Arsen took a deep breath and made sure his heart rate slowed down before he spoke. He wasn't sure what it was but despite being older than the two other campers in front of him, he always felt like he was the new kid at camp. Sure, he had spent a great deal of summers at camp but most of the time he was away, living his other life in New York, separating his two world for nothing more than self preservation. When the twins came, it was a game of how long they would stay and though camp counselors had always warned them about the dangers of being out in the world, Arsen had never really cared. He had a talent for attracting trouble without help.

"You know how to do that?" Arsen said, turning his attention towards his sibling. "I thought that was almost impossible to achieve." Or almost impossible. Honestly, he had never tried it himself so impossible was not even a fair assessment. "Anyway, you can stay. I mean, the camp is for everyone. I don't have a problem with it." He gave McKayla a glance and then nodded. Honestly, having Tristan around while he performed some of his magic might be beneficial so it wouldn't get too out of hand.

Arsen had to admit that she was surprised in the way that McKayla so eagerly agreed to help him and even encouraged him to do so. The trust she was placing on his ability to cast his magic on her and her to remain safe was extraordinary. It made his anxiety spike but he wasn't about to deal with that at the moment. He surely needed to practice a lot more before he used her a test subject. Even in the best of cases, generally benign spells could possess great consequences if cast incorrectly. It was a lot of pressure on someone that had mastered one spell his entire life and that was his ability to see in the dark. 

Before he could say anything else though, his thoughts were interrupted and he turned to face one of his half siblings. Arsen was a terrible half sibling and didn't generally go out of his way to form friendships with them. It wasn't intentional. He just never found himself the will to do so and he never did anything he didn't feel like doing. "She agreed to help me with my magic and even volunteered to let me practice on her..." He let the words hang as he looked at them both. He was nervous and it was evident in his voice, that was until he cleared his throat and gained his composure.

Arsen hadn't had to endure the atrocities of war, even if it was war in the god world. His life had been secluded and relatively safe. He had had every comfort known to man and hadn't had to spend a day wondering if there was anything he was missing. But that didn't mean he didn't have his own version of tragedy. Arsen, however, had never thought about his struggles as tragic. Mostly because he never admitted he had struggles to begin. He was prone to darkness, quite in the literal and metaphorical way and his own upbringing had left him susceptible to developing addictions. That was to people, things, thoughts, it did not matter. Arsen didn't know how to do life on a gray scale. It was always all or nothing. But that was something he kept to himself. "It seems that is the sort of fate that accompanies most of us," he said.

Then he took a deep breath and prompted to change the subject and talk of better things. "That can be arranged. You can pick anywhere on the map and we can go." Arsen had no obligations and unlimited funds. He wasn't the training to take over his father's company. That was all Asher. He was the spoiled child that was lost in his ways but that didn't mean he didn't want to figure out his own path. He just didn't think it was out there in the business world, and he had to figure out his place as a demi-god. He had the mental energy for one existencial crisis at a time.

Arsen smiled at the girl, lowering his gaze to meet hers. It was a weird thing for him to open up. Usually Hecate kids kept a lot of things to themselves, opting to just conceal their feelings about everything but Arsen wasn't always able to deal with this in this way. He did keep a lot of things in. He was secretive and he was evasive. There were things he had kept from his father and even his sister, with whom he shared basically everything. To simply open up the way he had meant he was reaching a breaking point. He could feel it. His seams coming to a crossroads. At this point, sharing these sentiments had been the best he could do to keep himself from going over the edge. "I would appreciate the help," he said softly. "I'm just not sure how to start. Do you have any suggestions?"

Arsen chuckled. It was a bit weird to him to open up to this girl. When he had first arrived to camp, he had been mesmerized by the older students and their air of mystery that surrounded them. It was easy to view them as these majestic creatures that were so removed from them in ability and talent. He had wanted to remain the same when he got older. Be one of the older kids the new kids looked at in awe. Opening up to a younger camper went against that but Arsen had also decided he had enough problems to care if one Nike kid knew about his issues. Or one of them at least.

"You are volunteering yourself to help someone who has no idea how to control or use his magic practice with you? I mean, I know I get Nike kids are easily victorious but this might be a bit harder than you expect." He chuckled but nodded at her. "I was reading more about the history of our powers. Apparently we don't just need to go the traditional way. We can make a spell out of anything. I'm hoping that is the area I excel at."

Arsen looked at McKayla for a moment. It was then that he truly took notice of her words and it was as though something clicked in his head. She was right naturally and the way she had expressed her words was just what he needed to hear. He couldn't prevent other people from comparing him to his sister. Hell, they would compare him to his half siblings in ability, strength, stamina, etc, but what he did have control over was not comparing himself to them. It was such a simple notion. He had no idea why he had never thought about that before. It was such an easy notion. "You're right," he said. "I don't know why that concept hadn't occurred to me before. I need to be the one to stop comparing himself." There was a slight glistening in his eye when he spoke those words and smiled when he looked at the younger girl. "You did help. More than I think you know. I'm sorry I brought down the mood with my own thoughts. It is that Hecate Cabin trait," he added with a shrug.

Therapy should have been a big requirement for all campers. Most of them had the same sort of sentiments and issues. None of them really got a chance to know their parents and they were constantly subjected to hard and potentially life threatening scenarios. Truth was they didn't deserve half of the things that seemed to be following them around and how no one thought to ask if they were okay was a baffling to him. It was common sense to him that if they had a whole camp full of teenagers, have them talk to someone about what they were feeling. Even the most low ranked schools in the country had some sort of counselor.

Arsen was no stranger to the idea of therapy but he had never truly committed to it. He had gone many times but it never managed to stick. There was just something about the smell of rubbing alcohol and the white walls of despair that made Arsen want to shoot himself in the foot just to get out of going. It was a lot easier to talk about it with other people, even if they didn't want to hear him. "Not purposely," Arsen said, thinking that yes, James was probably the best person to talk to but then again, everyone did and the boy wasn't entirely sure James wanted everyone to view him as a guidance counselor.

He then shrugged. "Force of habit. It is easy for people to compare us. Teachers, counselors, peers, hell even my dad used to do it. I don't think they meant it maliciously. It just happened." Arsen shrugged again, rubbing the back of his neck. The more he thought about it, the more he figured he should talk to some of his half siblings. Maybe they would understand better. After all, they all shared those same traits. 

Arsen had always felt second best next to his sister. He couldn't quite figure out when the sentiment had started or what had brought it on but it lingered there and it had bothered him for years. He saw it in the way his father had treated him. His father wasn't a bad man. In fact, he was a good man that had taken on the impossible role of being mother and father at the same time. That was commendable in itself. But the way he approached his children was different. 

Arsen had been the first born son. It was only natural to think that he would take on the family business and be groomed to become CEO but that hadn't been the case. When it was clear that Arsen was not quite cut out for such rigorous lifestyle, his father had chosen Asher as his heir. Asher with her analytical mind and gift for numbers. Asher that had managed to double her inheritance by playing the stock market. She was everything their father had wanted in a child. It was hard not to feel slightly jealous.

And Arsen, bless him, had inherited his mother's negative traits and propensity for darkness. "I mean, it's different. I know I have half siblings who are master spellcasters and what not, but it's different when it is your full sibling. Next thing I know she is trying to master Umbrakinesis and I am here struggling with Mist Control." He rolled his eyes for a moment, leaving his sentiments at that before shaking his head. "I haven't seen any new kids. I think my mother stopped having replacement families years ago. Makes sense why everyone is older."

Arsen had heard the stories about Percy Jackson and his reputation as a child of one of the infamous Big Three. He always thought it was a rather curious label to put on those gods. Yes, they were the most powerful or the leathers and what not but in all honesty, he didn't think they deserved that much praise. Arsen in general wasn't much of a fan of the gods in general and he had thought many times what he would say to them if he ever got a chance. He had talked about it with his sister and Asher, in typical Asher fashion, had shrugged and said that some things were futile. Maybe so, but that didn't mean it wasn't a relief to say them.

"I can't say I am not glad to have skipped out on that whole thing. It sounded like a lot." And honestly, Arsen didn't want to get into too much detail about it. Because he had a feeling that he would be the type of person to get used to it. He was a son of Hecate after all and she was known to be one of those gods that had managed to inherit certain negative traits on their children. "I don't know if I could be that certain myself," Arsen said before shrugging.

"It's nice. It is like the bridge between Western and Eastern Europe. There is a castle there that dates back to the Middle Ages and when you finally make it to the top, the view is amazing. People are really friendly too and the beer is extraordinary. It was just one of my first stops on my way to get to know all those countries. Have you ever been anywhere outside of the US?"

Arsen had known that coming to the camp would be a difficult experience for him but he never thought it would be painful. In fact, he had no idea it would bring so many emotions that he had convinced himself he had buried a long time ago. He was facing some of the weirdest feelings he didn't know he could feel. He had grown up without his mother. That was a fact. He had never felt like he was missing out on anything. Despite his father being a busy man, he had found a way to make sure he took on the role of mother and father. He had never felt like he was missing out on anything but even Arsen had to admit that a part of that was due to the fact that his father made up for it by allowing his children to do and have whatever they wanted.

"Controlling it. Figuring out how to use it. When to use. You know? My sister is better at this sort of thing. She is always so goddamn compose. It is like nothing faces her. So naturally the way she is teaching me is not working." He shrugged. Arsen had always known his sister was different in the way she processed emotions. She always focused on the facts. Her sentiments were set to the side or they didn't exist. She was cut out to be a surgeon or a CEO. She knew how to tackle every single problem and there hadn't been anything she hadn't accomplished. It was very annoying to watch. "Yeah. Did you get any new siblings in the claiming ceremony? I haven't really taken noticed. It is always so hard to watch."

Arsen didn't know if he would ever get used to knowing he had half siblings roaming around the world and he would eventually come to meet them. It was a weird thing for him and it irritated him. For instance, it was very annoying to know his mother fell in and out of affairs for the sake of boredom and chose to have kids for no other reason but because she could. Didn't she know that the world was overpopulated and they didn't need more children. Besides, she already had enough. What was she looking for? Where the ones she already have not good enough for her? Or was she just that careless and insensitive.

Arsen didn't know much about her half siblings lives but he was aware enough to know that not all of them would be as lucky as he and his sister were. Some of them could be living in poverty or be orphans like he was. Yes, he considered himself an orphan regardless of whether or not his mother was still alive. His real parent had died. The one that had taken care of him and that was what mattered. "You ever get used to that? Knowing we have siblings roaming around without knowing who they are?" Arsen sighed. He knew he would take care of his siblings if need be. He had the means to do so but still, he wasn't sure how he felt about it. He looked at James hoping he had some answers.

"Why didn't you tell me you were in New York before? I could have set you up," he said before shrugging. "I didn't do much. I spent most of the summer in the Hamptons but then went to Prague with my sister for our annual holiday before camp. It was fun." And by fun he meant a lot of inappropriate behavior that wasn't entirely legal at times but who was he to kiss and tell.

Arsen wasn't about to admit what was on his mind. He didn't even do that with his siblings and those guys were related to him. As closed to a family as it got in this messed up situation. So he did what he knew how to do best. He deferred her question and shrugged his shoulders. He smiled at her in the way he knew how to make the ladies around him swoon, though he wasn't even sure it would work. He knew his smile made him approachable and in some way, it softened him to the point people could underestimate him. He stood up and brushed some of the dirt away from his clothes. "I know you're not dumb," he said shrugging his shoulders as he walked away from the edge of the lake. "Everything is fine. I am just trying to figure out this power thing that isn't agreeing with me but what are you doing here? This isn't a highly transmitted part of the lake."

Arsen always had such a hard time coming to terms with his mother being a goddess. For some reason, he just couldn't get past the abandonment and even though he knew that it wasn't her choice, that almighty Zeus had put in place this law that all the gods should be removed from their children, the bitter seed of resentment lingered and he could feel resentment for years to come. Not to mention, the loss of the love of his life had ultimately killed his father and Arsen could not forgive that. At times it made him wonder if his mother knew and if she knew, did she care? Or was his father just another man for her to be with and the fact that they had children was just another thing she did to pass the time, like Scrabble or a Netflix show? "Are any of them, you know-" He stopped for a moment because however it being such a simple question, he still struggled to ask it. "My siblings?" Half siblings, he wanted to remind himself but did it really matter? And why was he asking? He didn't hang around his siblings now so what difference would it make? But somehow Arsen couldn't help but think about one of the younger kids as confused and lost as he was. "Yeah, now I got entertaining stuff in my cabin," he said and that always meant nothing good, bending the rules just a bit. "For sure. You've ever been anywhere but here?"

Arsen was the type of person that everyone knew about but no one could truly say they knew him. He was always there, being sociable and helping out with the new campers and training and perfecting his abilities, not to mention making sure he was always present at the best parties and if not hosting some of his own. He was a perfect mystery and he liked to keep that way, keeping people at a distance. The only exception was his twin sister because even his half-siblings couldn't pin point what kind of person he was, but they could all agree that like the rest of them, Arsen was susceptible to the darkness. 

So he wasn't one to wear his emotions on his sleeve and he was sure he was alone by the lake. Otherwise, he wouldn't have looked so miserable. Someone who was usually so aware of his surroundings, failed to hear the footsteps that approached him and as he heard her voice, he jumped up in surprise. His look of surprise was quickly changed into a smile. The same smile that he always put on whenever he wanted to cover up whatever he was doing. "Oh yeah, just enjoying the lake," he said, getting up quickly. "What's up? What are you up to today?"

Not that it was anyone's business, but Arsen had no idea why he kept coming here every year. It was just one sad summer after another. He knew that this was the safest place for him in the world, but truth be told there was no where else in the world where he felt more lonely. This place was familiar and he always got to know his siblings but something about it felt foreign to him. Like he was living someone else's life and he never quite got used to it. Maybe it had to do with the fact that he had no one on his corner. That his life was his own and there was no one to really take care of him. He had had to grow up when his father died and being an orphan, however much freedom it allowed him, had left him just a little bit more messed up than usual.

Arsen sighed. He did know he kept coming to camp to improve his abilities and this was the best place to do so but still, there was so much he could do when it was bright as day around him and his mother restricted his skills to the night. What else could he expect from being the son of the goddess of night? He took a deep breath. It was surprisingly hard to improve his spell casting and what not, though his ability to read Greek and Latin came naturally. It would all be easier if he could just ask her. He still resented his mother but at least she could find herself to be helpful, no? That was certainly the least she could do.

Arsen raised his eyebrows and nodded. He could definitely see Dionysus acting in such a way towards the drink of they had such a drink in place. Honestly, he would be acting that way himself as he knew a thing or two about excess and letting himself get crazy. Which was fine, especially when he was hanging out with the Dionysus half bloods, with whom he got a long the best. He nodded. Going on missions wasn't always Arsen's cup of tea. He could do it and he was fit enough to handle himself in an excellent manner, not to mention he was developing his abilities further, but most of the quests started in the day when he was at his weakest and well, he didn't love that. "Oh yeah, have you found any new kids? Which parent was it now?" He said in clearly a tone of resentment. Arsen had never quite gotten over his mother leaving them and whenever he saw more and more half blood kids join the camp, he couldn't help but sigh his head in disapproval. These kids had a lifetime of identity crisis ahead of them and all due to their god parent's selfish demeanor. "It's fine, you know?" He said, shrugging his shoulders. "It's going. It looks like it is going to be a good summer though." Arsen was never one to really share much about what was going on in his life and the fact that he had nothing going on in the real world, no real job or college or anything like that to share made things awkward. He was essentially just partying and buying stuff and things of the sort. "I'm thinking of getting a new boat. Take it to the lake by my house."

Arsen had been coming to Camp Half-Blood so much that it already felt like his second home. It had been eight years after all but every time he came back, he still felt just a little bit uneasy. He could never quite put his finger on what it was about this place that felt so familiar and so alienating at the same time. Most of the time being at camp was like having a completely different life than when he was in New York. That sense of having a double identity had always just messed up with his head and honestly, in the grand scheme of things, he probably needed a lot of therapy to make up for it. But he wasn't thinking about that now. In fact, he hardly if ever actually thought about it and instead he focused on more pleasant things, mainly anything that didn't require him looking too deep into himself. 

Being one of the oldest campers here, Arsen had a good sense of who was who and always took notice of the new kids. He was approachable and charismatic, mostly because he felt bad for them. He knew what it had been like to be thirteen and have your sense of identity completely shift, not to mention coming to terms with your god parent's abandonment. Arsen had never quite gotten over his and he was twenty-one years old. "I would think you were drinking something else by the way you're drinking that with such glee," Arsen said. "Then again, you always do everything with much glee." He snickered. "Hey, what's new with you?"