Chapter 26 - Fear
There was a faint breeze. It ruffled his hair and sent chills across his skin. Yet, the notion itself brought a hysterical giggle from Nico's lips. Because why in hades, was there a breeze in the underworld? He quietened when the sound of his voice only echoed in the silence and in the darkness.
Vision still blurry and cheeks cold to the touch, Nico leant back on his perch and sighed. The smooth, obsidian rock underneath was foreign to his fingertips. Warmer than he remembered and sharper.
He pulled his legs back to his chest and rested his chin on his knees. Percy chose rebirth and, in some cruel joke the universe, the Fates, and probably fucking Aphrodite have decided to play, he still managed to fall in love with the son of Poseidon all- over- again. Tilting his head back to look at the underworld's ceiling, Nico sighed again.
He couldn't stay here. He had to warn the Camps. Tell them the prophecy was coming to light. That someone was pulling the strings from beyond the knowledge of the Olympians. That it was more than likely this entity had kidnapped Jack- and Percy. . . Percy was alive. It was difficult to even come to terms with the truth, difficult to process.
Anger boiled in Nico's chest and hacked away at his reason.
He was sick of being lied to by the Gods, tired of being nothing more than sacrificial pawns on their chess boards. He was no longer going to be-
"-Are you going to sit here and mop all day? Or, are you going to save him this time?"
Nico jumped out of his skin, whirled round to the soft, younger features of his older sister. Exactly the same as the day he lost her.
"Bianca?"
She sighed quietly and smiled. "Who else, Neeks?"
There was not another second that passed before he held her in a tight hug. He stayed in her embrace, memorising the scent that lingered on her clothes and felt a strange sadness at the unreachable familiarity it drew in the back of his mind. It almost felt like home.
"Did Dad send you?" He asked softly and closed in eyes in defeat as Bianca nodded against his shoulder.
"He believes you'll listen to me." She laughed and pulled away. "I told him he's being optimistic."
Nico huffed and crossed his arms. "Of course, he would order you to do his dirty work."
"Father didn't order me, Nico. He asked this of me."
"Should I act betrayed?" He bit back sarcastically.
"I didn't-" Bianca sighed. "That was not my intention, little brother. And you know it."
"How could I not? All this time, and- they- just- lied." Nico breathed out in defeat.
Placing a hand on his shoulder, Bianca hummed in agreement. "So, don't do this for them, do this for Percy. He came back, only to fall in love with you all over again? Even Aphrodite said-"
The words caught in the daughter of Hades' throat as Nico gave her a putout glare.
"I'm done fighting their battles, Bianca. So, what? So, they can sit high and mighty on their throne at the end of it all?"
Bianca shook her head and said casually, "but are you prepared to stand by and let Percy suffer for them?"
"What, no- Bianca, I would never let anyone hurt Percy. I just- If I fight, it will be on my terms." The son of Hades hissed with conviction. "I won't be on the battle field to settle their scores."
Bianca looked back at him with an intensity in her eyes. "Finally."
"Wait-"
"-I needed to hear you say it, little brother. I needed to know you truly have something you believe to be worth fighting for. Because whatever's coming, it's not gonna be like the last times. I overheard the Fates speaking with father." She drew further back from him to lean against the rocks, her figure shivered and faded slightly before returning back to normal. "Someone has been kidnapping demigods, Nico, enough to build an army."
Nico brow knitted together and he flinched in panic. "I have to go warn the Camps, that's-"
"-terrifying. I know," Bianca finished. "But do you understand what should truly keep us up at night?"
The briefest flash of confusion crossed Nico's eyes.
With a heavy sigh, the daughter of Hades pushed herself up from the rock's edge, standing to face her brother. "They have PercyJackson."
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