Disclaimer: All rights to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot.
Themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression are expressed within this story. TRIGGER WARNING! Please do NOT read if these themes upset you. TRIGGER WARNING!
Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave me suggestions! Enjoy!
Nico's POV:
He woke from another nightmare, screaming. He looked rapidly around to make sure he hadn't angered his ghostly mentor, but the king was nowhere in sight. He breathed out as he considered his nightmare. It had been about the horde of ghosts that he and Minos had recently faced. Even with Nico's blade, they had barely escaped. The nightmare had felt so real as if he was back with the were calling him, telling him to join them, that they had his sister.
Before he even realized, he was pressing a knife into his wrist. The pain and sight of blood brought him back to the present. He was alive. He was okay. As okay as someone could be when they relied on self-harm to ground them to reality.
After his assault of the wall when he had removed the iron from the wall about a month ago, he had taken up harming himself, for many reasons. To focus himself. To bring himself back to reality. To punish himself. To encourage himself. He knew it was a bad habit and that it could quickly become an addiction, but he had a mission to complete. Once he found Bianca and brought her back, he would stop. Just thinking of Bianca made his heart hurt. He drew the blade across his skin, leaving another freshly opened cut. She would be disappointed that he was doing this to himself, but he didn't care. He couldn't stop.
When he finally felt grounded again, needing his blood to spill over the stone floor of the Labyrinth to prove that, he replaced his knife in his jacket pocket and bandaged up his arm. He pulled his aviator jacket back on, which he had freed from a skeleton of a dead man who had wandered into the maze decades before. He reattached his new sword to his hip. Once he had removed the iron core from the rock, he levitated it across the Underworld, to his father's forges where the blacksmiths there had crafted him the weapon. Once he had given them the iron, he had collapsed for three days.
When he awoke from that, Minos was giving him his sword. It was three feet long, with a sharp tip, and black as a nightmare. The smiths had informed Nico of the sword's great power. As a child of Hades, he would be able to channel his power through the sword to control and summon the dead. The power of the sword would increase as he collected souls within the blade.
Nico had refused to use the sword at first, terrified he would hurt someone, or himself, but after that encounter with the angry spirits, he depended on his sword for everything. He had slowly started channeling his necromancy powers into the sword, but it was slow work.
A couple of days prior, Minos had decided that Nico needed to learn another skill to aid better in traveling and finding souls and ghosts who had answers about his sister; Minos was going to teach him how to shadow travel. To be in one place, use the shadows, and then appear in another place. Nico was excited to learn the skill, so he wouldn't have to walk and navigate the maze anymore, but Minos had warned him that the act of shadow jumping was incredibly dangerous. He could end up in the middle of the ocean if he wasn't focusing, or permanently become a part of the shadows if he did not focus himself.
"Ahh, my master rises," Minos' voice disturbed Nico from his thoughts.
"Us humans do indeed have to sleep, Minos," Nico said sarcastically.
Minos ignored his remark. "But enough of that, today, you shadow travel."
Nico looked at the ground. Minos had explained the basics of shadow jumping, but it still seemed extremely complicated. He had to imagine his destination in his mind, even if he hadn't been there before. That was the most important part. Next, he would reach out with his powers, finding the shadows in the world and in himself, and he would become one with the shadows. He would melt into the shadows and hopefully appear intact on the other side.
"I know I have discussed in great lengths with you how you shadow travel and what you must concentrate on. But the skills are also already inside you. It might seem like you don't know how to do it, but you do. Once you start, your body will know what to do. You have more inner strength and power than you realize." Minos instructed. That was the closest thing to a compliment that the ghost had ever given to him.
"I understand," Nico said, as he stood up. The Labyrinth was luckily covered in shadows. "So, I should just do it?"
Minos nodded. "Focus on a place where you want to go. Let the image of that place fill you up and then, reach out and become one with the shadows."
Nico nodded, closing his eyes, imagining a place. The image of Washington DC popped into his head. He had been there with Bianca before and had loved it. All the history, all the museums. He had a clear image of the National Mall in his head. He then imagined the shadows that surrounded him, infiltrating his being, becoming him. He was Nico di Angelo. And he controlled the shadows.
He opened his eyes to plunge into the shadow cast by the wall. Instead of melting into the shadow like he thought he would, he ran straight into the wall, effectively, and efficiently knocking himself out.
Will's POV
He ran back to the infirmary as fast as his legs would carry him, the lightheadedness from healing Paolo fading quickly. In his hurry, he had overtaken Malcolm, who was wheezing somewhere behind him. But, Will barely took notice of that. He had one focus now: saving Nico.
Will couldn't lose his boyfriend and siblings all in one night. He, fortunately, knew where Nico was, but Kayla and Austin were still missing. They had probably been taken by the same force that took Cecil, Ellis, and Miranda. He remembered that Apollo had been trying to tell everyone what he had learned about the woods and who was taking everyone, but all the campers had ignored him. How stupid of them all.
Before he knew it, he was bursting into the Big House. He couldn't stop his momentum, so he hit the wall as he rounded the corner to get to the entrance. He threw open the door to the Infirmary, his eyes locking onto Nico's quickly fading form.
"No," he gasped as he lurched forward.
Will outstretched his hand to try and grab Nico's arm, but his hand passed straight through. Nico had lost all form; he was a full shadow. As Will considered Nico, he heard the doors open behind him. Someone was gasping for breath as they stumbled over to Will. Malcolm Pace appeared at his side, clutching a side stitch.
"He- he was like that so—so I came to get you. Before he faded, he- he was moaning, shaking terribly."
Will nodded numbly, still trying to grab onto any part of Nico. "I- this has happened before. Nico almost fading. Whenever- whenever he shadow-travels too frequently in too short of time. But- he hasn't been traveling. I don't know why this is happening or what is causing it."
"What- what do you need, Will?" Malcolm was still out of breath, but he straightened to show Will he was ready to help.
"I need- I need someone who actually knows what is happening. Or what to do, because I sure don't!" Will grabbed his hair in frustration. "I need help!"
"Who?" Malcolm asked.
"I need Kayla or Austin—" Will's voice cracked, realizing that his siblings were missing. "I need Brandon or anyone of my siblings."
"They went home, Will, you know that."
"Then I need someone who understands Nico's condition. Reyna- or- or Coach Hedge—"
"They are in California, and we have no way to contact them."
"THEN WHAT USE ARE YOU?" Will screamed. Malcolm was silent. Tears were running down Will's face as he gasped. "I am alone! And I do not know how to help him."
Malcolm grabbed Will by the shoulders and gently turned him. "You said yourself that you've experienced when Nico was in this state before, right?" Will nodded at the son of Athena. "How did you heal him last time?"
"I- I gave him nectar and unicorn draught which I tried to give him early, but he still lost form! And I can't do anything until he gets solid again!"
"Then we wait until that happens," Malcolm rationalized.
"Coach Hedge told me that Nico was a shadow for days before—he can't go without treatment for that long! And what-what if he doesn't wake up?"
"We cannot afford to think like that," Malcolm chided. "You have to have some faith in Nico; he's always come back. And you have to have faith in the gods."
Will angrily tore himself away from Malcolm before sweeping his hand, knocking over an instrument tray. "What gods? The powerful Apollo, who is currently a 15-year-old child, with no abilities? The same gods who cast out one of their own and who have abandoned us in our time of need? Those divine beings, whose asses we saved from the Titans and the Giants? How can we have faith in gods that leave us to fend for ourselves? Who are more concerned about their own self-interests than their children?"
"You are sounding dangerously like Luke Castellan," Malcolm snapped.
The accusation stopped Will in his tracks. "You- you dare accuse me of being like him?"
"No, I don't think you are going to try to tear down Olympus," Malcolm sighed as he continued. "Look, the point I am trying to make is that even though the gods have their…flaws, they still represent good; they still fight against evil. Turning our backs on them… the results could be catastrophic."
Will crumbled into a chair. "I—I just don't know what to do, Malcolm. I feel helpless. And the forces that are supposed to help, that are supposed to have control have gone silent!"
Malcolm nodded, understandingly. "I know. Things will work out; we have to believe that they will. Nico has and will wake up. He just needs time."
"And if he doesn't wake up?"
"We will cross that bridge when it comes to it. But, for right now, the only thing we can do is wait for him to become solid. Then, you will heal him."
"Okay," Will whispered, fixing his eyes on his boyfriend.
"Will!" a voice whispered in the dark. "Will!"
The voice became more insistent and Will found himself being shaken awake. He opened his eyes, to find Malcolm's grey eyes flashing before him.
"What? What's going on?"
"He is solid!" Malcolm's words sent Will into action.
He stood quickly, flicking on the lamp, which shed light onto Nico. Onto, not through. He reached out to touch Nico. His hand landed on cold, but solid flesh. Will barely stopped himself from sobbing in relief.
"Hold onto him, Malcolm, and do not let go!" Will ordered as he rushed around, collecting supplies.
As Malcolm held onto Nico, Will inserted an IV into his arm. It contained a mixture of unicorn draught and saline, to restore Nico's health and combat his dehydration. After the IV was secure, Will then examined the rest of his boyfriend. Some injuries were still on Nico's body, but they seemed to be healing from the first dose of nectar from before he lost form. While there were some superficial injuries, Nico looked relatively okay. Will slowly sighed in relief.
"Can I let go now?" Malcolm asked, still gripping onto Nico's arm.
Will took Nico's hand. "You can, but I think it is good for him to keep in contact with human skin, but I can take over."
Malcolm nodded, releasing Nico. He stared blankly at the son of Hades for a moment before gaining eye contact with Will.
"I- I had some time to think while you were asleep," Malcolm started, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "And I- I wanted to say I am sorry. I didn't mean what I said; I don't think you are like Luke—"
"I know why you said it," Will interrupted. "I needed to be reminded of my place in all this. I was acting incredibly arrogantly, which is dangerous. Especially when dealing with the gods."
"Yeah, but I don't think you are like Luke. You are so much better." Malcolm complimented. "You are more of a hero than he ever was."
Will felt himself go red. "I'm just a healer; I can't do anything constructive with a sword."
"We need more than just Percy Jackson's in this world. In my opinion, healing is far more important than brute force; we need people that are able to pick up the pieces when our strength fails us."
"I—wow, thank you, Malcolm," Will spluttered out. "You knew exactly what I needed to hear."
Malcolm shrugged. "Being a child of Athena makes everyone like an open book to me."
Will nodded. "Thank you. For everything."
Malcolm smiled. "Of course."
"You should go get some sleep, Malcolm," Will recommended. "It has been a stressful and long day."
"You're probably right," Malcolm agreed. He stood up, stretching out his arms. He let out a huge yawn. "You need sleep too, Will."
Will smiled sadly, thinking of Kayla, who usually lectured him about taking care of himself. If she wasn't found… Will might not be able to function himself. "I will when I know that Nico is safe. When I know that he's okay."
Malcolm considered Will for another moment before turning to the door. The doors opened and closed, leaving the Infirmary in silence.