At camp, Argus is waiting. He stands in the sand, arms crossed, every single one of his hundred eyes glaring at them. He could look a little happier to see they've all survived, Lila thinks. 

"Is she here?" Percy asks.

Argus nods.

"Is everything okay?" Annabeth adds.

Argus shakes his head.

"Wonderful," Lila sighs. 

They follow him up to camp. It's weird to be back - surreal, as everything looks as it should be. Nothing is on fire, the sun is bright in the sky. Yet, it's also empty; silent. 

By the time they reach the Big House, green light is shooting from all the windows. Lila watches nervously as the Mist swirls around the yard. Chiron is watching, lying on a stretcher by the volleyball pit, while Blackjack canters around the grass. When he spots Percy, Lila's pretty sure he's apologising. 

Rachel stands at the bottom of the porch, arms raised like she's summoning demons in a horror movie. 

"What's she doing?" Annabeth demands. 

"Are we supposed to know?" Lila asks seriously. 

"How did she get past the barriers?"

"She flew," one of the satyrs glares at Blackjack. "Right past the dragon, right through the magic boundaries."

"Rachel!" Percy calls, but the satyrs stop him from going closer. 

"Percy, don't," Chiron warns, wincing when he tries to move. "You can't interrupt."

"I thought you explained things to her!"

"I did. And I invited her here."

"You said you'd never let anyone try again! You said—"

"I know what I said, Percy. But I was wrong. Rachel had a vision about the curse of Hades. She believes it may be lifted now. She convinced me she deserves a chance."

"And if the curse isn't lifted? If Hades hasn't gotten to that yet, she'll go crazy!"

The Mist swirles around Rachel, and she shivers. Lila listens to the exchange between Chiron and Percy with confusion. 

"Hey! Stop!" Percy runs toward her, ignoring all of Chiron's warnings. As soon as he gets close, he hits some invisible barrier, bouncing back to land in the grass. 

Rachel opens her eyes, but seems to look right through everything.  "It's all right." Her voice is distant. "This is why I've come."

"You'll be destroyed!"

She shakes her head. "This is where I belong, Percy. I finally understand why."

The house rumbles, the door flying open with green light pouring out. Mist curls into smoky waves around the house, seeming to get denser around some shadowy figure, solifying into the Oracle. Lila's never really seen the withered mummy - and she's glad. Her hair is falling out, skin cracking.

Rachel doesn't look scared, which probably says a lot about Lila's cowardly instincts. 

"You've waited too long. But I'm here now."

The sun suddenly blazes with an intense flame, and Apollo appears above the porch in the air. He's wearing a toga and sunglasses, which would be an odd fashion choice on most, but somehow he makes it work. 

"Apollo," Percy says.

He winks, but holds a finger up to his lips. 

"Rachel Elizabeth Dare," he says. "You have the gift of prophecy. But it is also a curse. Are you sure you want this?"

Rachel nods. "It's my destiny."

"Do you accept the risks?"

"I do."

"Then proceed."

Rachel closes her eyes. "I accept this role. I pledge myself to Apollo, God of Oracles. I open my eyes to the future and embrace the past. I accept the spirit of Delphi, Voice of the Gods, Speaker of Riddles, Seer of Fate."

Lila's not sure where the words are coming from - they flow out of her easily, like she knows exactly what she's supposed to be saying. The Mist thickens, columns of smoke uncoiling from the old Oracle's mouth, curling around Rachel's feet. The old mummy crumbles, until it is nothing but a pile of dust. Smoke surrounds Rachel, blocking her from view. 

Then it clears. Rachel collapses, curling up. Annabeth, Nico, Percy and Lila rush forward, but Apollo says, "Stop! This is the most delicate part."

"What's going on?" Percy snaps. 

"Delicate? Delicate how?" Lila adds.

Apollo watches Rachel with detached concern, like this is all of great interest to him. "Either the spirit takes hold, or it doesn't."

"And if it doesn't?" Annabeth asks.

"Five syllables," Apollo counts them on his fingers. "That would be real bad."

He's a real helpful god to have around in a crisis. 

Naturally, Percy ignores his warning, kneeling over Rachel. Lila watches from a few feet away, seeing Rachel's eyes slowly open (thank the gods!) though she looks dazed. "Percy."

"Are you okay?"

"Ow."

"Rachel," Nico says, "your life aura almost faded completely. I could see you dying."

"But it's fine now?" Lila suggests hopefully. Nico nods, confused. 

"I'm all right," Rachel murmurs. "Please, help me up. The visions—they're a little disorienting."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Apollo drifts down to stand on the porch now. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce the new Oracle of Delphi." He flares his hands out dramatically.

"You're kidding," Annabeth says.

Rachel smiles weakly. "It's a little surprising to me too, but this is my fate. I saw it when I was in New York. I know why I was born with true sight. I was meant to become the Oracle."

Percy blinks. "You mean you can tell the future now?"

"Can you see everything, or just flashes?" Lila asks. "Can you read horoscopes?"

"No, kind of, no." Rachel answers. "There are images ... words. When someone asks me a question, I . . . Oh no—"

"It's starting," Apollo announces ominously.

"What's starting?" Annabeth snaps. 

Rachel doubles over. Then she stands up straight with glowing green eyes. Her voice sounds tripled - like there are multiple Rachel's at once. 

"Eight half-bloods shall answer the call.

To storm or fire, the world must fall. 

One forged in earth can make the choice

And at her wake all will rejoice.

An oath to keep with a final breath,

And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death."

Then she collapses. Nico and Percy catch her, managing to get her seated on the porch. 

"I'm all right," she says in her normal voice. 

"What was that?" Percy asks.

"I think it was a prophecy," Lila says. 

"Oh, really?" Nico mutters. 

Rachel just shakes her head. "What was what?"

"I believe," Apollo says, grinning, "that we just heard the next Great Prophecy."

"What does it mean?" Percy demands, like the old Oracle ever explained anything.

Rachel frowns. "I don't even remember what I said."

"No," Apollo muses. "The spirit will only speak through you occasionally. The rest of the time, our Rachel will be much as she's always been. There's no point in grilling her, even if she has just issued the next big prediction for the future of the world."

"What? But—"

"Couldn't we have gotten a more helpful Oracle?" Annabeth asks. Rachel just laughs tiredly. 

"Percy," Apollo says unreassuringly, "I wouldn't worry too much. The last Great Prophecy about you took almost seventy years to complete. This one may not even happen in your lifetime."

"Maybe," he says. "but it didn't sound so good."

"No," answers Apollo cheerfully. "It certainly didn't. She's going to make a wonderful Oracle!"

Over the rest of the summer - two more weeks - everything settles down. Lila managed to find a moment to explain to Percy and Annabeth what had happened the day of Silena's death - neither of them batted an eye. Annabeth seemed to think it could be connected to Rachel's prophecy, but Percy just told her not to worry, and they all moved on. Even though Lila's sure that her actions will have consequences - as she told Percy and Annabeth, in Percy's words "We'll deal with that when we have to."

So Camp Half-Blood becomes the camp that Lila remembers - of peace and campfire songs and angry harpies waking her up at ungodly hours of the morning to clean. Before Luke - but also after him. There are less than half of their original number who've survived, but every day new campers stream in - more unclaimed demigods, or children of minor gods, ready to be accepted into the new age. 

Everyone begins to prepare for what their new future might be. Grover takes over the last satyr seekers, even the ones who'd tried to exile him - who now bow to him like he's their own god. They're sent out, to help find unclaimed half-bloods, but also to try and reclaim and protect any wild lands and protect the environment, as far as they can. 

Almost everyone helps out with the building of new cabins. Nico summons some of the undead, to help build the Hades cabin. It's a little scary - obsidian walls, a skull over the door and torches burning with green fire. It's cosy, in a creepy way. Beside it is the Iris cabin, covered in glass and crystals reflecting the sunlight in patterns when you step inside. The Nemesis cabin, of Ethan's siblings, is simple and neutral, very black-and-white, ironically. The Hecate cabin is Lila's favourite - with books and herbs, and charms hanging from every beam of the ceiling. New cabins are added every day - Hebe, Nike, Hypnos. 

The Hermes cabin is now a normal size - which is great. People don't have to sleep on the floors anymore; not that anyone should've been forced to do that anyway. 

Lila spends her time a little differently - since she's leaving the camp anyway, she sees no point in working on a cabin for herself. Persephone doesn't have any other kids (right?) so instead Lila focuses on her garden. Except, it's not a garden anymore - it's a memorial. While over the last year she made her garden hers, now it belongs to someone else, a piece of Lila's heart buried with every plant. 

Yet, when she gets there on the last day of camp, fully ready to say goodbye, to commit to memory until the next time she's visiting, there's someone already there. Dressed in a red leather jacket and combat boots, Clarisse stands, looking at the garden Lila dedicated to her best friend. 

Lila stops at the edge of the clearing. "Clarisse." 

Her friend turns, though she must have heard Lila walking up. "Li." 

"What are you doing here?"

Clarisse looks down. "Saying goodbye." 

"To who?" Lila's voice doesn't crack, which she's glad for. It's an improvement. 

Clarisse's expression becomes a little more pleading. "To Silena." 

All the air floods out of Lila's lungs. "Okay." 

"Okay?" A look of hope crosses Clarisse's face. 

"Okay." She affirms. 

Clarisse turns back to the garden, gently tracing the edge of a rose with her fingers. "She would've loved this." 

Lila steps forward to stand beside her. "You think?"

"I know," Clarisse promises. "You always understood her a little better than me." 

Lila considers this. Perhaps it's true - perhaps it's not. She can see where Clarisse is coming from, but she also always thought that she understood Clarisse well, too. "Maybe." 

"I always thought you understood me too." 

"Me too," Lila nods, looking down at the ground. "I guess you surprised me." Clarisse winces, and Lila feels a pang of regret. Why should she rub salt in the wound? "Sorry." 

Clarisse shrugs. "I deserve it. It was my fault, anyway." 

"Not entirely," Lila disputes. "Silena made her own choices. She wasn't - she wasn't perfect. I think she knew she would die when she made that choice to wear your armour. I just hope she's happier now, in death than she was in life." 

Clarisse nods, letting the subject go. Instead, she looks around at the garden. Instead of eerie, underworldly plants, Lila's found as many pretty flowers as she could - anything Silena would like. Most of them are poisonous, or thorny like the roses. "Nice place." 

Lila nods. "Yeah. I thought it was perfect, since the trees kind of fall away here. You can always see the stars." 

Clarisse looks up to see the sun shining brightly. "I can imagine it. She would have loved it here." 

"I know," Lila admits, playing with her fingers. "I hope she'll see it one day, maybe in another life." 

Clarisse nods, forcing a grin before looking out into nothing. After a moment's silence, Lila's about to excuse herself, but her friend suddenly takes a deep breath, as if she's summoning all her courage for what she's about to say. "Lila - I'm sorry for everything. You were right, from the start." 

Lila watches her for a second. She feels settled now, after the time has passed. Still grieving - still dreaming of Silena's face every night, but she feels better. She understands Silena's choice - because that's what it was. Silena knew from the moment she put on that armour that she was going to die, and she went forward anyway. Lila's never believed in something more wholeheartedly than that. "I forgive you," she tells her friend. "I didn't mean everything I said then, anyway." 

"Really?" Clarisse smiles. She looks uncharacteristically vulnerable. "You mean that?"

Lila nudges her shoulder. "Yeah, I do. Besides, I promised to take care of you, didn't I?"

"Like I need your help." 

"Whatever you say," she snickers. "I know you love me really." 

Clarisse blinks slowly. "Good." 

She immediately flushes, uncomfortable with her expression of emotion - so Lila doesn't dwell on it, though it does make her feel a little warm inside. "Love you, too. You'll visit me at my new address?"

A slow smile spreads across Clarisse's face. "Depends. I might be busy." 

Lila knows she won't be. "See you, then." She turns to leave, casting one last glance at Silena's memorial, hoping it will last for an eternity. 

"Li," Clarisse calls suddenly. Lila turns back. "I'm happy for you," she insists. "I really am." 

When she meets Percy back at the edge of the camp, he takes one look at her and grins, maybe seeing the weight that's lifted off her chest now that they've made up. Her hand slips into his, while he grins, squeezing it automatically. 

Annabeth rushes down to meet them. "You're not coming?" Lila asks. 

Her friend shrugs. "My dad's picking me up later. I'm finishing school in New York, hopefully somewhere that I can get into a good architecture uni." 

"Do you need a degree?" Lila jokes. "You're like, the official architect of Olympus." 

"The gods aren't paying me," Annabeth whispers quietly, just in case a god happens to be passing by. "I need some income."

Percy rolls his eyes. "So you don't want to do it?" 

Annabeth punches him on the arm, hard. "Don't even joke like that." 

Lila grins, watching her boyfriend get beaten up by his best friend (as it should be). "You'll visit?"

Annabeth scoffs. "Of course. I wouldn't leave you with only him for company."  

 "Hey!" 

Lila grins, hugging Annabeth - they're basically siblings at this point, anyway. "See you soon, 'Beth." Annabeth returns the sentiment, hugging Percy too, before turning away to walk back up to Camp. When she reaches the barrier, she turns back, giving them one last wave, before disappearing into the safety of Camp Half-Blood. 

Percy turns to Lila, raising his step-dad's car keys. "I passed, kind of. Ready to see your new home? I looked it up, it's pretty near to Manhattan if you go the right way. It looks expensive, too." 

Lila grins. "Guess I'm rich now, somehow." 

"Hey, I'm not complaining. I'll have to start making you pay for things." 

"Wow, and they say chivalry is dead." 

Percy looks slightly ashamed. "I didn't really mean it." 

Lila rolls her eyes. "You're lucky I love you." 

Percy doesn't answer, pulling her towards him until their lips meet. He holds onto her like she's the last thing grounding him to the earth, and she pulls him toward her, holding him there with her and swearing never to let him go. Forever doesn't seem long enough, she thinks. 

When they pull away from each other, breathless, there's a small smile on her face.

They reach Paul's car, and with a lot of help, Percy manages to rescue it from his abysmal parking. Lila tries to help and only makes things worse. But, eventually, they manage to finally drive away from Camp Half-Blood, the next chapter of their lives about to begin. 

THE END (for now)

read the authors note on the next chapter pretty please

everytime i read apollo's parts i think of that one really good apollo fanfic and i cannot stop myself from finding him really hot. what have they done to me

i hate writing romance scenes, i've discovered. they just make me physically cringe. i need to go back to writing for the game of thrones universe where everyone is so horrible and unromantic it's never a problem