Morning! Onto reviews:
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Nyx sat on her throne impatiently, shaking her leg while she waited eagerly. Not only was she impatient from her guest being late, but from her desire to be made aware whether or not the demigods made it out alive of Tartarus.
In all honesty, Nyx found it unlikely. She had felt a disturbance earlier, but not from her realm, instead, from her brother's. If she felt something wrong from here, undoubtedly he manifested himself in some capacity, something that he didn't do, ever. That made her incredibly unnerved. If he was willing to show all his might to some borderline deceased demigods, what else would he be willingly to do in order to achieve total victory?
Only time would tell. And while she waited, Night dared to start scheming, imagining possibilities. Her ambition could easily morph into her undoing, but she couldn't not start to draft plans. If Percy and Annabeth survived, she would have to play out as a friendly and steadfast ally. One that doesn't have any higher stakes than to simply stop the threat to the current balance of power.
Was that the actual truth? Nyx did not know. She couldn't tell what her intentions would be after Gaia was dealt with. If she would go back to her current situation and let things be. But it wouldn't be so easy with Tartarus involved. The realm of night was located in him, after all. However… this could be reversed. Her palace wasn't always located in the pit. All that she needed…
Was the person that had materialized in front of her throne.
"My lady." Hecate kneeled before her throne, her dark eyes locked onto Nyx's. She wore a magnificent long green dress that covered the entirety of her legs. Her blonde hair looked stunning.
"Hello, my dear." Nyx appreciated Hecate. So much that she would even go as far to consider her a daughter, even if she definitely wasn't. Biologically, at least. If there was any biology regarding immortals, of course. "You heard my calling. Although you are late."
Hecate nodded. "Yes, my lady. But don't judge me for being late. It's not easy traveling all the way down here. And even if I didn't hear your call… I would have a few questions for you anyway."
The primordial arched an eyebrow. "Questions, dear?"
Hecate rose from the ground. She wasn't the type to get submissive, after all. Nyx could turn a blind eye on her. "Yes, questions. The demigods."
Laughter escaped from Nyx's mouth. "Oh, yes, the demigods. I was hoping someone trustworthy would notice my gift to them. So, they have survived."
"Indeed, my lady."
Nyx could bounce in excitement right now, much like a godling who had just received their domains. "Good. I have my eye on them, dear. Unfortunately, it seems likely that war will reach the depths of the night."
Now it was the time for the Goddess of Magic to have her eyebrow raised. "You want a stake in this conflict?"
Once more Nyx chuckled. "I merely do not wish to see my sister overthrowing the rule of the gods. Isn't that reason enough to intervene?"
Hecate crossed her arms. "It doesn't seem to add up with who you are, my lady. You aren't often the benevolent type of deity. It could also risk retaliation from… you know."
"True." The primordial decided to ignore Hecate's first comment. "That's why I need your help, dear. But first…" Nyx took a deeper look at the goddess below. "You seem troubled, my friend."
"I have just destroyed my bane once more. With the help of the Seven demigods destined to face Gaia." The goddess explained with a stern expression.
Safe to say, Night was surprised to hear about this. "I was, in fact, hoping you could enlighten me, dear. No pun intended. Elaborate, please."
Hecate seemed like she was trying hard not to laugh, but managed to compose herself. "There is a prophecy. Another, that is." She scowled. "I don't know all the details, I was never interested in it to begin, after the Titan War."
"Sounds much like you." Nyx commented, to which Hecate smiled.
"Anyway." The goddess said, her face once more becoming serious and focused. "Seven demigods have been chosen to lead the struggle. And coincidentally, Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase are a part of the group." Hecate looked at Night with skeptical eyes.
Nyx had to laugh again. "Yes. Indeed a wonderful coincidence."
"What do you actually require of me, my lady?" Hecate questioned in a much more respectful voice. There were things not even Nyx, a merciful soul compared to other deities, could tolerate. Even if it was someone as close as Hecate.
Nyx's smile faded. "My brother is not gonna be happy that I am plotting against him and my sister. I'm afraid even the boundaries of my realm aren't gonna be enough to keep him out forever, considering how surrounded I am." She paused." My lack of foresight is coming to hunt me. As such, Hecate, I need you to cast a spell. One that will move the Mansion of Night to another location, away from the Pit. To where, I am not sure."
Even in the darkness of the room, Nyx saw Hecate's face losing color. "My lady… this is a… incredibly hard task to perform."
Nyx pondered for a few seconds. "Lucky for you, I'm willing to share a percentage of my power to you, so you may be able to achieve this herculean task."
Hecate's eyes widened. "You… Lady Nyx, won't you need the power in your struggle against the Earth Mother?"
Nyx's jaw clenched. "Even if I fall down to the level of an Olympian, which won't happen, do not worry, I can still crush any threats to my will. Apart from… my siblings, of course. That's why I need you to act quickly, and with precision."
Slowly, the ichor returned to Hecate's face. "I understand, my lady.
"I knew you would. Stand still." Nyx closed her quasar eyes, focusing on her domain of Night. Darkness and magic were intertwined, and as such it wasn't long until she felt herself connected to Hecate. Passing a small amount of her power onto the Goddess of Magic, she felt herself slightly weaker, as if she was a mortal with a cold. But without any sneezes or coughs, at least.
Hecate, on the other hand, dropped to one knee as a black mist surrounded her entire body. She groaned, but eventually got back on her feet.
"This feels… amazing, to put it mildly." The goddess said between heavy breaths.
Nyx smiled. "A wise choice of words, but don't get too used to it. Now, dear, tell me what or who I should expect when going back to the surface. The Seven you mentioned."
Hecate took a few deep breaths, situating herself with her exponentially improved powers. "Apart from the ones you've already met, there are five. Hazel Levesque, daughter of Pluto, a girl with a large potential for Mist manipulation."
"I assume she is your favorite, then." Nyx guessed.
Hecate gave her a sheepish grin. "Always perceptive, my lady. There's also Frank Zhang, son of Mars, legacy of Poseidon."
Nyx motioned for the goddess of magic to continue.
"There's Piper McLean, daughter of Aphrodite, with a prowess for charmspeaking, along with Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus."
Mother Night nodded. "And the last?"
"Jason Grace." Hecate stated. "Son of Jupiter. You will find him similar to Jackson. Almost if they are different sides of the same coin. They're all aboard a ship called the Argo II, named after…"
"The Argo. Of course." Nyx completed with a smirk. Hecate opened her mouth to answer, but words never came out. The Mansion of Night shook heavily, almost as if it was being hit by an earthquake.
Nyx scowled heavily, rising from her throne. "It's him. I have to face my brother."
Hecate looked at her with panic. "Could he possibly breach the Mansion?"
Nyx looked at her old friend and pupil. "No. Not now. That's why you have to start working immediately."
The Goddess of Crossroads nodded solemnly. "I understand. When will we meet again?"
Nyx looked directly at Hecate. "That remains to be seen. Farewell, my dear."
"Goodbye, my lady." Hecate bowed her head respectfully, to which Nyx acknowledged with a short. Floating through the Mansion, she heard the Goddess of Magic starting to chant in ancient Greek, and could only hope for the best. Chaos be with her.
As Nyx floated across her palace in the direction of the border of her territory, she felt her heart beating faster, the ichor being pumped into her veins. Her wings felt heavier, not only because of anxiety, but because of the small amount of power lacking from her compared to what she had before.
But it was necessary. Hecate needed to succeed, otherwise this could get problematic. And she couldn't pass up this opportunity.
Night finally reached the cliff from where Percy and Annabeth had jumped earlier. She couldn't tell when it happened, it wasn't like she kept track of time down in hell. It was mostly irrelevant. Waiting for her, was the second to last person she wanted to see right now. The first being Gaia, of course.
Purple muscular arms, wearing a bronze breastplate, and a face much like a vortex, pulling everything close to it. Tartarus stood there, proud and mighty. But importantly, beyond the Acheron. In his territory.
"Nyx." His voice didn't sound natural. He never sounded natural in his entire life. Always a monster.
"Brother." Nyx said with gritted teeth. "What can I do for you?"
Tartarus looked directly at her, or at least she assumed he did. She couldn't tell, considering that he didn't really have a face. "I sensed a disturbance. Is something happening in your realm, sister?"
The threat was very much veiled in his speech. "Even if there was something, brother," She said with venom. "I wouldn't bother myself with informing you."
Nyx imagined Tartarus scowling at her words. "Tread carefully here… You do not want me as an enemy…"
Nyx laughed out loud. "So what? Will you declare war on me and risk intervention by the creator?"
"Like Chaos is ever appearing again." Tartarus answered in a cold and arrogant voice. Nyx was very much shocked with his bluntness.
"You should probably be the one treading carefully here. Especially for allying with her."
"You underestimate my abilities. Gaia is unstable, too bloodthirsty for her own good. She will learn to obey me eventually." Tartarus said smugly. "My children serve me first and foremost. She will submit, and I will rule all realms. The first king not to rule from above, but from below."
Nyx raised her eyebrow. "Does that include mine, my dear brother?"
Tartarus crossed his thick arms. "Only time will tell."
"Chronos isn't here, Tartarus. If she wins, don't say I didn't warn you when you have your head on a stick." Nyx prepared herself, stretching her arms.
"What are you planning, Nyx?" Tartarus demanded to know, noticing her movements.
"For the record, purple looks terrible on you." She provoked, before jumping directly into a shadow. Night heard her brother growling, but paid no mind to it.
She had one destination in her mind: Gaia.
Percy Jackson woke up in the middle of the night with a gasp, sweating heavily.
Another nightmare. It had been two days since they had come back from the Pit. And Percy couldn't feel worse.
The things he and Annabeth had to endure… all the terrors… the pain… it all haunted him in his nightmares. But most of all, grief and guilt. How could they have left Bob and Damasen down there?
One part of his mind told him that, unfortunately, it had become the only way for them to leave alive. And while that was undoubtedly true, it didn't make him feel any better. Too many people have died in the last four years. But at least they had somewhere to go. Elysium, Percy hoped. But Bob and Damasen? Who knows what happened to them? They could have realistically faded like Pan did. It was most likely their fate, and it pained him a lot.
He got up from his bed, grabbing his shirt. He ran a hand through his hair, his breathing still loud and raspy. They were supposed to arrive at Ithaca by morning, but it was still night outside.
Night.
Whatever Nyx wanted, it couldn't be good. 'If you make it out alive, we will meet again, I assure you that.' These words resonated inside Percy's head. Could they trust Nyx? Was she serious about helping them? Was this a trap? So many questions, not enough answers. No answers at all, in fact.
Sighing, he proceeded to wear his shirt and to leave his cabin. Percy walked for a while, noticing there wasn't really anyone awake. He just had to hope Buford wouldn't start screaming in the middle of the night and make him have a heart attack. It would be anticlimactic to die in that after going to hell and back.
He finally arrived at the deck, where he was surprised to find someone already there, and he knew exactly who it was. Approaching her with caution, she didn't even turn to him as she spoke.
"Can't sleep, right?"
Percy sighed in defeat. "No."
He looked at Annabeth, who had volunteered to go to Odysseus's palace with Piper and Jason. It made him very nervous for her to go out on missions without him. Sure, it sounded overprotective, but after what they had to go through together… Percy didn't want to let her go ever.
Especially since the only contingency plan if things went south consisted of Leo turning Ithaca into rubble with Greek fire.
"Neither can I." His girlfriend admitted, her gaze fixed on the horizon. The Argo II was flying above the water, with Festus acting as its guardian, keeping the ship secured for its crew to sleep. But of course, the recently saved couple couldn't enter the realm of Morpheus successfully without being overwhelmed by the memories.
He noticed Annabeth had a clouded look to her eyes. "What are you thinking about?" He asked.
The daughter of Athena waited for a moment before answering. "Night."
Percy adjusted his posture. "I can't say I haven't done the same recently."
Annabeth smirked and grabbed something from the pocket. That symbol with the three moons. She had explained earlier that it was the symbol of Nyx. "Hecate seemed to notice I carried this. And there are tales about Night being Hecate's mother. I don't think she is, but they are definitely close."
"Do you think she knows we're alive?'
Annabeth bit her lower lip. "It's very likely she does."
Percy decided to look into the stars that Bob would have loved seeing again. Maybe he glanced over to them for comfort, perhaps the Huntress in the sky would give him answers that he craved for. Instead, he immediately noticed something was very wrong. Where the stars were supposed to be… there was darkness. Pitch black. The moon, which had been previously shining down softly onto the Argo II, was gone. The only things currently visible were the ship and the seas around it.
And it didn't seem like Percy was hallucinating. He heard some sort of alarm sounding, along with the ship coming to a halt. Annabeth gripped his arm, looking at something with panic. He glanced at where his girlfriend was looking, and at first, he thought the stars were coming back, but giving it a closer look, it wasn't the case. His heart skipped a beat when the realization crashed upon him like a meteor.
The glow came from two bright eyes who were staring at the couple, the face of the being currently towering up above the Argo II hidden by the shadows. With a height that rivaled the Athena Parthenos, dark wings that brought terror to his soul, and seemingly completely made out of pure darkness…
Nyx was here. She had kept her promise.
"My, my." Night mused, her voice as smooth as silk. "What a wonderful ship you have here, my heroes."