Sorry this update took so long. I was going to update, but then I got distracted by anime and Halloween and actual real life people. I'm as shocked as you are, truly...
Nico returned to Camp from the Underworld in time to see the last couple of demigods and hunters enter the many vans owned by Camp Halfblood, that would deliver them to New York. Now dressed in full armour, he once again radiated an aura of terror that had nothing to do with stygian iron. It was just Nico's anger at the situation. So many were leaving, but how many would be coming back? Underage campers parted like the Red Sea as Nico approached the van in which he could sense his cousin's life force. He watched as Percy hopped out, no doubt wondering what Hades had said.
"I'll tell you along the way," Nico said before brushing past Percy, and entering the van himself. He sat down in one of the last two remaining seats, and his lips quirked in amusement as Percy sat down next to him, grumbling about how annoying Nico was. Nico just rolled his eyes.
"Alright Argus, we're ready," Percy called to the front of the van, and Argus waved back at him before starting the van, not saying a word. "So did your dad agree to help?" Percy asked in a low voice, as the vehicle began to fill up with the chatter of demigods who were enjoying the last of the calm before the storm. They would be fighting later that day, and no one knew who would live to see the next.
"Yeah. He said he was going to help, something about not letting his son fight Gaea by himself," Nico replied, shifting in his seat uncomfortably. The fact that his father cared for him so much both pleased and embarrassed him.
"My dad said pretty much the same thing," Percy replied with a laugh. "At least now we have two of the Big Three fighting with us. And in this invasion, we also have mortal back up. This can't be worse than the Titan War." His expression grew steely, "I will not lose any more friends to our homicidal grandparents, insanely powerful or not."
The tension in the air was broken as the demigod sitting behind Nico decided to make himself known.
"Nico!" an excited voice squealed from behind him, "How's life, man?" A familiar silver gloved hand landed on Nico's shoulder. Familiar or not, Nico grabbed the wrist and squeezed until his shoulder was relinquished. He didn't like when people touched him "Owww! Hey, is that any way to treat a friend? Especially a friend with whom you make an awesome team!"
"Elliot," Nico growled, "We've only ever fought together once, and at the end of that one time, I was unconscious. We basically sucked as a team."
"All the aliens died, didn't they?" Nico could hear the pout in the son of Hecate's voice, even if he couldn't see it, "We'll kill all these monsters in one go, just like we did last time!"
Nico closed his eyes in annoyance, and took a deep, calming breath, "Elliot, that won't work this time. Those aliens were all the same species, and after that spell, I had practically no energy to fight. This time, we've every single type of monster there is, Earthborn, and godsdamn Frost Giants. It might work on the Earthborn, but Gaea will just make more. It could also work on the Frost Giants, but then I wouldn't be able to fight all the other creatures that will be trying to eviscerate me," Nico finished, shaking his head at Elliot's idiocy.
"Oh, yeah," Elliot replied sheepishly, "I kinda forgot the part where you fell asleep. I was a bit busy dancing last time... I'll just be going now..." Elliot retreated, sitting back in his own seat, thankfully silent for hopefully the rest of the trip. Nico sighed, and Percy suppressed a smile. For a kid with such an amazing power, Elliot could be really stupid.
When demigods arrived in an unusually quiet New York City, the sun was just beginning to peak above the horizon. Nico breathed in the crisp morning air, and led the army of demigods over to the Avengers Tower, which was the temporary base of operations during the attack. Although the Helicarrier was still undergoing repair work, there was still plenty of air support courtesy of SHIELD. Numerous planes and helicopters dotted the sky, filling the otherwise silent air with the sounds of their engines. Telling the others to wait in the lobby, Nico, Percy and Annabeth headed up to the Conference Room where the battle plans were being created.
Fury looked up, and nodded stiffly in greeting once he saw them, before returning his attention to the holographic map which was hovering over the large table. The rest of the Avengers were also seated at the table, all dressed in their armour, armed and ready to go, just like Nico and Percy.
"The demigods have arrived. Took you long enough. How many fighters did you bring?"
"Ninety two," Nico replied, scowling at the jab about the time it took for him to complete his task, "And we'll be assisted by my father, Artemis, Athena, Poseidon and Ares. Hopefully more of the gods will join in once they see their children being massacred" he finished, bitterly.
Percy sighed at this. He was really surprised at how some of the gods, such as Hermes, hadn't already volunteered themselves. After what had happened to Luke, he would have thought Hermes would be the first god to join in the fight.
"Good," Fury said, and turned his attention to Annabeth, "Ms. Chase, daughter of Athena?"
Annabeth looked surprised at being recognised, and nodded her head in affirmation.
"Athena's kids are good at strategy, or so I've been told by Nico. You got any input for our plans?"
The look of surprise on Annabeth's face became even more pronounced, but she hurried over to the table, and seated herself beside the agents who were organising things. Immediately, she began discussing tactics with them animatedly, and they started scribbling parts of the plans out, and rewriting them anew. Percy gazed at her with pride, until Fury stood up, and beckoned them over to stand by the window.
Once Nico and Percy were beside him, Fury began to speak. "We just got word from Thor, who as you can see, has returned from Asgard. He managed to track down the traitor, and got some rather disturbing information out of him. According to the traitor, Gaea's plans revolve around one thing."
"What is it?" Percy asked in excitement, "If we destroy whatever this thing is, maybe Gaea won't be able to win!"
"Nico," Fury said emotionlessly.
"Yeah?" Nico asked in confusion.
"No," Fury growled, "That's not why I said your name. Mr. Jackson asked what Gaea's plans revolve around, and I told him."
Nico and Percy both stared at him in shock.
"Me?" Nico asked incredulously.
"Goth Boy?" Percy asked at the same time, even more confused than Nico.
Fury nodded, "Apparently. I don't know how, and I don't know why, but Gaea needs di Angelo for whatever crazy plan she's concocted. If I had it my way," he said, his single eye glaring suspiciously at Nico, "You would be locked up for the duration of the attack, and forbidden to participate."
"No way," Nico snarled, "I don't give a fuck about Gaea's plans. What I do give a fuck about is killing that bitch before she can do anymore harm. You won't be able to lock me up, and if you did somehow manage it," he paused significantly, before hissing quietly, "I'd be pissed at you as well. You wouldn't like that."
Fury raised an eyebrow, "Enough with the threats, kid. I said if I had it my way, you'd be locked up. Luckily, or unluckily for you, however you want to look at it, that decision wasn't up to me. The higher ups have decided to let you fight, because we will need all the help we can get to win this. But keep in mind that everyone fighting on our side in this war have been given authority to kill you if you show any sign of changing sides. Are we clear?"
"Whatever," Nico snarled, glaring. He couldn't believe those bastards! Kill him if he switched sides? Why did everyone assume he was so weak willed that one kidnapping by Gaea could possibly cause him to betray them?
"When do you think she'll be coming?" Percy asked, laying a restraining hand on Nico's shoulder, as he looked like he was ready to kill anyone in the room that annoyed him more.
"We have no exact information on when or how she will attack, only that it will happen today. We've got most of the civilians out, and all access to the city such as the tunnels, bridges and subway lines are being guarded by the human portion of our army. Send some of your demigods over to help them, as they're not all armed with celestial bronze, and our people won't be able to see through the Mist. We'll also need demigod guards for the Empire State Building, because I assume that's where she'll be heading, and-"
"Sir!" a SHIELD operative yelled from across the room, "We're out of time! She's here!"
"WHAT?" Fury sprinted across the room, yanked the screen the operative was gesturing at, and cursed.
"All units to Central Park, I repeat, ALL units to Central Park," he ordered into a communicator.
Nico and Percy hurried over to the screen that everyone was staring at, and Nico's hands clenched into fists at what he saw. The beautiful, undulating lawns of Central Park were gone, replaced by churned earth, out of which thousands of monsters were appearing, having been transported there by Gaea.
"Shit," Nico growled, "Were there any agents stationed in Central Park?"
Fury nodded, and held down the button that would connect him to the Central Park agents. "All agents, report." He released the button, and the sound of static filled the room. He tried again, "Agents! Report!" Static. Fury sighed, and released the button. The room was silent but for the foreboding sound of the static. The agents were most likely dead.
"There are always casualties in war," Steve said quietly, speaking for the first time since Nico had entered the room, "All we can do now is avenge them. That's our job, isn't it?"
The others nodded, before leaping into action, fiery determination bright in their eyes.
"Emo Ninja, if you don't mind?" Stark asked, his visor falling down over his face with a metallic clang.
Nico scowled, and nodded, "I'll drop us off in the middle of it. Be ready."
They all looked at each other, the team assembled, Loki included. Nico gathered the shadows, enveloping his team in darkness for what he hoped would not be the last time.
The appeared in the midst of pandemonium. Monsters and Earthborn surrounded them the moment they were released by the shadows. All uttering their preferred battle cries, the Avengers leapt into battle. At first, Nico tried to keep track of his friends, but too soon he was unable to because of the sea of enemies. Occasionally, as he slashed through enemy after enemy, leaving behind a trail of gold and dirt, he would catch a glimpse of his friends. The flash of dawn light off of Tony's armour, the huge creature that was Bruce as he smashed through monsters, but no sighting lasted longer than a second. Nico whirled and dodged, stabbing left and right, killing enemies on every turn. But still it wasn't enough. Sure, when the monsters died they stayed dead, but for every Earthborn Nico slaughtered, more rose from the earth. Nico swore he could hear the echoing giggle he knew to be Gaea, and cursed as the earth began to rise, attempting to pull him down.
With a yell, enemies surrounding him forgotten, Nico slammed his sword into the ground, and sent a pulse of energy into it. The ground around him morphed into glistening black stone, but no more than a couple of feet before it was stopped, and a crevice opened. Skeletal warriors leapt out, and began ravaging those around them, using weapons that had risen with them, or else their teeth and sometimes skeletal claws. Nico smirked. But he had become distracted.
Before he could react, a six pairs of huge earthen arms encircled him, and hoisted him off the ground. Nico cursed and struggled, but the beast was strong. Suddenly, there was an electrical beep in his ear.
"Di Angelo!" Fury's voiced hissed out of the communicator, "Where are those gods you promised?"
"I'M A LITTLE BUSY," Nico roared, his ribs creaking, and with a burst of immense strength, he shoved himself out of the deathly embrace. With lightning fast speed, he sliced apart the offending Earthborn, and watched maliciously as it collapsed back to nothing. He held his free hand up to his ear, and attacked once again. "There, now I can talk." He killed three laistrygonians before he continued. "Dad said he and the others will arrive once Gaea does. They can fight her but not this army. That's for the demigods and mortals to deal with. Speaking of which," Nico ducked a punch from a Cyclops, and summoned up shadow that proceeded to consume the creature, "Where the fuck are they?"
"They're about to enter the battle. And I don't appreciate the tone, Agent di Angelo."
"Well you try have someone yell in your ear while you're getting a bear hug from an Earthborn," Nico snarked. He didn't get a reply. He returned his full attention to the battle, his skeletal soldiers surrounding him, and he allowed his internal shadows to emerge, where they enshrouded him in a cloak of darkness, slicing at the earth that was still trying to pull him down. Nico's eyes shone from within the darkness, fully black, and glowing with Hellfire along with his hands. He smiled darkly at the monsters surrounding him. Most were frozen with terror, while others turned tail and fled. Others simply disintegrated from the mere sight of Nico.
"Now, where were we...?"
Time had passed, whether it be minutes or hours, Nico didn't know, but he found himself back to back with Loki. They were surrounded by Earthborn. Most of the monsters had been sent back to Tartarus once the other reinforcements had arrived, but the Earthborn just kept on coming. They were both catching their breath, and allowing their powers some time to recharge.
"How are you, my friend?" Loki asked, his mischievous smile still in place, even as tired as he was. He hadn't had this much fun in ages!
"I'm doing all right. Just a few scrapes," Nico said as a deep gash on his arm gushed blood onto the ground. "You?"
Loki's left arm was hanging at an awkward angle, so he was brandishing his staff single handed, and his face had a few claw marks. "I am positively perfect. This has turned out to be much more fun then I previously anticipated. What a fine day this is, hmm?"
Nico sighed, "You sick bastard..."
Loki just laughed at him, and together they attacked once again. They stayed together as a team, passing the occasional ally locked in a death battle, helping out where they could. Though Nico was loath to admit it, he too was enjoying himself. His father was the god of death, and the park was now reeking of it. Death gave him power, the same as water gave Percy power. It was the way he was, and because of it, he was a demon on the battle field. It still wasn't enough, it seemed.
They fought and fought, slaying Earthborn over and over again, but still there came more. Nico cursed loudly as the ground erupted with another five for the one he had just killed.
"We need to block the earth, stop her from summoning more!" Nico shouted to Loki.
"I had guessed as much," Loki muttered to himself, staring at his still functioning hand. He had promised himself to never do this, but desperate times and all that. He grumbled to himself in disgust. He truly had been corrupted by these so called 'heroes'. With that thought, he allowed his true self to emerge. Nico glanced over at him, and did a double take. Since when was Loki blue?
"I know," Loki exclaimed dramatically, covering his eyes with his hair, while simultaneously skewering a giant with his staff, "I'm hideous."
Nico rolled his eyes, "Dude, shut up. You're blue, so what? Now use those ice powers for whatever the hell you're planning, already. I'd rather not you having a drama queen moment."
Loki grumbled and scowled at the son of Hades, "Well now I know who to turn to FOR NO SYMPATHY."
Nico smirked, "You expected it in the first place?"
Loki began to reply, but frowned. He had him there. Dismissing all thoughts, Loki dropped to one knee and was about to plunge his arms into the ground, his intent to freeze the soil, when a column of icy blue light descended from the sky, and slammed into the ground, throwing back monsters and mortals alike. Nico braced himself for the shockwave, and managed to keep his feet. He glared at the column, and gripped his sword tightly. Looked like the Frost Giants had arrived.
"Loki," he growled to his friend, "They want to kill you. Stay back and allow us to deal with – HEY!"
Loki had already transported himself towards the column of light, and stood patiently before it. As the light faded away, no less than two hundred Frost Giants were revealed.
"LOKI!" Nico shouted, and made to run forward, but found himself unable. He looked down, expecting to see earth, but instead saw ice encasing his feet. Loki had trapped him there.
He watched in fear as the lead Frost Giant advanced on Loki, a spear of ice encasing his blue fist.
"Treacherous Prince," he snarled, his alien face expressing disgust as he looked down on the still blue Loki in front of him, "You stand before us, not hiding behind the skirts of your Asgardian brother. Why?"
Loki gazed up at him, no hint of fear on his face. "You attack this planet because of me. Your King is dead because of me, and it is because of my people that your world lies in ruins. It is not the fault of the Midgardians. I will not allow you to harm them."
"You will not allow us?" the giant asked incredulously, "I was informed that you yourself led the last attack on this planet. Why the change of heart, Prince?"
Loki winced slightly at the title, before replying simply, "Strangely, I find myself growing fond of these humans, no matter how much I wish not to. It is my fault you have come here, and so I will take responsibility." He sank to his knees before the giant, and said what no one ever thought they would hear from the infamous Loki Laufeyson. "I give you my own life as forfeit. That is why you have come here, yes? After I am dead, there is no point in you to staying here. This is not your war. What say you, Frost Giant?"
Loki closed his eyes, and awaited the giant's decision. The stupid mortals really had destroyed him.
"NO! BROTHER!" Thor yelled, before he too was encased in ice to prevent any movement. Nico slashed at the ice, using all his strength and powers to break free, but it would not be broken. Loki was more powerful than he had previously thought.
They all gazed in horror as the Frost Giant lowered his ice covered arm, and placed it over Loki's heart. Loki did nothing...
Mwahahaha, cliff hanger. Please don't get angry, dear reader, ima update tomorrow :P