Fighting Darkness

Chapter 2

When he slept, he could usually direct where he wanted his dreams to end up. Not as well as the Hypnos kids, but enough so that he steered clear of nightmares for the most part, like a fast forward button. This time, there was not a fast forward button. It was like all control in his mind was gone. Someone was dragging him downwards, he felt like he was dropping down into the earth, deeper and deeper. He had no time to scream, and suddenly, he was in the underworld.

Being a child of Hades had its perks, like being able to tell when you were dead. Nico was dead. He could feel it; he was cold and not breathing, kneeling in front of his father's throne, his head bowed.

"Rise, my son." His father's voice filled the throne room; most people would find his father scary. Nico, at one point in time, had even thought his father to be intimidating. Now, his father was a comforting presence. He wasn't exactly okay with his father yet, they had a lot to talk about, but at least he had talked to his dad. He knew that he cared for him in an odd, sort of fatherly way, and he appreciated the effort.

Nico stood up and looked around. Persephone wasn't there, she was above ground, since it was still summer. Her throne sat empty, the flowers wilted. His dad's throne was large and pure black. He noticed that the throne room was remodeled, to… Nico wanted to laugh. Almost the same design as the church they had met in, made from monk bones. Hades let a small smile slip through his usually foreboding appearance.

"Do you like it?" Hades asked curiously. Nico grinned and shook his head.

"I didn't know if you were seriously considering it. It definitely looks… underworld-ly." Nico admitted, looking up at his father.

"There is a problem." The King of the Underworld stated, his attitude shifting back to grim. It made him nervous. Why was he dead? What happened to him? What were they going to talk about? The last thing he remembered was Will… looking hurt. He had hurt Will! He hurt Will with his words. The look on his face, it flashed through Nico's mind continuously, like it was stuck on repeat.

"I know that I'm dead, but… Can you somehow get the message to Will that I'm sorry? Please? Just tell him that I'm really sorry." Nico pleaded. He felt tears pool in his eyes.

"And tell Hazel that she can still visit me, okay? Tell her to stay with Frank because Frank is a good guy." Nico finally stopped talking when he noticed that his father stayed silent. Nico waited for him to speak, but he didn't for a while, he just studied his son, his face an emotionless mask. Finally, he spoke.

"Who is this Will character you speak of?" Hades asked. Nico swallowed nervously, feeling sweat pool on his forehead. His hand came up to wipe it away impatiently, a scowl on his face. He was dead, standing at the foot of his father's throne, and yet, they were talking about boys? It was ridiculous. Even so, he felt his face heating up.

"He is none of your business. We are friends, if you must know." Nico said impatiently. His father seemed to detect the lie, though, and continued to inspect him with a look of deep thought. It made him nervous, Nico shifted slightly.

"You have a crush on him." Hades finally decided. Nico could feel his face turning into the same shade of red as blood.

"D-Dad! I'm dead, and here we are, discussing my love life?!" He stuttered out, staring up at his dad as if he were crazy.

"It doesn't matter, anyway. I'm dead. There's nothing I can do about it. I'm never going to see him ever again." Nico growled angrily, glaring at his dad. What was going on? Why did he need to have a father-to-son talk when he was dead?

"You aren't exactly dead. I just summoned you down here, so we can talk. Not about boys, either, even though I have a lot to say on that subject. I summoned you down here because I need to tell you before anyone else does. You are in a prophecy." Hades spoke seriously, his posture tense on the throne.

"A prophecy? About me? You have to be kidding. Please tell me that you are kidding with me." Nico said, his eyes wide. His dad didn't look very kidding.

"The last time you shadow travelled; it wasn't good for you, Nico. Do you know who Erebus is?" Hades asked. Nico shook his head.

"No idea. Is he a God? Titan?" Nico asked, raising his eyebrow. He was thoroughly sick of Gods and Titans sticking their noses in other people's business.

"He was one of the first primordial deities in existence, born of Chaos. He is the father of Aether, Hemera, the Hesperides, Hypnos, the Moirai, Geras, Styx, Charon, and Thanatos." His father explained, as if he were giving a history lesson to a group of students. But that was not, sadly, the case. He was the lord of the underworld, telling his dead son about a life-threatening deity that was most likely out for Nico's blood.

"What does that have to do with me?" He asked, getting impatient with his dad.

"He is the ruler of the shadows, not I. Offspring of mine are able to shadow travel because of an old agreement between the two of us. It is very dangerous, because he never agreed to grant you safe passage, just passage in general. Because of your frequent travel, a part of him has… latched itself onto you. You intrigue him. If a demigod travels that much in such a short amount of time, Nico, it gives him more access to you. He lives in you even now, as we speak." Hades said softly, something like remorse in his cold, distant eyes.

"Is that why I keep getting angry? I got irrationally mad at Will earlier for no reason, and everything just bothers me more than it should. It's usually like that, but now… It's heightened. I lost control of my body and I shot this darkness out of my hands, it shot straight through the wall. I haven't done that before." Nico stated. Everything seemed to make sense now.

"Yes, the bruises, too, they are just your body reacting to the intrusion." Hades explained. Nico's form started to flicker.

"Wait? Wait, please, tell me more! Please, what am I going to do?" He asked hurriedly.

"Don't give into the temptation or he will overwhelm you and take control of your body. Go to the Romans, Ella knows. Good luck, Nico, you're going to need it. Oh, and don't tell anyone about this little get together. It's kind of illegal." Hades smiled, actually smiled as he watched his son disappear.

Waking up to Will's tear stricken face made Nico want to die all over again. He caused that pain. He had caused his crush to cry, to look so broken and helpless. Nico coughed, his eyes flashing open, and Will gasped, his eyes lighting up.

"Oh my Gods, I thought that you were dead." Will stuttered, holding back a sob of relief.

"Can't kill death, aye?" Nico joked, cocking a smile, but he was obviously weak. Nico noticed that he was sprawled out on a cot, and Will was… Was Will Solace really on top of him? This had to be some crazy, distorted, twisted dream.

"Nico, you had me worried sick. What in the world happened?!" Will asked, brushing his tears away. Most men would be embarrassed or ashamed of crying in front of someone else, but Will didn't seem to even notice the fact. He was too focused on Nico to care. Nico decided that he liked that about Will. His goodness, his purity. It balanced out his own darkness. Will told things like he believed them to be, he didn't let other people's views obscure his own. He was stubborn and thought what he wanted to; he would do anything for friends, and he cried in front of Nico, unashamed. He was a beautiful crier. Stupid son of Apollo.

"I'll tell you later…" Nico murmured, a tiredness falling over him. He suddenly just wanted to sleep. Even with a hot guy practically on top of him, he wanted to rest. What was wrong with him?

"Chiron summoned us for a meeting, it's about New Rome. Not sure what about New Rome. I had someone go for me, so they can tell us later. Are you sure that you're okay to sleep?" Will asked. He was obviously uncomfortable with not knowing what was wrong with Nico. It had never happened before, Nico could tell. Health was his specialty, and he was clueless as to what happened to Nico.

"We are definitely talking after you wake up, death boy." Will said it like a threat. Nico mumbled something indecipherable before his eyes fluttered closed. Will was relieved to find that he still had a pulse.

(( Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews! Keep them coming? I want to know how I did, what you like, dislike, anything and everything!