At many points in his life, Nico wondered at what exact point his childhood was over.

He imagined the most sensical answer would be when his mom died, or when the Manticore first attacked, or when his sister joined the Hunters. Then there was, of course, when Percy told him the news, and he ran away-that would be the number one Family Feud answer.

There were many points at which the protections of merely being a child fell away, the world revealing its cruelty as a sort of evil joke.

But there was always a sort of glimmer of childishness throughout Nico's experiences; talking about Mythomagic with anyone who would listen for his brief time at camp, or eating blue birthday cake with Percy from the safety of the fire escape, or those unintentional sleepovers with Piper in his cabin, fighting off the loneliness and nightmares.

One of the moments that seemed to make Nico feel a little more grown up was seeing Apollo's current state.

In this moment, he was no longer the happy-go-lucky god who carelessly crashed his chariot into the lake at camp. He walked with a purpose, toting in one hand a wheel from the chariot. Nico wasn't entirely sure why-he imagined Apollo couldn't roll the wheel down ten feet without it falling over. Perhaps it was sentimental.

He had settled on a resolute silence, other than asking Nico to lead the way to the Doors of Death; Apollo assumed that Nico had to know where everything was, being the son of Hades...though his assumption was sort-of right. Granted, Hypnos's temple had been easier to find as it had been spotted from higher ground. Still...it was as if Nico knew this place-as if he had memories as distant as those of his childhood, emanating the geography of the hellscape. All he had to do was close his eyes and picture the doors in his mind-this set of double doors remained particularly shifty, their form blurred. Nico couldn't properly make out their design, though he could tell what vague direction they were in. A string seemed to tug at Nico's stomach, the same feeling as when someone close to him died-only instead of pulling downward, the feeling pulled him forward, increasing his anxiety tenfold. Still, Nico had no other choice but to follow his ominous, self-guided tour.

Apollo glanced back not long into their route, scowling at the trio behind him. Their walk had been slowed as Nico and Leo helped Piper walk. Seeing as she'd had nothing but ambrosia to help her heal, she still held back sounds of pain with every step.

The god finally stopped, the trio stopping as well, and Nico felt an inevitable worry course through him. Saving the god had bought his good graces, but only for so long. Nico wouldn't trust him as far as he could throw him, and he was sure Apollo would sacrifice any one of them in order to get out of this place.

To Nico's surprise, the god's expression softened. "You don't have to do that," he said. "I don't have enough energy for another healing right now, but we can make do. Come on, Piper McLean. I've been told I give pretty good piggy back rides."

Piper must have been surprised at the statement as well, because she laughed slightly. She staggered forward, managing to awkwardly hop up, Apollo holding her legs up. He started forward again, Nico and Leo following behind, their pace a bit quicker now. Nico wasn't sure how he liked Apollo's offer, though Piper seemed to be okay.

Nico couldn't deny the itching to leave this place with every step; the horrid smell, like rotten eggs wrapped in old socks and thrown in the dumpster. The exhaustion, being pushed to the extreme by added hunger and dehydration. Nico was sure he could survive down here for longer-but at what cost? If he couldn't get to the Doors, they would all be lost here forever, wandering on until they turned into dust just like the monsters they defeated.

The group continued forward: Apollo carrying Piper, Hazel drifting by in a silence, hoping not draw attention to herself after Apollo promised to remain silent about her secret. And Nico and Leo, continuing to walk side by side.

Nico ruminated over the words of the prophecy, his hands restless despite his whole body aching with exhaustion. Perhaps he was in his Percy Jackson era now: quest after quest, saving the world until another war broke forth. If that happened, Nico knew he didn't have the character like Percy did. He wasn't a hero in the way Percy was-he wouldn't be able to handle it.

Leo, as if reading his mind, spoke up: "The prophecy wasn't about you, man."

Nico's heart skipped a beat as he glanced at his quest companion. Leo was sweaty, his curls more frizzy than ever in the heat, and he was covered head to toe in a mixture of temple debris and that deep red dust that covered Tartarus. Under his eyes was dark from an exhaustion that went well beyond sleep deprivation magic. Still, when Nico met his eyes, he could still see the same person who insisted on helping him with the prophecy, who defended him during their discussion with Aphrodite. He would still have a joke to make, would still be a loyal friend, after this was all over.

Nico drew his sword only to let it trail behind him as they walked, scraping into the ground as it created a thin line. "A prophecy doesn't have to address someone by name or title for it to be about them. We just got lucky. Besides, if it's about Hazel, I'm not leaving her helpless right after she's been given a second chance."

Leo nodded, swallowing as he hesitated. "A feat to smother the fire's breath," he laughed, though it was cold, his smile sarcastic. "Doesn't take one of Athena's kids to figure out what that means."

Nico shook his head, unsure if he even wanted to entertain what Leo was suggesting, what worried him ever since he heard the line himself. "Prophecies are never direct. It might sound like the worst, but I'm sure it's some sort of double meaning."

"Yeah," Leo scoffed. "It means that I'm gonna get smothered, but whoever does it is gonna have a hard time about it, so at least I'm gonna be a pain when I go out."

"You're always a pain," Nico said lightly, bumping his shoulder with his own. "And that's another reason why, if this quest even comes to be, I'm going. If anyone even tries to smother you, I'll suck their soul out of their body."

"Hm," Leo hummed. "And you were so insistent that was something you couldn't do. I knew you were lying."

"I still don't know if I can," Nico shrugged. "Let's hope Python's prophecy wasn't real so we don't have to find out."

The pair seemed content in that, Nico smiling slightly as he kicked a rock every few steps. He found himself glancing at Leo more and more, relieved to see him there-to see them all there, in one piece.

He noticed after a calm moment that Leo's smile had faded, and he rummaged through the pocket of his tool belt, pulling out some things to tinker with. He folded a thin sheet of mortal bronze into an origami swan. He then began adding some additions so small, Nico wasn't entirely sure what he was doing.

Leo paused his work momentarily, looking up at Nico, his eyes dark but the pain evident. "How do you still trust me after everything you saw? You know...you know what I did to my mom..." his voice cracked, his eyes watering as he tore his eyes from Nico's, looking down at his boots.

Nico remained silent, mulling over the question. Nyx had shown Nico the worst of Leo's doings when it came to his abilities, though if anything, it gave Nico more of a reason to be his friend.

"Those things you did when you were younger," Nico started. "You were learning, and you didn't have any control. They were accidents. And your mom...she seemed like a really good mom, and she was understanding, and she loved you, okay? You know that she does still."

Leo nodded, wiping his eyes. "That's what I told Nyx, but I just...had my doubts. Hearing her say what she did-I knew she was just trying to get to me, but it wasn't hard, all things considered. I just wish I could talk to my mom, but...I don't wanna have to die early to do it. She'll be in Elysium, waiting for me...if I still get to go there."

Doubt prickled at Nico, urging him to voice his concerns to Leo. Mortals going to Elysium was rare-like five percent of trillions of people rare. And Leo...his past actions would raise some questions by the judges, who never were the empathetic type. But there was no point in taking his hope away, not when Leo might very well be right.

There was something Nico could answer for-he could try to summon Leo's mom. Admittedly, he'd rolled the idea around his mind since he could recognize just how much Leo missed her. Still, summoning was difficult and unpredictable. If something went wrong, or he couldn't get to her...it would break Leo entirely. Nico couldn't tell him his idea, not now.

Something else bothered Nico, lingering in its own unimportance in the shadow of this conversation. "Why," Nico started. "Why were you hanging out with those guys before? The ones in the alley. They were..."

"Douchebags?" Leo offered, and Nico nodded. Leo continued tinkering with his tiny origami, using a candle-sized fingertip of fire to melt the bronze, expanding the bird's wings. "It was just...I mean...it's hard to explain, but they kept the bullies away. It was the lesser of several evils. Putting up with their shit meant that I didn't get hurt...even if that hurt other people. Makes me a real hero, doesn't it?"

Nico hummed, just to signify he was listening, though he wasn't sure how to respond. "I've done things I wasn't proud of, hung around with the wrong people." He said hesitantly. "When I first found out about what had happened to Bianca, and I ran away, I was so alone. I didn't even know how to start a fire-naturally, I mean. I tried to figure out my powers, and I accidentally summoned the ghost of King Minos. He promised a way to get my sister back, but in return...I had to kill someone. A soul for a soul."

Leo glanced at him then, and for the first time his expression was much like everyone else at camp-he seemed freaked out.

"I didn't do it," Nico explained quickly. "The old bastard was tricking me anyway, trying to get me to kill Daedalus in order for him to live again. My point is, no one is immune to entertaining the wrong people, especially if they're offering something you need. Yeah, you shouldn't have hurt people-but you clearly regret it enough to change. The person you were is not the kind of person you are."

Leo gave his origami a final adjustment, and with a quiet rhythmic buzz like a live bug, the foldable bird flew up into the air. It flew in excitable circles around the pair, and Nico felt a smile tug at his lips.

"I really want to try to be better," Leo said. "I wanna be someone my mom can be proud of-someone you and Piper and Hazel are proud to be friends with."

Nico's heart skipped a beat. He remembered when he first told Percy that he didn't belong at camp-and the son of Poseidon didn't really fight for him, not then. It was only later, when he asked the gods for a cabin for him, that Nico started to feel appreciated. Still, no one had ever wanted to be his friend-much less fought to be his friend-before Piper and Leo.

"If that's your goal," Nico started, his face flushing with admiration for his friend's sincerity. "Then you've already won, Leo."

Nico pulled his sword up from where he'd dragged it across the ground, sheathing it. The origami bird fluttered over and landed on top of Nico's hand, letting out a robotic coo. It wasn't the prettiest sound, though its creation was beyond impressive nonetheless.

"It's not exactly like the one from my dream," Nico commented before pressing his mouth closed, internally cursing at himself, wishing he had thought a moment before speaking.

Leo smiled at the comment, and Nico felt a warm bloom of relief in his chest. "There was a bronze bird in your dream?" He asked, politely puzzled.

Nico shrugged, attempting to downplay the comment, before reluctantly coming forward: "A Celestial Bronze one. You made it, in this, like...bunker-warehouse place. Hypnos said I shouldn't take the whole thing seriously, but...I have the feeling that the bunker was real, and it's somewhere in the woods at camp."

Leo's eyes sparked with interest, and just as he opened his mouth to ask the probably million questions on the tip of his tongue, Apollo turned back to the pair. "Either of you have a drachma on you?" The god asked.

Relief filled Nico's chest, replacing some of his panic-it wasn't often that he spoke so much and so quickly, spilling his thoughts out that way.

Nico nodded, slinging his bag off his shoulder and rummaging through it, returning with a small bag of gold coins. He tossed them to the god, who caught them with ease. He gently set Piper down, though she winced, favoring her right leg. Apollo produced a coin from the bag before hesitating, looking back at them again.

"I need some water," he added, not bothering to explain further. "Or a prism, that'll work too."

"Are you trying to Iris-message?" Nico asked.

Apollo scoffed, giving Nico a look that suggested he were about as intelligent as a toddler. "We want to get out of here, don't we?"

"Sure do," Leo said, taking out his water bottle and helping himself to about a third of it. He paused in contemplation before lighting up with an idea-literally. He lit a fire in his hand, holding it under the bottle before nibbling at the plastic cap, creating a hole. Nico just stared at him, figuring he'd finally lost his mind, until steam started to rise from the water evaporating. He offered it to Apollo, and the natural light emanating from his being was just enough to create a low-quality rainbow.

Nico didn't think that could ever happen in Tartarus, but here it was. Apollo tossed the coin into the steam, and it disappeared.

"O, Iris, goddess of the rainbow, accept my offering," Apollo said, and the steam rippled, as if hesitating. Nico tensed, preparing for the message to fall short, for there to be suddenly no way out of here. His mind raced-they were too far down and too deep in for the Furies to retrieve them now. Not to mention, there were too many of them for them to carry, so Apollo's idea had to work.

Just then, Nico could hear a woman's voice in his head, as if speaking telepathically. "What on Olympus are you doing down there, Apollo?"

Apollo just sighed, defeated. "Don't even get me started, Iris. We can go over all the details over drinks-how about Friday, at our usual place? Anyways, I gotta make a call, please."

"You're always getting into something," Iris replied, her tone chipper and amused despite their setting, as if this were a minor predicament. "But sure, if you got enough water to keep the rainbow going, I can keep the call flowing!"

The steam continued, flicker free, and Apollo requested: "My sister, Artemis, please."

Nico could hear some telepathic, intrigued mumbling from Iris, and a moment later, the steam formed the image of a girl. She appeared no older than twelve, though even through the steam, a certain ancient strength appeared in her gaze. Auburn hair was pushed back by a glittering silver circlet, and her eyes were a striking silvery-yellow, like those of a mountain lion. In short-while Nico and the other demigods had aged what felt like a lifetime since his first meeting with her, Artemis had remained the same. Seeing the other gods keep their forty-five year old appearances never really bothered Nico; to him, all capital-A Adults appeared the same age even if they were twenty years apart. Seeing a twelve year old remain twelve, though, even after several years...the recognition of his own brief mortality sent an unsettling chill down Nico's spine.

"Brother!" The girl called, disrupting Nico's train of thought. She was looking into the steam with disbelief and desperation. "Are you alright?"

Apollo nodded, clearly trying to play off everything that had happened. For the sake of not worrying his sister or for his own ego, Nico could determine the answer easily. "Yeah, I'm fine, just escaped a little kidnapping, no biggie. I...we're approaching the Doors of Death, from the Tartarus side...do you remember what our uncle said about the two sides?"

Artemis contemplated for a moment, then muttered in Ancient Greek-something that Nico could easily parse as an insult about Apollo's intelligence. "The House of Hades," she nodded. "In Epirus. I'm going to have to pull over..." the steam started to fizzle, the water supply running low. "Do not worry, brother," the message crackled. "Twelve minutes-someone on your side-I will get you out of there!"

With that, the message fizzled out completely, leaving the group with a sizzling water bottle and a promise from a seemingly occupied goddess.

"Twelve minutes...someone on our side," Nico reflected, his muscles tensing. The call from the goddess, who only seemed focused on Apollo, wasn't exactly reassuring. "What does that mean?"

"Yeah, about that," Apollo knelt down, allowing Piper to be carried again as they continued their journey to the Doors. "From what I remember of my dear uncle's discussion of the Doors, the way they work can be tricky. Someone has to be on the mortal side, holding the button for twelve minutes-and someone else has to be on the Tartarus side for twelve minutes, also holding the button. If not, the contents inside the Doors will get, uh...lost in transition between life and death. So, my sister Artemis will be on the mortal side, and as for who is staying down here, well...feel free to debate that amongst yourselves."

Nico could hear the sound of his blood rushing, his heart pounding, his stomach churning with nausea. How was he supposed to begin to think through that sort of thing? And why had Apollo waited until now to tell him?

"What?" Piper yelled into the god's ear, causing him to curse and drop her abruptly. She stood shakily, favoring her right leg, dusting herself off. "How are we supposed to just-I mean-we can't just-"

"I can try," Hazel offered, though her expression was doubtful. "In this state I can't really...touch anything but my jewels, but if I can hold a jewel to the button..."

"No," Nico shook his head, "we're not going to leave you down here, not after all this time-you're getting a second chance, Hazel. Let me, I could fair down here better, it's closest to my domain. Maybe I could find a different way out."

"There is no other way out," Apollo offered helpfully. "I'm sorry, heroes, but someone must stay, knowing they may never return. If you could find a way to Iris message, Nico, and someone else to hold the button for you down here, then I would not hesitate to hold the button on the mortal side."

"No, Nico, you're not staying," Leo said, as if he'd come to this conclusion ages ago. Nico faced him, incredulous, though he couldn't even think of what to say. "Ever since I got to camp-before that, even-all I wanted was a purpose. It's been...so hard not to think of myself as a villain, after everything. But doing this quest, becoming friends with you and Piper, giving Hazel a second chance at life...what more could I want? If I'm gonna be a hero, I want to be the hero that saves my friends."

"Leo," Piper started, her voice wavering. She stepped closer, wincing at the pain must have been coursing through her bad leg. She hugged him close, crying quietly into his shoulder.

"It's okay, Beauty Queen, don't cry on me now," Leo said softly, though he was blinking away tears himself. "You'll get my shirt dirty."

Piper laughed, pulling away from him and raising a brow at the sight of his already practically ruined shirt. "Leo, you know none of us are gonna let you stay. So...how are we gonna-"

Piper was interrupted by the sound of whipping wind, sending a chill down Nico's spine. The flapping of leathery wings filled the air, and a low growl pierced the silence at ground level. From the shadows emerged the hellhound from the night Nico had met Leo-it wasn't always easy to tell them apart, though with this one Nico knew; its eyes glittered with a knowing, keen intent on revenge. Then there was Matt, the venti from the pizza place. His human form was only half-there, most of him being a swirling dark cloud, though his eyes glinted with electricity. Last to the front lines was Mina the empousa, with her flaming hair and sharp fangs, talons at the ready to tear the group apart. Around them stood perhaps twelve or fifteen monsters, ranging from hell hounds to dracaenae. Say what you will about the monsters of Tartarus, but at least they had a diverse cast.

"Leo, Leo, Leo," Matt cooed, his voice loose in the wind, but sparking with electricity. "So quick to jump the sacrificial gun, just to make up for the fact that it's you. The failure. You can't escape what you've done, so why not just rot here, far away from hurting anyone else?"

Nico held out an arm, instinctively stepping in front of Leo. Leo glared at his old manager, his hands bathed in flames.

"Long time, no see, Nico di Angelo," Mina waved flirtatiously, which wasn't really doing much for Nico; not only because she was a woman, but her glowing red eyes were giving him the creeps. And Nico didn't really get the creeps, he gave them.

Nico took out his sword, whirling it in a circle once, twice. They were outnumbered about three or four to one, considering Hazel was unable to fight. Not only that, but Piper could barely walk with the state of her ankle. How could this get any worse?

"Jewel to the button," Leo spoke behind him, hushed and quick, as if he were forming some sort of last minute strategy. "Object to the button-timing-"

"If you're thinking of how to get out of this, please feel free to key me in," Nico said as the monsters started to approach-slow, as if wanting to enjoy a dessert in small, torturous bites.

"Not this," Leo replied, patting Nico on the shoulder. "The other thing. I gotta go-buy me some time?"

"Leo," Nico started, his heart racing, though it was too late. Leo had ran off in the direction of the Doors, pulling a random assortment of objects from his tool belt as he went. "Leo, what the hell!" He demanded, thinking up a few choice words for his quest mate.

Nico turned back to the ensuing battle, sword swinging, just managing to catch the hellhound before it had pierced him with its claws. It disappeared in a mass of dust, letting out a cry so somber, Nico almost felt bad for the beast. Almost.

Then there was Matt, who managed to dodge Apollo's arrows as they sliced by his half-formed body. He seemed to want to lunge past their small line, reaching for Leo.

"Hey, asshole!" Nico called, swinging his sword around, stepping in front of the venti. "Leo got to kill you last time with this sword-now it's my turn."

The storm spirit cackled, sending an electric charge down Nico's sword that made the hair on his arms stand on end. He faked left, then sliced down, though the spirit dodged his attack.

"Leo deserved 7.25 an hour!" Matt hissed. "I would have paid him less if I could, but I would have been in hot water with the IRS!"

"You paid him 7.25?" Nico asked incredulously, cursing as another volt of electricity knocked him off his feet. He felt outraged on Leo's behalf, but fear forced him into the reality of the fight. Matt had grown stronger in his reformation, thirsting for a revenge that was placed so clearly in front of him.

"I did," Matt towered over Nico, the wind pushing his hair back. "And when his plan fails, not only is he going to get demoted-he'll be demolished!" The venti prepared another voltage of electricity, though just when he was about to strike, one of Apollo's arrows caught his half-formed shoulder. The monster wailed, forming more solidly to treat the area, and Nico used the opportunity to jump to his feet. He sliced at the storm spirit with no form or technique-only pure rage, using the spirit as nothing more than a training dummy. In moments the monster crumpled to glittering dust, being carried away in a gust of its own wind.

Nico didn't have long to celebrate, though. One thankful look at Apollo, and he was back into the fray.

The son of Hades was already shaking from exhaustion over the previous entirety of their quest until now-he hadn't had a moment to rest. He slashed monsters with his sword, fatigue biting at his limbs, making his sword feel heavy in his hands.

Raising any skeletons to fight was a hopeless endeavor; he'd held a hand over the rocky terrain, his fingers shaking, and the ground produced a single femur. Black spots dancing in his eyes, channeling Leo Valdez's fighting prowess, he took the femur and chucked it at the monsters. Surprisingly, it hit a dracaenae, rendering it dazed for a few moments.

Hazel, taking notes, held a hand over the ground, producing about a dozen jewels on command. Seeing as that was the only thing she could touch in her ghostly state, she chucked the jewels at the small monster army. It wasn't enough to kill them, or even injure them badly, though it did distract them long enough to get killed by an armed demigod.

Piper was, surprisingly, back to being carried by Apollo-only this time, she was on his shoulders. She called to the monster army with her Charmspeak, urging them to calm down. The power in her voice washed over a handful of the monsters, and Nico witnessed a hellhound doing Downward Dog with no yoga mat.

Apollo, of course, was the driving force of the battle, wiping out monster after monster with well-aimed arrows. The monsters began to notice that they probably shouldn't attack the near-limitlessly powerful deity, backing away from him to no avail. A dracaenae swung at Piper with a knife, though she managed to block the blow with her own knife, ripping the monster's helmet off before stabbing it in the head.

The commotion seemed to attract more monsters, and while Apollo continued to fire an endless volley of arrows, Nico booked it towards the Doors.

"This plan of yours better be good," Nico managed breathlessly, examining Leo's work. He'd crafted some sort of...spider-like device, with thin legs and a flat top, positioned over the elevator button. The button was already lit up, suggesting Artemis was in the mortal world, holding the button, waiting for them.

"It's not pressing yet," Leo explained quickly. "But when it does, a timer will start-thirteen minutes, for good measure. It's got an impossibly strong grip, so it can't be pulled off once it's started. This little guy is our ticket out of here...but you guys have to trust that it'll work. If not, well...I'll stay. As an apology for making you fight alone."

Nico shook his head, glancing back as Apollo, Piper, and Hazel took out the last of the first wave of monsters, the second batch not too far behind in their approach.

He looked back at Leo, at his device and his offer, and enveloped him in a hug. It was strange, how he'd wanted to do this since his first offer, and how he felt he didn't want to let him go. Leo was worn and dirty from so many battles, though Nico could still smell the camp's soap in his hug, reminding him of home.

"Not a chance, Valdez," Nico answered, pulling away. "You reckless genius," the words left his lips before he could even think twice, and his face flushed. He resolved himself to never be so complimentary again, even if the way Leo lit up at his words made him smile slightly.

The group ran their way, Piper being let down from Apollo's hold to stand in the entryway. Leo explained his device, and surprisingly, no one had a complaint. He started the timer, and the button was pressed, opening the door. The group piled in, one optimistic telekhine following them.

The monster was a young one, with a face like a Doberman, the body of a seal, and limbs of a human. It was almost cute, in an ugly way-that is, until it pulled out a knife and tried to stab Nico in the foot. Then Nico had no qualms with stabbing it with his sword.

The monster crumbled to dust. Nico slumped against the wall of the elevator, sliding down until he was sitting on the floor, defeated.

Hazel joined him, her form especially transparent in the sudden brightness, though she seemed lighter, here. Relief had washed over them all, even if Nico wouldn't fully feel it until they were out of the elevator. The plan could fail at any moment across the twelve minutes; they could disappear at any time.

"Thank you, for everything back there," Hazel managed, her voice wavering. "I really wanted to help in the battle, but...I just threw rocks." She laughed sadly. "If that's all I have to offer this new quest, I don't see why it's gone to me."

"You did the only thing you could," Nico insisted. "And considering you can only touch your jewels, you did great-I think you gave one of those dracaenae a concussion. I'd love to see what you could do with a weapon...and I'm really curious to know who your godly parent is."

In truth, Nico had an idea half-formed in his mind, and though its possibility was ridiculous, it wasn't impossible. Hazel was visible when all other spirits were wisps of forgotten memories. She could raise jewels from the ground the same way Nico could raise the dead...and while Hades was most known as the god of the dead, he was also the god of all the gemstones in the earth. Nico could never forget that fun fact, of course, with all the times Hades complained about having to give up his riches for office expenses.

So, it was possible that Hazel was a daughter of Hades. But another child of the Big Three, plus a quest...this whole situation was asking for trouble. Still, it was trouble Hazel was asking for, and Nico would help her, doubly so if it turned out she was his sister.

If she was, though, his father would have to show them a sign.

Hazel rested her head on Nico's shoulder, and in his exhaustion he didn't pull away. Her curls tickled his neck, her leg resting against his-

Her curls tickled his neck, her leg resting against his.

Nico straightened, looking at the ghostly demigod. She was, slowly but surely, becoming more solid. Nico placed a hand on hers-her form was unsteady, for a moment, before he could feel warmth under his touch.

"Your hand is cold," Hazel commented. And then, "Oh my gosh, your hand is cold! Nico!" She flung her arms around him in a hug, and Nico found a laugh bubbling out of him as he hugged her back. Over her shoulder he could see Leo clapping excitedly and Piper giving a thumbs up. She was able to stand unaided, as Apollo had finally been able to gather his strength and heal her ankle. The god in question had become suddenly fascinated with the art deco designs on the elevator walls, clearly so he could deny being any part of her resurrection. Still, Nico could see the slight smile on his lips, and he realized the god really did want to ensure they all made it out alive.

Hazel pulled away, beaming, and Leo tapped her shoulder, eager to start catching her up on all the handshakes she'd missed in death.

It wasn't long after that when the elevator dinged and the Doors opened up, revealing the mortal side. Artemis, worried like Nico had never seen the goddess before, was standing in the entrance. She held the button down with an intensity that suggested they'd slip away even now-and Nico could not say for sure that they were safe after reaching the top.

"Brother," Artemis said, her shoulders relaxing, her fear slowly becoming replaced by anger. "You are never going to another music festival unaccompanied again."

---

Would Nico say that he was angry to find out that this entire quest into the darkest realm of the Underworld, fighting his way through layers of godly magic and evil goddesses and giant snakes, had all occurred due to a music festival mishap?

Yes, yes he would.

If Apollo couldn't end his life simply by showing his true form, Nico would have kicked his ass back down the elevator shaft.

The god couldn't even be bothered to explain the whole story. Nico heard mutterings of "cool new band", "hot mortals backstage", and "dark figure". That was all Apollo could manage until his face flushed hot enough to fry an egg, and he demanded a subject change.

While the group walked through the darkened cobblestone streets of Epirus, Artemis explained her end of this experience:

"My brother can be a bit...dismissive," Artemis chose the word carefully, though Nico could tell what she'd rather say: empty-headed. "But one thing he is not is late when it comes to matters of the sun. When I landed the moon chariot the week prior and noticed he was not there, it was cause for worry. I ventured through his usual spots to find he was missing entirely. By the time I reached Camp Half-Blood, a quest had already been underway."

"Though the quest," she continued, halting in her steps on the cobblestone road. "Like all quests, was told to be undertaken by three. Now, however, I see you have a fourth." Her eyes met Hazel's, and the demigod took an instinctive step back. In her anxiety, a ruby and an emerald popped up by her feet. The goddess glanced at them, a brow raised before shrugging dismissively at the priceless gems.

"We found her in Canada," Nico fibbed. "She was lost in the woods, so we thought we could take her-"

"Through Tartarus?" Artemis asked incredulously, her silvery-yellow eyes boring into Nico's. "Instead of finding a safer transport back to camp? Nico di Angelo, I would ordinarily turn a man into a deer and leave him to my wolves for lying to me like that."

"Don't," Hazel interrupted. Artemis faced her, silently imploring for her side of the story. "It was a lie, I wasn't in Canada. I was in the Underworld, and these demigods saved me, just like they saved your brother."

The goddess listened, then, as Hazel recounted everything-growing up in New Orleans, her curse with the jewels, her death and judgement, and how Nico and his quest mates had brought her through Tartarus to give her a second chance at life.

"Interesting," Artemis settled. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that Nico di Angelo would have empathy for a spirit from the Underworld. Your resurrection was an unwise decision, though...I understand why it happened. Empathy has been a driving force for mortals for millennia. Seeing as you all have also aided in freeing my brother, I suppose I will just...not notice this extra addition to the quest. I have far too many tasks occupying me, anyway. Unless, of course, you wanted to join the Hunters, Hazel Levesque."

"The Hunters?" Hazel asked.

"You can never let a girl walk by without offering, sister dearest," Apollo muttered, rolling his eyes.

"It is either that or waiting a few years before you start chasing after her, brother dearest," Artemis fired back. She turned back to Hazel, producing a brochure from thin air and handing it to her.

The heading at the top, elegant silver font against a picture of the night sky, read: A WISE CHOICE FOR YOUR FUTURE! Hazel opened the brochure, and Nico could see pictures of young women shooting bows and posing with their spoils of war.

Nico took a step back, nausea sweeping across his body, his bones weak as if injected with liquid anxiety fatigue. "Um," he started, shaking his head. Suddenly he was ten years old again, being told by Bianca that she'd taken the oath, that they'd be apart forever. And if Hazel really was his sister the way he thought she was...then this really was the cycle repeating itself.

"Nico, are you okay?" Hazel asked, passing off the brochure to Leo in favor of placing a hand on Nico's shoulder.

Nico met her warm brown eyes, and though he'd felt himself become distant, wrapped in the misery of the past, he forced himself to return to the present moment. There were no more monsters for now. They had all made it out alive.

Nico shook his head, then shrugged, trying to dismiss how his body was responding, though he couldn't help but tremble. He took a deep breath, then nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Yeah-it's your decision, Hazel. It's your second chance at life, so you should decide what to do with it."

Hazel looked at him skeptically, though she pocketed the brochure. "I'll think about it," she answered Artemis. "But I would like to visit camp first."

Artemis nodded, her eyes meeting Nico's, her look surprisingly gentle. "If she were to join my Hunt, she would be under my protection, as well as twenty other maidens who have hunted for centuries. Casualties are...rarer than you imagine, Nico di Angelo. And those who do fall are honored in the stars and guaranteed Elysium."

Nico swallowed the lump in his throat, remembering the time post-Battle of Manhattan, when Artemis pulled him aside and told him that she had made a star in the sky to honor Bianca. It was just north of Zoë's constellation, and it glowed brighter than the other stars, with a slightly blueish hue. After that conversation, Nico made sure to say goodnight to Bianca's star most nights. He felt bad that with everything going on, he hadn't stayed out to watch. When they got back to camp, Nico would be sure not to skip another night.

"Thank you, Lady Artemis," Nico replied softly, suddenly fascinated by the sleeve of his jacket so that he would not meet the goddess's eyes in that moment.

When Nico did look at her, the goddess smiled faintly. "You four have done some fine work. Piper McLean, the offer to be a Hunter is for you as well. Unfortunately, I cannot extend this offer further. Unless..." the goddess studied Nico for a moment, as if trying to peer into his soul. "Are you sure you're really not a girl? If you were, I might have something to work with."

Nico's brows furrowed. He hadn't exactly done any soul-searching when it came to his gender, though he was fairly comfortable saying he was a boy. He settled for a nervous laugh and a: "Uh, no, I don't think so."

"That's a shame," Artemis replied, and she seemed genuinely disappointed in a way that stirred Nico's curiosity. "Well, I must be leaving. You remember my lieutenant, Thalia Grace? She has been quite uncomfortable with our arrangement."

"Your arrangement?" Hazel prompted.

Artemis frowned slightly. "Yes-you see, since my brother had gone missing, along with the sun chariot, we had to find some sort of substitute. I drove the moon chariot during the daytime, creating what was surely an odd-looking sun, though hopefully it didn't appear too out of place in the winter."

This, Nico realized, made perfect sense. He had formed a similar theory himself when pondering how light still covered earth during the day. It was either a substitute, or the manifestations of mortals thinking about the sun, or both.

"In order to rest and search for Apollo," Artemis continued, "I left the night drive to my lieutenant, Thalia. It was the most difficult task I could have given, and she is not favorable to driving at such heights, though she has handled the matter with the utmost responsibility. When she parks the chariot, I will be pleased to tell her that the cycle will return to normal."

"About that," Apollo started, offering a nervous smile towards his sister. "The chariot kinda got destroyed-which isn't a huge deal, because I saved this," he held up the broken wheel, which appeared rather puny without the rest of the chariot. "But I will need to get it fixed, so...maybe just keep up the gig for a couple more days?"

Artemis seethed, appearing as though she wanted to use her twin brother for target practice. "Very well. Apologies for allowing that to slip my mind. I've grown rather restless these past few days. I will maintain our substitute cycle, though the moment the sun chariot is back up and running, please let me know."

"Alright, alright," Apollo waved her off dismissively. "I'll give you a call. You, little sister, need a vacation. You know that, right?"

Artemis scowled at her brother. "I would call hunting you for sport a vacation."

Apollo straightened at that. "You know, I hear Maine is also nice this time of year."

Artemis rolled her eyes. "I am going to return to my duties now. Keep in contact, and get these demigods back to their camp safely, alright?"

"Will do, sister dearest," Apollo offered her a little salute.

With that small reassurance, the goddess told the demigods to cover their eyes. The three knowing the drill (and Nico stepping in front of Hazel just in case), they closed their eyes tightly as Artemis revealed her true form, disappearing into the night.

"Well," Apollo clapped his hands. "You guys wanna explore Greece for a while?"

Nico actually was tempted by the offer, even considering who had offered it, but he shook his head. "I just wanna go home."

"Gotcha," Apollo nodded. "I am, unfortunately, way too exhausted to transport myself and," he counted heads. "Four other demigods across the world, especially without my trusty chariot. So, we'll go the mortal way. Besides, nothing is more relaxing after a death-defying quest than a twelve hour flight!"