Things could not get any worse. Or so I thought, until Gaea trapped me. And, as if to insult me, things started out fine.
We didn't take the Duat; Freak flew us over the river and Manhattan, soaring above the mortals as they continued on with their average lives, oblivious to the battle raging fiercely, just beyond the curtain of the Mist. I still didn't quite understand the Mist, but Nico explained it as we travelled.
"The Mist is kind of like a veil," he said. He sat on the floor of the boat, his back to the railing that I sat on. "It hides the truth from mortals."
"Why not let them see it?" I asked.
"Because some things, some monsters, are just too much for the mortal mind to completely comprehend," he answered, tilting his head back to look at me. "Imagine trying to see..."
"God?" I offered. He shrugged.
"Sure, imagine trying to see God. Can't do it, can you?" I shook my head, smiling. He nodded. "It's like that for mortals. If they saw the Minotaur, for example, their brains would short-circuit trying to understand what their eyes were seeing, so the Mist makes the Minotaur look like a cow, or a bull, or even a boulder."
"So a mortal sees something they can understand rather than what is real?"
"Or what they want to see," he added. "Demigods can see through the Mist, but even some of us can get deceived by it."
"And gods?"
"...Gods are... a lot harder to fool," he said slowly, staring at the floorboards by his feet. "Which is why I'm a bit worried about this plan of yours; if Gaea is there, she'll see right through it." I thought about that for a bit.
"An illusion," I said after a while. He glanced up.
"What?"
"An illusion," I repeated. "Instead of just cloaking us, I mean. If we can make her think something other than the truth, we'll have the advantage."
"...What are you thinking?" he asked, intrigued. I hesitated and then dropped off the railing to sit next to him.
"If I could get it to work," I began, lowering my voice, "I could make it look like we're arriving from one direction, when we really come in from another direction, at a different time..."
"So she thinks we arrive later than we do, and we have a moment to assess the situation," he finished, seeing my point. I nodded.
"We'll be cutting it close, though," I said. "And she wants to see me there, so it'll be a lot harder to hide us." He frowned, rubbing his neck and glaring at the wood floor of the boat.
"...I doubt you'll like this idea, but..." he said slowly. When he paused, I twisted around to look at him.
"But what?" I prompted.
"What if we split our forces?" he asked. I frowned.
"Split how?"
"You and I go in first. Cover the others in the Mist, since she won't be expecting them." My frown deepened.
"Well, you're right about one thing; I don't like it," I muttered. His shoulders fell. "But it may be the best option. Certainly better than anything else we've come up with." He brightened slightly.
"Any plans for actually defeating Gaea?" he asked wryly.
"Does not dying count?" I asked. He chuckled.
"If you're talking about surviving Gaea," Sadie grunted, dropping down opposite us, "you can forget it." Nico and I exchanged glances.
"Well you're a ray of sunshine, aren't you?" he snorted. She shrugged.
"Just looking at it realistically," she said. "And realistically, none of us are likely to survive this." I sighed.
"...You're probably right," I murmured. Then I lowered my voice far enough that even Nico couldn't hear. "I just hope I can buy all of you the time you need."
"What?" I looked up at first Nico, then Sadie. Both waited expectantly for me to repeat myself.
"Nothing," I said, shaking my head. "Just thinking aloud."
"Hm. Well," Sadie said, shrugging and standing, "if you have any updates, better go tell Carter and the others now; we're not far from where we picked you up." I glanced again at Nico and stood.
"Lead on," I bid.
After explaining my revised plan to Walt and Carter, the elder Kane reined Freak to circle around and come in from the south instead of the north, dropping Nico and I early on. I focused on making the gryphon-pulled boat invisible as it flew away. We walked unhurriedly; a full half-hour remained to take a ten-minute walk.
"Erasmus," Nico said softly when we were only a few minutes away.
"Hmm?" I was still focusing on keeping the Mist around the others.
"If we die, would you have any regrets?" he asked. I faltered and refocused before answering.
"...Likely not," I said slowly. "Why...?"
"We have a very small chance of surviving this," he replied. "Even smaller if Gaea is there. Would you do anything differently?" I frowned.
"Why so personal all of the sudden?" I asked. He shrugged, drawing my attention to the tears in his jacket and the skin showing beneath.
"Call it idle curiosity," he said, drawing into himself. I could tell he was bothered by something, but I couldn't figure out what.
"Is it last night? That dream?" I asked quietly. He glanced at me, his dark eyes meeting mine.
"Are you taking it all back?" he asked, challenging. I felt relief, for some reason.
"Never," I answered immediately. He visibly relaxed and I noticed a slight grin tugging at his lips. I paused and looked at him. He pulled up a few feet past me as he realized I'd stopped walking.
"Erasmus?"
"Would you?" I asked seriously. He cocked his head.
"Would I what?
"Would you do it differently, given the chance?" I waited, tensed, as he stared at me, taking his time to reply. I knew only minutes remained before Gaea had Coach Hedge and Reyna killed, but I needed to know.
What will you do if he says yes? Heka asked, the first thing he'd said in a long time. I sighed inwardly.
If he says yes, then I know the truth, I told him. He didn't ask what truth; if Nico could change what he'd done with me, even just in a dream, and he wanted to, I knew he didn't feel for me as I felt for him.
"If I had a chance to change everything I did," Nico said slowly, killing me, "then... I'd do everything I did, all over again." I breathed a sigh of relief and managed a wan smile.
Without a second thought, I took a step, and another, and threw my arms around him, pressing my lips to his. He accepted, and welcomed, my kiss, and returned it without hesitation. Despite being taller than him, I felt like I was melting into him; I burned from head to toe with joy. Even the immanent deaths approaching couldn't dull the flame roaring inside me. But they did remind me of the circumstances of my meeting with Nico today.
I pulled away, reluctantly, and touched my forehead to his. His hands slipped up from my waist, where I hadn't realized they were, and took my hands from his neck.
"They need us," he whispered, following the same train of thought. "When they're safe..." He didn't finish, and I knew he was thinking the same thing I was. If we manage to survive...
"A promise, then," I said. "We will continue. For real." He smirked, red tinting his pale cheeks.
"Do I need to swear on the Styx?" he murmured. I shook my head just before his lips met mine and lingered. When we pulled apart, I could still feel his lips, and wished desperately for two things: forgiveness for the sinful pleasure I felt, and victory to be able to continue.
He took my hand in his, twining his fingers through mine, and tugged me along.
"We still have a ways to go," he said sorrowfully, reminding me of our mission. I let him lead me on.
We hurried toward the tall, towering white and gold statue, still in the place she had been since I'd met her. What would happen if the statue never reached its destination? The end of the world? I had to get Coach and Reyna out of Gaea's hands and get them moving again.
We reached the base of the statue without incident, and waited edgily for something to happen.
"This isn't right," Nico muttered, voicing my thought. "Where are the guards? The monsters?"
"She's playing with us," I answered grimly. "Are you sure this is the spot?"
"Positive," he said. "Where else could she have meant?" He paced, running his hands through his hair in frustration and making a noise of anger. "She said, 'The place he left.'" I paled.
"Nico..."
"What?" He whirled, red-faced and anger in his eyes.
"...She meant my home," I whispered in horror. "The place I left; the orphanage... The town I've been living in for so much of my life; Nico, she tricked us. Coach and Reyna... We'll never get to them in time." He stumbled back in shock, hitting a tree trunk and sliding to the ground. I felt the rage he'd been in transferring to me.
"No..." he said softly. "I should have known... Hedge... Reyna..." Anger built up inside me, bubbling over all at once; I dropped and slammed my fists into the ground, pouring my fury into a single blow. The ground around me split and crumbled, trembling like an earthquake was passing though. Nico jumped as the ground beneath him quivered, and he grabbed the tree.
"GAEA!" I roared, raising my voice in anger for the first time in my life. "FACE ME! YOU WANTED ME, NOW COME AND GET ME!" I felt power streaming through my veins. My vision sharpened, and so did my hearing. The world around me transformed into a swirl of color. A vague, shadowy figure of white formed beside me and held out a sword and shield. Without question, I took them, and the figure vanished. The world returned to normal, though my vision and hearing remained sharp.
"Such power," a soft voice murmured behind me. I gripped the sword, not even looking to see what I held, and turned slowly to face a woman garbed in dirt and grass. Her dark chestnut hair curled over one shoulder, and her pale cheeks glowed healthy. Her eyes were closed, but she smiled gently, coldly. Something about her was eerie, terror-inducing. Or would have been, if I wasn't infuriated.
"Gaea," I growled. The smile grew, barely.
"Hello, Erasmus," she greeted, her voice slurred just slightly, like she was sleep-talking.
"Liar," I snapped. "Trickster; you gave him faulty directions, and manipulated him to think other than the truth."
"Don't you do the same?" she returned. "You pretend you don't, but you do. You're like me, Porter, so why not join me?" Her smile faded momentarily, but returned, colder than before. "We could rule the world, Erasmus. You don't need him; kill him, and join me." My fury increased.
"You said the wrong thing, Gaea," I said, my voice dangerously low. "As long as I draw breath, I will not allow anyone to harm him." Summoning power from Hecate, Heka, and my faith, I closed my eyes and took a deeper breath than I thought possible. I called on the Mist, asking it to make Gaea think what she wanted to, not what was true. Then I poured magic into the area where Gaea stood, hoping to stall her. Opening my eyes, I charged, silently, for the woman in brown. She faded into the ground, but I swung anyway.
My sword bit deep, cutting into something with a sound like an axe into a tree trunk. An ear-piercing scream resonated through the earth, shaking me to the bones and making me topple.
"Erasmus!" Nico's cry yanked my attention to him. He stared at me; no, past me.
Incoming, Heka said grimly. My internal monster compass pinged again and again behind me. I stood and turned to face a horde of monsters; telkhines, empousai, Cyclopes, harpies, and many more that I didn't recognize.
"Bring it on," I spat. Lunging forward, I threw myself into the midst of the monsters, calling spells and putting power into my every swing. Monster after monster fell under my blade, only a few lucky enough to land a blow on me before exploding into gold dust.
I suddenly noticed another sword, flashing alongside mine, guarding my undefended sides. Nico grinned when I glanced at him.
"You didn't think I'd let you have all the fun, did you?" he asked, cutting down a howling telkhine. I started to reply, but an empousa slashed my shoulder. I bit back a cry of pain and gave her a return slash. A coincident saved her; one of the harpies swooped at that moment and took the hit meant for the empousa. She grinned and lifted her metal leg to kick me. Nico's blade met it with a clang.
"No!" she cried. "Move, foolish son of Hades!"
"What do you have against him?" he demanded, pushing her back. "You're a servant of Hecate, aren't you? Shouldn't you be serving him instead of trying to kill him?" She snarled and spat at him, but I felt like a light bulb had gone on over my head. I wouldn't have time to test it, I knew; as if to prove it, she leapt toward us. Nico raised his sword, ready to meet her, but I stepped in front of him.
"Stop!" I commanded. "By the authority of my mother." The empousa pulled up short, her clawed fingers inches from my face. Hatred gleamed in her eyes, but underneath it, I saw admiration, fear, even appreciation. I reached out, slowly, and gently touched her cheek. The flames of her hair licked at my hand, but didn't burn. She opened her mouth, but nothing would come out, so I said something for her: "You're free." She dropped her hand, gasping, and clenched her eyes tight, baring her fangs for a moment. And then she looked up, all traces of her earlier hate gone.
"...I am," she whispered. "You freed me... Mother Earth tempted me and trapped me, but you freed me! Oh, son of my mistress, thank you!" She took my hand in hers and held it tightly, saying over and over: "Thank you, thank you..."
"That was amazing!" Nico said, looking between me and the empousa with awe. I flushed.
"I... You gave me the idea," I said.
Ahem, Heka interrupted. As much as this entertains me, we have monsters to defeat, remember?
Only when he called my attention to it did I realize the other monsters hadn't been attacking us. I glanced around, and my jaw dropped. A six- or seven-foot circle of glowing blue light shone around us, and Sadie stood on the edge to one side, a tiger next to her, both of them guarding our left flank. Behind me, Carter stood encased in a giant, glowing, falcon-headed avatar, swinging his scimitar at a group of Cyclopes. In front of me, and slightly to the right, Jaz stood next to Walt—or Anubis, since he was in full battle gear, including jackal head—and they shouted warnings and threats to several telkhines pacing beside other strange monsters.
What is this? I asked Heka, amazed. I thought they were going to wait for my signal!
I explained to Anubis what happened and they came rushing in to help, he explained. If he had been standing next to me, I would have strangled him and hugged him at the same time.
...I can't believe you... I muttered instead. He chuckled.
Well, don't just stand there; help them help you! he said. I hurried toward a large clustered group of empousai, Nico and the other empousa following. They saw me coming and charged, but they rebounded off the protective circle with pained hisses and insults.
"Listen to me, empousai!" I said, loud enough for them to hear. "I can free you!"
"He can!" the empousa behind me called out as they snickered and jeered at me. "He freed me; he can free you!"
"You're just a traitor, Clarina!" one shouted. I saw the look of pain in Clarina's eyes and set my jaw. Turning to the empousai outside the circle, I took a breath and stepped out. They bounded forward gleefully, but I held up one hand and called of the power of Hecate, praying to God this would work.
"By Hecate, stop!" I ordered. All six of them froze. "By her power, I free you." They collapsed into each other with gasps, all except two. Those two screamed in outrage and lunged at me. Clarina met them halfway, vaporizing one instantly. She and the other grappled until I gathered my wits enough to lift my sword.
"Why, Elaine?" Clarina grunted. I paused. "Why do you follow the Earth Mother so blindly? You could be free of her; free to serve your old mistress again."
"Ha! That old witch is nothing compared to Gaea!" Elaine scorned. "You say I could be free, but you're wrong; I AM free!" I raised my sword again, but this time, Nico put his hand on mine.
"No," he said, keeping an eye on the fight and another on the other monsters, who watched us warily. "This is her fight." I nodded and lowered the sword, though I kept a tight hold on it. Clarina shoved Elaine back, and the latter tripped, falling down hard. Before she had a chance to move, Clarina was on her, a clawed hand at her throat.
"This is it, Elaine," she whispered. "I'm giving you one last chance to return, or I'll send you back to Tartarus for a few years." Elaine spat, landing it in Clarina's hair with a sizzle. "...I'm sorry, Elaine." She slashed, and Elaine disappeared in a cloud of gold dust. Clarina stood and helped her companions up. Then she turned to me and stood at attention. The others followed her example.
"We want to pledge ourselves to you, son of our mistress," one of them said. I stared. This was a bit more than I'd expected.
"What are your names?" Nico asked, saving me from making a fool of myself.
"I am Clarina," she said. "And these are Arsine, Lilianna, Enova, and Doris."
"If you truly want to pledge yourselves to me," I said slowly, "I won't stop you. But, is it really necessary?" One of them, Enova, opened her mouth to speak, but she never got the chance to.
"Yes indeed," a familiar voice asked, "is it really necessary?" The ground trembled, and I felt enormous anger and hatred welling up from the deep. A cry from behind me made us turn, and I saw Sadie's tiger fall over, shattering into broken pieces of a staff as Sadie herself dropped to her knees and the protective circle vanished. Anubis flattened his ears and growled, and Jaz drew closer to him. If she was going closer to someone as deadly as that, I didn't want to know what she was sensing. Carter's avatar extinguished so quickly, he began tumbling through the air. A Cyclops took a swipe with his club and bashed Carter into the ground. Jaz cried out and covered her mouth, grabbing Anubis' arm in terror.
"No..." I whispered in fear. The ground shook, rumbled, and buckled beneath us, and Nico fell into me. The empousai behind me cried out as they toppled like bowling pins.
"I should have told you!" Clarina said to me, her voice cracking. "The whole thing was a trap; Gaea will swallow your friends!" I sat up, supporting myself against the trembling earth, and watched helplessly as the ground split open under Anubis and Jaz. He grabbed her as they toppled in. Sadie screamed and dashed over, Carter calling after her to stop. The ground shook violently, and Sadie dropped in with another scream.
"Sadie!" Carter yelled. He tried to stand, but the Cyclops bashed him again, and, as he lay senseless, the ground opened up and swallowed him. I stared.
...my fault... I thought. All my fault... The ground trembled again, and I felt a hand grip my arm. I glanced at Nico as the ground behind him buckled. He met my gaze serenely.
"Goodbye, Erasmus," he said. I never had a chance to move; he fell back, into the crack.
"Nico!" My hand shot out to catch him, snagging his wrist for a moment. He looked up at me, a sad smile on his lips, and then he slipped. "NO!" Someone grabbed my shoulder and dragged me away from the edge of the crevice as it closed.
"Stop it, young master!" Clarina shouted in my ear as I struggled. "You can't do anything for him now; not unless you know how to defeat Gaea." I slumped back into her, tears streaming down my face.
"How pitiful," a silky voice said sarcastically. My eyes snapped open and I jumped up, looking around for the speaker as the empousai formed a ring around me, baring claws and fangs uselessly. I spotted the dress made of dust and stepped between Arsine and Enova to face her.
"Give them back, Gaea," I demanded. "Sadie, Carter, Jaz, Walt, Nico; I want them all back, good as new. NOW." She smiled icily, her eyes still closed. I had a feeling I didn't want to see them open.
"Oh, Erasmus," she said, gliding smoothly across the ground like she wasn't touching it. "You just don't get it, do you?" She reached out and lightly brushed her hand across my chest and shoulders. "I will win. It is inevitable. Your friends were going to die anyway; think of this as... a way to soften the blow."
"You're wrong," I said tightly. "You won't win."
"Oh, but I will!" she laughed softly. "And when I do..." She shrugged. "Should I kill you now, or let you live to see the end? Toy with you a bit before ending your already short life?" The rage I felt at her screamed for me to attack, sink my sword into her. I closed my eyes and tilted my head back.
Lord God of my ancestors, I prayed silently. God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. God of the universe, of the world, of my life; give me strength, and guide me. As I opened my eyes, I knew what I would have to do. I turned my back to Gaea and addressed the empousai, calling on the Mist to allow them to understand what I was really saying, while Gaea heard something else.
"If you really want to help me," I said, "go away, but help me cast a spell. I'll need every ounce of power and control you can give me." They exchanged glances, and then nodded. They faded away, dissolving into smoke, and vanished. I faced Gaea again and saw a hint of skepticism on her face.
"You sent them away to tell your mother goodbye?" she snorted. "That's one I've never seen." As she spoke, I could feel power suddenly flooding in from five new sources. A thought reached my mind from Clarina's.
Whatever you need, young master, we'll help. I glanced around at the monsters circling us, waiting impatiently for orders from Gaea. She stood, like a sleepwalker, in front of me, waiting patiently for my move. I was tempted to connect to a Cyclops' ka and use it against her, but then she'd be more likely to guess my plan.
Thank you, Clarina, I told her, hoping she could hear, but this will do. I have one more request, though... If I fail, tell my mother... Tell her I tried. I could feel Clarina's vague disapproval, but she responded affirmatively.
I do hope you don't fail, Erasmus, Heka said seriously. You're the first host I've had in almost a millennia, and I've enjoyed getting to know you.
Huh. And here I thought you didn't care if I lived or died, I returned teasingly. He chuckled.
That was never true, he said. And if you need me to prove it, here. I felt further power pouring into me, making me feel like a god myself. I took a deep breath and prayed again for protection. Then I looked at Gaea and tilted my head to the left.
Blinding brown and green lines flowed through her, larger and swifter than any I'd seen yet. Hundreds of thousands of years of experience and power radiated from her, and I almost gave up. I felt weak, and powerless. How could I fight someone like her, with less than a month of fighting monsters and no formal training whatsoever? What made me think I could win? I was useless, a freak who had no reason for living.
...You're not a freak, Erasmus... Nico's words returned to me. ...If anyone's a freak, it's me; I control the dead! He was never a freak. He was powerful, and he was kind and gentle beneath the shell of introversion. ...I don't know how I ever thought you were Percy... You're stronger, but gentler... and more intimidating... Especially when you're angry...
Percy Jackson. The apparent hero of the demigod world. How could I be more intimidating than that? For that matter, how could I be stronger?
...Different gods, different worlds... The demon's words came back as well. You are different... abnormal... You should not exist! He was right. I may not be a freak, but I still didn't belong.
...You are a bridge... A bridge. A bridge between worlds. A Christian bridge connecting the world of Ancient Greece to the even older world of Ancient Egypt. A bridge allowing fire and water to merge... I should not exist.
"That's right," Gaea whispered softly in my ear. I must have said it aloud. "You don't belong. If you tried to be Greek, your hosted Egyptian god would suffer. If you tried to be Egyptian, your mother would be so disappointed." My mother... I'm proud of you... no matter what... My only son...
Only son... Someone else had an only son, and He gave that Son to save earth. I looked to the sky, new strength filling me. If the Messiah could do it to save all people, even those to come, I could do it to save my friends and give them a chance to overcome Gaea.
"...You're wrong, Gaea," I said, turning my gaze back to her. "And this time, there is no debate; my mother loves me, and she will always be proud of me. So will my Father, the God of all gods, the Creator of Heaven and Earth." She paled as I spoke and her smile turned almost to a grimace. "The One whose Son died to make me a part of His family. It was by His Name that even you were created, Gaea, and it is by His Name that I will defeat you. Lord God Almighty, keep your promise; be my Shield!" I closed my eyes and connected to Gaea's life force with an almost audible SNAP!
We fought. Ferociously. I pushed to gain total control, and she pressed me back like an infection. For an eternity, it seemed, we battled for control. My strength waned slowly, and perspiration beaded on my brow as I strained. The only thing that gave me any advantage, it seemed, was the element of surprise; she hadn't expected me to be so bold. Or so stupid.
Heka joined me, and together we tackled her defenses. Clarina and the other empousai fed me power, barely keeping up with me as I threw everything I had into every attack.
Whenever I felt Gaea winning, I remember the Kane siblings, Walt and Anubis, Jaz... Nico. I couldn't abandon them; if Coach and Reyna, by some miracle, had survive thus far, I couldn't let it be in vain. I roared aloud in anger and attacked again. For a moment, I had total control, and I gripped it tightly.
"Let them all go," I whispered hoarsely, opening my eyes. The world around me was hazy at the edges and sharp in the middle; a soft golden-white glow tinged in green and gray surrounded me. Gaea stood frozen in front of me. At my command, her hand slowly raised. The ground rumbled and cracked. A split formed between us and I watched it twist and shift. Moments later, seven bodies lay strewn about at my feet. As they stirred, I felt myself losing control of Gaea.
"You... foolish... boy," she gritted out. Her fury at me spilled over through our link and I felt terrified that she would push me back and use the link in reverse to control me. Using my final strands of control, I created an impression on her.
"Go away, Gaea," I said. "Leave us be." I compelled the impression to stay with her for a long time and immediately broke the connection.
"...You may have won the battle, Porter," she said, sounding slightly winded, "but you won't win the war." With that final threat, she melted into the landscape. Lifting my sword wearily, I turned, ready to face the monsters I knew were coming. But I received a very pleasant surprise; they were gone. In banishing their mistress, I must have banished them as well.
Dropping to my knees, I spread my hands, tilted my head back, and lifted my voice in a song of thanksgiving I'd learned as a child. I silently dedicated my victory and survival to the only One who gives life, and I praised His goodness for returning my friends.
In the silence that followed my outburst, I finally had a chance to inspect my sword and shield. The blade was almost three feet long, but perfectly balanced to fit my hand, like it had grown from my arm. It shone gold and silver except at the handle, which was painstakingly wrapped in smooth, worn leather. Leafy designs were carved into the blade just above the guard, and a short gold tassel hung from the end of the hilt. A single translucent white gem was set into the middle of the carved designs, and a tiny cross had been etched into it.
The same cross was mounted on the center of the shield, and the same leafy designs were emblazoned all around the edge, just inside a thin ring that looked to be solid gold. The grips were carefully attached to the shield back, and were also smooth, well-oiled leather. All of that and the second translucent white gem in the center of the cross marked the shield as a matching set to the sword. Since I'd never seen either before, I realized it was a gift. And as crazy as it seemed, I felt sure it was from an angel of God; the shadowy figure that had appeared before Gaea had.
"Thank you, Father," I whispered as I stood. The others were all awake now, so I moved toward them. Walt stood, cradling one arm, and stepped forward to meet me, a grim look on his dark face. "Is everyone alright?"
"...Sort of," he said hesitantly. "After Gaea spit us back up, the monsters moved in. When she disappeared, so did they, but the damage was done..."
Coach Hedge and Carter stood guard, watching the trees as they paced. Reyna and Jaz patched a wound on Sadie's leg, the former supporting her as the latter whispered in ancient Egyptian over the deep cut. They all seemed well. Walt put his good hand on my shoulder and shook his head sadly. "But it's worse than you think."
"What is it?" I asked, gripping my new sword anxiously. Sadie and Jaz exchanged glances, and I caught a swap of pity.
"Erasmus," Jaz said gently. "We can't do anything for him." They moved apart, and I could have swallowed my heart; it was Nico, lying on the ground like a rag doll, tossed carelessly aside. Besides the hundreds of cuts and bruises on his arms and face, a huge hole in his stomach gaped, blood soaking his shirt in a circle that widened even as I watched.
"Nico!" I cried, dropping my sword and shield and falling to my knees next to him. His face was even paler than usual, and his eyes were dull. His breath came out in ragged gasps as he clutched at the wound in his stomach.
"...ras... mus..." he whispered, his voice feather-light.
"No... Nico, don't you dare die on me!" I ordered, feeling my tears break loose. "Don't you dare..." I grabbed his free hand in one of mine and tucked the other under his neck, lifting him slowly.
"...I... I'm sorry..." he murmured, his breath cool on my face as I touched my forehead to his. "...I couldn't... keep my promise..."
"NO!" I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw. "God, don't take him... If this is my punishment for the way I feel, then kill me instead; let me take his place!" I choked out a sob. "It's supposed to be me..."
"N-no... Eras... mus..."
"I won't let you go!" I shouted, my tears soaking both our faces, and pulled him closer. "Don't leave me, Nico..." Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Walt, the Kanes, Coach Hedge, and Reyna staring at us. Jaz was still busy binding up their wounds, but I knew she was keeping an eye on us as well. I didn't care. The only thing I cared about at that moment was Nico, and he was dying.
"Come visit..." he said softly. "I'll be waiting... in the Fields... of Asphodel..." My breath hitched and a sob escaped.
"No... You'll be in Elysium," I countered, trying to calm down. "But not yet; not now." I slowly lowered him to the ground and tilted my head to the left, blinking to get rid of the tears so I could see. I was weak from all the magic I'd used, but I wasn't going to let that stop me. If I died, so be it; I should have died battling Gaea anyway, maybe this was a chance to do one last thing right before I did.
Nico's body flickered and when I could see his ka, I nearly began crying again; it sputtered faintly, dimly, like a light bulb at the end of its fuse. The wound in his stomach glowed red and the color was slowly spreading through him, devouring his ka like red dye in water. Focusing, I connected to his life force and encouraged it to get rid of the damage. I fed my own ka into it and pushed back against the wound. I felt like I was fighting Gaea all over again. My energy dwindled rapidly as I struggled to mend the rips and holes.
An eternity later, I slumped, exhausted, over Nico's still form. Sweat soaked my shirt and dripped from my nose and chin. I stared at his eyelids, willing them to open. His ka was whole now, but it wasn't moving, flowing, like it should have been. Though my energy was sapped, I managed to lift a hand and press my fingers to his neck. No pulse.
Fury returned my strength and I slammed my fist into the ground, shouting in outrage. The others stepped back, but I noted this only in passing as I picked him up again, cradling him while crying out silently to God.
How could you let this happen? Why, God? It should have been me!
Erasmus, Heka said softly. Some gods do things for reasons no one else understands, not even other gods... Maybe... Maybe your God is the same way. I considered it, but it only made me angrier at Him. He'd let Nico die. Nico, the one I loved.
I buried my face in his shoulder and wept. He was dead, and I hadn't told him my true feelings. Now, I would never get that chance.
Still crying, I tilted his head slightly, leaned down, and kissed him, not caring what the others thought. I kissed him for the last time, feeling his cool lips pressed against mine, and holding tight to each moment.
His hand brushed my cheek and his tongue slid across mine. I jerked back, startled. His dark eyes opened and stared, disappointed.
"That's it?" he whispered hoarsely. "I come back from the banks of the Styx and that's all I get in welcome?"
I dropped him.
"Y-you... B-b-but you were..." I stuttered. "You were dead!"
"Ouch..." he muttered, sitting up and rubbing the back of his head. "And your point is?"
"You were dead!" I repeated. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Walt herding everyone away. I glanced over and he winked. I started to call them back, but they were gone, so I ended up sitting there, looking like an idiot with my hand out, my mouth opening and closing like a fish's.
"...Are you ever going to say anything?" Nico asked, drawing my attention back. "Or should I put you in water?" Such a casual comment from the one I thought was dead broke me out of the confusion and I jumped on him, taking us both to the ground. He let out an oomph sound as I squeezed him tightly.
"...Nico..."
"Could I breathe?" he wheezed out. I let go and pushed myself up a bit so that he wasn't bearing my full weight. He sighed in relief and a tiny smile tugged at his lips. "You always land on me..."
"It's not always my fault," I replied, grinning wider than a Cheshire cat. "But in this case, it is." I leaned down and molded my lips to his. He responded in kind, slipping his tongue between my teeth and nibbling on my lip, ignoring the sweat clinging to my skin. I broke it after a moment and tucked my hands under him, hugging him tightly and whispering, "Nico, I love you."