Saving a Hero

CHAPTER 23

Nico

When I woke up I knew I was in the underworld. I sat up and contorted my body in every angle and shape that couldn't be good for my back, stretching. I remembered everything from the last few hours. Annabeth, Will, and most importantly, Percy. I didn't know where I stood with Percy. Sometimes he seemed hostile and cold, other times he's happy and talkative. I figured since Annabeth died he would be distant. I looked around the... Cave? Yeah, cave. I looked around the cave for him. He was no where in sight. I sighed and got up from the uncomfortable stone ground. I could see the end of the cave not too far from where I was just sleeping. I figured Percy had gone out to see around hopeful he hadn't ventured too far, that would not be a wise thing to do here.
I made my way out of the cave. I let my eyes adjust to the light outside. Though it was still rather dark, the sky had a reddish tint which made some very dim light. I blinked a few times and looked around. Mostly rocks, rock walls, rock floor, and some very nice and decorative rocks in every corner of everywhere, but luckily no monsters, and... A dark black blob curled up in a corner? I figured that was Percy. I walked over to where two rock walls met and went up for a few hundred feet. I could make out Percy's blue jeans and hoodie. Riptide sat a few feet away glowing faintly in sword form. I picked up Riptide and walked over to Percy. I smiled and poked him on the shoulder. Instead of him looking at me and saying something playful and funny, he jumped and curled more into the corner. He turned his head and looked at me with wide eyes. We both looked at each other in shock. His eyes weren't sea green, they were milky white. They didn't focus on anything, they stared off behind me and looked away. I crouched down and slowly put my hands on his shoulders.

"Percy what happened to you? Your- your eyes...?"

I didn't want to say it, I knew he knew. He put his hands on mine and leaned into me. His eyes looked off into the distance. What in the world happened? How long was I asleep? Percy reached his shaky hand up to me. He felt my face and his hand lingered on my jaw. He held onto my shirt with his other hand like his life depended on it.

"Um well you were asleep so I walked out of the cave. Then I saw my mom's ghost,"

I sharply inhaled, Sally couldn't be dead. I help Percy closer to me.

"She's not dead though, it was some arais somehow making a ghost that looked like my mom appear."

I let out a sigh, thanks the Gods.

"One of them blew a powder into my face and now I can't see. I don't know ma- maybe I'm blind... I can't be useful when I can't see anything Nico."

Percy started to cry. I don't know why he couldn't see or if he ever would be able to again. We had to get back to Camp Half Blood maybe Chiron would, be able to heal him.

"I'm gonna pick you up okay?"

I announced to Percy so he wouldn't freak out when I lifted him. He nodded and stared off into the distance. I thought back to the quest prophecy, 'on a quest one shall not see' it must have meant Percy. I hope it only meant Percy. I picked him up and walked him over to a shadow. I told him we were shadow traveling to Camp. His shaky hands clamped onto my shirt for dear life. We sunk into the shadows. It was completely black and cold. My whole body was tingling and my ears popped. All of which was normal and took some getting used to when you shadow traveled. We landed on grass and I held onto Percy to keep him standing. I looked around, we were in the woods near the Camp Half Blood barrier. We walked through the barrier to camp. Campers that were at the arena and near the Pegasus staples came over to congratulate us for our quest. They saw Percy looking around with milky white eyes and started to whisper about him and point at him. I ignored them and walked to the Big House with Percy. Chiron was sitting on the front porch in his wheelchair. Mr. D was inside, probably hoping we don't make it back or brooding about having to always drink grape juice or something. Chiron jumped out of his wheelchair and took his centaur form.

"What happened?"

I navigated Percy up the few stairs leading to the Big House porch. Chiron looked into Percy's eyes. Percy reached out and felt Chiron's face.

"Arai blew something onto my face, now I can't see."

Percy simply told Chiron. His hands fell to his sides and he looked off behind Chiron's shoulder.

"I've got you dear boy, we'll have you fixed in no time."

Chiron held onto Percy, he looked over to me.

"Nico, go tell the Athena cabin about Annabeth and the Apollo cabin about William, please."

I nodded and watched Chiron take Percy into the House. I ran off to the Athena cabin.