5 more exams. I'll still post on the third and I'll have another one on the fifth. I just decided you guys deserved an update because I really feel like I fucked up my exams but at least this fic is saving me from feeling like shit.

Also, completely random thing, have you guys ever felt like you could just disappear and no one would care because out of everyone, your friends, your family, you are the most replaceable? Sorry, something happened this morning and I'm still not over it yet.

Andromeda POV

I had watched the look of despair cross my mother's face as I was dragged away. I had watched as people died, helpless. I had watched as they tried to break me. I had watched as demigods bled out by my hand. I have watched from the sidelines for almost my entire life. But this? This I couldn't forgive. They forget that I am the champion of Chaos, the first primordial, not just by title. They think that's all there is to me. Well it isn't. I am much more than what they have ever imagined. Maybe this can be my first example.

Akhlys backed away from me as I raised my hands, a hard glare aimed at her. It almost felt different, how much power I was using. I have always known my powers are different, that's what Tartarus brought out, which is why I have never used my powers like this. But after what the Void showed me? After I saw what my powers could bring out? They try to move me, bend me and make me do what they want. All they get in return is a new enemy and years wasted. I have never cared what they do, never cared about the lives lost. It was my way of coping, but now? I refuse to sit by.

With a scream, I released the flames. I commanded her poisons to rise, and fought her for command. The Fates were on my side, as I wrenched it from Akhlys. She shrieked as fire was forced onto her and her poisons were returned to her, not in the way she wants. I forced the poison out of Percy, only watching as he fell to his hands and knees, retching. With a firm mental push, I directed all the poison back to Akhlys until the last strands left Percy and he curled into a ball on the ground. For his girlfriend, I sent a gust of wind to push her away, and wrapped her up with strands of wind to protect her. All I wanted was to destroy all those who threatened me and my family, and to protect them. Warmth flowed through me—a comforting warmth that reminded me of the Void, the only place I ever felt like I was 'home'.

Akhlys's screams were cut off as she gagged. "I—"

"Poison." I supplied her unasked question. "I wanted to burn you to a crisp, but that wouldn't be fitting for you, would it?"

She fell to her knees. "You wanted to kill my brother with a thousand poisons. It is quite fitting I do the same to you too, isn't it?" I smiled. A true smile, cruel and vindictive. I like this power. I like being able to go against one of those who basked in my pain.

"Andy…" I looked up from Akhlys. My brother got up on shaking knees, looking better than just now. The look in his eyes—helpless but wanting to help anyways—nearly made me lose control of the poison, but I did lose control over the fire. They stopped, receding back to Tartarus. The ones that didn't simply faded into the winds. Yeah, that's where the horrible air comes from.

"Sephie." He continued, coughing heavily. I sidestepped Akhlys, slowing down the poison so I could talk to my brother. I stepped just centimetres away from him, putting my hand up to cover his from where he waved one hand. It was to stop me, but no one was stopping me. Akhlys had not learned her lesson.

"Stop this, Percy. Relax." I ordered. "Let me deal with Akhlys, and heal. She dared to hurt you. I will make sure what was dealt to you be returned to her tenfold. You won't ever have to worry about her hurting you, brother, I swear."

"Sephie, stop." His pain-filled eyes made me confused. He wasn't in pain, was he? I thought he was recovering. "Don't, Sephie, don't kill Akhlys." He said again in a more loving tone. I furrowed my eyebrows, glancing back at the retching goddess. With my free hand, I clenched my fist. The poison went even slower, to the pace of a snail. That's what it's called, yes? Wait, not the time.

"She wanted to kill you, Percy, and she almost did." I turned back to him, not letting go of my hold on the poisons. "Why would you not want her to die?"

"Sephie, this is not how we do things." He said urgently. "We don't kill people because we want to."

"I'm not killing her because I want to, rather. If that was the case I would've done that years ago." I eased my fist, smiling as Akhlys gagged again. "I'm doing it because I can, because she hurt the only person I care for. Percy, don't you get it? I'm doing it for you. I will kill her in your name. No one would dare to cross me."

"You can't kill a primordial goddess, Sephie. You can, I don't doubt that, but you can't do that. There are gods and goddesses for a reason. I do not like most of them, but they are forces of nature. If you kill her, what will happen to the world?" I blinked.

"You wish for Misery to spread?"

"No!" He hastily yelled. "No." He calmed down. "But Akhlys isn't just the goddess of Misery, is she? All gods and goddesses have their purpose, especially primordial. Please, Sephie, don't kill her."

"She hurt you, Percy. She could have killed you. She would've killed you." I scowled. "Why would you pardon her when she nearly killed you?"

"If you killed all the immortals that have done that, we would be missing all kinds of elements." He said with a strained smile.

I sighed. "You're too good for my liking, Percy."

"You love me." He countered. I tilted my head. "True, true. Wait for me." I reached and pressed my hand to his cheek. He stroked my hand with his thumb. I smiled gently, and went back to where Akhlys was, kneeling down and forcefully lifting her head. She was over the stage of talking. "Leave us, Akhlys." I breathed. "Leave and never come back." I clenched my fists so tightly, blood dripped on my palms. The poisons receded and left her body. I didn't bother with the burnt marks all over her. Turning my back on her, I went back to Percy as she ran away. Snapping my fingers, I called Annabeth back and released my hold over the wind. They dispersed instantly, lost in the fiery heat of Tartarus. "Percy." I said as he half-fell on me. His ghostly features were hard to see, but he was still able to lift me up, engulfing me in a hug. "Oh Gods." He said as he put me down gently. "Oh Gods, don't scare me like that, Sephie." There was no fear in his eyes—he knew I would never hurt him—but there was concern. One of the few who was scared for me instead of scared of me.

We didn't move as Annabeth stumbled towards us. "Oh Gods, Percy." She sighed in relief. Then she turned to me with apprehension. "You are… his sister?" After all, she heard our conversations and can see me for who I was. I cocked my head in response. "Don't be too surprised, Ann."

"How is that possible? You said you were…" the last part of her sentence was unsaid but we all knew what she meant.

"I have a family, Annabeth." I frowned. "A family that I forgot but found again."

"Percy…" There was a good amount of warning in Annabeth's voice. Anger as well. Was she angry that Percy did not tell her? Why though? What did Percy's and my relationship matter?

Percy rubbed his neck awkwardly. "It was a bit rushed." He admitted. "We exchanged stories when you were asleep. Honestly, it was by pure luck. Sephie gave me the pieces I needed, and I finished the puzzle."

"The Titans kidnapped me 13 years ago, thinking I was the older twin." I supplied. Annabeth's eyes widened at the last word but I continued, "it wasn't true. Percy is the older twin by a few minutes. It's just that, as the only mortal daughter of Poseidon, my powers developed faster."

"At the playground, we found some fish in the pond." Percy said. I forgot about that. "Sephie was talking to them while Mum and I went to get some ice cream. When Sephie told Mum, Mum freaked out and wanted to go home. Then the Titans appeared and yeah…"

"Oh." Annabeth pressed a hand to her chest. "You two are biological twins."

"I used the Mist to cover up my looks." I explained. "Ever since Nico told me of Percy, I knew it would arouse questions and covered it all up."

"I prefer you like this." Percy said to me, using his finger to stroke my cheek. I raised my hand to touch his arm.

Annabeth was still reeling from this information. "Wait a minute." She held up a finger. We turned around. She glared at Percy accusingly. "You knew about this since the Hermes shrine?!"

"Well, yeah." He shrugged. "That's why Sephie left."

"To gather my thoughts and visit Lord Chaos again." I pulled out the key, swinging it around. "And Annabeth? Only Percy gets to call me Sephie. Don't use that name."

"So what is your name?" She asked curiously. I looked to Percy who hugged me tighter. "Andromeda Persephone Jackson." His voice grew even softer.

"Andromeda… oh gods." She smiled but covered it with her hand. "You mean Sally named the two of you Perseus and Andromeda like in the myths?"

"Perseus and Andromeda?" I cocked my head. "Who are they?"

"Perseus was the son of Zeus and known for being one of the rare demigods who lived to the end." Percy said sheepishly.

"And Andromeda was his wife who he saved from Poseidon." Annabeth said, threatening to burst. I offered a smile. Oh, the irony. Then I thought of her words. "Who is Sally?"

That wiped the smile off Annabeth as she glanced at Percy questioningly. I felt him tense up. "Sally is our mother's name, Sephie." He said, albeit sadly.

I closed my eyes and dipped my head. "Oh."

"You… don't remember?"

"I remember my past." I informed her. "I remember what they have done. But I cannot remember their names. I did not remember my name either, not until Percy told me. Lethe… she stole my identity."

"A run-in with Lethe. They argued. And Lethe, thinking she was a goddess and thus Sephie's superior, used her memory erasing powers and took her memory of her family and everything that could remind her of it."

"I do not remember what they looked like. In my brother's place, I saw a shadowy figure. I suppose I got a bit of mercy, and remembered the events that happened in that brief four years." I shrugged, not looking up. Suddenly, Percy let go of me and Annabeth hugged me so tight, I lost my vision for a second.

"I'm sorry." She whispered in my ear for only me to hear. I froze for a second before hesitantly wrapping my arms around her. "I'm sorry for what happened."

"My brother is your boyfriend." I replied in an equally low voice. "I understand your jealousy."

She let out a strangled laugh. "You caught on to that, hmm? But I wasn't saying sorry for that." She pulled back slightly. "I'm sorry for not understanding you." She hugged me again. "I'm sorry for the Arai." She continued. "I'm sorry I blamed you."

"I once tried to apologise to Percy. He stopped me then, which is what I'm going to do now." I said. "How could you have known? I forgive you." When she pulled away, I could see her grey eyes teary. Percy then started explaining the details to her as I glanced wearily around. I should've checked before but got distracted. My display of power couldn't have gone by unnoticed.

"Night…" I murmured. They turned to me. The frost in Annabeth's eyes she usually had when she looked at me was gone, so were the tears. Well, mostly. She looked pissed, though I suppose it was because Percy and I kept it from her.

"Akhlys did say something about feeding us to the night," Percy recalled. "What was that about?"

The temperature dropped. The abyss before us seemed to exhale. I stepped closer to Percy. I wanted to protect them, but I finally got what some called 'demigod rush'. I was growing tired. My eyelids were closing, and my limbs felt like they were holding a Giant with no help. Annabeth's hands—yes, I could tell the difference between the two without looking—found their way to my shoulders like she was holding me up.

"I imagine," a presence emerged from the Void and I tensed, "that she meant Night, with a capital N. After all, I am the only one."

"Hello, Nyx." I declared as my brother and Annabeth fell into stunned silence.

Annabeth POV

When I was young, I didn't like sleeping because of the spiders. Never because of the dark. Never. In fact, till now, I couldn't remember a time when I had been afraid of it.

Then again, the dark usually wasn't forty feet tall. It didn't have black wings, a whip made out of stars, and a shadowy chariot pulled by vampire horses.

After Andy's- no, Andromeda's greeting, we had just gone into awkward silence. (I was still angry at you, Percy! How dare you keep such a big secret from me just because you thought I would be upset! This is literally almost like knowing Jason was Thalia's younger brother, you didn't see me throwing a fit then!)

Nyx was almost too much to take in. Looming over the chasm, she was a churning figure of ash and smoke, as big as the Athena Parthenos statue, but very much alive. Her dress was void black, mixed with the colours of a space nebula, as if galaxies were being born in her bodice. Her face was hard to see except for the pinpoints of her eyes, which shone like quasars. When her wings beat, waves of darkness rolled over the cliffs, making me feel heavy and sleepy, my eyesight dim. I forced myself awake. I could see Andromeda wavering. She had spent too much energy just now and it wouldn't be good for Percy to bear Nyx all by himself.

The goddess's chariot was made of the same material as Nico di Angelo's sword—Stygian iron—and pulled by two massive horses, all black except for their pointed silver fangs. The beasts' legs floated in the abyss, turning from solid to smoke as they moved.

They snarled and bared their fangs at me. Nyx lashed her whip—a thin streak of stars like diamond barbs—and the horses reared back.

"No, Shade," the goddess said. "Down, Shadow. These little prizes are not for you."

Percy eyed the horses as they nickered. He was still shrouded in Death Mist, so he looked like an out-of-focus corpse—which broke my heart every time I saw him. It also must not have been very good camouflage, since Nyx could obviously see us. Or did she only see Andromeda? I couldn't tell.

Just then, Andromeda giggled. (Could I call it a giggle? I mean, she has improved since the first time we met but it still sounds quite off) Percy eyed the horses.

"Uh, so you won't let them eat us?" he asked the goddess. "They really want to eat us."

"Have a little respect, Percy." Andromeda said. Her voice was drowsy. I held her a little tighter. She was going to fall asleep and I did not like that. "That means we're tasty. Besides, they say that to me every month and so far they haven't done that. At least I think it's every month."

"Why am I not surprised. " I mutter. Still, it was better than before. The look Andromeda had in her eyes, they were a bit hard to understand. It was insane, but also controlled. Not insane insane, but almost a drunk light. High on power. That aura had receded but I could still feel its raw power. I didn't doubt she was blessed by Chaos.

Nyx's quasar eyes burned. "Why you little—"

"Are you saying you would've let them?" Andromeda challenged.

"Champion of my father, you—"

"I what? C'mon, Nyx, you wouldn't kill me." Andromeda crossed her arms. Percy and I shared confused looks.

"Stop interrupting me!" She lashed her whip again. "I will crush your bones, little demigod. I will destroy you!"

"You weren't saying that last time." Andromeda muttered, rolling her eyes. "Why is that? Is it because you have visitors that only know you from the myths and thus want to live up to that image?"

"Rhea…" Nyx seethed.

"Actually it's Andromeda now. I guess I'm tired of hiding it." Andromeda announced. Nyx looked torn between wanting to shut Andromeda up or letting her talk. Either one. As for Percy? I couldn't see his expression but he looked damn proud of his sister.

Her horses nickered again. Andromeda tensed up. "What do you mean I talk too much?" She complained. "It's not like you are very quiet about your opinions either!"

"Sephie, I think you should stop arguing with the horses that want to kill us." Percy suggested, but the loving tone ruined the image.

"They wouldn't kill us." Andromeda said. From behind her, I couldn't tell her expression. "I mean, Shadow once said demigods tasted weird."

"Andromeda!" Nyx hissed.

"Nyx, please. We're so beyond that." Andromeda said. I swear, if she hadn't been with us and either Percy and I said that, we would be dead. I know it.

"Why are you being so bothersome?" Nyx hissed.

"We require passage through your palace, Nyx." She continued. "Will you grant us that?"

"Um, Andromeda?" I asked. "Are you sure about this?"

"Her home, the Mansion of Night, is the last barrier we need to cross before reaching the heart of Tartarus." She half-turned to me. I didn't see much, but enough. I backed down, letting her continue.

"You wish to find the Doors of Death?" Nyx asked before snorting. "My brother will not let you go so easily."

"I have to try, Nyx." Andromeda's voice grew softer. "I have to try." Somehow, I knew she wasn't talking about the same thing I was thinking about.

"You'll die trying." Nyx was now fully focusing on Andromeda, not us. "Or submit to the darkness within you. The fight will be done. No turning back. You will submit to who you truly are. You will never fit in.

"Your father ensured I will never die. Besides… I don't care." Out of the three of us, Andromeda was technically the youngest—biologically and chronically. However, hearing her talk about death easily? It wasn't easy. Not on me, nor on Percy who looked like he prefered to take on Akhlys again than listen to his sister reveal all these thoughts.

"You know what you are talking about, Andromeda, are you willing to risk that?" Nyx's aura was dimming as she lost interest in Percy and I. Andromeda nodded. "I must."

"Sephie…" Andromeda raised a finger. "No, brother." Percy shut up.

"You will die either way." Was it me or was Nyx actually concerned? Did Andromeda share the same trait as Percy? The one where they could charm absolutely anyone? It seems that way to me.

Andromeda shrugged, unflustered. "So be it. Allow us through your home, Nyx, please."

"It does not benefit me." Nyx lashed her whip again. "Nothing you say will convince me to let them go. Oh, I can feel it, Rhea. The darkness growing in them. So tantalisingly delicious. Yes, so much like the-"

"It doesn't?" Andromeda cocked her head, stepping forward and pulling away from us. Interrupting what Nyx was about to say. "You once owed me a favour. Now I claim it."

"For such a small matter, you would claim your favour?" Nyx asked in disbelief. Never met someone so selfless, I suppose.

Andromeda nodded. "If I am to leave Tartarus, I suppose I should tie up some loose ends. I helped you before, now please, Nyx, help me." The primordial hesitated. Her horses reared and whinnied.

"A favour for a favour." Nyx eventually nodded. She glared at me and Percy. "I would've loved to tear both of us apart." She hissed and I was reminded who we were talking to. The first daughter of Chaos. The primordial goddess of Night, mother of Akhlys. "But it seems like Andromeda likes the two of you. Don't think anything of it."

She gestured behind her. Suddenly, about three hundred feet below, a doorway of black marble appeared in my vision, leading into some sort of large room.

My heart pounded so strongly I felt it in my toes. That was the way forward—but it was so far down, an impossible jump. If we missed, we would fall into the Void and be scattered into nothingness—a final death with no do-over.

Andromeda didn't seem to care. Nyx sneered at the two of us again, and vanished in a flurry of dark energy. Good thing too. Her presence… was far too cold. Too blank. A void. "Sephie… you okay?" Percy asked, recovering quicker than me. His ghostly figure seemed to float over to his sister.

"Nyx hated me from the beginning, but she was also the kindest to me. She hates me for denying the 'darkness in my heart' as she says, but she has liked me ever since I helped her…" Andromeda murmured. "I was never in danger. She despises me for going against my nature but she likes me enough not to harm me or try and kill me in any way."

"What did you do?" I asked, curious in spite of myself.

"Shadow decided to drink from the Phlegethon, a foolish thing to do. Nyx hadn't been around, but I took care of her." She told me, eyes fixated on the doorway. "Nyx has owed a favour ever since. Come, I am not sure how long that passage can hold." Percy offered me his hand, and with his other, he held Andromeda tightly.

"Don't drop." Andromeda warned us. "Even I don't want to experience the true brute of the Void again." Very reassuring.

"Come on." With a starting run, we leaped into the darkness, hand in hand.

Honestly, every time I do something, I have this naive thought, there can't be anything worse than this, right? And every time I am proved wrong.

After falling into Tartarus, one would assume willingly jumping three hundred feet to the Mansion of Night should have felt quick.

Instead, my heart seemed to slow down. Between the beats I had ample time to write my own obituary.

Annabeth Chase, died age 17.

BA-BOOM.

(Assuming my birthday, July 12, had passed while I was in Tartarus; but honestly, I had no idea.)

BA-BOOM.

Died of massive injuries while leaping like an idiot into the abyss of Chaos and splattering on the entry hall floor of Nyx's mansion.

BA-BOOM.

Survived by my father, stepmother, and two stepbrothers who barely knew me.

BA-BOOM.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Camp Half-Blood, assuming Gaia hasn't already destroyed it.

It was kinda brief if you think about it, but my feet soon hit the solid floor. Pain shot up my legs and I hissed. I didn't have time to deal with that though. One second, I felt a warmth as someone's hand brushed against mine, and the second, I was good enough to continue running. It wasn't completely healed and I'll have to ask Andromeda to look into it later, but it was enough. Somehow, I knew Andromeda was already up and together, we broke into a steady run, dragging Percy as he struggled to regain his balance. Not that we were in a rush, but really, who wants to take a leisure walk around the Mansion of Night? There were gazes on me, despite not looking and I could hear a flurry of movements. I felt exposed, naked, and there was a presence at the base of my neck that I knew wasn't going to go away anytime soon. I needed to get out… I needed to get out… I needed to get out… I needed to get out…

"Annabeth. Percy. Don't look." Andromeda said urgently. "Don't. Your mind cannot fathom it. You will go insane. You cannot look. Close your eyes." I faltered, because she mentioned nothing about herself. Could she see it? Was her mind strong enough? Since she hasn't led us astray yet, I followed her request, letting her lead us. Still, it felt wrong, and soon I was helping her by using my other senses—listening for the echo of open spaces, feeling for cross-breezes against my face, sniffing for any scent of danger—smoke, or poison, or the stench of demons. It wasn't the first time I had plunged through darkness. I imagined I was back in the tunnels under Rome, searching out the Athena Parthenos. In retrospect, my journey to Arachne's cavern seemed like a trip to Disneyland. Then again, that's an insult to Disneyland.

"Soon. Soon." I could hear Andromeda mutter. "Nyx does not like you two here and she's making her opinions clear. She wants you to destroy yourself without going back on her words. Resist the temptation, Annabeth, Percy. Protect your mind. We're almost out."

In the distance ahead of us, I began to hear a throbbing sound, like my own heartbeat echoing back, amplified so powerfully, the floor vibrated underfoot. Not good. The heart of Tartarus.

The sound filled me with dread, so I figured it must be the right way to go. I ran toward it. Andromeda was right behind me. Percy was the last one behind her. Hopefully. Andromeda shouldn't let anything happen to him though.

As the beat got louder, I smelled smoke and heard the flickering of torches on either side. I suppose there would be light, but I listened to Andromeda and didn't open my eyes. I never could tell what would happen if I did. It was a good thing I wasn't Pandora.

"We are still in the Mansion, Annabeth. Do not look." Andromeda, as if having read my thoughts, said. "We're close. So close. Only one last obstacle to cross. The river."

"What river, Sephie?" Percy asked her. I slowed down, wanting to hear. "The River Acheron. Of the pained souls. The torturous river. It surrounds Nyx's palace. It separates her home from the rest of Tartarus. Only because she showed us her home did we not have to cross it before but Nyx isn't here right now." She said before gasping. "Annabeth, stop!" Percy's hand stretched out, yanking me back.

A good thing because I nearly just ran to my death.