Lucas stood, his eyes fixed on the shadows that hung around Erebos. Darkness enveloped every part of his being, as if Tartarus itself had become an extension of him, as if the abyss within him, when he was transported to that world, had finally manifested itself. And the worst thing was that he could feel it. He felt the pull of darkness, a primitive and irresistible force. He didn't know what exactly it was about this feeling that enveloped him, but something inside him told him that it was real. Somehow, he was part of that force.
"You are no longer a mere mortal," said Erebos in a deep voice, resonating throughout Tartarus. "You were born to walk in the shadows. You were chosen before you were even born."
Erebos' words, despite being threatening, justified the awakening of an unusual sensation in Lucas.
He could hear Nyx's voice in his mind, soft as a distant echo, but imposing. It was as if he had been born into something much greater, something that was beyond his comprehension. Maybe that was his destiny, really. Perhaps it was his true nature.
But at the same time, there was a part of Lucas that screamed, that prevented him from surrendering to the shadows, from accepting his dark origin without question. He didn't see himself as a creation of darkness. He didn't want to be just a reflection of chaos, destruction and darkness, even though he felt the power of Erebos pulsating inside him.
"I'm not your son!" replied Lucas firmly, his voice sounding stronger than he had imagined.
Erebos replied with a grim smile. "You don't understand, Lucas. Nyx lied to you. She just hid it. I've always been a part of you. The blood of darkness runs through your veins, you feel it. You know it's true."
Lucas felt a shiver spread throughout his body. He looked down at his hands, seeing the shadow begin to stretch across them, a dark line that seemed alive, as if it were trying to engulf him. He fought the urge to surrender, but he couldn't stop thinking about the truth Erebos was telling him. He remembered the moment when Nyx had claimed him when Nyx had called him into the shadows. She never spoke about her father. She never explained everything. And deep down, Lucas knew that something was missing. Something very big and essential.
Percy, who was standing next to him, seemed to have noticed the internal struggle Lucas was having. "Lucas, you're more than what Erebos says you are, don't let him fool you!"
Annabeth, in her calm, calculating voice, added: "Lucas, it's us who decide who we are, not the gods or the primordials, you're not obliged to follow any destiny set by them, each hero can create their own story."
Lucas looked at his friends, the pain growing in his chest. He wanted to believe their words, but at the same time, the pull of darkness was almost physical. He felt as if Erebos was a part of him, like a shadow that would never leave him. How could he deny that?
"I am a child of the night!" he commented, his voice full of emotion. "But I won't be anyone's shadow. I'm not your plaything, Erebos!"
His answer was like a challenge, and the air around him seemed to distort, as if reality itself was reacting to his internal struggle. In response, Erebos gestured with his hands and the shadows around him became denser, darker than ever.
"Do you think you can defy me, boy?" said Erebos, with a tone of pure anger. "Do you think you can fight against your destiny? Against what you are?"
Lucas felt a pressure on his chest, as if gravity itself was against him, trying to force him to fall to his knees in front of Erebos. He struggled against the pressure, but suddenly a sound came into his mind like a glimmer of hope.
"The darkness can consume you, but it can also be controlled. You must be stronger than it."
Nyx's words echoed in his mind, and he finally understood. He didn't need to be covered by the darkness. He could control it. He could be more than a reflection of Erebos or Nyx. He could be Luke, the son of the night, but someone who chose to use this darkness, someone who controlled the shadows, rather than being consumed by them.
With that thought, a wave of energy ran through his body. He closed his eyes and, taking a deep breath, began to control the shadows that surrounded him, not allowing them to swallow him up. He manipulated them, making them bend to his will. He could feel the power within him, the power of Nyx, the power of Tartarus, but not as a destructive force, but as an extension of it.
Erebos watched with narrowed eyes, a flash of surprise passing across his face. "Do you... do you really think you can control the darkness?"
Lucas didn't answer. He didn't have to. He stretched out his hands, and the shadows around him formed a dark sphere that rotated slowly, like a vortex of pure black energy. He was in control now.
"You don't know me, Erebos," said Lucas, with renewed confidence. "I am more than a reflection of what you want me to be. I am the night, but I am also the light that emerges from it. And no one can stop me from being who I choose to be"
The air around them seemed to intensify, Tartarus itself trembling with the force of his declaration. Erebos laughed, but this time it sounded different, more like a contemptuous laugh than a real one. "Do you really think you can change all this by yourself, boy? The power of the shadows is stronger than anything you can imagine."
But Lucas didn't hesitate. He didn't fight Erebos with the same strength he used. He knew now that control was the key. Darkness doesn't need to be overcome, it just needs to be understood. He was the night, but the night was also the light of the stars, and he knew that the stars could shine in the densest darkness.
Lucas stretched out his hands, and the sphere of shadows expanded, projecting a wave of energy into Erebos, who recovered quickly. He was surprised by the strength Lucas was channeling. He hadn't defeated him, but he had shown that he had control over the darkness - something not even Erebos himself had.
And then Erebos retreated into the shadows, his figure dissolving into the mist of Tartarus. "You haven't got rid of me yet Lucas. The battle is not over. "
Lucas, still panting, looked at his friends. They were by his side, ready to help him, but they sensed that the real fight had only just begun. He had accepted his origin, but that didn't require him to follow the path of Erebos. He would create his own destiny, and the darkness, rather than dominating him, would be his ally.
But the real question still hung in the air: Would he be able to keep the darkness under control? What if it consumed him completely in the future?