Charles Beckendorf

We were just vibing in the afterlife, you know? Or at least, I was. Some of the others still were complaining about being dead, but I mean, it happens.

Luke was pretty cool once again. He mellowed out and he's dead anyways. What's he gonna do?

Silena... We broke up pretty fast after she got down here. She just lied a lot and I wasn't about that. I need honesty, even if it isn't good.

So when Nico showed up, we assumed he died because he normally doesn't just wander around. I don't think his dad let's him. I feel like it's a bad idea if he did.

"Hey, Nico, what's up?" Silena asked the son of Hades, who flashed her a small smile. "How'd you end up here?"

"I uh, walked." Nico told us. "I haven't died yet. Come close. But no, some things have happened and basically, y'all are free to go. Just go out the back, it causes less of a scene.'

We all shared this look, because what the fuck.

"Like, all of us?" Luke questioned. "Everyone?"

"Well, in this room, yeah." Nico agreed. "Even you, Luke."

So we left as soon as processed that. Everyone split up to go one place or another. A lot of us went to camp, though. It was a Friday, from what I figured out. And that's about all I've figured out.

This group of us got into camp just fine, but it seemed just... Empty. It was later in the year, not summer. But even for the off season, it was wrong.

Until we went to the amphitheatre, that was. Which is where everyone was. What looked like some sort of memorial or funeral was going on. Or, the aftermath of one. Nobody was speaking, but there was photos spread about. Nico must've shadow travelled back, I saw him standing with people I didn't know.

On the other hand, Percy was with his little group. Grover, Clarisse, Thalia, and Annabeth. Well, Tyson, too. He had somebody with him, I couldn't quite tell who. Chris was next to Clarisse.

I wonder if they're a couple. That or Percy and Annabeth.

"Hey, I think..." Lee remarked as he looked around. "I think is my... Not funeral?"

"Was it that recent?" Silena questioned, and he nodded his head, saying that he didn't actually die until earlier this week. He's been with us, though, being in a coma and all. So it would be that recent.

Tyson was the first person to really notice us, and he pointed Luke out, actually. To Percy.

"Big brother...." Tyson said, nudging Percy. I love Tyson and Percy's friendship. I wish I had that with literally any of my siblings.

"Hm?" Percy responded.

"Didn't he die?" Tyson questioned, pointing Luke out. So naturally, Percy looks over and sees Luke, and then the rest of us, and he goes into shock for a second, not knowing how to respond.

"Big brother?"

"Ye... Yeah, he did," I heard Percy tell his little brother, trying to get somebody's attention that really knew us more than Tyson did.

It took a second.

"Dude, what are you doing?" Clarisse asked. "it's driving me nuts. It's not like you're looking at Lee's ghost."

Percy mouthed for her to turn around.

So she does. And she not only saw Lee, but a number of us.

"Or maybe you are," Clarisse responded. "I'll... Be right back."

Her and Silena had this whole reunion, and I really didn't give a shit. I let Lee say hi to Percy because they're basically brothers before taking my turn.

"You're alive!" I exclaimed.

"I never died," Percy insisted. "You're alive!"

"Yeah," I agreed, nodding my head, noticing how much he's changed in a bit over a year now. "I don't know why, I don't care why, but we were just let out. So I'm alive!"

I gave the son of Poseidon a hug, it looked like he could use it.

"I missed you," Percy told me. "I'm sorry that I got caught."

And hearing that suddenly changed a lot of what I thought about my own death. It wasn't like it was a solo mission and I just didn't make it.

Percy was there. We got caught because he went out. Well, he got caught, and then I got caught later. But I refused the help. And it killed me. I figured it'd be fine and it wasn't.

How much... How much guilt does Percy pin on himself? He's always made himself seem guilty when it comes to a death, he blames himself. But that... Might've been preventable.

And I died anyways. And he lived.

"Don't blame yourself," I told him. "You do it way too much."

"I know," Percy admitted, sighing. "I haven't lately. But then again, there's been just a few deaths this year, so... Other stuff happened, just not death."

There was a pause before he spoke again.

"How are you and Silena doing?" He asked me, sounding curious almost by obligation, not interest. "I'm assuming both of you were in Elysium. I know you were, but I wasn't sure about her. I never heard for sure."

Did they know about her betrayal?

"Uh, we broke up not long after he died," I broke the news to him, shrugging. "it happens. She... Did some things she shouldn't have and then continuously lied about it and then denied it when I asked and so I figured it wasn't really worth it."

"Some things?" Percy questioned, and I nodded my head. "As in like, spy for Kronos, or did you never get that message?"

"No, yeah, that was it." I assured Percy, nodding once again. "how about you and uh... You and Annabeth? Has that one happened yet? She was basically in love with you last summer."

Percy scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"Uh, no, it didn't." He promised. "And it won't, try as she might. And has. Clarisse and Chris are still together, so are Grover and Juniper. I'm still single, Annabeth is still pining after me. Not much has changed there."

"What about the council?" I asked as we moved away from the others, Percy grabbing a piece of cheese to eat.

"Uh... That's changed a bit." Percy told me, thinking for a minute. "cabin one was Jason, but he died... Unless he's back with you guys, but he died about a month ago. I still have 3, Clarisse handed off her cabin for college. Now it's Sherman, I believe. Apollo is... It goes back and forth between Lester and Will."

"Who the hell is Lester?"

"Apollo, it's a long story." Percy insisted. "I'll explain later. Your cabin... It's a new kid, Leo. He was really the only person willing to do it and he went on a quest. Handy dude. He finished up that mechanical dragon you started! The Stools still have the Hermes cabin, Nico has Hades... New people... A new girl also took over for Aphrodite. Drew had it for a while, and was outvoted. Her name is Piper, she's really nice. And I think that's it? New cabins for minor gods, which is why Nico has a cabin now so he doesn't like, leave."

It was silent for a moment as the two of us looked around the amphitheatre, seeing people old and new. And Percy just smiled.

I missed that smile.