Chapter 17

201 15 0
                                    

Kronos did as he did in the first timeline, but this time instead of scaring him, it just pissed him off. He woke the mortals, told his monsters what to do, and ran away to Olympus.

Nico looked over at Percy, saw the questions in his eyes.

"Go," he ordered. "I'll take care of this battle. Go be the demigod of the prophecy."

Percy nodded and took off, Grover and Annabeth following, those sea green eyes battle-hardened. He was ready to hear the truth.

And when this battle was over, Nico would do as he promised and tell that truth.

But until then he conquered those around him, led the living just as he did the dead, made sure the monsters were being killed and the mortals were being saved. He didn't focus on if someone had been meant to die and now lived. He didn't let that get to him. His prophecy had told him enough about it.

.

.

.

.

.

(I was meant to go through time. All of this was written in fate. Maybe remembering you is also written in it)

(Maybe)

(What does 'bird' have to do with you?)

(It's my name)

.

.

.

.

.

Nico sat against the brick wall of the alley and caught his breath, one hand against his chest and the other keeping him upright. The last of the monsters were destroyed, he could only guess that Kronos was gone, he wanted to laugh at the fact that the old titan wasn't as smart as he originally thought.

But Bird was on his mind. His name was Bird. Or, that was the English equivalent of it.

My name was once Bird. And I remember.

And he did. Ever since he stabbed that last monster, ever since he felt Kronos die, his energy disappear, he remembered his second life. He remembered Bird.

And it was painful. It was painful as hell. But as he had said, he had been through worse. Much worse.

.

.

.

.

.

One of the Fates saw the memories were opened and sighed. Champion, you will never grow old. You never have and you never will. Dying young is your specialty. Keep that in mind before deciding to unlock your first taste at life and death.

.

.

.

.

.

"Son, stand up," Hades ordered, a hand held out to him. "It is time to journey up to Olympus."

Nico shook his head. The blinding pain of not having the one you love was fresh again. "You go, you are meant to. I'm going to stay down here and run search and rescue. Too many mortals got between us and our enemy today."

Hades stared at him with an unreadable expression before sighing, speaking in a tongue Nico wouldn't have recognized an hour prior. "Eun."

"Bird. My name."

Death's ReasonWhere stories live. Discover now