A/N: "I not only use all the brains that I have, but all I can borrow." -Woodrow Wilson.
I do not own the concept or characters that are in this story, just the plot. I'm going to be drawing on both Greek mythology, and the world of Percy Jackson to create the story I want to tell. There are going to be times when this story doesn't line up with one of those sources. That being said, if there's something that particularly bothers or interests you, let me know; it might be something that's crucial to the plot, but I'm always open to suggestions and criticism.
Lelantus looked up over his bow to the sleeping form of his pregnant sister. As the pregnancy advanced, he found himself spending more and more time as close as possible to his incapacitated sister, ready and willing to lend a hand when needed. Having seen the masterpiece that Leto had created in her bow had prompted him to try and do the same. His competitive nature was at odds with his short attention span, however, and though his bow was also a fine piece of weaponry, it lacked the attention to detail that his sister's possessed.
To distract himself from these differences, he had overlaid a significant portion of his bow with gold. The pictures and engravings of the sun shining on open fields and island settings shimmered brilliantly with the reflective metal. While he would never use such a weapon while hunting because of its conspicuous nature, he had to admit that it was something he had begun to treasure, especially with the connection that it had to his sister's bow.
Leto's body was greatly distended, and Lelantus was certain the birth was swiftly approaching. Despite his efforts to routinely patrol the island, he hadn't had any more confrontations with what he had taken to calling "bearmadillos", though he had found a set of tracks which were over a week old.
Asteria had been quiet for the most part. He did his best to give her regular updates to both Leto's condition as well as what he felt would be necessary to better defend the island and its occupants. What he really missed was the opportunity to have a conversation with his excitable younger sister. He would, of course occasionally spend extended periods of time talking to his island sister, telling her stories of his hunts and discussing his dreams of the future, but these conversations still left him feeling hollow in a way.
Lelantus deeply loved both of his sisters, but Leto had never really been one to talk about hypotheticals. His older sister had a propensity for the physical world. Her imagination rarely extended beyond what she could see or experience. Subjects such as philosophy were beyond her comfort zone and any conversations that broached similar subjects were quickly diverted into more palpable topics.
Gone were the days where he would spend hours upon hours lying in a field ignoring the rest of the world and pondering the more abstract things the world around them had to offer with Asteria. His younger sister had always been curious about the stars and what lay beyond them and this fascination had only been inflamed when she had received her domains.
Though Lelantus preferred to spend the day gazing at the clouds, guessing shapes, soaking in the golden rays of the sun, and feeling the warm breeze tickle his skin, Asteria loved the night. She reveled in the quiet that was only disturbed by the world's nocturnal residents. She would gaze longingly at the stars, trying to find the same shapes as her brother in their arrangement, and often seeing connections that she had to point out to him.
Lelantus thought to himself that he would be willing to spend the entire night fighting sleep to be able to hear his sister tell him about the stars again. His anger at Zeus flared for what seemed like the thousandth time, but it was tinged with sadness. Lelantus knew his strengths and could not deny that even at the height of his power he could not defeat the king of the gods. One of the most important lessons he had learned from his time hunting had been to always assess the situation before acting, and this life skill had kept him alive more times than he could count.
The sadness now overwhelmed the anger fully as he continued to think of his sister. Even if he could somehow defeat Zeus, it wouldn't change what had happened to either of his sisters. His energy was much more wisely allocated to solving those problems himself and moving on. He wondered if his niece would have some way of restoring Asteria's physical body, and resolved to ask Asteria for the best way to contact Hecate the next time his sister made an appearance.
Leto shifting in her sleep drew his attention once again to the present and forced his mind down another line of thinking. Lelantus had been a loner for most of his life. Other than his sisters, he had little desire for companionship. He'd had a few crushes when he was but a young titan, but nothing had come from them, and he had no desire to relive those memories. Having heard Asteria speak with such conviction about her desire for children, and having to listen to Leto speak of her child left him with sort of hollow feeling in his chest.
Upon further reflection, he decided the best thing to do would be to wait and see. He figured if he enjoyed being an uncle, he might try and go for the whole "father" thing, but as far as he was concerned, that was a decision for another millennium. The world was changing, and especially with the newly empowered gods, he knew that this was not exactly ideal conditions for raising children of titans.
Lelantus closed his eyes and thought deeply of his life and his future. His thoughts remained tainted with the desire for the sounding board Asteria had always been to him, and his consciousness slowly drifted away into the realm of sleep.
To say that Asteria was anxious would be a bit of an understatement. She had done her best to ensure the safety and comfort of her sister throughout the pregnancy, but there was only so much one could do as an island. That was the crux of the matter, wasn't it?
Her frustration spiked once again. How had she been so foolish as to get herself into this position! Certainly, she had had a lot on her mind at the time, but on reflection, she could think of a plethora of things she could have done differently.
Lelantus talking to her regularly had been an unexpected blessing. She missed the time they had spent as younger beings under the night sky and the stars - the stars! How she longed to see them again!
Her energy reserves were as high as she could remember them being, and she was prepared to step in and help in any way she could as soon as Leto was in labor, but for now it was a waiting game.
Asteria passed the time by continuing to look to the future. How would she live her life when (she refused to believe her condition was permanent) she had a physical body again. She doubted she would be able to have an immortal body again, the power requirements were astronomical. She hypothesized that she may be able to prevent her mortal body from aging based on her ability to control the island, but she couldn't be sure.
As often happened when she was left to her own thoughts, she lost track of time. She was shocked out of her state of contemplation by the shouting coming from the rock ear she had in the cave. The baby was coming.
"... Asteria I swear if you leave me here alone to deal with this birth as some sort of joke-" The rest of the frantic titan's threat was cut off by Asteria's figure appearing in front of him.
"Where is Leto, brother?"
"She's in her room, I only left her to get your help. Let's hurry."
The siblings shot down the hallway and into the depths of the cave, their steps quickened by the increasing volume of the cries emanating from their destination.
When the pair burst into the room, Leto was already covered in sweat. Her skin had taken on a grayish pallor and her body was racked with pain on a semi-regular basis.
Leto's siblings sprung into action, having practiced the necessary steps to aid in the birth, though both were distinctly uncomfortable and for the most part Asteria could only relay information.
All of the siblings were more than a little nervous, but they also to varying degrees were excited for the child to finally arrive.
Startling silver eyes stared at the waiting titans, curiosity clearly shining in their depths as the child took its first breaths.
The immortal child was surprisingly developed as she emerged from the womb, reminding Asteria of her own child's birth. Hecate had been born and quickly transitioned to a physical age of around 4 years old, which was considered a good sign development was directly related to the power of the immortal child. Leto's girl looked to be even older, and might have passed for a mortal 7-year-old.
"You shall be called αρτεμης (Artemis) for you will always be safe with me." The new mother spoke looking upon her child with unbridled love. Lelantus moved forward and touched the child on the forehead, a small glow passing between the two beings.
"I have imparted to you the knowledge of our language and basic things of how the world works, how are you, Artemis?"
The child looked shocked for a moment as its mind began to use the newfound knowledge and process everything around her. "Who are you all? Where am I? Where is my brother?"
Asteria responded to the rapid-fire questions of the godling "Your mother is there, her name is Leto, that is your uncle Lelantus, and I am your aunt Asteria. You are on my island, and I'm afraid I don't know what you mean by brother?"
Artemis looked back at her mother before responding. "My brother has yet to be born, I'm sure we'll see him shortly, though."
It was a "short" 9 days later when the second godling was finally born from the utterly exhausted Leto. The child had golden-blonde hair and soft golden eyes with a bronzed complexion as if he had been under the sun for years rather than seconds. As soon as he had gained his bearings, he immediately found his sister and embraced her before peering around the room protectively.
His mother looked at him with tired, but loving eyes, drinking in the sight of him with pride. "You shall be a strong protector for your sister and our family. You shall be called απολλυμι (Apollo), for you shall destroy those who would harm us."
A/N: for ease of use I'm just going to use "Apollo" even though that's not an exact phonetic match
Lelantus moved forward hesitantly, faltering when Apollo tensed at his approach. Artemis whispered soothing words to her twin causing him to relax, even if he couldn't understand what she was saying and allowed the titan to touch his forehead.
After a brief explanation of what their situation was, the children were ushered out of the room before their mother lost consciousness. Asteria had spent the past 9 days talking with Artemis about the world around them, and the young godling already seemed to be fascinated with the outside world. The titaness couldn't help but pass on her admiration and interest in the night sky to the wondering child, and she knew that her niece would always have a special place in her heart because of the time they had spent staring at the stars and planets.
Artemis had already been given her mother's bow and took great joy in identifying the stars in the sky based on their position on her bow. Admittedly, Asteria had had to correct the placement of some of the celestial bodies when her niece was distracted, but Leto could hardly be blamed for her error.
Lelantus and Asteria had of course alternated between keeping Artemis occupied, and tending to Leto, and had taken no time at all to begin to teach the child about the wild and how to use her new gift. It had been a moment of pride when Artemis had finally hit their makeshift target on the 8th day, displaying a natural aptitude that beguiled her age.
Now that Apollo was finally out in the open, the twins were inseparable. Artemis talked for hours to her younger sibling, telling him of the things she had learned already and smugly promising to defend him with her bow should the need arise.
Apollo took this with a pained expression, expressing his distaste for the idea of him needing her protection with no small amount of jealousy. "I know you're older sis, but I should be the one to protect you! It's my job! That's what mom told me at least…" He trailed off dejectedly.
"Mother told me that I should be a strong woman who had no need of a male to defend me!" Artemis responded. "But aunt Asteria said that it was a brother's duty to protect his sister, no matter the circumstance." she continued thoughtfully.
"Pleeeaaaasseee can I have the bow Artemis? I don't want you to get hurt because I can't defend you." Apollo said with a small pout and outstretched arms.
Artemis was conflicted, she wanted to placate her younger brother, and she honestly wasn't against the idea of him trying to protect her, but she didn't want to seem helpless. She thought it was noble and sweet that Apollo wanted to prevent harm from befalling her, but the thought of relying solely on someone else for her wellbeing was a repugnant thought.
Despite her internal conflict, she handed over her prized possession, softly saying that Apollo could borrow it to practice. Lelantus, having watched the exchange in its entirety decided it was time to interject.
"That is very kind of you Artemis, but perhaps I could help with your dilemma?" the titan said as he approached. The twins gazed at him with curious expressions, gold and silver orbs boring into him. The titan made a show of summoning the bow he had crafted, much to the delight of the two children, before solemnly presenting it to Apollo.
The golden bow was pulled just out of reach, however, as soon as Apollo made a move to grab it. The confused godling looked up at his uncle and was met by a wry grin. "As much as I hate to admit it, you won't always have the liberty of facing foes from a distance. You'll need one of these if you want to be the best guardian you can be, young Apollo."
A short, golden sword appeared in Lelantus' other hand, strain from the power needed to accomplish such a feat evident on his face though he did his best to conceal it from the children.
Apollo took both of his gifts with awe on his face before vowing to do his best to master both to protect his family. Lelantus was warmed by the sense of duty the young god displayed and was looking forward to teaching him everything he knew.
Seeing the look of disappointment on the face of Artemis, Lelantus silently cursed to himself before trying to placate the pouting goddess. "I'm sorry young one, We'll get you a blade soon enough, I'm afraid I don't have the power to summon any more weapons right now though." he said with a grimace to emphasize his last point.
Artemis appeared to be appeased by the offering but still looked a bit put-out. "Why don't we step outside for a bit and you can show your brother what I've taught you?"
The young goddess' eyes lit up with excitement before she practically dragged both Lelantus and Apollo outside. Apollo learned quickly, no doubt encouraged by his desire to protect his family and the embarrassment of being taught something by his sister.
Lelantus could tell that the girl had developed a bit of a superiority complex, which was only inflamed by Apollo's constant attempts to make her happy, but he resolved to let Leto handle the situation, making a note to tell her about it later.
By the 4th day since Apollo had gotten his bow, he had managed to hit the target he was aiming at with at least a little bit of consistency. He certainly wasn't a champion archer, but he displayed a natural aptitude similar to his sister.
Several times throughout the training, Lelantus had had to stop him and heal his bleeding hands. His gentle reminders that Apollo was pushing himself too hard fell on deaf ears and the young godling was back to practicing as soon as Lelantus had finished with his hands.
In celebration of the twins accomplishments, Lelantus decided to take them out on a hunt. After getting permission from Leto who was more than happy for the children to be learning more practical skills, the trio headed off into the forest.
The first hours of the hunt were spent with Lelantus explaining in hushed tones the art of hunting. Since they hadn't begun actively hunting yet, there wasn't a need for the relative silence per se, but he felt it added a sense of importance and seriousness that only served to enhance the experience for his nephew and niece.
The first animal they came across was a beautiful young buck. They spotted him just as they had entered a small clearing. The deer's head was down, drinking from a small stream that gurgled through the center and appeared to be alone.
Lelantus had to restrain Artemis with an arm across her chest to prevent her from rushing into the scene, but the sudden movement of the immortal beings alerted the buck and its head shot up.
The deer's antlers were broader than its shoulders and appeared to be covered in a velvety texture. Whether because of its believed prowess or some sort of mental deficiency, the animal seemed to have no sense of self-preservation and calmly walked towards the still trio.
With an arrow nocked, Lelantus allowed Artemis to approach the massive creature. The young goddess' head barely reached the base of the creature's neck but she fearlessly approached and held out her hand to allow the deer to get her scent.
The buck eyed the young girl for a moment before obliging her and sniffing at her proffered hand. The animal gave a small snort before licking her hand. This caused Artemis to let out a small giggle before surprising the deer by trying to throw her hands around its neck.
She was only partially successful at first as the deer almost immediately raised its head, but after a few seconds, it once again lowered itself to allow the young girl to embrace it.
Lelantus was astounded at his niece's interaction with the deer. Much could be said about the innocence of youth, but he was still surprised at how brazen both the goddess and the deer had been.
Eventually, the deer appeared to have had enough of hug-time and shook the clinging girl off of him before striding past the immortals without a second glance.
Artemis was positively beaming. "Did you see that?!" She said in an excited shout-whisper. "What a nice creature! I can't wait to find more animals in the forest."
Lelantus didn't have the heart to remind her that they were currently on a mission of sorts to find and kill said other creatures so instead he went with a small smile before gesturing to the excited goddess that they should continue.
The rest of the day passed rather uneventfully. Artemis whimpered a little bit when Lelantus ended up shooting a small doe, but after a brief conversation she realized the necessity of their actions and hardened her resolve.
"I understand your reasons for not wanting to kill the beasts, young Artemis, and I agree with you."
"You do?" the still teary-eyed girl responded.
"Yes. The wild is my domain, and I care for all of the creatures that dwell in it. However, you must understand that death is a necessary part of life-"
"I thought you said we couldn't die though Uncle Lel? Artemis interrupted.
Lelantus opened and closed his mouth several times before finally replying. "While you are technically correct that we cannot die in the traditional sense of the word, an immortal being can 'fade' from this plane of existence under certain circumstances that are irrelevant for this discussion." The titan said, trying to head off any further questions from the curious youth.
"As I was saying, despite the natural nature of death, you must always have a good reason to kill something, especially another sentient creature. You must promise me Artemis, and you too Apollo" he continued, involving the young god who had been eavesdropping anyway.
"You will both grow to have extraordinary power if you abuse it you are no better than those despicable beings we warn you about."
"Are you saying with great power comes great responsibility?" Apollo said hesitantly.
"Not so young one. Responsibility comes from circumstance. Even the most powerful being is subject to his limitations and surroundings. There can be no responsibility without someone or something to be responsible for."
"So you're saying I can't protect Artemis?" Apollo asked, confusion evident on his face.
"Certainly not Apollo! What I am saying is that your first option should not be violence. It is the way of a fool to rely on strength or power to solve every issue. You do as much as you can to prevent confrontation, but if that confrontation is forced upon you, you strike as fast and as hard as you can." Lelantus admonished the pair with stern features.
"You do whatever it takes to make sure they NEVER have the opportunity to hurt you or your sister again. Whether that is a result of injuries they sustain from your actions or fear of future confrontations, you leave no doubt in their mind that to wish harm on the twins of Leto is to flirt with disaster and pain."
The twins were shocked, open-mouthed at their usually gentle uncle's words. After several moments of silence, Lelantus took in their expressions and gave a somewhat sheepish grin.
"I suppose I'm projecting a millennia of protectiveness, as well as a desire for you both to succeed where I have fallen short. Neither of my sisters would be where they are now if I had chosen to stay with them rather than be alone."
Lelantus was moved from his self-deprecating introspective musing by two small bodies embracing him in a group hug. Tears sprang unbidden to his eyes, but by sheer force of will, he prevented himself from crying.
"It's ok uncle, you did your best I'm sure!" Artemis said quickly.
"Yeah! You're here now, that's what matters uncle!" Apollo added.
The titan returned the embrace with a vengeance and chuckled lightly when he heard the air whoosh out of the godlings' lungs.
"Thank you young ones, now let's get back home before your mother starts to worry."
The three immortal beings began their trek back to the waiting comfort of the cave in silence with Lelantus holding one of the hands of each of the young gods. They were still several miles from their destination when the hairs on the back of Lelantus' neck stood up in warning.
Reflexively, the titan of the wild threw the children several yards in front of him, using the change in momentum to throw himself backward and to the side. Scarcely had his body vacated its original position when a mass of green scales took its place.
Lelantus rolled to his feet before cursing. Before him was a large serpentine creature, nearly 20 feet long from nose to tail covered in thick armored scales. The beast had glowing red eyes that contrasted menacingly with its scales and a maw that would put a dracon to shame.
The creature seemed to be in a slight dilemma as to who it was going to attack first, but its mind was made up by several arrows clacking noisily against its armored side.
Lelantus cursed once again when he realized that his bow had been crushed under what he could only assume was Python, the child of Gaia, and he was left with only his sword. His chest tightened with fear as he gazed toward his hapless charges.
Despite his unfavorable circumstances, Lelantus refused to allow the beast the opportunity to deal harm to his niece and nephew. With a short roar, he drew his sword and charged the distracted beast.
His desperate swing connected solidly with the body of Python but did little more than enrage the beast as he was quickly swept away by its tail. Lelantus flew several yards before his journey came to a sudden stop courtesy of a large oak tree.
The titan was dazed and shook his head to try and remove the spots in his vision to little effect. He heard the rustle of underbrush and blindly lurched to the side where he was rewarded with the crack of his previous resting place being reduced to splinters.
Lelantus was forced to roll to the side as Python lunged again, but the titan was running out of escape routes. His latest movements left him against the base of another tree with the beast too close to avoid.
In desperation, Lelantus used as much power as he could muster to blast the creature away. He saw a form land several yards away and heard a resounding thump. As his consciousness slipped away, he could only hope that he had done enough to protect his nephew and niece.
Apollo was shocked when his uncle had thrown him bodily through the air. He was even more surprised when a large green creature crashed through the underbrush. It had a long thin body that seemed to sparkle in the sunlight, unlike anything he had ever seen.
The young god could only watch, petrified as the short battle played out before him. He gasped in shock when Lelantus had growled and struck at the creature only to have his attacks be ineffectual.
He tried to raise his bow, but his fear consumed his mind, and he could only watch as the titan continued to flee from the beast. His hands were shaking uncontrollably, and he could see out of the corner of his eye that Artemis was in a similar state.
His uncle's final blast of energy awakened something deep inside of him. A need to protect. Python rose slowly and began to advance towards the prone form of the titan.
With a fluid and sure movement, Apollo drew and nocked an arrow before taking aim and releasing at the creature's head. His aim was true, and the arrow struck the snakelike creature directly between the eyes.
He watched incredulously as the projectile ricocheted off of the monster's head before lodging into a nearby tree. Though apparently uninjured, Python certainly now had another object that demanded its immediate attention.
Apollo did his best to avoid the coming strike, but his undeveloped muscles and reflexes betrayed him. Searing pain shot through his left shoulder and arm. Though he had managed to avoid death, for the time being, he knew the wound was serious.
He was furious with himself. How could he have let himself be caught so easily? His strength quickly drained from his body even as he tried to regain his bearings.
Ichor flowed freely down his side and he had practically no control over his injured arm. He tried to struggle to his feet, but injured arm collapsed under his weight. His vision began to recede into blackness, and he faintly wondered why he hadn't already been hit again before the answer to his unspoken question reached him in the form of a scream.
Apollo's eyes which had nearly been closed shot open. How could he have forgotten his sister? Using his legs and uninjured arm, he managed to stumble to his feet.
He could see a glint of silver a few dozen feet up in a tree, and he heard the sound of arrows impacting the scales of their foe. Artemis' scream rang out again as the tree she had climbed cracked about ten feet up under the assault of Python.
Apollo rushed towards his now helpless sister, but he knew he could never reach her in time. A bellow of rage and defiance range from his throat as he pushed his legs to pump faster and he raised his sword that was clasped in his right hand in a desperate attempt to distract the creature looming over Artemis.
He watched in horror as Python, apparently having grown tired of being distracted from its meal ignored the screaming godling and struck at the prone form in front of it.
Inches from closing on the goddesses vulnerable flesh, the formidable jaws of Python were stopped and held by fingers of earth. Apollo was initially relieved but redoubled his efforts when he saw cracks beginning to form in the rocky protection.
With a loud crack the rock split under the intense compressive force of the beast, but before they could reach their intended target, the goddess was swept from danger by a blur of golden hair.
Before Python could react to this new development, apollo had climbed a set of earthen stairs that had just appeared before he lept and drove his sword through the beast's eye.
An inhuman shriek emanated from the now writhing creature and the young god was tossed viscously from his perilous hold. He had a perfect view of the creature begin to dissolve as its death throes wound down before he impacted something unforgiving and consciousness left him.
Lelantus regained consciousness slowly, feeling as if he'd been trampled under a horde of elephants. His senses were fuzzy, but he could hear a somewhat rhythmic sound at the edge of his hearing. It rose and fell in pitch and volume, but he couldn't for the life of him discern its nature or source.
Gingerly he rose to his feet, using the tree by his head as support. A cold dagger of fear pierced his heart as he remembered the chain of events that had lead to his predicament, and he did his best to shake the fog from his mind.
His hearing slowly returned, and he finally recognized with a start, and a small amount of relief that the sound he had heard was sobbing. Following his ears, he picked his way through the site of the battle and found his niece huddled over a still form.
His fear returned with a vengeance and he hurried to the young child's side before examining the source of her grief.
Apollo lay, broken and bloodied in his sister's lap. His eyes were closed, and Lelantus' heart almost stopped before he saw a slight rise in the boy's chest indicating a breath.
"Come away Artemis and let me have a look at him." the titan said gently. The girl lashed out at the sudden noise, not having heard Lelantus approach before realization hit her and she threw herself into his arms sobbing.
"Please help him, uncle! You can't let him die! He doesn't need to die!"
Lelantus did his best to sooth the hysteric Artemis while also taking in the sorry state of her brother. He was covered in small scratches and scrapes, and Lelantus could see several large and wicked looking bruises begin to form on his exposed skin, but what worried him the most was the damage to the boy's arm.
The skin near the shoulder was ragged and torn in a deep gash that couldn't be too far from the bone. Ichor was pouring out at a steady rate and the titan immediately ripped a section of the boys ruined clothing to tie a bandage around the wound, stemming the blood flow as best he could.
With a groan, Lelantus took the injured boy in his arms and tried to find his bearings. Once he was confident in the direction he needed to travel to reach the cave as soon as possible, he nodded to the grief-stricken Artemis who looked ready to fall apart again at any moment and headed off at a measured pace.
By the time the trio reached the cave system, Lelantus was ready to collapse in exhaustion. Sweat and ichor covered his clothes and body, and his muscles screamed in protest of taking even another step.
Artemis had sprinted ahead once they were back in familiar territory, and the frantic Leto had run from the cave and snatched her child from the titans weakened arms before streaking back into the dwelling without a word.
"Don't worry about me, sister. I'll be fine I'm sure." Lelantus said in a sarcastic tone. He crawled until he had passed the threshold of the cave, welcoming the coolness of the shade before embracing unconsciousness once again.
A/N: Well that chapter's a bit longer than normal. Please review and let me know what you think, especially concerning the battle scenes as these are the first I've really written.
Music I've been listening to: Apollo 11 album by Adam young
Response to reviews:
Blummer - percy should be a god
Thanks for the suggestion! I'm not exactly how far this story will go, I have a rough plot outline up until the battle for NY. I may end it there, but if I continue, I will consider eventually making Percy a god. Just know, that is a long, long way off.
TheMag1c1an - I like the addition of Lelantus and the sibling banter it brings to the story. Since everyone else is giving their opinion on Percy I will as well. I think you should keep him mortal or semi immortal and try to keep his power in check. But if you prefer to make him a god then I say again keep his power in check. Reading about completely one sided fights are so boring.
I'm glad you appreciate it, it has been fun to write it. I agree with you on the one-sided fights, I'll try to keep power pretty balanced throughout the story.