Heroes of Olympus - The Blood of Olympus (Discontinued)

Chapter 33 - Nico (the big one)

Chapter 33 - Nico

It only took the single opening of a door. One single twist of a knob; one single push of the wood frame, and Nico was instantly swept into a world of exhilaration... for about five seconds. 

Amphitryon opened the door, ducking inside the church, Nico following, and all the son of Hades saw was blackness - which was fine with him. The darker the merrier! He instantly refreshed himself, drinking in the shadows around him, absorbing their power, lulled by their feel. It sure was good to be at high strength again. 

But apparently, the darkness wasn't so good for the fox hunter. Almost as soon as Amphitryon entered the church, a massive ear-splitting SNAP! sounded from above, and a giant, heavy object dropped from the ceiling. Amphitryon looked up and let out a sheer cry of alarm as the object landed right on top of him, punching halfway through the tiled floor, shattered glass flying every which way. As Nico ran forward, he realized in that split second that it was a massive chandelier, every bulb broken. If Amphitryon was mortal, there was no way he would've survived that.

Looking up sharply, Nico was just able to catch the faintest outline of an orange white-tipped tail disappear behind an entire legion of rafters stretching across the ceiling from one wall to the other, forming sort of an attic high above them. 

"CURSE YOU, CADMEAN VIXEN!!" Amphitryon roared, struggling beneath the weight, his eyes locked on the ceiling. "CURSE YOU! Son of Hades, get this thing off of me!" 

Nico grabbed what handholds he could find on the brass light fixture, and with Amphitryon pushing underneath, the two of them shoved the chandelier a couple yards further into the room. The god stood, brushing the dust off him, readjusting his pack and weapons tied to his shoulders. In the light of the open door, Nice watched him angrily pump the lever-action of his shotgun as if to say, No more Mr. Nice Guy!

Amphitryon scanned the darkness around them. "Nico, close that door."

Nico turned, eyeing the open door that was letting in a beam of evening light. "Why?" 

"Please, just shut it," the god said, his back to Nico. 

Nico shook his head, mystified, but turned and shut the door to the church. Right as it clicked into place, the interior of the building was plunged into total darkness. As Nico's eyes began to dilute, he could just make out the outlines of two rows of benches forming an isle up the middle, leading to the altar. The only light they had bled through the cracks of boarded up windows above them. 

Why the windows were boarded up, Nico had no idea. He inhaled, and got a throat full of dirt and dust. Gods, Nico thought irritably. This place is overrun by dust bunnies... uggh. He shuddered thinking about it. 

He could just see the dark form that was Amphitryon, only a few paces ahead of him. How does a fox hide in a church? Nico repeated his thoughts from earlier. He stuck close to the god in front of him, his rifle clutched firm, pointing the barrel floor-ward, his finger resting beside the trigger. 

It was deathly quiet. Nico could hear his own breathing; inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. Goosebumps ran up his arms. A cold breeze sighed through the building, even though every window was boarded, every door, shut. 

When they reached the two rows of benches, Amphitryon turned ninety degrees. "Head down that side, lad," he murmured, pointing a finger at the benches to the right of them. "Then make for the altar. Slowly."

Nico nodded and turned, walking along the back row of benches. When he reached the opposing wall, he and the god moved forward at the same time, Nico on the right, Amphitryon up the middle. Nico was very aware that the left flank was exposed, but he tried to push his worries to the back of his mind, trying to convince himself that the hunter knew what he was doing.