Chapter 1: The Patrons
Nico was confused. He'd woken up in a hospital type bed but couldn't remember how he'd gotten there. Everything in the room was white, except for the small fire burning on a tiny black alter in the corner. He thought back but couldn't remember how he'd gotten there. Then it suddenly all came rushing back. Will kissing some girl from Demeter, everyone mocking him for thinking that he'd ever be accepted. Even Reyna and Hazel, who'd promised him that they'd always love him, had turned away in quiet disappointment. Jason, the first person ever to hear his confession about Percy, had shut the door in his face when he'd come to escape the others. As far as Nico knew, everyone, except possibly Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia, hated him. He was afraid to check with them, they'd been away from camp for months and after what he'd just experienced, Nico didn't think he'd be able to handle another betrayal. After a week of shunning from the entire camp, he'd been suddenly called to Olympus. Zeus had Asclepius and Hygeia examine him, who had announced that Nico's mental health was so bad that it was recommended that he be banned from camp and other demigods until he was stable. When Nico looked around for help, the other gods just looked away. Poseidon made a small, aborted gesture towards him, but was stopped by the combined glares of Hades and Zeus.
Hades then looked directly at him and shook his head slightly, face impassive. Nico could practically feel the words vibrating through him. "You should've died... your sister was always better... immature, irresponsible, reckless..." He wanted to curl up and cry in the corner but knew that showing weakness would only reinforce the Gods' conclusions. Desperate, he looked around one more time and saw Hestia suddenly appear at the edge of her hearth.
"Come, Nico di Angelo, I will take you in. You have suffered much, yet you're still that innocent boy who stopped and talked to me within the heart at Camp Half-Blood somewhere deep inside. Come, brave protector of Olympus, and rest at my hearth." She opened her arms and Nico stumbled towards her, collapsing into her welcoming embrace. She stroked his hair, whispering softly, "Come, child, and be at peace."
—Line Break—
Nico looked around the white room and jumped when the door suddenly opened. "Ahh, Sleeping Beauty awakens!" It was a short young man, who looks about twenty years old, with light brown hair and eyes and a wide smile plastered on his face. He shrugged when Nico didn't respond and turned away, still grinning broadly, checking the machines that Nico was hooked up to. "Looks like you're all good to go, my friend! It's your lucky day." He disconnected the wires from Nico's hand and arm, then carefully placed a hand on his wrist, checking the pulse. The action was so familiar to what Will used to do whenever he got hurt Nico's throat clogged and his eyes started to burn.
"What am I doing here, why would not be 'good to go', and who the hell are you?" He said angrily, trying to hide his fragile emotional state from the young man. Nico swung his legs over the edge of the bed and slowly stood up, black starbursts dancing before his eyes.
"Well, you have just about every symptom of major depressive disorder," the man said as he gently pushed Nico into a sitting position again. He continued slowly, "and the beginnings of severe malnutrition and dehydration." He looked over his shoulder. "That's my cue to leave and let milady explain everything to you. Good luck, kid! Hope you don't need it." He gently patted Nico's shoulder and moved back.
"Thank you, George," Hestia said as she walked into the room. Nico immediately bowed as deeply as he could while sitting on the bed. Hestia raised her eyebrow at him, gestured for him to relax as George left the room. "How are you feeling, child?" She asked gently, looking him over carefully. He rose slowly, still exhausted, and tried not to let the pain show on his face.
"I'm fine, milady. Thank you for giving me refuge in your temple. I'll just go now..." he trailed off. "She's probably only letting me stay here out of pity. She definitely wants me gone as soon as possible, just like everybody else would." Nico thought sadly.
Hestia grabbed his shoulder with surprising firmness. "Nico di Angelo, son of Maria and brother of Bianca, you are not alone or worthless. Stop this thinking immediately. I have given you sanctuary in my temple to find yourself and new purpose for life. Your father and friends were wrong to take you away from Camp Half-Blood, you are a brave and valiant defender of those you love." Nico looked down, not ready to hear such sincere words and still doubtful of his worth. "Nico," she said gently, letting go of his arm and putting her hand on his cheek, "I care, and not all of your friends have left you. Not all the gods have betrayed you. Percy and Annabeth care. Sally Jackson and her husband care. Thalia cares. And," she paused, looking over her shoulder, "I have three more goddesses who care, and want to say something to you." The door opened again. Hecate, Artemis, and Lupa walked in, and Nico bowed deeply to them as well.
"Rise, hero," Hecate commanded, "and listen to our proposal." Nico slowly stood up from the bed and felt Hestia's hand on his shoulder briefly steading him. "Nico di Angelo," Hecate said softly, "will you be my champion?" Nico blinked at her, dumbfounded. "My children are trying, but I have many tasks that even the strongest among them are unable to complete, and I have found none so worthy or capable as you. I know you have gone through much, but with these new blessings, you should be able to overcome them. It will help you find new purpose and begin to heal your pained heart." Nico nodded, overwhelmed at her words. The gods had taken so much from him, first Bianca, then leaving him to wander alone under Minos. But…he'd also found his family, and what was left of it was loyal to Olympus. He couldn't say the same, but Hecate was offering a blessing and the opportunity and hope to find a new purpose…
"Yes, Lady Hecate, I will accept your blessing and become your champion." He dropped to one knee and bowed his head as she shot a light green beam of power into his heart. The energy coursed through him, and he felt a sudden pain in his chest.
Hecate stepped forward and helped him rise. "You have a greater ability to manipulate the mist, and the ability to perform several other kinds of magic, all of which I will help you learn at a later time." She nodded, pleased, and stepped back. Then Artemis stepped forward before he could say anything.
"Nico di Angelo, your sister was my hunter and died bravely in battle. Along with Percy Jackson, you are one of the few decent males of this time. I also wish for you to become my champion and bestow a blessing on you." Nico looked at her, dumbfounded. "I have my hunters, but as faithful and useful as they are, I have some situations where a single individual, one who is slightly more adept at blending in and finding information, is useful. Do you accept?"
Nico had long ago realized he couldn't blame Artemis for Bianca's death, and based on his encounters with her Hunters, definitely saw the need for someone less aggressive towards anyone male. "Yes, Lady Artemis, I would be honored," Nico said, as he dropped to one knee and bowed his head as he did with Hecate. Artemis shot a silvery beam of light into his heart, and once again he felt pain in his heart.
She helped him rise and said, "You have partial immortality, same as my hunters, and I have gifted you the ability to shoot a bow and arrow as well as my best hunters. I have also gifted you knowledge of tracking and camouflage."
Lupa stepped forward and nudged his hand as she spoke into his head. "Pup, I have seen your trials and am proud of your strength. Though I never trained you, you are accepted into my pack and are a child of Rome. I also give you my blessing, something I have not shared since my first pups, Romulus and Remus." Nico knelt, facing her impassive face as she spoke into his mind. A golden-brown light shot into his heart as she continued, "Nico di Angelo, son of Pluto, second year of service." A black SPQR tattoo burned itself onto Nico's forearm, with a skull and two lines on his forearm. Lupa continued, "as you have my blessing, all wolves will obey your call."
"Thank you so much, milady," Nico stammered. "I..."
Hestia gently cut his thanks off. "Nico, I too, would give you my blessing, and ask you to become my champion...and my child?" She said, her gentle voice softer than usual.
"Lady Hestia, I," Nico said, overwhelmed. "I don't know what to say. Yes, I although I miss my mother, I hope she wouldn't deny me a chance to find acceptance and love." His traitorous eyes slowly began to fill with tears, her compassion, and the acceptance his former friends had taken from him was overwhelming. She hugged him tightly, then let go and he dropped to his knee and bowed before her. Smiling broadly, she shot a beam of soft reddish-orange light into his heart, and he gasped as the now-familiar dull pain entered his heart.
As he rose, she said, "you now have the ability to control fire and summon any kind of food you desire. You may speak any language, as family is not bound by human limitations. I finally gift you the ability to strengthen families and provide hope."
"Thank you so much, Ladies. I will try to live up to the honor you have bestowed on me." Nico said, bowing deeply.
Hestia smiled at him and said, "As our champions, it is traditional we ask for your oath of loyalty. Are you willing to swear this, our champion?" Nico nodded as he knelt for the final time.
"I swear my loyalty to Lady Hecate, Lady Artemis, Lady Lupa, and Lady Hestia on the River Styx. I pledge my first loyalty to them and those under their protection, above any other loyalties I owe." He bowed his head and waited for their response.
In unison, they said, "We accept your oath of loyalty, Nico di Angelo, rise as our champion, ambassador to the mortal realm." As one, they reached forward and placed a hand or a paw on his head. He felt a tingling, burning sensation in his left arm and looked down to see a tattoo creep up his hand and arm to cover his arm, almost to the shoulder. He watched in awe as the swirling patterns of black formed intricate pictures. A flame curled around his fingers, rising to mingle with swirls of mist and sparkling brambles, twining up his arm to his elbow. Running gracefully along his inner forearm was a wolf pack under a full moon, moving together in an intricate dance. Another sudden tingle blazed on the inside of his right wrist. Five symbols appeared, a skull, a flame, a curl of mist, a moon with a bow and arrow hidden inside, and a running wolf. The symbols of Hades, Hestia, Hecate, Artemis, and Lupa. He smiled because even though his father had practically rejected and disowned him, the symbol meant he still was and had the powers of a son of Hades. "Rise, our champion." The goddesses said again after the tattoos had formed. He nodded and rose, overwhelmed by the emotions rushing through him. Gratitude, happiness, loyalty, purpose, peace, slightly muted from the still bitter sting of betrayal and loss from earlier. Artemis smiled at him, sensing his torrent of emotion.
"Nico di Angelo, we have a few physical gifts for you now that you have sworn an oath of loyalty. I give you three gifts. First, a tent that can collapse into a package the size of a handkerchief. Second, a silver bow and an automatically refilling quiver. Third, a magical bag that will self-replenish, that contains ambrosia, nectar, unicorn draught, water, clothing, and an extensive first aid kit. All three gifts will return to you if they are lost or stolen." She handed him the three items and Nico bowed deeply in thanks. "And," she added quietly, "I allow you to seek refuge with my hunt when in danger, and if fighting a foe too difficult to defeat alone, call for aid and my hunters will come if they can."
Nico gasped at her words, then bowed deeply. "Lady Artemis, thank you for your blessing and the gifts. I am honored by your gifts and will respect your commands and protect your hunters if ever need be." She nodded, pleased, and stepped back.
Hecate stepped forward, and said, "I too have a gift for you, Nico di Angelo. You already have a Stygian Iron sword, but I give you an Imperial Gold sword, which turns into a simple golden ring, and armor and a black shield, made of Celestial Bronze, they retract into these bracelets when not needed." She handed him two slender, perfectly smooth black bracelets, which he slid onto his wrists, where they adjusted to fit him snugly.
"Thank you, Lady Hecate. Again, I am honored to be your champion, and swear to obey you and protect those you protect, including your children, when in danger." Nico bowed to her as she stepped back, face impassive but for the pleased glint in her eyes.
Lupa prowled forward and thought into his head, "you are now given full years in the legion of Rome." His brand burned, and suddenly eight more lines formed in neat rows. "You have completed the full years of service in the legion."
Last, Hestia stepped forward and said, "I too have another gift. Unlike the others, this gift is not tangible though it comes as my child. You have the knowledge of my temples, which are scattered all over the world. You may seek refuge within, and those you trust may come as well, though they will not remember the location."
"Thank you, Lady Hestia," Nico stammered, "I swear to obey you and protect those you hold dear if there ever be a need." He bowed one final time as she stepped back to the other two goddesses.
"Now rest, my son," Hestia said softly. "I can sense your weariness, and you deserve at least a few more hours of rest. None of us have urgent need of you, and if we ever do, we will call. Now, rest." He nodded and sat down heavily on the bed, more tired than he'd realized. He shielded his eyes as the goddesses revealed their true forms and flashed away. He studied the new, intricate tattoo on his left arm and the five small symbols on the inside of his right wrist. He traced each one of the symbols softly and thought about what had just happened. He'd become the champion of Hestia, Hecate, Artemis, and Lupa, and had been adopted by Hestia. And although his father seemed to disapprove of him, his symbol had still appeared, along with his four new patrons.
He looked up, startled, as George's cheerful voice filled the room. "Well, mate, nice tattoo! I see you've accepted milady's blessing." Nico nodded without looking up. "You're all tuckered out, then," George said cheerily. "This is your room, mate, and you can stay here and rest. The walls can change color, just imagine what you want and push it onto the walls. They respond very well, but simple color schemes are the easiest to ensure you get exactly what you want." He waved goodbye as he exited the room, leaving Nico alone. He focused on his walls, changing them to black. There were four stars, however, directly above his head. One was shining silver, one was light green, one was golden-brown, and one was reddish-orange. As he lay back on the bed, memories swarmed his head. The too-recent betrayal, being tortured in Tartarus, kept in that awful bronze jar with the pomegranate seeds and his death trance, Percy telling him of Bianca's death, Minos in the Labyrinth, and more. He opened his eyes and tried to focus on the four stars above him. His nightmares faded as the colors overwhelmed all conscious thought, and he slipped off into a temporarily dreamless sleep
Hi guys! I edited this chapter and republished it in May 2021. No major changes, but sorry for any confusion or discrepancies. I will be editing the later chapters before publishing any new content, but I have not forgotten this story! (I'm so, so sorry for the 11-month wait!)