The Unknown Nico's POV It had already been two days since the left camp. They had reached the underworld alive and they hadn't had any serious fights yet. It was too good and he knew it; something felt off. "We should camp here before we go any deeper into the underworld" Anabeth declared Liany looked at him with a questioning glance "I think it's a good idea, after all both of you need to recover your energy" She stood at the end of the cliff they were standing on looking down at the Styx "I guess we have no choice" she said "let's rest for now, we'll continue in a few hours" They all sat in silence around a small fire eating cold sandwiches "I'll take first watch while you rest" ordered certain unwanted blonde "I think I should take first watch" he said "after all I am the strongest here in the underworld" "I agree" Liany said looking up from her sandwich "Nico is a child of the underworld, here we both lack power and need rest" "I think you have a point there" the blonde said as she threw him and Liany water bottles "I'll take a nap then" He opened the water bottle and began to drink when he notice Liany had barely touched any of her food "You need to eat something" She looked up and fixed her eyes on Anabeth's back "I'm not really hungry" He gave her a concerned look "I'm okay Nico, it's just that this voice keeps calling my name and telling me that I'm in danger" He wasn't sure of what to say so he kept silent for a moment "is there anything else this voice is telling you" She grinned darkly "it told me where to go" "Then, where are we heading?" when she didn't answer he knew there was something wrong. He was about to say something when his vision started to cloud and his limbs failed him. He could hear a faint voice yelling his name, asking him to wake up, a concerned voice XxX He appeared in the throne room facing his father "Is there something you need from me father?" "Get that girl out of my kingdom" he said coldly "or she will stay here forever" "I understand" "Then go" He wasn't completely sure of what was going on, but there was something bothering him; his father had said that girl instead of those girls. xXx Liany's POV "Nico?" she asked as she saw her friend losing his balance and collapse. "NICO!" She grabbed him by the shoulders and commenced to shake him "Nico wake up please" she pleaded. She didn't know what was going on but he felt limp, and well he was a child of Hades so he looked kind of dead "He won't wake up" a deep voice coming from Anabeth answered "Who are you?" "Just another vengeful spirit" she answered with a dark smile She put Nico down and stud up "what did you do to him?" "I only put him to sleep, no need to worry" she said as she pulled Anabeth's dagger out and pointed it at her "you on the other hand must die here" She reached down for her ring but felt her hands go numb and her limbs become weak "what?" "So it finally started to work" she had a cruel smile on her face as she approached Liany. The burnet took a few steps back. Stupid she thought as she saw the Styx right underneath her. "Don't underestimate me you bitch" she cleared her mind and ordered the snake to shift and in less than a second she was holding a sword. She was ready to attack but her body wasn't she hadn't been eating well and that just made the drug stronger. She blocked Anabeth's strikes at first but her consciousness kept slipping away and her limbs refused to obey her. It was then that she felt the cool celestial bronze piercing her abdomen and a warm liquid spilling. Blood. It was clear that she indeed might die but if that was going to happen she might as well have some pride. She pushed Anabeth back with what was left of her strength, she knew she was been stupid, she knew what was about to happen, but she did it anyways. She fell off the cliff right into the Styx. She was wounded and weak, she was certain she would die and braced herself for the impact but before she could feel anything her vision darkened and she passed out. xXx Nico's POV Nico's body felt like led, it was heavy and stiff. He opened his eyes and was thankful for the darkness. He sat up and tried to regain all his senses. It was then that he noticed the silence. Anabeth was on the ground and her head bleeding, but Liany was nowhere to be seen. He saw Anabeth's dagger laying on the ground and a poodle of blood on the edge of the cliff. He saw Anabeth's aura fade and decided that he would be back but first he needed to take this girl back to camp or she would die. He shadow traveled and landed in the infirmary where Argus began to treat Anabeth's wounds. He wanted to interrogate her but he knew she wouldn't wake up for at least four days. It was then that the centaur called him. XxX The centaur in front of him seemed worried, but so did most of the campers in the room. He had told them what he remembered and what his father had said. "Does this mean that Anabeth killed Liany?" Leo was the first one to talk "No, this means Anabeth hurt Liany, but she's alive" "How do you know?" "Leo, I'm a son of Hades, I can tell when a soul has passed and hers hasn't" There was another pause, the silence just made everything worst. It was then that Rachel spoke "the quest isn't over" Nico met her eyes and it was then that he understood "Anabeth was never part of this quest, but she was necessary wasn't she?" everyone looked at them doubtful but he finally knew why his father had sent him to camp in the first place. Liany was meant to go to the underworld and not come back to camp; she was different and even he knew that. He could hear the rest of the group talking and arguing but he already had plans. He stood up and walked towards the exit when he felt someone call his name, he wanted to ignore it but he couldn't. "Nico" it was the girl from the Aphrodite cabin "come back and sit" he was about to sit when he became aware of everyone's on him He smirked "using charmspeak on me" he added a cold glance for better effect; he really had to keep appearances. He didn't like it when people bothered him or ordered him around "you're rather bold, don't you think?" She seemed to cower on her chair; he was literally radiating fear at that point. No one else dared to speak after that. He looked at Chiron "I'm going to find Liany and finish this quest" The crazy centaur smiled kindly at him "finish the quest so both of you can come back home " "Of course" He walked out of the big house and headed to his cabin when he felt someone behind him, he turned around to see Leo "What is it?" The boy in front of him was looking down and biting his lip "be careful and bring her back" Nico felt warmth spread through his body; it was the first time someone went out of their way just to genuinely ask him to be careful and it felt good. "I will be" he motioned towards his cabin "come" They both walked in Leo a little bit curious as always started to look around "Man, your house is REALLY dark" Leo said grinning Nico smiled but didn't look at him "Let's just say I don't get along with light colors" he was looking though one of his drawers looking for a piece of stygian iron he had found in the underworld "they don't complement my skin tone and can't bring out that special shine in my eyes" Leo started laughing "true enough, black suits you very well" Jackpot "Leo, I've got a favor to ask" he was now wrapping the stygian iron in a piece of leather "Anything man" NIco smiled and handed him the piece of metal as he closed in the distance between them "make a fine sword out of this, but be careful not to touch the metal directly" Leo nodded and made eye contact with Nico, they stayed like that for a few minutes until Leo leaned in and pecked Nico who did nothing but smile. "If you want more you better come back soon" and with that the son of Hephaestus turned around and left Nico was a bit shocked after hearing his last words, but he couldn't deny it was a good incentive. He grabbed his back pack and walked into the shadows. AN: what can I say; I deserve to be slapped after taking so long. I'll try to keep posting more often cuz it also kills me to not write. Thank you for reading my fanfic it really makes me happy. Please let me know how you feel about my fanfic, I'm open to suggestions and I really want to know what people think of my writing since this is my baby. Yes this is my very first fanfic, so pls don't be shy and tell me if you like it or if you don't I also want o know what I can do to improve it Love