Nikomedes and the Game of Olympus

Chapter 1, Act V - An Incomplete Reunion.

June eighteenth, 2010, Luke and I had packed everything into my inventory. We had been sitting in the living room, in front of the fireplace, waiting for Nico to arrive. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" Luke asked.

"I wouldn't trust another person more with this. Bianca, potentially, could, if it were anyone except for me she was bringing back. I'm paranoid she may look back out of worry. Nico, despite his sometimes childish habits, is much better in regards to putting aside temptation. He would be a phenomenal Roman." I noted.

He sighed. "Alright, but if something goes wrong, I'm blaming you."

Another few minutes passed before Nico appeared in the doorway. "Are you two ready?" He asked. Luke jumped, startled. I stood, and Luke followed my lead. "Yeah. Lead the way, Nico B." I said lightly, stretching. Now, unfortunately, ghosts can't shadow travel. Believe me, I've tried. So we had to go the old fashioned way, on our own feet.

I had been tempted to use photokinesis to cover us up, but I figured that magic was easily traceable from anywhere. However, we could just duck through Asphodel, which was our final decision. We bid Elysium goodbye, and we quickly jogged through Asphodel, ignoring the lost spirits on the way.

Getting back through the lines wasn't that bad, honestly. I just had to distract Cerberus with balls of ice and light again, and we were on our merry way. I sighed slightly, knowing this may be the last time I can be in the Underworld safely for a long time.

We jogged to the Door of Orpheus, and I smiled at the wall that was the Door. "Nico, you have to do it. I know you know some of the lullabies Bianca used with you, back in the Lotus." I told him seriously. He hesitated. I know I didn't tell him that he'd have to be the one to sing, but I knew he wouldn't come otherwise.

I heard wings flapping, and I tensed. The Furies were coming very quickly. I drew my trident, turning to them. "Nico, we need to go now!" I demanded, readying myself to throw the trident.

Another moment's hesitation, then he began to sing softly. The Door grinded open, and the two of them started to climb the stairs. I grimaced. I'd much rather use my key, but I wasn't sure it was safe to use while I was a spirit, so my trident was more reliable currently.

"Sorry, you three!" I shouted, throwing my trident. Using hydrokinesis to keep it airborne, and on target, it passed through Alecto, reducing her to dust, then twirling back around to impale Megaera, then running Tisiphone through her side. The three faded to dust, and I leapt up the stairs, catching up with the duo.

"Don't look back, Nico! We're here, and out of danger. Just keep going." I urged. He didn't show any sign of hearing me. Eventually, I felt myself becoming more solid. Organs growing back, veins and arteries being replaced, blood running through me once again, and finally, my skin settling back.

But with that, of course, I was reduced back to normal, and my soul was back in its place, so Cyrus was no longer able to interact with me or the world. As soon as we reached the surface, emerging back in Central Park, multiple things happened. Thunder rumbled, and lightning struck a few feet from us.

I got a notification from the System, and my HP, which had been sitting at a static 0/0, was now back to a little under what I had after bathing in the Styx in terms of my physical stats.

My guess with my physical stats was that they actually improved to that level, bringing my physical stats with the curse much higher than they had been from just after I took the Styx bath, which meant I no longer had the curse of Achilles.

Now, as for the System notification, it was notifying me of a completed quest.

Quest Complete!