Nico Di Angelo and the Goblet of Fire •Book one of the Two Dark Lords series•

Chapter Eighteen

I point my sword at Harry's throat, letting the tip just slightly touch his pale skin. He swallows nervously and a smirk spreads across my face.

"I win." I say simply, and swing the blade of midnight black iron back gracefully before sheathing it in a loop on my belt. Harry sighs and tiredly gets back up, not that I blame him. we've been sparring for over two hours now, and he isn't used to the hard core physical training that we demigods do. He has a long way to go before he is nearly as good as Percy, Jason or I but he's doing quite well, especially for someone who has never held a sword. Of course I'm going easy on him, anyone in their right mind would. Even I am a little tired, although comparing myself to Harry would be like comparing a model to homeless man. I let out a small chuckle at the thought and step forward, smiling encouragingly at my friend.

"One more match and we can be done for the day." I say and he sighs in relief. I chuckle as I pull my sword back out in one swift motion, and watch as he does the same. I count down from three with my fingers. As I drop my hand to grip the hilt of my sword , Harry comes forward. I block his first two strikes and he blocks one of my own.
Not bad... I think and then continue to jab and swing at him. He manages to block a few more and then tries to jab at my stomach where there is a brief opening. Unfortunately for him, I knew that he would aim there and lock my sword under his own before thrusting up, causing the blade to fly out of his hands. It lands in the dirt a few feet away and I point my sword at his neck once again.
"Good job." I say. "You actually lasted a few minutes this time."

As we are walking back to the castle, I stare at the Harry's sword, which I so carefully crafted in my father's forges in the underworld. I made it with two different types of metal, which was apparently just like Luke Castellan's sword. The silver half can be used on wizards, muggles (or mortals, whichever you prefer, and other monsters from the wizarding world. The Stygian iron half can be used on dementors, demigods and Greek or Roman monsters... But I hope that he will never have to fight the last two.

We walk through the corridors in silence, bumping into Draco on the way. Draco nods to me and then returns Harry's glare. I roll my eyes at the two's foolish behaviour and pull Harry along. Once inside the common room, I turn to him and talk with a stern voice.
"Go and get some rest. The third challenge will be starting in a few hours, you'll need it." I order and thankfully he nods and heads upstairs without arguing.
You're turning into Will! A voice says in my head.

Shut up Apollo! I think back and I hear a chuckle before the sun god goes back to whatever he was doing before he so rudely interrupted my peaceful day.

Then something pops into my head from around a year ago. A memory of a certain blonde boy scolding a certain pale and energy-drained me. Wow, I really am turning into Will. I think.

I told you! I guess he's rubbing off on you. Apollo says once again and I scowl.
Get out of my head! I yell, inside my head of course, and I can almost feel his eyes widening.
Okay, yeesh! Apollo exclaims and he leaves my thoughts once again.

I decide to get some rest too. After all, with great power comes the great need to take a nap! So I lay down on the long couch in the common room, my hair just covering my eyes, and the silence and flickering of the fire place lulls me into a deep sleep.
At first my dream isn't really like a dream at all. It is all black around me, but I somehow know that I am in a dream, it almost feels as if I am drifting ever so slowly through an endless void. I don't know where I am or what this dream is about, and just as I think this, colours slowly start to filter into my vision and a scene takes place before me. I am in a room, hidden in the shadows. The room is dark and dusty and from the brown and mouldy window I can just barely make out the tops of trees. I must be upstairs. I think and then I realize.
I am not alone.
I peer around the corner and see two people crouched around the bottom of a chair. Someone, or rather something is sitting in the chair. And even though I can not see them clearly, I suddenly feel overwhelmed by how much death he radiates. But I can tell he isn't like me, this kind of power is different. It doesn't feel right, not at all. It feels like he is dead, but has many lives at the same time. And I immediately know what is going on.