Blood Of Poseidon

VII. The Battle of Dusk

While Thalia battled Eos, Nico faced off against Astraeus, the Titan of the Dusk and the Stars. The air around them was thick with tension, the sky above a swirling mass of storm clouds and flickering stars that seemed to pulse with the Titan's power.

Nico could feel the oppressive weight of Astraeus's presence, a darkness that seemed to swallow the very light of the sun. The Titan's power was unlike anything Nico had ever faced—a primordial force that reached into the deepest corners of the cosmos. But Nico was no stranger to darkness. He had walked the path of the dead, traversed the Underworld, and faced horrors that would have driven others mad. And now, as he squared off against Astraeus, he called upon all the strength he had gained in those harrowing journeys. The shadows around Nico began to stir, responding to his will. They slithered across the ground like serpents, coiling and twisting as they rose to form a shroud around him. The darkness was his ally, and he wielded it like a weapon, shaping it to his command. With a flick of his wrist, the shadows solidified into a spectral scythe, its blade sharp and gleaming with an otherworldly light.

Astraeus watched Nico with eyes that glimmered like distant stars, cold and unfeeling. "You dare to challenge me, child?" the Titan rumbled, his voice reverberating through the earth like a distant thunderstorm. "You are but a mortal, playing with powers beyond your comprehension."

Nico's expression remained impassive, though his heart pounded in his chest. He had faced beings of immense power before, but Astraeus was different. The Titan exuded an ancient, cosmic authority that made the hairs on the back of Nico's neck stand on end. Yet, he could not afford to show fear. Fear was a weapon that his enemies could use against him, and he would not give Astraeus that satisfaction. "You underestimate me," Nico replied, his voice steady, though it carried an edge of steel. Astraeus's lips curled into a contemptuous smile. "Then let us see if your shadows can stand against the might of the stars." With that, the Titan raised his hand to the heavens, and the sky above darkened, as if the dusk had descended prematurely. The stars blinked into existence, thousands of them, twinkling like diamonds against a velvet backdrop. But these were no ordinary stars. They pulsed with malevolent energy, ready to strike at the Titan's command. Nico's eyes narrowed as he tightened his grip on the spectral scythe. The battle was about to begin.

Astraeus brought his hand down in a sweeping motion, and the stars above responded, shooting toward Nico like arrows of pure light. The air crackled with energy as the stars streaked across the sky, leaving trails of burning light in their wake. Nico moved with preternatural speed, the shadows propelling him forward as he darted across the battlefield, avoiding the deadly projectiles by a hair's breadth. The stars struck the ground where Nico had stood moments before, exploding on impact and sending shockwaves rippling through the earth. The force of the blasts sent debris flying in all directions, but Nico was already on the move, using the chaos to his advantage. He closed the distance between himself and Astraeus, the spectral scythe slashing through the air with deadly precision. Astraeus reacted swiftly, summoning a barrier of starlight to block the attack. The scythe clashed against the barrier, the impact sending sparks flying. Nico pressed the attack, striking again and again, each blow fueled by his determination to bring down the Titan. But Astraeus's barrier held firm, absorbing the force of each strike with ease. "You are tenacious," Astraeus remarked, his tone almost admiring. "But your efforts are futile. The stars themselves bow to me." With a flick of his wrist, Astraeus dispelled the barrier, sending a pulse of energy that knocked Nico back several feet. The force of the blow sent him sprawling, but he quickly regained his footing, the shadows cushioning his fall. He could feel the power radiating from Astraeus, a cosmic force that threatened to overwhelm him if he wasn't careful. But Nico was not without his own power. Drawing upon the shadows, he summoned a legion of spectral warriors—ghostly figures clad in ancient armor, their eyes glowing with the cold fire of the Underworld. The spirits rose from the ground, their forms coalescing around Nico as they prepared to charge. "Attack!" Nico commanded, and the spirits surged forward, their weapons raised as they rushed toward Astraeus.