Shadows

Chapter 21

When I came to, I wasn't sure of where I was. It looked... like some sort of cylinder. Oh gods. I was in a jar. I heard of this story. Two twin Giants- Otis and Ephialtes trapped Ares in a jar. And now, so was I. 

Only... if Ares couldn't get out. There is no chance for me. And it is suffocating. There is barely any air in the jar, I have no choice but to use those seeds that I took from dad's place. I didn't expect I'd need them so early...

I only have eight. Hopefully the others try to find me... oh who am I kidding. They probably didn't even notice me gone. Nobody would want a son of Hades. A son of Hades who is in love with his cousin. Who happens to have a girlfriend. 

I groan, before picking out a seed and popping it in my mouth and closing my eyes. Deep Breaths, Nico. Count to twenty. Breathe slowly. Very, very slowly. Hopefully this works, and I don't die.

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Bruce sat at his desk, eyebags clear on his face. He hadn't slept in the past week. It was another day with Nico missing. With that note... had he really gone to visit family? Then why did he not pick up his phone? Was he running away? Was he taken? Did... did he not want to be found? He had assumed that they had at least gotten somewhat close. '

'So why did Nico leave?' Bruce thought, grunting, 'And what does Diana have to do with it?'

He pulled up a page on the batcomputer, with Nico's profile, and another with Diana's. 

He then got up and walked to a large bulletin board in the back of the cave.

"What do they have in relation? She's his teacher... but why tell her to visit her family just because he's visiting his. Surely he knows that her family is... gone. Unless..."

Bruce stared at the board and thought. Nothing.

And then suddenly, 

"What are you doing?" Jason asked, rudely, as he walked in. He was still mad at Bruce. 

"Nothing. Just looking for Nico."

"Ugh, again. Who the hell is this... 'Nico'? You replaced me with two people? Really?"

"No, Jason. This kid... we found him at a graveyard. Mumbling something to the people. All of them. Dick took him to the orphanage, and then we adopted him. He guessed our identities. Really, really quickly. And he happened to know how to fight. He's a very mysterious child, but it seems that he's been through a rough life. He was Ghost."

"Who the hell is Ghost?"

"My other apprentice. He wasn't widely known in the hero database because he was an incognito vigilante. He did patrol too, but being spy and infiltration and undercover stuff was his forte, I suppose you would say."

"Hm. Why the past tense. Did he die too?"

"No. He went missing. We can't find him. And I have to find him. I can't have another kid die, Jason. You shouldn't have. And he shouldn't have to."

Jason grimaced and made a face.

"Well I did. You should've at least avenged me or something. Going so far for Nico, but not so far for little old Jason, is it?"

"Jason... we're not having this conversation again. You can choose to help, or you can leave, and calm down."

"I can't calm down! That pit messed with my mind Bruce, I need to kill people to stay alive. It is what keeps me sane! And I don't even mind it at this point. It's either us or them. You better find that kid fast, or he'll end up the same way I did." Jason said, in an outburst, before storming out of the cave, accidentally dropping a mask in the walk.

Bruce stared at it and sighed. He knew he should've been more understanding.

"That's what I'm afraid of. I'm sorry, Jason."

A/N Hey guys. Short first chapter back [a filler too, sorry about that], but it's coming. There ARE gonna be time-skips, cus I don't really wanna rewrite the House Of Hades book. BUT, I can't wait for this story to progress. I've been totally hit with some inspiration so i do have plans for this story, so I'll be seeing you guys here a bit more often. Vote, Comment, the whole routine. Have a great day or night, wherever you are!