Chapter 14: Reading the Mansion of Night
The demigods' footsteps echoed around the long hall, rebounding back to them from the other side. Nico swallowed as he warily eyed the two immortals the other end of the room. Tartarus and Nyx had been talking very loudly when they first entered the room but had quickly stopped which led Nico to believe that they were arguing about something they didn't want the demigods to know about.
"Very cliché," Nico muttered and looked around at the group of listeners. All of their attention on the book, trying to get information on what was going to happen. How it was going to a d see what they could prevent.
"Yes, it was," Athena murmured.
Tartarus was twelve feet (the same height as the Titans) and purple, Nico noted. The Primordial had skin the colour of dark purple, and it oddly suited him, which was a look very few beings would be able to pull off. He had bulging muscles that looked like they could quickly snap Nico's neck, and his nails slightly resembled clawed talons. He wore only traditional Greek battle armor, and his face was a whirlpool of darkness. Beside him, Nyx wore a flowing black dress that looked like smoke, and her skin was a startling white colour. Her eyes glowed brightly like stars in the darkness of the room, and wings formed from the shadows disappeared into her shoulder blades.
Percy stopped several dozen feet away from the two Primordial's and to the shock of the half-immortal demigods, he lowered himself into a bow with his friends quickly following his example, not daring to look Tartarus or Nyx in the eye. Tartarus frowned as he looked at Percy. "What have I told you, Perseus?"
"I wonder how many times they have spoken." Annabeth asks and looks around.
"Plenty from the sounds of it," Zeus muttered and looked away at the questioning looks he got.
"I do not need to bow to you," Percy said calmly.
"Then why are you bowing?" Tartarus demanded.
"Out of respect," Percy replied, "not because you are a Primordial, but because you saved my life before, and you have done so again. I am in your debt, my Lord."
Tartarus sighed. "I apologize for not finding you sooner," he said, "however my foolish step-son had me backed into a corner."
"I know," Percy nodded. "It's fine, don't worry about it."
"I am pleased that-"
"That's it," Nyx announced, "You've had your turn, brother. Now give me mine." She practically flew across the room to haul Percy to his feet and give him a massive bear hug. "It's good to see you safe and well, Perseus. I missed you. It's a shame the Titan couldn't have slipped up."
Tartarus chuckled, and it sounded like rocks colliding. "Now I have free reign to do what I wish to him."
"No!" Nyx exclaimed indignantly, "You can't do that."
Tartarus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Nyx, we have been over this many times before. You need to stop being so fascinated by insane and powerful immortals that wish to tear down Olympus. First, it was Erebus, then Aether for a few centuries, then Eros, Pontus, and now it's Kronos!"
Nyx crossed her arms over her chest, and Nico frowned slightly when he saw Leo's eyes follow the moment. "I think this is none of your concern, brother. Kronos is cute, seriously, how can you not see that?"
Thalia choked on her juice and looked to Annabeth.
Kronos…Cute? She mouthed and saw her friend hold back a smile.
Athena, who decided to leave everyone on a cliff hanger and said that it was now lunch time and had everyone eat. Groans could be heard, but never the less they followed the goddess to the other room to eat. The grey eyed goddess smirked, only to frown as she began to wonder what was going to happen next.
The one in the hood declined to eat and made his way to the door that led outside, his cloak sweeping past and flew back with the breeze. She saw Kronos rise and follow him out.
"I'm starting to smell Firefly," Percy said and took his cloak off and sighed as the titan king embraced him. "Like the gods, they smell pretty bad."
Chuckling Kronos smiled and said, "To the gods we don't smell that great either… enough of the gods! I don't know how long the fates decided to have us here, just pawns in the bigger picture, love. But as long as I have you, all is ok." Kronos said and slid them across the ice and gazed deeply into sea green eyes.
"I just miss being home… I guess, though I can survive until we finish the book." Percy smirked, leaned on his tippy toes to kiss the golden eyed titan.
That's how Hyperion found them, lips locked, body a tangle of limbs sprawled on the ground and Percy straddling the older titan.
"Milords… I was wondering when you'd show up!" Hyperion yelled and pulled Percy into a hug and grinned like a child.
"What do want brother?" Kronos growled took Percy back into his arms.
"They wish to start reading again."
"Very well." Kronos planted his lips on Percy's one last time before walking away.
.
.
.
.
Percy cleared his throat. "Okay, can we stop talking about that… please? It's making me feel sick."
Nyx sniffed. "Demigods," she sighed, "so unappreciative."
"Lord Tartarus," Nico said respectfully, "why did you wish for us to pass by here on the way out?"
"Ah, yes," Tartarus nodded, "right. Perseus should be aware of this, but – why are you still bowing? Stand up. – Anyway… what was I saying?" He frowned.
"Something I should be aware of," Percy said helpfully as he stood up.
"Yes, thank you, Perseus. Immortals return to the Pit when they die, yes? And mortals go to the Upper Underworld where Hades rules. What, then, do you think happens when immortals die in Tartarus?"
"Uh… I don't know," Jason frowned.
"So intelligent!" Hermes snickered and nodded his head at Iapetus' words.
"You wish you were so cool!" Jason said and sneered at the titan.
"They reform in the same place they died," Percy grinned, "so that means the Titans you killed will get an earful from Lord Kronos when they reform."
Leo grinned, "Oh, good."
Tartarus shook his head. "What do you think happens to half-immortals when they die?"
The demigods immediately looked at him hopefully. "Wait, so Annabeth might not be dead?" Thalia demanded.
Nyx frowned. "That's debatable."
Percy cocked his head to the side. "She's either dead, or she isn't. Which one is it?"
"Nothing is black and white" the hooded one said. "I learned that the hard way"
Tartarus sighed. "It is harder than that to explain. Her soul has essentially been cut in half."
"Mother… how is that possible?" Annabeth asked. Her face a bit pale from listening to her own death in the last chapter
Nico grimaced, "That's not possible… is it?"
"You are all half-immortal, yes? Well, as I've told you, immortals reform in the place they die if they die in Tartarus. Mortals go to the Upper Underworld. When you mix that together… you get half of the soul going to the Upper, and the other half being… stuck in the body. Annabeth currently has her immortal soul attached to her body, and so she is not completely dead. Her mortal soul is in Elysium with the son of Hermes, but the main part of her consciousness is here. An immortal becomes fully formed only once they have passed the Doors of Death-"
"So if we get her past the Doors she'll wake up?" Percy finished.
Tartarus nodded, "She should if it happens soon."
"A time limit, how appropriate!" Annabeth stood and began to pace the floor. Her hair bouncing and distracting to some, who told her to sit down and wait to see what would happen. After all this was just a book!
"I'm going," Percy said firmly.
"What about Piper, and Clarisse?" Jason asked, "And we need someone to guide us through the Doors."
"Nico can do that," Percy murmured, "and I'm the one that will be able to get to the Doors sooner, so I have to go."
"You can't go alone," Thalia said firmly, "if you run into a Titan or giant it'll be too dangerous on your own."
Percy immediately shook his head. "No. You'll just slow me down."
"Sooo supportive Perce!" Leo said and grinned and tapped his toe as everyone began to stare at him.
"Percy, listen to us," Clarisse sighed, "we all came down here to get you out, and if you die on the way Annabeth would have died for nothing."
Percy's eyes narrowed to slits. "She's not dead. Were you not listening to what Tartarus was saying?"
"We know," Hazel said in exasperation, "but take at least one of us with you. Please?"
"I'll go with him," Frank offered, "I can turn into an eagle or something, and then I won't slow you down."
Percy frowned and reluctantly nodded. "Fine. Small Bob will come with us because I won't be able to carry Annabeth and fight off any monsters that attack us."
"Lord Tartarus," Jason said respectfully, "can you help Piper?"
"Ah, yes. The daughter of Love. I had forgotten her," the Primordial admitted. "Bring her here, and I shall see about waking her."
"Love can be forgotten so quickly in the modern world!" Aphrodite sighed. "Only lust and self-pleasure is what remains, the few romantics there are I try to save..." Ares embraced her and kissed her forehead.
"Love will flourish again, 'Dite" he said and ignored the looks sent his way.
Jason nodded and gratefully brought Piper over to the God of the Abyss. Tartarus crouched as they approached and extended a hand towards Piper, so he touched her on the forehead once she was close enough. "Deffro, merch Aphrodite, ymladd oddi ar y felltith a osodwyd arno chi gan y Arai ."
"Awake, daughter of Aphrodite, fight off the curse set upon you by the Arai," Percy murmured as a translation.
"Percy, how do you know that?" Leo frowned.
Percy shrugged, "Being around the Titans, you sort of learn to pick up their language. The Old Tongue – Yr Hen Tafod – is the language spoken by Chaos when it created the Universe."
"It?" Hazel asked curiously.
"No one's sure of Chaos' gender, so we call it 'it,'" Percy shrugged, "it's safer than assuming Chaos is a certain gender and being wrong."
"It is done," Tartarus hummed.
"Famous last words!" Conner shouted and nodded to his brother who pulled out a poster and began to talk about who said those words and bad things happened.
"But she's not waking up," Jason frowned.
"She is a sleeping beauty, isn't she?" Tartarus asked dryly.
Jason looked down at Piper and scratched the back of his head. "Uh… yeah. What's that got to do with her waking up?"
"She looks like a princess, doesn't she?" Tartarus chuckled, and Percy grinned, hiding his laughter behind his hand. "You are a prince, yes?"
Jason paused, and his eyes widened. "Wait a minute…"
Percy laughed. "Tartarus has been obsessed with mortal fairy tales. He has been for nearly three centuries now, and it's still funny."
"What?!" Zeus laughed, snapped his fingers until Jason was wearing princely clothes. He laughed even more as Aphrodite flashed a beautiful gown on her daughter.
Jason grinned, ducking his head to try to hide his slight blush as he kissed Piper on the lips. "She will wake," Tartarus promised, "for now, you may all rest here until…" he muttered a short curse under his breath. "That fool." He turned angrily to face Nyx, his eyes narrowing dangerously to slits. "You left the drawbridge down," he accused.
Nyx shrugged. "Can you blame me?"
"Yes!" Tartarus exclaimed, "You left an open invitation for him!"
"I'll just go… send him away then," Nyx murmured sadly and started towards the door. Tartarus clenched his jaw and his body crumbled away, reforming in front of Nyx with one hand on her chest.
"I will go, sister. You will attempt sex with him, and we truly do not need the child of that encounter," he rumbled.
Nyx narrowed her eyes. "You'll kill him!"
"No, I shall speak with him and turn him away. If he attacks, then so shall I. But I shall not kill him." Tartarus said firmly.
Percy clenched his jaw. "After all that he's done, you would just let him go?"
"He is my step-son, Perseus," Tartarus said dryly.
"Back to family!" Percy said and looked at his family; he had changed his appearance, so he didn't have to wear the blasted thing. It made him hot!
Percy paused, and he groaned. "But that makes him my adopted step-brother! What the Chaos!"
Tartarus chuckled. "Happy three-hundred and seventeenth birthday, Perseus."
"It's not my birthday yet," Percy said pointedly. "And I'd want a good present."
Tartarus just shook his head as his body dissolved. "What now?" Thalia asked.
"We go," Percy shrugged, "I'm not waiting around for Annabeth's chances of surviving this to drop to zero."
Frank nodded. "We should be leaving soon."
"Nico, you know the way, right?" Percy asked.
Nico slowly nodded. "Enough, yes."
"Good. Keep the laptop in case you get lost," Percy ordered. "Frank, come here."
Frank raised an eyebrow but did so, and the demigods watched in shock as Percy tapped his shoulder and black leather armour with red trim formed over his SPQR shirt. "This should be able to protect you from anything we run into. And you can keep it when we get out of here."
"Perseus, before you go, perhaps you'd like to reconsider your answer to a previous request of mine," Nyx called.
"No," Percy growled. "Before the answer was maybe. Now it's a definite 'no.' Go to Lord Kronos for it instead," he hissed angrily.
"What was that about?" Hazel asked only to blush as Athena read the next line.
"Percy?" Hazel asked, "What?"
"Doesn't matter," Percy said as he shot a glare at Nyx. "We've got to get going while Tartarus is distracting Lord Kronos."
"Why do you call him Lord?" Leo frowned.
"Habit," Percy grimaced, "let's just say he didn't like me being disrespectful."
"You learned some lessons after all!" Kronos whispered and slid his hand down Percy's thigh, only to pull away at the glare he got.
"Perseus, you must find Victoria Argyris for Krios. It could decide the Fate of Olympus in the coming war," Nyx said hurriedly before Percy could disappear.
Percy frowned. "Why did he want me to find her?"
"That is not for me to say, however, Krios knew that you must find her before the Titans do."
"Why did you use past tense?" Nico asked warily.
Nyx smiled sadly. "Kronos has killed Iapetus and Krios. Their bodies lie in Damasen's swamp."
Percy's eyes widened. "What?"
"I think that was one of Percy's favorite words to use! I mean count how many times he has said what!" Leo grinned happily, and continued to fix his machines."
"Go, Perseus," Nyx ordered, "Kronos has just attacked Tartarus. This is your chance. Do not waste it."
Percy nodded and grabbed Frank's arm, pulling the son of Mars along as he whistled for Small Bob to follow them. "Good luck, Percy," Nico called after his cousin.
Percy grinned as he looked back. "You too, Nico, be safe."
"Perseus, you know how to contact us if you need us, yes?" Nyx asked.
"Yeah," Percy nodded, "if I need your help – or Tartarus' – I'll tell you. Thanks, sis."
"Sis?" Frank asked with a frown.
"Do they always ask that many questions?" Iapetus asked and frowned and laughed as Percy swung his fist at him, speaking really fast in old tongue and glaring at the reply.
The Titans, and Poseidon knew who he was, but the other gods didn't know and couldn't know, because what would happen when they found out what had happened? Not that Percy cared; he loved his titan family and godly family and would do anything to protect them. After all… what was family for?
Percy rolled his eyes, "I'll tell you on the way," he said as he pulled Frank along behind him. The two demigods quickly disappeared from the room as Small Bob ran after them.
"Young heroes, you must not be distracted by the front Perseus has put up. Underneath it he is hurting, Kronos did much to him. I fear he may never recover… unless he realizes that someone that he has already met can find his true self again. Do not stop him and his match from joining, or else his mind shall snap completely," Nyx announced. "Good luck, demigods," she murmured before waving her hand, and the demigods were swept up by the shadows in the room. It felt like they were on a high-speed roller-coaster, and strange sounds echoed around them as they were planted on the rocky ground of Tartarus.
Nico looked around for several seconds, noting the Mansion of Night several hundred yards behind them and the River Acheron flowing at their backs. "This way," he said firmly as he started to walk to where he knew the Doors of Death were.
Zeus growled and paced the length of the bed and watched his wife, gosh she could be so annoying! I mean did she have to make that rule?!
"Yes I did now hush husband! Your thought are like clouds crashing together on a stormy night!" Here said and patted the bed next to her.
Nico held Will close to him when they entered the bedroom, just talking about this and that, nothing of importance when Hazel burst in, only blush as she saw them practically naked.
"What do you want Haze?" Nico asked.
Without looking up she asked if they wanted to go to the 9 Muses River.
Kronos sighed and listened to his brother's cheer and talk with one another and giving Percy hugs. Rhea had smiled and had let Leander have freedom he desired and Kronos knew that the titans would look after the bastard.
Even though he didn't like it, he would make a temporarily alliance with the gods.
A/N: Sorry about not updating this story! But I have a job and school and homework, so I hope you liked it, and yes that was why I did little one shots so you wouldn't get bored!