Decisions
Nico di Angelo was roaming the underworld. He was as usual clothed in black, an aviator jacket hanging over his slim shoulders. A wicked skull ring in silver was dominating his right hand. He fingered it nervously and thought of his long gone sister, Bianca.
He was on his way to his father to sort out some sort of problem with the spirits.
"You know how to interact with them, son. They'll show respect to the Ghost King," had Hades said when Nico asked why the Lord of the Underworld himself couldn't fix the "tiny problem".
Nico knew that his father as a matter of fact could fix the problem with a flicker of his hand, and a well placed threat of never reaching Elysium. But Nico also knew that Hades wasted no time with his wife, Persephone.
The winter lasted only a couple of months, and this time of year Hades would be happier, being near his beloved wife. That was something Nico - no matter how bitter he could feel - wanted to deny his father.
A swift movement, nearly invisible, made the young boy flinch.
Nico turned around and watched his surroundings warily.
"Who's there?" he said. The dark fields of Asphodel held no answers.
Nico took one last look, but decided that it must have been his own imagination playing a trick on him.
"Smooth Nico," he muttered while slowly making his way to his father's palace. "Soon you'll be seeing fairies too."
Nico reached the massive dark doors and was led inside by a grumpy spirit.
"Where's my father?" he demanded when he faced the empty throne room.
The spirit watched him through sunken eyes and then smiled s toothless smile full of despair.
"His Lord is not to be found anywhere near, young man."
Nico was confused.
"But he asked for my presence," he said. "I'm here to sort out a problem with the newborn spirits."
The old spirit visibly darkened, and his eyes shone with glee.
"If that is the will of my Lord's child. May I lead you there?" he asked, and reached out for Nico's arm.
Nico was hesitant, rule number one - he had learned - don't accept shadow travels with strange spirits. But at the same time...
The feeling Nico had before came back full force, and he was overwhelmed by the sudden urge to get away as soon as possible.
Nico grabbed the spirits arm and let himself be absorbed by the shadows.
Nico was at a shore, and he was not happy about it. The riverbanks were crowded by hopeful spirits, but he took no notice. He was too busy finding the traitorous spirit that had led him there and strangle him.
"Where is my father?!" he bellowed and didn't really care that he sounded like a three-year old yelling for his father he had lost at the mall.
"Show yourself! I am the Ghost King and I DEMAND-"
"But would you please stop this nonsense," an irritated voice interrupted his cursing.
Nico eyed the pale spirit suspiciously. It looked like a woman, but it was hard to tell. Like many other spirits, she flickered between a physical form and a puddle of light.
"Who are you and what do you want?"
The spirit took no notice in the boy's dark stare and said: "Does it matter who I am, boy? We'll all forget it soon anyway."
Nico frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked.
The woman sighed and spoke like a person speaking to a very small child. Nico did not like being treated like a child. Yes he was young, but that didn't really make him a "normal" kid. Far from it.
"Are you not a child of the Underworld?" the woman said irritably. "Can you not recognize the river you stand beside? The river that will clean your mind and memory and leave you as new as a new born baby."
"Lethe," Nico whispered, understanding dawning upon him, because now he finally cared to notice his surroundings.
He stood at the shore of the Lethe, one drop of the milky white water and he would forget his old life, his friends and his feelings.
Nico's dark eyes watched the smooth current with both a small amount of fear and longing. What would he not give to be brought relief? To be at peace and get a new life. To forget himself and create a new person, someone he would be able to live with.
Not what I am now, he thought with disgust. I am nothing, not worth a damn.
His eyes returned to the river. It would be so easy, just one step. A small step and it would all be forgotten.
He stepped forward, a hesitant small step. But it was enough. The spirit he'd been talking to smiled a wicked smile and gave him a shove. Nico, already in imbalance, fell headfirst into the lively current.
The cold feeling he'd had before was back, but he didn't care. What was it to care about now? It would all be forgotten soon.
Everything would be forgotten...
Nico's body was screaming. The river clawed at his memories and took them from him, one after another.
Flashbacks made his mind swim.
"Mama, mama!" a small dark haired child yelled. A man was dragging him by the arm and held the boy in a hard grip. Suddenly a woman appeared and slapped the man in the face. The man lost his grip of small Nico who immediately ran to hide behind his "mama".
Maria di Angelo took young Nico into her arms and mumbled soothing words.
"Nico, Nico," she whispered. "Il mio angelo, What have I told you about talking to strangers."
Mama.
Nico formed the words with his cold lips. Mama, forgive me.
A hand hooked around his shoulders, and dragged him up, towards the surface. Images exploded behind Nico's eyes.
"You promised," a boy whispered to himself. It was dark, and he was completely alone.
The boy stood up.
"YOU PROMISED! YOU PROMISED! YOU PROMISED!" he screamed.
Promised, the echo whispered.
Broken promise...
Broken hope...
Broken...
The boy fell to his knees and hugged a small statue. Tears streamed down his dirty face.
Promise...
Hands were shaking him.
"Wake up Nico. Wake up."
But Nico didn't, he didn't care, didn't want to wake up. Slowly the world started to slip away.
Bianca laughing.
Bianca holding his hand.
Bianca promising she would always take care of him.
Bianca comforting him when he fell and hurt himself
Bianca then
Bianca now
Bianca tomorrow
Bianca, his sister
Nico teared his eyes open and gasped for air.
"Bianca," he sighed and rested his wet head in his hands.
Bianca was someone he couldn't lose again. She was his lifeline, his promise to this world.
He looked up at his savior. A dark haired girl, dressed in a silver parka and a bow resting in her lap.
"Bianca," Nico whispered.
His sister smiled sadly.
"I'm here mio fratello."
Nico threw himself at Bianca, and let his tears drop. His sister.
"You saved me," he said.
"Yes," Bianca answered.
Realization dawned upon Nico.
"Aren't you supposed to be in Elysium?" he asked, afraid of the answer. He knew what her being at the Lethe meant.
His sister smiled again. "Yes."
"But you're here," Nico said. He knew what it meant. Newborn spirits had his father said.
Rebirth.
"I'm sorry fratello, I love you," Bianca said. She took Nico's cold hands and softly caressed them.
"I'm sorry too," Nico whispered.
Bianca's hands were cold, and were slowly disappearing.
When Nico looked up again, she was gone.
Once again, he had lost his sister.
Nico roamed the Underworld stuck in his bubble of despair. Found his sister, only to lose her once again. The Fates has a cruel sense of humor.
The fields of Asphodel were as usual crowded, and from where Nico stood he could see over the entire crowd of spirits. He had an excellent view over his father's palace too. Small poplars were hanging in small clusters.
Nico felt a certain pull towards them.
On one of the stones under the poplars sat a girl, maybe one year younger than Nico. Her skin was like molten chocolate and her eyes like liquid gold. He watched him intently.
"You're not like the others," she stated silently.
"No, I'm not," Nico agreed. He could tell that this girl was different too. And suddenly it dawned him.
"You remember who you are," he said. "You are a child of Pluto, you are my sister."
The girl looked like she was going to laugh. "Are you a child of Pluto? You?"
"N- I mean yes. Pluto." Better not mix up the Greek and Roman gods yet, he thought.
Now the golden eyed girl looked thoughtful.
"I'm Hazel," she said.
"Nico."
"What do you want?" Hazel wondered. "It's not like I can do something for you, I'm dead." She snorted. "You might have noticed."
Nico hesitated. This was his sister, and if what his father had told him was right, if the Doors of Death had been opened...
He didn't dare think it.
To bond and get attached to people was dangerous, that Nico had learned the hard way. But this was his sister, and he saw that she had sacrificed much. Just like me, he thought.
He made his decision, and maybe, just maybe he would he regret it later on. But he didn't think so.
"I had a sister once," he told Hazel, carefully averting his eyes. "You're my sister too, and you deserve a second chance." Nico stretched out his hand towards the girl.
Hazel looked up at him in bewilderment.
Then she smiled, a thankful and hopeful smile. She took Nico's hand.
Maybe he would realize this was all a stupid mistake, maybe he would be hurt again. But Nico didn't care, he had a sister again, and that was all that mattered.
Hazel...