when he said we would start training by daybreak. Once the sun started rising, Nico started banging on our cabin's door which ultimately annoyed my siblings because I was sleeping like a log before throwing me out of the cabin.

Nico crossed his arms, his sword strapped to his back as he stared down at me.

I scratched my head, as I struggled to get up.

Nico looked at me like he'd been training me for hours, "You have no balance, how can you even fight with a sword?"

I groaned, "It's too early to argue with you ghost king, can you at least let me get ready?"

Nico rolled his eyes, "Five minutes, if you're not at the arena by then you can kiss your training goodbye" He said before stalking off, the sunrise hitting Nico, which was a great sight to be honest but my gears weren't working that well yet and I couldn't have had the time to admire how good Nico looked under the sun.

I grumbled, going back to my cabin and changing out of my nighties into a pair of shorts and the camp's signature shirt.

I had to pass by the armory to get my usual two foot sword that was made out of Celestial Bronze, and when I got to the arena Nico was patiently waiting under a tree.

"I'm here!" I yelled, panting.

"You're late," He said coldly, standing up and unsheathing his sword.

"You're late," I mimicked "You don't even know what time it is," I told him, pointing my sword at him.

His sword was dark, rare and was different from the rest of the swords at camp. But it was so beautiful, being the son of Hades sure does have its perks. That's a cool sword.

"I'll be defense first, I need to study your skills," Nico said, catching my attention again.

"Really?" I asked, strategizing on how to combat someone who wielded a sword like Nico.

And Ella never did that. Every time it was sword fighting class, Ella would just charge at me with her loud battle cry as if she was going to war and I'd have to defend myself to death.

"Yes, and no magic" He sounded annoyed now. Clearly, Nico didn't get a snack before coming here.

I honestly didn't have any strategy. It must've been cool to be someone like Annabeth, who was smart all the time. So, I just charged at him, but the moment I tried to stab him with my short sword, he stepped back and hit the hilt of his sword on my head.

"Again,"

So I did it again. And again. And again. Until the horn that signaled breakfast came. I was already dead beat. I haven't gotten a single strike on the son of Hades, and he was chuckling. The brat was enjoying himself.

"Come on, let's eat first" He said, giving me a hand as I lay flat on the ground after Nico hit my with the hilt of his sword for the twenty seventh time.

I took his hand, and he pulled me up. "How was I?" I asked, sheathing my sword back.

Nico gave me a disgusted look, "Why are you even asking? You're horrible, you've been at camp for what? Three weeks now? You should have been able to learn already,"

I gave him a you-dont-understand smile, "My mentor is not the best mentor here, she just uses me as a dummy, a real life dummy"

Nico thought for a while as we approached the dining pavilion, "Then I suppose your defense is good then,"

"Probably not," I gave him a sheepish smile before running off to my siblings.

Lou looked at me horrified before chanting something and suddenly I was clean again.

"You already looked like you've been training all day," Keith noted

"Nico's worse than Ella but at least he could think and strategize," I mumbled

Keira smiled beside me, "Of course he would, Nico's fought in the Second Titan War and Second Giant War. He's got so much experience,"

"Right," I agreed "But he's merciless," I added

After resting for around thirty minutes, Nico and I were ready to spar again.

"This time, I'm offense" Nico announced and got ready to charge at me.

I unsheathed my sword, and prepared to defend myself from Nico's frightening (but cool) sword.

When he attacked, it felt different than Ella's way of attacking. He was swifter, and he knew the points wherein to attack me because I'd have a hard time defending myself. But Ella was rash, didn't use her head when she fought me, as long as she could beat me up, she was satisfied.

So, I was able to block his first strike. I was shocked myself and I looked at Nico who looked surprised for moment and grinned "Not bad," He said before pulling back and shoving the sword again.

It took me thirteen blocks until I was finally cut by Nico on the cheek, a strike that I wasn't able to see.

"You were right, you're good at defense," Nico admitted kneeling down to my level as he gently grabbed my face and tilted it to check out the fresh cut on my cheek.

"Is it bad?" I asked

Nico shook his head, "There'll be more of that, it's barely even ten"

I groaned, and pulled myself up.

"What's next boss of ghosts?"

Nico scowled, "You suck at giving nicknames,"

"Okay ghost king, what do we do now?"

He shook his head, knowing that there was no use because I'll always be calling him names whether he liked it or not.

"I'll teach you offense," He muttered and grabbed his sword.

Moments later, Nico and I have been sparring for so long, I actually collapsed on the ground from exhaustion but Nico looked like he could go for another hundred rounds with me.

"Get up Treya, five more rounds until lunch break"

I stared at him as if he grew two heads, "Are you serious? My whole body aches,"

"What kind of warrior gives up a fight?" He nudges me with his sword and I get up groggily.

"Which is why I'm the kind of warrior you wouldn't want in the battlefield," I groaned

Nico spaced out for a moment before nodding, "You're too reliant on your power,"

"What?"

"You think we'll get through because you're a daughter of magic," Nico said, staring at me

I glare at him, "I do not!"

Nico glared back, but his aura was much more menacing, "Then fight!"

When it was three in the afternoon, Nico finally gave me the chance to rest because we would be leaving in a few hours.

Training with Nico made me realize a few things:

1) I'd rather have Ella plummet me every practice

2) Nico was a great teacher, but he was ruthless

Thankfully the children of Apollo were amazing healers, in a nick of time, I felt like I was a new person. They gave me a little bit of nectar and sang some, er, healing songs? I don't know, but nevertheless, Apollo's children were great!

When I got back to my cabin, my siblings were all waiting for me there. They made me change out of my tattered shorts and camp shirt into a pair of new ones, gave me a backpack that Lou mentioned she casted a spell upon. No matter where I lose it, it'll always come back to me.

Now that's magic.

The backpack was full of necessities. There was a ziploc with ambrosia, a canteen filled with nectar, three extra camp shirts, a knife made out of celestial bronze, a wallet with a wad of cash and a few drachmas and some other essentials. I also had a wallet of my own, given to me by Gavin, but I didn't need to tell them that.

"We really didn't want to see you go, I'd go in your place but...." Lou Ellen trailed off

I shook my head, "It's okay, I know I can't avoid my fate,"

Lou sighed and gave me something a size of a keychain. When I inspected it, it was a dark book, and I noticed what it was. I looked up at my siblings who gave me warm smiles.

"This...I can't-I might lose it," I tried to give the miniature spell book back but Lou shook her head and gently pushed it back towards me.

"You remind me of her, you know" Lou smiled

"Hecate?" I asked

"No, Circe. You look a lot like her," She pointed out, and I almost blushed.

That made me palms sweaty "Does that mean I'm a villain too?"

Lou laughed and shook her head, "Of course not, but you need it more than we do. It's true you might lose it along the way, but honestly Keira had already written down all the spells in her notebook,"

I awkwardly stood at the doorway with my siblings smiling,

"Well, I'll be back...um, I hope I will"