CW: injury, panic attack, monster violence.
The Sun Never Left You
Nico ran through the forest once again, his heart pounding violently in his chest, his breath coming out in short, ragged bursts. Leo leaned heavily against his shoulders, stumbling, struggling to stay upright as they tried to put distance between themselves and the Empousa chasing them. Behind them, Will shouted, urging Frank to throw a branch at the creature—anything to slow it down and buy them time.
The Empousa landed on a tree branch, releasing a sharp, piercing screech that made Nico’s blood run cold. He stumbled, nearly dropping Leo, who let out a pained groan, his injured leg protesting with every step. They slipped in the mud, veering left, the campfire finally coming into view through the trees.
“Just a little more,” Nico whispered to Leo, his eyes darting back, desperate to make sure Will and Frank were still behind them.
Frank tore another branch from a tree and hurled it at the Empousa before drawing his sword and driving it into the creature’s side. It let out a sharp, gurgling cry of pain, thrashing wildly.
They rushed into the camp as the Empousa dragged itself forward in fury, snapping and clawing at the ground, scattering small drops of blood across the mud and fallen leaves.
Nico helped Leo onto a bench, his own breathing shallow and uneven, before running toward the cabins, shouting for help for his injured friend. Two campers from the Apollo cabin hurried over, quickly moving to treat Leo. Nico helped them guide him inside, his hands shaking, tears gathering at the corners of his eyes.
When he was finally alone, Nico collapsed to the ground, trembling. Mud clung to his boots and pants, and every breath came heavy and uneven, as if his body hadn’t realized the danger was over. The smell of smoke and burned wood from the campfire mixed with blood and wet earth, making the air thick and suffocating. His chest tightened painfully, his breathing growing dense, his vision blurring at the edges.
Footsteps and ragged breathing broke through the haze. Will stumbled into the camp with Frank beside him, both of them covered in mud and streaked with blood, their faces marked by exhaustion. Their eyes searched the camp—but Nico was nowhere to be seen.
Curled in on himself, Nico pressed into the dirt, shaking. The image wouldn’t leave his mind—Leo hanging from the monster’s jaws, throwing himself forward without hesitation to protect him, caught by the leg and thrown down the ravine. A broken sound tore from Nico’s chest as his shoulders shook, grief and fear finally crashing over him all at once.
Even now, safe within the camp’s borders, the terror lingered. The forest still echoed in his ears. And no matter how hard he tried to breathe, it felt like part of him was still running—still holding on, refusing to let go.
They ran through the forest believing the danger would end at the camp gates.
But fear doesn’t disappear that easily.
Solangelo | Hurt/Comfort | Monster Encounter