The Underworld's Sun - A Solangelo Fanfiction

Chapter Four

Will glanced at the clock. 4:11. He glanced back down at the pale son of Hades in front of him. Nico's eyelids fluttered. Will smiled.

"Nico," he whispered.

Nico shifted around, facing the opposite direction.

"Hey, Nico, get up." Will suddenly had an idea for how to get Nico up.

"Go away," Nico murmured.

"Nico-" Will broke off at a sudden scream from outside. Nico jerked up.

"What in Hades?" He demanded, staring at the door.

Another scream sounded.

The two boys exchanged glances.

"What did that sound like to you?" Nico whispered, his face turning whiter than before.

"It sounded like 'Leo Valdez I'm going to kill you,'" Will replied.

Both boys stared for another moment, then stood up and raced for the door.

Nico stepped outside and saw what looked like all of Camp Half-Blood and half of Camp Jupiter standing near the strawberry fields. They were all looking in the same direction, several had their weapons drawn. Seven more kids and a satyr stood on top of Half-Blood Hill. Nico raised his eyes to the sky and saw a glittering shape of bronze. It looked scarily like a dragon.

He pelted past all the campers and dashed up Half-Blood Hill, fuming. He pulled to a stop next to Thalia's Pine and glanced at the campers around him.

Jason and Piper were holding hands, their fists clenched. Percy was smirking and Annabeth was scowling. Frank looked confused. Hazel looked completely shocked. And Coach Hedge looked like he wanted to hit the dragon out of the sky with his baseball bat. And Reyna had her sword drawn, glowering.

"What in Hades!?" Nico shouted at the sky.

The bronze figure came closer. It was definitely a dragon, and there was a skinny figure on its back.

Jason scowled. "You've got nerve, Valdez!" He shouted.

It was definitely Leo. He was standing on the back of his dragon, Festus, grinning like a maniac.

Tears were streaming down Piper's cheeks. "Leo Valdez get down her right now so I can kill you!"

"That would defeat the point," Nico pointed out, "killing him again."

Piper wheeled on him. "Again? Killing him again?"

"Yeah, he died." Nico shrugged. "Duh. But then he used the physician's cure. Duh."

"I thought Piper had it?" Jason asked. Swirls of cloud were spinning around him in all his anger and pain.

Hazel hung her head. "Leo was planning this for a very long time. I made a fake. Mist...you know. He knew he would have to die... he'll explain why. I thought, for the first two weeks or so... but when he didn't come back, I assumed it hadn't worked."

"You're all becoming criminal masterminds," Percy replied.

Leo was definitely within earshot now.

Piper blinked back tears. "Valdez I hate you!"

Leo spread his arms wide in an achingly familiar gesture. "Pipes, everyone hates Leo! That's the great part about Leo!"

Piper couldn't help smiling. She turned and leaned into Jason, sobbing.

Jason took her hand and smiled too.