...I'm not even gonna bother saying sorry.

It's been nearly 8 months. I put the pro in procrastination. I'm a bad updater, I know. But I'm here now.

And because it's been like 8 months I'm going to make this an extra long chapter as an apology for being MIA.

On the bright side- I have still been writing, so I think I've gotten better, idk, tell me after you read the chapter if you think it's better than the others. K? K.

So- Shoutouts:

PKwriter: Sorry I didn't update as soon as I should've, but it's here now

Dragons: Yes, I will be doing that this chapter :)

PoppyOHare: Aw, thanks

Izzybella12: Guess you'll have to find out ;)

mc-shizzle-luv: Guess you'll have to see. And don't worry. I never stop making cliffies. Heheh.

Guest: Hey. lol

Percy's Mind

After several conversations and arguments, Perseus had decided to duct tape my mouth shut. Which was admittedly more annoying than being chained up. But the duct tape wasn't enough to keep me quiet. When that happened, I proceeded to scream inside my head, knowing he could hear everything I thought, which led him to turn his weird mind reading powers off. Which was good, it was better that way. However, shutting me out of his mind had not solved the problem because I had then resorted to constant groaning and mumbling. My evil twin seemed to lose concentration when he was annoyed. Also good. I needed to do all I could to keep him from taking over my body and turning myself against my friends.

After several more hours, or what probably seemed to be hours to him, he lost it.

Perseus growled in frustration, "What! What do you want you, insufferable idiot?!" He marched over to my annoying presence and harshly ripped the duct tape off my mouth.

"OW!" I yelled out, "Was that necessary?"

He grit his teeth, "Quite. What was so important that you had to keep interrupting my progress with your damn groaning?"

I glanced over at the screen, "Well, I thought I'd point out that it would be quite hard to take over and hurt my friends if we have lost our powers."

I remembered watching the screen as my body had dove under the water, it hadn't seemed like anything special until the screen had gone completely black. Then I had started to feel extremely dizzy and started seeing spots, my eyes had rolled to the back of my head and I had passed out into complete darkness for who knows how long.

Then I had snapped awake, gasping for air. I heard Perseus doing the same thing, we had both passed out and neither of us found out what happened until we heard the earlier conversation between my body and the black haired boy, what was his name? Nick? No, Nico. Nico Di Angelo.

Perseus had almost immediately gone up to his control board after finding out that his little machine had lost his water powers. Bummer.

Me? I was almost relieved, it at least made things a bit harder for Perseus to hurt the people I cared about.

Perseus sneered, "It's a minor set back and it doesn't change my abilities to hurt your friends. So just sit still and be quiet while I work"

"Rightttttt, because you telling me to shut up will automatically make me do it."

He scowled and placed a new strip of duct tape back over my mouth, this time putting several layers. I guess I should be grateful, at least he didn't put it over my nose so that I couldn't breathe. Or he was just too clueless to do so. Probably the second one.

Perseus walked back to his swivel chair at the control board, "Besides," He continued, "The little friend we've made here, has IMed your friends anyways, they're coming to us, which makes it that much easier to kill them. And after that, I'll kill the dark-haired kid too, just to make things interesting and fun."

I didn't understand why he was just so intent to kill people. Sure he was supposed to be evil and everything, but it was supposed to be the evil personality of me. Since when did I ever think about killing my friends?

Then it clicked in my head, almost every monster I saw I killed. That must've been the evil side of me, at least, to the monsters. Over the years, I've learned that most villains have a reason for doing what they do, and usually, they think they're doing the right thing. I thought back to Ethan and Luke. To them, we were on the wrong side, we were the villains. And they were the good guys.

I guess my evil twin has just switched the what he thought was the good side. He's joined the monsters and has gone against my friends. I wondered if there was a way to reform him.

But- maybe it was just pointless. He was the other personality, who knows what would happen if he did become reformed, maybe he'd turn good and I'd automatically become him. No one was all around good.

I sighed, wishing I knew what to do.

I heard a chuckle coming over from the control board and looked up to see Perseus making the sound.

He turned around to face me, a glint sparkling in his eyes that made me extremely uncomfortable, "Maybe I won't get rid of this kid yet, he seems to know a lot of information. A lot of information that can help me with my plan."

I must've looked confused because he rolled his eyes like he was talking to a dumb five-year-old, "I believe he knows the answer to our lost powers problems. He'll be useful later on."

Perseus smirked and spun his chair around watching the screen, I decided it was better for me to do the same, then I'd perhaps be able to make my own plan to keep Perseus from fulfilling his.

Nico

"Hestia?" Percy asked

Nico nodded, "Yeah, the dream came, just before- um. I'll just tell you."

She was getting any better, if anything, she was getting worse. No matter what I did. I had brought us to an abandoned ally and tried to make her as comfortable as I could.

"Please sorella, you need sleep," I begged her

"I can't- I know you're trying to help me, Nico. But you can't help me with this." She answered me weakly.

I held her hand tightly, "You need to. You can beat your nightmares. You have to be brave- just like you told me. Brave for Mama, please sorella. You will only get worse without sleep. I need you, please go to sleep." I shook slightly, trying to be strong for both of us.

She nodded slightly, "Okay fratello, I'll try. She turned away from me and closed her eyes"

I watched her a little longer before my eyelids got heavy and I drifted off to sleep as well. Not knowing that she was indeed fake sleeping.

My dreams were always plagued with the same things, I watched my mother beaten to death, people trying to hurt my sister and I while we were on the streets, the strange mysterious shadowy figures attack it. I had never been so scared, the shadowy figures must've been the worst nightmare my mind could've given me. And of course, the worst of the worst, my sorella being stabbed through the chest by the horrible shadow monster. I cried through the whole thing.

Then the dream shifted, I was now in the middle of a small village, a simple hearth in the center of the town square. There, a young girl in plain brown clothing, holding her hands out to the warm fire. She looked over at me, her eyes were filled with fire, but, it wasn't frightening, it was more, comforting. Feeling of home. I remembered the times when my family would gather around our small fireplace, and just talk and laugh. Those were my favorite memories. I felt like I could trust this girl. I approached her slowly.

"Ciao," I said to her quietly in greeting. She nodded back to me, patting the place beside her, beckoning for me to sit.

I sat down, feeling the warmth of the fire against my skin.

"Nico, your sister is in danger," she said softly.

My eyes widened and all the trust I had for her dissipated and I became extremely guarded, "How do you know my name? And what happened to my sister? Who are you?"

She didn't seem surprised at my reaction, "I'm Hestia, the protector of the hearth. I've watched you two travel. I came into your dream to warn you"

My beating heart gradually slowed down, "What's happening to her?" I asked quietly

"The shadows that attacked you, one of them had been able to stab your sister through her chest, correct?"

"Yes, I've been trying to help her but nothing is working, and- and she won't sleep and everything is getting worse and I don't know what to do!" My chest heaved up and down, I loved my sister dearly, I couldn't lose her too.

She placed a hand softly on my shoulder, "Calm down Nico."

I took a deep breath and tried to control my panic. I looked at her and nodded, signaling that I was okay. Well, as okay as someone in my position could be.

"I'm sorry to say Nico, but you can't do anything for her. This is something she has to do for herself"

I opened my mouth to interrupt me but she raised her hand asking me silently to let her continue. I closed my mouth and didn't say anything.

"People like you, with powers, they're called demigods. It's what you and you're sister are. You have already used your powers once"

I recalled the black substance and the skeletons that had appeared out of the ground when my sister had been hurt. It- it was me, I had done it. I had summoned the skeletons.

I glanced at my hands, "I made the skeletons appear" I said with realization.

Hestia nodded, "You did. You also controlled them to back the shadow figures away."

"H-how? I've never done that in my life" I wondered out loud.

"It's in your blood Nico. But I came here to discuss your sister, not give you a lesson on powers." She responded.

I put my hands down and gave her my attention once again.

"I believe, that when she was stabbed, the main part of her connection with your father was severed. This causing her to lose her powers, causing her own domain to harm her, make her fear it."

"My father? I don't even know who he is"

"You will find out, in time. But he is the reason for the powers you have. And without his connection to your sister, she is defenseless against the demons in her dreams. I can't tell you why it is this way, I can only tell you what it is." She told me.

"There has to be a way to help her!" I cried out.

"There is Nico, but you can't help her. She has to be able to defeat this by herself. She has to overcome her own fear. But not just overcome it, she must go through it, she has to physically face it. Allow it to take her. And that is the hardest thing a person can do"

"What if she doesn't? What if she can't?"

"Then, she will never gain her powers back… And eventually, she will die."

"No! No that can't happen! She can't go through that- there has to be another-"

"I am sorry Nico" She interrupted me, "This is all the information I can give you. My time here is now limited, for you are now waking up"

I looked at her and noticed how she was fading, almost transparent.

"Don't forget what I have told you. And hurry! I am not sure how long she will last" She said, yelling out the last part to me. Then she vanished into thin air.

I took a shaky breath as I opened my eyes and looked at Percy, "After I woke up, I went over to my sister only to find out that she had never slept. She was extremely pale and weak at this time, all the strain she felt showed on her face."

I looked down at my hands, away from Percy's gaze, "Hestia didn't know how long she would last. I didn't know either. And- she didn't last long. After I told her about my dream, I tried to persuade her to sleep for several hours that night. But she kept refusing. Kept telling me she could never face the demons in her sleep. No matter how much I begged her, she always responded with the fact that she rather die than face them. And that practically destroyed me."

I saw a drop of water land on the sand we sat on, realizing that I was now crying, "She- she died that night. And I was on my own from then on. Until Polybotes captured me while my guard was down. And I've been at that forge for so long, I hardly remembered what the sun felt like, what it was like to be outside. And now, it seems like the same thing is happening to you. And I don't know how I can help you"

I rubbed my eyes harshly, trying to stop the tears falling down my face.

Percy did something unexpected and pulled me into a hug. When was the last time I ever had a hug? I held onto him tightly, I didn't realize how much I had been holding in until it all came spilling out.

"You've already helped me out by telling me" He responded, but I could already tell from the tone of his voice that he was afraid.

I pulled away and faced him.

"Nico- what was your sister's name?" He asked.

I was about to explain that I never wanted to hear her name again, that I had erased it from my memories. Because that name was the most painful thing my ears could ever hear.

But before I got the chance to even open my mouth, I heard a voice from behind us. A voice that was all too familiar. A voice that I despised with a passion.

"Her name, was Bianca"

Percy

I jumped up from my sitting position, spinning around to face whatever was behind us. In front of me, was three shadowy figures. Their appearance looking almost exactly as Nico had described the ones in his story. My gaze narrowed, "Who are you?" I demanded.

One of them pointed to something behind me, to Nico. "That one knows who we are."

I glanced behind me, only to see Nico frozen, his face even paler than usual.

"Nico," I hissed, "Snap out of it."

It seemed to work, his frozen expression turned into a glowering, "How dare you? How dare you speak her name!" He screamed at them.

The figure simply chuckled softly, "Bianca was so easy to get rid of. Now you, you were a slippery little one, but I swore that I'd be back, and here I am."

"Get out of here," Nico snarled, "I will send you to the depths of the Underworld if you don't leave right now."

You couldn't exactly see it, but somehow I knew that it was smirking, "How frightening" It said sarcastically.

I glanced over at Nico, "What are they?"

"Shadow demons." Nico said in a low voice, "And I'm going to kill them"

Before I could say anything, Nico charged towards the figures with a loud battle cry.

"Nico wait!" I yelled, running after him.

The figures dissipated and appeared behind Nico, "Too slow" One of them taunted, making Nico only more frustrated and heightening his anger.

Nico kept chasing after them but they constantly disappeared and reappeared

I grabbed onto Nico's arm, preventing him from running after them again, "Nico stop. What you're doing isn't working"

He looked at me with fury in his eyes, "You don't know these things like I do, stay out of this Percy. It's personal" He growled, tugging his arm away from me.

I saw black smoke emit from his fingertips. The shadows giving a twisted smile as they saw this, "You're only making it easier for us little one. We thrive in darkness."

They zoomed towards the black smoke, moving quickly around the dark area, surrounding Nico.

"Stop! You're making it worse!" I yelled, plunging into the dark matter as well with the only the intent to find Nico.

Somewhere along the way, I became lost in the smoke, not able to see anything within a foot away. I looked up, barely able to see the sky. We had left our ally at sunset, night was almost upon us and I knew that whatever these creatures where, the night was their domain.

I needed to act quickly.

I brought out Riptide, the glow from the blade providing at least some light.

I spun around, keeping my guard up.

To my right, I heard a yell of pain and ran in that direction.

"Kill him the same way you killed the girl Shadow Fang" I heard a voice hiss, it seemed to be coming from all directions and I couldn't pinpoint it.

"Leave him alone!" I bellowed out.

I saw one of the figures emerge from the darkness, "Unfortunately we can't do that. He must die. And to make sure you don't interfere-" It disappeared back into the smoke, a whisper was heard, "Come out and deal with him Night Coal"

Something suddenly slammed into my chest and I fell to the ground. I was already injured, slamming onto the floor did not help my condition

I felt some sort of liquid drip down onto my face. It burned like acid. I looked up and saw what looked like the shadow form of a wolf pinning me to the ground. The burning liquid was its saliva.

I had lost grip on Riptide and could faintly see it's glow a foot away. The wolf growled down at me, it's jaw filled with sharp teeth getting closer and closer to me.

I elbowed it in its noise, earning a small whine from it. While it was distracted, I scrambled towards my sword, grabbing it, I hoisted myself up and held the point to the shadow wolf.

"Get away" I demanded. The wolf looked at the sword like it was poison, immediately retracting from the glowing sword.

I smirked, "You're gonna get it now" I sliced the sword towards its body, taking it by surprise, the sword cut cleanly through its smoking body and the wolf vanished and didn't reappear.

No wonder Nico couldn't defeat them. Everything he did only made them stronger. I ran towards where I last heard him.

After running around blind, I finally found him at the edge of the small village we came from. Cornered against a wall by one of the shadow figures. This one looking like a giant spider. He was in a horrible condition, almost as if he would drop at any second. But he persisted and kept swinging his sword at the monster. But it was useless, the sword did absolutely no damage. All the cuts he made through its smoky body just reformed again. You might as well just have been fighting air.

I charged towards the monster, slicing my sword multiple times through its black body. It finally dissolved into thin air.

I panted slightly, looking at Nico, "You okay?"

Instead of getting any sort of 'thank you,' he glared at me, "Why would you do that? I had it under control!"

I looked at him like he was crazy, "What are you talking about? It had you cornered and you look like you're going to faint at any moment"

"I'm the one that should've killed it!"

"Nico, you aren't in this alone," I said quietly.

"Don't you tell me I'm not alone. You know nothing about me. I've always been alone. Stay out of it Percy, and while you're doing that, just stay out of my life." He stomped away from me and into the village. Maybe he was exploding now because of what I said to him back then when I lost control. It was a fitting moment. But I wasn't going to let Nico loose spreading dark matter everywhere, and I was sure the shadow demons were still lurking around. I stayed back, but made sure to keep Nico within my sight.

In a random moment, Nico stopped, "Percy, I know you're following me, just stop and go back to the beach. Your friends will be there soon"

So much for being sneaky. "You're my friend too, you can come with us," I said

Nico turned around, his eyes immediately finding my hiding spot. I sheepishly stood up from my crouched position, "After the quest, we'll go back to Camp Half Blood, it's a safe place for demigods."

Assuming we succeeded our quest and even lived long enough to see camp..

"I know what Camp is, Beckendorf told me about it, and while I appreciate the offer, I much rather stay here." He answered.

I sighed, "Then at least, wait with me on the beach? Please."

Nico mumbled something I couldn't hear, then, at last, grumbled, "Fine. But then I'm leaving"

I gave a small smile, even if Nico didn't want to come, I'd at least get to talk with him some more before going off unwillingly on a death quest.

Unfortunately, he still insisted on walking behind and farther away from me, but as long as he was coming, it was alright.

I glanced behind me and saw wisps of black smoke coming from his body, "What's up with the constant black smoke?" I called out to him.

"It's a Hades kid thing." He replied, "Just like how you always smell like the ocean" His eyes widened slightly when he realized what he had said and turned red slightly. I didn't really understand his reaction to his words, but I simply laughed and kept walking.

We finally reached the shore, the sun had officially set. It was a full moon today, and you could see the light from it sparkling in the dark waves. I felt relaxed and calm looking at the view. I wish I could've just stayed on this beach forever, avoid the deathly quest. I wished that Polybotes had never captured me, I wished a lot of things didn't happen. But I couldn't do anything about it and decided to just enjoy this moment of relaxation.

Then I heard a loud thud behind me; I spun around to see a giant black smoking snake curled around Nico's upper body. Its fangs injected into his neck. His body shook violently and foam appeared from his mouth.

Then he went completely still.

This chapter was 4 times larger than all of my other chapters. I hope you enjoyed it! I was planning on making it longer, with the Argo II butttttt this was too good of an ending for me to give up on :P.

I'll try to post more regular updates from now on so yayyyy

bye for now! -madcheshirecat105

(yes i changed my username. :D)