Percy Jackson:The Mountain Climbers

My Last Story: Percy (Final Chapter)

I was turning the page over to my last story and my ending words for the Speech as everyone just applauded me. I had taken a quick look back at my friends and Annabeth - mostly Annabeth and Alan. Months ago I found out that being a father wasn't hard at all.

I was also happy because Annabeth was pregnant again. This time, it was a healthy baby girl that we were expecting. Annabeth had wanted to call her Serenity once she found out that we were having a girl. I didn't suggest any other names for the girl because I loved the name Serenity - it meant "peace" and I really wanted a peaceful life from now on.

I started speaking again into the microphone.

"My third story is about my journey through hell and back. After dating Annabeth for more than four months, I ran into some trouble - when I mean by trouble, I meant namely Hera." Some of the senior campers laughed as they remember the story. "She switched me and Jason around so Jason ended up in Camp Half-Blood and I was put into Camp Jupiter; we also had our memories taken so we couldn't remember anything. Except that there was one thing that I remembered and it was that one memory that kept me going. I ended up in Camp Jupiter and soon I became a hero and praetor there when I regained my memories and defeated the giant born to oppose my father. Soon after that, I along with Frank and Hazel, we're picked up by the rest of the Argo II crew and we set sail off to the Ancient Lands, where the giants were gathering to wake Gaia.

"During that time, after she had recovered the Athena Parthenos, me and Annabeth fell into Tartarus where we stayed for weeks on end. In that time, I felt like I knew what true suffering really was; I thought that was what life was all about - just endless darkness here in Tartarus. But I knew that my thoughts and fears were nothing but my own fatal demons trying to haunt me forever - Annabeth made it worthwhile because she was there and I needed to help out while we journeyed through the pit.

"I lost two friends down there - Iapetus the Titan of the West who I befriended as Bob, and a giant called Damesen who was born to oppose Ares the god of war. They gave their lives so Annabeth and I could escape..."

My voice trailed off as I remembered my time in the realm of Tartarus. I saw the faces of the Titan and Giant who saved mine and Annabeth's lives and got us to the mortal world. I regained my posture.

"Me and Annabeth joined up with the rest of the crew and we managed to get to Athens but we ended up caught into a trap. Me and Annabeth's blood were used to wake Gaia who afterwards started to attack Camp Half-Blood. We defeated the giants with the help of the gods and we got back in time to help Camp Half-Blood and the legions of Camp Jupiter. Gaia was defeated by Leo as the prophecy predicted: 'To Storm or Fire, the World must fall'. Leo was a fire bender and he defeated Gaia. That marked the end of the Giant War. "

Everyone gave a silent round of applauds. In that instant I thought immediately of Leo and I remembered the last smile he gave me before we went back to Camp Half-Blood.

After taking mouthful of water I talked again. "I thought to myself back then if I would ever recover after the ordeal that I went through. I was happy to go to college in New Rome with Annabeth, but at the same time I suffered from nightmares of my time in Tartarus. Everything was made better when I knew that I was with Annabeth and that I going to have a family with her. The rest of the Seven and I would go and have our annual meetings once in a while and we would cry sometimes, as we talk about our quest. We are still close friends to this day and they are my family. When you go and live your life here at Camp Half-Blood, you will make great friends here and that will be one of your life lights. I assure you there will be nothing greater than that - it is what started my journey and its the one thing that keeps going. And it makes all the difference in the world."

That was the end of my three stories and everyone knew because they all stood up and clapped their hands. Oh, boy - wait until they here my ending notes.

"When I was seventeen," I said, getting everyone attention, "I was working on my computer back at home and I read one of the speeches written by the great Steve Jobs. It was his version of the Crazy Ones, the speech that is now the motto at Apple Inc.: Think Different. The speech made an impression on me and since then for the past six years of my life, I looked at every single one of us - not just the crew of the Argo II, but every other demigod as well; the ones who are living and the ones who are not. And now I would like to read my ending words before you set off to make your own legacy here at Camp Half-Blood and that you go on with the words of my speech to inspire you."

I cleared my throat and started speaking.

"Here's to us demigods, the heroes; the bold; the brave; the rebels; the children of the gods of Olympus; the ones who see the world differently. We're not fond of fate and we have no respect for the status quo. You can quote us; disagree with us; glorify or villafy us. About the only thing you can't do is ignore us, because we're the ones who protect everyone else. We push the whole world forward. And while some may see us as the Crazy Ones, we see heroes. Because the demigods who are brave and bold enough, to think they can take on the world are the ones who do.

"Thank you all very much."

Everyone cheered loudly as they stood up. I stood there looking at all the new faces of Camp Half-Blood and looked at the faces of my friends from Camp Jupiter. I looked back behind me and saw that Jason, Piper, Frank, Hazel, Nico, Reyna and most importantly Annabeth and Alan were standing up as well and they practically ran up to me and gave me a group hug.

Annabeth gave me the biggest and longest kiss we ever shared. And once again, I felt that in my heart that I would always remember this part of my life. I had Annabeth, my son Alan, all my friends and family.

My name is Percy Jackson, and this is my story.