The Curse of the Lost Hero

Chapter 6

I go and head towards the River Lethe where I was yesterday. I decide to head down early because I have seen how big it is and I Don't want to arrive on time, but in the wrong spot. I walk along the banks until I spot Bianca. She is wearing a simple nightdress, that is just white, and she appears really ghost-like, then I Spotted the boy next to her. He is the spitting image of her, with olive skin and black hair. He is not a ghost, but he belongs down here. Nico Di Angelo, who helped us on our prophecy of seven quest, by bringing the Athena Pantharos to Camp Half-Blood. He is angry at Bianca and has his hand in the hilt of a sword that Can instantly tell is not Celestial Bronze or Imperial Gold. It is something that can harm ghosts and possibly mortals and monsters and demigods: Stygian iron. I've always hated that metal more than Imperial Gold and Celestial Bronze combined, even after Michael Varus stabbed me with an Imperial Gold dagger in an amphitheatre. It is evil because only children of Hades (or Pluto, depends on whether you are Greek or Roman.) can possess the iron and one touch of the blade can send you to the Underworld. An entire slice I assume will send you to Tartarus. As I Approach them their voices get louder and more clear over the roaring rushing of the River of Forgetfulness.

"No Bianca, I Will not allow you to go in there. I lost you to the Hunters of Artemis (or Diana, depends on whether you are Greek or Roman.) And then you died in front of Percy Jackson. You did not even say goodbye." Nico is crying now, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Please Nico, do not make it any harder than it is."

"Yes Nico, please just accept Bianca's fate."

I spin around. Standing there is a woman who is clearly their mother, Maria Di Angelo. She is dressed head to toe in black as if she is at Bianca's funeral.

"Listen, Nico, I'm sorry, but you have to let me do what I want. I will not let prophecies or Gods, or even you Nico Georgio Di Angelo control me." Bianca now sounds bitter at her little brother, for turning up at her rebirth. She didn't want him here, but he still turned up. She was furious.

"Alright, if you do not want me to rebirth, then leave. I made this decision when Zoe rebirthed, and you will not stop me." Bianca nearly dived into the River right then and there, but then Luke caught her arm.

"Hey, listen to me Bianca. I know you and Nico have different ideas on what should happen today, but in the end, it's up to Bianca. Bianca, listen to your brother, do not let your last memories with him be horrible memories. All right, now have truce, and make peace with each other. Otherwise, you will have a very sad and horrible ending - even though your lives have technically ended already.

Bianca silently agreed, fixing her eyes angrily on her brother.
"Sorry," she said, rather ungraciously.
"Bianca, say it again - like you mean it," prompted Luke.
Bianca looked murderous and then realised she couldn't kill anyone because everyone here was dead, except Nico, but he was her brother, and then after a while, when she had calmed down, she realized that whether she was going to rebirth or not, Nico was her brother, and she couldn't be mad at him forever.

She fixed her expression to a humble, gracious look, and then said "Sorry, Nico - I Didn't mean to argue with you, or hurt your feelings."

"Thanks."

Everyone stared at Nico.

"Oh, alright, sorry for crashing your rebirth party. I will leave now."

"No, Nico stay", I said.

I was shocked at the words that came out of my mouth.

"Um... what do you mean, Jason?" Nico asked, with a confused look on his face.

"Stay, Nico. Bianca's entire family will be here, except for her rotten father, Hades (or Pluto, depends on whether you are greek or Roman)."
"But - I thought -"
"You are Bianca's brother, after all. You should be allowed to watch Bianca get rebirthed. It's a really big part of her life - I mean death."

Nico looked unsure, but he stayed muttering under his breath. "At least I could have brought Will, this would have been a romantic date."
I don't think anyone else heard him. Bianca and Luke hugged awkwardly goodbye. Me and Bianca hugged goodbye as well. Bianca and Nico hugged each other and she kissed his forehead in a motherly, sisterly and kind caring way. Maria hung on to Bianca and seemed unable to let go, before, when we thought she would never let go, she released. They stepped back and let Luke and I Stayed beside Bianca while Maria and Nico walked off to start an argument about storming parties, but they stayed close enough so that could watch her descend into the River Lethe.

Luke and Bianca looked awkward just standing there doing nothing.

"So um, are you going to rebirth?"

"Um, you are at my rebirth Jason, are you okay?"

"Um yeah sorry I was talking to Luke."

"Oh um yeah okay" Bianca looks really sheepish now, my bad.

"Yes eventually I will rebirth. I want to apologize to Percy. His childhood was basically manipulated because of my stupid choices. I just want to say sorry. " Luke looks really bad and guilty and I Kind of feel bad for him and Percy. I mean because I have now met both, I see two sides of the story.

"Hey Bianca, why are you rebirthing?"

"Well, I guess I just want to be alive again, but I also want to see Nico grow up into the young man I would have otherwise never seen."
"Alright, Bianca - I will let it go, and let you rebirth. It is just that - I- well - I just thought that it was just that you wanted to kind of get away from me - and start another life without me." Nico said
"No, Nico - of course not! I'd give anything to be with you! It's just that I felt that something inside me was urging me to rebirth."
"I know that now, Bianca."
"And without further ado, let's get the rebirthing started!" I yelled in glee, for I was really excited to watch Bianca start a new beginning.

Bianca took a breath and grinned back at us one last time. She then turned towards the river and jumped in. I could see her memories fading and her eyes turning blank. She started attempting to swim towards the other side, but it was clear she was forgetting how to swim. No one could help her without losing his or her memories. Thankfully, some drowned spirits who had forgotten how to swim before they could make it to the other side. They helped carry Bianca to the other bank where she walked towards the rebirth doorway, which was towards Hades palace. I suddenly instantly felt a pull of pity.

"Bianca," Ic alled after her.

She turned around as if she had remembered her old name before looking very confused. Everyone else also looked confused and angry at me.

"Good Luck." I called.

She looked pleased at me and then confused before she turned around and passed through the doorway.