The Shadow of a Hero

Chapter 12

Getting discharged is easier said than done when you have the over protective Will Solace as your doctor. First he has to make sure I wasn't fading any more than before. Then he wants to check my blood pressure muttering something about diets or whatever. I've had it by the time he pulls out his stethoscope "That's enough Will; I'm fine." I prove my point by swinging my legs over the side of the bed and standing up. "See, fine." I don't like that we're doing nothing while an attack could be going on somewhere in the building.

Will bites his lip in thought. "Okay, you're free to go, but remember,"

"Don't use my powers unless it's an absolute emergency." I cut him off. "Yeah, I know."

"Well if you knew then we wouldn't be having this conversation in the medical bay." I open my mouth to make a snark remark back only to close it a second later. Even if I did have a come back, it wouldn't be worth getting into an argument over. Besides, I have to let Will get his way sometimes or I would never get to see his face light up with his satisfied smile. "Are you coming?" Will's voice resonates through my thoughts. He is almost out the door and has his back to me.

I nod absentmindedly to answer his question even though he can't see me. I use as little amount of power as I can to reach into the shadows and claim my sword. Will's words come back to mind, but retrieving my weapon is absolutely necessary. I look towards the door way and see that he'd left so I tighten my grip on the hilt of my sword and run after him.

As I run down the long corridor after Will, I hear voices shouting. All of a sudden everything becomes absolutely silent. From experience I know that when action goes quiet something not particularly good just happened.  A sigh escapes me as I pick up my pace to find what's at the end of the hallway.

I get here just in time to see Thor throw some red guy through a glass wall. Everyone seems to go quiet as we all wait to see what his intentions are. I keep my muscles tense, ready to fight at a moment's notice. The red guy floats towards all of us and change his skin to make it seems like he's wearing a bodysuit. I glance over at Will on my right just to make sure that he's seeing this too. With the honor of being a demigod, you see some pretty weird things, and I've seen more than most. I just want to reassure myself that I'm not seeing imagining anything.

"I'm sorry, that was odd," the red guy says after a moment.

"Yeah, not just for you," Will comments loud enough to turn all attention on us. The gazes of both Rogers and Thor have me backing up until I'm hidden in the shadow, hiding from the people I want to see least right now. "Sorry, I don't think we've met," Will introduces. He walks toward the red guy, who I note doesn't seem to have a soul, and the god of thunder with an outstretched hand. I have to stop myself from coming out of my hiding place and stopping him. "I'm Will," Thor raises an eyebrow in interest. "And this is," Will glances back at where I had been before settling on the darker shadows that I'm standing in. He rolls his eyes, grabs my wrist, and yanks me into the light. "This is Nico," as soon as he mentions my name, Thor's eyes spark with excitement and lightning. 

I stand in awkward silence, waiting to be stuck down by Zeus's Norse counter part. "Young warrior!" He completely ignores Will and takes my hand in his grip. "I have heard many stories about you on Asgard." He shakes my hand so hard that I'm surprised my feet stay on the ground. I'm so surprised that I can't think of anything to say.

"They tell stories about this guy?" Stark laughs from his place on the platform above the rest of us (excluding Banner).

"Of course," Thor shouts, releasing his grip on me and turning to his team mate, "he has defeated many foe!" Stark lets out a puff of air in disbelief, but goes back to what ever he was doing.