After the Blood of Olympus- Complete

Chapter 20 FRANK

Being a fly is not very comfortable, especially when you're in the middle of a life changing mission.

Frank didn't like the fact that he was so small, the smallest animal he had ever been, and that the palace was so big. It just made the place seem even more menacing, if that was even possible.

As Frank flew through the dimly lit obsidian halls, he thought about his friends, deep within the dungeons of the palace, depending on a fly for their lives. Frank had been through a lot lately, but this was a little too much pressure.

He made it to the end of a long hall, and found himself in a room that looked like part of an old Catholic church, with black stone walls in the shape of an octagon, creating a stained glass ceiling, depicting only the most gruesome scenes from all of Greek history. In the middle of a gray marble floor was a single child, crying his eyes out.

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Frank never thought he'd see Nico cry.

And he defiantly never thought he'd see Nico cry in the middle of an extremely creepy room in The Lord of the Dead's palace.

And yet here he was.

Frank quickly changed back into a human, feeling a strange need to help him.

"Frank?"

Frank looked up to see Nico staring at him, skin paler than ever, uncombed hair branching out everywhere, aviator's jacket sprawled out on his lap, being used as a tissue for Nico's running nose.

"What are you doing here?"

Frank sighed, trying to think of an appropriate excuse. "It doesn't matter. It's only a little quest. Are you okay?"

Nico looked down in shame. " I'm fine. I was just thinking about... about my sister."

Frank had heard stories about Nico's Greek sister,Bianca, and how she's died. But Nico had never actually talked about her in front of him.

Nico sniffled. "I know it was a long time ago. But I'll never be able to really get over it."

Frank had no idea what to say, he had never been in a situation like this before. "Well...um, why are you in the underworld?"

Nico wiped his nose on his Jacket. "I needed some time away. My dad let me stay here."

"But what about the ancient-"

"Ancient laws? I'm starting to wonder how important those really are. But you need to leave, Frank. My dad knows I'm in here, and pretty soon he'll know you're in here."

Frank tensed. "Yeah. I managed to break out of his dungeons. Look Nico, I need help. I have to get some coin, but I don't know where. Your dad had it, but I'm pretty sure he hid it. Do you know where it could be?"

Nico thought for a moment. "My dad has a secret compartment hidden under Persephone's Garden. I'm not supposed to tell anybody about it, but this seems pretty-"

"Nico?"

The door to the room bolted opened, and Frank quickly turned back into a fly, hoping he had made the transformation in time.

He was here.

The last guy he needed to run into was here.

Hades was back.

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"Who were you talking to?"

Frank slowly began to creep towards the door of the room, hoping he was blinding in well on the floor. Frank had never had a scary "he's mad" moment with Mars, and by the looks of it he was lucky, because this was not looking pretty.

Nico just kind of stood there, obviously trying to think of something to say, but the only things escaping his mouth were unintelligible studders.

"Well?"

"Someone just Iris messaged me, that's it."

Hades didn't look convinced.

"That fly is bottering me."

Frank frooze. Not only because he was terrified, but because some kind of godly magic was forcing him to stay in that position.

"Do you mind killing it for me?"

Nico gasped, taking a step back.

Hades smirked. "You did say you were just Iris messaging somebody, right?"

Nico was unbelievably pale as be moved towards Frank.

Frank couldn't believe Nico was actually doing this. Hades was standing there watching, like the whole situation was just a funny youtube video.

And that's when the roof exploded, shatered glass falling down in all directions.