Percy opened his eyes, he looked around and found himself in the pavilion once again. "Oi, get up already." Someone smacked Percy's head, "OW! Y'didn't have to do that!" He complained, rubbing his head. Nico rolled his eyes "Oh well, me and Will were headed towards the forest-"

If they go in there, they might face Kronos. I can't lose them as well.

"Wait," Percy interrupted, "I wanna go too." Nico raised an eyebrow, "I thought you were supposed to be training with Jason,"

"No, I have a feeling, something's 'bout to go down." Percy muttered the last few words, "What were you saying?" Will asked, "O-oh, nothing. It's nothing. Training is boring anyway, I wanna do something else."

"...If you say so." Nico said, "But before we go, wipe that drool off of your face first."

•

"Hey Will,"

"Yeah?" The son of Apollo replied, "Is Grover in the infirmary?" Percy questioned,"That's a weird one, why would Grover be in the infirmary? He was just talking to you right before you fell asleep in the pavilion."

What? But I just saw him die.

"By the way, what are we doing in the forest anyway?"

"I dunno. Nico said he sensed some disturbance here, something that's messing with death or something."

"You didn't have to come along though," Nico interrupted, "Will and I could handle this on our own." Percy laughed, "No way am I letting two minors wander into the forest all on their own. Who knows, something might happen to them...if ya know what I mean."

"Jackson, I swear to the gods, if you're talking about what I'm thinking that you're talking about, I will kick you."

"What? I don't want you to die at a young age. You should listen to your elders, young man."

"I'm practically older than you, so you should listen to me first."
"Hey, do you guys hear that?" Will asked. The two stopped bickering and listened.

The familiar sound of something closing in fast filled Percy's ears.

Shit.

"Be on guard," Percy ordered, the two demigods with him readied their weapons, their eyes searching the trees for any signs of incoming threats. The forest was deadly quiet, as if it was holding its breath.

He didn't even see it. It was so fast that Percy didn't even see what attacked Will Solace. The son of Apollo fell down, his bow aimed at an enemy he never got a chance to kill, much less see...for his head has been sliced clean off. Nico saw the lifeless body of the demigod, something inside of him snapped, he let out a cry full of hurt and hatred. The shadows around him thickened, cracks and fissures began to form on the ground and skeletons rose to the son of Hades's command. With half a legion of undead soldiers under his command, Nico charged the enemy.

Percy finally saw what they were fighting, a humanoid shadow that seemed to be ten feet tall, Percy has never seen a monster like this, he wasn't even sure if it was something from Greek mythology. It had no eyes or nose, but it had a mouth that could open so wide, Percy was sure that it could easily swallow a school bus. Percy snapped out of his trance and uncapped his pen.

This monster has Kronos written all over it. Surely if I defeat this monster, all will go back to normal...

He charged, but he stopped when he realized that Nico didn't need any help dealing with the creature. Percy was terrified, not by the monster, but by Nico. His power radiated from his body and from his Stygian iron sword, dark tendrils whipped at the monster, the skeleton army surrounded the enemy, throwing spears and hacking at the creature's legs. The ground shook violently as more cracks and fissures formed.

I've seen this before...

"DIESTI BASTARDO!!!"

Nico... something is going to happen to him...but what?

Percy saw smoke coming from the other demigod, that's when he realized something...

"NICO! STOP, YOU'RE BURNING UP!" But he was ignored, Nico didn't stop attacking the creature. He gave it one final blow by stabbing it's head with his sword, ultimately killing the monster.

Percy ran towards the boy before he collapsed, "Shit, Nico. You shouldn't have overused your powers. Damn, you're burning up." Nico leaned on his cousin, barely hearing what Percy was saying. Percy gave Nico a piece of ambrosia he had in his pocket. The ambrosia didn't have any effect on the boy, "Percy... I don't think... I have much time left." Nico said, Percy gripped his shoulder, "You are going to live, you're not going to die here. You'll never die in a place like this."

"Heh... that's what I thought...even though... what's the purpose for...me to live?...Will's dead and... I never got a chance to tell him... I have wanted to tell him...for so long..."

"Nico, please stop. You're going to live... Will's not going to like it if you die right now."

"...he was an idiot...an annoying, amazing, beautiful idiot... that's what I love about him..."

Percy hauled Nico and carried him on his back, he heard every dying breath the son of Hades took, he felt Nico's faint heartbeat, growing weaker every second. "Stop talking shit, You're going to live, I will take you to the infirmary-"

"I'd be a dead man walking... without him...my days would...be dark...grey...cold... don't worry, Will...I'm coming..."

"...Nico..."

"..."

Percy broke down crying, he held his cousin's cold, lifeless body against his chest. "Painful, isn't it?" That cold voice ignited the rage inside Percy. "You bastard, why are you doing this to me?"

"I wanted revenge. You foiled my plans, I would have overthrown the gods if it weren't for you. I would've become the Lord of the universe once again, all powerful, all mighty."

Percy laid Nico's body gently on the ground, he wiped off his tears and glared at the Titan. "You may be older than me, but you still have nothing in that brain of yours. Revenge will take you nowhere. Move on and accept your defeat."

"Oh, I have accepted my defeat. Because I know that I'll rise once again, and you won't be around to stop me. So for now, as I await my second coming, I'll torture you, letting you watch your friends die, over and over again."

"You son of a bitch, I may not be around that time but I'm well aware that someone will stop you." Percy brandished his blade, "As you wait for your second coming, I might as well delay it for now."

The son of Poseidon charged toward the Titan.