Percy Jackson:The Mountain Climbers

He's Back: Jason

I was standing outside the Command Tent when he made it back.

Reyna told me and Frank to keep a look out, in case Percy stumbled out of nowhere. I was desperately hoping that he did as well - though five hours ago, he sounded like he wasn't gonna make it out alive. I hoped that he was alive because if he wasn't, I was the one to go home and tell Annabeth that little Alan wouldn't have a father when he grows up.

Frank was staring out in the distance, his eyes just wide opened as if looking for any signs of danger. "Why do I get the feeling that something is terribly wrong?"

"Don't say that for the love of god," I warned. "It's always a bad saying."

But deep down, I knew he was right. My gut told me that Percy was in trouble, but I couldn't put a finger on it. I just prayed that he would be alright because at this rate...

On the radio call we had with Percy, he sounded like he was on the edge of his sanity. He must've been through some serious trauma down in the chasm because he sounded so close to tears. The injuries he gained from falling...jeez, blood poisoning? That sounded like a harsh way to die - doing nothing but slowly die from such a simple problem with the blood in his leg.

I knew Percy was strong minded and that he was tough, but if there was one thing that got me worried was that he sometimes helps others rather than helps himself - he would be more interested in other people's health and problems. I knew he would do that sort of thing, because it was his fatal flaw - relentless loyalty. Frank told me that once before, right after the Giant War.

I decided that I had enough. I tightened my jacket around my shoulders. "I'm gonna have a look around. I'll keep you posted if I see anything."

Frank nodded. "Okay, sure thing."

I walked off, my winter's coat trailing in the wind.

I was walking along the base of the Icefall, trying to take in the last of the sunlight as night approached.

The ground was all ice and snow yet there was a hint of rock and ground. I was just trudging along the whole base, just breathing and sighing as I looked around trying to find Percy. I knew it was a stupid thing, but I wanted to look around myself because I was just praying that Percy was alive.

Just looking at the Icefall's landscape made me nervous - it looked like the Titan's stronghold from where I was looking because the landscape was just completely unforgiving and hostile. Plus, everywhere I looked  it was like I was watching massive spear stands because the ice was trailing upwards like the columns that supported the fortress of Kronos's temple.

I cupped my hands to my mouth and shouted: "PERCY!" The sound carried out in the evening light and echoed into nothing but empty cold air.

"Come on, Percy. Where are you?" I asked myself. "Come on bro - give me a sign that you're alive."

I was maybe eight hundred feet up the Icefall. I didn't know how I could've gotten that high up but at the moment I didn't care one damn bit. 

"PERCY!" I called out. "Percy, where are you?"

It was like this for ten minutes. And by that time, I was giving up hope but then I heard a sound over the snow. It was small and weak, but I heard it nonetheless. It was just one word and it was:

"Jason?"

I walked towards the sound. It was clearly coming over to my right and it just drove through my head as it kept saying my name, over and over again. "Jason. Jason. Jason!"