Nico's POV:

I remember we were outside of the old school Bianca and I were found at before we started this fucked up journey that I thought was a card game once. Then I passed out and was just standing outside my sleeping body. It was weird seeing myself sleep. Reyna got into an argument with one of the Amazons about who was protecting who, and then we were gone, or well, physically, dream me was still there.

I watched as the Hunter arrived and started killing. The Amazon that Reyna was arguing with was able to break his bow. The Amazons fought well, not huntress well, but damn near close to it. I wondered if they were actually going to be able to defeat him until Greek Fire started exploding, and Dream Me was blasted elsewhere.

Line break: Get well soon, Dream Nico

I woke with a start, worried if my dream was real, until I realized we weren't where we were when I passed out, and Bianca was out cold.

"Oh, good, you're awake," Coach said. We're near Boston right now. I don't know where, though, but now that you're up, I'm going to go and mail some letters to Mellie."

I used my senses, but this time, something felt different; it almost felt like I was half in my father's realm and half out of it. "we're at Bunker Hill, I think; I sense a lot of dead soldiers here."

"All right, keep pouty angry Roman girl over there some company; she almost has me as worried as your sister does," Coach informed me.

I looked at my sister and saw that her form was flickering like she was in between the shadows and the physical realm. Maybe that's what I was feeling when I extended my powers earlier.

I don't know if there is anything that I could do to help that, but I knew I could talk to Reyna and maybe help her figure stuff out. I mean, if Percy can do that with Bianca and me, how hard can it be for me to help her?

"Do you wanna talk about it?" I asked Reyna as I plopped myself down beside her.

"About what?"

"I think I dreamed about what happened at Westover," I told her. "You were arguing with one of the Amazons about who was protecting who."

Reyna sighed, "That was my sister Hylla, and I do not want to talk about it."

"You should." I told her, " The main thing about ghosts is that most of them lost their voices. In Asphodel, hundreds of millions of them wander around aimlessly, trying to remember who they were. You know why they end up like that? Because in life they never took a stand one way or another. They never spoke out, so they were never heard. Your voice is your identity. If you don't use it," I continued with a shrug, "you're practically already halfway to Asphodel then."

"Is that your idea of a pep talk?"

I didn't know how to answer that, so I started searching around in my bag for something to eat, only ending up bringing out one of those Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies. Man, I need to restock my snacks sometime and not let Bianca do it for me. I offered one of the two from the packet to Reyna.

"Those look like they went stale ages ago."

"Maybe, but these days, we can't afford to be choosers. I mean I have some pomegranate seeds still, but I'd rather be dead than go back to those for now."

"Things haven't been easy with my sister since San Juan."

I decided to wait, wondering if Reyna would share more than just that it wasn't easy since they left presumably her first home. "The Ramirez-Arellano family goes a long way back," Reyna decided to continue after eating a bit of the oatmeal." I don't know the whole story. My ancestors lived in the Roman province of Hispania. Eventually, one of my great, I don't know how many times, grandfather, a conquistador, moved the family to Puerto Rico with Ponce de Leon."

"So, is your family descended from Bellona? Because it wouldn't be the first time a god had kids with one of their great-grandkids. Zeus did it once, I think."

Reyna let out a slight chuckle. "We are her daughters," Reyna confirmed. "We are actually her first children in the family. Bellona has always favored our family. Millennia ago, she decreed that we would play pivotal roles in many battles."

"Like what you're doing now."

"Perhaps. That is yet to be seen. Some of my ancestors have been heroes, others villains. One of them was the Pirate Cofresi whose buried treasure built the family home. Then there's another who served as a submarine commander in the US Navy during the Second World War, though I forget his name. Then there's my father Julian. He was a soldier in Iraq. He...," Reyna paused. "I can't do this. I can't talk about him."

A cloud started passing over my head, blanketing the field we were in in shadows. I looked over to my sister and, thankfully, saw that she was more in the physical realm for now than in the shadows, happy that she hadn't dissolved. Then I turned back to Reyna. I didn't want to push her. I don't think it is my right, but she needed to speak about it to someone, or else she would likely lose her voice in the grave.

I sat my oatmeal cookie down, deciding that I should at least come clean to my feelings about my father, if I'm going to make her do the same. "My dad gave me a present twice," I started, "the first was my sword. The second was a zombie."

Reyna stared blankly at me, "What?"

"His name is Jules-Albert. He's French."

"A...French zombie?"

"Hades isn't the best dad, he's mostly absent if I'm being honest, but occasionally he has these I want to know my son moments. I guess he thought the zombie was a good peace offering. He said Jules could be my chauffeur."

Reyna was cracking the slightest bit of a smile at the corner of her mouth, "A French zombie chauffeur."

"Hades wants me to live a normal life, like a normal teenager. Make friends, get to know the 21st century, those sorts of things. I think he gets his understanding of teenage life from tv shows, where parents drive their kids around. He can't do that because of how busy he is, so I think Jules was his attempt at trying."

Reyna wanted to laugh. She even chuckled a little bit, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't."

"It's ok," I interrupted her apollogy, "I don't like talking about my father either. But sometimes you have to."

Reyna's expression turned serious, then to thinking, and finally resolved. Reyna let out a sigh, "I never knew him in his better days. Hylla said he used to be gentler when she was small before I was born. His military record shows he was a good soldier- fearless, disciplined, and cool under fire. He was handsome and very charismatic. Bellona blessed him, as she did with many of my ancestors, but that wasn't enough for him. He wanted her as his wife."

Over off into the woods, three paper airplanes flew up and were being carried away by the breeze, heading to gods knows where.

"My father dedicated himself completely to Bellona," Reyna continued. "It's one thing to respect the power of war, but it's another to fall in love with it. I don't know how, but he managed to win Bellona's heart. My sister was born just before he went off for his last tour of duty. He was honorably discharged and came home a hero. If... if he had been able to adjust to civilian life, everything might have been alright."

"But he couldn't," I guessed

Reyna shook her head, "Shortly after he got back, he had one last encounter with Mom, hence me being here. But before she left, Bellona gave him a glimpse of the future. She said the legacy of Rome would never fall as long as one of our bloodline remained, fighting to defend our homeland. Those words...I think she meant them to be reassuring, but my father fixated on them."

"War can be hard to get over," I said, not still being over the Titan war from last year, "must be worse if you're in love with it."

Reyna wrapped her cloak around her, "part of the problem was PTSD. He couldn't stop thinking about war. And then there was the constant pain. He was in a roadside bomb explosion that left shrapnel in his shoulder and chest. But it was more than that. Over the years growing up, he changed."

I didn't respond. I had never talked with someone other than Bianca this openly before. Silena was close, but that was because she was practically forcing me to talk to her so she could find out my crush.

"He became paranoid. He thought Bellona's words were a warning that our bloodline would be exterminated and the legacy of Rome would fall. He saw enemies everywhere and collected weapons. He turned the family home into a fortress. At night he would lock Hylla and me in our rooms. If we sneaked out, he would yell at us and throw furniture. He terrified us. At times he thought we were the enemy. He became convinced we were spying on him, trying to undermine him. Then ghosts started appearing. I guess they were always there, but they picked up on my father's agitation and began to manifest. They whispered to him, fed his suspicions. Finally, one day...I don't remember exactly when, but I realized he had ceased to be my father. He became one with the ghost."

A cold tide rose in my chest. " A mania," I speculated. I've seen it only a few times before. A human withers away until they aren't human anymore. Only their worst qualities remain—his insanity." The news didn't look like it was helping Reyna, though.

"Whatever he was, he became impossible to live. Hylla and I escaped the house as often as we could. On the streets, she would protect me, as I was younger than her, but eventually, we would come back and face his rage. We didn't know what else to do. He was still family. The last time we returned, he was so angry he was glowing. He couldn't touch things physically anymore, but he could move them. He tore up floor tiles. He ripped open the sofa. Finally, he threw a chair, and it hit Hylla. She collapsed. She was only knocked unconscious, but I thought she was dead. She spent so many years protecting me...I just lost it. I grabbed the nearest weapon, the family heirloom of the Pirate Cofresi's saber. I...I didn't know it was imperial gold. I ran at my father's spirit and..."

"It vaporized him," I guessed, honestly surprised imperial gold could send the spirits of the dead to my father.

Reyna's eyes brimmed with tears. "I killed my own father."

"No. Reyna, no. That wasn't him. Your father was long dead before that. He was a ghost, and worse than that, a mania at that. You were protecting your sister from something that should have long departed into my father's realm," I told her. I'm the ghost king. I know the difference between the living and the dead. Her father was among the dead, not the living.

"You don't understand. Patricide is one of the worst crimes a Roman can commit. It's unforgivable."

"No, I do understand," I countered, "You did not kill your father. He was already dead. He was haunting you and Hylla. You only sent a ghost haunting you to join the rest of your father, in my father's realm. You only dispelled a ghost."

"it doesn't matter," Reyna sobbed. "If word got out at Camp Jupiter."

"You'd be executed," said a new voice.

At the edge of the woods nearby, a Roman legionnaire in full armor was holding a pilum. "Thank you for your confession, former praetor. You've made my job easier."

"good news, everyone!" Coach exclaimed and then immediately ate a paper airplane note.

Reyna's dogs appeared and ran to her side, growling at the intruder.

How did he get so close with none of us noticing, I questioned.

"Bryce Lawrence," Reyna growled. "Let me guess, Brian's new attack dog."

The Roman inclined his head. His eyes were green, like a pond of algae.

"The Pontifex Maximus has many attack dogs." He pointed his chin at me. "He was easy to track. He stinks of the underworld."

I unsheathed my sword, "you know the underworld? Shall I arrange your visit, traitor?"

Bryce laughed. "Do you think you can frighten me? I am a descendant of Orcus, the god of broken vows and eternal punishment. I've heard the screams of the Fields of Punishment firsthand. They're music to my ears. Soon, I'll be adding one more damned soul to the chorus." He grinned at Reyna, "Patricide, eh? Brian will love this news. You are under arrest for multiple violations of Roman Law."

"You being here is a violation of Roman Law," Reyna countered. "Romans do not quest alone. A mission has to be lead by centurion rank or higher. You were never even above probatio before you were banished, and even that rank was a mistake. You have no right to arrest me."

Bryce shrugged, "In times of war, some rules are flexible. But don't worry, once I bring you to trial, I'll be rewarded with full membership and granted the rank of centurion. Doubtless, there are already many vacancies with those other cohorts betraying Rome.

Coach hefted his bat, "I don't know proper Roman etiquette, but I can always just bash your head in now."

"A faun," Bryce laughed. "I heard the Greeks actually trusted their goatmen, but this...this is just hilarious."

Coach advanced, but as soon as his foot stepped forward, the ground churned and broiled. Out of the field, skeletal warriors erupted, spartoi, wearing tattered red coat uniforms.

Coach tried backing away, but the spartoi grabbed him and took his bat. "Lemme go, ya stupid boneheads," Coach said, kicking his hooves out, trying to knock their heads off.

I watched as more and more British-dead guys popped up. They were multiplying so quickly that we were quickly becoming surrounded.

I knew there were many dead here, but how was he causing so many to rise so quickly?

"I forgot to mention I am not on this quest alone. As you can see, I have backup. They died trying to butcher the colonials, but they colonials fought back tooth in nail. A shame we weren't further south, the butcher had some real good troops under his command that would be helpful, but alas these redcoats will do. They are still perpetually under the power of Orcus. Which means they are under my control." He pointed to Reyna, "seize the girl."

The spartoi closed in, Aurum and Argentum took down the first few but they were soon wrestled to the ground. Reyna took her dogs sacrifice as time to move to defend Bianca, who was still out.

I came to my senses, and sliced through one of the Spartoi but my sword passed harmlessly through them.

"What's wrong son of Hades?" Bryce taunted. "Losing your grip."

I tried pushing my way through the skeletons, but there were too many. "Nico get out of here," Reyna ordered. "Get the statue and leave."

"Yes off you go," Bryce agreed. "of course you're realizing now your next shadow jump will be your last."

Bryce was right, I am having trouble interacting with the physcial world, and I can already sense that Bianca is too. We've delved deep into powers from our father, not meant for the physical world to get us here. I looked down to see that I was dissolving, even in direct sunlight.

I saw Bryce starting to poke at coach with his pilum, taunting him about turning into a patch of daises. My anger started coming forth. It felt as cold and dark as my blade. I morphed into plants before and that wasn't fun. I hate people like Bryce, they inflicted pain for their own fun.

"Leave him alone," I warned Bryce.

Bryce raised an eyebrow, "Or what? BY all means try something underworldly and fade into the shadows permanently."

Reyna struggled fending off the spartoi, "Bryce forget them. If you want me as prisoner fine but leave them out of this."

"A tempting offer but no," Bryce turned his pilum, letting the tip hove a few inches from Reyna's face. "You really don't know what Brian has planned, do you? He's been busy pulling in favors, spending the legions money."

Reyna clenched her fist, "Brian has no right"

"He has the right of power," Bryce countered. "You forfeited your power when you left for the ancient lands. It is just a shame the rest of the legion didn't see it that way. On August first he will lay siege to the Greek camp, and the traitors. I've seen the designs for his machines...even I am impressed."

I felt my bone becoming lighter, like they were being filled with helium. I locked eyes with Reyna, not knowing if this would be either of our last moments, as I could sense Thanatos all around. I felt her strength surge through me like it did when we were about to fall into Mount Vesuvius. A wave of courage and resilience came along with it this time, making me feel substantial again. Anchored to the mortal world again. Even surrounded by an army of the dead, and facing execution, Reyna had a huge reservoir of bravery to share.

"Nico," she said, "do what you need to do. I have your back."

"Oh you have his back?" Bryce taunted, "I can't wait till your secret comes out at your tribunal." Bryce then flicked his pilum across Reyna's face leaving a line of blood.

My rage exploded.

Time skip: OH THE HORROS THE BLOOD THE GORE...ITS WORSE THAN TARTARUS

I don't recal what happened. All I remember was screaming...lots of screaming, and the cries of the Fields of Punishment.

I allowed all of my pain and sorrows out. It woke up Bianca. They told me I challenged Bryce, with my own secrets. Then the spartoi were swallowed by the earth.

Apparently I marched up to Bryce and ripped his probatio tablet clean off his neck.

"You took an oath to the legion. You broke its rules. You inflicted pain. You killed your own centurion," I allegedly screamed at him. "You should have died for your crimes. That was the punishment. Instead you got exile. You should have stayed away. Your father Orcus may not approve of broken oaths, but my father, Hades, really doesn't approve of those who escape punishment."

Apparently Bryce pathetically begged for his life at this point, and if you ask Coach he was crying like a baby.

I admit I don't understanding somethings, like mercy, and forgiveness for instance. The Underworld had no mercy. It only had justice.

"You are already dead," again I allegedly said this. "You're a ghost with no tongue, no memory. You won't be sharing any secrets."

After that apparently Bryce let out one last wail of No, before becoming a ghost. The I asked if he knew who he was to which no sound came, and I told him to get the fuck back to the underworld...and now I am grounded for two weeks after this war ends...totally fucking worth it.

After he left I collapsed.

Line Break: Dream Nico is on vacation, and his dreams are the same as canon pretty much so go back and read that if you forgot, so here is some Jepordy music while we wait for Nico Nico to get back to it. Do DO Do do do do do do dodo do do do do

I woke up on back gasping for breath, staring up at the sunlight.

"Thank the Gods" Bianca said hovering over me. Next to her was Reyna and Coach, both of whom have seemingly recovered from the fight, sadly though I got a good view straight up Coach's nostrils.

"Good," Coach said. "Just a few more applications." He then held up a large square bandage coated with what looked like sticky tree sap, and plastered over my nose.

"What is...? UGH," I said, as I got a whiff of what it smelled like. An odd combination of potting soil, cedar woodchips, grape juice, and a hint of fertilizer. It certainly cleared my senses right up.

"Are you trying to plant me?" I asked

"It's sports medicine with a little nature magic," said Coach. "Kind of a hobby of mine."

I tried focusing on anyone else, "you approved of this?"

Bianca looked like she was ready to pass out from exhaustion, "Nico you were fading. I could hardly even grab you at times. Coach brought you back from the brink. I couldn't even get you unicorn drought or nectar. I...I thought you were going to die and head to father."

"Fading..."

"Don't worry about that now, kid." Coach put a drinking straw next to my mouth. "You'll have some Gatorade now"

I knew better than to question Coach like this. Clarisse did so once, and they ended up in a wrestling match that would have been for the history books if it weren't for the war going on. "What happened to me? To Bryce? The Skeletons?"

They looked at each other. "First eat little brother. There's good news and bad news, you'll need ot eat before the bad news"

I did as Bianca told me to, and they began explaining what happened with Bryce showing up to his...depart to my father's realm. I'll admit it sounded a bit cold and harsh of me, but I also thought it just. Bryce, shouldn't have even been here to begin with, and now he is where he belongs, amongst the lost souls of the underworld.

"...and now that that is said, you've been out for three days." Reyna said

"Three days?"

"We couldn't move you," Reyna said. "Even your sister couldn't. You were of almost zero substance. If it weren't for Hedge pulling..."

"No biggie," The coach interrupted. "One time in the middle of play off game I had to splint my Quarterbacks leg with nothing but tree branches and strapping tape. Kid went on to win us the game on the next play too."

I couldn't believe I was unconscious for three days. I recounted my dreams to them, including Ella the Harpy muttering and Mellie being worried about the earth mother raising.

"Well it's the 30th. We have two days to get the statue back, and the traitors will attack on the first." Reyna informed them. "We have to hurry. I don't think we can stay here much longer.

"How?" I asked

"Well that's where the good news comes in," Coach said, "That letter I ate, was confirmation that there will be some help coming our way. The Pegasus agreed to come with some companions to carry the statue the rest of the way. Said it would take a little while to arrange, but they should be getting here any minute."

"Wait you aren't..."

"look Nico what you did was dark and creepy stuff. Something that should only be done to the worse of the worse. I'm not saying you were wrong, but Bryce deserved worse than what you gave him." Reyna said, "he should have been executed painfully for his crimes, but I wasn't praetor and the praetor at the time of his crimes gave him leniency because of shared family legacy."

"But Bryce, I just..."

"You did what had to be done Nico," Bianca soothed. "Just promise me no more turning people to ghost if you can avoid it."

"Yeah," Coach agreed. "Unless you let me whale on them first of course."

By this time I noticed six large pegasi flying towards us, I recognized one of them as blackjack, Percy's main steed when he uses pegasi, most of the time I think they are racing though.

"I'm impressed now...and honored," I said as I assume the lead and largest of the Pegasi is the Pegasus, the first of the flying horse and the immortal one that came out of medusa decapitated body.

Bonus: Some where waiting in the sun theres....Oh Hi frens, 14 gave me this box thingy that plays music. Said I should listen to that instead of Apollo The Corruptor

I watched panicked as two of my children were pushing themselves further than any of their siblings ever had in the past. I may not show it, nor know how to but I am worried that they'll be joining me prematurely. I only want them to live life happily, unlike so many of their other siblings. I felt them both approaching their time. Nico much closer than Bianca.

It took all of my willpower to not colapse and take them away from the pain, away from the shadows. I could live with Artemis yelling at me about taking one of her hunters to my realm again, and it's not like I wouldn't drop my daughter off in Elysium.

I rocked myself back and forth on my throne, just to keep myself from going to collect them, and then I felt Bianca leave my doorstep. I'll admit I was as equally disappointed as I was happy. My daughter gets to continue living, but its just another year she will be away from me.

As for my son, he was taking much longer, there were so many times I thought he had joined me, that I went and double checked with the judges. Then three days later, all the sudden his presence left my doorstep all the same.

I sighed depressed. I know I'm not a good father, probably a horrible one since I kinda want my kids to be dead. But that's only because then they'd be with me, in their birthright home. I'll know they are safe at least. It's so hard knowing they are on the surface and at the mercy of my brother's 24/7.

Bonus: The kids are in town for a fuuuu... Oh you're back frens. Here's another one for your troubles. I'm going to go back to 14's music box thingy.

I hate being away from my hunter's. I even hate more that one of them is without her sisters. But I cannot deny she's doing the right thing. I even did what I could to help with their journey, but now I am not sure if that was a mistake or not. I sensed she was teetering on the edge of the living and the dead, and my hunters can only die in combat, which is probably the best thing keeping her alive at the moment.

"mama" Zoë asked, still in her four year old form. Even with Britomartis confirming her brother's survival she is still choosing to be a four year old until she see's proof.

"Yes dear?"

"Can you make uncle polly stop playing such depressing music?"

"I wish I could Zee, but he plays how he feels. I don't know if I can fix that."

"What of my sisters, and little brother?"

"Bianca isn't doing so well. Everyone else is fine, and are directing the quest appropriately."

"What's wrong with Bianca?"

"She's...Why aren't you paying attention? You're a goddess too you know."

Zoë did her best to hid her face in my breast. "Because I like hearing it from you"

I can only imagine how red her face was from embarrassment. I sighed, as I have developed a softer spot for all my hunters since I've adopted Percy. "Bianca is teetering between her father's realm and the mortal realm. She's over extended her powers, and I don't know if it is my blessing which is keeping her alive."

"Oh...She'll make it mommy, I just know somehow," Zoë said, curling up on myself to go to sleep.

"It won't get any easier, you know," my mother said after Zoë fell asleep.

I nodded, deciding to go back to paying attention to Bianca for the moment.

I saw that they were surrounded, and almost immediately teleported there despite the trouble I would be risking, but then I saw the Roman girl, Reyna, sacrificing her dogs to stand guard over Bianca who was still drained of her energy from the numerous shadow travels. I smilled slightly, I knew she was dating my son now, didn't quite approve of her til now. I decided on giving her my blessing that I gave to Annabeth and Thalia, once she falls asleep next...and assuming they live of course.