The Curse of the Lost Hero

Chapter 1

Hi, my name is Jason. I'm technically sixteen, but then again I'm technically dead. I'm about to go before my brothers, Kings, demigods of Zeus (or Jupiter depends on whether you are Greek or Roman.) to await my fate. Will I go to Elysium, or will be condemned to the Fields of Punishment for attacking Percy? But hey, I mean that was an accident. I was possessed by an eidolon. Or have I done nothing good or nothing bad in my life and I will go to the Fields of Asphodel? If I do I Will see my mother again, Beryl Grace. But I Won't see Thalia again, because all the Hunters of Artemis (Diana, depends on whether you are Greek or Roman.) go to Elysium. Finally, it is my turn. It is creepy just staring at them. They do not say a word, finally, Minos indicates towards two spirits who approach me. They look at me. Before finally, someone speaks to me. He appears to be male. He has a scar across his face. I Have only ever heard about him in legends. Luke Castellan. Am I being taken to the Fields of Punishment? I realise I have no idea where Luke Castellan went after death. "Hey mate, what is your name?"

I had not realised how dry my throat was until I attempted to speak. "Jason Grace and I know who you are. You are Luke Castellan. Are we going... Where are we going?"

"I guess I should say, great job mate, you made it, you made it to Elysium!" said Luke

"What the heck? I thought... wait... you are here? Wait. Should you be in... the Fields of Punishment? Wait, we made it here? HUN?

"Calm Down, Senor. You are going to the best place in the world or at least the Underworld."

"Who are you, wait you remind me of someone, he is a boy, his name is Leo Valdez. Only you appear to be a lady. No are you... Esperanza Valdez!?! No. It cannot be. Wait... it is!

"Si, Jason. I am Leo's mother. Died in a fire caused by Gaia so I went to Elysium. Soon you will meet the other inhabitants of Elysium. You will meet many people who will see you as a hero and many people who will resent you."

"Alright, Espie he has enough on his plate, but before you get there - JASON, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

But I was not listening, I was running down towards the River Cocytus. I had heard Piper and Percy's voices. Piper's voice was chaotic like the time I got stabbed by Michael Varus in the amphitheatre by a ghost. And Percy's when I attacked him, one of the few regrets I have, when I got possessed by an eidolon, I nearly killed him, one of the two things that weighed on my mind the entire time I lived and still weigh on my mind through death: The Curse, which I will explain later; and the fact that nearly killed Percy Jackson.

"No Jason, come back, you cannot go in there..."

I barely heard her over the roaring of the river. I wanted to plunge in and join them.

Just before I plunged in to join them, I was held back by a grab on my arm.

"Do not go in. I can sense that you have had an incredible Overworld life. And I reckon that you will have an incredible underworld time until you decide to rebirth or if you stay here for all eternity."

I turned around and tried to block out the roaring of the river. I saw my saviour. Black hair with olive skin, but it was hard to tell with spirits. She wore a familiar outfit, a Hunter of Artemis (Diana, depends on whether you are Greek or Roman.)

"Thalia?" I asked, even though I knew it was not her.

"Thalia Grace?", she asked, "Thalia joined the Hunt?"

"Yes"

"She must have joined after I died. I died fighting with her, but she was not part of the Hunt."

"She joined after you died, to honour your memory."

I looked up. I suddenly remembered her name: Bianca Di Angelo, brother of Nico, who had helped us on our Prophecy of Seven Quest.

Bianca was crying, or the ghosts equivalent anyway. She looked touched and a little hurt.

"Did she get the job? I saw that Zoe had died. She came to Elysium and she rebirthed a couple of days ago. That's when I decided I would rebirth. Hang on, you slightly remind me of Thalia. Those eyes are electric- blue like hers. Are you her half-brother or something?

"She became a Lieutenant to Artemis (or Diana, depends on whether you are Greek or Roman.), if that is what you mean. Also, you are rebirthing? Does Nico know? I'm Thalia's brother. We share a mortal mother and an immortal father."

"Yes Jason, I am rebirthing. To you, who have just got here, that may seem like a punishment. But to me it is a gift, I may see Nico again, Imay not, but if I do, at least I Will know he is in the Underworld when I next pass away and I may be able to see him again. And no Nico does not know yet, when he next comes to Elysium, in a week, he will see and find out and he may be angry at me, yes, but over time he will discover why."

I suddenly saw that Luke and Esperanza were watching me. I bade Bianca farewell and promised to come to her rebirth. I ran up towards them and saw that Luke had a mark under his arm and he had his armour half on. Esperanza had on a work, butcher's apron, a wielder face mask sat on top of her and she was licking with flames.

"Um Esperanza, you are on fire," I thought it rude to point it out, but it was kind of dangerous.

Luke and Esperanza shared a look.

"You trust us," Luke said in a dead-serious tone, but he looked really happy.

"I always trusted you," I am confused. I always trusted them, but they only trusted me now?

Luke tried to explain " A person only appears in the form that they died in when you trust them and they trust you. We always trusted you, because it's impossible to be untrustworthy and living in Elysium. But until now you never trusted us. You trusted Bianca immediately because she saved you, but until now you didn't completely trust us. It's understandable. Mean, I tried to overthrow the gods, and Esperanza is not exactly what you would call a host. But she knew Leo knew you and she trusted you instantly. But we do not say it because, well, we can see a big gaping hole in your stomach. I don't know how you died, but it looks like something was stuck through you."

"Yeah, well Luke after you died, some giants came and tried to overthrow the gods with Gaia."

"Okay, I missed a lot, but it happens when you are a demigod."

"Calm down, Senor Luke, I missed half of my child's life and he is still alive, but because he is a demigod, most demigods go to Elysium, so I will one day see him again, and I can catch up on his life."

"Then some Roman emperors tried to destroy Camp Half-Blood, Camp Jupiter and basically every demigod's life."

"Right, so are they dead, are they alive?"

"I don't know, I died fighting one of them: Caligula."

"Okey-Dokey," said Luke in a cheerful tone. "So who's fighting the Roman emperors: the gods, the titans, giants, demigods, satyrs, who?"

"Apollo, except he is mortal, Piper McLean, my ex-girlfriend, Percy and Annabeth, Grover, Coach Hedge, and a new demigod, Meg McCaffery."

"Very strong team, no?"

"Listen, can we head to Elysium? I'm dead tired." I said. Also needed some time to think about things I hadn't thought about until now, like Piper and her dad. I also wanted to reflect on my life. Now that I'm dead, I can think about my life without being scared about my life.