Sun-kissed Angel (a Solangelo fanfiction)

CHAPTER 6: ABDUCTION

Nico

Loud. So loud.

The adrenaline rush started to dissipate in Nico's veins.

Too many people.

He started to wonder if it was a good idea after all.

He didn't even remember himself being crowned by a laurel wreath or whatever this is. He pulled the silly ring of leaves out of his head.

They were first. Why did he seem nervous about it?

Percy awkwardly stepped out of their chariot. He helped Annabeth down.

She shivered. "I hate nets. They remind me of spider webs."

Percy, on the other hand, was scowling. Jason hid behind Piper's back.

"Hide me," he whispered.

Nico slowly backed away from them, trying not to get any unwanted attention. It might get nasty.

He walked a considerable distance from the crowd, which was a good distance of a football field, before he settled down.

"NICO!!"

It was Will. He ran across the ashen grounds to join him. Reyna waved at him too. Nico gave both of them a weak smile.

"That was nice!" Will said.

What 'nice'?

It took an awkward silence for Nico to realize that the man was talking about the race.

"Uhhh..."

Will ruffled his messy hair.

"Good huh?" Nico sneered.
His elbow went up Will's chest, gaining a grunt in response.

"I did awesome!"

Will rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Yeah."

Reyna took her time to get to them. She had that amused expression only she can manage to appear nonchalant.

On the corner of his eye, he saw Hazel scanning the crowd, searching for him.

Will snatched the laurel wreath out of his hand.

"That is not how you use that."

Will placed the wreath over his head.

"Perfect. Now you look like the Ghost King!"

The son of Apollo draped his arm on his shoulders.

Nico casually shrugged him off.

"I don't look like the Ghost King..."

"HE IS THE GHOST KING!!!!!!"

†******†*******†*******

Nico had been through Tartarus and back. Nothing basically scares him anymore. He did not expect the sight of the Furies with their fire whips aimed at Will will scare him out of his wits.

"HE IS THE GHOST KING!!! YOU LAID YOU HANDS ON HIM! YOU WILL DIE!!!!" Alecto shrieked, her whip high in the air.

Nico didn't hesitate. He pushed Will back and shielded him with his body.

CRACK!!

Pain seared Nico's back. His nape felt like it was lacerated by a thousand needles.

"NICO!!!" Will screamed.

Nico's lips bled from his biting a cry.

Will was on the ground. His eyes danced with fear. His lips quivered.

"Get out of here," Nico's warning came out in a hushed tone.

"But...."

"I said get out!"

Dark smoke danced at his feet. He faced Alecto.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!!"

Alecto backed away from him.

"He laid his hands on you... He..."

She cowered.

Alecto cowering was a strange sight.

The Furies have leathery wings like bats, claws, a mouth full of yellow fangs and glowing eyes. They carry whips that dance with flames every time they flick them.

At that moment, Nico saw them as nothing but three old bat women taking too much caffeine.

He grabbed Alecto by the neck. She trashed under his grip.

"I am ....not ....afraid... of.. you.." She stuttered.

Nico tightened his grip.

"Fool! You should be!"

His hands started to smoke.

The clash of imperial gold and brass claws distracted him from the pain.

Reyna fended off Tisiphone. Her limbs were shaking. He can tell from her uneven strokes.

"Nico!" Jason shouted. He was already flinging himself to battle.

The others stood petrified.

Percy stared at them with wide eyes.
Piper was murmuring something to herself, her hands clasped on a random spear. Chiron was silent, his feet forward, yet wishing to be out. Hazel gripped her spatha. She stood frozen right at the spot. He spotted a boar next to her. Maybe it was Frank.

Annabeth's shaking hands gripped on her drakon bone dagger.

"They're taking us back to Tartarus..." She murmured.

Nico's hand steamed.
He slammed Alecto to the ground. Her hideous head cracked under the pressure, the ground forming fissures around her.

She grimaced, the action acting wonders to her ugly face.

Megaera charged at him, with Jason at her heels.

Nico pulled out his sword and cut Megaera's left wing.

She shrieked in pain, the pitch nearly made Jason tear his ears.

"S...son of Hades! We've come...for..orders," Alecto said through clenched teeth.

"From who?"

His voice sounded nothing like him. He sounded like Minos, the ghost king he defeated.

"From Hades."

His father's name brought him back to sharp focus.

He took a moment to regain his composure.

Jason and Reyna were having a death dance with the two Furies.

"STOP!!"

Jason stopped midswing.

"Take Will," Nico said.

Reyna stepped forward.
"But Nic..."

Nico gave her a look only they have shared for the past weeks.

She nodded, and rushed to pull Will away.

The son of Apollo was too stunned to react.

Jason stared at him, perhaps wondering what in Olympus is happening.

Nico raised his sword at Alecto.
"We're not done yet."

"Wait..." Jason stuttered.

Nico aimed to decapitate the fury but thought better of it.

The tip of his sword hit the ground.
The ground rumbled.

"No!!" Jason screamed.

The ground broke under his feet.
He met Jason's eyes. He stretched out his hand to reach him.
He didn't find his voice to call him, to save him.

He closed his eyes as the earth closed around him, swallowing him whole.