HoO: Shadows of Time Chapter 3

Part 3: Invisible
Note: This story has Nico di Angelo x Reader components.


   He strode up the hill, a faint smile on his face. "Race you up!" he cried, picking up his pace. You grinned and ran after him, laughing as it you were a young child again, without needing to worry about algebras and simultaneous equations.
   Nico ran up ahead, and you slowed down to take in the scenery. There was a pine tree, the landscape dotted with red and green. A few marble and tall buildings caught your eye, the sun shining from behind them.
   You smiled. It all looked too good to be true.
   Bump!
   You staggered backwards as you hit something. Nico was no where in sight and you tried walking through once more. There was a resisting force that you met again. You pushed your hands forwards, and you touched something like glass. Is this a joke Nico was playing?
   "Oi! What's taking you so long?" Nico's voice cried. He was walking down the hill, hands in his pockets, frowning.
   "I can't seem to get past," you replied. He trudged towards you.
   "Serious?"
   "I'm dead serious."
   He glared at you, as if unsatisfied that you seemed to have made a pun about his father. He marched forwards and grabbed your hand. "Come on," he grunted, and you shuddered.
   He pushed ahead, but recoiled when your hand wouldn't come with him. "I told you!" you retorted, but it was one reason to hold his hand.
   Scowling, he threw your hand down and ran up the hill. "Nico!" you cried as he disappeared from sight.
   How could he?
   You turned away and walked down the hill. Maybe... maybe! If you were a bomb Nico called you... If you could just explode and shatter the barrier, and it wouldn't seem like you're a weird mime trying to go through an invisible wall.
   There was the sound of hooves from behind, and you turned. A human with a horse body from his torso and below. Nico was racing after the creature, running as fast as he could, frowning.
   "Nico, who are you talking about?" the creature spoke. "I don't see... anyone..."
   Nico raced down the hill as fast as his legs could manage. "Chiron... Adrian's here..."
   "Nico-"
   "Can't you see?" he demanded. He then listed your looks, from hair colour and to the colour of your shoes. Chiron just frowned.
   "I thought you're not one to joke around," he said, looking around, as if expecting someone.
   You waved my arms around. "Hello!" you cried, screaming loudly. Surely, this 'Chiron' can't possibly miss that.
   The creature frowned with displeasure at Nico. "I expect you to have a better reason than a joke to interrupt me, Nico. You know I'm currently overseeing any construction."
   "I know," grunted Nico through gritted teeth. "Still! Adrian's here! Watch!"
   He strode over to you. You sighed. At least Nico could see you well. Suddenly, he slapped you.
  "Ow!" you protested.
   "See? I just slapped my acquaintance, Chiron," Nico said.
   You slapped his hand back as the boy grimaced. "As so did my acquaintance slapped me in return."
   "Quit slapping the air, Nico," said a voice suddenly from Chiron, it seemed colder than his previous tone. "I have things to watch over. I don't have time for jokes now."
   With that, Chiron trotted off. "Geez... What's his problem?"
   "I-I'm sorry, Adrian," Nico said. "I thought I could at least ask Chiron for an advice... but... it seems like he's in a really bad mood."
   Nico lowered down his already-low voice, "I've never heard him use that tone before."
   "How was he unable to see me? It's too weird..."
   Nico shrugged. "Nothing is weird for a demi-god except for us."
   You were silent. "So... I can't be the same? I can't return home?"
   "Adrian, when we demi-gods turn twelve, thirteen or fourteen, the monsters will take notice of us. We have this... aura. I was unable to feel what these monsters do, until today. It was yours, Adrian, it's as strong as Celestial Gold," said Nico, sitting down on the grass. You did so too as the sun faded behind thick clouds.
   "What about me?" you questioned. "I'm thirteen."
   Nico looked at you. "You're a year younger than me," he suddenly said.
   He's fourteen. He looks so darn hot for fourteen, you grumbled. "Really? You've been here long, then?"
   You glanced back, the haven of Nico a joke to you.
   "Y-yeah," said Nico. "We saved the world just a few months ago."
   "Really?"
   You thought he was kidding. Who was we? How did they do it?
   "Adrian, you know about the Greek gods?" asked Nico as he gazed at the sky.
   You nodded. "We studied a little about them in Literature."
   Nico frowned. "The Earth goddess, Gaea, decided to wake and destroy the earth. As weird as it sounds, she was going to destroy all demi-gods, and who knows what will happen to the humans."
   "So, who stopped them?" You paused. "You?"
   Nico nodded towards camp. "Us all and a big group of seven- the main," he said.
   "Surely you're a main?" you inquired. "I mean, you seem to find this place a haven, you just-"
   "I'm not one of them," Nico snapped. "Still, I did play a part. After Gaea's downfall, monsters ceased to exist... Yours was the first I saw in months."
   "Does this mean this Gaea is rising again?" you asked, fear rising in you.
   Nico was silent. "It took her centuries to wake, so I believe not," he replied, but he felt tense.
   Silence. "Where are you going to stay to be safe?" he whispered.
   You let your hand fall from your lap onto the grass and reached for Nico's, squeezing it. He recoiled for a moment, and then pulled his hand away. You let his hand go. You didn't actually mean to hold his hand either. Just what...
   Nico was gazing up at the sky as you gazed at the ground and your hand, confused for a moment. Then, you mustered the courage to ask, "What do I have to know to be a demi-god?"
   The two of you sat there, you listening to Nico's words as he explained and stuttered constantly. Hours passed, conversations flew away.
   You were with Nico.
   Alone.