Percy Jackson - An Echo of What Is to Come

A Gift

Percy's POV

"What did you do?" Percy demanded, checking Annabeth for a pulse. Finding it, he sighed in relief, but then turned on Nyx with a clenched jaw and his hands in fists. "Well?"

The darkened figure in front of him seemed unmoved by his anger. "Calm yourself, godling. She will wake up soon. But we need privacy for this."

Percy snorted and couldn't help but crack the tiniest grin. "Look, I'm sure that you're very attractive, but I already have a girlfriend and I'm not that interested in a figure of shadows, so if we can just go on our way..."

Percy was very proud that he made a primordial goddess roll her eyes. At least until he watched shadows wrap around Annabeth's throat.

"You will listen, and you will listen intently, or she will suffer the consequences. Understood?" When Percy nodded warily, Nyx lips curved upwards, but her eyes remained cold. "Good. You must be wondering why I haven't killed you yet, but the answer is quite simple Perseus. In you, I can sense a small seed of darkness, just waiting to be released."

"What do you mean... Are you talking about that thing with Ahklys? Because I did what I had to do to-" Nyx cut Percy off.

"It's not just that - though I will admit that watching you choke her with her own liquids was quite delectable - but what really intrigues me was the emotions that fuelled your actions. The fear, the anger... and the hate. Just a little bundle of darkness, deep inside of you." With that Nyx smiled widely, "And I can't wait to watch it grow."

Percy couldn't help but laugh a little hysterically at the whole situation. He was cloaked in the Death Mist, standing on the edge of the Chaos from which everything began, speaking to a being made of darkness and dressed in galaxies in front of her house made of eternal shadows. And she was talking to him about his feelings! "Look,  I'm really loving this heart to heart but can you wake Annabeth up from - " But Nyx interrupted his tirade with no regard to the fact that he had been speaking. The disrespect on this Primordial!

"You know you'll die down here." It wasn't a question, it was a statement and one Nyx made flatly.

At this Percy got serious as well. "We'll survive, we've always found a way and this will be no different."

Nyx's giggle was a little on the crazy side. "Not without help you won't. Don't bother with your bravado, godling. My brother awaits you at the Doors of Death. You're very strong, but you're not that strong." Then she bared her teeth in what Percy could only assume was her true smile. "So I thought I'd lend a hand."

"We don't want your help." On the inside Percy knew they really could use her help, but he hated owing favours to immortals. They always came to collect at the worst times.

"Oh don't worry Perseus. My help comes with no strings attached. I just want to watch what happens." When a suddenly confused Percy gave her a slightly blank look, she huffed and went on. "I want to watch what happens to you."

Percy was very creeped out at this point. She was definitely crazy, and all he wanted to do was grab Annabeth and run but he couldn't because a band of shadow threatened to choke the life out of his still unconscious girlfriend. He needed to find a way out, and fast, before this insane goddess decided to kill them both. So he did what he did best when Annabeth couldn't plan for him. He started to make things up as he went. However, Percy regretted the words as they came out of his mouth, especially when he watched Nyx's smile grow. "Fine, we'll take your help."

"Good." And then she held out her hands, and suddenly the shadows from over the edge of the cliff rose like a mist from a pond on a cold morning, and crawled ominously towards Nyx. The cloud of shadows swirled up Nyx's body, and began to coalesce into an object in her hands. The darkness began to dissipate into whatever it was she held, as if it was consuming the shadows itself. And when the object had finally had its fill of darkness, Percy saw that it was a sword that laid across her outstretched palms. And he was entranced. "This is for you, Perseus."