Only Time Will Tell (Solangelo)

7

For the last thirty minutes, Percy and I have been sparring in the training area. We got quite a crowd forming around us, but it doesn't look like either of us will be backing down anytime soon.

"Give it up, Percy," I growl, swiping my sword at him. The son of Poseidon jumps back and laughs. The last time he did that, Percy shot a bunch of water at me from the lake nearby and soaked me. I didn't think he would do it again, but I really should have known better.

"You look like a wet cat!" Percy cackles, resting a hand on his knee to take a breath. "You ready to call this off, di Angelo?"

"Never!"

The water continues to drip down the front of my shirt and down my back as I swing my sword at Percy. I quickly check the arena for any signs of Will Solace, and when I assure myself that he isn't nearby, I use my free hand to crack into the earth and fly pieces of rock and dirt at him.

Percy attempts to spit out the rocks that somehow ended up in this mouth and wipe the dirt off of his face, only rubbing it into his forehead.

"I saw that!" Percy points his sword at me and raises his eyebrows. I step back and plant a smirk on my face to taunt him. "You want me to do it? I'll do it!"

"I'm not scared of him!"

Before Percy can yell another sassy comment, a wrapped up piece of paper falls out of the sky. It lands right in the palm of my hands and almost immediately, the demigod crowd becomes silent. This seems very strange to me, but at this point, everything is strange to me. I could tell the others wanted me to open and read the scroll.

The scrolls unravels in my hands. Instead of a bunch of words written on the page, a holographic message pops up.

"Hey, guys," Leo Valdez's pushes his face up as close as he can to the video with his arms open wide. "Sorry to leave you like that. Bad news: I died. Good news: I got better! I had to go rescue Calypso. We're both fine now. We're taking Festus to-"

Gasps came from so many people at once. Suddenly, it becomes hard to concentrate on anything around me except the scroll in my shaking hands. Leo continues talking, "Back as soon as-" the video cuts out, "Cook tacos when-" More static. "¡Vaya con queso! Love ya!" With that, the holographic message shuts off, leaving everyone at the arena stunned.

I don't know what comes over me. My shaking hands throw the scroll onto the ground, then out of nowhere, the earth begins to crack all over the place and the arena becomes a hazy shadow. It doesn't even feel like I can control a single thing.

My body finally collapses to the ground. The campers begin to talk amongst themselves, discussing the holographic message that came from Leo. The demigod that I felt die from the war against Gaea. It can't be possible.

"Nico," I hear Percy say breathlessly. "Someone go find Will!" he crouches down next to me, resting a hand on my back. I don't have enough strength to push him away.

"Get out of the way," Will shouts over the panicked demigods. It doesn't take him long run over to me and Percy. "What happened?"

I groan in response, attempting to sink further into the ground and disappear forever. Even if I tried, I don't think Will would let me do that.

"Never mind," Will breaths out, "I need to get him to the infirmary. Percy, help me get Nico onto my back. Don't look at me like that, this is a medical emergency."

The two boys throw my body around until I land on Will's back. I throw my head on his shoulder as I wrap my arms and legs around his body. Will yells at the campers again to move out of the way once I'm secured on his back.