Solangelo

15. NICO

'What I want' began Eris 'is for you to bring me two of your friends, the son of Poseidon and the son of Jupiter.'
Nico stared at her, mouth open wide, anger rising rapidly. He clenched his jaw tightly before replying 'Why?!'
'I don't think you're in the position to be asking questions, need I remind you that I have a certain son of Apollo.' To prove her point she turned to Will and began to mutter quietly, thick dark grey fog began coiling around her feet and flowing towards Will. His eyes were wide as it approached.
As soon as it touched him he recoiled in pain, muffled screams echoed through the clearing.
'STOP, JUST STOP. I'LL DO IT.' He shouted trying to contain his anger and fear.
Eris stopped and the fog dissipated.
'If I do this, you'll let Will go?'
She glared at him and considered. 'If you do this, then I will let him go. You have until midnight, if you fail then I'll kill him.'

He woke in a start, he was covered in sweat and shaking uncontrollably.
Taking deep breaths he tried to calm himself. Suddenly he remembered, Jason and Piper were leaving for camp Jupiter! He grabbed the nearest pair of jeans and let darkness envelop him.

'Aghh' cried Percy as he fell over, Nico had just appeared from the shadow of Thalia's tree and fallen on him, their faces centimeters away. This time it was Nico's turn to shriek before jumping back onto the ground. 'No time! Where's Jason?!' He asked panicked, 'He's uh, behind you...' said Percy trying to recover.
Nico turned to see Jason, Piper and Annabeth behind him. 'Oh' he coughed lightly 'Uh you can't go to Camp Jupiter, I...' Jason raised his eyebrow 'Nico?'
He sighed, 'Eris, she spoke to me in my dream. She told me I had to bring you and Percy to her or she'd kill him, she'd kill Will. I tried to ask why but she hurt him and I-I-... I don't know what to do.' He was on the verge of breaking.
'Nico, It's okay' said Piper as she sat beside him, the others sat too 'We'll figure it out' reasoned Annabeth 'I mean first we should probably figure out why she wants Percy and Jason and how to save Will'. The others nodded.
They sat in silence.
After a long pause 'We could just go? You know, fight our way out get Will?' Suggested Percy. Annabeth shook her head 'We can't risk it, she's got Will and therefore the advantage. What if he's not there? Then you can't rescue him.' Piper Nodded 'and besides, you would be giving her exactly what she wants' she reasoned.
No one spoke.
'I wish Leo was here.' Said Jason quietly, 'He'd just fly in with Festus or invent something to help us defeat Eris.'
The others nodded, 'and we have no oracle either' said Piper

They sat in silence.

'There is, one thing...' began Annabeth, 'I did some research on Eris and found something interesting. Eris is sometimes spoken about as two goddesses'
'Two?' Asked Percy.
'Well' she said taking a book from her bag and flipping to a page she'd bookmarked 'it says here that there is not one kind of strife, but two. One man would praise when when he came to understand her, but the other blame worthy for fostering in evil war and battle.'
Percy frowned, 'So there's another goddess?' He asked.
'That's the thing, it's not very clear. It could mean there's another Eris or it could be referring to her personality.' Replied Annabeth as she returned the book to her bag.
'So what you're saying is maybe we can find a way of talking to this other half of her?' Asked Jason.
Nico cut in 'the first time I spoke to her, she told me that only a small part of her mind was there.'
'But what if we're wrong?' Asked Piper.
'Then we improvise' said Percy unconvincingly.
'I hate your plans' said Annabeth lacing her hand into his 'but this is the only plan we have'.
Nico nodded slightly 'so we meet at the edge of the forest after dinner and try and come up with a better idea before then?'
Everyone nodded.
'One more thing,' began Annabeth 'Eris is Ares' sister, that could mean the Ares cabin might know something that might help?'
'We should talk to Clarisse then' said Nico, 'Piper, would you come with me?' He asked.
Piper was taken aback 'Me?' She asked surprised.
'Well uh, you have a better way with words than me' he muttered quietly.
She smiled, 'Okay, sure anything I can do to help'.
'Come on wise girl, lets see if we can find anything in those books of yours' said Percy putting his arm around her.
'You mean you're going to watch me read?' She joked as they walked off to the Athena cabin.
'I'll go try to find some weapons, maybe we can get them to Will if something goes wrong' said Jason before running off.
'Well that just leaves us to have a little chat with Clarisse' Said Nico, his tone implying something a little less diplomatic.