Bianca and Reyna beg him to come with them, but he can only say no a body needs a would and a soul needs a body, that's the difference between ghosts and souls, ghosts are untethered and free, souls are not.
His body rests under the earth stuck, in his fathers domain, but out of his reach. young, only 13 once again not allowed to grow
they sit with him sometimes, when they are free. they stares into his lovely, angelic face, when he'd been here with them in body they hadn't appreciated just how young and innocent he looked, how he would never age alive, but dead. how if he had been allowed to grow as normal he would have been 90, 100. or even just grow after the lotus casino, he would have been 20, but no he would be forever 12-13.
Bianca chose to remain young, he didn't another, one of his many sacrifices. Bianca was allowed to roam, to play , to be with friends, to be young and free. she lived the first part of her life as her brother's second mother and the rest free. Nico was stuck, with no-one to talk to, he was young but not free, stuck in that one spot, he spent the first part of his life free and the rest stagnant.
he sometimes begs to be taken to the underworld so he could rest, but he isn't dead
What if in the final battle, instead of Gaia falling to "storm or fire" she gets killed by the death kids
what if Hazel and Nico try to do what hazel did in the 1940's (they're father helps them because they are both greek and roman) and bring up lots of amethysts'. But right before she falls asleep she tries to take them with her
Nico with the last of his strength pushes Hazel away to safety, as Gaia drags him underground. Picture a weak and tired Hazel, slowly crawling and reaches her hand out grabbing onto Nico who is sinking into the ground, she grabs onto his wrist when his other hand is trapped underground, he does whatever he can to free himself and manages to scratch/bite her wrist the let go of him, before he gets pulled into the ground
The battle was finished this was the final showdown, and the demigods were watching this happen. The battleground completely silent.
This battle didn't have many deaths so there was enough time to properly mourn him. They were surprised at the amount of people who came to the funeral, he was always so quiet at camp
Years later when they all grow up and move on. They still come and visit this spot, have picnics, and what not. Sometimes when the kids stray just a bit too far, a quiet breeze and soft words guide them back to their parents. when a new camper comes running through the woods, they see the silhouette of a boy guiding them. When they finally get to camp they're told that's Nico di Angelo, they're told stories of his life and bravery in death. But no he's not dead, he's been trapped for years.
As the seven's kids get older they see the figure of a boy he looks scary but reassuring in a way, but whenever they ask they're parents, they get very quiet. Eventually They see the boy and suddenly, he doesn't seem so scary he was small, only 13 barely a teenager,