Ghost King's Torch

Nico's Sick Friends

"Valdez!".

I heard someone called from behind me. I finished sheathing my sword and turned my back. There was Nico, grinning like crazy. "What's wrong, diAngelo?" I asked, sitting down at the nearest wooden bench in sight. Nico had beads of sweat trickling down his temple, and perspiration wetting his Fall Out Boy concert shirt. "I-I was th-thinking... I am looking for a friend to accompany me for a trip to Camp Jupiter," Nico smiled "Would you accompany me?". I gasped "Excuse me? Are you joking?". "No, Valdez! You haven't got out of Camp Half-Blood since you first came right? This would be your first mission!" he continued "That kind of adventure would be great! You know- we could ride Horizon alone! Just you and me! Without Chiron shouting to us not to leave the camp area!". I laughed. Hyper alert. Nico is a quiet person, but once he got excited...

For your own good, Horizon is Festus' girlfriend. I made Festus' girl version over two months ago, and Festus fall in love with her. Personally, I don't really think Horizon is attractive. I had made a deal with Leonardo Da Vinci Valdez that Horizon is mine and Festus is his, so there's no more fighting. But Chiron had made a boundary for me to drive Horizon only inside the camp area. Outside that? Welcome to the guillotine.

"You sure Chiron said okay?" I mumbled, saddling Horizon. It's really dark, no one is awake. "Come on! I am Pluto's Ambrassador! I could do anything if it was my job! This is one!" Nico laughed, jumping on Horizon. The whole landscape is lonely, dark, and lonely. The whole camp is still in deep sleep, no one is awake. I had worn my usual clothes; orange Camp Half-Blood shirt, knee-length jeans, and my tool belt. Nico is wearing a black shirt, black leather jacket, and black jeans. Duh. Usual Nico clothing. "That's what you said, diAngelo. If we got executed, it's your fault," I warned. "Okay. I would make sure you enter Elysium," he chuckled, helping me up. I held on the reins and told Horizon to fly. Horizon is a little bit more wilder than Festus, so she needed reins.

Nico held my waist and we zoomed up toward the sky. The dark sky gleamed a thousand stars as we ascend further and further across the horizon. Nico screamed in an extremely high pitch, waving his arms like a madman. I wish I could, but if I let go my reins... Nico seems to read my mind. From behind, he held the reins. I smiled and raise my hands up high and screamed "I'm A Free Man!" out loud. Nico laughed and slapped my head with one hand. I took hold back on the reins and drove Horizon according to Nico's map. He said it was drawn by Reyna, the leader of Camp Jupiter itself. It was a pride for my inner self. It was written with beautiful handwritting. I could sense that this Reyna is a good kind of person.

Nico had been back and forth from Camp Half-Blood to Camp Jupiter. His friends Jason Grace, Piper McLeahn, Hazel Levesque, and Frank Zhang is there, and Nico visited them recently. Leo is Nico's friend too, but he is much more closer to me than with him, mostly because Leo acted hyper infront of shy Nico. I must say I am loud too, but at least not like Leo. That's over-ADHD. Usually Nico uses shadow-travelling with a bloodhound, but now his bloodhound is left in Camp Jupiter, since last visit he rides Festus with Leo.

We stopped to rest on a clearing, not too far from San Fransisco Bay, where Camp Jupiter is. There, as we ate, Nico told me about Reyna Avilla Ramirez-Arellano, the praetor, or leader of this camp. He told me there are two praetors in this camp. The other one used to be Percy Jackson and Jason Grace. Percy Jackson is the most popular boy in Camp Half-Blood, known as the Saviour of Olympus. He had raven black hair and a quirky bright smile. I saw him many times, walking around my personal area; the pond behind the Big House , with his sweet girlfriend Annabeth Chase. If you're talking about Jason Grace, I just had seen him once. When he came on a conference. He is wearing his sheets and blankets for clothes. It's kind of cute.

I could tell Nico is really excited for Camp Jupiter. His ADHD self would be activated, and he would jump around. But this time, he just rest his head on my shoulder and droned on and on about that camp. I've never went to that place before. I ever go to San Fransisco Bay before, but I still don't understand why I couldn't notice a big legion camp right there. Just like Camp Half-Blood. I sometimes spend my holidays at Long Island, but never took notice on such an amazing place. Maybe it's because of my unsensitiveness I inherited from my godly father.

After an hour, we went ascending again. I asked Nico if we are going on the right way. Nico said yes and suddenly squealed "There it is!". As we dived down, I could see sparks of immortal fire for dragons like Festus and Horizon. The Romans disagreed on calling it Greek fire. Leo had ever force them too. He went home with his body smelling like gasoline. They tried to burn him, but failed. I practiced the Roman maneuver I learned from another Hephaestus' son. He taught me if I showed it to the Romans, they would be impressed. Nico is confused why am I using this kind of maneuver, because I've never tried this with anyone behind me. "Are you crazy, Valdez?" he screamed as we twirled down like a hurricane to the ground. "I'm NOT! Have Leo shown you these?" I laughed, landing elegantly. He groaned "Please don't practice your 'unique' stuffs to me,".

As we got off Horizon, I saw to figures approaching us. At first I thought it was ghosts, since they are wearing long white drapes. But if it really was ghosts, Nico would protect me from it. When the moonlight shine upon their faces, I finally could conclude they are perfect demigods. There was a Latina with haughty eyes accompanied with a Chinese guy. Ugh. Weird combination. Latina and Chinese.

"Reyna!" smiled Nico, waving. This Latina gave him a small nod and hurried toward us. "Who is this girl who smelled like smoked beef?" Reyna questioned, still looking at Nico. I balled my fist, bursting fire from my fingertips. Who do you think you are, Latina? I consider myself not a Latina. I came from Houston, Texas. This Reyna probably came from New Mexico. I could imagine her as a hot chick, driving a Ferrari around the streets of Italy. No. Stop thinking about cars. I am going to be sick.

"This is Jose Valdez, Leo's twin sister," Nico introduced "She would accompany me to go to the Underworld,". Wait. What? "diAngelo, I thought you never told me we are going to the Underworld!" I protested, grabbing him by the collar. Frank Zhang took action and suddenly grow furs, turns small, and sprouted... beaks and claws? "Whudda hell is happening?" I gasped "Nico, you don't tell me your friends are monsters!". "Frank is not a monster!" shouted Reyna, grabbing a sword by her side "He can morph into animals! That's a bald eagle! Don't you even attend school?". I shouted back "You know- Esperanza never put me on school. We never had money like you chicks!". Reyna kept silent. Hmph.