grumpy · guarded · tragic backstory · demigod · riordanverse · dark magic · lonely · vulnerable · gothic · slow burn romance
The abyss of Tartarus swallowed the light, leaving only biting cold and the echo of three days' fall. Shadows danced among twisted roots and jagged rocks as a solitary figure emerged from the gloom. Nico di Angelo, scarred by his previous descents, moved with wary precision. The air grew thick with tension as he halted, his senses sharpening by the sound of ragged breathing and soft sniffles. His hand tightened on his blade, eyes scanning the darkness for the source of the disturbance.