Forged Destinies

That's New

Ch. 15

The first thing Percy saw when he opened his eyes was a pair of onyx orbs gazing down at him incredulously.

"Did you seriously just dab?"

It took him a minute before he placed them. When he did, he felt a myriad of emotions flood his mind. He tried to focus enough to speak but all he could muster was a single word.

"Bianca."

Her dark eyes seemed to twinkle a little as her lips twisted into a smile.

"Hello, big brother."

Percy flashed back to the last thing he remembered, which was knocking out Nike and dabbing like an idiot. Then... everything had gone dark.

"Oh, shit. I'm dead, aren't I?"

Bianca's smile didn't waver but her eyes took on hint of mischievousness.

"You should be, you just knocked out a goddess and then apparently thought you were Cam Newton and celebrated like a tool."

He at least had the good sense to look embarrassed, "Yeah, perhaps not the most sensible thing I've done." Then his face became solemn, "If I'm not dead, how am I here?" He gestured around them to the fields of Elysium.

"Where do you think you got that little rebellious streak of yours?" She teased. "Dad has some pretty liberal interpretations of rules when it benefits him for his family."

Percy got to his feet and reached a hand out to Bianca's face. It passed right through and his heart felt like it was being ripped to pieces all over again.

"Oh Bianca, I'm so sorry."

Her expression was sad but she continued to gaze upon him fondly, "For what? For giving me a person that I would lay down my life for without a second's hesitation? Someone who I know would do the same for me; or Nico, or Hazel? I don't regret anything about my life, especially not how it ended."

Percy's eyes stung. It felt so good to hear her words but it was also so painful to know he didn't know when or if he would ever be able to hear them or see her once, he didn't try to hide his emotions as a tear streaked down his face.

"Our time is short, big brother. Dad didn't send you here so you could you could cry over my death."

"What is it?" He asked, already knowing that if his father had given Bianca to task to telling him, it wasn't going to be good.

"The Physician's Cure." She answered seriously.

Percy felt his stomach drop a little. Annabeth had discovered the Physician's Cure was a mythical potion developed by Apollo's son Asclepius, the god of medicine. It was said to be the only thing ever created that could cure death. If they needed the Physician's Cure, it meant someone else was going to need it, which meant someone else was going to die.

"I was hoping Juno had mentioned it so I could use it on you." Percy admitted not meeting her eyes.

"It doesn't work like that," she smiled back sadly. "It will only work if administered minutes after someone dies."

"Then who?"

She shook her head, "You know I couldn't tell you that even if I knew. You're here so I can help you get it, so that when the moment comes you will at least have a chance."

None of this was what Percy wanted to hear. After Bianca, he couldn't take the death of anyone else he loved. Seeing her soul before him was almost as painful as the moment he lost her.

"Then what? I'll do whatever it takes."

"Not you. Only Leo will be able to bargain with Apollo to divulge the location of his son."