The Afterlives of Olympus | PJO Oneshots

Charles Beckendorf

I died before the war officially started.

I was with my friend, Percy Jackson blowing Luke's ship out of the water. I had a lot of friends, but I'm glad I got to spend my last moments with Percy.

We were about to plant the Greek fire in the engine room. I looked at Silena's picture, wishing with all my heart that I would make it back to her. Too bad I exploded instead. Percy and I worked quickly and we almost made it out without getting caught. Then, everything went wrong.

Percy left to distract the monsters while I finished planting the bombs. I rushed to the galley and filled my bag with cans, then headed in the direction of the engine room. I got caught by some telkhines and brought to the Lord Titan, Kronos's, feet. The trigger was my watch.

Kronos explains there is a spy at camp... I knew who it was. Silena confined in me, explained her situation. I felt bad for her so I didn't tell. I didn't have the heart to destroy her's. I looked at Percy signalling that the watch is what would end it for me. Percy did the Percy thing to do and charged Kronos.

I mentally rolled my eyes.

Finally, Percy got near the edge and fell over right as I pressed the button. I knew I wasn't going to make it home to Silena. I felt the Greek fire reach the main deck, wiping out all kinds of monsters. I took a deep breath and felt it splatter against my dark skin. It sizzled and tears ran down my face and my insides started to boil. I felt everything so deeply up until the point where I blacked out.

Have you ever opened the oven when it was really hot and it went right in your face? Imagine that. Times 100. Inside your body. You'll still have no idea what I felt.

;;;

I was in front of the three old ghosts.

"Hmm... Charles Beckendorf?" The youngest asked.

"Um... Yes... sir."

"You can't go to Elysium or be reborn."

"What?"

"You've reached Elysium three times, congratulations, you've reach the Isles of the Blessed."

The world spun around, bending at different angles. I was at the foot of Hades now, on my knees, just like when I died.

"You've reached the Isles of the Blessed, Charles." He stood. There was a scrawny, pale boy dressed in all black with a black sword hanging from his jeans. Nico. I knew him.

"You can become immortal and serve Olympus. You can guide your friends in ways you could never imagine," Nico said, walking towards me.

"Please. Put me in Elysium!" I begged.

"Why?" Nico asked.

"Because I know when Silena dies she'll be there looking for me," I looked him in the eyes.

"You've been desperately in love. I've seen the way you look at him," I whispered so his dad wouldn't hear me.

Nico's cheeks flushed crimson. "I say he should be able to to go Elysium. I mean... It's his afterlife and he died a hero." Nico looked at his father and shrugged.

;;;

I waited for what seemed like centuries. Then finally, I saw her face in the hall.

;;;

Remember, heroes don't do what's best for them. I sacrificed myself so Percy could live and fight in the Titan war. He saved the world... A lot. I just made stuff in the forges. I watched him from Elysium. I watched him swim in the River Styx, lead his own army into war, and finally admit he had fallen in love with his best friend.

I watched Silena fight for both sides. In the end, she did what was right. That's what's important. No matter how much you mess up in your living life, you can make it right in the end. Take Luke and Silena for example.

Try to be your best self. Do what you love. Tell people when you love them because it might be your last day.