The Rewind of Time

Who's Nico?

Nico couldn't remember what had happened. It had to be just one second ago, he was fighting Kelli, that stupid empousa that just wouldn't leave him alone, with his boyfriend Will. I mean seriously! What in the name of Hera does that monster have against them?

Then, there was this blinding light, followed by this awful ringing sound, and he was laying on the floor of the dining pavilion of Camp Half- Blood.

Nico blinked, trying to clear his eyes. Thinking he was just hallucinating or something. He noticed a large figure slowly approaching him. At the moment he wasn't thinking clearly, and thought it was a monster.

He jumped up, and twisted the silver and ruby studded skull ring on his finger, producing his long Stygian iron sword in his hand. He stood in position, ready to fight, but noticed something strange.

"Hold up- is that Chiron?" Nico didn't have the best relationship with the centaur, but knew him well enough to know what he looked like. The large man, well, horse-man, stood in front of him, with his bow strung. He quickly looked around, because he didn't remember Chiron being with them when they were fighting.

He took in his surroundings, and noticed that he was back in Camp Half-Blood. But something was strange with everyone. He just couldn't place his finger on it. He momentarily forgot about Chiron coming near him, and lowered his sword, just slightly and peered at the campers.

"Why does everyone look younger?" He shook his head, "Shouldn't there be more tables..." He did a double take when his eyes landed on Percy.

Wait- Percy!? Percy is supposed to be in New Rome, studying with Annabeth. This isn't the tan, muscular, tall man, with stunning sea green eyes that you can just get lost i-

"No! Bad Nico. You have Will now, and you are over Percy,"

Then he realized, if Percy looks so young, is Annabeth here with him? Nico frantically looked around for the Athena table, trying to find Percy's girlfriend. He quickly found a much younger looking Annabeth sitting with her half siblings.

Nico must have stared at her for too long, because then Annabeth looked up at him and met his eyes with a startled expression... and screeched.

There was a moment of silence before everyone started yelling. The older campers were reaching for their weapons and jostling everyone to prepare them to fight this unknown boy.

"SILENCE!" Chiron boomed, (kaboom) demanding the chaos to stop. He then turned toward Nico and raised his bow. In a slightly softer voice he asked, "Did the gods send you, child?"

Nico took a moment to process that Chiron was talking to him, and blinked. "What?"

"Yeah, who are you?" A yell voiced from the crowd of campers. Then followed by another voice, "It could be a monster!"

Then a tall boy pushed himself to the front of the crowd, with his sword also in hand. The teen had short, blond hair with a scar going down the side of his face. He stood with authority and poise. He spoke with a commanding voice that left Nico in shock, but also in rage.

"Identify yourself, monster." That made Nico's blood boil. He called upon more shadows and uttered one word, his voice was laced with vengeance.

"Luke." He growled, taking a step forward

"That traitor, how dare he call me a monster? He holds himself with such authority like he owns this palace. That piece of scum- deserves to rot in Tartu- NO. Not that place." Nico masked his thoughts with a steely gaze, but it faltered a bit when he thought of that..

"You traitor..." Nico's voice was deep and full of hatred and he raised his sword to Luke's chest. He was too angry to process what he was doing.

Everyone was shocked. They had no clue what was going on and who this mysterious boy who knew Luke's name was.

But then, a small body pushed their way to the front. Shaking Nico from his thoughts.

"Stop speaking to Luke like that! How do you know his name, and who are you?"

The girl stared at him with gray eyes that he knew all too well.

He stumbled back, the shock of everything finally getting to him. His sword retracted back into his ring and he clutched his head, trying to organize his thoughts. He didn't know what was going on, and he just wanted to be with Will.

Chiron lowered his bow and took a step away and signaled for Luke to lower his weapon as well. "Who are you, and how do you know the names of these campers?"

His words held no harm, just plain curiosity, because he now knew this was just a boy, maybe a half-blood, but not a monster.

The boy raised his head and spoke, "Nico." His voice was smooth and deep, with a slight Italian accent. He sounded shocked.

"Were you sent by the gods, Nico?" Chiron questioned.

Nico scornfully laughed, "The gods? Sent by the gods?" he repeated. Just the idea seemed ridiculous. After the second Giant War, he asked to have nothing to do with them, except for some occasional visits to the underworld to visit his father, Hades. (someone has to keep him in line)

"I owe the gods nothing. Why would I be sent by them?" He bit his words out, his stomach churning in response.

"Is everybody just going to ignore the fact that he knows our names?" Annabeth piped up again. She stood closer to Luke with her dagger in hand.

"At ease, my child." Chiron said, making a gesture for her, and then everyone who still had their weapons up to lower them. "But, that indeed is a good question." He faced Nico again. "How do you know the names of these campers?"

Nico looked at Chiron weirdly before replying.

"I know them." He said it like it was obvious. Nico then internally smacked himself for sounding so stupid. "I mean- well yeah, I do know them." He couldn't think of anything else to say.

Chiron tried again for a clearer answer, "How do you know them though?"

"Well, they are my friends. But, younger...I guess." His eyes widened in realization of what could have happened. "Shit, is Percy even claimed?"

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