Chapter Eleven: A Primordial Pact
Percy, Day 1 In Tartarus
Percy went from feeling nothing, trapped in the dreamlike state the Tartarii had placed him in. To more pain than he had ever felt in an instant, his skin literally ripped apart as energy bled from his body, like liquid from a sieve. Percy was floating in the middle of a rapidly rising sea of aquamarine water, waves crashing onto him forcing him underwater briefly before he resurfaced gasping in pain, only for the process to repeat again.
All around him the battlefield upon which he had fought Tartarus was collapsing, massive rocks plunged from the ceiling crashing into the ground and opening massive craters. The ground crumbled away beneath the tides as the Tartarean literally ate away at the ground and cliffs like acid, burrowing deeper and deeper with each passing moment.
The sound of the ancient primordial sea finally unleashed after Millenia was deafening, The water roared like some massive beast as the cliffs and mountains cracked and broke apart. Gouts of water rushed to form new waterfalls down the sides of the impossibly tall mountains, as the water tore great chunks of rock free, plunging it into the raging waters below. The entire plane seemed to be heaving back and forth as the ground roiled and broke to make space for the ocean.
His body was a shambling wreck, the results of his battle with Tartarus, his arms and torso were covered with dozens of small wounds. His arms were almost useless, his chest was caved in and if he had to guess he would say most of his ribs as well. He couldn't move his legs so he had to assume his back was broken. He felt the water trying to help him but it wasn't enough, tears streamed down his face as he prepared himself, he could feel himself dying.
She had warned him this was going to hurt, he gritted his teeth. It wasn't the pain he was worried about, according to her it was going to be temporary. There were other things on his mind as he began to dread what was coming. A sudden surge of pain in his chest forced his mouth open in a wordless scream.
His hand curled into claws as he feebly tried to dig at the skin on his chest, the dull ache of the curse mark had become a roaring inferno. It was all consuming, unlike anything he had ever thought possible. Even his bath in the Styx didn't compare, he could actually feel as the spell ate away at him, striking at the most vulnerable parts of his mind as he screamed in agony. The water around him responded in kind as the waves intensified, a strange howling wind beginning to pick up and whip the water into a frenzy.
He felt bones crack under the strain his body was put under, he groaned as they moved about and popped back into place. His ribcage felt like it was prying itself apart from the inside, but slowly he felt the pain around his lungs lessen slightly. A whirlwind of emotions surged through his mind, thousands of voices crying out in anger, a rage unlike any he had felt before burned in his chest, a thirst for vengeance against everyone and anyone as he struggled to keep his head above the surface of the water. Every wound on his body began to burn, like someone had poured liquid metal into them.
Black smoke swirled around him as he gagged on his own blood, coughing viciously as his lungs struggled to re-inflate. His oxygen deprived brain registered a single fact during all of this. He could see a single figure wreathed in darkness, standing on a low rise of hills, the rising ocean water surging about the ground several feet below them. Lying on the ground at the figure's feet was another smaller figure, one with a shock of blonde hair that he could make out even at this distance.
There was no doubt in his mind as to who the blonde hair belonged to. He screamed out in anger as he tried to force his body to swim towards the rise of hills. Only to watch in horror as his badly mangled arm, which had broken in several places, was now resetting itself with a series of grinding cracks and pops. Before the muscles and skin slowly started to knit back together before his eyes.
He tried to cry out, to call her name, but the pain robbed him of his voice, the all consuming inferno in his chest stole his ability to move, even as his body healed before his eyes. Wounds that might have proven lethal, even to an immortal healed in minutes, yet it was accompanied by the stench of burning skin and unimaginable pain assaulting his body. He groaned loudly, the only sound he was capable of making at the moment as his head dipped under the water, he felt his heart stutter.
That seemed to shock his body out of its stupor as he burst above the surface with a gasp. He felt air finally enter his lungs once more, feeding oxygen to his starved brain. He felt the pains accompanying his healing process fade as he prepared himself to swim towards the crest of assumed that the worst was over; and like usual he had assumed wrong.
Suddenly he felt colder than he ever had before, the Alaskan waters couldn't begin to compare to the exhaustion and chills he now felt set in. He felt weak and sick, as the curse mark on his chest burned and crackled, simmering with arcane energy. His vision blurred, darkness threatening to overtake him. That was when his limbs had stopped responding to him. He felt his heart stutter once more as the pain in his chest stopped, along with his heart.
In that instant he experienced dozens of memories anew, The sound of a girl laughing while the smell of strawberries filled his nostrils. Followed immediately by the face of an elderly man, sitting in a wheelchair, a cup of tea clenched in one hand and a book in the other. The taste of his mothers cookies, fresh from the oven, chocolatey and gooey. Several more memories flashed through his mind rapidly as he collapsed inwards, Feebly crying out as he felt his mind struggle against the magic that assaulted it.
The last thing he saw was his own hand reaching forwards desperately towards the figures in the distance as he died.
Some time later
The water around him exploded, as if someone had dropped a live grenade into a small pond, he didn't consciously try to do anything, instead he surged back to consciousness and the water merely reacted to him.
The water scattered into the air around him obscured his vision for a moment as he stumbled forwards. His feet finally touching the ground again as his legs gave out and he collapsed onto some strange rocky beach. The sound of crashing waves, accompanied by a harsh wind filled the air as he tried to focus his hazy thoughts.
He groaned weakly, his vision blurred and his body quaking as he struggled to free himself from the crashing surf. Black and red gravel and rocks crunched under his hands as he dragged himself free of the endlessly pounding waves.
His whole body felt as if it had been run over with a truck, the faint taste of bile clung in his mouth as he forced himself up onto his knees to gaze around him. It was absolute Chaos.
Rocks, some the size of small houses rained from the dark skies above, smashing into the rocky peaks in the distance or the fledgling sea below with terrifying force. He knelt on the beach in awe, watching as the same aquamarine colored water stretched out around him in almost all directions.
All that remained of the once great plain upon which he and Tartarus had battled was the blasted peaks which had dominated the horizon. Nothing else was left recognizable to tell him it was the same place.
The beach he knelt on was one of several, dotted about the ocean that he could see, as he quickly realized they were the peaks and plateaus of the smaller mountains and cliffs which had been a hundred feet or more above his head when he had been in the middle of battle. Now everything below them was underwater.
The black clouds which had raged before still dominated the sky, the relentless crashing of the surf interrupted by the occasional crack of thunder, and a flash of red lighting.
He was in shock, he knew, his whole body felt weird, he had felt himself die. He was acutely aware of that fact, yet here he was. He looked at his arms, covered in a latticework of new scars as was his chest. It was at that point that he noticed he was lacking any clothing of any sort, instead he sat stark naked by the edge of the water.
'She' had been right that he wouldn't die, which meant that it hadn't been some strange stress filled dream, but instead it had been a genuine conversation he had with a goddess locked up for the last two thousand years.
He looked over his chest and saw the skin around his curse mark was an ugly red color, like a fresh burn. The skin on the rest of his body was just as marred by scars as his arms, and he now had a strange swirling mark that consisted of five lines on the back of his right hand.
It had a slight metallic sheen to it and each line curved around the rest forming a circular design, reminiscent of a Celtic knot. It felt charged, as if the skin of the mark itself thrummed with power. He had no idea how it had appeared there, but he had a fair idea who had given it to him. Thinking back on the blessing of Εκδίκηση.
If 'she' was right about him not being able to die, then she wasn't lying about the rest either. She had sworn in the dream, sworn by chaos that every word she told him was the truth. He struggled to comprehend the magnitude of what that meant.
He was going to lose his memories, his mother had lied to him his entire life, his father and the gods had betrayed some sort of pact resulting in a war that killed millions, the existence of other godly pantheons, something he had long suspected was also proven correct. The sheer insanity of those thoughts sapped him of his desire to do anything.
He couldn't find the energy to move, he didn't even want to, he wasn't sure how long he sat on the shore. Tears streamed down his face as he struggled to figure out who or what he had forgotten, but the crux of the issue persisted in that he had no memory of what he had forgotten.
He laughed mirthlessly as he hung his head in his hands. "I cant catch a fucking break can I" he groaned.
However he couldn't help but notice the new strength in his limbs, as the after effects of the pain began to fade. He felt energized, but this time unlike in his dreams, it wasn't accompanied by the feeling of being torn apart.
Curiously he raised his hand towards the ocean before him as it responded nearly instantly, massive waves the size of small buildings forming with nearly no effort. He marveled at the power that thrummed through his body as the sea responded in kind, streaks of that strange white fire racing across its surface as he brought the waves crashing back down into the ocean.
Percy's good mood quickly soured as felt the approach of a vast power, similar to what he had experienced in his dreams when he felt the Tartarii approach. He sighed inwardly as he mentally prepared himself for another fight, cursing inwardly at his lack of a weapon.
"I see you look better than when I last saw you Jackson" a deep and dark voice called out from behind him, an aura of power flaring into existence as he heard feet softly pad across the black rocky shore to stand behind him.
The figure emanated an icy cold darkness, it licked at the edges of his vision as tendrils of it moved slowly across the ground.
"Lady Nyx, How lovely that we would meet a second time" Percy said with a heavy sigh.
"Careful with your tone boy, you will treat me with the respect a primordial deserves" Nyx declared in a stern voice.
Percy stood, turning to look at the primordial as he did so, She stood around six foot tall, with pale skin. Her raven black hair and eyes blended in with a long dress she wore. Her neck and wrists adorned with obsidian studded bracelets and jewelry. However it was the large cape that she wore, embedded with literal stars that shimmered like the night sky that drew his attention.
"Forgive me for being so rude, my last interaction with one of your kind was… unpleasant." Percy said with open hostility in his voice.
Nyx regarded him coldly, "I watched what you did to my brother Jackson, it was impressive, for a demigod" She tilted her head and looked at him strangely. "But you have captured my curiosity, regarding what came after" finished the primordial as she stepped towards him.
Percy's hand shot out to the side, almost instinctively as he reached for Riptide, focusing slightly as he felt the sword answer his call from a distance. "Tartarus seemed pretty curious too, but things didn't end so well for him." Percy finished with a grunt as Riptide fired out of the water behind him into his waiting hand.
Percy twirled the sword over in his hand slowly as he watched Nyx carefully, the primordial for her part simply glared at him in return.
"Bold words, something that I would not take seriously from any other mortal" Nyx said as she watched him, her eyes cold and calculating "However, regardless of Tartarus's idiocy, you managed to do what your Gods fear to attempt, succeeding in the effort no less." She said with a sneer.
"For that alone, I shall treat you with the respect you deserve. To think that I did not notice it when you were before me, at the entrance of my domain." She shook her head as she sighed.
"It has been so long I did not recognize the scent, it has been too long since an Ar-.. one of your kind walked this mortal realm" She said sadly, pausing as she almost called him something before changing her mind
"Ardwyr…. What does it mean?" Percy asked as he looked at her, cutting right through her attempt at covering up the word.
"Who's curious now, little demigod?" Nyx called back to him as she grinned fiercely
"Answer the fucking question Nyx, you came here to talk to me so fucking talk…." Percy screamed out, his teeth gritted as he struggled to remain in control, he might not stay dead. But he had no doubt she could kill him easily, and after having just experienced it. He didn't want to go another round with the Curse Mark on his chest.
Darkness flared up all around the primordial as her cape swirled about her, casting long shadows out around her "You dare talk to me like that" she hissed, "I AM THE NIGHT! I am the oldest and strongest of the Primordial's and you would dare talk to me as if you could demand anything of me!? I should kill you where you stand!" The primordial screeched.
"Well lucky for both of us, I'm pretty hard to kill, or so I've been told. Not that it really seems to matter anymore" Percy said bitterly gesturing to the mark on his chest.
Her mood calmed slightly as she looked at him, a cunning look in her eye. "My brother was a fool to invoke old speech like that, I have little doubt it was what awoke the power in your blood Jackson." She watched him intently
"I would have noticed it before had it been this strong, you practically ooze with old magic Son of Poseidon." She said with a hint of greed in her voice.
'Yea, definitely your brother cursing me, not some ancient sea goddess trapped for the last two thousand years doing funny psychosurgery to me that unlocked those powers', Percy thought to himself bitterly.
"So, now that we have clarified you aren't going to smite me for my impudence, are you going to answer my question or not?" Percy said flatly as he looked at the primordial.
"You ask dangerous questions, Perseus.." Nyx responded in a measured tone as she glanced at his sword warily. However when he glared at her she merely sighed and started talking.
"The Ardwyr are an ancient people, related to humans in many ways, but different in some." Nyx explained "Humans were blessed in their own ways by the Creator herself, with methods we Primordial's still don't understand. The Ardwyr were an attempt to recreate that process.. It had different results" Nyx finished as she regarded him calmly.
"What do you mean by different?" Percy asked curiously.
"They can manipulate the Aetherium, something normally restricted to those of Godly or Primordial blood." She said without a hint of fear or hesitation in her voice.
"So… magic?" Percy replied.
"Yes and No, but it is powerful. So much so that your 'so-called' family feared your kind." Nyx replied with a sly grin.
"For good reason too, the might you wield as a descendant of the Ardwyr will be immense once you train yourself to use and understand it. However you are unique Perseus. A half-blood in the truest sense; Half Olympian, Half Ardwyrii." She mused as she looked at him, "It makes you a rarity unlike any other, the first of your kind and likely to be the last one." Nyx finished
Taking a deep breath in, he reached forwards and clasped Riptide with both hands, tensing his body as he leveled his fiercest glare at Nyx. "I won't die easily, and when I do I'm going to come back, so if you want to fight, let's just get this over with. I've had a astoundingly bad day, this is just the next shit situation of many I'm sure." he growled out
"You misunderstand me Perseus, I won't lie and say I didn't consider killing you, or perhaps delivering you to my sister Gaea. She wants you badly, although now that I know what you are, I understand why she believes your blood alone can win her the war." Nyx stated clearly as she waved her hand, summoning a black couch which she almost immediately reclined upon.
As she sat down her cape was pulled higher revealing a form lying limp on the ground, her blonde hair splayed out around her in a halo. His eyes went wide as he saw her, and Nyx merely grinned as she watched him. "But you are far too valuable for me to hand you over to my sister, her plans for you would be a waste of your talents." Nyx finished
"What did you do to her? I will rip you apart if you so much as laid a finger on her Nyx" Percy declared, his voice flat with rage. His eyes never once leaving the still form of Annabeth.
"I did nothing to her, in fact, Think of this as a peace offering, Perseus. The waters you unleashed would have destroyed her body long ago had I not taken her with me when you and Tartarus finally finished your little fight." She said defiantly,
"And why the fuck would you want to make peace? Last time we talked Annabeth and I tricked you and your children while we ran for our lives before you could kill us…" Percy said, "Forgive me if I don't want to take you at your word that you saved her, for no reason other than the goodness in your heart…"
"I have a request to make, one which you should hear out. If you truly want to save her that is." Nyx said as she gestured lazily to Annabeth's body.
"She's dead already, how could I possibly save her…" Percy replied, his voice thick with pain.
"As it stands, her soul rests on the banks of the River Styx in the underworld, she died without the coins to pay the ferryman. I have ways of getting her soul where it belongs, My son Thanatos will do this for me if I ask. You can give her Elysium or whatever you decide and her body shall be yours to burn or bury as you see fit." Nyx finished cautiously as sat on the low couch, watching Percy intently.
"She deserves better, she deserves Elysium" Percy growled out in frustration.
"If you wish it, then Thanatos shall bring her there" Nyx said, "After-all, what is a little favor between friends?" She finished with a smile.
It was at this moment that he heard the singing voices of the Tartarii return, the volume was more muted than before but it came through just as clearly. He grunted in anger, shaking his head to clear it of the stray voices.
"My Brother is dead by your hands Perseus, soon all of Tartarus will know that the Lord of the Pit was slain. Already many answer Gaea's call, once word gets out she will empty the Pit of every monster alive and raise an army to cover the world." Nyx added with a hint of anger creeping into her voice.
"They will overwhelm the Olympians and their pathetic army, then once the Gods are dead, Gaea will rule unchallenged, ushering in a new age of Primordial rule once she kills off the demigods and enslaves the mortals." Nyx added.
"Over my dead body" Percy snarled, the song of the Tartarii rising, almost as if cheering him on.
"A response you and I share at the thought of my Sister ruling this realm" Nyx replied with a scowl. "I have no desire to see the Mortals eradicated, their dreams and nightmares have kept me entertained for the last several millennia. However I cannot simply approach your gods and offer my aid, it would be rejected, among other reasons. The pride of your king, his foolish prejudice will mean the Olympians' death." Nyx finished, ending on a grim note.
"However, the Hero of Olympus, The Bane of Kronos, The Son of the Sea, and the Slayer of Tartarus. They shall not turn away help if you are the one to offer it" She finished with a smile.
"I don't need to offer it, My father and the other Gods know I'm going to fight against her, your sister is Insane. Everything that has happened to Annabeth is her fucking fault, and I'm going to rip her fucking head off for it." Percy promised, his voice filled with venom as he glared at Nyx.
"There is no love lost between my Sister and I, Gaea stood by as Tartarus took the domain which should have been mine. So I have no intention of coming to her aid in this war." Nyx said "However even without my aid Gaea and her Children may still be too much for you to defeat on your own, Powerful as you are, you are still one man" Nyx finished calmly, gesturing to him with one hand, almost lazily as she did so.
"Then I'll die with my family. I'm not going to cower down here while Gaea kills everyone I've ever known or loved." Percy said in anger,
"If I could offer another way? One that would mean the Olympians win the war?" Nyx asked, her lips twisting into a smirk as she watched his head whip about to look at her.
"How?" Percy asked , no anger or fear in his voice, just curiosity.
"Achilles and his Myrmidons battling before the walls of Troy, Jason and the Argonauts questing for the golden fleece. For every great hero in the history of the Greeks there have been loyal warriors standing behind them. I offer you that which you lack Perseus, You are a great warrior, none can deny that, now I offer you the chance to be the next great leader." Nyx explained, her obsidian eyes seemed to sparkle with starlight for a moment as she watched him.
"W-what?" Percy asked in shock, this had not been the way he had expected this conversation to go at all. Riptide's point lowered to the ground as he stared at the primordial in confusion.
"Serve me Perseus. I seek to take back what should have rightfully been mine to begin with, the domain of Tartarus itself. With my brother dead, It will be as simple as taking his throne for myself and claiming my birthright." Nyx said as she stood up, her eyes glowing fiercely as she walked towards Percy. "He is weakened by his loss of control over the Tartarean, If i take his throne now that will be the end of him" Nyx whispered seductively.
"Yet I still need someone skilled in battle, who has led troops in a war, to lead the Armies of Night. To take them on a conquest across Tartarus, There are those still loyal to my brother and they will resist my claim, as foolish as that is." Nyx explained as Percy looked at her in complete shock.
"You want me to fight a war for you? To serve you? What do you get out of this?" Percy demanded in anger.
"Your Gods have laws they must follow, as do we Primordial's, it is only you mortals who are able to act freely, doing as you wish. I cant say I'm not slightly jealous of that." Nyx said cautiously.
Percy paused for a moment, his anger dissipating in an instant. "You can't just take it from him can you?" Percy said almost to himself looking at Nyx with a slight smirk on his face.
"No, I cannot. No Primordial may wage war in another's domain, just as I cannot lead my armies into Tartarus from the Shadow Realm. No other Primordial may battle within another's domain. We represent the inherent forces of creation in some cases. A clash of our domains, such a battle would be cataclysmic, as such it is forbidden." Nyx spoke clearly as she looked past him out to the raging sea behind him.
"It is why Tartarus has never conquered the mortal realms, something that would be well within his power if he were to unleash the Legions he has kept locked away in the depths of the pit." Nyx added "He has desired a war with me for as long as I can remember, yet never before have I seen a mortal do what you have done." she finished with a hint of admiration in her voice. "To wound a Primordial so severely that they are forced to reform, you are the first mortal to make that claim in history I would think.
How does that help me?" Percy replied, "I would be betraying Olympus, not to mention fighting a war down here will take time. I don't have that! Gaea is supposed to rise in a few days." He cried out, gesturing at the ceiling far above his head as if to cement the point.
"If you do as I ask, the Armies of Tartarus and The Shadow Realm will be yours to command, you will lead the greatest army the world has seen since the days of the Dawn War. You will crush Gaea and her children, This I can promise you." Nyx said as she laid a hand on his shoulder. "But time is on our side, Perseus, you will have time to prepare yourself to kill her." She said with a sigh.
Percy froze, his mind frantically trying to discern some trick or lie in what the Primordial had spoken of. If what she said was true, then he would save everyone, Gaea would fall and that would be the end of this war. "H-How long" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
"A day on the surface above is nearly seven days in Tartarus Perseus. If my plans go as I think they will, you shall have Seven years in Tartarus. Seven years to win my realm for me, while for your friends and family on the surface the time shall be much shorter, similar to that of a normal year" Nyx answered
"Swear it, swear that everything you just said was true" Percy demanded as he looked at the Primordial.
"I Nyx, Primordial Of Night and Claimant to the Throne of Tartarus swear by the Creator herself that all I have said to you is the truth" Nyx said with a sigh as she looked at Percy.
That same bell-like sound rang out, cutting through the sounds of the Tartarean raging behind him, "So assuming I even agree to this, how am I going to conquer all of Tartarus in a few weeks? You say I have seven years down here but I only have until the feast of Spes to raise this army you speak of." Percy replied. "That math doesn't quite work out, so i'm going to need you to walk me through that one" He added with a scowl.
"My sister was confident in her victory, that army you destroyed at the doors of death was intended to be her killing blow. An army thousands of monsters strong, you denied her that." Nyx said, grinning like a madman as she talked. "She already knows of Tartarus's death, another loss like that of her forces here, and she would be forced to wait while she amasses new troops to fight her war. A wait which will provide ample time for you to complete the task." Nyx finished, her eyes locked with his as her hand rested on his shoulder.
"You make it sound like you already have a plan in mind for this 'loss' Gaea is supposed to experience." Percy asked, trying his best not to smile at the thought of Gaea enraged over the loss of her army.
"As I said, Gaea knows of the death of Tartarus, likely suspecting the loss of her army along with it. As such she intends to even the playing field. Already she has sent some of her Titan forces to attack Camp-Halfblood, the Roman and Greek forces are encamped there preparing for war and will be caught unawares. While the rest of the questers your Gods call 'the seven' remain in Greece." Nyx finished speaking as she released her hold on Percy's shoulder and walked back towards the couch where she once again took a seat.
"I take it I'm supposed to go kill them? Give Gaea a reason to wait until the next feast of Spes?" Percy asked. "What happened to 'Percy you aren't a one man army'" he finished mockingly with a slight smile
"I never said I intended to send you alone, but yes you understand the idea." Nyx finished with a slight growl in her voice.
"So if I help you, you'll rescue Annabeth's soul from where it is, and you'll give me command of your army when the time comes? So that I can end your sister's life just like I did your brother?" Percy asked incredulously.
"There is no love lost between my siblings and I, so worry not Perseus. Furthermore, I do not despise the mortals as my siblings do, nor do I have the inclination to war with your Gods. I am content to rule over all the creatures of the night." Nyx said with passion, "If my sister wins she will eradicate everything else and start over, I like things as they are. At least more than I'll like it with Gaea in charge." She finished.
He gritted his teeth, wishing desperately for another plan but at the same time knowing that he would do as the Primordial asked. Even if she hadn't promised him salvation for his friends and family, she had promised salvation for Annabeth.
He thought for a moment, her stormy gray eyes, the golden curls that bounced around her shoulders. That smart ass smile she always gave him when he acted like an idiot. Dozens of memories of her washed through his mind as he felt his resolve harden. She wouldn't sit on the banks of some fucking river, not while he still had strength in his limbs.
Dropping on one knee, one of his fists closed, knuckles first on the ground he bowed his head. "I Perseus, Achilles, Jackson, Swear to abide by the terms set by Lady Nyx, Queen of Night, Claimant to the Throne of Tartarus, To serve her until such a time as I am released or my Oath is fulfilled." He paused for a second, thinking on who to swear by when the answer popped into his head, it made sense enough and so he went with it.
"I swear by Εκδίκηση, First lady of Vengeance, eldest of the Tartarii!" He finished his voice rising to a shout as he looked up at Nyx. Her hands clenched in fists as she stared at him in unbridled joy, her eyes widened briefly at who he chose to swear by.
The ocean behind him roared its approval, towering waves crashing down onto the shore as the winds howled about them. The sea seemed intent to prove that it was indeed just as fierce and terrible as those of the world above.
"Bring the girl's soul here, this is certainly easier than what we had in mind Perseus. Remember to call on the Tartarean we will provide the power you shall need for this task" A familiar voice rang out inside his head, accompanied by the sound of the others singing in the background.
"You are full of surprises, Perseus." Nyx said with a small smile as she looked down on him "Thanatos, I summon you" Nyx whispered quietly into the air. For a moment there was nothing, no sound to be heard save for the crashing waves.
Then Percy heard a pair of wings, beating softly in the distance, the sound grew slowly louder before a whirlwind of raven feathers exploded into existence before him. Rising from the feathers was Thanatos, his head bowed and face hidden beneath a robe as his wings stretched out regally on either side of him.
"Mother… to what do I owe this pleasure?" Thanatos said in his rich voice, throwing back his hood and glancing about him in interest before his gaze settled on Percy. His features quickly morphed to that of one in shock.
"Under pain of death you shall not speak of what you see or hear in my presence to anyone, do I make myself clear?" Nyx said, her voice promising pain should Thanatos defy her.
"Understood…. mother" Thanatos said with a concerned glance in Percy's direction, Percy ignored the god and instead focused on his mother, watching for any sign of betrayal.
"Fetch this girl's soul, she is to be delivered to Elysium" Nyx started to say before Percy interrupted her.
"No, Bring her here" Percy said, his tone leaving no room for argument
"She is dead Jackson, bringing her soul here will do nothing but cause you pain… she will be better off in Elysium, or any other realm of the dead, where she belongs" Thanatos said as he turned to look at Percy.
Nyx for her part seemed confused for a moment before her eyes widened in recognition, she seemed to notice something in the air itself and grinned. Then she held out her hand silencing Thanatos. "Do as he asks, son." Nyx said sternly.
Thanatos looked between the two of them for a moment before a heavy sigh was heard, and he disappeared in a whirlwind of black feathers. Leaving the two alone once more.
"You would risk much for her, if you intend to use magic to save her… I offered a chance for her to receive the afterlife she deserved. I did not expect you to attempt this, or to even know you could. The results may be disastrous, for you that is, but I am interested nonetheless." Nyx said with a grin as she watched Percy.
"Let me worry about the results, I won't leave her on the banks of the Styx, she deserves Elysium but she doesn't deserve to have died down here in the first place. I'm doing this for her, so she can live, so she can build something permanent like she's always wanted to. Everything she ever wanted was thrown away on a suicide mission given to her by her own mother, so either help me or leave me alone, im doing it regardless." Percy snarled back at her, his eyes flat with rage as he thought of his Annabeth, alone on that accursed riverbank.
"Do you know what must be said? One wrong word and you could just as easily destroy the little bit of her left." Nyx asked.
Percy closed his eyes, thinking back on what Εκδίκηση had told him, that he would know the words when it was time. He tried to remember the feeling from his dream, when he had stood in front of the doors. The way it had felt when he had spoken in that language, every syllable was like an electric current running through his body.
He saw himself, standing in the water, his hands raised out as he called to the sea. The water responded with a roar as it surged towards him, filling his body with energy as he gathered what he would need. Then like a light switch being turned on the word came to his mind in an instant, so simple and eloquent, flowing like a river over his tongue as he spoke. "Lyracaus", he ran the word over once more in his head before he repeated it to himself…"Live". His eyes snapped open, blazing with green light as he looked at Nyx who regarded him with shock clearly painted across her features.
"I know the word," Percy replied, his mind already focused on the task ahead, on saving the love of his life, no matter the cost.
"Then we shall see if you truly are worthy of the blood that flows in your veins, Perseus" Nyx called out as a sudden storm of black feathers revealed Thanatos once more. He clutched a small silvery orb in his palm, opening his palm to display the orb to everyone present. For all intents and purposes it appeared the size of a Christmas ornament, however it was glowing with light, it was a minute glowing disco ball of colors, all gray and gold that swirled under the surface.
"The girl's soul will not last here long without being bound to her body, this was foolishness at its best, murder of an innocent soul at its worst mother. You would risk the wrath of the fates so he can watch her die again!?" Thanatos called out in fear as he looked at Nyx. "Jackson, if she dies here, if her soul fades she will never be reborn and never experience the afterlife, do not rob her of this! Let me take her back.' Thanatos practically begged.
"Silence." replied the Primordial as she leveled a glare at Thanatos that would shatter steel. The shadows around her writhed to life in response, tendrils reaching across the ground as the god of death stood terrified. "You will not interrupt again, Thanatos, or I will rip those wings from your back and cast you into the darkness of the Shadow Realm. Am I understood?" Nyx finished as clawed hands made entirely of shadows wrapped about the Gods body, resting threateningly on his wings as the already pale Gods face went slack with terror.
Percy looked at Annabeth's body, pale and cold laying on the floor, then back towards her soul which still pulsed with a gentle light. This was his chance to give her eternal happiness in Elysium, his last chance. He could let her go now, send her off to a place where she would never be hurt again, but he would never see her again.
It didn't take him long to make a decision.
He reached out, feeling for the Ocean, as if it were just another part of him, something he could utilize. Slowly he raised his hands, one directed at Annabeth's soul, clutched tightly in the hands of the god of death. His other hand directed at her motionless body at the feet of Nyx.
He felt the surge of power building in his chest as the energy of the Tartarean coursed through his veins. The green aura he vaguely remembered from his battle slowly began to shimmer into existence around him.
The waters of the Tartarean wrapped about his arms and torso as he stood by the waters edge, his eyes glowing a fierce green as he struggled to focus. The sound of the Tartarii's song had risen to new heights the second he had taken control of the water, it had never faded entirely but it seemed like whenever he interacted with the water itself they made their presence known.
He waited, gathering as much energy as he could; everything he had within him, pulling more from the Tartarean. Until he finally felt like he would burst at the seams, then he directed his gaze at Annabeth's body and spoke a single word.
"Lyracaus" Percy all but hissed, his eyes flaring with power as the voice he spoke in sounded ancient and hate filled.
It was as if the world around him warped, everything seemed flexible for a moment as Percy spoke, his voice took on a strange harsh tone as the words were almost torn from his throat. He had meant to say them, but certainly not like that. However the effect was instantaneous as a surge of green light flared around him, energy flowing from the Tartarean into the spell as he was simply a passenger along for the ride at this point, struggling to stay in control of the torrent of energy coursing through him.
He could feel the Tartarii doing their best to guide him, he could feel the Waters of the Taratrean aiding him, guiding the magic and easing the pain this was causing him. Yet even through the pain he gritted his teeth and focused, put all his attention into the spell, into bringing her back. He would bring her back just like she had been, he thought desperately as he remembered her sharp intellect, her sense of humor, her love of architecture.
He tried to construct a mental image of her in his head, terrified to forget any little detail of her.
For a few seconds the energy he was channeling became so intense he literally felt steam rising from his skin as he focused with all his might on one thought. "LIVE" he thought in his mind, ignoring the pain his body was undergoing, it would all be worth it once she opened her fucking eyes.
Suddenly the spell exploded out around him, a surge of arcane energy blasting the ground around him to dust under his feet. A wave of force rolled out past him cracking the ground and shattering the couch Nyx had summoned into pieces of kindling. For a split second Percy felt a vast power, waiting just beyond his fingertips. Then his grip on the magic seemed to fade as he lost focus.
Then it was over, like a gentle breeze the gray and gold orb sitting in Thanatos's palm faded out of existence. Percy was released from whatever hold the spell had taken on him as he collapsed to the ground. The water of the Tartarean rushing back into the sea as he felt a bone numbing exhaustion set in. He felt like he had just lifted a mountain, and then climbed another mountain with the first one on his back.
He struggled to keep his eyes open as the sound of the Tartarii's song faded from his mind. He shifted slightly to sit on his knees as he watched the scene before him. Bloodshot eyes peering into the haze of energy and dust that still swirled around the place. Then he heard a single wheezing cough.
Percy's head whipped about as he looked in the direction of the voice, frantically scrabbling at the beach as he made a mad dash towards Annabeth.
The dust cleared to reveal Nyx with a look of awe and greed on her face as she beheld Percy, Thanatos however looked horrified, looking at Percy, fear evident in his eyes.
Annabeth however was breathing, haltingly as her lungs seemed to struggle to take in air, her chest was slowly starting to bleed again as Percy looked down on her in confusion.
"She cannot stay here, she will still die of her injuries, and you do not appear capable of helping her now. Dragging her soul back was a feat unto its own, it appears as if healing her body fully was too much for you" She grimaced and placed a hand on Percy's shoulder.
"Thanatos, you will take her to the members of the Seven in Greece, she must be found quickly, am I understood!" Nyx growled out as she looked at Thanatos, who nodded dumbly as he quickly picked Annabeth up and moved towards Nyx.
Percy for his part ignored the god of death, walking forwards and kissing Annabeth on the forehead as he whispered gently into her ear "Remember my promise wise girl." Before he turned and walked away from The god and the dying girl.
Suddenly Nyx looked far more formal and regal as she pulled out a sword, long and midnight black, nearly as long as Percy was tall. Percy was still in shock as Nyx looked at him and grinned, then he heard her voice in his mind. "I do apologize for this Perseus, appearances are important and i have no doubt this conversation will be seen by someone other than us "
"Your sacrifice for her was a noble demigod, but I do believe you will regret your choice in the end" She said as her voice rang out into the distance.
Percy glanced back over his shoulder at Annabeth ``As long as you keep up your end of the Bargain it'll be worth it Nyx." He said calmly.
Then she drove the sword into his chest, the pain while intense was nothing near what he had just experienced minutes before. However the impact drove the sword deep, buried to the hilt in his chest as he fell over backwards. His vision blacking out if just for a moment when he felt the presence of the God of Death Vanish.
Pain wracked his body as the sword was rather Violently tugged free and for a moment he just lay there, unable to breathe as he slowly suffocated. Then with a roar he sat bolt upright dragging in heaping gulps of air as the wound through his lung healed and he was able to breathe again, blood dripping from his mouth as the curse mark on his chest swirled with smoke for a moment.
Percy groaned and clutched at his head, the sounds of splashing water and laughter passed through his mind as the smell of sea water and pine trees filled his nostrils. Then just as suddenly they were lost and for the life of him he couldn't remember what it was that had made him cry. Because he honestly couldn't, but there he was, tears pouring down his face in grief as his chest slowly stitched itself shut again.
He groaned and forced himself to his feet as he felt Nyx watching him. "That was impressive, Perseus, did you know I was going to stab you?" She asked calmly, with a slight tilt of her head.
"I had some idea of what you had in mind the minute you apologized in advance" He said with a glare.
"Well, you faced death bravely Perseus, I am impressed, you didn't even flinch." She exclaimed with what sounded like a hint of pride in her voice.
"Your praise flatters me Lady Nyx, however I do assume you have plans? Ones that don't involve me standing naked on a beach in hell? I hope" he added the last part almost as an afterthought.
"Very well my Herald, you have work to be done before you deal with Gaea's little Titan army." Nyx said with a grin as the shadows swept around the pair of them, Percy felt cold for a moment but he refused to show weakness here.
He needed to survive this, survive it so that he could save them all. He would do what it took to make that happen. "I swear it" he said to himself more than anyone else, just moments before the shadows snapped closed around the two of them and they vanished from sight.
Authors Note:
Okay, Finally! We are here at the beginning again, sorta haha! Sorry this was a little late, editing took longer than normal but my editor kind stopped doing editing so now I write and edit. Cause of that posts will probably be late Friday night instead of Friday mornings. As always I had a great time writing this chapter for yall, and I promise Percy kicks some ass next chapter. Lots of fight scenes *wink wink*
Also i know its a small number compared to lots of stories on this site But I've got 50 followers on this story as of right now. And that makes my day, so i just wanted to say thanks to everyone who takes the time to read, you guys are awesome.
(Just to clear up any confusion from the last chapter, Percy experienced that entire dream sequence in the time he passed out at the end of chapter 2 until he wakes up at the start of this chapter. Which is a few hours in Tartarus, Roughly 24 for the anyone on earth so these events are happening right before Annabeth appears in the hunters camp back in chapters 3-4.)
Sorry if anyone found that last chapter confusing to read, I struggled to find the right tone and may consider re-writing parts of it down the line. Anyhow, its late, I hope you all enjoyed reading that chapter, As always thanks to anyone who takes the time to read and or review. Until next time!