The Daybreaker.

Faceless Moon

Nico remembered the day so well. The last time he would see Bianca alive. He met three greek gods that day. Three Olympian gods. Artemis, Apollo, and Dionysus. Nico had been so happy, his hyper fixation was real, it wasn't just a stupid card game anymore. This was the worst day of his life. The day his world fell apart. He like Apollo and Mr. D. But he hated Artemis. He would not say that out loud, but the second that stupid Doe Lightmaid or whatever her stupid name was made Bi take that stupid oath and turned her into a stupid huntress, he hated Artemis. He hated himself more though, even at ten years old Nico was shattered as he tried to figure out what he had done to make Bianca hate him that much that she just had to abandon him. When he excitedly told Apollo all about his figurine and cards Apollo at least attempted to act like he cared, nodding and smiling while telling Nico how wonderful that was. But when he tried to do the same with Artemis, Zoe Nightshade scolded him, yelling at him in a weird voice that Nico couldn't properly understand but he got the jist of "Don't you dare talk to her. You are an unworthy brat. Your sister deserves better." This made Nico falter the words hurt. They hurt bad. When he had looked at Bianca for support she grimaced and looked away from him. He mainly stayed quiet for the rest of the car flight back to Camp Half Blood tears pricking his eyes threatening to spill. Nico was always a very sweet, kind hearted, and sensitive child. When they landed Apollo seemed to catch on that Nico was upset, dare he say distraught?
He pulled Nico into a side hug, "It'll be okay little one." Apollo wiped Nicos tears away with his thumb, "Take care Nico," he squeezed Nico once more before letting go and ushering him toward the crowd that were surrounding Percy and the others. And without a word Apollo simply waved at his children gave a bright smile and left.
He remembered meeting Dionysus and while Dionysus wasn't all that impressed, he did seem to find it at least somewhat endearing that Nico loved his figurine and cards. Even giving Nico one of his rare smiles even if it was a little forced.
But Artemis. She just looked at him with such hate and distaste. Nico was just a kid, he had no clue what he could have done to make her mad. And when Bianca left to go on the quest, well he would never forget.
Nico smiled nervously, fearing he had done something to make Bi mad, "Bye Bi I'll-"
Zoe glared at him and then turned to Bianca with a raised brow as if to ask Really? You're going to allow him calling you that?
Bianca frowned, "N- Nico you can't- you can't call me that, you need to call me Bianca."
Nico felt a sharp pain in his chest like his heart had just broken into tiny little fragments, "Oh," he squeaked, "Uhm, well bye Bianca I love you." Nico went to give her a hug like they always did. But was absolutely ripped to pieces when Bianca held her hand out to stop him shaking her head, "I'm a hunter now, I'm not allowed- I can't hug you, you're a male Nico."
Nico bit his bottom lip looking down and trying his absolute hardest to not burst into tears. Artemis and her stupid lieutenant took Bi from him.
"O- Okay Bi I mean Bianca," he whimpered out.
Zoe frowned, "Thy must leave now." She said it so cold and full of bitterness towards Nico. He didn't know what he had done to make all of the hunters hate him so much especially stupid stupid Zoe.  And without another word Bianca turned and walked away. Nico had forced Percy to promise keeping his sister safe which Percy said he would try and that was that. He sat next to Mr. D and watched him play Pinochle against Chiron. He had his knees drawn in and hot tears falling down his sweet face. They had to cut the game short when Clarisse and another camper were getting into a very heated argument, Chiron leaving to go separate the two.
"What's wrong?" Dionysus asked all though he sounded more annoyed and impatient than genuinely worried or concerned.
Nico sniffled, "Nothing," he whimpered out.
Dionysus sighed, "What? Can't be away from your sissy for more than five minutes?" He asked annoyed and sarcastically.
But it was the wrong answer because Nico started to violently sob, making the wine god startle as he looked over at Nico alarmed and cringed, of course he would say something and hit a nerve, why him? "I was just kidding!" He yelped putting his hands up, he didn't particularly care about any of the campers, however his goal was never to make them cry.
"Hey calm down. Why don't we go make hot chocolate?" This was the second time in the day he had made a camper cry, the first was one of Demeter's girls, which got him into quite a bit of trouble with Chiron. If he kept this up Chiron would almost certainly tattle and get him stuck at the camp for another fifty years.
Nico shook his head and continued to cry his sobs turning into wails, Dionysus decided it would probably be for the best to bring him into the big house, he sat Nico in front of the fireplace and made him hot chocolate, and just his luck that he would enter the kitchen and meet the eyes of Apollo's sun Lee Fletcher bandaging his younger brother Will Solace's hand, Will was sniveling and had his back turned to Mr. D, sitting on the counter. Lee met the gods eyes and rose a brow. Dionysus shook his head no with such an alarmed look that Lee really had to wonder what he had done to screw up worse than that Demeter girl crying. When he returned Nico was curled up in a ball laying down on the floor.
Dionysus sighed, "I'm sorry, Rico I didn't think that you would cry!" He said exasperated.
"My name is Nico!  I don't know what I did wrong. I don't know why everyone hates me! I don't know why Bi hates- Bianca hates me!" Nico shouted sitting up and glaring at Dionysus.
The god felt a pang of guilt Nico looked incredibly similar to that of a puppy who just got hit for barking, scared and unsure. His nose, cheeks, and eyes all red from his crying.
Finally the god sat next to him, "Nobody is mad at you or hates you that I know of." Dionysus said curious to see the boys reaction.
Nico scooted closer taking the hot chocolate from Mr. D and taking a sip off of it after being warned that it was still hot, "My sister and those stupid hunters hate me," Nico spat angrily.
Oh. Ooooh. That made a whole lot of sense, Artemis. Artemis hated all males it was a problem that many had tried to address, she didn't care how old if you were male she turned you away and her lieutenant Zoe, Dionysus almost killed her once after she told his wife Ariadne that she was a fool for trusting Theseus and essentially saying she was brain dead for marrying him. Dionysus sighed and teleported himself and Nico to his bedroom. He sat Nico at the end of his bed, and kneeled in front of him. He took both of Nicos hands in his.
"I promise you that your sister does not hate you. Nobody hates you. You haven't done anything wrong. Artemis and her hunt... tend to be stuck up," Dionysus said his voice losing all of its usual snark and sarcasm.

Then the nightmares started, Nico would never forget the first nightmare. He was standing in what felt like an endless void. Nothing but black space as far as the eye could see. There was ash and embers falling from the sky and the air smelled like chlorine and something inorganic burning like rubber or plastic. It was dark and he was all alone. Nico spun in a circle seeing the vast space went off in every possible direction. He had started walking forward, he knew he should be looking for something he just didn't know what. He walked forward nervously looking around, shockingly despite the floor looking like a void too it echoed with each step he took like that of a hard wood floor. He walked in silence until his eyes caught something off in the distance, apprehensively he took steps toward it. As he got closer he could make out the object, or rather figure, much better. Suddenly he realized it was Bi. He could tell by her green cap she always wore he ran to her but stopped not even two feet away. He felt as though he couldn't breathe. Her eyes were wide open her face permanently twisted with pain but there was something wrong about her, something so uncanny. As Nico took in his sister laying on the ground one arm outstretched in front of her, he took more details in. Her eyes seemed, empty? She had burn marks covering her, as well as Lichtenberg scars that ran up her neck and face. Nico saw that she wasn't moving at all.
"Bi?" Nico whimpered out slowly going to kneel beside her, he reached out and poked her startling himself in the process. He shook her shoulder to no avail, finally he rolled her onto her back. Nico felt like his heart had flatlined when he felt her icy cold skin. Her muscles were stiff as well. He screamed like a banshee when he realized she was dead.
Nico had been woken up that night to a bunch of very angry campers in the Hermes Cabin. He had woken up all of them shrieking in his sleep. He tried to explain what was happening despite being distraught but they all told him to suck it up, and that it was just a bad dream.
The next morning Nico barely ate breakfast, he didn't want to eat until he saw Bianca again, he didn't want to do anything until he saw Bianca again. His sister became the only thing he thought or really talked about. He ended up scraping over half of his food into the hearth for Apollo. Everyone told him repeatedly that his sister was fine and she would come back safe.

He would never forget when he was told Percy was back. He practically flew to the big house. Running as quickly as he could. Percy had a somber look and everyone avoided looking or making eye contact with Nico. Nico felt a pit of dread in his stomach Oh no. He thought to himself. Where is Bi? Where is Bianca?
"Hey," Nico said with a panicked smile, "Where- Where's my sister?"
Percy cringed and put on a very fake and very forced smile, "Hey, let's go for a walk, okay Nico?"
Percy told Nico that Bianca died. Nico was horrified and angry he grabbed what little belongings he owned and hit the streets fleeing camp in a fit of rage and despair. That night was a full moon he glared at the planet screaming at it as if the moon was Artemis. He accused the moon of killing his sister, taking his only family, ruining his life, before repeatedly shouting "I hate you! I hate you!" If Artemis was listening or cared in the slightest she didn't show it. Nico would grow to resent the night sky and to resent Artemis and her followers for what they did to his sister, his only living family.
—
So this is Chapter one, Faceless Moon is actually a song from the band The Frights if you feel like checking it out. This fanfic is being written before The Sun and the Star has been released so if Rick ends up canonically changing some of the main things that would contradict things in here (like the nightmares), I apologize. And incase anyone didn't/doesn't know what a Lichtenberg figure is, it is a type of scar that you can inly get from getting struck with lightning, I also wanted it to smell like lightning and some people claim lightning smells like burning plastic and some claim it smells like chlorine, but I specifically wanted it to be unpleasant. Please favorite and drop a review, you can also find me on tumblr at zaneeros feel free to DM me there about any comments or concerns or to follow me of you would like.