Chaos' Shadow

Chapter 18: The Vision

Elena sat alone in the forest. Dawn was just breaking and Elena had not slept a wink. 

Her hair fell in limp strands across her face and her face was wet with the morning mist.

The city had set up a nice camp for themselves upon arriving at Camp Halfblood. 

After Ryan's crazy confession and was explained that Leo had gone missing a while ago, things continued on as usual. The City was thrilled to see all the things Camp Halfblood had to offer. They would not stay off of the obstacle course or the lava wall. There was always someone in the arena, challenging each other. 

It was a huge shock for the demigods, except for Nico, and they were all milling around in a kind of daze. They snapped out of it during dinner, when everyone was sitting and laughing together. After Elena talked to Nico, Will had insisted that Nico would have to stay at least two more nights in the infirmary. Elena smiled as she remembered the look on Nico's face as Will escorted him back to the infirmary.

They were about to start the campfire sing a longs, but Elena had left. She needed to be alone. She could feel something bad was approaching. It was like a dark pit growing in her stomach. She leaned her head against the tree and closed her eyes as she felt her surroundings mentally. It was something she did when she was nervous.

Without warning, a vision shot through Elena like an earthquake. She gave into it letting it show her what it wanted to, knowing first-hand the amount of energy it took to avoid a vision.

Elena felt herself vibrating and seizing as images flashed before her eyes. The pictures were mainly chaotic and made no sense. But two things stood out most to her, blood and laughter. It was delusional overjoyed manic laughter that was very familiar to Elena. To familiar.

She realized it was herself who was laughing and her heart sank.

What have I done now? Elena thought, the pit in her stomach growing bigger.

Then a single lifeless face flashed before her eyes, only for a mere second, but made the vision even worse. 

Nico.

Elena's body seized and her vision changed. Colors filled her vision. When they focused it showed two people fighting blade against blade, metal against metal. Sparks were flying.

The faces were blurry but Elena had an idea who the two warriors were.

She squirmed trying to get out of the vision, trying to stop what was about to happen. She tried to cry out, even though she knew it was useless.

Quickly, one of the warriors got inside the others guard, causing him to cry out. Their faces came into focus and Elena watched herself draw a blade from Nico's chest.

Nico fell to his knees, bleeding out.

He looked up at Elena with pleading eyes, trying to say something but nothing happened. Elena watched Nico gasp and sputter until the life had faded out of his chestnut eyes. In the vision, Elena laughed manic laughter as Nico collapsed in a heap on the ground, dead.

The vision faded to black and Elena sobbed against the darkness. She could feel tears wet on her skin. She blinked and her vision was restored.

She sat in stunned silence for a second before letting out a howl of frustration and swinging her fist around and slamming it into the tree.