LUNAR ECLIPSE (a solangelo fanfiction)

8. Travels

A/N OKAY you have every right to be mad at me, but I've been really busy with school and stuff and I honestly didn't know how to write it. Also I would like to thank my fantabulous supercalifragilisticexpialidocious friend for editing this whose name I will not mention. And finally, NEARLY 1k READS? WHAT?!!! I LOVE YOU GUYS, OKAY OKAY ENJOY THIS CHAPTER CAUSE ITS GONNA GO DOWN OKAY? JUST WARNING YOU.
Also disclaimers: This is based on the heroes of Olympus, however the storyline is a bit mixed together so hear with me. And these characters I do not own they are property of Rick Riordan blah blah blah okay you can read now, BYEEEE.

O N E W E E K L A T E R
They'd finally reached Rome, it was a long journey with many fights between Chris and Clarisse but whenever Will came into the room they would silence up. Will wasn't sure if it was out of pity or out of something else but he tried not pay attention to anything besides the quest, and saving Nico. They'd followed Chrions instructions exactly as he had said and found themselves underground with nothing to be seen besides a passage way that seemed never to end.
As Clarisse was walking she threw her hands up in exasperation. "I don't think any things here." She complained, accompanied by a grunt of effort.
Suddenly they heard two voices coming from further down the passageway.
"It has been a month and no one has come, Ephialtes. Perhaps this was not the best hair after all." The voice was shrill and hoarse, as if the speaker was talking into a glass vase.
A second voice began to speak. This one was raucous and gravelly.
"You fool! You dare question mother earth's orders? They will come for the boy, I am positive."
Chris hit his palm to his face and urgently whispered. "Will, it's a trap."
Will looked at him with a deadly glare, his lip curling back in threat, "I'm not going back, and you two are coming with me."
Clarisse grimaced but stayed silent, which Will had not expected. They continued to walk, this time cautiously towards the sound. Will allowed his hand slip along the cool wall. The voices blared up again.
"Ephialtes, do you smell that?" The higher pitched voice spoke.
"It smells like demigod, best type of meat. I told you the plan would work, you dimwit!"
The voices cracked up in laughter and Will began to jog lightly on his feet, the other two following his lead."Release him!" Will blared up at them and mocked his arrow when they'd finally reached the Giants. There liable was not misleading, they were around ten times taller and wider than a normal human being. Will was not really intimidating, and so thought the twins, for all they did was laugh.
"Look, Otis. The hero came to save the day. What will you do? Run us through with one of your toy arrows?" The two Cyclops' cracked up again.
Otis, the dumber one, always following his brother around, was about twelve feet tall. He work black pants, not exactly helping to cover up his two snake-trunk legs, but Will was grateful, for he did not want to see what was under the pants. He was shirtless, showing off his large, pale belly (quite hairy, too). His emerald hair was braided into dreadlocks, golden drachmas glittering every time the green glow of a lantern shone on them. His face was gruesome. Pimples and other lost lumps seemed to have a party. One bloodshot eye blinked, slow like honey, yet no where near as sweet.
His brother, Ephialtes was not too much of a difference. He had the same clothing, not that there was much on him in the first place, but this one seemed more buff, and less.... chubby? The only difference was that Ephialtes had purple locks of greasy hair falling over his shoulders with gold and silver coins, instead of green hair with only gold coins.
"Will! Look for Nico! We'll take care of them!" Clarisse demanded and Will didn't hesitate to obey. He ran over to a suspicious black jar that lay beside a wall, one like he saw in his recent nightmares. He pushed it over with little difficulty and a weak, barely breathing, son of Hades spilled out onto the dirt. Will could almost not believe it as he held up Nico's and examined his face, as if to see if it were really him. His skin was deathlike and colorless, the skin below his eyes was sunken and dark. His eyes seemed to be scanning Will's face just as Will's were looking over his. "Will." Nico managed to say, it barely came out as wheeze. Will fought the tears that began to form, his pastel blue eyes grew murky. He shook his head, half in relief, half in disbelief.
"You idiot."
Will breathed. He settled that he would save words and sentiment for later, right now they had to focus on escaping.
"Clarisse! Chris! I've got him, let's leave!" He shouted in the direction they were fighting. After a few moments he heard Clarisse's voice in response.
"We can't! They're blocking the exit!" Clarisse bellowed back.
Will swore under his breath. He looked at Nico gently set him down. He stood up and smiled weakly at him.
"Guess we have no choice but to fight, huh?"
To his utter surprise, Nico replied, a mute purr.
"Shadow tr-travel."
Will looked at him like he'd gone demented.
"Are you crazy Di Angelo? You can barely breathe, let alone use your powers!"
He said harshly.
"Only w-way."
He replied softly. Will knew he was right, and somehow brought himself to believe him. He bit his lip so hard, he began to taste the metallic blood in his mouth.
"At least - at least let me heal you first."
He said desperately while kneeling beside Nico, once again holding him in his arms. He felt tears falling down his face, streaking his face with dirty and clean stripes, dirt and tears mixed together. Nico raised his hand and softly brushed his fingertips against Will's cheek. The look in his charcoal eyes was a look of desperation and love.
"There's no time."
He said, his hand falling back on his stomach.
He looked so weak, his head already lolling back and fourth.
Wills heart ached and he let out a racked sob. The corners of his mouth twisted down.
His sunny attitude at camp turned into a determined hope when Nico went missing, mixed with fear. Now, his sadness faded into a burning rage. Fury so strong he felt like he could bust a bulb just by looking at it.
Will was just about to prop Nico against a stone and battle the Giants with alone a death glare. And even after that, it wouldn't be enough. He would have to tear apart their faces and crumble their skulls. But Nico exhaled loudly, the only action he could manage to capture Wills attention. Nico tried a weak smile, attempting to convince Will.
Will was almost shocked when he realized that he himself had given in. He nodded and shouted for Chris and Clarisse to come over. Once they were all standing together, Nico raised his shaking hands and cried out as their shadows seemed to grow and their vision dim when they descended into an eternal abyss of darkness.

Hazel was strolling through new Rome with Percy, talking about the quest of Gaea. They were making a lot of plans, strategizing before they went on their actual quest, but it was hard for Hazel to concentrate. All she was constantly thinking about was her brother. Suddenly Hazel sees shadows appear out of no where, her 24-karat gold eyes turned to face the shadows enveloping, the figures disappear and she sees her brother in Will Solaces arms, and two other people she didn't recognize standing beside them. She left Percy hanging mid-sentence and ran over to them, tears springing to her eyes in relief. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Nico weakly standing up and opening his eyes. Will seemed to be surprised that Nico was able to stand up, or maybe relieved, since Nico seemed glued to the floor.
"Where is she, where's my sister?"
She heard him say clearly. She grinned, the tears falling down her face. She ran up to her brother, her arms wide.
"I'm here! Nico I'm here. Oh, Gods..."
She claimed, embracing Nico. Her smile disappeared when he weakly shook her off.
"Who are you? Where's my sister?"
He shouted. Will seemed to be stuck in his place, unable to comprehend what was happening. Hazel saw that Percy had walked over, a deadly serious mask covered his face. Nico saw him and glared at him.
"Percy Jackson, where is she? Where is Bianca?!"