For every victory there is sacrifice and this sacrifice was the massive outbreak of hay fever that spread across the whole camp, with very few survivors.
Will Solace and Apollo spent the evening caring for the wounded, which meant that they were naturally running low on bandages, duct tape and Solace Solution. Chiron provided healing poultices for the most extreme cases of hay fever. Sherman Yang graciously agreed not to kill Nico for tossing him out of his chariot, or Apollo for damaging it, though the son of Ares was keeping his probably keeping his options open for later. He actually owed that to Cressida, no surprise, because she needed both Sherman and Nico to help keep the spirits of the dead in line as they began helping deal with the carnage the camp was left in. Obviously, she would have to confer with Nyssa and Annabeth on the redesign of the dining pavilion and on Cabin Four but other than that, the dead could handle the rest.
As for Percy, he rather reluctantly left his girlfriend's side as he recruited some whales and hippocampi to help haul the Colossus carcass to his father's underwater palace where it would be repurposed as garden statuary. Cressida also organised for Miranda and Billie to take up temporary residence in the Hermes cabin until their cabin could be rebuilt.
And almost as if sensing his daughter was home, Dionysus chose to make a quick reappearance as his daughter embraced him warmly before fondly/reluctantly shaking Percy's hand as the daughter of wine glared at both of them. And within saying two words to each other, Cressida was already walking away and leaving them to their own devices because she wasn't going to deal with it. And she swore she saw the two of them laugh behind her back.
The two most senior campers were also informed about Nero and about Meg being his stepdaughter and the grove of prophecy-spouting trees and all the drama that happened on that quest.
Apollo was actually sitting on Half-Blood Hill, near Peleus and the Athena statue as he asked for its advice and watched the camp down below.
Despite how easy it would be to leave, to run far away, maybe find Meg whose last order to him was so vague that it gave him the grey area to come after her, he was a coward. He wanted to stay with his children as he saw Dionysus do with his daughter. He wanted to help Harley put smiley faces on his flamethrower and improve his music and archery through practice, but most of all, he wanted to have a home. And he could see so easily why Cressida Lynn and Percy Jackson defended their camp, their second home so valiantly. It was easy to see himself finding a home here.
With the camp lights coming on, campers began waking up. Sherman Yang began his morning stretches. Harley was riding around on Cressida's shoulders as she held a clipboard in her hands and Harley held his Leo Valdez beacon as high as he could with the hope that it would finally work.
He watched as Percy walked towards the two with a smile on his face as he fixed Harley with a smirk and the kid gave a cheeky laugh before Percy was snatching the small boy off his girlfriend's shoulders as he tickled him.
Cressida smiled at the scene before she separated the two and whispered something to Harley whose face went slack before he nodded and went running towards Cabin Twelve. The grapevine building hoisting the boy onto the roof as he held his beacon higher and the couple laughed at the sight as Percy threw an arm over her shoulders. Cressida pushed him off though in favour of a red-haired girl that seemed equally as happy to see her before Percy pouted as the two girls made their way up the hill, having spotted Apollo.
And as Cressida walked arm in arm with Rachel Dare, Percy was frowning like a kicked puppy as he followed after them.
"I know what you're thinking," Rachel said when they finally reached the top. "Don't do it."
Apollo feigned surprise. "Can you read my mind, Miss Dare?"
"I don't need to. I know you, Lord Apollo."
A week ago, he'd have thought the notion was ridiculous, but now as Lester Papadopoulos, there wasn't exactly much to know.
"Don't call me Lord," he sighed. "I am just a mortal teen. I do not belong at this camp."
Percy sat next to Cressida who had seated herself next to Apollo. He squinted at the sunrise, the sea breeze tousling his hair as he seemed calmer when Cressida rested her head on his shoulder. "Yeah, I used to think I didn't belong here either."
"We both did," Cressida added as she looked up at him, only for him to kiss her forehead.
"It's not the same," Apollo. "You humans change and grow and mature. Gods do not."
Cressida was the one to speak this time. "I wouldn't be so sure. You seem pretty different."
"Trust her," Percy advised. "She knows a thing or two about changed gods. I mean, now Dionysus and I can actually get along."
Cressida shoved his arm as she lifted up her head. "I knew you were lying to me about not getting along with my father!"
Percy had the audacity to laugh. "You were the one that wanted us to get along, Drama Queen. And for the record, it was his idea."
"And you didn't exactly seem like he was twisting your arm to get you to go along with it."
"Well, I mean it was a tough choice. Annoy my girlfriend by getting along with her father or annoy my girlfriend by not getting along with her father."
"You suck," she spat but Percy's troublemaker grin remained.
"And you love me."
"I hate you."
"Liar."
And their bickering or argument or whatever you want to call it, ended as Cressida kissed his lips before leaning back against him again as Apollo contemplated their earlier words.
He'd had managed to muster a few bursts of godly power, some divine strength against the Germani and the arrow again Colossus but he definitely couldn't rely on them especially since he couldn't even control them.
"The other Oracles must be found and secured," Apollo proclaimed. "I cannot do that unless I leave Camp Half-Blood. And I cannot risk anyone else's life."
Rachel sat on his other side. "You sound certain. Did you get a prophecy from the grove?"
Apollo shuddered. "I fear so."
Rachel cupped her hands on her knees. "Kayla said you were talking to an arrow yesterday. I'm guessing it's wood from Dodona?"
"Wait," Percy said. "You found a talking arrow that gave you a prophecy?"
"Don't be silly," Apollo said. "The arrow talks, but I got the prophecy from the grove itself. The Arrow of Dodona just gives random advice. He's quite annoying."
Cressida tapped Percy's leg. "You really shouldn't be surprised by this stuff anymore, Captain Nemo."
He sighed. "Tell me about it."
"At any rate," Apollo continued, "I must leave the camp. The Triumvirate means to possess all the ancient Oracles. I have to stop them. Once I have defeated the former emperors...only then will I be able to face my old enemy Python and free the Oracle of Delphi. After that...if I survive...perhaps Zeus will restore me to Olympus."
Rachel tugged at a strand of her hair. "You know it's too dangerous to do all that alone, right?"
"Listen to her," Percy urged. "Chiron told us about Nero and this weird holding company of his."
"I appreciate the offer of assistance, but—"
"Whoa." Percy held up his hands. "Just to be clear, we are not offering to go with you. I still have to finish my senior year, pass my DSTOMP and my SAT, and avoid getting killed by my girlfriend -"
"Smart man," Cressida cut in before Percy continued.
"And she is definitely not helping you by herself - just to clarify, it's not because you can't do it by yourself, it's because you're not going anywhere without me and we're not -"
"Oh, honey, you're rambling again," Cressida teased, her cheeks red because they were always that way whenever Percy complimented her or did something sweet without realising it. "It's ok. We get your point."
"Anyway," Percy continued, just a little embarrassed. "I'm sure we can get you some other helpers."
"I'll go," Rachel volunteered but Apollo protested before her friends could.
"My enemies would love to capture someone as dear to me as the priestess of Delphi. Besides, I need you and Miranda Gardiner to stay here and study the Grove of Dodona. For now, it is our only source of prophecy. And since our communication problems have not gone away, learning to use the grove's power is all the more critical."
Rachel seemed a little disappointed. "What about Meg?" she asked. "You'll try to find her, won't you?"
He stared at the woods—that hazy green expanse that had swallowed young McCaffrey. And for a split second, like Nero, he wanted to burn it all.
"I will try," Apollo answered. "But Meg doesn't want to be found. She's under the influence of her stepfather."
Percy reached for Cressida's hand anxiously. "I've lost too many people to bad influence: Ethan Nakamura, Luke Castellan...We almost lost Nico, too...."
"Shh," Cressida soothed as she squeezed his hands. "Stay with me. It's ok."
That shook him out of it a little but still, the memory of the people that they'd lost weighed down on both of them a lot. They could have all the powers and all the immortality in the world but no one was immune to grief.
Percy gave Cressida an appreciative look. "We swore no more," he said. "You can't give up on Meg. You guys are bound together. Besides, she's one of the good guys."
"I've known many of the good guys," Apollo said. "Most of them got turned into beasts, or statues, or—or trees...." His voice broke.
Rachel put her hand over his. "Things can turn out differently, Apollo. That's the nice thing about being human. We only have one life, but we can choose what kind of story it's going to be."
"Sometimes," Cressida said, squashing the seemingly hopeless optimism. "Sometimes fate doesn't let you choose because I'm fairly certain I wouldn't have chosen this idiot if not for fate."
Percy seemed conflicted. "I don't know if I should be offended by the idiot and not choosing me comment or endeared by the 'we are fate' comment."
"I see endearment in your future," Rachel grinned and even Apollo cracked a small smile as Cressida looked up at him from her spot on his shoulder.
"I'd carefully consider which one would get you your birthday -"
"Endearment it is," he decided and Cressida grinned as she cupped his cheek.
"Wise choice," she said before pushing his face, moreover, his lips closer to hers.
Apollo had been told by more than one camper that he would never completely understand the two of them, and they were correct. However, one thing he did understand was the fact that it was things like their love that made their optimism seem a little less unrealistic.
And it was things like their love and promises for each other and their future that got them through the moments of hopelessness that Apollo was convinced they didn't experience.
"I-I hope you're right," Apollo said and Rachel patted his hand.
"Tell me the prophecy you heard in the grove."
Apollo took a shaky breath before he began to recite the lines.
"There once was a god named Apollo,
who plunged in a cave blue and hollow
Upon a three-seater
The bronze fire-eater
was forced death and madness to swallow"
Cressida's eyes widened and if she'd been drinking a drink, she'd have spat it out at that. She sat up as she looked to Percy who seemed to be having the same thoughts she was.
Rachel covered her mouth. "A limerick?"
"I know!" Apollo wailed. "I'm doomed!"
"Wait." Percy's eyes glittered. "Those lines...Do they mean what I think?" he asked and Cressida laughed behind her hand as her eyes shone like crystals as they lined with water.
"Well," Apollo said, "I believe the blue cave refers to the Oracle of Trophonius. It was a...a very dangerous ancient Oracle."
"No," Percy said. "The other lines. Three-seater, bronze fire-eater, yadda yadda."
"Oh. I have no clue about those."
And Apollo was surprised and rather embarrassed when Cressida leaned over and kissed his cheek as tears trailed down her face but she was smiling.
"Uh, what, um, what was that for?" the blushing god asked as his skin tingled as he raised a hand to his cheek.
"He's coming back. He's coming home," Cressida laughed vaguely and Percy grinned at Apollo's confusion.
"Harley's beacon. He said you gave it a tuning adjustment? I guess that did the trick," Percy explained as his arm settled around Cressida again and Rachel squinted at the couple.
"What are you..." Her expression went slack. "Oh. Oh."
"More!" Cressida blurted. "There has to be more than just the limerick."
"What were the other lines," Percy prompted.
"There were several others," Apollo admitted. "Just bits and pieces I didn't understand. The fall of the sun; the final verse. Um, Indiana, banana. Happiness approaches. Something about pages burning."
Percy slapped his knee as Cressida let out a sound that was something between a laugh and a scream of relief as more tears trailed down her face. She was on her feet as she scanned the sky and Percy rose beside her.
"There you go," he said. "Happiness approaches. Happy is a name—well, the English version, anyway."
And Cressida grabbed his arm, her whole body shaking as he followed her line of sight and a grin spread across his face as their eyes settled on something in the distance.
And Cressida's teary expression settled on Apollo. "Your escort is here," she revealed, her voice on the verge of breaking as he followed her gaze back up to the sky. Spiralling down from the clouds was a large winged creature that glinted of Celestial bronze. On its back were two human-size figures.
Leo Valdez had returned.