Dante lowered his arm as everyone stared at him.
"What...?" Setne spluttered, straining at the Ribbon of Hathor binding him. "We had an agreement!"
"I agreed to help you eliminate the Kanes because they threaten Ma'at" Dante snarled "Not to destroy Ma'at itself."
Percy lowered his sword and stuck out his hand. "Dante. C'mon, man" he said "I know you don't think what the creepy old ghost dude's doing is right. Help us stop him!"
"I-"
Dante didn't have time to think about Percy's offer before the Zeus/Amun hybrid smashed his fist on the marble floor where he had been standing.
He dodged out of the way, grunting, and the Ribbon fell from his hands.
As it dissolved, Setne glared murderously at his former ally.
"Doesn't matter, you miserable little brat!" he spat.
Sadie pulled Annabeth towards her.
"Cover me." she whispered. "I have a plan."
"Zeus is split for good, kiddo." Setne was gloating.
"What plan?" Carter hissed.
Sadie winked. "Watch and learn, brother."
"And as his mind crumbles? So does Ma'at." Setne grinned.
Annabeth gave Sadie a this-better-work look and turned to face the ancient magician.
"Don't be so sure, Setne." she said as Sadie began chanting. "There's no evil without good. It just doesn't work that way. If you try to eliminate one side or the other completely, you will fail."
Dante howled a curse at Setne as he was slammed bodily into the wall by the large glowing black god.
"Something's wrong." Clarisse muttered. "Why is he concentrating on that boy? He hasn't attacked us at all."
it was true. The god had left the demigods and the Kanes alone up until now. Annabeth frowned.
"Maybe...no. Not possible." she muttered.
"Uh, did you think of something?" Percy asked nervously. "Because I don't think this guy's holding up much longer."
Dante was valiantly withstanding the god's attacks. Blood gushed down his face as he was slammed into the wall again and again as Setne watched coldly on.
"Get Uncle Vinnie over there by the big bloke." Sadie whispered urgently out of the corner of her mouth.
"What?" Carter shouted.
"Trust me!"
Carter and Percy nodded to each other and charged Setne, grabbing his arms and hurling him towards the throne.
As he laid there dazed, Sadie yelled "Tas!"
A red ribbon identical to Dante's flew toward Setne and Zeus binding them together as Zeus bellowed and Dante slumped to the wall with a groan.
"Wow, sis." Carter gaped in awe. "When did you learn that?"
"Oh, you know" Sadie shrugged modestly "That girlfriend of yours has been teaching me a thing or two."
She strode over to Setne.
"Say hello to my father for me, will you?" she said sweetly before reciting an incantation and Setne dissolved with a scream.
"Well, that's solved" she said "Now what about this fellow?"
Carter picked up Setne's scroll.
"We have to reverse the spell" he said as Zeus thrashed in his bindings, making the hall shake. Carter gulped. "Soon."
But when he chanted the spell in reverse, nothing happened.
Annabeth gave Dante a hard look as Percy helped him up and wiped the blood from his face.
"Dante." she said slowly. "You do it."
"M-me?" he gasped, clutching his stomach.
"Yeah. I have a feeling it will work for you."
"Okay..."
He self-consciously took the scroll from Carter and began to recite.
Zeus was enveloped in gold as they all looked on in wonder.
Dante trailed off as he finished chanting.
"Why...?" he murmured.
Zeus reverted to his usual non-glowing skin, suit and cropped black hair and smiled tenderly. "Because you unite the best in me...my son."
"Son." Dante whispered in reverence.
Annabeth beamed as if she saw the development coming.
"Yes, boy." Zeus said gravely. "Your mother was blood of the pharaohs. She wanted you raised in the House. It was her her wish that I not claim you."
He gestured for Dante to rise.
"But I claim you now."
"Father..." Dante choked up. His eyes flew up to catch the lightning bolt that briefly flashed over his head.
Percy clasped him on the shoulder. "See? You are one of us."
Zeus smiled slightly. 'indeed, you will be welcomed at camp half-Blood. But I warn you...my other son will be slightly disappointed he will have to share a room."
"are you sure you guys don't want a ride?" Annabeth asked Carter and Sadie for the hundreth time.
"Yeah" Sadie said. "If it's just us, going through the Duat would be faster."
Carter glanced at dante, looking odd in his new camp shirt.
"Are you sure you don't want to come back?"
Dante nodded. "I see now my loyalties were misplaced. This place will be a good fresh start for me."
"Okay. Take care of yourself."
Percy punched carter's arm. "stay out of trouble, Kane."
"Same to you, Jackson."
Carter and Sadie disappeared into the abyss, leaving Percy and Annabeth waving.
When they were gone, Percy stared pointedly at his arm where carter's mark gleamed in the afternoon sun.
"Stay out of trouble, Kane." he murmured. "Stay out of trouble."
A/N: The end! I will probably do more arcs later, so stay tuned! I hope you liked the story and happy BOO-reading!
