1.
The story begins in Grand Central Terminal, where Percy, Annabeth, Jason, and Piper are on a seemingly ordinary day—but with a mission, of course. Annabeth leads the group with an ancient map labeled "Substations Forgotten: A Guide to New York’s Hidden Depths," which supposedly reveals the location of a cursed subway station tied to Nyx, the goddess of night. Percy’s sarcastic narration highlights the group’s banter as Jason complains about glowing puddles and Piper teases him about his unease.
Annabeth declares that a faded staircase marked “restricted” is their entry point. She explains that the station, abandoned after mysterious disappearances, might house the Eye of Nyx, a powerful artifact tied to eternal darkness. Percy quips about their luck in always finding the world’s most dangerous problems, while Jason and Piper exchange wary glances. Descending the stairs, the air grows cold, the lights flicker, and the shadows seem to move, setting the stage for the adventure ahead.