The Sea and Death (Perico Fanfic)

Chapter Nineteen

Nico's POV

I was walking through Tartarus as if it were just a local park to stroll about. Monsters were everywhere. They paid me no attention. It could be the fact that I smell like death or that they are just really kind and caring creatures who love demigods. Either one could work.

I felt like I were walking in circles; it all looked the same. I didn't know where to go. Was I losing my mind? Is this real? I hated this place. Tartarus was like a bar for monsters to go and just hang out and chit chat. Kind creatures, right?

I stumbled into a monster. I couldn't move; I was frozen in place. What could I do? My lungs weren't working properly. My breathing was hitched. Why was I back in Tartarus? I've been through enough of this hell.

The monster screeched at me. It bared its fangs and clawed at the air. I sprinted, or at least tried. I was moving slow, very slow. I couldn't die like this. I could not let myself die like this. I had to live for Hazel. For Bianca. For my mother I've forgotten. For... Percy. I ran and ran, yet the monster caught up. It clawed at my back, leaving slash marks in my shirt and back. Ah, guess I'll have to get a new shirt then...

It grabbed my hair. I should really cut it, it's getting quite long. Okay, why am I think about my hair now?! I seem like an Aphrodite child. The monsters claws dug into my eye and raked at my face. The searing pain was unbearable. Hot blood ran down my face. How was I still alive? Just let me die!

The monster pushed me off of a cliff. I was falling in slow motion, my blood dripping everywhere. I couldn't see a thing.

I landed; my body splattering on the ground. I had died.

~~~~

Something pushed me off my bed.

"What. The. Fuck?!" I yelled. I looked up at the body laying in my bed, "Percy?!"

Percy shot up.

"Why are you in here?!" I yelled louder than before at him.

He looked around, then at me. He furrowed his eyebrows then he remembered, "Oh, right. I came to talk to you, but you were sleeping so I didn't want to wake you. I guess I just ended up here, ha..."

I sighed and rubbed my eyes, "What did you need to talk about?"

"Oh, that..." He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed, "Don't think I'm weird. Please don't hate me."

"Just go on." I said irritably. What was so goddamn important?

"O-Okay. Nico, I like-.." His sentence was cut off by the alarm bell sounding in the distance.

"We'll have to finish this conversation some other time, Percy." I said annoyed.

"No, I-I have to tell you now."

"Next time, talk faster." I walked out the door with Percy at my heels. Campers were gathering at Half-Blood Hill. What was going on?

"What's going on?" I heard Percy ask a camper. I spun around to listen.

"Monsters!" The camper cried, "There are monsters." I looked at Percy.

"Isn't there a barrier or something?" I asked. He nodded. I sighed, "We have to fight them, then."

We turned and ran towards Half-Blood Hill. There were all kinds of commotion going on. Kids were yelling at each other. Others were running back to their cabins. Most people just walked back from the hill and to their siblings. They were afraid. The only ones left at the top of the hill were the seven half-bloods of the prophecy and I, myself.

"Nico!" Hazel exclaimed, "Thank the gods!"

"How's not the time, Hazel!" Annabeth said, "We have to fight the monsters. They are coming."

"Let's go." Percy said, uncapping riptide.

I drew my Stygian iron sword and watched as the others charged at the beasts. I will survive this for Hazel whom I brought back to life. For Bianca whom I lost. For my mother whom I've forgotten. For Percy whom I.. Love. I hated love. The things it did to you. You'd do anything for love. Someone would probably kill themselves for love. I looked down at my feet and looked back up at the battle. I charged.

My sword hit a monster who crumpled to dust. I fought on through my enemies. It was a huge wave of monsters. I hit my sword through what felt like hundreds of monsters. I was being reckless, but I had to fight on. My line of monsters were mostly all crumpled to dust. I looked around to the people who were also fighting. My eyes caught Percy. I stared at him fighting. He wasn't too far from where I was fighting and he was drenched of sweat. He was so into fighting the monster he was occupied with, he hadn't seen one behind him. It raised its claws.

"Percy!" My voice was barely audible in the roars of monsters and swords clanking. I rushed forth and stopped in front of Percy.

"N-Nico?" He said in a hoarse whisper. You could see tears and pain in his eyes. He kept his eyes locked on my chest. I didn't want to see him in pain, I loved him.

I looked down. Riptide was sticking through my chest. The pain was searing hot through my body. Blood dripped from my wound, spreading through my clothes and onto the ground.

"Nico! No!" Percy cried terrified, "I-I'm sorry!"

"It's not your fault." Dots filled my vision. I was dizzy, "I jumped in front of the sword."

"Nico.." His body shook like crazy.

My wound was pouring out blood, "Percy, I love you-." I choked on my own blood as arrows hit the back of my head. I coughed up rich crimson color.

My sword clattered to the ground. I landed face first on the ground. I am not dying. I will not die. I will not allow myself to. No, this can't be happening. For Hazel. For Bianca. For my mother. For Percy. Don't die, you stupid idiot! You can't die! Just fall into unconsciousness. Don't die. Unconscious. Not death. Unconscious. Unconscious. Unconscious. UNCONSCIOUS!

The last words I heard before all sound left me was, "Nico! Please, I love you too!"