2 months of peace and relaxation with his boyfriend had been pure bliss. Then came a call, from his father no less. "Will got to go, the underworld calls." Will's smile dropped. "When will you come back Death Boy?" He asked. "I don't know, if it's a mission perhaps a month or week."

A quick kiss and Nico jumped into the shadows quite annoyed at his father. Schooling his features he emerged in the shadows of his dad's palace. He bowed to his father before rising and meeting his eyes. Instead of the neutral expression he expected he saw guilt.

"I'm sorry." Of all the things he had expected that would not be it. "Why?" Nico asked genuinely confused. Hades sighed. "For everything. For comparing you with Bianca. For ignoring you in your time of need. For mever being with you." He paused a single tear running down his check. "For not being a good father."

"But the Ancient Laws –" Nico started but Hades interrupted him. "it doesn't excuse what I did. I could have talked to you helped you more." Nico took a long moment to think. "I forgive you." Those three words were all it took to make Hades jump out of his throne and embrace Nico in a hug.

"I make you Nico Di Angelo my son, the full-time Ghost King. Now I am exempt from the Ancient Law whilst dealing with you, and you get a cool title!" Hades said grinning at that last bit. "I never got to be a parent before but I want to try. Ready to start anew?" Hades asked Nico hoping with all his power that his boy said yes.

Nico grinned in return and nodded enthusiastically. I can actually have a dad now! "YES!"

"Hey dad, if we are trying to be normal parent child, do you want to watch a movie?" "Sure." Anything with my son is good. "Ok you decide then since I am still not caught up with the world. Also Hazel is your daughter, can we include her too?" Nico asked. "YES! We should. I have managed to merge my two personalities. I am both Pluto and Hades." His dad said.

Hades took ahold of his son and flashed them to where Hazel was.

They appeared in the senate where Hazel was speaking with some other people. "Lord Pluto." They all said with a bow whilst Nico scowled at his father who still had his hands on Nico's shoudlers. This is the most physical contact I have ever had with him. Strange. "Dad, you could have checked if she was doing something important before you flashed us here." "In my defence was excited." They then remembered their surroundings.

Pluto spoke first. "My daughter would you mind joining me and Nico for a movie night down in the underworld?" He asked so formally Nico had to supress a giggle. The absurdness of the situation did not seem to faze Pluto but the rest were very confused. "Uh ok?" Hazel said almost questionably. "Great come here." Pluto smiled. She grabbed his hand and they were gone.

That particular happening became one of the biggest gossips around Camp Jupiter. Pluto and his children having a movie night.

The trio arrived in the palace. Hades got to work transforming his throne into a couch and creating a full cinema. A whole table of snacks appeared with everything you could wish for. "I heard from Hephaestus that there is this particular clear sighted mortal who saw some of his contraptions and made a movie about it. I think they called it Transformers. We could see that?" Hades/Pluto suggested. The other two nodded content with letting their overexcited father decide.

A whole movie later and half a table of snacks they were all asleep.

Hermes arrived to ask Hades about some matters of importance then saw the trio. A mischievous grin appeared. He took out the best camera possible and took a photo.

101

A bright light could be seen in the courtyard of New Rome. There stood Hermes and he threw whole baskets of pictures towards the retired demigods. This repeated in Camp Jupiter.

He flashed into the Olympus throne room. "We should reorganize some of the nymph- Hermes?" Apollo asked interrupted by Hermes arriving. "I come bearing gifts." He cheekily said passing a picture to each god. A whole second passed before the whole room erupted in laughter and cooing from Aphrodite. "They are so cute!" She squealed.

He flashed out again appearing at Camp Half-Blood. He cleared his throat and got everyones attention. "Attention Half-Bloods, I come bearing blackmail." He finished still deathly serious. He handed out photos to everyone and lastly to his two sons. The Stoll's promptly high fives him before rolling around the ground in laughter.

Suddenly the air got colder and darker, shadows elongated and a very menacing and cold voice could be heard. "I hear you have been spreading certain images dear nephew." Hades stated. Hermes started slowly backing away towards the forest. "I take the right Hazel the left exit, dad get him." The trio charged forwards and Hermes ran whilst all the camp spectated.

This time it was the Stoll's who were recording everything. Hermes evaded multiple large gemstones sprouting up and even had to tackle Nico to avoid being captured. Suddenly the shadows grew solid and his own shadow restrained him. "No running from your own shadow." Hades stated as calmly as ever.

He took a deep breath then shouted into the sky. "ARTEMIS!" A second later she appeared. "Why did you call me?" She questioned. "You still owe me a favor and I'd like to cash it in." "Oh what did you have in mind?" She asked eyeing Hermes. "Oh nothing much, just making my dearest nephew a female for a week." He said smugly. Artemis grinned evilly before turning to Hermes who was pale as a ghost. "Now now sis we have always been good friends." He tried to defends himself but Artemis ignored him.

She tapped his forehead and his whole body transformed. A female Hermes stood in the place where the old Hermes once stood. The Stoll's adding fuel to the fire of Hermes' embaracment shouted out. "Way to go mom!"

101

Zeus grumbled Hermes hadn't been on any meetings for half a week. He was always on point never late. Time to forcefully summon him then so he can explain his absence. He snapped his fingers and Hermes appeared. "Wha-" He didn't have words. Hermes was a female.

Apollo laughed and slapped his shoulder. "Looking good brother." He said cheekily.

101

"Nico my son, if you would like I wish to personally train you." Hades said on one of their movie nights which was made tradition after that first night. "Sure."

A massive training arena was revealed in the palace. Multitude of old warriors littered the area. The odd one out in the group was Achilles himself. "Achilles I want you to train my boy here to the best of your abilities. I will train his powers and you his weapons." Hades stated before snapping his fingers and got into full battle armor.

Nico gulped, this was going to be a harsh few months.

2 hours of extreme sword fighting with Achilles later it was time to train with his dad.

"The shadows are yours to command. Just not as a blob but it can be a deadly spike, a sword an armor. Anything and it is yours." He attacked Nico ferociously whilst the son of Hades could only use Shadows. Every time Nico was exhausted Hades would instantly rejuvenate him.

101

A month had passed and Nico was already different. Gone was the pale scrawny teen and in its place was an actual muscular and Italian looking teen. "Now onto something new. You are my son and thus have inherited all my abilities, although the shadows come naturally to you the other powers are still yours."

Osteokinesis was a power Nico was surprisingly good at. His affinity there closely mirrored shadow manipulation and he swiftly became a master in it as well. Earth manipulation as well as precious metals was not something he excelled at. Only thing he could do was earthquakes similar to Percy and precious metals part he could do nothing but sense them.

After all the training was done his father approached him. "You have done me proud and know that I always love you. I pronounce you not only Ghost King but also Crown Prince of the underworld." At those words shadow tendrils shot out from the ground wrapped around Nico and the pure darkness of the underworld faded in its place stood Nico in full regalia. A pitch black crown with Imperial Gold drawing out all the battles Nico has been in. The resto f the clothes being a mix of robes and modern clothes with gold gauntlets.

Nico willed it to disappear, and they faded into a tattoo of a skull adorned with the crown. Hades smiled at him, a thing only Hazel Nico Persephone Hestia and Will had seen. "I worked together with my nephew Hephaestus to make you an armor worthy of a Crown Prince. I know you like your mobility and stealth thus this is specially made for that." He snapped his fingers and a beautiful suit appeared. Black and Gold with everything either being pure Stygian Iron and Imperial Gold or leather mixed in with either of the two.

A cloak adorned the suit. "Enchanted to never fall off or show the wearers face. Made similar to the Cloak of Invisibility Thanatos made a few centuries ago. This one however can be turned on and off. The whole suit is also a strength enhancer. The mouthpiece keep you safe in both vacuum and underwater. Due to you being a hero of Olympus both water and the sky is open for you." Hades explained. It shrink down to a necklace with a coin hanging on it. A Black coin with the Helm of Hades emblem on it.

"I love it." Nico said happily before filling up the empty compartments with weapons and tools. The miniature backpack with infinite storage was especially helpful.

101

Nico had been told by Hades that to prove himself he has to make his own Symbol of Power, or rather reforge it.

He took out his still unnamed sword and placed it on the table in front of him. "Trust your powers he said." Nico grumbled trying to figure out what to do. Wait. Zeus' Underpants I'll just try. He closed his eyes and let his powers overtake his actions.

The shadows grew around the sword melting it down to its base components. The shadows formed into a pure solid element forming an edge around the Stygian Iron, Imperial Gold floated over and carved straight into the sword the words Skiá the Greek word for shadow.

His osteokinesis manifested in an extremely sharp edge that fused together with the pure shadow. The bones also formed the handle and then was wrapped in Leather dipped in the Styx.

Water from the rivers Acheron and Cocytus seeped into the sword. Then it was surrounded by black flames as liquid fire from Phlegethon fused into it. The last thing that happened was the sword dipped into the river Styx combining it all and marking the sword finished.

"Wow." Nico said slack jawed once he opened his eyes. He could feel the connection with the sword and all its base capabilities. Infinite Shadow-Travel due to the pure shadow element. Can channel his Hellfire due to the Imperial Gold. The Acheron makes any wound it inflits in real combat cause extreme pain. Whilst the Cocytus allows him to create doubt in any people close to it.

The last and vital piece being the river of Phlegethon allowing it to heal most of Nico's wounds and channel more Hellfire.

Nico still not done started putting down enchantments of the underworld in it. First being its form as a ring. The ring being a bone white circle with gold linings with a Pure Black gem circulating with 4 different waters inside.

An enchantment mirroring Riptide, no matter what it always returns. Last of the enchantments Nico pours a massive amount the ring allowing him to manipulate it way easier.

In truth a terrifying weapon one fit for a Crown Prince. "Skiá." Nico mutters happily.

101

Nico was relaxing with Will cuddling when they were very rudely interrupted by the Olympian Council. Forcing a blush away Nico asks the question on both of their mind. "Why have you summoned us?" Zeus answers baffled that they even asked the question. "For a quest! Why else would we summon you." "…" "Fine… Where How and Why?" Nico asked.

"A world we created in boredom a few thousand years ago. Based around four major elements or powers each patroned by one or more Olympians. Fire by Hestia Hephaestus and Apollo, another being Water Poseidon and Artemis then Air being only Zeus because he didn't want to cooperate and finally Earth by Hades and a slight bit Poseidon." Hermes explained still vary of Nico after the 'incident'.

"A war started and a single nation seeks to dominate the others, they have even made a whole nation go extinct leaving a single survivor who also is the avatar. A person who can use all the four abilities. The people will not know you or remember us but the spirits and domains do."

"You will hopefully fit in well. Nico your abilities can be explained but has never been seen before and Will has fire due to his connection with the Sun. To make it quick I'll bless my son with knowledge of how to 'firebend'. Then off you go." Apollo said cheerfully. "I will also bless you thus your fire will not just destroy and heal but also build." Hestia added.

A bright light and Will was there looking even more defined with a 'fire' in his eyes. "My favorite 'sun' hah get it? No. Ok. Well I have a new bow for you. Especially made with your firebending in mind." He handed Will a pure white bow with Gold engravings and tips of 'sunshine'. "Infinite arrows and you can channel your fire through the arrows thus FIREARROWS!" It folded down into a stick with dual handles in the middle.

"In melee it can transform into two daggers." Apollo said whilst showcasing by pulling it apart and revealing two shining white metallic daggers with Imperial Gold Engravings saying Liakádam or Sunshine.

He handed them over to his son smiling widely. "Make me prouder than I already am and Will." Apollo said pointing to Nico. "Plow his ass." He said with the brightest smile possible just trying to get on everyones nerves. Nico flushed red but soon took out his sword stabbed it in the ground and bound Apollo by the shadows. "Artemis? Would you please do the Hermes treatment?" "It would be my pleasure." "Now now sis. We love eachother right? No need for thi-" He didn't get to finish as the transformation happened and there he stood a female Apollo.

Zeus cleared his throat clearly uncomfortable with the situation and turned to the two demigods ignoring the mortified Apollo and the laughing Hermes.

"Demigods it is time. Everything you may need has been packed into your bags of infinite storage. Money will also not be a problem. Now go save the world." Zeus said clearly getting bored.

A swirling vortex came to life behind the demigods. They turned around Will saluting the audience and walked through.