The Angel of Death

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

This was so stupid. Everything was stupid, I was stupid. I knew Percy said it was okay for me to be upset, but after spending so many hours away from that damn mansion, I was beginning to see just how much I had probably overreacted. Stupid.

Things had been going downhill for a while, I realised. I don't know where it began, or if it even had a beginning point. Maybe I had never been cut out for a family life. Maybe I was destined to be alone. I was known as the Ghost King, and I had never before thought it could have a literal meaning. Maybe the only people I was meant to matter to were the dead I commanded.

I hadn't been lying when I said I really was trying to be a part of their family. I liked it there, as much as I could like anywhere. But Gods, was it suffocating! Did families normally care so much about each other? Did they care, or were they just suspicious of me? Dick had said it himself, he knew I was hiding something. I felt bad for what I said to him. I was freaked out from that dream, and everything seemed- in the moment- like it was closing in on me. I had to get away, and I did so the only way I knew how.

I ran. Literally, this time. I didn't know where I hoped to end up, or if I ever wanted to leave. Most of my stuff was back at the mansion, except for what I had on me now, which wasn't much. My dagger was back in my room, but I had my skull ring. Fat lot of good it would do me against the biggest threat in this city- humans.

I really should head back. It's getting late, Jason's probably worried about me. I wondered if anyone else noticed I was gone, or if maybe Jason had told them I ran off. I couldn't imagine they'd be happy with me. This wasn't the first time I had left with no warning, and knowing me, it probably wouldn't be the last either. Maybe it really was best for me to not go back at all. I could wait until I knew no one would be around, and I could sneak back into my room to get my stuff. Then I could leave for good. Hide out in Italy somewhere. That sounded nice.

It sounded lonely.

I turned a corner, realising I was hopelessly lost. I was still in Gotham, but without the ability to read any of the street signs, I had no idea where I was. I didn't care too much. Was I ever really lost if I could go anywhere in the entire world on a whim? I only stayed in Gotham because I was still battling with whether or not to go back to the Waynes.

A loud howl interrupted my thoughts and I jerked my head up. The sound trailed off eerily. Were there wolves in Gotham? Some cities had wolves. It was probably just harmless. Another howl, louder and closer than the last split the air and I jumped, eyes fixing on every shadow that seemed to quiver with malice. My heart felt like it was beating irrationally loud. I had faced down worse than some starving wolves.

Unless they weren't starving wolves, and they were three Hellhounds slinking at me from across the street with angry, glinting red eyes. Because yeah. That was not good. Better than a freaking Titan, but still very much not good.

I twisted my ring, gripping the handle of my sword and swallowing. I could run off, but it was more than likely that they would be able to track my scent, even if I shadow-travelled. Hellhounds used the same sort of magic I did when travelling, and they would be able to catch up to me easily, no matter what. So fighting was the only option. At least if I was here, they would probably leave the mortals alone. I wasn't sure how demigods smelled to monsters, but I was guessing it must be like a five-star dessert buffet if they were always chasing us around like starving, rabid zombie babies.

The first of the three, the largest, lunged at me and I ducked under its outstretched front paws, slicing a clean line along its underbelly as I came out of my roll. It whimpered and a second later exploded into gold dust. The second and third wolves were smarter, tag-teaming me. They came quickly, from both sides to attack simultaneously as two more wolves entered the fray- one jumping down from somewhere above me to the left and the other leaping at me from behind. That made a total of four huge Hellhounds against one tiny me. I didn't like those odds. If I wasn't so concentrated on not getting any of my appendages bitten off and trying not to get herded into an alley or a doorway, I could have summoned a whole army of skeletons to fight with me.

I was proud of being able to manage myself with only a few close calls leaving me a shallow slice along my thigh and a scraped-up cheek, until someone jumped down from the rooftop across the street. "Nico!" It was the fucking Batman, come to save the day. Only his weapons would be wholly ineffective and he would probably get eaten.

"What the Hades are you doing here!" I grunted, delivering a blow to one of the hound's hind legs that left it to stumble, giving me an opening to drive my sword through its skull and send it back to Tartarus. This, unfortunately, left me open to attack from behind, and before I could swing fully around, one of the hounds latched its jaw around my shoulder and took me to the ground. I shouted as teeth dug deep into my flesh, scraping bone but I was able to twist and jab the thing in its shoulder. It let me go, growling in pain.

"Yeah, fucker. Doesn't feel too good, huh?" I was distracted again by Bruce appearing at my side. He was holding a batarang in one hand, shielding me with the other. What was it with these people and fucking underestimating me? It was them who couldn't do shit to protect themselves.

"What are these things, Nico?" Bruce asked as the three remaining hounds circled us, eyeing their new opponent.

"They're Hellhounds. Giant, piss-angry dogs that usually travel in packs and like to try to eat me. I have it handled. You need to get out of here."

"You 'have it handled'? Seems like they were doing a pretty good job of eating you a few minutes ago. I'm the adult, Nico, let me protect you."

"Your weapons won't work against them. You can't protect me." I jumped at one of the wolves at the same time it leapt at me. I twisted midair and disappeared into the darkness that was abundant during nighttime. I reappeared over top the beast, dropping onto its back and plunging my blade into its skull. It burst into dust immediately, leaving me to roll to the ground and come back up in time to intercept the second-last hound jumping at Bruce, who was using his hands to fend off the last one, batarang lying forgotten on the pavement.

I tackled the fleabag from the side, throwing us both to the ground. I managed a hit to its midriff and it caught its claws across my chest, pulling a pained grunt from my snarling mouth. It twisted us so I was pinned to the ground, forced to put my strength into using my sword to keep its jaws from snapping around my neck.

A shudder rolled down my spine as I let my wings free, the razor feathers slicing the thing's head clean off, not even allowing it time to whine in realisation before it was gone. For a moment, I lay on the ground before heaving my battered body up and over to where Bruce struggled, hands forcing his own hound's jaw open, trying to avoid its viciously swiping claws. I drove my sword down through its chest, pining it down before it too burst into gold dust that soaked into the ground.

I let my wings fade back into my skin with an unpleasant tingling feeling as I leaned on my sword. All the adrenaline that kept my bleeding, injured self upright and fighting leaked away, leaving me to feel every cut and wound I had. It also left me to feel the overwhelming need I had to just sleep. Somewhere I wouldn't have to be alone, where I wouldn't have to bandage my own wounds or worry that I would pass out or die and no one would know. The feeling was so overwhelming I wanted to cry for how much I was taking it all for granted.

"I know you have a lot of questions, but please, Bruce, can we just go home?" 

le gasp! another chapter?! 

wow you all guessed it, nico got into trouble! But this is also the first time he's referred to the mansion as his home, so progress? 

and hmm is it ever a weird coincidence that right after Will (who is at camp) says that nicos in gotham city, nico gets attacked by monsters. How strange and definitely not related in any way whatsoever!