Sliver Of Shadow

Hearing Voices

In his dreams, Nico stood in a dirty cell. Beside him crouched Mesperyian, thankfully unaware of his presence in the darkness. She seemed to be absolutely ecstatic, humming under her breath as she sharpened some knives.

"Time to begin the hunt!" The goddess rasped to herself. "Yes, yes! We will have fun, you and I." Nico wasn't sure what she meant, but he had a very, very bad feeling…

The scene shifted.

Now he lounged on a comfortable couch in a white office. People milled about around him, carrying devices varying from chainsaws to lawn mowers to scissors. He himself carried a sleek black iPad.

"Well?"

Nico jumped, only just noticing that one of these people were sitting across from him, tapping his foot impatiently.

"What?" He replied, but it wasn't Nico's voice that came out. This voice was deeper and richer - the voice of Thanatos.

"Are you just going to leave all this work to me again? You've been missing for four months, you know." At a closer glance, Nico realized that the person speaking was Anubis, Egyptian god of funerals. Wait. What was he doing here?

His own mouth answered that for him. "Well, I apologize for being captured and tortured by a disfigured psycho girl. That was definitely part of my plan when I was told to guard Eros. Besides, you've taken over for me as boss before, during the Giant War. This time shouldn't be any different."

"That's the point," grumbled Anubis. "It isn't any different - all I can do is keep everyone from killing each other. No one is reaping souls, and no mortals are dying. I don't control death like you do."

Thanatos-with-Nico-hitchhiking-in-his-head, glared. "Shouldn't you Egyptians have someone who does this job too? Why must you rely on Greeks for everything?"

"We might've, at one point… but I can't really remember. After you appeared, he kind of faded away." Anubis rubbed his temples. "But that's not the point. Are you or are you not going to resume control over these overly irritating, suicidal reapers? Because I can't stand another minute here."

"No." Thanatos sighed with a hint of annoyance. "I already told you, most of my essence has been forcibly stuffed inside a demigod - like you and the magician Walt. Only difference is, I can't leave my host. So until Nico di Angelo can be taught to command the entire system of grim reapers…"

"I'm stuck here babysitting." Anubis finished with a scowl. "...Oh, fine - if I must. But still, without death -"

"Don't worry… I'll come back soon - either when I have figured out how to separate the two of us, or when I have taught Nico enough to be an adequate personification of Death." Thanatos said, using the most reassuring tone he could muster. "Di immortales. I'm sure that brat Mesperyian planned this somehow… But I can't figure out her plans. Why would she want to combine the two of us in such a fashion? What good would that do her? What good would that do any of us?"

"I have no idea." Anubis replied, trying to put up a facade of nonchalance. "But it won't do you any good to ponder this stuff either. Besides, you're mostly free now, at least. So hurry up and train Nico, or whatever."

"Will do." Thanatos muttered with no hint of any enthusiasm whatsoever. "See you, Anubis."

The vision went pitch black.

- Two hours (or what felt like it) later. -

"So." A voice spoke out of nowhere, startling Nico out of his dozing. (Can one doze in dreams?)