Bloodline by Butterflies_and_dragons

Chapter 7: Awakening

Nico's scream when his cousins deliver the news of his sisters death rips the earth apart. He sobs until there is nothing left inside him and the ground wilts and dies under his feet.

He blames the Hunters.

If his sister had stayed with him and their cousins she wouldn't have gone on the quest. If she hadn't joined the Hunters, the cousins would have extended their love and protection to her as a reward for her loyalty. But she had turned her back on them. On him.

The cousins made no promise to protect his sister, they had told him that she was a hunter now, her protection was in the hands of her new sisters and Artemis. Nico had been crushed, but he understood. The cousins had sworn to protect him though. He was loyal and needed a family and they could give him that.

He wanted to run away from the camp after the news of his sister's death but Rhea clamps a hand on his shoulder and keeps him firmly in place.

"What do you think Kronos will do with some lost, barely trained slip of a boy who is the Son of The Eldest Son" her tone is condescending and scolding. He looks down in shame and promises to stay at the camp. Her attitude changes at his promise, the demeaning tone she had used was gone and she softened. She had pulled him in for a gentle hug and patted his head.  

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Katie places a hand on the ground and closes the gaping crack and renews the life of the ground beneath them. The lack of control in the Son of Hades both excites and angers her.

They will have to teach him to be better than this.

The cousins will will have to keep a close eye on the Son of Hades to ensure that he does not run away. The bloodline cannot lose another member. Not now.

The Trio of the Elder Sons is complete as long as Nico lives. (Thalia will still stand by their side in the war).

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With no Hades Cabin, the youngest (and also the oldest) cousin has the choice of staying with the Demeter Children of the Poseidon Children. He chooses Poseidon. There is more room in there and he feels as though the twins can help him learn control. Rhea and Percy promise to help as much as possible. They also decide to bring him around to their apartment so he can have a mother figure.

Because it is already January by the time they had all come back to camp, the twins decide to spend most of their time there and wait to start school again in the fall. The cousins all devote their time to teaching Nico. None of them can really help him control the dead, but they can help him control the feeling of ancient power in his veins.

Katie is the one that teaches him about how the way their powers are used is important. They are Royal and all the eyes of the camp (and the gods) are upon them. They cannot be reckless with their gifts. Liam helps him to learn how to crack the ground open. Miranda and Katie are not fond of this part of Nico's powers. They observe with hawk like gazes, but they are the ones that teach Nico how to knit the Earth back together (although he cannot restore the life of the area he had ruined).

Percy is the one that tells Nico that they are weapons. It is a harsh truth, but it is an important one. He tells Nico that the power in his veins makes him dangerous and that his potential is vast. He teaches Nico how to be destructive and how to leave ruin in his footsteps.