Nico stumbled through the woods, he had traveled at random after he had ran away from Annabeth and Camp Half Blood, now he had no idea where he was. Not that he cared, the only reason he was even aware of the woods he was in was the root he had tripped over. It had jerked him out of his own head only for a moment, he looked up at the trees surrounding him. He had never seen trees this big, they made it dark down on the forest floor where he was but he supposed as a son of Hades, he shouldn't be afraid of the dark.
He laughed and covered his own mouth with his hands. If he wasn't a son of Hades, his sister would still be alive, if he wasn't a son of Hades he would still be able to remember his mother, if he wasn't a son of Hades maybe she would still be alive. His laughter was replaced by strangled sobs as he started crying again, what did he have now? He couldn't go back to Camp Half-Blood and he couldn't go to his father, where else could he go? What else could he do?
He heard a snapping of branches behind him and cut off mid-sob, staying perfectly still listening to the woods around him. It was funny how quickly one learned to pay attention to their surroundings when their life depended on it. He heard a small rustling of leaves as whatever was coming snuck closer, Nico didn't turn, just listened. Suddenly the thing behind him jumped, Nico hit the deck, letting whatever it was sail over him before jumping to his feet to see what had jumped at him, drawing the sword he had been given to him by his father. It was too big for him, but well balanced, and he still didn't know how to use it very well but it was better than nothing.
In front of Nico was a... well it looked like a human, a male, Nico thought older, certainly taller than him. The man was wearing a pair of orange goggles and a mouth guard that made it hard to tell anything other than that other then that and that the boy had light brown hair. He was holding a pair of mismatched hatchets and staring at Nico. He didn't look like a monster to Nico, most monsters didn't have to use weapons, but then again sometimes the mist fooled even demi-gods so that might not be what this person/monster even looked like.
The other didn't speak before lunging at Nico again with the left hatchet, Nico dodged out of the way managing to block the right one with his sword. The first swing had put the person off balance, Nico pushed hard sending the stranger back. Nico lunged forward as the boy stumbled, delivering a shallow cut to the boys chest, but he didn't seem to notice. For a second Nico thought the stringent iron had gone through him and had no idea what the boy might be, but then he saw the blood.
The blood was red though, not gold like most monsters he was used to. The blood looked like a mortals blood, but demigod blood did look the same as mortal blood. There was definitely something off about him though. Nico hadn't thought to look for it before it had seemed like his sword hasn't worked but there was something... different about the other boys soul. Nico couldn't tell what it was and while Nico was distracted the other swung at Nico again, he only just managed to block it stumbling back. He took a couple extra steps as well, he wanted to talk. Maybe this person was another demi-god.
"Are you a demi-god too?" He asked the person, they remained silent but their neck twitched cracking loudly, Nico couldn't tell if it was a twitch or surprise. "You don't bleed Ichor like a monster or god but you're energy feels off, not quit human. Or like anything else for that matter." The boy lunged at Nico again and he danced out of the way trying to stay at a distance. "...so what are you if not a mortal? A monster? One chosen by the gods or a half god like me?" The boy had paused now and was staring at Nico with his head tilted to the side, he twitched again.
"Are you crazy?" The boy asked, Nico sighed, not a demi-god then, or at least not one that knew what he was. Not a monster either though, so what then? "It's okay if you are, I am too, have been ever since I killed my dad. Even before that probably." Well the twitching made sense now at least, Nico thought as the boy twitched again.
