The Spirits of the Universe (PJO)

Chapter 90--Escaping the Void

When Order handed the reins of my body back to me, the shift was jarring. One second, I was wrapped in the warm, quiet meditation of my mind, and the next, the freezing emptiness of the void was clawing at my skin.

Alright, guys, I thought, my mental voice echoing. Got any brilliant plans on how to get out of here alive?

I thought YOU had a plan, End shot back.

I had a plan to distract her, I corrected. I didn't exactly pencil in 'Eternity thrusts us into a literal vacuum of space' on my schedule.

I can detect a thread of her power connecting the throne to her, End said, her tone shifting to deadly serious. But we're too far away from her for this to happen naturally. She's probably using an artifact. If we can find it, I might be able to control the throne.

Great, I said. Er . . . do we have any ideas as to where the artifact could be?

It doesn't matter. You're going to die here anyway.

The voice didn't come from the beings inside my head. It grated against my ears like fingernails scraping down a chalkboard covered in sandpaper. I whipped around in alarm. Pinned to the armrest of the throne was a human skull, suddenly blazing with roaring blue fire in its eye sockets that definitely hadn't been there a second ago.

I was so startled I accidentally tossed the mental steering wheel straight to End.

My lady wanted you to die here, and so you shall die, the skull declared. She was surprised that you lasted this long, but now there is no use in struggling. You have no chance against me.

It didn't attack. It didn't explode. It just . . . talked. And yet that was enough to make my vision swim. Every word that crawled out of its bony mouth was like a rusted spear, burrowing deep into my neurons until I couldn't string a coherent thought together.

If I were a normal teenager, having a flaming skull beam despair directly into my brain might have broken me. But honestly? Normal people didn't have two ancient primordials living rent-free in their skulls. They didn't share their headspace with entities who battled Chaos a millennia ago, got greedy with power, and were banished for Eternity.

I was used to the noise—to End micromanaging my life and Order meditating. So, one more judgy voice trying to drive me crazy?

Take a ticket and get in line, buddy.

Who is this clown? End asked aggressively.

The Skull hadn't realized anything had gone wrong as End stared at it blankly. You have impressive breath capacity for a mortal, it hissed, purposefully dragging its syllables out to sound even more invasive. But you're no match for me. I know you can't deal with hearing me. But I'm going to stay with you for a loooong time now.

Welcome to the family, Order chimed in cheerfully. I'd offer you a seat on the sofa, but I don't think you can get in here, and it's getting a little crowded with Percy and me already.

You really need a cough drop, End added, letting Order take control of my body. Stop talking, please.

If the skull had real eyes, they would've bugged out of its head. There's . . . three of you? In one body?

Did Eternity send you down here to kill us, End asked, or to distract us with your incompetence?

You should be incapacitated by pain right now! the Skull muttered, its fiery eyes dimming in confusion. You're not even affected?