Here's another angsty one-shot for all the Nico di Angelo lovers out there!

tw: slight mention of suicide (like one sentence about Thalia)

The gods were terrible beings, Nico thought miserable as he bowed down to them, they only cared about your existence if you were a pawn in their game of chess. He dipped his head down lower, like the rest of the demigods that knelled before the gods. Then, when you were taken off of the board, after you help them defeat the opposing king and queen piece you were thrown carelessly back in the box, to be forgotten till the next game they played.

Chess, in a way, represented the short life of a demigod. He and the rest of the demigods stayed knelled close to the shining marvel flooring of the Olympus thrown room. They would all be killed; smite to death by their parents soon. Nico frowned, as he stared at the crack that ran from his father's thrown, which had appeared that morning as it was the Winter's Solstice. The Fates were also cruel; they would kill him and dozens of other demigods the day his sister was killed five years prior. He imagined them laughing together with glee, knitting away, ready to cut their strings. The thought of someone being joyful for his death made him sick. A lump formed in the back of his throat making it hard for him to breathe.

He glanced over at Percy, who, begrudgingly, bowed in front of Poseidon's throne, though, higher than the other demigods that shook with fear. Percy's eyes were dark, stormy; nothing like the natural sea green. He validly wondered why he hadn't attacked the gods yet. Was it some deal they had made? Was this what the Olympians had called Percy for after the Giant War? Nico didn't know, but what he did know was that Percy was ready to die. Nico could see it in the older boy's eyes as he looked at him, they went from anger to remorse. Nico remembered the depressing talks they had had with Thalia about how they were ready to end it, ready to be done with the Fate and the gods. Ready for the day they would enter Elysium, or Hades' palace in Nico's case. Nico knew that if it hadn't been for Annabeth, who sat knelling a few demigods over, Percy would be dead. He knew that if it wasn't for the Hunt Thalia would be dead. Nico knew that if it wasn't for his newfound sisters, he would be dead.

He knew that since Annabeth would also be dying, and because Artemis and her most trusted hunter would be dying, and because his sisters, Hazel, and Reyna, would be dying, that the three children of the Big Three would not mind this death sentence. They would perish most likely in vain and in painful ways, but they would be with their loved ones. Ones who do not deserve to die, his brain chimed.

Nico's thought trailed to Hazel, how she had barely saw the light of day before returning to the Underworld, where she would stay for good this time. How Reyna would never get to enjoy another glass of hot chocolate, or see her dogs, Argentum and Aurum again. The thoughts sent his stomach spiraling as Zeus stood up from his thrown, in his true form making him much larger than the demigods and used to be gods that knelt down for him. Nico thought about how easily he could just step on them and get it over with; like they were bugs on a sidewalk.

"Demigods," he thundered with a snark "You will die, today. As a punishment for betraying the gods."

Beside him Nico heard Hazel mumble curses under her soft voice, ones that would put a sailor to shame, or pirate as Reyna would say. Despite the curses that spilled from her mouth a tear overflowed her eyes, rolling down her cheek. Nico fought the sensation he had grown accustom to and didn't wipe it away.

Who else loves cliffhangers? Well that's all from this flash fic, which was made by Rose ()! Thank you for reading!