Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Heroes of Olympus, or Sword Art Online.

Warnings: mentions of pre-slash (Will and Nico), a bit of angst and death, etc. Zeus bashing (of course, I kind of consider that canon, so…)

Enjoy!

Will watched anxiously as Apollo, Dionysus, and Hephaestus muttered to each other over Nico's prone body.

It had been three weeks since the announcement of the death game, and Zeus had only just allowed the gods to do anything.

The Son of Apollo glared at the wall behind the trio.

He had never hated anyone more than he hated Zeus at that moment. The king of the gods had decreed that no one attempt to get Nico out of the game.

Why?

'Probably because he hates Nico's guts.' Will thought bitterly. He had always thought that Nico had just been imagining people's prejudice against him, as Will had a lot of faith in people, but this proved that there were indeed people who would persecute him merely because of who his father was.

Hades himself had been extremely close to declaring war on Zeus for the insult of abandoning Nico in such a way. If it hadn't been for Hestia, the ancient world (and by extension the mortal one) would be in chaos.

And the two camps would side with the Lord of the Underworld on this matter.

Will jolted out of his musings as he noticed Apollo sent him a sympathetic, yet stern gaze.

'Sorry dad.' Will thought with a sigh.

'Never apologize for being loyal and compassionate, son.' Apollo told him telepathically. 'If we could do anything that would truly help him, we would. The world owes him much.'

Apollo didn't say as much, but he was well aware that if di Angelo hadn't convinced Perseus to take on the Curse of Achilles, they would have lost the war against Kronos and the mortals and demigods would have been completely wiped out.

The young man's actions during the Second Giant War only piled on the debt they owed him (as well as the respect that most of the Olympians had for him).

"We cannot remove him from the game." Apollo said aloud, directing his words to the rest of the half-bloods.

Will blinked, slightly surprised. He had forgotten that the others were even there.

Hazel raised a hand to cover her mouth, eyes closing as she started crying quietly. She had known that Zeus would most likely deny her brother help, but actually hearing it was so much worse.

"However…there is a way we can keep an eye on how he's doing."

This time it wasn't Apollo that spoke up, but Hephaestus, who was stroking his beard thoughtfully.

The group looked at him wide-eyed, and Will's neck felt like it would snap, his head moved so quickly.

"Please tell us more, Lord Vul…Lord Hephaestus." Reyna spoke up, eyes hard.

Hephaestus nodded, not bothering to comment on the mistake. She was born a Roman, after all.

Leo stared at the screen embedded in the wall next to Nico's bed.

He hadn't been sure what he expected to happen after he came back from rescuing Calypso from her long-time prison, but having one of their own being trapped in a death game wasn't it.

Everyone had been happy and relieved that Leo had survived what basically amounted to suicide, but he had immediately realized that something else was going on.

He could see it in their eyes.

Luckily, his father managed to link the screen to what was happening in Sword Art Online as it happened, so they could at least be assured that Nico was doing okay.

The fact that the younger demigod was intending to fight on the front lines surprised none of them.

What did surprise some of them was that the secluded Son of Hades had found a friend: Kirito.

Will's reaction clued Leo in on the fact that the sunny Son of Apollo (puns intended) had feelings for the dark Ghost King.

It had almost been amusing to see the look of utter relief when a) he heard Nico imply that he liked guys, and b) when he told Kirito that he wasn't attracted to him.

Or at least it would've been amusing if Nico wasn't still trapped in the game, and Will couldn't reach him regardless.

Leo exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair (and getting grease and oil in it as he did.)

Damn it.

Reyna stared at the helmet that had caused this mess.

Nerve Gear.

She wanted to destroy it.

They all did.

The only thing stopping them was the fact that hundreds of people had been killed by the helmet when someone tried to remove it from them.

The praetor forced herself to look away from it, focusing on her hand entangled with Nico's.

Over the course of their quest bringing Athena's statue to Camp Half-Blood, he had become the person she trusted most. She trusted Jason, Frank, Percy, Coach Hedge, Aurum and Argentum, her officers…

But Nico was held above all others.

She had bared her soul to him, and he had done so in return when he released his emotions as he turned Bryce Lawrence into a ghost.

Nico knew her deepest, darkest secret…

And he still liked and respected her regardless.

The Son of Hades had better come back to them.

She wanted her 'brother' back.

They all needed him.

Percy was lost, having had Nico taken away from his right after they had finally cleared the air between them. Hazel was heartbroken, having occasional panic attacks at the prospect of losing her last remaining family (she didn't quite count Pluto/Hades). Annabeth, Frank, and Piper had to deal with their grief as well as their own. Even Leo's smiles and jokes were a bit forced.

Will Solace was the worst. Reyna hadn't noticed before the feelings that he harbored for Nico, but now there was no missing it.

The younger teen almost never left Nico's side, only stepping away to shower (not as often as he used to, she was sure), and occasionally eat. Even then he usually had his siblings bring him his meals. He slept on the bed beside Nico's, reasoning that if something happened (he hadn't needed to specify what, since they all knew what happened to those that were killed in the game), he needed to be there immediately.

He didn't practice archery or play sports with his siblings. He didn't bother doing anything musical like Apollo kids were known for. He barely ever spoke. His skin was far too pale for a child of the sun, and his eyes had shadows under them that rivalled Nico's from during the war. The group had also seen evidence of tears more than a few times, though no one commented on it.

Will Solace was broken.

And none of them knew how to help him.

Hades gazed at the screen in his throne room, eyes glinting sadly.

Nico and his new 'friend' were doing quite well so far, defeating the boss rather impressively. He had even gotten a chuckle out of the name his son had chosen to be called. Zeus was sure to be furious that Nico had chosen the name of a primordial.

However, impressive battle or not, that was only the first floor out of one hundred.

How much more grief and pain would his son have to endure throughout the rest of the 'game?'

He was glad that Hephaestus had thought to offer to install one of the screens in his palace, but sometimes he wondered if not knowing what was going on would be easier.

From across the room, Persephone watched on helplessly as he worried over his son.

She didn't see what was so great about him, or his dead sister. Never had. She didn't like Pluto's daughter either, for that matter. They were nothing more than proof that Hades had betrayed their marriage.

But despite all that, she did love her husband.

And seeing him in so much pain hurt her as well.

Please review!

They hooked up Hephaestus' device right after Nico's conversation with Asuna, so Will doesn't realize Nico does in fact have a crush on someone from the real world.

Sorry nothing new has happened in the game this chapter. I thought I'd give some of the people who care about Nico some recognition.

Too harsh on Will? Maybe. He hasn't been like this the entire month until the boss fight. It started once he knew for sure that Zeus would refuse to let the others help. He was still depressed and paranoid about Nico suddenly dying, but it got worse. He'll snap out of it eventually.