Traitors In The Underworld

Chapter 4 Nico

Listening to "Battle Scars" makes me want to make this sad O.o.
-@Ashley_Bender

I screamed in fury, angry, and desperation. I didn't want to let Andy die, but I couldn't kill the drakon unless I lost control of my emotions and powers, which I didn't want to do. I could kill someone, and I didn't want to hurt Andy. I felt a little pressured, because what could I do?

Later I found in Percy's pocket was a bunch of ambrosia and a small container of nectar. The ambrosia was crushed, but it was good enough, and it was in a little bag. Percy took it from me, and he tried to force-feed Andy.

"Hey! Let me do it!" I complained. Too late. Percy already fed him.

"Why do you want to feed him anyway?" I glared at him, but kept quiet. Andy was awake, and screaming.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Percy jumped back, and I couldn't help but laugh a little. The look on both Percy's and Andy's face together was beyond priceless.

After Andy had gotten over of the fact that Percy was too close to him, and that he barely knew him yet and he was healing Andy, he fell into my lap. I didn't mind. It's been a while since someone trusted me, but I wondered if everyone I loved was subject to a horrible fate.

Percy lost his memories, Annabeth had to live without her other half, Hazel and the others died. Ashley, just when I had another sister, died. Andy was only eight and wasn't safe, not like others. I couldn't think of that, but I couldn't keep away my last thought, the one that had followed me since I was 10.

Bianca's death.

I stared at the fire, sure I'll never get a break. I should stop loving, to keep people safe. But that was impossible. I already felt love and trust toward Andy, despite my experiences.

Already.

And I could only hope that the gods never take him. But when has that happened? I've gotten trusting too easily, and that makes more pain when I lose my loved ones. My mom, Bianca, Percy, Leo, Hazel, and a lot more.

I looked at Andy, who was snoring peacefully on my lap as if we were at a regular home, regular people. Then, what seemed like a century, he woke up, thrashing and panting heavily.

"What's wrong? Andy, è tutto a posto, okay?" Andy turned to me, looking confused.

"What?"

"Andy, è tutto a posto, okay?"

"What the heck does that mean?" I bit back a command, which would make me sound like a big brother. Instead I said, "Andy, it's all right."

Andy paced a little then, then ran into the east. I was a little shocked, but I recovered quickly enough that I followed him just as he was almost out of sight.

Percy was already there, and by the time I caught up with the duo, they were looking at something.

"Is this normal?" Andy was pointing to a skeleton of a animal I couldn't recognize. It had a horn in the middle of its head, and it was so small. there were wings fixed on it's back. It's ears were back, and it was baring it's fangs at Andy.

I picked up the animal, ignoring the scratches and bites it was giving me.

"A dragon?" Percy asked. I nodded, thinking so. It looked like a dragon people regularly think of, just a skeleton.

"It's a dragon? I thought they didn't exist..."

"There's the hydra, Ladon, and Festus," I pointed out. "And they're dragons."

Andy sat down and stared up at the dragon in my arms. The dragon wriggled, not wanting to be held. I gently put it on the ground, and it ran towards Andy.

"Hey!" I grabbed for the tail, but it moved out of the way. The dragon put its snout in Andy's hand, and began snoring, smoke puffing out of its nose.

Andy stroked the back, and the dragon sneezed. It shook, and looked at me, then Percy.

"Can we call her Ashton? I miss my sis..." I felt my heart grieve, and I looked at the dragon.

"Why?" Percy asked. He never knows why...
Andy had a tear on his cheek, probably thinking of his sister.

"I had a dream!" Andy turned towards Percy. "About Ashley..." Percy still looked a little confused, but kept quiet.

"So... Let's call her Ashley or Ashton. I don't want to forget my sister." I nodded, thinking about how much she would like it. Speaking of the dead...

I looked around, seeing there was a big group avoiding us, making our space empty except us. Among the ghosts were Ashley, and my mom. We were in Elysium, but it was darker than usual. I picked up the dragon, refusing to think of her as Ashley until we were out of Elysium.

"So where are we going, bro?"

"Don't call me bro."

"Why not?" I smiled a little bit at Andy, reminded of myself, but I killed the smile. He'll be subject to a terrible fate, because I love him.

"Tell me? Why are you so sad?" I looked at my shoes, and behind me Percy was talking to someone.

"Can you help...Yeah...Help...Cheer...Please?"

"Bob will help Nico!" What?

"He's sad, and he needs to be happy."

"Yeah!" Andy chimed in. I thought about how people care for me, but I stayed away because the people might die. Love always came at a terrible price.

Andy ran in front of me and did a cartwheel. Well, he tried, but he fell over halfway.
I laughed, but quickly quieted.

A roar shook the ghostly kingdom, and I turned to see Bob and a drakon. A certain drakon, one Damasen used.

"Hellllllooooo!" Damasen and Bob chorused to each other.

The drakon Damasen was riding crushed a couple of ghosts, and I hoped he didn't crush the people I knew. I didn't need to be responsible for a terrible fate in Elysium. Elysium. That was the place where it would make no sense.

"There's bad news," Damasen yelled, jumping off the drakon. He fell from the head, which made me wince.

"The titans are in the upper world."

"We have to get out of here!" Andy ran towards the Lethe, unaware of the danger of it. It wiped Percy's memory, and he endured it before!

Andy ran straight into it, and my eyes widened.

"No!"

Too late.

He already touched the water.