Solangelo

9. NICO

He left Will alone to rest.
'Hey di Angelo.'
Nico turned around to see Annabeth walking towards him. Her hair was tied up in a messy ponytail, and she wore an orange camp top. 'Uh, hi' he said distracted.
'How's Will?' She asked nervously fiddling with her necklace. 'News travels fast I guess' he said.
'Yeah, kinda.'
'He's alright, just resting.'
She nodded 'I'm glad. Where you heading?' 'Oh just you know, nowhere in particular.' Her startling grey eyes stared at him as if questioning him 'Okay' she said not sounding convinced. 'Mind if I come with?'
'Well actually I was just hoping to be alone.'
'Oh right, well if anything's wrong you can talk to me you know.'
He nodded 'yeah thanks Annabeth'.
He walked towards his cabin until he Annabeth was out of site. Closing his eyes he stood in the shadow of a tree, darkness encased him.

He stumbled forwards almost falling over. He was stood in front of the Ares cabin, the cabin was decorated almost as distastefully as his own. Cautiously he knocked trying to shake the tiredness from his head 'What do you want?!' Came the voice of Sherman Yang as he opened to door. He was taller than Nico
although that wasn't much of an achievement
he stared at Nico, anger burned in his eyes. 'I just came to talk to you about what happened earlier.'
Sherman nodded letting him continue.
Nico took a deep breath and stepped closer to him. He clicked his fingers, a sharp loud sound echoed through the air. A light gust of wind rippled his hair. 'You didn't hear Will Solace say anything, his eyes went black and he fainted.'
He then stepped back.
'Well? What did you want to say?' Asked Sherman angrily becoming inpatient.
'Before Will fainted, what happened?'
He frowned 'What do you mean what happened you were there, his eyes went black and then he fainted.'
'Good' muttered Nico. 'What?' 'I said Oh, anyway gotta go bye.'
'Wait why did you come here?!' Shouted Sherman as Nico walked into the shadow of the Ares Cabin and disappeared.
This time Nico was lying on the floor in front of the Hermes cabin. Shaking he got to his feet, his arms felt like lead and his legs unsteady.
The door was open and there was no one inside.
Nico sighed, Where is he? He asked himself. He trudged towards the Athena cabin, maybe Annabeth would know.
He knocked lightly on the door and waited. The door swung open to reveal Malcolm, one of Annabeth's siblings. 'Oh, can I help you?' He asked glancing back into his cabin impatiently.
'Uh, is Annabeth in there?'
'No, she's with Percy.' He looked back again. 'Okay, thanks I guess' He said turning away. Malcolm shut the door and Nico was left alone.
'You were looking for Annabeth?'
Nico turned around to see Connor 'Oh, no actually I was looking for you.'
'Right..' he said 'well, what can I help you with?'
'So you know yesterday?'
'Yeah, by "you know yesterday" do you mean me and Sherman fighting or Will's little rant?'
Nico frowned, he looked Connor in the eyes and clicked his fingers loudly. A cold breeze rustled through the trees. 'Yesterday Will Solace didn't say anything, his eyes went black and he fainted.'
Connor stood still his eyes wide and his head nodding slightly. 'Nico?' He asked as if Nico had blanked out 'I said what can I help you with?' Nico raised his eyebrows in surprise as if he'd only just heard the son of Hermes 'I just wanted to know what you remember about yesterday.'
Connor frowned 'What do you mean? You were there, why are you asking me? Will just fainted, I just went to see him.'
'You did what!?' Said Nico panicked. He stepped into Connor's shadow and let the shadows envelop him.
This time he wasn't so lucky, he was stood on a slanted surface a few metres in the air. Then he realised he was on the roof of the Apollo cabin. Gods he thought to himself as he edged to the end of the roof. Carefully he lowered himself down, he was about three metres from the ground.
Suddenly he let go dropping to the ground and rolling forwards. He stood up dusting off the dirt and walked into the Apollo cabin.
Will lay curled up on his bed, he looked so peaceful.
'Make sure they forget.' Nico shivered as he watched Will's chest rise and fall with each breath. He so desperately wanted to tell Will what happened but knew he couldn't. If he did then his life would be in danger, no this was something he had to do alone.
'Will' said Nico as he gently shook the son of Apollo.
Will groaned 'Nico?'
'Sorry, I just wanted to check on you.' He said which was partly true.
'I'm fine Nico, you don't need to worry about me.' Will insisted.
'I saw Connor, he said he came to see you.' Nico waited nervously for him to reply.
'Yeah, he wanted to know if I was alright.' He said smiling reassuringly 'although he did say something about what happened yesterday.'
His palms began sweating 'What did he say?' He asked trying to keep his voice level.
'He said Sherman was accusing him of taking a map or something?'
'And he didn't?'
'No, he said he had no clue what he was on about.'
Nico felt relieved that he hadn't mentioned anything to Will about what had happened before Will fainted but was curious about this map.
'Maybe it'll turn up' he said uncertainly 'but he didn't say anything else right?'
Will frowned 'No, why?'
'Just wondering.'
'You're lying di Angelo.'
'No I'm not. I'm just, you know... concerned.'
Will's expression softened 'I told you I'm fine, you don't need to worry.'
'No, your right.' Replied Nico 'I'll leave you to rest Solace.'
'Bye death boy.' He replied curling up in his blanket.

Nico walked back to his cabin, he was exhausted after all that shadow traveling. He collapsed onto his bed and almost instantly fell asleep.

He was stood infront of the Hermes cabin, Will's eyes were completely black as if all the life had drained from them. 'Son of hades, you must find me. Find me or I will tear down your life'.
Suddenly the scene shifted just as it had before.
He was knelt on a pile of ashes, his hands black with soot. Fires burned around him and in his arms lay Will. His skin was white and pale, his eyes closed and his body limp.
'Will?' He muttered shaking him.
The boy didn't move, blood began pooling around them.
'WILL!' He screamed 'WILL'
He calmed down a little before whispering 'you can't leave me, not you too.' Tears streamed down his cheeks.
Suddenly Will's eyes glowed blue and he spoke in a voice unlike his own. 'If you want to prevent this then you'll follow my instructions'
The scene changed back to camp half blood.
'Make sure they forget.' Said Will pointing at Sherman and Connor.
His eyes then closed and he fell to his knees. Nico caught him and called his name, still traumatised from earlier he gripped him tight refusing to let go.

When he woke, it was still dark out. Nico lent over to turn on the light, instead of finding the lamp switch his hand rested upon a piece of paper. He picked it up and unfolded it to reveal a roughly drawn map of camp half blood.