Nico di Angelo: A Darkness Comes at Dawn

Chapter 22: Uh-Oh

Disclaimer: I do not own most of the characters, for Uncle Rick does.

Percy POV 💧

I stood there with riptide raised. We eyed the man who had kindly appeared behind us. He simply spread his hands.

"Greetings, I am Aether." He said. 

"God of heavenly air..." Wise Girl said in awe.

"You! You were the sky god after Ouranos!" Jason spat as he pointed a finger at Aether, who chuckled. 

"And you're the present sky god's pride and joy." He sneered. "I would love to kill you, but I am more reasonable than my mother, Nyx. I will give you a choice."

"What choice?" Leo asked. "Does that include freeing Calypso?"

"A choice." Aether reiterated. "Join the army of Erebos or die. You see, my father is a much more reasonable ruler than Tartarus or Nyx. He is currently planning to invade Tartarus along with the dead and claim it as his new territory. I hear that your friend's father approved. After he has taken care of Tartarus, he will plot against Nyx. You must realize that he is not evil. He will spare everyone and let the world remain the same on one condition."

"What?" Annabeth demanded.

"The betrayal of the Lord Zeus. You see, it benefits everyone."

"No!" Jason shouted. "You will not destroy my father!"

"Ah, Jason Grace, son of Jupiter. Do you think I know not of your anger towards your father?" Aether asked calmly. Jason's already not-confident face faltered even more.

"Yes... I can feel your anger towards him... Hmm... Used as a bargaining chip to please Hera's wrath, eh? Zeus must think lowly of you. I am disappointed in you. The other gods hold you in such high esteem... Surely you can do better than this."

A new rage never seen before by Jason swept over him has he charged at Aether. Piper tried to charmspeak him to calm down, but it didn't work. When Jason was about to strike Aether, he suddenly vanished.

"What did you do to him?!" Piper and I yelled. 

"You see, I was never planning to be used as a pawn of Nyx. I was the one who tricked the Bounty Hunter into attacking Oceanus." Hazel gasped at this.

"B-but that was Hazel's doing." Annabeth stuttered.

"You see, a demigod like Hazel isn't strong enough to fool a mortal and a Titan."

"Wait... Oceanus too?" Hazel muttered.

"Yes. You did not know, did you. Not only was the mortal fooled but also the Titan. My true allegiance lies with my father, not my mother. As for that Son of Jupiter, I warped him to the lands of Erebos. He will join us soon enough."

"Bring him back!" Piper charmspeaked, but Aether seemed indifferent.

"Charmspeak doesn't work on me." Aether chuckled. "I am a protogenos. You will join up soon enough, I can guarantee that." His form then flickered and faded away.

"Jason..." Piper and Leo sobbed. Annabeth walked up to them and patted both of them on the back. 

"I know it is hard for you," Annabeth started, "But think about what Jason would want. He would want us to fight for him, to fight so he could reunite with you guys. Jason isn't dead yet. They wouldn't do that, but for now, the best we can do is to keep going."

Piper and Leo sadly nodded, still sobbing. 

"We will get Jason back." I encouraged them. Then the realization hit me.

Instead shall be lost to the hands of the underworld

By Lord of the Skies he shall be hurled

Those lines. They just happened. Jason will not be the one to make the ultimate choice with Kymopoleia. He was brought to the underworld by the Lord of the Skies, Aether. Hades was truly innocent. It was Erebos. Oh-no!