The gate spat them out on to a flat, stone plain, that stretched as far as the eye could see. The sky above was pitch-black, an endless void, and the floor beneath seemed to throb and pulse with life, like a living creature. Nico instantly stiffened as his instincts went on the fritz, and a strange, unholy terror shot through his body. He stepped back slightly, and turned, half-tempted to make a break for it, before he realized that the gate through which they had come had disappeared after Alabaster had stepped through.

Will, noticing Nico's distress, glared at the son of Hecate, "Where have you brought us ?", he asked, gritting his teeth in anger. The son of Hecate merely smiled, his lips curving up into a mysterious, and ever-so-slightly sadistic smile, "Where you were always headed". Nico looked up, his face pale with fear, his heart racing as he connected the dots, "This... this is..."

"Thalassa", Alabaster grinned, "The Abyss. The Devourer of God and Man alike. One of the Primordials who created the Trifold Oath"

Will looked slightly confused, and though Nico understood where they were, he could empathize. Even if Thalassa was a benevolent entity, his similarity to his great-great-grandfather, the infernal Tartarus, was enough to send bolts of pure, primal terror down his spine.

"Well, then... where is he ?", Will asked, his face scrunched up (adorably, a treacherous voice at the back of Nico's head whispered) in confusion, gesturing to the emptiness around them.

The ground pulsed beneath Nico's feet. He shivered slightly as he turned to look out over the endless plain. The stone floor was strange, and, now that Nico looked closer, had small, branching, lines of darker stone running through it. It was white, a powdery white that seemed all-too-organic for stone, and seemed to suck at his feet as he moved... almost like... almost like...

"It's alive", Nico said, his face grim, "The plain. Like Tartarus. As for where Thalassa is...", he pointed to the "ground" beneath his feet, "There it is"

Alabaster grinned, "Well done, Hades-son ! I knew you had it in you. Although I do believe he prefers "he" over "it"

Nico looked back at the endless void. It could be worse, he supposed. Even if Thalassa was empty and... very liminal... at least it was better than the flaming, psyche-destroying hellscape that was Tartarus, "So what now ?"

Alabaster looked at them, before a small smile stretched across his face, "Now ? We wait"

For a second, there was nothing but an endless, eerie silence, as if all noise had been sucked away from the world, before a ear-shattering scream sounded out over the plain, sounding like splintering glass, a deep, thunderous voice, sounded out , glitching out as he spoke, his voice occasionally disappearing into a sound that sounded like glass being thrown into a garbage disposal, " TIME-BROKEN, MUSIC-SON, and TRAITOR TO THE GODS. Why do you intrude on my sanctuary ?"

A swirling mist descended over the empty plain, blanketing it in a blanket of endless cloudy white. In the middle, a spire of mist appeared, rising into the sky, forming a tall (around 50 feet, as far as Nico could tell), human-shaped spire of mist, before, with the sound of ripping paper, three slashes appeared on the figure's "face", as if cutting through reality itself, leaving three orifices, two, weeping, ragged "eyes", that seemed to be filled with endless void, dotted with stars, and a gaping "mouth" that looked more like a gaping wound on the skin of a man, dripping a viscous black liquid

"I am Thalassa,", the figure said, it's eyes analyzing them, making them feel like ants before an elephant, "The endless Void. The eternal Abyss. What do you seek ?"

Nico was the first to speak, his limbs and mouth seemingly animating themselves as he strode forward, lowering himself into a kowtow before the unknowable, eternal Primordial, "Knowledge... and power"

The great beast sighed, it's sigh leaving it's "mouth" with the force of a hurricane, nearly sending them flying back, "Mortals.. demigods... all the same... and yet... you seem familiar, boy", he said, in a deep, mournful voice, before gesturing at Nico (with his head, since he had no arms)

"Familiar ?", Nico asked, "There must be some mistake. I've never been here"

"You have not", the Abyss agreed, "Your blood, on the other hand..."

Nico's eyes widened. What was it that Eris had told them, way back in the forest ? What were the directions she had given them ?

Seek them out, for the thief who stole the Heart of Night.. well, he runs in your blood, beats with your heart, pulses with your breath

His lips parted, his eyes widening, "My blood ? You mean... a sibling ?"

Thalassa's "mouth" twisted as he considered that, before finally returning to it's original shape, "Your sibling, is he ? Perhaps. I know not. All I know is that he stank of my mother"

Nico and Will shared a look, an unspoken conversation taking place between them, before the child of Hades turned back to the Primordial, "Your mother... Nyx... you understand what she intends to do ?"

"I do", the great immortal spoke

"Then will you help us stop her ?"

The immortal looked at them, cocking his head to one side as he regarded them curiously, "The Moirae have spoken. Destiny will not be denied."

Nico wanted to scream, but instead, he controlled his voice, and spoke, calmly, he hoped, "What does that mean ?"

"I can offer you information, insignificant mortal, but I cannot fight", the immortal spoke, almost dismissive, like he was shooing away a particularly pesky bug

Nico bristled at the "insignificant mortals" comments, but did not speak back, instead, he simply bowed low, and said, in a voice filled with as much respect as he could muster, "Thank you... my Lord"

He straightened up ,and turned back to Will, who was eyeing him, a proud expression in his eyes, "You've finally developed some survival instincts, Nico !", he cried, smiling widely (a smile that made Nico's heart flutter, and warmed his entire body)

"Shut up", he grumbled in mock-annoyance, though he shot a small, happy smile at Will the second his back was turned. In the background, Alabaster made a gagging motion. Nico shot him a glare