From Camp Half-Blood to Gotham (Nico x Batfam)

Lost and Found (16)

{Hello there Swamp Monsters! Before we get into the chapter I really want to thank TinkWinkyhasrabies 💙 They drew this amazing piece with Nico in his Nightshade costume! Go give them some love, they are amazing.}

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Nico now knew for sure that losing his focus midway through shadow travel resulted in him falling through the air.

Nico also knew that it was very difficult to focus when you were tumbling through the air, wind stinging at your eyes, and air being ripped out of your lungs as the sheer amount of air resistance forced your limbs to whip around.

It also did not help that there was a very heavy man falling with him.

Nico flailed around in the air, desperately trying to see his surroundings. They must have been high up since Nico was ramming into dense cloud after dense cloud, the moister gathering on his face and suit, weighing him down even more.

Nico could barely keep his eyes open. The exhaustion from shadow traveling so many people finally caught up to him. His limbs felt heavy, and his mind was fuzzy. He couldn't really think of a way out of this situation. He couldn't shadow travel since there wasn't a shadow several thousand feet in the sky. And even if he could, he wasn't sure he would be able to hold him and Bruce together during the jump.

Nico managed to twist onto his back, reaching up and grabbing Bruce's shoulders. The air around him was frigid even through Nico's suit so either they were in the Arctic or the atmosphere and Nico didn't really know which one he preferred.

Nico grabbed the cape attached to Bruce's back and tried his best to wrangle it free.

Nico could still remember the story Leo told him about him careening down to Ogygia and using a few pieces of cloth to make a sort of helicopter parachute thing that only made him half crash-land. Nico reached back into his utility belt and tried to pull out more cloth.

Nico struggled to keep everything in his hand as they spiraled downwards, the wind whipping against them, constantly knocking them around.

Nico slammed his knee onto Bruce's back desperately trying to keep the cape in place as he tried to expand his very ratty parachute with the pieces of cloth he had pulled out of one of the many utility belt pockets.

It didn't work because Nico had no thread and needle, or a decent way to tie it into knots without creating a huge gape wind could escape through. Nico glanced back down to the ground and his heart pounded in his ears as he saw rocky ground speeding towards them.

Nico didn't have enough time to make his patchy parachute.

Nico squeezed his eyes shut. He was going to be responsible for his and Batman's death.

Nico's eyes flew open as he remembered the conversation he had with his father again.

"Many of your siblings had it before you. The souls they trapped are still inside, many of my children use them to draw power from."

Nico's hands shot towards his ring and hoped that he wouldn't impale him or Bruce as he willed his sword out.

With the added weight on Nico's right hand, it became increasingly difficult to hold his arm steady. Nico closed his eyes and prayed to the Fates that the energy channeling worked through his gloves.

Nico exhaled and focused on the hilt of the sword, immediately the sound of the wind howling in his ears seemed to be muted. The souls trapped in his sword hissed and riled up, pushing against the confines of the Stygian Iron blade.