Daughter Of Hades

Death Mist

Nico POV

I have never been so angry with someone. Well not counting the time with Percy after he told me about Bianca. But this was different. I can't believe what J just said to Naomi. How dare he! I look at him with pure hatred and anger. He backs away cautiously.

"I- I didn't mean to say that." he stutters out. Guilt ringing in his voice.

"Well you did. Now we have no idea where she went or when she'll be back!" I yell anger running through my veins.

"She- she has to come back. She couldn't have gone far-" his voice was cut short by a piercing scream and a ray of darkness shooting up from the opposite end of the park. It shoots straight into the sky.

A ray of death. I instantly know anything close to that ray was doomed. I'm surprised it didn't make it all the way here. But it was close. The air was suffocating. Like it was trying to suck the life out of me. Then it was gone.

I look up and see the ray of death was gone and the air didn't feel poisonous anymore. I look over at J who is gasping for air. It seems like it is worse for someone who isn't a child of Hades.

"We have to go towards the area that ray of death was." I say. J looks up at me like I am crazy. Which I might be considering what I was thinking.

"Trust me." I say. Without a further word I start walking towards the opposite end of the park. J right behind me moving cautiously. His eyes searching for danger. I doubt anything would be here. Nothing could have survived that.

I'm not sure if the one who caused that could survive that. Hopefully I am wrong. Part of me hopes that it is just some monster. But another part of me hopes that it is Naomi because that way we don't have to search for her. But if it was Naomi, could she have survived something that powerful? That was something I have never seen before. A ray of pure negative energy. Something mortals can not survive.

I didn't realize I was running until I hear J from behind me yelling at me to slow down. He still didn't seem okay after the poisonous air. He looked sickly pale.

"Get some ambrosia. You need it." I tell him and he nods shoving his hand in his backpack. The scenery all around me was dead. Not a single living creature or tree or anything. I continue walking slowly. I pass a few dead squirrels, a bird, and a few insect.

I then see a body. Naomi.

J runs up to her and kneels down next to her unconscious body. She's breathing, but I can feel her barely hanging on to life. It's a miracle she even survived. I get the nectar and start pouring some into her mouth.

"How did she do that?" asked J fearfully. I shake my head unsure. I haven't done that. I didn't even know I could. Well it doesn't look like it'd be a very smart thing to do. Naomi is going to live. Barely. But I'm not sure when-

Naomi jolts up into a sitting position. She starts coughing and choking. She then leans over and throws up. J and I stand and back away. Afraid she might let loose another ray of death. Even if that could cause her her life. She crawls away from her pool of vomit and then faces us. Her eyes full of fear.

Naomi POV

(when she is still unconscious)

"Hello?" I call out. My voice echoing through the never ending tunnel. I hear a trickle of water up ahead and go towards it. I keep walking and walking the noise getting louder but meeting nothing. I yell in frustration.

"Someone holds a lot of anger." chuckled a man behind me. I turn and face my father, Hades. He smiles but I see nothing but sadness in his eyes.

"Where am I?" I ask looking around the tunnel than back to him.

"You are in an area where you must choose." he says eyes still full of sadness.

"Choose? Choose what?"

"Whether you want to live or you want to die and put an end to your quest." he says. I look at him dumbfounded. Many questions running through my head. What happened? How'd I get here? How long have I been here? As if reading my thoughts he continues.

"You are more powerful than I thought. Which means you'll be higher on Zeus's kill list. You became energy of darkness. Or what you may call death mist. Which does exactly what it sounds. Let's out a poisonous mist that will kill anyone around. And depending on how much energy you let out it can travel quite far. And can kill you if you let it. It's a rare gift to hold. Only one other child of mine has held it, but he used it once and it killed him instantly. You on the other hand are still alive, but barely. It is up to you whether you live or whether you die."

"How can I go back?" I say looking down. "All I will do is cause problems."

"My dear, you will be a hero. I do not know your fate and I would not tell you if I did know. But you should know that you are not a burden. You are are a bright gem. Strong, powerful, and full of hope. I can not tell you what to choose. You must make the choice all on your own. But know this, if you die, you let Zeus win." he was about to leave when I grab his hand then quickly let go as he turns back to face me.

"Sorry. But I have a question." I say feeling my face heat up from embarrassment.

"Ask, my dear." he says nodding his head.

"Will I be able to do the death mist again without it killing me?" he smiles.

"If you choose to continue with the quest. Well I suppose you can train yourself to control this power. But I must warn you. If you do not gain control, and you have another... Outburst, well it could be dangerous for you and those around. Choose." that was the last thing he said before fading into darkness. Leaving me alone to decide.

Many would have chosen to go back and live. But me I wasn't sure if I could. I kept thinking of the words J said and I can't help but agree with him. This is all my fault. Everything-

Something snapped me out of my pity thoughts. Images. Images of my family laughing and playing. Images of summer vacation days at the pool. Images of friends from school. Images of the time I spent at Camp Half-blood. The kiss. Nico. I can't leave them. My family is still trapped. Nico and J still out there. And lastly I can't let Zeus win. I don't know where the motivation of showing Zeus that I wasn't weak or going to let him push me around came from, but I chose. I'm not dying. Not like this.

I open my eyes.

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