Disclaimer: don't own dark is rising or Percy Jackson


Chapter 7: The War Goes on

Nico and Luke came back to the Palace to inform the Princesses about what had happened, but as they had feared Sarah already knew, she was being comforted by Thalia and a younger female member of the court of the Balance named Alanna.

Rose looked over to the men and said "she's been crying for the past hour, going on and on about 'he's dead!' does she mean-"

Luke nodded before Rose could even finish her question "he died while we were retreating, we lost to many warriors we couldn't hold them anymore."

Rose hugged Luke while Nico went to Marie. Marie whispered "Nico be honest with me… how bad is it?"

Nico sighed "really bad… even if we pulled the warriors that are under the age of 18… I don't think we would last long…"

"the Amazons and the Hunters of Artemis."

Everybody turned startled to Sarah, for she had spoken. She stood with a hand over her stomach and said "there are girls who we raised who joined the Amazons or joined the Hunters… we can't demand they fight, but we can ask them… but we need to tell them the chances… the likely hood that we may not win this war."

Tears still streamed down her face but Nico, Luke, Rose and Marie all saw that the light she had once had in her eyes was gone, she was dead inside, and only her desire to be strong for their family was holding her together now.


Rose had gone off to ask the Hunters and Amazons to alert the girls who had once lived in the Palace to the situation and ask for their help.

Marie had gone off to help with the battle strategy.

Luke and Nico would soon have to go back into the battle, but they both wanted to talk to Sarah, she had gone off to help the weapon smiths sharpen the swords and prepare the armor, her magic helped speed the process up.

They walked into the Armory and saw her blowing some dust onto a sword, before she ran her thumb along the edge, she flinched slightly and put her thumb in her mouth. Luke cleared his throat and Sarah looked up.

She handed the sword to Alanna and said "Give this to Thalia, I think its going to be all hands on deck soon. Tell her I want her to train a little more in the evenings" Alanna nodded and rushed off to do as she was told.

Sarah sighed "both of you together, let me guess your worried about me after what happened to Will?"

They looked at each other and then back at her guiltily. She sighed and took a deep breath "I'm fine."

"I've never heard a worse lie fall off your lips Sar!" Nico said in a tone of disbelief.

Sarah rolled her eyes and groaned. Luke said "Sarah, we're concerned for you, your not okay and we all know it but-"

"But what Luke?" Sarah snapped. Raising her voice she continued "Your right I'm not okay! But right at the moment I don't have time to grieve anymore than I already have! Because if I start I won't be able to stop!" she took a deep breath and wiped her eyes and lowering her voice she said "I'm never going to be okay again, but there are young men and women who are looking to me for guidance, I need to be strong for them. I can't just break down completely."

Luke sighed and nodded before going over and hugging her. Sarah hugged him back and when she pulled away wiped the tears from her eyes.

Luke left Nico and Sarah alone to talk. Nico sighed "I never liked him… and I thought it was because of the fact that Marie and I were having relationship troubles and he was getting close to her and Rose as well as you…"

Sarah looked at him with tears in her eyes "Nico…"

He smiled sadly "it was part of the problem I'll admit… but it also bothered me to see him with you… I still remember the days when you were six and I was seven and we would run around the palace at night trying to escape Luke, Rose and Marie because we didn't want to go to bed… and I realized before he came along that… you weren't that girl anymore, you were… more burdened by loneliness watching me with Marie and Luke with Rose… you took your duties more seriously than Marie or Rose… you were always so serious… and he made you have fun again"

Sarah gave a small little laugh-sob.

Nico smiled "I kept thinking you deserved better… I always believed that one day one of the gods would take you as his wife…" Sarah snorted at that. "But I realize now… no one, no god, demi-god, or mortal… would be better for you."

Sarah put her hand over her mouth and gave a small little sob. Nico went over to her and hugged her tightly "he told me to tell you he was sorry…"

Sarah sighed "the night you guys left… he and I had an argument… we both said some things we shouldn't have… I said he was a stubborn child and wasn't ready to be in a real fight… he told me I needed to stop being so protective and… well… the next morning I pulled him aside and I apologized… I think he was still mad at me, he didn't say anything just… rode off." She wiped her eyes "I think he thought he was going to come home…"

She looked up at him and whispered "I pray to all the gods that none of you ever lose your other half…"

He kissed her forehead and then the horns sounded. "I've got to go." She smiled and nodded "I know…"


Their numbers were still dwindling, Luke and Nico knew that they wouldn't be able to hold on much longer, then Nico got attacked by none other then General Alexander.

Alexander smiled at him "hello little brother."

Nico swung his sword at Alexander, who deflected it easily "don't call me that." Nico said angrily.

Alexander smiled "but its true Nico, we are brothers, you are a son of Hades, and I am a son of Pluto."

Nico swung again and was once again deflected. "We're in the middle of a battle and you want to stand here and talk about our screwed up family tree?!" he snapped

Alexander shook his head "no, I want to talk to you about Marie. I believe that you and I together could convince her to change sides."

Nico raised an eyebrow "what, you didn't get the message when she threw you out of the palace after refusing your suggestion?"

Alexander smiled "think about it Nico, as sons of the god of death, we could do so much better on the side of the Dark."

Nico smirked "And then what?! Marie will just fall back into your arms? I helped her get over you, I healed the wounds you left on her heart, why would I willingly help you get her back?!"

Alexander's eyes darkened and Nico laughed "no way in Tartarus. I won't convince her to betray our family! And you can go to hell!"

Alexander scoffed "Our Family?! That isn't a family Nico, that's just a bunch of people living together under the same roof!"

Nico shook his head "now I understand, I always wondered how you could leave her and the palace, but now I see, because you never understood that everyone there is family. That's why your thirst for power was all it took to have you turn your back on everyone there."

Alexander swung his sword at Nico and Nico laughed "Finally I was beginning to think you would never fight me!"

The fight went on for several minutes, then Alexander stabbed Nico in the stomach and Nico went down gasping in pain. Alexander smirked "you should have taken me up on my offer little brother."

With that Alexander walked away.

Luke rushed over with Chris and quickly bound Nico's wound with spare cloth "we got to get you back to the palace, Rose is the most skilled healer, she'll give you your best shot at surviving."


Marie ran over to Nico as he was carried in the throne room by Chris and Luke "Nico!" she gasped when she saw the wound.

Rose went over and asked "where and how bad?"

Luke told her "in the stomach and really bad it won't stop bleeding. Its slowing now but he can't lose much more blood."

Rose ripped off a piece of her dress and removed the cloth that had been on Nico's stomach. She pressed the piece of her dress against the wound and said "Marie I need you to hold pressure to the wound while I go get my medicines."

Marie nodded and took over putting pressure on the wound.

Nico looked up at her and whispered "how bad is it Marie."

She swallowed and said "it's not so bad, you're gonna be fine."

Nico gave a quiet laugh "have I ever told you that you really can't lie?"

Marie looked into his eyes "Who did this?"

Nico sighed "Alexander, he wanted me to try and change your mind about joining him,"

Marie rolled her eyes "and you told him?"

Nico smirked "I told him to go to hell."

Marie gave a soft little sob and then a laugh. Nico reached up and touched her cheek. "I love you Marie."

Marie looked at him and shook her head "don't- don't you dare! You are not going to die on me do you hear me?! So don't you start with that crap!"

Rose came back into the room then and had Nico drink a potion "that should help with the pain. Nico"

Nico breathed shallowly "should I be feeling light headed?"

Rose looked at him in alarm "no, no you shouldn't how lightheaded are you?"

Nico swallowed "very, it's getting harder to think."

Rose swallowed and looked at the wound and realized the piece of her dress was soaked with blood and the wound was bleeding faster than before.

"I… I feel sleepy" Nico admitted.

Rose took a deep breath and whispered "just hold on Nico."

She closed her eyes and rested her hand over the wound, she used her magic to look inside Nico to see where the problem was and then she pulled back and looked at Marie.

"I'm sorry, I can't do anything he has three different bleeds inside his body, even if I stopped one, he would lose too much blood before I could get to the others."

Marie had tears running down her eyes "No, NO! No Rose please no!" she sobbed.

Rose had tears in her own eyes "I'm sorry Nico."

Nico nodded "it's alright Rose… it's not your fault."

Rose nodded and stood up and backed away giving Marie and Nico a moment alone.

Marie looked at Nico and sobbed, he put his hand against her cheek again and whispered "I love you Marie, more than my own life."

Marie sobbed "I love you too Nico, you're my entire world…"

Nico smiled and whispered "I'm glad I got to see you… one more… time." And then he closed his eyes.

Marie gasped and buried her face into his chest "NO NO NO! Nico PLEASE!" she screamed. Then she sobbed and whispered "please don't leave me… come back… come back to me."

Just then someone started rubbing her back, she looked up to see Sarah, Clarisse, and Chris. She buried her face into Sarah's shoulder and sobbed heart-brokenly Rose wiped her eyes and held onto Luke who also had tears in his eyes, they both looked at Sarah, who was silently crying as she comforted Marie.


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