Nico couldn't believe his eyes. Through the greasy window, Will stood hunched over the counter, his once-bright sunshine hair a mess. His eyes, usually bright blue like the sky, but clouded with madness now, were bloodshot and wild.
"I said Apollo! The blondie archer one, not the gloomy skull-obsessed jerk!" Will slammed a crumpled twenty on the counter, his voice cracking.
The McDonald's worker, a pimply teenager with a nametag reading 'Dylan,' cowered behind the register. Will's hands trembled, his knuckles white. This wasn't the calm, collected Will Nico knew. This was... terrifying.
Nico watched, heart hammering a frantic rhythm against his ribs. He needed to get to Will, but when? Shadow travel was risky, especially with Will in this state.
"Look, buddy," Dylan stammered, voice barely above a whisper. "We, uh, we don't have Mythomagic figures anymore." A bead of sweat trickled down his temple.
Will lunged forward, his face contorted in rage. "Lies! I saw them through the damn window! Don't play dumb with me!" He slammed his fist on the counter, making the plastic ketchup dispenser wobble precariously.
Nico winced. He couldn't let this escalate. Thinking fast, he focused on the shadows pooling beneath a nearby oak tree. This was it. He had to get in there.
The world dissolved into inky blackness. Nico reappeared with a gasp behind the counter, right next to a hollering Will. Before Will could react, Nico launched himself onto his back, wrapping his arms tight around Will's neck.
Will thrashed wildly, a strangled cry escaping his lips. Nico squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on the soothing rhythm of his own breath.
"Shh, shh, it's okay, Will, it's alright. It's me, Nico."
Slowly, Will's frantic movements subsided. His ragged breaths grew steadier, the tension seeping out of his body. Nico held on tight, guiding them towards the exit. They slipped past Dylan, who stared at them with wide, terrified eyes.
Nico pushed open the door, the cool night air a welcome relief on his clammy skin. He maneuvered them out of the harsh glare of the golden arches and into the shadows. He felt a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, he'd reached him.
"There," Nico murmured, loosening his hold slightly. "See? It's okay now."
A cold, humorless chuckle sent shivers down Nico's spine. He turned, heart plummeting, as Will whipped around, eyes gleaming with a manic glint. The Mythomagic Apollo figure, ripped from its packaging, was clutched in his hand, the golden plastic glinting in the moonlight.
"See, Nico?" Will's voice was a low growl. "Not Hades. Never Hades." He lunged forward, the plastic Apollo raised high. Nico barely had time to duck before it sliced through the air where his head had been a moment ago.