Light in the Darkness - Nico X Reader

Chapter 21, Why?

"Nico, wait!" I called after him.

He vanished behind a tree, shadow travelling away.

What's he going to do to himself? Honestly, I'm fine. I ran through the trees, my hair whipping in the wind. The soft rustle of wind through the leaves sounded from high above, deep within the woods at Camp Half Blood.

Where could he have gone? I mean, Nico wanders around late at night because he doesn't sleep very well. How does he avoid the cleaning harpies? I don't know.

He could have shadow travelled anywhere. Time was running out. I had to get back before dinner.

Should I find help? Yeah.

I sifted through the trees, leaping over roots, ducking under branches, running wild and free. Maybe this is what it's like to be a huntress... no. I have Nico, I can't just leave him.

Reaching the clearing, I lost speed, adrenaline leaving my veins. I need to find Annabeth, she'd know what to do.

Obviously, she'd either be in the Athena cabin or with Percy. I decided to go to the Poseidon cabin, mainly because Percy could help if he was with Annabeth.

I knocked on the door impatiently. Heaving quietly, I set my hands on my hips, catching my breath. The door opened to a slightly flustered Percy and Annabeth hiding in the back corner of the room. You'd think that after all she'd been through she'd be a better hider.

"Breaking camp rules again, I see," I scolded. Looking into the messy cabin reminded me of my first night at camp. Arriving with Levi, meeting Nico. Good days.

Percy awkwardly smiled. "Let us off?" He sent me his signature goofy smile.

"Nope,"

He tried for his pleading seal face. "Please?" This 17 year old honestly still behaves like a child.

"Fine, but only because I need help," I stated.

"Help? Why?" Annabeth asked.

"Nico, he's gone," I said.

"Gone? Gone how?" Percy asked. "I swear, if it's Hera again-"

"He thinks he hurt me. He ran off," I explained.

"Did he?" Annabeth questioned.

"Unintentionally. He kind of... slammed a door on my nose,"

"That's not terrible, is it?" Percy commented.

"No, I'm fine, I just can't find him!" I kicked a nearby houseplant.

"Whoa, whoa. Don't hurt my plant. We'll help you find him, okay?" Percy said.

"O-okay," I stuttered.

"Please don't go titanium," Annabeth pleaded

"I won't,"

They grabbed their weapons and headed out. We split up by the woods, Percy taking the left, Annabeth taking the right, and me going through the center. We told Chiron before so he could send campers to go after us if we didn't come back.

Through the trees, into the woods. Moonlight seeped through the leaves, the cold air stinging my fingers. I arrived in a clearing. I unconsciously arrived in the little meadow Nico and Calypso created for me.

The flowers flowed gently, swaying in the wind. After all this time, the meadow stayed the same. I've never noticed the pattern they were laid out in.

I tried to enter my titanium state, hovering high above the meadow to look st the flowers.

Three rings, a silver, an amber and a ring of pink. The Colors of the three. Athena, Hecate, Aphrodite. The Phoenix Tears scattered around the rings, forming words in Ancient Greek.

Crystal

Crystal? Like my dagger? I landed slowly, took Crystal off and laid it on the ground. A soft rumble sounded as the ground split open at the centre, the only patch of grass with no flowers. A spiral staircase made of quartz leaded down.

I carefully made my way underground. A stupid decision. A beautiful Greek styled room was at the bottom. A large pane of glass on the right wall showed the woods, the cliffs, the lakes. This room was on the side of a cliff, embedded inside the rock.

The room was a large flat, decorated beautifully with glass, grey, white, and blue furniture, and crystals. They hung from the ceiling, lighting up the room.

"I see you've figured it out," I turned and saw Athena.

"Mom?"

"You've passed the trials, the trial for Love, Magic, and Wisdom. Following your heart into the woods, using your magic to open this chamber, and using your wits to figure it out."

"Trials? What?"

"Your boyfriend Nico ran off, but was then captured by an old force. We have set trials to test you of your strengths, to see if you can embark on this quest with the all-famous 7 demigods," She paused. "But this will be different from the rest. You will have to travel within your mind landscape, a place vast and unknown. Many men have gone mad inside their minds. Beware, child."

"I wish you well. You've done me proud already," She vanished.

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A/N Doing this one early. Anyway, Merry almost Christmas? I'll try to update more over the holidays. Byeyeyeyeyeye

~BlueFandoms~