Back at camp, I found Nico, Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia, in the dinning hall. I walked in, forgetting about the changes Aphrodite made to my appearance, and sat down next to the Ghost King. He stared, first at my hair, then at my clothes. Annabeth did the same, and Percy just looked up from his food.
"Hey! I thought you liked my shirts." He pouted as Annabeth patted his back, whispering that he was a seaweed brain. I looked around to see the other campers quickly glancing over at me.
"Yeah. Had a run in with Aphrodite..." Nico went tense beside me, but Percy just continued to chew obnoxiously.
"Oh, so now Aphrodite doesn't like my shirt!" Everyone collectively rolled their eyes at him, and I felt Nico's grip on my hand tighten under the table. I looked to him, in which he just nodded back before adding.
"Don't worry, you look fine." his reassurance was helpful, and I pulled him into a one armed hug briefly. Well, I guess every hug would be one handed from now on. After some chatter with Nico, I stood up to put away my meal, and almost stumbled into one of the Ares kids. They looked angered at first, but then kneeled with their head bowed.
"I'm so sorry, Lord Isorreth." I simply looked at them in shock, and then smirked. Despite the aching in my bicep, I offered a hand for them to stand up. They looked relieved, and I noticed that a good portion of the camp was watching.
"Thanks. Seth is fine. Not like anything's really changed since I was here last." They nodded and left, respectfully watching my 2 limbs. I heard a few campers utter that what I said was bullshit, and then the Aphrodite cabin began discussing my new look. When I sat back down, the campers had returned to their own businesses, but Annabeth stared at me, confused.
"Seth, how long did you know your full name was Isorreth?" She asked, in which I shrugged.
"I don't know, a few weeks after the Battle of the Labyrinth I think. When Zeus told me that Apollo... y'know." Her eyes widened and she held her face in her palms. Percy, Nico, and I were all equally confused.
"That was months ago. Seth. You understand Ancient Greek!" Her outburst made it seem like her point was obvious, but everyone was still oblivious.
"Um, yeah. I can read and write it-"
"ισορροπία"
"What?" I was confused at the sudden word. I had rarely ever heard Ancient Greek spoken before, but understood what she meant.
"Balance?" I was still clueless as to the significance, but Nico began to hold in his laughter, covering his mouth with his hand. Annabeth looked at me like I was stupid, which I probably was, and Percy was just as confused as me.
"Yes, Seth! ισορροπία. Isorreth. You're so dense, it almost rivals Percy, I swear." Once she spelled it out for me, I understood my idiocy. Percy was still confused, and was almost frustrated as Nico began laughing quietly at me.
"Percy, my name sounds a lot like the Greek word for balance." Once Percy went over the words 3 times in his head, he suddenly smacked the table and began hysterically laughing.
"Ohhhhhhh! I get it now!" I blinked, still in disbelief at how clueless I was to the obvious similarity, and was surprised when I ran a hand through my hair, but nothing happened. That's when I realized that I was trying to use my amputated arm, and huffed at it.
"Hey, go easy on me. I just got ambushed by the beauty goddess, and lost an arm and a leg to get here." My laid back demeanor helped calm Annabeth's disappointment, and Thalia laughed beside her. The huntress watched me carefully before smirking.
"So, Isorreth-"
"Just call me Seth, or I'll blind you for a day," I remark, half joking. Luckily, she seems to like the joke, and nods.
"Okay, Seth. I don't know you, but you seem like a nice person. What'r your plans now that you're a god?" I feel Nico tense beside me, and I subtly nudge my prosthetic leg closer to his.
"Don't really know. Once my brother lets me out of prison *COUGH* I mean the infirmary, since I'm guessing he's gonna be over-protective as hell, I have some things to discuss with... the family. I haven't even tried to use any dark force since Kronos died, and my dark form must look like hell. May take a break for a bit, but I do have to go back and get some things from the island." They all nodded, and Nico seemed to pull away from my side very slightly. Smiling to him and blowing a hair out of his eye, I smirk and add, "However, the Hades cabin is probably gonna need some decorations. I hate to brag, but I can shadow travel a lot more efficiently than you can, Angel." He rolls his eyes and brushes the hair out of his face before facing me.
"Yeah right. You're basically part hell-hound, so you're just using that power. Plus, have you even been to the Underworld?" His joking makes me smile, and we nudge each other with our elbows.
"I guess that's on the bucket list. Do you think Persephone would let me crash with you at the palace if I stand as a light post for her garden?" Nico, Percy, and Thalia all have certain reactions when I mentioned Persephone's garden, and Nico basically shivers.
"Trust me, you don't wanna piss her off." Nico clearly had a story to tell about that, but Percy beat him to it.
"To be fair, you made a pretty cute dandelion!" Nico glared with the force of a thousand warriors at Percy, but the sea prince only giggled and continued stuffing his face with food.
"At least Hades wasn't there when I called you Death Breath." Thalia's remark changed Nico's glare to rolling his eyes at the daughter of Zeus.
Though all of camp was exhausted, my life was finally starting to seem manageable. We had paid respects to the fallen, honoured all of the war efforts, and the unclaimed half-bloods got claimed by their parents. Construction began for the new cabins, and I had just gotten out of bedrest today. It took a lot of nagging to my brother, Will, and bribing to Austin, my other brother, but eventually, the sunny blonde gave in, and allowed me to get out of the infirmary.
I stood tall, shoulders squared, and eyes hardened, just as Eris had taught me. Nemesis and Eris manipulated me and used me, but still... they were my sisters. Part of me thought that Nemesis knew more than she let on, thanks to her knowledge of the prophecy, and our connection through balance. I couldn't hate them right now, not when I still had no idea what to feel for Apollo and Zeus. Instead, I reached down to check the buckles for my leg prosthetic, and adjusted the wrap around my torso, shielding my arm's wounds. It was dusk, my favorite time of night, and everyone had already finished dinner.
Campers walked around, closer than before, and the different cabins seemed less divided now. I could see Sherman sitting with Holly and Clovis as they listened to Chris and Clarrise tell a story. Connor and Travis were laughing with each other as Katie and Drew shook their heads, though with small smiles on their faces. Lastly, I watched as Annabeth and Percy take each other in their arms and hold one another. It's good to see them finally getting together; they already acted like an old married couple anyway. I watched as Percy led them away to the lake, and decided to turn away and give them their privacy.
While the camp fire burned itself out, I could see a certain somebody through the flames on the other side. Smirking, I tossed a pebble sized ball of dark energy over the fire to land in Nico's lap. As I approached, the orange glow of the sparks deepened, and I sat next to Nico on the log-bench.
"One day, I'll throw this straight back at you, y'know." The skinny boy smiled and offered the orb in his open palm. I looked at it, but let him hold on to it until I forgot, and just smiled.
"If you do, I'll throw a wall at you, how you gonna throw that back?" I snickered as he rolled his eyes.
"I'll take your leg." With a scoff, I roll my eyes just as hard.
"Sureeee. You gotta get to me before you can even try that, Angel." With a smirk, he stared at me calmly. Too calmly, and for a second too long. Before I could do anything, I looked down to see an arm of bones take my prosthetic leg and hand it over to Nico. The arm retreated back into the dirt, but I still scowled at him.
With a bit of effort, I willed the light of my scars to glow brighter, making the demigod squint at the light. "Gimmie my leg back, Di Angelo." I kept the light level as bright as I could without tiring myself out until he shoved the leg back to my chest.
"Fine, fine. I win though." I laughed, earning a scowl from him.
"In your dreams, short stack. I could blind you right now, I'm just being considerate." He rolled his eyes.
"Whatever makes you feel better, Isorreth." I slapped his arm lightly, fake vomiting at the use of my Godly name. "Is that what you're gonna do when the other gods address you?" The idea was still surreal to me: being a god.
"Maybe, if they deserve it." He shoved my shoulder slightly, and we both shared a small smile. "I still can't believe it. I'm a god, and an embodiment of balance."
"Yeah, yeah, don't need to brag. No wonder you're the embodiment of balance, your height is almost as short as your temper." He snickered as I squinted at him through narrowed eyes. "I've been meaning to ask... why are you a god if you're also mortal? Like, there are plenty of immortal beings that aren't anywhere as powerful as gods, and you're one of the most powerful that I've seen." I almost smiled at his sincerity, but continued pondering his question.
"I know basically as much as you, but... I think I get it. I'm the embodiment of balance, not just a god." As I stared into the fire, he looked on, wanting an elaboration. "Balance is a process, not a state. When things are balanced, there are multiple parts to it. Dark, light. Pain, recovery. Joy, sadness. Life, death." He nodded continually, understanding what I was getting to. "Missing out on death would be a contradiction to balance, no matter what."
"So you're saying... all the pain will be evened out?" His unsure voice was quiet, but I only sat closer to him.
"Yeah, that's what I'm hoping. Maybe not, but it's more comforting to think that all that stuff from before was so I can have a better life now. Makes Apollo seem like a bit less of a dick. Even if it's not, though, I don't blame him anymore." Nico's shocked face was expected. I didn't expect myself to so easily forgive, but I guess it was part of my fatal flaw.
"How... what happened that made you forgive him?" I swallowed, but tried not to let it show.
"How much of the battle against Kronos on Olympus did you hear?" I hadn't seen him among the crowd that gathered before sunset, but knew he ended up there eventually.
"Just that Luke shattered his soul, but Nyx's blessing held it together. I knew that you were the only one who could destroy it because of the dark force, and when I got there, you had done it, and... you were so weak, Seth. I could feel your life force fading." Tears almost sprang to my eyes at the heartbreak in his voice. I pulled him into a hug, and let him rest against my shoulder.
"After Luke set Kronos free, he took to a dark form. I couldn't have defeated him in the day, so I stalled until I could use the night sky's energy. To keep him distracted but close, I only defended shots that wouldn't kill or incapacitate me." his mind took a moment to process what I had said, but I knew that I would have to say it out loud. "Basically, if I hadn't already spent a lifetime getting beaten and not fighting back, I wouldn't have been able to endure until the night." His eyes widened, and I could feel a hesitant hand on my shoulder, squeezing like an older brother would.
"You're one of the strongest people I know, Seth. I'm glad you're my friend." I watched as his own shock showed in his eyes at the easy words that tumbled from his mouth. I took his hand in mine, putting it over my crescent, and looked him in the eye.
"I couldn't have asked for a better family than you, Nico." We both simultaneously pulled each other into a bro hug. If I had another arm, I would have patted his back. "You're my brother, Nico. Nothing can change that." He did his best to stifle a sob, but I just nodded, giving him the permission he needed to let out a gasp of emotion. He knew that it wasn't like Bianca; she was different. They were brothers in arms, and not one of them was more superior or wiser than the other. When I heard a squeal and a splash from the lake's direction, I had a feeling I knew what happened. Nico heard it too, and pulled away slowly. He stood, then turned back to offer me help standing up.
Taking his hand gratefully, we stared to where we heard laughter and cheers. He had a saddened look on his face, so I nudged him slightly. "C'mon, we've gotta go give the Stolls a run for their money. I bet you they've done more stupid shit together than we will in our lifetime."