When Worlds Collide

82) This is a Chapter... It Exists

A/N: this one is short and I don't like it much. I wrote it while I had crippling writers block and I just kinda needed to do something. 

Nico shook himself, trying to get rid of the feeling that came with the unnatural aura that surrounded the person in the hijab. He looked to the 17 year old guy and gave a small head bow. "Prince Brion Markov of Markovia, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Recognition filled the prince's eyes as he returned the small bow. "Demosthenes," he said, his accent thick. "I am sorry, but I do not know your title."

Nico waved him off. "I don't like using titles."

The Prince hesitantly gave a smile. "Then I insist that you simply call me Brion."

Nico nodded and shook his hand.

The teen in the hijab seemed confused, but still copied Brion's bow before smiling. "Hello, my name is Halo." They offered their hand, but Nico didn't move to shake it. "Do you... do you not wish to shake my hand?" They asked, looking confused.

Nico panicked internally. "Umm, well, it's just— a friend of mine is a hijabi, and she isn't allowed to touch men who aren't immediate family. I just, I didn't want to-"

Artemis set a hand on his shoulder, thankfully stopping his stammering. "Halo isn't Muslim, at least, not fully. They don't remember if they are."

Halo nodded, touching their hijab. "It just feels right to keep on wearing it."

Nico was still a little confused and unsure, but when they offered their hand again, he shook it. "It's nice to meet you Halo."

Brion, for some reason, seemed jealous as they blushed at the statement and took a small step closer to Halo. "So why is he here?" he asked Artemis. 

"Ghost King, or Demo, is here to see if he can find out anything about Halo. He has been in a... semi similar situation, so I was hoping he could help," Artemis said, resting her elbow on Nico's shoulder.

Nico rolled his eyes at the gesture before reaching down into the girl's shadow and pulling out a celestial bronze knife. "First things first though: each of you, put out a hand."

They both looked scared for a second, which was valid, but Artemis just laughed before swiping her hand through the blade. "Don't worry, you aren't about to be stabbed. He's just making sure you aren't descendants."

Brion took a step back, pulling Halo with him, as he said. "And what if we are? Is he some sort of 'descendant hunter' or something?"

Nico rolled his eyes before turning the knife and pricking one of his fingers. "I'm a descendant. If you remember my UN visit, then you'll remember that I come from a group of people who are different than regular humans. The League knows us as descendants."

"I do not remember this," Halo said with a small smile.

Nico nodded. "I would have been more surprised if you did. The jist is that I am not fully human, and this knife can only affect those who are like me."

Halo seemed to accept that easily and immediately offered out a hand. Brion tried to stop them, but Nico swatted his hand away and tried to nick her finger. It passed through. Nico then looked to Brion with a raised eyebrow, causing him to huff and offer his hand. Once again, it passed through, and Nico nodded approvingly before putting the knife away.

"Congratulations, neither of you are descendants. That makes your lives, and mine, a whole lot easier. Brion, that's all I needed you for-"

"I will stay," he said, stepping closer to Halo once again.

Nico looked at him for a second before shrugging. "Suit yourself."

"So, how can you tell if they had the same thing happen to them as you?" Artemis asked.

"Most likely, they didn't." Nico said, head tilted as he stared at the ground, trying to hone in on Halo's strange aura. "What happened to me was only possible because of who my father is. He wiped my memories... well, one of his workers did. This is... different."

"Do you know who I am?" Halo asked, almost excitedly.

Nico shook his head. "No, and I probably won't be able to tell you, but there is something wrong with you."

Artemis smacked his arm.

Nico glared at her.

"That sounds so rude," Artemis whisper yelled at him.

Nico shrugged. "It's true, the aura that surrounds them is... wrong."

"Wrong how?" Halo asked, looking both confused and slightly sad.

Nico stepped forward and offered a hand. They took it slowly and Nico closed his eyes, focusing more intently now that he had physical touch. A shiver went down his spine before he dropped their hand.

"It's familiar, but different." Nico tried to recall where he had felt the feeling before, but he couldn't. "You died. You have an aura of death, but there is something else."

"Do you know what it is?" Artemis asked.

Nico shook his head, taking a step away from the duo and going back to standing next to Artemis. "It's... ancient— far older than me. I've felt it before, but I don't know where."

Artemis let out a sigh. "Thanks for trying I guess."

Brion began muttering in Markovian.

Nico rolled his eyes. "Just because you don't like what I said, doesn't mean you can call me a goat's ass."

The Prince's eyes snapped to him in surprise. "You... you speak Markovian?"

Artemis began laughing. "Demo collects languages like Bruce Wayne collects black haired orphans." (credit to @crinklefries729gmail  for this joke)

Nico suppressed a laugh as he shook his head. "I speak a lot of languages."

Halo's eyes lit up. "Do you speak Arabic?" they asked.

Nico nodded. "Naeam." (this is the English spelling of نعم which means yes in Arabic) 

Halo smiled brightly at him, causing Brion's frown to deepen.

Nico rolled his eyes and switched to Markovian. "Cut it out with the jealous glaring. I have a boyfriend."

Brion stared at him in shock.

Nico just ignored him and turned to Artemis. "I should get going."

Artemis smiled at him. "Thank you for coming, even if we didn't get any answers. At least we know that neither of them are descendants."

Nico gave her a small smile before saying goodbye and stepping into the shadows. 

A/N: incase you dont follow me or just missed my post, I have the flu. Bad news is that I fee like death. However the good news is that I've written like 5 chapters since getting it. I don't know if I have been cured of writers block or if it's just the high fever, but I think I they're pretty good. You'll have to be the judge of that cause I'm sporting a 102° F fever and should not be trusted with judgment calls. 

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