PROLOGUE
"Did I make your proud?" Her golden eyes were dimming, and he held back tears.
"Yes." He didn't hesitate to answer, and she smiled softly.
"That's all I ever wanted... Thank you for being... my brother.... I love you, Nico." She was fading, but while she still had a life, he would stay strong.
"I love you, too." Nico told her, showing affection for the first time in years. He couldn't stop the single tear from tracing his cheek, but it seemed to make Hazel happy to know someone would mourn her.
"Please," She told him as the light in her eyes was slowly snuffed out, "Find happiness." Then she went limp, and Nico could feel her soul leave her body. Just like he felt everyone else's.
He screamed in pure, unadulterated fury. His eyes closed, and darkness surrounded him. He walked past the bodies of half of the camp, and the golden dust on the ground was sucked into his sword. As he walked, power slowly gathered around his body. Demigods and monsters alike froze, and let him pass. Nico was numbly aware that his entire body was now encased in a black aura of death, shadows, and terror.
"You've been watching me." Nico was calm and casual, but somehow he was more terrifying than if he were angry, "You saw what I did to my enemies." He swung his sword casually, and it encased itself in red, something no one there had seen before, "But trust me when I say that this?" He laughed menacingly, "This is so much worse."
"Fight me." The opponent he was challenging goaded in a twisted sneer, "Make me fade."
Nico shot out a wave of power, knocking everyone away, and killing every monster, and evil soul around him except his opponent, who he just purposely knocked to the ground, "Very well, Gaea." The earth primordial's eyes widened as the black sword glowing blood red struck her in the chest. There was an explosion of light, and a scream of terror. Nico simply stared, before shadow traveling away. The demigods, who had been knocked out by the blast, slowly awoke. There was no hero in this battle, since no one could remember how it ended. Thousands were declared dead, hundreds more missing. Nico Di Angelo was declared one of the missing who'd most likely died in action. If only that were true.
In the Underworld, Hades knew his son was alive, but he also knew his son needed to stay hidden. Hazel's soul had come down soon before the battle was won. Hades was well aware of what Nico had done. Stygian Iron could kill anything, immortal or mortal. Luckily, no one else knew this... or his son would be dead already. Hades couldn't lose another child, and Hades especially couldn't lose Nico, so he remained silent when Zeus asked the council and himself questions. He omitted that Nico was among the missing that didn't die. What Stygian Iron could do conveniently slipped his mind when he was asked about weapons able to kill an immortal. Nico would be the first of his children to live while staying sane, and Hades would make sure of it.
Hades knew what he had to do next. He put in Nico's name for another Parthenon's taking and made him immortal. He knew his son would never forgive him, but it was for the best. Nico had to survive.
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Nico was furious. His father had sold him to the Norse as a slave after making him immortal. His fighting skills, and his eternal life apparently made him 'worth thousands' so he supposed he would be Odin's property, since the ruler was the only one who could afford that. He sighed as the chains on his wrist were tugged. Nico rolled his eyes at the slave trader, and the slave trader grinned as they walked towards a large palace. He was in the middle of a large group of slaves. The others shoulders were slumped, but he stood straight, despite the lurching pulls on the chain. The other slaves cast him nervous glances. His sword remained in the shadows, and his slave outfit (a pair of filthy trousers, and an equally tattered tunic) was three sizes too big.
He met eyes with a boy a few years younger than him. The boy appeared to be a prince, if his position next to the king had anything to do with it, and his probable brother was on the other. The boy who he had met eyes with had a serious expression, but the sadness lined in those eyes ruined it. He had black hair, and vibrant grass green eyes. The boy on the other side had golden hair, a prideful expression, and overall looked like a stuck up jerk. Nico ignored the blonde and the king, opting to stare curiously into the ebony's eyes. The ebony stared back, a certain fascination in his eyes, and a twinge of curiosity.
"My sons require a slave and defender each." Odin spoke, and Nico rolled his eyes at the dramatics. The ebony was the only one to see this, and his lips twitched upwards, "So each of them will inspect and choose their own slave." The boy with the blonde hair smirked, and looked amongst the strongest, and tallest slaves. The boy with ebony hair strolled towards Nico purposely. Nico stood tall, and he had muscles, but they weren't overwhelming. The boy smiled at Nico slyly, but Nico responded with a smirk of his own, even if tainted by his own inner darkness. The boy seemed surprised by this, but intrigued. Nico shrugged as the boy gently separated Nico from the rest by disconnecting his shackles from the chain that held him to the line of slaves. Nico was brought in front of the king as the blonde dragged the most threatening looking slave towards the area.
"Now to test your slave's defender skills, you will fight each other's chosen slaves." Odin sneered, "Which weapon do you prefer?"
"I use my fists." The stronger guy smirked.
"I use a sword." Nico said. Odin's eyes widened.
"Where and when did you learn that?" Odin asked, bewildered.
"From my father when I was 10." Nico answered, "He was extremely skilled, but he only ever used me for his own gain. He sold me a day ago."
"Ah, a trained warrior." Odin's eyes displayed his disbelief, "In that case, you shall prove yourself by fighting me." Odin stood, and cast a sword in Nico's direction, "Show me your stance."
Nico picked up the sword, and got into a strong battle stance. The others in the room started whispering. Odin glared at them, and got into his own good, but not as good, stance.
"Thor, and Loki, you shall test the other opponent. I shall test the warrior." Odin ordered. The blonde growled, but followed the order. The ebony simply looked worriedly at Nico.
Odin lunged with his own sword, and the fight began. The fight was a blur of parries, and swings. At one point, Nico made Odin pick up his sword in the name of honor, but in the end, Odin had a sword to his neck. Thor and Loki had long ago defeated their opponent, and the entire room stared in silence.
"I yield." Odin said, and Nico lowered his sword. Odin looked stonily at Loki, "Very good, Loki." He told the ebony, "You have chosen well." Loki looked shocked, and he smiled. Odin then turned to Thor, smiled, and said, "You chose a slave you can defeat if he tries to harm you, even better." Loki's smile faded, and he looked hurt. Nico gave him a comforting look. He saw himself in the younger boy. Loki appeared to be 9 or 10, the same age as Nico when he first met his own disapproving father. You could say that Nico felt a twinge of empathy for the boy.
The king ordered the boy's to take the slave's to their rooms, and dress them in 'appropriate' attire, reminding Nico of his position. He was a slave, not a friend. He was Loki's property now.
Loki led him through a series of corridors, before dragging him through a doorway. The room Nico entered was clearly Loki's room. The golden walls were laced with green drapery and curtains. Nico ignored the room, not looking in awe, but choosing to look at Loki as he stopped in front of a chest. Loki first took off the bonds on Nico. He handed Nico a pair of pocketless, black pants, and a black tunic with green and gold runes. Loki watched as Nico changed shamelessly. Nico had learned previously that the Norse expected you to change in front of them. Nico removed his pants, and put on the new ones, before removing his previous tunic. Before Nico could put on the new tunic, Loki gasped. Scars lined his body, clearly from previous battles. Nico gave Loki a weary look as Loki traced a scar on his chest. Loki pulled away, pulled himself together, and nodded at Nico, giving him consent to put on the black, gold and green tunic.
The boy sat on his bed, and Nico stood there, waiting for him to speak.
"Why are you a slave?" The boy asked suddenly, "What kind of father would sell his warrior son as a slave? A warrior as skilled as yourself had to be good enough for him."
"I... I don't like to fight anything without them, or it, attacking first." Nico admitted, "I find it dishonorable, and wrong to kill something, or someone for the sake of killing."
"So, if it doesn't attack you or anyone you care about, you don't fight?" Loki was surprised by this.
"That and I remind him of my late mother and sister, and I could kill him if I wanted to — which I don't, and I don't always listen to him, and my older sister probably would've been a better child than me. She was more like my father, I am more like my mother." Nico explained, "So no matter what I did, he didn't care, and he didn't want me. I later came to the realization that he would never be satisfied, so I ran away. I'm guessing he decided to put me up for sale then. I'm Greek, so he probably put me up for sale for anyone to buy..."
"So you're from Midgard?" Loki asked suddenly, surprise laced in his voice, "What's the Greek Gods like, and which one's your dad?"
"My dad's Hades. The Greek Gods are power hungry maniacs, but the demigods are one big family." Nico smiled sadly, remembering his home, and his time on the Argo 2.
"What is Midgard like?" Loki laid down on his stomach, propping his head up with his hands, and putting his feet in the air, "What do the mortals do?"
"The mortals? They live simple lives, but they are content with them. They each have their place, and they each have their job. It's like a colony of ants, they each do their own thing, and it keeps their world running. Even the demigods, and the other pantheons have their role as protectors." Nico smiled softly, "They are not ruled by a king. They choose a leader for a short while, and then when they finish their term, they choose another."
"That sounds wonderful..." Loki said softly.
"For most." Nico sighed, "There's a lot of prejudice against sons of Hades, and so I never did find my place. Not that it matters anymore."
"What do you mean?" Loki asked innocently forgetting Nico's status.
"I'm a slave." Nico pointed out, "It doesn't matter who I am, or who I was. I'm your property, so I have no rights. If you decide to kill me, I die. If you decide to send me away, I'm sold off to another. If you decide to set me free, no one will hire me."
"Oh." Loki said, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Nico sighed, "At least you're a decent person. Most people would've whipped me until they were sure I'd follow their every order the moment I walked into your room." Nico paused, "Not that I won't. I don't have much of a choice in the matter."
Loki winced. He never thought about the brutality behind slavery. He made a promise to himself to treat his slave properly whenever he could. Of course, in front of his father, he'd have to treat the teen as expected, but when they were alone or with his mother, he would be kind.
"What's your name?" Loki asked, surprising Nico.
"Nico Di Angelo." Nico told him immediately.
"Okay, Nico. I'm Loki, which I'm sure you picked up on in the throne room. My brother is Thor, my dad is Odin, and my mother is Frigga. In front of others, you shall call me and everyone else sir, and my mother and Lady Sif ma'am, but when we're alone, you shall call me Loki. My father would hurt you if he hears you call me - or anyone else - by name or if he hears you speak out of turn, so be careful." Loki smiled at Nico. Nico smiled back. The boy and teen both knew the other well, and they both knew, despite their positions, that this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.