NICO POV
Will was talking about his patients again, but I'm not really paying attention. I had too long of a day to listen to this hippa violation. Making my peas into a smiley face didn't help my uneasiness that's been following me throughout the evening either. My muscles have been so tense, it's making me sick. Something is going to happen, and it better happen soon before I throw up. The peas swirled in a whirlpool fashion around my fork. Gods, I'm such a child. I go for one more stab as a sharp pain shocks my vision.
"PLEASE... SOMEONE SAVE HER... someone save my daughter..." A weakened voice rang through my ears. Startled, I twitched my head from my plate to the rest of the dinner. Everyone was still laughing, enjoying their meals. Great so I'm hearing voices again. But it sounded like...
"...You good?" I didn't notice Will stopped talking to stare at me. His face painted with worry.
I felt like a fish gasping for air, "You didn't hear that?"
"No??" Will's eyebrows raised so far up they became his hairline.
"I- I'll be right back..." I stood up from my seat and out of the pavilion. A few other campers glanced up from their meals at my sudden movement, but lost interest quickly. Will on the other hand, had his eyes on me the whole way out. He can probably sense my uneasiness. He is my boyfriend and a doctor after all.
I allow my instincts to lead me. The wind picks up as I near the forest; the whispers after I enter. Some are a quick, "Please!!" here and there, while others are hardy screams for someone to save, "my daughter" whoever she is. I brandish my sword as the whispers quicken with each step farther from camp. Was this a prank? Or a new soul hoping that I'll make it in time.
Either way... it really sounded like it was Percy calling for me.
I blinked and the forest in front of me shifted. Went from our well-kept, wild pine grove, into hell's doorway. Trees were bent, snapped in half. Huge footprints tore up the dirt-- chasing who knows what. Probably the daughter of the voice.
A scream confirms my suspicions. I run, following the monster's footsteps, towards the girl. Branches threaten to trip me as they lay in heaps on the path. My breathing becomes ragged as I hear the terrible crashings of the beasts ahead of me. The girl cries and curses slice the air in front of her. This one was a survivor, but on her own—not for much longer. I finally make it to the beast-made clearing, charging in front of the girl. Short, messy black hair, clothes filthy with the dirt kicked by the dogs. Oh thank the gods she's alive.
I block the strikes of the beasts in front of me. They were nightmarish, greyhound-looking hellions. Body's big as a moose, black as the void. Only their eyes and mouths showed any kind of light. Oil-like shadows dripped off the dogs as I swung my sword to hold them off. Their barks like nasty demon screams. The two of them were hard enough to battle on my own, much less protecting a young girl.
I heard a scared cry behind me. I look, but immediately regret the decision. The dog I was battling grabs my leg with it's mouth and flings me to the closest adjacent tree. Two dogs stood between me and the girl cowering at the bass of a large pin oak.
I got to my knees as both of the dogs lunged, mouths open for the kill. The girl screamed and threw one hand out as the other covered her face. A small spark of magic, the same color of the dogs, flew from her fingers to the dog's nostrils. The dogs' bodies crumple and slide towards the tree. I thought I failed, that she was dead, but her soul was intact to her body so I was wrong.
I stumbled to my feet and wobbled my way towards the pileup. I get maybe three meters away and a wave of magic forms around me. I saw the girl and the two, now normal sized but same colored, dogs sitting peacefully. I took another step farther up right as one of the dogs spoke.
"You're 'Dessi's little one?" A confused growl flowed up its maw.
The second one yawned and laid down, "Her scent changed but her spirit flows through you."
"You know my mom?" The girl looked at the dogs cautiously. No doubt she's as weirded out by this as I am.
"She's our best friend. Best friend of Diaa and Dingo!" The upright dog's tail started to wag. These creatures are bipolar as fuck dude.
"And which one's Diaa and which one's Dingo. You look the same." The girl said softly. Her voice raspy from the screaming.
"I'm Diaa and-" The upright dog said. Not to be nearly knocked over by the now-very-excited-laying-down-dog who popped up, only to shout, "AND I'M DINGO!!!"
The girl laughed, "I could have guessed"
"Now why did 'Eos send us after you? If you're from 'Dessi, we are yours as well as hers." Diaa said as Dingo was rolling on his back, completely ruining his scary beasty look.
"We will be your best friend too!! We will protect you!!" Dingo yapped through a very happy dog smile.
I unconsciously took a step backwards, ultimately stepping on a twig that snapped on stereotypical levels. All three heads were snapped in my direction.
"Oh hello, I forgot you were here." Diaa trodded happily towards me. Dingo stayed rolling around in the dirt, amusing the girl who was laughing and petting his stomach. "Are you a friend as well? You come to save little one?"
I nervously looked down at the dog, "...yes?"
"GREAT!! Then we are of no threat! We shall join you on your quest!"
"The 'quest' you speak of is bringing the girl here to camp." Both dogs looked at me expectantly, "I guess you guys can come as long as you stay at this size and DON'T eat anyone." I rolled my eyes as the dogs jumped around like children after their mom agreed to take them to mcdonalds.
I walked over to the girl, who was still sitting on the ground, and reached out my hand to her, "You got a name?"
She took my hand and her eyes were striking, "Amara. What about you, stanger?" One eye beautifully silver and gold rings, the other electrifying sea-green. There's no way this isn't Percy's kid in some way. I'll be shocked if it's not.
"Nico."
/////////// TIME SKIP //////////////
Many of the campers were leaving the diner when Amara and I walked in. Will was still sitting in the same seat, eating with a few stragglers at the Apollo table. He looks up at me, then Amara, then back at me. He laughs, "Your senses still cease to amaze me."
Amara looked at me uneasily as I guided her to Will. She had a few scrapes here and there, but she showed me a major burn on her side as we shadow traveled back to camp. I nodded at her and she lifted her t-shirt enough for Will to inspect the wound. He gently poked it and her muscles spasmed away from his touch. A hiss escaping her mouth.
Will pulled a bag of ambrosia cubes out of his pocket and took out one ,"You're a demi-god, right?"
"A god." Amara had a habit of being blunt.
Will coughed his shock off and emptied the bag into his hand and gave it to Amara. "What is your domain?"
Amara sits down next to me, right across from Will on the very edge of the table,"Uh, I'm not exactly sure yet. I'm not sure what my parents' powers are either. We were separated when I was the size of a 5 year old and now I feel like I'm 12." She scratched the back of her head, eyes locked on her feet. Must be a sore topic still.
Diaa stretched out and yawned at her feet, "Mercy and Childhood Trauma. You also have domain in the deepest sea called the Twilight zone. At least, that's what 'Dessi told us that it would be from a prophecy."
Amara scoffed, "That's a-? Weird assortment?" I snickered as Will looked at both of us like we were crazy. Diaa, ignored all of our responses and yawned again.
"Got it from your parents. Chaos and water." If Percy is the water, who is the chaos.
Will holds two fingers on the bridge of his nose, "Hold on. Did you just talk to the... dog?"
"Yep. The demon dog can talk." I smirk.
"HEY! Rude. I am a CHAOTIC being, not DEMONIC" Dingo yapped. He was a lot less dignified than Diaa. Probably why this 'Dessa called him "Dingo"
"Same thing." She muttered. Amara looked at me with Percy's smirk. Will's brows were almost touching with concern that I had to laugh at him. I hand Amara a glass of water that I hadn't touched from earlier. She chugged it.
He shakes his head and sighs,"Weeeee'll keep that fact on a need-to-know basis... could be useful for the upcoming war."
"War?" Amara coughs on her water. I sighed. Only Will would talk about war on a camper's first day at camp.
"A year ago we got a new prophecy about another war." I scratch the wooden table with my pointer. And without our best warrior as well.
"Another? Sounds like you guys are used to this kind of thing." Amara attempts to take another sip of water while making eye contact with me and Will.
"It's not a good thing to be used to." I mutter. Thanks to Happy-go-lucky sunshine boy over here, the mood tanked once again. I glared at him to fix it, I didn't want to be sad about Percy if I was potentially sitting next to his daughter.
He coughed, "ANYWAY~ We are pleased that you made it here safe. It looks like you barely missed a darker end. Nico will show you the ropes around the dining hall so you can get some dinner before bed. Many campers have already left, but please do take as much time as you need." Amara nods and makes her way over to the plates at the back of the plaza. I stand up as well, only to be pulled down by my boyfriend. Oo yay! A kiss!
"See what table she's drawn to." He whispers in my ear. Aw, not a kiss. Will sneaks out of the plaza after Amara and I are preoccupied with the sacrifice ritual. I glance at Amara in the middle of me explaining, and I see her face fall.
"I miss them." She whispered. Her movements hindered as she just stared into the fire.
"Who?" I bring my voice down to match hers. We watched the flames dance together as her breath grew ragged.
"My parents. A monster attacked us and my papa told me to run as they were dragged in the lake."
"I'm sorry to hear that." I sigh as I put a hand on her shoulder. "What were they like?"
She laughed hard enough to knock my hand off her shoulder and started to walk towards the tables. She smiled as she sat, "Like young lovers who had too much to worry about. Always bickering and laughing and crying depending on the night.. Very bipolar."
"Ah." We're at the Poseidon table. "I can't wait to meet them."
"You probably already have. My father always told me bedtime stories about a camp full of demi-gods and other mythical creatures. That's this place, right?"
I smile, "Spot on. Does your dad happen to have a name?" I leaned back and folded my arms. This is the moment of truth.
She places her hand on her chin, lips curled in thought, "I've only heard it a few times when I was younger. My mom liked her nicknames. It's something like.. Perc? Persay?" A single, "HA" from me startles her. Her eyes wide in confusion as she scans my smile.
"Percy. His name is Percy Jackson."