AN: I own nothing except the thoughts in my head which, honestly, get away with me sometimes. But thank you for those who have stuck around despite my years long absence and hopefully you'll enjoy what is in store for the boys (if by enjoy I mean... well, sometimes you might not like it).

Tempting the Fates

Chapter Thirty Two

Darkest of Nights

Nico

Back on solid ground, a respectable distance away from the edge of the chasm, Percy's gaze followed the other as he slipped his bag on once more. Nico was still inspecting the cliff, attempting to find a way across but found nothing. Despite the murky atmosphere, he could see from the swirling electrical storms of red tinged sky above and what dim light it provided, that there was an opposing side. It was far, but it was not impossible… a bridge or something would have been a great. So would a neon blinking sign saying Doors of Death this way! Preferably complete with fluorescent blinking arrow and a light up path.

If he had been a glorified zombie, Nico was sure the hair at the nape of his neck would have been standing on end. There was little chance, he thought, that the giants would have followed them this way if even Bob was too frightened to take this path. Sighing, he squatted down, letting his fingers (ghostly as they were) run along the ground and closed his eyes (though he wasn't really sure that he had eyelids any more— thanks death mist). Calming his breathing he focussed… let the fog clear from the edges because the crater wasn't filled with gravel and rocks because it was a living being. A part of Tartarus itself. Feel the whooshing and the thumping, rhythmic and steady, the life that flowed and he followed it as best he could until his eyes opened.

Just in time for Percy to wrap a hand around his upper arm and tug him to the side.

"Wh—?"

The question was lost to the sound of hooves and carriage dropping down on the spot where he'd only somersaulted from seconds before. The horses whinnied and protested against their reins, as the goddess was like smoke and ash, her robes draped across her were galaxies and universes taking their last breaths, and her eyes were collapsing suns. Looking upon her caused a chill to run up his spine.

"I have a feeling that's what she meant be feeding us to eternal night."

"You think?" Nico snapped back, certain that the rolling of his eyes in his skull made its own sound. His fingers closed around the hint of his Stygian blade though he wasn't sure what use it would do either of them; Percy mimicked his action raising his celestial bronze sword.

"Yes, it is adorable, Shadow. Look at the way they hold their blades as if they could face me! It's really too cute." Her nebulous robe shifted as she chuckled and the sound set his teeth on edge. Darkness wasn't anything the child of the underworld was unfamiliar with but the goddess before them was ancient and power emanated from her— not saying that his dad was a spring chicken but she felt different.

"So… who are you? Besides someone whose horses have questionable taste in dining habits. I mean really… we look three years dead. Who wants to eat that?" Percy shot a glance at the nearest horse who bristled.

"What do you mean who am I? Why… I'm Nyx! Goddess of night. Even the new gods fear my wrath!" She stood taller, which was a feat given she already rivalled the Athena Parthenos in height.

"Never heard of you."

"Percy…" Nico warned, but the other wasn't listening.

"Never heard of Nyx?! Impossible! I am the eternal night from which all things are born!" She cried, her horses nickering more loudly. Whatever they were saying must have made the child of the sea uneasy because he side eyed them and took a step away.

"Listen, I'm going to level with you. We don't really have time for this. We're on a whistle-stop-tour of Tartarus and we've only got time to hit the main attractions."

"Tour!?" She wailed.

"Yeah. Tour. As in limited time. Just the highlights."

"What highlights!?"

"You know… only the most important things. Bathed in a river of blood. Had some Gorgon Sister's Gourmet Grub. Slayed some of the finest monsters Tartarus has to offer. Caught up with Damasen. Saw a fallen Greek temple… really out of place but in surprisingly good condition. Really, the only thing left on our itinerary is to see the Doors of Death. Just the high-level important things."

Nyx was practically coming apart at the seems and Nico thought he gave off waves of darkness when he glowered or grew angry but he could feel the chill even through his death mist shrouded form. That was one impressive glare. Long fingers curled around the rail of her black chariot, the other gave a great crack of her whip and though it didn't connect with either of the horses, they reared up on their hinds legs all the same.

"I am the mother of terrors!"

"So… what, you're one of those stage moms or something? Take credit for your kids work?"

As she wailed, the darkness coagulated around her, the already murky depths becoming darker. "Darkness! Doom! Day! Death! Distress!"

"You really have a thing for the 'D's don't you?" Nico couldn't help but let it slip.

And that immediately had Percy cackling with laughter. The goddess and he both glanced at him and it took the other demigod a second to realise where his mind had gone. "She really has a thing for the 'd'… don't you get it… like…"

"And you've saved the world how many times? Really?"

"I don't understand."

"Honestly, lady, you don't want to." Nico shook his head.

Unaccustomed to being interrupted in the middle of her wretched tirades, Nyx had lost some of her momentum. Momentarily the shadows flickered. "Where was I!?"

"Children. Lots of them. Many of them with names starting with D." Nico added helpfully, giving a swing of his Stygian blade. It wasn't to attack, but more to make sure it was still responsive in his ghost like grip.

Dark eyes darted behind her; now that he knew that this was Night, he also knew that her mansion would not be far away. Or cave… some myths claimed it was a cave and from looking at her and the cliff face below he could believe that. They were on the edge of Chaos, after all, and the end of all things meant Nyx's homestead couldn't be too far. If the way for demigods was through Eternal Night's home, he was unsurprised that Bob wouldn't follow. The poor guy still used a nightlight and he carried extra batteries and an array of flashlights. Just in case. Through the dimness he glared, trying to find any differentiation in the landscape.

"—Oh, yes! I am the mother of terrors! Curses and old age. The Fates themselves! Pain, Strife, Friendship!" As she said each one, the shadows began to flicker to life once more, drawing to her darkness the way the Ghost King drew shadows to him. "Honestly… the last one is hardly me favourite," he waved an ashen hand and from behind her somewhere came a scoff.

"Not everyone can follow in the family business!"

"You see how important I am? See what progeny I have gifted the world? So many terrifying things all because of me! Zeus fears me and my palace. Yes, that's right! My child so offended him that Zeus followed him across the earth but even the all mighty Air Head wouldn't follow him to my mansion. That's right— king of Olympus fears me, Nyx!" She brandished her hands upward and outwards, standing up to even greater heights, eyes shining like the collapse of so many suns. "And the Doors of Death? You'd never make it, not unless you first passed through the halls of my home."

Behind her, her gathering of shadows and children echoed in ecstatic agreement, at the same time that Nico's eyes spotted the black marble archway some few hundred feet below. But they wouldn't make it, not with Nyx and her brood of horribly named children following after them. Not unless they had a reason to be inside.

"Zeus, huh? Guess you hadn't heard but Percy here sort of got one over on him. How many demigods in recent time do you know that have been offered immortality, huh? I'm just saying… Zeus might have been afraid but he's gone soft."

Percy's eyes were as round as sand dollars and he could understand why— it was hopelessly foolish. Except that Nico did hope they were so far below the earth and Hades that the king of Olympus couldn't possibly overhear anything he said. And if he did somehow find out… well that was another problem for another day. Right now they had plenty. So he feigned nonchalance and shrugged a single shoulder, locking his gaze with the sea prince's with a silent just follow along before turning back to Nyx and giving the icy once over to her and her children. "And in case you hadn't noticed… my dad is Hades. I spend basically all of my time in the dark. With dead things. Ghosts. Ghouls. Zombies. You name it. Night isn't particularly interesting."

Next to him, the other demigod laughed, impish smile crossing his ghost like features, as he finally caught on. "Yeah… you'd have to try pretty hard to impress either of us. We should probably get going, Neeks. Looks like Nyx is just a bag of hot air and her children…" He huffed and shook his head. "Sad. Just really sad. Tartarus isn't at all what they said it would be."

"Wait!" She screeched holding her hands out. "You must come on a tour. I insist. Horrors you couldn't imagine. Are you a fan of art? Perfectly preserved because they've not seen the light of day in… ever! Monsters— hah! I have rooms filled." The two boys were milling away slowly but stopped in their tracks and gave another shrug towards one another.

"I guess we have a little time. I mean, it'd be a shame if the pamphlet was wrong."

"It is!" Nyx's children nattered behind her in agreement.

"Alright. An hour. We can maybe spare an hour."

"Perfect!" And she motioned for them to step onto her chariot and whisked them across the chasm towards the Mansion of Night leaving Nico's stomach somewhere on the other side.

AN: Ahhh. Alright, so the next few chapters will be a little slower in coming. I'm travelling this weekend and I'm sort of free-writing 'what ifs' and 'what would happens' if details changed to continue with the whole verse difference between this fic and the actual book. That means that whilst I have more and more ideas coming to light for the boys- and for their friends topside- it'll be a little slower coming. Except further antics, tugs at heart strings, and redeeming of some characters which otherwise probably look pretty shady right now. And some new POVs, too! :')