~~~A Deep Dark Secret~~~

Chapter 18: Nico

---Chapter 18---

Nico's Pov

          I stared, wide-eyed, behind Jasmine. The cave, I thought. Gaea. Jasmine saw it, too, and looked at me, worryingly. Gaea hadn't risen yet, but the cave started glowing. 

          "Nico-go now. Please, you're going to get hurt if you don't leave. Go!" said Jasmine, pushing me away, hurrying.

          "Jasmine, wait. What about you? Come with us, or we're not leaving," I said, stopping Jasmine from pushing me away. She struggled, so I grabbed her hands, stopping Jasmine from moving.

          "Nico-I," started Jasmine before I cut her off.

          "No, we are not leaving without you. I'm not leaving without you," I said as Jasmine slowly stopped fighting. Her beautiful eyes bore into mine, now turning blue.Jasmine opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, I kissed her. Jasmine kissed me back, adding in desperation and sadness. I leaned back a little enough for me to look into her eyes, our heads against each other's. "Please," I whispered. She shook her head.

          "I-I'm sorry, Nico. I have to do this. If I don't, so many people will die," Jasmine told me, a tear rolling down her cheek. I wiped it off before she pulled away from me. 

          Kristina, dear, come now, said Gaea, in her cold voice, but it seemed more pleasant around Jasmine. She started walking towards the cave when I pulled her arm.

          "No, Jasmine, don't go! She's using you! I'm sorry for saying this, but Gaea is using you to fully rise! You are the most powerful demi-god in the world, probably more powerful than anyone on Olympus! She just needs your power to fully rise!" I said as I pleaded her not to follow Gaea. Jasmine just looked up at me, irritated.

          "Nico, stop!" she yelled, roughly yanking her arm out of my grip. "You're messing with my plan," Jasmine mumbled, but no one else heard it. Plan??? What is she going to do, anyway?? I thought, confused. Jasmine made her way to the front of the cave.

          Ah, Kristina, darling! Now, come a bit closer, please, said Gaea, again with the cold voice. Pure evil. Jasmine took a few more steps into the cave. It glowed more rapidly every step Jasmine took. Now, sweety, I may need a bit of your powers to rise. I only need a bit of blood from your finger, dear, and we shall be reunited once more. Can you please put a drip of your blood on that dirt-pile in front of you?  asked Gaea, more like ordered, as Jasmine was about to do as she was told.  That's when I erupted. 

          "Jasmine! Stop! I told you, she's using you!" I yelled, running to her and about to pull her away. Suddenly, a wall of earth surrounded Jasmine and the spot that Gaea told her to put her pricked finger. Before she was fully enveloped into the wall, I saw a tear escape her lovely blue eyes as she mouthed to me, 'I love you.' Out of desperation, I slashed against to dirt, with my sword, surrounding a locked-up Jasmine. Nothing. I turned to the seven who stared at the jail that Jasmine was in. "Well? Are you going to help me or not?! She's trapped! We have to help her!!! C'mon!!!" I yelled at  them, angry that they didn't bother to move or help me.

          "Nico-" said Annabeth, walking up to me and placing her hand on my shoulder. I roughly pulled away, too frustrated to even look at her.

          "No! Please, guys- we-" I started, but never finished. The earth that encased Jasmine started to glow more. 

          Kristina! Stop! No, Kristina, don't- we heard Gaea yell. She started screaming in pain. At last moment, I heard Jasmine yell out 'RUN' before screaming in agony. Gaea and her both.

          "Jasmine!!!" I yelled, trying to slash at the earth. Annabeth and  the seven hauled me away. Mount Tam began shaking. Along with the screams, the glowing looked more like burning.

          KRISITINA!!! screamed Gaea. Jason and Percy pushed me down, onto a ledge along with everyone else. Suddenly, everything above us burst. 

          "JASMINE!!!" I screamed, and that was the last thing that I can remember. 

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0.0 Cliffhanger! So here's the scenery; That thing Jasmine was in, like the 'earth jail' as Nico put it, yeah, it exploded. Btw I'm almost done with this book :<< Probably like 1 or 2 more chapters... Sad, I know. So, I'll try to update again today or tomorrow, but either way I'll update this weekend and most likely finish the book!!! :DD Kayy so, you know what to do ;DD

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