The son of Hades attempted to relax before his emotions took control and caused him to kill another country. What was that girl thinking? Who was she to suddenly come back and… ask him to forget? How could he forget that summer?

There was no way in the gods' names that he would ever overlook the destruction that he caused, or the reflection of death in the victims' eyes or even how smug she had looked at their victory. It was too much. SHE was too much.

The way she flew in and hypnotized his comrades with her beauty, it made the whole thing seem like a gimmick. She was just trying to gain more people to join her treachery. It was all detestable. Even the way that she was so impetuous and extremely inelegant at times and the way her face was composed when she was engrossed in her introspective moments… and… and the way that she made him miss her so much.

The boy sighed. Why was he avoiding her? There was no running from the truth; if not love, he at least really liked her.

"So you finally admit it, younger brother," Nico walked in with a hellhound closely following him.

"Nico! I told you not to intrude on me like that!" The boy reprimanded.

"Well you looked like you needed help."

"That doesn't ever triumph over my edict."

"Alex… I heard about the traitor. I'm not here to stop you, but whatever you do, make sure you choose the option that's safe for you and you do it for the good of the majority."

"I know what I'm doing."

"Just listen to me. I came here to help you choose."

"I've already chosen."

"Are you certain about that choice?"

"Yes, of course I am. I always am. Do you know who I am? I am the Alexander the Great. I know what I'm doing."

"That name is already taken. And how would you know? You've only been thinking about your lover for the past ten minutes."

"I have nothing to do with that traitor!"

"Not anymore, yeah, you don't. It doesn't mean that you won't have anything to do with her."

"Nico, I don't want to talk about this."

"Are the memories bothering you?"

"Maybe. I'm not very sure about why you're here either."

"Alex, please just stop being so stubborn. Please?"

"I don't need you to tell me what to do Nico. I don't need your help. I don't need you here. And I most definitely don't need any older siblings!" There was a long silence before Nico gave a reply to this.

"Let me add one more thing to that list; you don't need to know what it feels like to lose me either. I'll see you soon, Alex."

"Wait! I didn't mean it like that…"

Nico whistled to his hellhound and disappeared into the shadows and Alex's spirits fell to the darkest depths of Tartarus at the remembrance of Nico's beloved sister.

What had he done? What had she made him do?

He blamed her. If it wasn't for the maelstrom she had caused, his own half-brother wouldn't have hated him so much.

He sighed. Why was it so difficult to realise that he had forgiven her long before she even came today? He felt nonplussed about the whole situation. Why couldn't it be as easy as before?

Nostalgia began to flow into Alex and he didn't try to stop it. He let each memory return with its matching emotion. For one, all the love and happiness he felt when they camped out in canyons searching for recruits or even the wholeness and satisfaction that he felt when he eliminated anyone who stood in their way gave him contentment.

Any memory, as long as he was with her made him bubble up with bliss.

They were the elite team. They were. Not anymore.

At this thought, Alex chuckled at the turn of events as every plant or insect around him began to lose life.