The Ghost King's Adventure through the multiverse

2. Preparing for the Worst cause it's sure to happen.

Hello! This next chapter is very very long and is all about packing Nico's bags for his quest. Kindly remain patient with me as this is still my first time writing publicly and it will later on be edited. Thank you.

Warning because as soon as you see this number you might put off reading this later on as it will probably take a while but I like long chapters so whatever.

word count: 6986

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First-person:

When I woke up, I was overwhelmed by the weight of the work waiting for me. Just a few feet away from my bed, on my black wooden desk, piles of paperwork overflowed from the drawers. A single black backpack with the Camp Half-Blood symbol, a skeletal Pegasus in white and orange, sat atop the mess.

For a moment, I considered staying in bed for five more minutes. But of course, there is no such  luck for me. My skeletal butler in a black suit and tie, Belvedere, entered my room with a skull that slowly parted its jaw from the rest of the former human head and it started ringing like one of the Furies piercing screams of agony in my ear, wiping their scourge on the inside of my brain.

I covered my head with a feather-filled pillow to block the cries and it turned into a slow continuous hum. It was a far cry from silence, but it was better than the piercing screams.

I managed to ignore it for a few insignificant moments, but I knew I couldn't continue sleeping with this miserable sound still on. With a groan, I threw off the covers and sat up, rubbing my eyes. I looked around my room, trying to pinpoint the noise source. Usually, I could sleep through anything, but my father had gifted Belvedere the skull that could kill a minotaur with its screams. Luckily, being a son of Hades, the screams of the undead children of Furies would not harm me and would only wake me up. How lucky for me.

And yes. Morning Nico is a dramatic and violent Nico. If I should feel pain waking up then whoever tried to awake me shall feel it through complains!

I groaned and sat up, rubbing my eyes. "What time is it, Belvedere?" I asked.

"It is five o'clock in the morning, my young lord," Belvedere replied in his hollow voice.

"Five o'clock? Are you kidding me?" I exclaimed. "Sorry Belvedere my day doesn't start before at least ten."

"I am not kidding you, my lord," Belvedere said. "The master wants you awake early for your quest."

Father. Oh, the things I could say about my father. I glanced at Belvedere and realized it would be unfair to dislocate his bones since it wasn't his fault my father is ruthless when it comes to work. I felt as if I had only been asleep for a few minutes, but taking out my anger on a perfectly undead butler before me was still wrong...

Yes again. I am glad no one can see my thoughts as right now I am being a bit to dramatic for my own taste, but sleep should at least be in my rights if I am going of on a lethal quest for my father, ruthless man he is.

As I rose from my bed, I began to dress myself. Belvedere, holding the skull in his bony hands, trailed behind me. Despite being already turned off, the sound of the skull's ringing persisted in my ears. Moreover, I could still feel the Furies' scourge whipping my brain as if there was no tomorrow, which is true for me as I probably won't be hearing their tournaments in my head for about two years and a half if I am lucky.

Belvedere led me out of my room and into the hall, I continued glancing back at him, the skull's haunting presence lingering in my mind. As I walked down the hallway toward my father's throne room, I couldn't even count the number of times I'd gotten lost on this path. While I wouldn't say I liked this place, it was preferable to the alternative. At least here, I could avoid the incessant socializing that plagued Camp Half-Blood. Those people didn't know when to give up. Perhaps my penchant for dark clothing, a means to blend into the shadows, is a clue to my desire for solitude. I am not suited to life among those who breathe and feel, for I cannot bear the pain of rejection and unrequited love. In a world where my heart and soul are met with indifference, I cannot find solace. I yearn for unconditional love, a love that transcends the superficial bonds of gratitude. Despite the scars of my past, I still have life to live, and I refuse to let them dictate my happiness. I will find true love, a love that will cherish me for all that I am.