~ by Amanda Pizzolatto
Nico’s eyes popped open, and he quickly sat up. The sun was rising, which meant that two armies were marching off to meet in battle. He turned to the figure still asleep at his side.
“Lucy, Lucy, wake up! It’s morning. It’s happening! We have to go now!”
Lucy gasped as she woke with a start and glanced at the sky. “Oh, no! Do you think you could get us close with your shadow-travel?”
“Absolutely, I just don’t know how close.” he helped her rise, “I think I know where the Archenland army will be, but I’m not sure where they’ll meet the Narnian army.”
“Then let’s get going.”
He nodded as he glanced around for the nearest shadow. “Follow me.”
He led her to the nearest tree and wrapped his arm around her waist.
“Hold on tight,” he said. She nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Okay, here we go.”
He focused on the shadows, commanding them to take them where they needed to go, hoping that they would get there in time — the shadows wrapped around them almost like a blanket, unraveling as they came back out.
“Are we close?” asked Lucy, glancing around.
Nico glanced around nervously; had they come out too soon? A noise beyond the trees, just out of eyesight, caught their attention.
“Quick!” said Nico.
The two tore off through the trees, each praying to Aslan that they would get there in time. As they neared, the location of the noise words became discernible and they realized with a sickening feeling that they were not only close but running out of time. When they burst through the trees, they were surprised and relieved to find that the armies weren’t fighting yet; they were gathering in a circle to watch High King Peter and Captain Percy Jackson fight a duel.
All of a sudden, the two rushed each other, and everyone gasped as blades met.
“Lucy!” cried Nico. He ran forward between the two men. “Peter, please, don’t! Percy, please consider what you’re doing!”
“Nico, get out of the way,” growled Percy.
“No, this has to end, right now! There’s no reason for us to fight!”
Thalia pushed her way to stand next to Percy and leveled her sword at Nico. “What do you mean, there’s no reason for us to fight? Have you forgotten your sister’s sacrifice? I certainly haven’t.”
Nico grimaced. “No, I didn’t forget, how could I? I alone buried her, and I alone get the right to say what happens to those who killed her.”
A faun cleared his throat as he approached Nico. “That, that would be me. I’m sorry, I-I didn’t know she was your sister.”
Nico placed a hand on his shoulder. “I know, and that’s why I choose to forgive you.”
“What? Forgive him? How can you? He killed your sister, my best friend!” shrieked Thalia.
“Thalia!” hissed Percy.
“What? Did you just say, Thalia?”
Everyone turned as Jason took off his helmet and approached the group. “As in, Thalia Grace?”
Thalia peered at him; then, her eyes widened in recognition.
“By the gods, Jason? Is that really you? I thought you were dead! Mom said you were gone!” she exclaimed as she rushed to hug him.
“And he would have been if I hadn’t stopped you,” Nico muttered.
Thalia’s head snapped to look at him, before slowly glancing at the ground, realizing how right he was.
Lucy tapped him on the shoulder as she glanced around. “Nico, look.”
He did, and it looked like the fight had gone out of everyone, except for one. But now that he had two armies to back him up—at least, he hoped they would back him up — one madman should be easy to handle. Octavian’s face was distorted with rage, the lines deepening with each step Nico took towards him. Nico figured that, if he could, Octavian would change into a monster right then and there.
“You!”
“What’s the matter, Octavian, can’t stand losing?” quipped Nico. When he didn’t answer, Nico decided to continue for him. “Of course, you can’t, that’s why you hate Peter. You wanted to be the head praetor of Narnia, but then Aslan came in with the Pevensies and made them kings and queens. You just couldn’t stand that, now, could you? In general, you don’t have any problems with regular humans, but to have regular humans elevated to a higher status than a well-respected demigod with high goals? Now that was just plain unthinkable. I mean, what was the king of the gods thinking when He pushed you aside for some nobodies? Why did He need them when you were ready this whole time?”
Octavian laughed cruelly. “You figured it all out, huh? You’re smart, I’ll give you that, but you forgot something. I know what’s best for Narnia better than anyone! Especially better than some English brats!”
Reyna charged forward, but Peter stopped his wife and shook his head. “No, honey, he shall get a fair trial. Jason, arrest him. We have a peace treaty to handle first.”
Octavian snarled and charged.
“Peter!” screamed Susan.
Nico reacted and rammed into Octavian, the two sliding towards the cliff.
“Nico!” Lucy ran after them and lunged to grab Nico’s hand, catching him before he fell any farther. “Someone help!”
Jason and a few others rushed forward to help pull Nico up, each person glancing below the cliff. Nico didn’t even have to look; he knew, he had sensed it, Octavian was dead.