seethed, "was Leo's favourite place and-and look at it!" Hazel's voice was growing in volume.
As her anger grew the earth responded to her intense emotions bringing up precious gems from the below. Nico felt just awful, he's her older brother and his decisions led to Leo and Percy being taken. This isn't how things were supposed to go. He's a prince for hells sake and he's supposed to know which hard decision is the right one.
"Tomorrow, this will be the first thing we repair." Nico used all his will to remain calm, "it'll be waiting for him just as it was." It felt like a weak reassurance.
The ground stopped stirring with precious gems and a whole lot of gold sunk back down. Hazel took a few deep breaths and gave a short nod as she wiped her nose on her sleeve. The earth under them calmed.
SUMMON
That night the two siblings brought a whole bunch of blankets and pillows to the living room. Neither really wanted to be alone and this seemed like the best solution. Reyna and Annabeth were also joining them.
Annabeth dumped a load of her own blankets and pillows on the ground next to Hazel, Reyna on her other side with even more pillows. She sat down on her pile of pillows and bumped shoulders with Hazel. Still, no one was in a talking mood.
Nico closed his eyes for a moment. The whole thing kept playing in his mind. He kept wondering what is it that he could have done differently. Being cut off from Percy, that moment that it happened, felt like hell.
In all his life he never imagined he'd share his life with someone like he did with Percy. Even if at the beginning it was because of an ancient Being. Without Percy beside him there was just no point. He knew it was the connection withdrawal talking but he felt like he couldn't stop those negative thoughts.
The demon prince imagine that Percy would shake him and tell him to smarten up, stop acting like this is the end of the world. Of course, Percy would be right. No one besides his mate could get him out of his moods.
Curses, seems like just a small time with Percy has already made him a better demon. He had more than his rotten mood to worry about. There was Hazel his precious little sister, Reyna and Annabeth. The demoness was his guard, but they were friends first. Of course, there was Frank who'd put himself in the most danger and his mate and Leo, his sister's precious mate.
As a prince, older brother, and mate he had to keep it together. The rest of them were doing that much as well, especially his baby sister.
"We'll figure this out," he said to no one in particular.
"You're right, we will and there will be nowhere that Kronos can hide," Hazel grabbed his hand and squeezed tightly. Her eyes shone like molten gold.
They all settled down to sleep, Hazel tucked into Nico's side. It reminded them of when they were little, and they'd camp out together in Bianca's room. With the barest hint of a smile Nico fell asleep.
…
A/N: I don't edit these before I put them up, but I've been laughing at my spelling mistakes while I reread everything.
