Hello!

I am so so so sorry for not updating this sooner. I've been super unmotivated and have had 4 or 5 tests and assignments that have been eating up my time. But they're mostly over now.

However, if you have followed or favourited this story, I'm kind of disappointed. I haven't gotten any reviews on this fic, and the one review I did get was a very nasty flame. So please, review, it takes 30 seconds of your life and is the best motivation, I swear. Even if it's once every 5 chapters, it means so so much to me.

Without further ado, enjoy the story!

Nico bowed down as the dryad walked over. When she saw Nico bowing, she laughed.

"No need for that. I'm just a dryad, nothing special."

"I didn't know that dryads would live here, where's there's a lot of primordial magic."

She smiled.

"I didn't choose to be here. I'm a guardian and a transplant."

"A guardian of what?"

"You'll figure it out."

Nico's head felt heavy, then everything went black.

"Nico? Is that you?" Nico woke up to find Mabel sitting in a cave, shivering.

"Uh, yeah. We've found Stanford, your brother and some dryad."

"Oh, that's perfect. How is everyone?"

"Stanford is very distracted, Dipper is quiet and the dryad is mysterious."

Mabel's smile slipped.

"A moss spirit?"

"Yeah...why?"

"Her name is Amara and she is very important. Please, don't let anything happen to her, or we'll all die. Ok?" Mabel shook Nico as she spoke, eyes wide with urgency.

Nico was very confused.

"Why?"

"She's the guardian. You'll figure it out."

Loud screeching penetrated the silence.

"Oh no...not again!"

Mabel's screams were the last thing Nico heard before he woke up.

"Nico? Are you awake?" Nico's head was throbbing. The mist that Amara had used had taken a toll on him and he felt like a feather could knock him over. His mouth was dry and everything was blurry. Annabeth handed him some ambrosia.

"What happened?"

"Amara hit us with this green gas, then we all fell asleep. You got the most though."

"How long was I out?" Annabeth looked uncomfortable.

"3 days. We have a plan to get Mabel back, but we need you to talk to her first."

"Wait, what? Three days?!"

"ANNABETH! GET OUT HERE! We got a gnome attack!"

Annabeth swore under her breath.

"Stupid gnomes. Nico, stay here."

"Hey, Nico, did you say you could raise the dead? I'd like to ask you a few questions if that's ok." Ford walked into the room with a notepad, a pen and an eager expression.

"Sure, I guess so."

"What does it feel like to summon the dead?"

"Tiring, but it feels powerful as well. I feel like I want to fall asleep forever but that I could move mountains at the same time."

"Interesting…"

Then Annabeth came stumbling in. She had slash marks on her chest and a very bloody nose.

"We-we stopped the gnomes. But the dryad's back."

I know it's short but review and I'll start writing chapter 7!

alloystar