Part One

It was interesting to actually be able to see Night in reality without dreams. She sat on the beach with me. There was no need for flashlights, because I could see perfectly fine in the dark, and so could she.

I shook my head and yawned. I could barely keep my eyes open, but I knew better than to request our lessons in day time. Night would give me a lecture…again.

"Jackson, you are a prodigy in magic, but even a prodigy needs information. Why aren't you listening?"

I sighed. "I've just got a lot on my mind."

She set her book down and looked at me. Her body posture seemed to say 'Well?'

I chuckled, but then frowned. "Why me? Why did you chose me? I know about Ouranos."

She looked at her hands. "I only became interested in the idea of an heir when Kronos angered me. I did it out of spite at first, and then you began to intrigue me. Ouranos first noticed you when you gave Clarisse La Rue the golden Fleece. He realized that you were even better than the gods. Do not scoff, Perseus! We tell the truth."

I sighed and shook my head. "If I'm better than the gods, then what do you see in the mirrors?"

She chuckled and gave me a sly glance. "It is not so much what we see as how we react to it. You wish to change, refusing to accept yourself as you are. The gods would just ignore it, denying that they were that bad."

I thought about it and nodded. "I see."

Night nodded briskly and when back to the lesson. "Today, I will teach you how to combat magicians."

I cracked a grin, but Night beat me to it. "No, you do not get a wand!"

I pouted. "How then?" My dreams of staffs, wizards, and wands were shattered.

Night smirked. "Mentally. I will teach you how to block others from seeing inside your mind, gods included."

I grinned. "That'll prove helpful. Will you teach me how to read others?"

She gave me a wary glance. "Not until you understand the severity of invading someone's mind." She sighed. "It is incredibly important that someone not probe you. The slightest invasion might pull your memories from behind your mental block."

We got to work. All through the night, she coached, tested, drilled, and branded into me the rules of combat with the mind. There was only one hitch in our evening.

"Percy, what is the greatest form of magic you could use?"

"Mental, Ethereal Magic."

She frowned. "Incorrect. I told you magic from spells and words is far more potent."

I groaned. "Hecate."

Night hissed. "She has been telling you lies! You shall not listen to her!"

Glaring at her, I growled, "It's kinda hard to juggle two different views on magic, Night!" The air turned colder because of my anger; darkness rose from the ground in wisps.

"Lessen your interaction with Hecate." Night seemed impervious to my mood. "She will give you nothing but bad habits."

I nodded, wondering how I was going to do that. "Night, can I please tell my father?"

"No. He would tell Zeus about Ouranos, and he would discontinue our lessons." She smiled at me and patted my cheek. "You wouldn't want that, would you, my boy?"

I growled and moved away from her. No ignoring it now. I was hooked. I wanted to know more. Plus, Night and I were inexplicably connected. I knew that I had not only gotten used to the darkness around me, from her, but darkness was now coming from me. It was both exhilarating and frightening.

"Lay down with dogs and get up with fleas." I muttered.

Night laughed, a laugh tinged with victory. "Soon, you will become the Prince of Night." I scowled. Another title. Not too nice of one either.

Ouranos appeared. "It is my turn with the young heir, Nyx." She grumbled, but she signaled me to gather my things, and then, she vanished.

"What will you teach me?" I asked Ouranos. We were suddenly in his villa. It was made from black marble and silver veins. The furniture, the carpets, the curtains, everything was black with different constellations and star designs.

He smiled down at me. "How to push back Nyx. How to keep the darkness inside you, at bay."

I smiled. "Perfect." I had already decided to give him a second chance. I had been given nearly a month and a half to think over what Erebus taught me, and I realized that Ouranos had been pretty desperate. Desperate people tend to ignore manners and personal rights when they are…well, desperate.

So, I realized that all the snippets from the responses of the gods and such kinda mixed up the timeline. I'll try and make an accurate timeline with all the titles and such for you all to reference. ; D

Ink…