Project Demigod (a Percico fanfic)

Chapter 29: No Mind, No Mercy

One of you called my imagination crazy... and I like that. Haha and I'm glad you all survived the last chapter. I know it was hard, and it was intentionally confusing to reflect the actual severity of the situation. Thanks for always being kind and patient and not giving up! :) Now here's another chapter – back in original format. The next installment will be out maybe in about a week or so?

ALSO I HAVE A VERY BIG PREDICAMENT OMGs IT'S DOWN AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER IF YOU WANNA KNOW!!!!

"I'm not afraid of tomorrow. I'm only scared of myself. Feels like my insides are on fire. And I'm looking through the eyes of someone else."

Empty field, time unknown

Piuuuuuu...

It was just like Wales. That horrible high-pitch ringing hurt their ears and muffled their voices.

"...m...my back!"

"Argh, w...where's..."

"Roll this way...m'over here!"

Nico, Hazel, and Percy all stumbled into a stand and held their breath, waiting for the field to blow. For a while, nobody heard or saw anything but the wind and hoarfrost–

Fwp!

Suddenly, something like an invisible wave washed over the three of them and a violent pulse in the air. It threw their hair up for a second and then the ground began to rumble. It was a tiny sort of earthquake that vibrated under their boots. It shifted the air and when they looked a mile away, back at the field, the sky around it lit up turquoise.

A second a later, the shockwave from the bomb hit them and the sky turned orange. Hazel stumbled back and covered her ears – her earplugs didn't seem to work.

Nico spun, feeling like a large hose just smacked into him. He yelped and tried to steady himself but when he turned all the way around, his eyebrows shot up. The bomb lit up the field, the snow, and he watched Hazel and Percy bend their heads in pain. Nico rushed forward.

Hazel heard boots coming toward her and peeked through her eyelids. She saw the prince's figure race at her and she tried to steady herself, ready to hold him – he flew right past her.

When she turned her head, the hacker watched as Nico slipped his arms around Percy Jackson's shoulders as he started to lean forward.

"What's wrong?!" Nico yelled but Percy dropped his chin on Nico's shoulder. Percy shook his head, not wanting to scare Nico and after a second, he took a deep breath – his newly sewn up bullet hole was stinging painfully under all their stress. He pulled his head up.

Percy looked down at him and Nico's chocolate-toned eyes took in his face – the fire behind the prince lit up the spy's smooth, clammy features. Percy frowned as Nico stood against him with his pale skin shadowed and irises glistening. Percy then turned Nico so the two of them could see the fire. They said nothing and imagined the company, Project Demigod, and everything miles beneath their feet disappear forever.

Hazel eyed them for the longest time. Her fist tightened in her glove.

Another ten seconds later, the orange light flickered away and a horrible rumbling in the dirt stopped. The three stayed silent until the light from the full moon adjusted their dilated pupils and the ice in the air pierced their lungs.

Nico was the first to move.

He slipped his arm out Percy's glove and moved away. His back was aching but he didn't want Percy to know that it was his fault that Nico had slammed twice against a concrete wall – but Hazel picked up on it. When Nico's boots crunched several steps away in the snow, Hazel glared at Percy.