Death's Reason

Chapter 9

Nico was used to four different voices in his mind other than his own. Lance, Cecilia, Allen, and Clayton. Then there was Minos every now and again, telling him that Percy Jackson was no good, that he never should have promised him anything.

Nico wasn't planning on picking up another. Especially before the first battle. But as he kicked around the Labyrinth and cursed himself for promising Percy, he came across one of the dead that had never made it out.

He full out tripped on the corpse, not realizing what it was until his hand went through the decaying face. The familiar feeling of brains greeted him earlier than he expected in this new timeline.

"Are you okay?"

Nico's head snapped up to meet the eyes of a restless spirit. He didn't move his hand out of the skull pie, instead too focused and too confused with the situation. There was no reason why this spirit hadn't gone to the Underworld.

"Why haven't you moved on?" Nico snapped. "Why are you still here?"

The spirit looked nothing like her corpse. Black hair, skin darker than Hazel's, eyes like chocolate. She couldn't have been older than nine.

"You can see me!" she ran for him. "You can see me! You can see me! No one else can!"

"Yeah, I can see you alright." Nico took his hand out and began to wipe it off on his pants. "Why haven't you moved on?"

She grabbed his arm, no doubt comforted by his ability to converse with her, and it was the quickest he ever had a spirit become part of him.

And no doubt it caught the attention of his father, but he wasn't worried about that yet.

What's your name? He asked once he got over the fact that she had really fucking jumped into him. How'd you get down here in this maze?

Her soul had filled with peace as soon as it became a part of him, and he could feel her childlike demeanor mixing into his emotions. Poppy. I...I was playing in grandpa's garage, and...and there was this big dog all of a sudden...and I found a hiding place but then I was down here.

Big dog? Nico stood up and shook his hand out again, making sure to get all the human remains off. Did it have red eyes?

A telepathic nod. I was really hungry for a while...and then I was this. Nobody could see or hear me. It was scary...

Don't worry, Poppy, Cecilia whispered. You're safe with us. We're safe with him.

The Protector of Souls, the Fates had called him.

He just never signed up for one so young.

As he continued to move on, as he listened to his spirits speak to each other, he understood why he never had liked children. They were scared of everything. She cried despite the peace he was pumping into her. She told him to save every demigod they found, but he knew he couldn't mess up fate, so he faded back into the shadows and let them go.

Why not?! Poppy sobbed for the fifth time. He needs our help!

Nico grit his teeth as he hid in the shadows, watching as Ethan Nakamura trampled by. He couldn't save that boy from fate.

Because I can't, he hissed. Poppy, there's a lot of things you don't understand. Just stop crying.

He's lost just like I was! I never ever want anyone to ever be lost! You get so scared and so hungry and it's so dark! My momma...I want my momma!

Nico facepalmed. I can't take you to your mom, Poppy. I'm trying to save the world, here.

You're letting people go hungry and scared like I was!