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Nightmares were nothing new to Nico, but they had been notably worse these past couple days since he had escaped from the jar Ephialtes and Otis imprisoned him in. Hazel said her dreams had been worse too, though she blamed it on all the earth spirits in the Apennine Mountains. Earth spirits often did not like children of the underworld.
Luckily for Nico, he had stronger control over his dreams than the average demigod, and tonight he had managed to navigate through the dreamscape at his own will. This skill was frequently helpful, not just for dodging nightmares, but also to gather information. Eventually, Nico wandered over to Camp Half-Blood. It was still, quiet, and dark. There was nothing to see. Figures, Nico realized; New York was six hours behind, it was probably just past midnight there.
Nico was just wandering around camp, watching the harpies on their nightly patrol, when he felt a presence.
“Hi, Clovis,” Nico said. At this point, Nico thought the son of Hypnos might just be the one camper he saw the most, even if they hadn’t ever actually spoken in real life. Clovis’ dream magic was strong, and he was easily the most helpful person to speak to in the dreamscape.
“You’ve been wandering around a lot in your dreams lately,” Clovis said. He materialized on the bench in front of the now-out campfire.
“Dreams tend to wander,” Nico said, walking over to sit next to him.
“I mean on purpose, Nico,” Clovis said, “Are you looking for something?”
“I was before. First for Percy, then the doors of death, but if I’m honest, right now I think I’m just trying to run from nightmares,” Nico admitted.
“You know, you don’t have to be gathering information to project into other people's dreams.”
“What are you getting at?” Nico asked.
“Demigods typically have two different types of dreams. First, you have dreams that offer insight, like prophetic dreams, or astral projecting into real life like you are now. Second is just regular dreams like any mortal would have. Nightmares typically fall into this category, but much more mundane, even silly dreams do too. Dreams about school, teeth falling out. You know. Basic stuff.”
“I’m sorry,” Nico said, “Did you say ‘teeth falling out?’”
“It’s a common stress dream,” Clovis said.
“Right.”
“The point is,” Clovis said, “You can project into people’s regular dreams too. It’s almost like watching TV, just weirder.”
“Isn’t that a bit invasive?” Nico asked.
“Sometimes, but on average it’s much less invasive than projecting into the type of dreams you usually do. Regular dreams tend to be a lot less personal than you’d think. Once I watched Butch have a dream where he swapped a body with an octopus and had to go to octopus school for a week. He failed all the octopus’s tests, but the octopus passed all of Butch’s tests and even finished his english paper early.” Clovis said.
Nico laughed, but the thought of just watching someone else’s dream for entertainment still bothered him. He considered. He was desperate not to slip back into his nightmares, and he didn’t know if he had the energy to keep projecting around the world looking for information. “Alright,” Nico said. “How do I do it?”
“Just reach out to some of the sleeping minds around you,” Clovis said, “That’s the easiest way.”
“Anyone sleeping near me right now is probably having nightmares too,” Nico said.
“Right. You’re out with the seven.” Clovis paused for a moment, thinking. “You know what,” he said, “I’ll look for one for you and then I’ll take you there. Just give me a moment.”
Before Nico could answer, Clovis was gone. Nico stood up again. He began picking dandelions and stray wildflowers he found on the ground, doing anything just to stay tethered to camp for the time being.
Clovis wasn’t gone for long. “I think I’ve found a fun one for you,” he said, “Will Solace is dreaming up some quest adventure. I think your dad is going to be in it.”
Nico scrunched his nose. Nico wasn’t sure he wanted to see that—the other campers didn’t always have the best opinion of Hades. Still, it couldn’t be worse than nightmares. He sighed. “Works for me. How do we get there?” Nico asked.
Clovis brought Nico to the dream, and then immediately dropped him there. Nico found himself alone, watching Will Solace in a wheat field with Apollo and a woman Nico didn’t recognize. Demigods didn’t technically carry DNA from their godly parents, but Nico had always thought that Solace looked strikingly like his father. He had the same sun-kissed skin, sun-bleached blonde curls, and sunny smile. Standing next to each other, the resemblance was even more apparent. Apollo looked exactly as he had when Nico first met him, in all his godly-glory, even down to the outfit. It was such a perfect reproduction, Nico almost thought that Clovis had made a mistake, and that it actually was Apollo, appearing to speak to his son in a dream. But gods had a natural aura of power to them that Nico couldn’t feel in this dream. While this was an impeccable reproduction of Apollo, that’s all it was, a reproduction.
“Demeter,” Apollo said, “I present to you my son, Will Solace. He will serve you well.”
Unlike Apollo, Will’s dream version of Demeter was far from accurate. Sure, gods didn’t always look exactly the same, but Nico had always been able to recognize his step-grandmother on sight. This was obviously no more than an imagined guess at her appearance.
Demeter turned to Solace. “Has your father told you what I have asked?” The voice wasn’t like her real one either.
“Yes, my lady,” Solace said, bowing, “I am to go to the underworld and steal Hades’ plants and bring them to your garden. Most importantly, I will steal one of his prized pomegranates, which bound your daughter to his realm.”
Nico shook his head, dismissing the fact that the plants in the underworld were actually more Persephone’s than Hades’, the premise still bothered him. He’s going on a quest to steal from my dad? Really, Clovis? Nico had been right to be hesitant about going into another camper’s dream involving his father, but what was done was done. This might still be entertaining, at the very least.
The scene shifted, and Solace was finishing packing a bag, alone in the Apollo cabin, when his father once again appeared, materializing behind him.
“Do me proud, son,” Apollo said. Solace jumped and turned in surprise at the voice. “You will bring glory to me in your success.”
“Thank you, father.”
“I will be there to guide you on your way. Speak and I will hear.”
“Thank you,” Solace repeated, bowing this time. He walked to the door but stopped while it was ajar. “Any departing advice for me before I begin my journey?”
Green mist began to swirl around Apollo, and Rachel Dare’s disembodied voice began to speak—
Beware sweet temptation.
Give in before the quest’s consummation,
And you will fail in your endeavor,
Bound to darkness forever.
“Consummation? Really?” Solace said, “No offense father, but sometimes I think your oracle is a poor poet. Terrible word choice. So awkward.”
“It had to rhyme with ‘temptation.’” Apollo argued.
“Finalization. Realization. Cessation,” Solace said. “All of those rhyme. Or if you wanted to push it, I’m sure ‘conclusion’ would fit fine enough.”
Apollo smiled. “The poetics isn’t the point, as much as I enjoy it. Heed the meaning, my son.”
“I know, I know. Though I think I hardly need a prophecy to tell me not to eat the pomegranates.”
“Don’t be too sure of the meaning so soon, child. I do not want to lose you to the underworld.”
The next scene the dream shifted to was short. Solace was outside, standing at the edge of a giant crack in the ground, praying to Hermes, god of thieves, for his blessing. In just a moment, the scene shifted again and Solace was at the gates of Hades, hiding from Cerberus. He slipped past the dog with relative ease. With the speed and simplicity of the adventure, Nico was beginning to wonder if the dream was actually about going on a quest like Clovis said, or if the quest was simply a plot device in the story. When Solace walked through the gates, he arrived in the throne room. Solace hid easily in the shadows behind a column. The room was much plainer than it was in reality—mostly just flat gray-black stone. The sheer size and heights of the thrones did at least relatively mimic the imposing nature of the real throne room though.
The images of Nico’s father and stepmother weren’t exactly right, but much more accurate than Demeter. Solace was hardly as familiar with any of them as he was with his father, so it made sense none of them could match that picture-perfect replica of Apollo that he had dreamt up.
Then, Nico heard his own voice. “Father.”
The version of Nico that walked in was wearing ancient Greek style clothing, but more notably, he was practically half-naked. Nico would never actually wear something like that. The short black chiton was pinned at only one shoulder, leaving half of his chest exposed, and the hemline landed high on his legs, slightly above mid-thigh. The only thing Nico liked about the outfit was ghost-like embroidery on the fabric, which reminded him a little of his father’s real robes. It also bothered Nico that it appeared he wasn’t carrying his sword, or any weapon at all for that matter. One concession though—he at least looked much healthier than he felt now. He looked like he did last time he was at camp, with more weight on his bones and more color to his skin. Looking at this version of himself, Nico could almost pretend he hadn’t ever been lost in Tartarus or imprisoned in that jar.
“My dearest son,” Hades responded. Nico knew it wasn’t real, but he relished the warmth in his father’s voice.
The dream versions of Nico and Hades continued speaking, but their voices were too muffled and distant to parse out what they were saying. They were no longer the focus of the dream; the focus was back solely on Solace himself.
“I have an idea,” Solace whispered. Nico scoffed inwardly, there was no way Hades wouldn’t notice someone speaking out loud in his very own throne room. But, of course, everything operated on dream logic here.
“You haven’t even made it to the gardens yet,” Apollo’s disembodied voice answered.
“I mean an idea of something even better we can take for Demeter,” Solace said.
“Go on.”
“She’s having us do this mostly for revenge on Hades for taking her daughter, right?” Solace asked. “Well, Hades has a son…”
Nico’s stomach dropped; he was liking this dream less and less. Still, there was a level of morbid curiosity beginning to bloom inside him that kept him there.
“My child, you shouldn’t risk the wrath of Hades, especially if you don’t need to,” Apollo’s voice answered.
“I’m already risking that by stealing from him.”
“Will…”
“It’s too perfect though, father. I’m almost surprised Demeter didn’t just ask.”
“Demeter knows enough to understand that that would be too much to ask of you, or of any hero,” Apollo’s voice said.
Solace sighed. “Alright.” Nico began to fidget nervously with his skull ring. Why did Solace sound so disappointed, did he really want to kidnap Nico that badly? Did Solace have a problem with him? Nico couldn’t think of anything he’d ever done to the boy to inspire such animosity from him. He hardly even knew him, and in the little time they had spoken, Solace had seemed friendly enough.
Solace continued on to find the garden. This dream underworld reminded Nico more of the labyrinth than it did of his father’s home. It twisted and turned as more and more obstacles and threats appeared. Solace made his way through the maze almost like a movie montage, Nico could feel the passage of time as the darkness of the underworld became even darker, as if a non-existent sun was setting, and an entire day passed in mere minutes. Just after what would be dusk, Solace made it to the gardens.
Solace went from field to field, taking samples or picking fruit from every plant that looked like it didn’t exist on earth. None of these were real plants from the underworld, Nico knew, but he had to give credit to Solace’s strong imagination for all the different kinds he came up with. Solace only had a small bag—a drawstring Nike backpack—but he managed to fit everything in it, even multiple tree-saplings he had dug up. Demeter and Apollo must have given him a magic bag. If only quests could be that convenient in real life.
Nico had just begun to feel hopeful that the dream replica of himself had been forgotten when Solace finally stumbled upon the pomegranate orchard. The dream version of Nico was there again, among the trees, opening a pomegranate. Solace hid behind a tree and watched as this Nico ate. He took his time eating the fruit, and Solace stayed for every moment of it. Dream Nico’s lips were stained deep red with juice by the time he was finished.
At this point, the dream had completely devolved into nothing more than watching this version of Nico and following him around. When dream Nico finally left the gardens, Solace followed behind, almost forgetting to grab a pomegranate on his way out. He continued to stalk this version of Nico late into the night, even watching through his bedroom window as he curled into bed and went to sleep. Next thing Nico knew, he was watching Solace carry his own sleeping body, bridal style, through the underworld and to a small rowboat on the shore of the River Styx.
The sight of it strangely gave Nico butterflies. For a moment he let himself imagine how it felt to be held like that—particularly the feeling of Solace’s hand on the bare skin of his leg. Nico shook himself, casting that thought aside.
The rowboat notably didn’t actually have any oars, as if the River Styx would naturally move it on its way. As Solace lowered the body of dream Nico into the rowboat, Nico noticed a scar above his right knee. It struck him how observant Solace must have been for that to be part of his imagined version of Nico. Nico had that scar in real life too. It was a very new scar; it had still been just scabbing over the last time he was at camp. He remembered he had gone to the infirmary to get some antibiotic ointment to re-apply, and that Solace had been the one to give it to him. He asked him what monster gave him such a nasty cut, and Nico had admitted he got it just from slipping and falling on a sharp rock while he was taking a walk by a creek. That had made Solace giggle—a warm sound that had made Nico feel a bit better about the silly injury.
No sooner had Solace climbed into the rowboat himself and pushed off to be carried by the current than Apollo’s voice returned.
“This is not what Demeter asked for,” Apollo said.
At that, Solace opened up his drawstring bag, as if to show his father all the plants he collected, and looked up at the sky. “I have brought all Demeter wanted.”
“She does not want Hades’ son.”
“But I do,” Solace said. “If Hades can take Persephone to be his wife, why can't I take his son to be my husband?”
Oh, Nico realized. This was a different kind of dream than he thought he was in. He felt his face heat.
The scene shifted once again. They were nearing the end of their trip on the Styx now, almost to the mortal world, and the dream version of Nico woke up. He sat up in a start, frightened. “Who are you?” he asked.
Solace didn’t answer.
Dream Nico looked down to see the drawstring bag, still open. “You’re trying to steal from my father.”
“No, I did steal from him,” Solace said. “Look, we’re almost out of the underworld already.”
“I can still stop you,” dream Nico said.
“How? You could throw the bag over the edge, but I’ll still have you. We’re on the River Styx. You can’t get off the boat, you’d die.”
He could just push you off, Solace, Nico thought, but he knew that wouldn’t happen in this dream.
“Who put you up to this?” dream Nico asked, standing up and balling his hands into fists.
Solace smiled a wicked smile. “Who do you think?”
Realization washed over dream Nico’s face and he looked Solace up and down. “You know, nobody has ever successfully stolen from my father before,” he said. He took a step closer to Solace, looming over him, “You must be awfully clever.” The flattery wasn’t genuine, Nico could hear it in his tone. Solace didn’t seem to be able to tell. Though, it occurred to Nico, for the insincere tone to be there, Solace would have had to imagine it himself. So he must know dream Nico wasn’t being genuine, he was just imagining that he didn’t. It was only dream Solace that was fooled.
Dream Solace smiled and reached out to touch the side of dream Nico’s leg, just above his ankle. “You think so?”
“Awfully handsome too.” He sat down on Solace’s lap and placed his hands on his chest.
Nico felt his heart rate start to speed up. This dream is escalating quickly, he thought.
Then, dream Nico leaned forward and kissed Solace. Nico’s heart raced as he watched the scene. Solace was the first to break the kiss; he pulled back for just a moment, resting his forehead against dream Nico’s. “Your lips taste like pomegranates,” he said.
Then, in the very moment the rowboat should have crossed into the mortal world, it stopped. The boat changed course, beginning to carry them back to Hades’ palace. Having tasted of the pomegranate of the underworld, Solace could no longer leave. He didn’t seem to notice how he had been tricked though, and instead returned to kissing dream Nico.
Nico’s racing heart was reaching panic levels. Witnessing the way Solace was touching him was too much, and he woke up in a cold sweat.
It was early morning on the Argo II and the sun was just beginning to rise. Hazel was above deck with Piper, the two of them on watch. Nico walked over to his sister.
“You’re up already,” Hazel said.
“Nightmares,” Nico answered. It was a half-truth.
Hazel didn’t answer, instead she reached out to take his hand. They watched the light emerging over the horizon together in silence. The moment was broken only when Jason and Frank arrived to take over watch.
On her way down to her cabin, Hazel turned back to Nico, “If you can, you should try to get more rest. You look like death.”
Nico smiled. “More than usual, you mean?”
Hazel didn’t laugh at his joke.
It took Nico some time, but he eventually convinced himself to listen to Hazel. He knew she was right, deep down. It was too bright out now, so he wandered down to the bottom deck to find somewhere to lay down. He ended up in the armory. He slept in there more often than the stables, even though the stables were more comfortable. Being surrounded by weapons made him feel safer.
As soon as Nico drifted off, he appeared once again at Camp Half-Blood.
“You’re back,” Clovis said.
“It took me a while to fall back asleep,” Nico said.
“Sorry,” Clovis winced. Nico realized he had meant back from Solace’s dream, and not just back asleep. “Did I accidentally send you to a nightmare?”
“No, no, you didn’t. Don’t worry about it,” Nico said. He felt himself turning red.
“Really? You looked a bit disturbed— Oh,” Clovis said, “Was it a…um…”
Nico didn’t make him finish the sentence. He nodded yes.
“Well, that’s awkward. I’m sorry,” Clovis said.
“It’s fine. You couldn’t have known,” Nico said.
Clovis opened and closed his mouth a few times, unsure of what to say. “You know, you shouldn’t judge people for what happens in those types of dreams, or who appears in them, or whatever,” Clovis said. “They rarely actually mean anything, especially when they're weird. Psychologically speaking, the brain is still just trying to process the thoughts and events from the dreamer’s day. It’s just also…well...”
“I know,” Nico said, his voice quieter and weaker than he meant for it to be. He looked over at the rows of cabins, his gaze falling on cabin seven. Apollo’s cabin. For a shameful moment, Nico wondered if Solace was still having that dream. He shouldn’t think about that, he knew. He couldn’t let himself think about that. Then, the scene shifted and he slipped back into his own nightmares.
When Nico awoke again, Nico wondered how much of the night before had been real, and how much had been just his own mind imagining things. Had he really projected into Will Solace’s dream, or had he just dreamed that he had? Was it all nothing more than a twisted fantasy of Nico's own making? The more he thought about it, the more likely that seemed.
Later that day, around dinnertime, Nico could hear Coach Hedge speaking to Mellie over Iris message as he passed by his quarters.
“Are you in the infirmary?” Hedge asked.
“Don’t worry, Gleeson,” Mellie said, “I’m fine. I’m just here for a routine check-up.”
“I assure you, coach, your wife is in perfect health,” another voice spoke. Nico froze, it was Will Solace.
“Thank you,” Hedge said, “That’s good to hear.”
“Honestly, I’m more worried about how you’re doing,” Mellie said.
Hedge sighed. “I’ve been better since Hazel made the executive decision that we aren't going to wake everyone up every time we get attacked anymore. Finally I’m actually getting a bit of sleep.”
“Who’s Hazel?” Solace asked.
“One of the seven,” Mellie answered for Hedge, “She’s Pluto’s daughter.”
“Pluto? Which god is that in greek?” Solace asked.
“Hades,” Hedge said.
“Oh, no way!” Solace said, “Do you think she knows Nico?”
“Will, honey, why would she know Nico? Do you know any of your Roman siblings?” Mellie said.
“Well, no…”
“She does know him, actually,” Hadge said. “He’s on the ship with us right now.”
“That’s great!” Solace said, “I was beginning to wonder where he went. I mean, he’s not exactly at camp very often, but we usually at least see him stop by from time-to-time, and he hasn’t been back at all now for a while. Like, an abnormally long while.” Nico was surprised to hear that someone had taken notice of how often he was at camp.
“He was in Rome,” Hedge said. That was an overly simplistic way to put it, Nico thought.
“Well, say hi to him for me, will you, coach?” Solace asked.
Hedge never did pass the greeting along.