Percy Jackson : The Maze Runner

Chapter 17 : Nyx

Percy's PoV

"Welcome, Demigod! Welcome to the House of Night!"

"What is this place?" Thomas shouts.

"Do not open your eyes under any circumstances!" Annabeth warns them, "What you would see would be deadly to anyone!"

"What wise words, daughter of Athena." Says the voice of earlier.

A voice that I would have preferred never to cross again.
"Nyx, what do you want from us?"

The goddess laughed before answering. A cold, icy, cruel laugh.
"Me? Nothing. But my brother on the other hand, I think he has a grudge against you."

"Let us go," said Annabeth, in an authoritative tone.

"Ooh, dear, I'm afraid that's impossible."

"What's in it for you? Don't make me believe you're doing this out of the goodness of your heart."

"Oh yes, of course I'm getting something out of it. I want to wash away the humiliation you made me go through during your last visit! I was ridiculed in front of my children!" roars Nyx.

"Percy, what is she talking about?" Thomas asks me.

"It's a long story. But during our crossing of Tartarus, we told Nyx that we were following a tourist route and that she was not on it. Then we took advantage of the general bustle between her and her children to escape."

"Yes, and I inquired, figured it out! There is no tourist route," says Nyx.

Annabeth grabs the pole that the goddess was holding out. She may have been a primordial, Nyx was naive, and Annabeth intends to trick her again.

"Perhaps you've misinformed yourself? Perhaps you looked in the wrong place?" she said to her.

"Lies! You are trying to trick me again!" Nyx replied, but a slight change in tone of voice made me think her curiosity had been piqued.

"Why would I lie? In any case you kill us. I think you just looked in the wrong place." Annabeth continued.

"You... you think?" Asked the goddess, hesitantly.

"Yes, of course! Maybe we could redirect you to someone competent who can tell you what you're looking for?"

I can feel the goddess biting. But everything ran out as soon as hope was reborn.

The ground began to shake, and a deep, cavernous voice spoke.
"Don't let yourself be fooled a second time, sister. Stick to the plan, and everything will turn out the way you want it to."

Thomas came closer and asked me whose voice it was, whispering in my ear.

"You can ask me directly, little demigod."say the voice.

I feel Thomas startled. This person had incredible hearing.

"Who... who are you?"

"I am Tartarus. And to answer your next question, I am everywhere at once, you are in myself, in the end."

"In myself ? Ah, to Tartarus." Understand Thomas.

"But none of that matters any more. You are going to die." Tartarus continued, in a quiet voice, the same voice one would use to greet a friend and ask after him.
"I await you impatiently, half-blooded."

I feel an icy shiver and the presence fades away. Not to extinguish, that would be too beautiful. Just go away.

"My brother is right. I must accomplish my task." Said Nyx, breaking the silence that had set in.