The sun was rising over Camp-Half Blood the next morning and on the beach sat a sillouhete. Thalia Grace had spent the last two hours there with her friend Luke Castellan.
"oh Luke." Thalia sighed happily into his arms.
"Thalia." Luke said back, kissing her forehead.
"well hello there." a new voice said.
they turned to see the Lieutenant stood there.
"mind if i join you?" he asked and without waiting for a reply he sat next to them.
"nice isn't it?" the Lieutenant said, looking at the rsing sun. "you should see the five suns over Harskton 6, all glowing five colours at once."
"ok then." Luke said "look i don't mean to be rude but we're sorta busy here."
"it's ok." the Lieutenant said "i understand. i need to talk to someone anyway."
and with that he stood up and walked away.
"where is he going?" Thalia asked as they watched him saunter off into the woods.
"i don't know." Luke said "should we follow him?"
"ok then." Thalia said, and they got up to follow the Lieutenant.
they marched through the woods looking for him until they came to a clearing.
"man i haven't seen this place in years." Luke said looking at the rock formation near them. they were at Zeus' fist. stood in front of the rocks with his back to them was the Lieutenant. he was standing over a trench and was opouring drinks and food into the hole.
"what's he doing?" Thalia whispered not wanting him to know they were there.
"let the dead taste again!" the Lieutenant said "let them remember and drink again!" and suddenly a ghostly figure appeared from the woods and drank from the pit.
it was Bianca Di Angelo.
"hello there." Bianca nodded at the Lieutenant.
"i'm back." he said to her.
"who are you?" Thalia demanded drawing the Lieutenant's and Bianca's attention to her and Luke.
"why don't you tell them. please?" Bianca said and she faded away.
"Bianca wait!" the Lieutenant called but she was gone.
"who are you?" Luke asked, drawing his sword.
the Lieutenant drew his sword and walked towards the two of them
"you ruined it!" he shouted and he sliced at Luke.
Luke blocked his first strike and lunged at the Lieutenant. Beta parried the lunge and drove his blade under Luke's guard. the blade sliced through Luke's top and scratched across his chest. Luke fell to the floor in pain and Thalia withdrew her Spear and charged Beta. within a minute of fast paced lunges, she had her spear at his neck.
"tell me who you are!" she demanded.
the Lieutenant put down his sword and put his hands on his head. he reached and pulled off his helmet to reveal, shaggy black hair and a haunted face.
"Nico." she whispered, looking at the Son of Hades' face for the first time in 3000 years.
