2 DA : Chapter 2: The Beginning of the End I

As he plummeted through the darkness his thoughts were eerily calm. His face was rather blank, without a trace of fear even though he knew the horrors that awaited him … but he was ready.

Until then, he was mostly bored while waiting to arrive. 'Was the fall this long last time?' he wondered before he thought back to why he had made this decision. 

'Oh yeah … it all started with her …'

...

Tartarus, Before the House of Hades

Fear. That was all he could feel as he blindly walked forward. His girlfriend's limp body slung over his shoulders as he heard the distant screaming of monsters looking for blood. He couldn't stop, regardless of how much his muscles screamed in protest. 

He could feel every injury he'd obtained in this damned place suddenly burning altogether, as if trying to weigh him down so he could be caught. But he trudged on, knowing that if he stopped, he'd be forever kept in the House of Night. However, his train of thought was stopped when a shockingly soft voice spoke.

"Perseus … wait."

It wasn't the request that made him stop as if frozen. It was the sheer surprise of the voice he recognized yet didn't at the same time.

It was Nyx, the primordial goddess of night, and she was speaking to him as if she stood just a bit to his side. 'How in!? But I thought she was caught with all her kids going berserk throwing around darkness!' his thoughts screamed as dread built up within him. 

He knew there was no way he could escape now. She could kill him and Annabeth with a flick of her wrist and there was nothing he could do to trick her again. So, he waited, a part of him hoping that death would be quick, but that wasn't what happened.

"Perseus … I need you to open your eyes and look at me."

'What!?' he nearly shouted as he turned to face the voice, still keeping his eyes firmly shut.

"I can't … I'll be driven insane if I look at anything in your home," he said evenly, not wanting to possibly anger the goddess any more than he probably already had.

"Not right now," she replied calmly, "I've hidden the horrors but there are things I need to show you."

"How do I know you aren't tricking me?" he asked, unable to keep a bit of bite out of tone.

He heard her sigh before she spoke again, "I, Nyx, Primordial of Night, hereby swear on the Styx and my own immortality to tell you the truth from here onwards and allow safe passage out of my home."

With her words thunder struck but Percy could tell that this oath was beyond anything he'd heard before. Down to his bones he could tell it was absolutely binding. With her oath complete, he found himself hesitantly opening his eyes to look at her, and the sight made him gasp.

Before she had stood before him and Annabeth as a monstrous construct of darkness, shadows churning around her as her form towered over them, easily bigger than any of the Giants. Now though, standing before him was probably one of, if not the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. 

Pale, flawless skin, lusciously raven hair cascading to her hips, hourglass figure dressed in an elegant black dress that screamed sensuality yet didn't come off as slutty whatsoever. And her eyes. Like two pools of darkness, drawing in the light with glowing white pupils looking straight at him.

He had to catch his breath as she gave him a faint smile. A warm and kind smile that could compare with the likes of Hestia but her eyes seemed to hold a sadness in them as she looked at him. 

He wondered why she looked so sad but then felt a weight leaving his shoulders. He looked in alarm as Annabeth floated in what looked like a pool of darkness, suspended above him.

"Don't worry," she said before he could even shout, "That is just to make sure she doesn't wake up while we talk."

He calmed down at her words, knowing she could only be honest with him. He looked to her and nodded, waiting to hear her out. She smiled faintly in appreciation before she began, her soft voice soothing him like the cool embrace of a gently night after a long day.

"First of all Perseus, I need you to understand something. We primordial gods live by a very different set of rules than other divine beings like Titans, Giants, and Gods. For one, the Fates cannot control us since we are too powerful."

"What!?" he asked in shock but she merely nodded.

"Yes. Only a primordial of fate can but … Anake isn't with us anymore," Nyx said sadly. "However, that isn't the main reason I stopped you for. The reason I am here now is to show you something … and give you a choice."

"What are you showing me?" he asked suspiciously as his eyes narrowed. Gods don't just come out of the blue to fill someone in on things without some kind of favor … and a favor to a primordial is a biggie.

"The original text of the ancient laws," she replied seriously, her eyes boring into his.

"Why?" he asked, his guard still up.

"Because … the Olympians have gone too far for too long and the madness of my sister and her children is only making things worse," Nyx answered. "The world is spiraling out of control and one day there will be a war to end all wars if someone doesn't stop it … and there is only one way to do it," she trailed off with a whisper.

"How?" he asked nervously.

She didn't answer but instead waved her hand, and from right beside her an ancient stone tablet appeared written in a language Percy couldn't even begin to comprehend. Yet he looked on down until the last law came to his focus and somehow, without being able to read it, he understood what it meant. It was as if something so old it lay forgotten by all except the most ancient beings … and now he knew it.

"W-what … is that?" he asked, his mouth suddenly too dry.

"That, Perseus … is the Law of Succession," Nyx answered gravely as she looked at him. "And it is something Gaea purposely hid and none of her children or descendants know … save for you."

"Why show me it?" he asked as he felt as if the sky was on his shoulders again.

"Because … I wish for you to be the first to use this law," Nyx answered, before her gaze softened, "And I believe you are the most worthy to do it. I know you won't abuse this power and … you've almost conquered your fatal flaw."

"Conquered?" Percy scoffed, looking at her as if she'd grown a second head. "I still fight for Olympus even though I know half the time they just toss me in and wait around before delivering the final blow after I put in all the work. I turned down immortality and the easy out just for love. 

And that same love which I so happened to learn recently, cheated on me while I was missing! And yet, I'm still dragging her ass with me through this hellhole rather than abandoning her!" he screamed in rage as pent up emotions finally burst out after weeks of inner turmoil.

"You already knew?" Nyx asked in surprise as she glanced at the suspended spawn of Athena, "Then why do this all for her? Why even allow yourself to fall into Tartarus?"

Percy sighed as he shook his head. "I don't know … I guess … I was hoping that she'd come clean after all this. That maybe it could be salvaged and the wars would end … I just want some peace." By now some tears were slowly trailing down his cheeks but to his surprise, a petite hand gently wiped them away.

He looked up in surprise to see Nyx with the same sad eyes, her voice almost trembling as she spoke, "And this is why I know you are worthy. Even after knowing that they're using you, even after your love broke your heart and continues to hide it, you haven't abandoned them … but at the same time you are growing past it. 

I can see it. Your loyalty has been tempered for years now through hardship and betrayals. You don't give it easily anymore and with moving past petty thoughts of revenge or breaking down, you continue on. Keep that loyalty … but know when to give it to those that deserve it."

Nyx then stepped back as she looked at him sternly. "Go on now. You have doors to release and a renegade primordial to defeat … and now you know how to do it."

Percy nodded as he wiped the last of his tears before he looked at the floating girl beside him.

"I'll keep her like that until you get to the doors. Don't worry, once you get them free I'll teleport her to your side and she'll think she helped you along the way," Nyx said with a tiny smirk on her face.

"Thank you," he replied as he started to move past her, his gaze set on the doorway at the end of the dark passage.

"Oh and Percy," Nyx called after him, making him pause as he glanced back to meet her mesmerizing eyes, "Think about what really keeps you fighting. 

Who and what truly holds your loyalty that makes it all worth it … and should anything happen, keep your emotions in check. Do not let them control you as they do since it won't help anyone. And lastly, should you make the choice … you know where to find me."

With that she was suddenly gone along with Annabeth in a flash of shadows, leaving him alone to complete his journey. So he turned and started to walk away, ready to face the hordes of monsters that no doubt waited for him … until he suddenly stopped.

"Wait … did she call me Percy?"

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