The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #5)

by Rick Riordan

“To business.” Tux Dude extended his hand. “I am Prometheus.” I was too surprised to shake. “The fire-stealer guy? The chained-to-the-rock-with-the-vultures guy?” Prometheus winced. He touched the scratches on his face. “Please, don’t mention the vultures. But yes, I stole fire from the gods and gave it to your ancestors. In return, the ever merciful Zeus had me chained to a rock and tortured for all eternity.”

She glanced down the hall to make sure we were alone. “I’m worried about Annabeth. If she has to face Luke in battle, I don’t know if she can do it. She’s always had a soft spot for him.” Blood rose to my face. “She’ll do fine.”

“Percy?” Annabeth asked. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing,” I lied. “What…what are you doing in armor? You should be resting.” “Oh, I’m fine,” she said, though she still looked pale. She was barely moving her right arm. “That nectar and ambrosia fixed me up.” “Uh-huh. You can’t seriously go out and fight.”

“So,” she said, “are you going to argue about me coming along?” “Nah. You’d just beat me up.” She managed a laugh, which was good to hear.

“Next to Atlas, he’s the greatest Titan warrior. In the old days, four Titans controlled the four corners of the world. Hyperion was the east—the most powerful. He was the father of Helios, the first sun god.” “I’ll keep him busy,” I promised. “Percy, even you can’t—” “Just keep our forces together.”

We’d set up at the reservoir for good reason. I concentrated on the water and felt its power surging through me. I advanced toward Hyperion, running over the top of the water. Yeah, buddy. Two can play that game.

“Enough games,” Hyperion told me. “We fight on land.” I was about to make some clever comment, like “No,” when the Titan yelled. A wall of force slammed me through the air—just like the trick Kronos had pulled on the bridge. I sailed backward about three hundred yards and smashed into the ground. If it hadn’t been for my new invulnerability, I would’ve broken every bone in my body. I got to my feet, groaning. “I really hate it when you Titans do that.”

“Percy!” Grover called in amazement. “How are you doing that?” Doing what? I thought. Then I looked down, and I realized I was standing in the middle of my own personal hurricane. Clouds of water vapor swirled around me, winds so powerful they buffeted Hyperion and flattened the grass in a twenty-yard radius. Enemy warriors threw javelins at me, but the storm knocked them aside. “Sweet,” I muttered. “But a little more!”

Grover shot me a panicked look. “Why does that sound like…It can’t be!” I knew what he was thinking. Two years ago we’d gotten a “gift” from Pan—a huge boar that carried us across the Southwest (after it tried to kill us). The boar had a similar squeal, but what we were hearing now seemed higher pitched, shriller, almost like…like if the boar had an angry girlfriend. “REEEEEET!” A huge pink creature soared over the reservoir—a Macy’s Day nightmare blimp with wings.

“Don’t tell me that thing is from Greek mythology,” I complained. “Afraid so,” Annabeth said. “The Clazmonian Sow. It terrorized Greek towns back in the day.” “Let me guess,” I said. “Hercules beat it.” “Nope,” Annabeth said. “As far as I know, no hero has ever beaten it.” “Perfect,” I muttered.

“Good.” She flexed her shoulder. Obviously, the wound was still bothering her, but she saw my expression and rolled her eyes. “I’m fine, Percy. Come on! We’ve got plenty of enemies left.” She was right.

My throat closed up. I looked at Annabeth and could tell she recognized the logo too. Her face was as red as the helicopter. “What is she doing here?” Annabeth demanded. “How did she get through the barrier?”

I was too paralyzed to move, but Annabeth whistled and Guido the pegasus swooped out of nowhere. You rang for a handsome horse? he asked. “Come on, Percy,” Annabeth growled. “We have to save your friend.”

Then miraculously the helicopter righted itself. It spun in a circle and hovered. Very slowly, it began to descend. It seemed to take forever, but finally the helicopter thudded to a landing in the middle of Fifth Avenue. I looked through the windshield and couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Annabeth was at the controls.

Annabeth climbed out last. I stared at her in awe. “I didn’t know you could fly a helicopter.” “Neither did I,” she said. “My dad’s crazy into aviation. Plus, Daedalus had some notes on flying machines. I just took my best guess on the controls.” “You saved my life,” Rachel said.

Annabeth flexed her bad shoulder. “Yeah, well…let’s not make a habit of it. What are you doing here, Dare? Don’t you know better than to fly into a war zone?” “I—” Rachel glanced at me. “I had to be here. I knew Percy was in trouble.” “Got that right,” Annabeth grumbled. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have some injured friends I’ve got to tend to. Glad you could stop by, Rachel.” “Annabeth—” I called. She stormed off.

She looked at me pleadingly. Her face was sunburned from the beach. Her nose was peeling. I couldn’t get over the shock that she was here in person. She’d forced her family to cut short their vacation, agreed to go to a horrible school, and flown a helicopter into a monster battle just to see me. In her own way, she was as brave as Annabeth.

NO NO NO ANNABETH TOOK A BLADE FOR YOU BOY

Chiron trotted up with Rachel on his back. I felt a twinge of annoyance because Chiron rarely gave anyone a ride, and never a mortal.

“I’ll take the drakon.” My voice came out as a timid squeak. Then I yelled louder: “I’LL TAKE THE DRAKON! Everyone else, hold the line against the army!” Annabeth stood next to me. She had pulled her owl helmet low over her face, but I could tell her eyes were red. “Will you help me?” I asked. “That’s what I do,” she said miserably. “I help my friends.” I felt like a complete jerk. I wanted to pull her aside and explain that I didn’t mean for Rachel to be here, that it wasn’t my idea, but we had no time. “Go invisible,” I said. “Look for weak links in its armor while I keep it busy. Just be careful.”

Suddenly Annabeth materialized on the drakon’s back. Her invisibility cap rolled off her head as she drove her bronze knife between a chink in the serpent’s scales. The drakon roared. It coiled around, knocking Annabeth off its back. I reached her just as she hit the ground. I dragged her out of the way as the serpent rolled, crushing a lamppost right where she’d been. “Thanks,” she said. “I told you to be careful!” “Yeah, well, DUCK!” It was her turn to save me. She tackled me as the monster’s teeth snapped above my head.

I dared to glance over, but what I saw made no sense. Clarisse was lying on the ground where she’d fallen. Her armor smoked with poison. Annabeth and the Ares campers were trying to unfasten her helmet. And kneeling next to them, her face blotchy with tears, was a girl in camp clothes. It was…Clarisse. My head spun. Why hadn’t I noticed before? The girl in Clarisse’s armor was much thinner, not as tall. But why would someone pretend to be Clarisse?

Chris Rodriguez ran over from the flying chariot. He and Clarisse must’ve ridden it here from camp, chasing the Ares campers, who’d mistakenly been following the other girl, thinking she was Clarisse. But it still made no sense.

Something is about to happen. Rachel’s words rang in my ears. A trick that ends in death. Now I knew what she meant, and I knew who the hero was who had led the Ares cabin into battle. I looked down at the dying face of Silena Beauregard.

“Don’t blame them,” Silena said. “They wanted to…to believe I was you.” “You stupid Aphrodite girl,” Clarisse sobbed. “You charged a drakon? Why?” “All my fault,” Silena said, a tear streaking the side of her face. “The drakon, Charlie’s death…camp endangered—” “Stop it!” Clarisse said. “That’s not true.” Silena opened her hand. In her palm was a silver bracelet with a scythe charm, the mark of Kronos. A cold fist closed around my heart. “You were the spy.” Silena tried to nod. “Before…before I liked Charlie, Luke was nice to me. He was so…charming. Handsome. Later, I wanted to stop helping him, but he threatened to tell. He promised…he promised I was saving lives. Fewer people would get hurt. He told me he wouldn’t hurt…Charlie. He lied to me.” I met Annabeth’s eyes. Her face was chalky. She looked like somebody had just yanked the world out from under her feet.

I’d like to say I drove the enemy away from the Empire State Building. The truth was Clarisse did all the work. Even without her armor or spear, she was a demon.

“Percy,” Annabeth said quietly. “You were right about Luke.” It was the first time she’d spoken since Silena Beauregard’s death. She kept her eyes fixed on the elevator numbers as they blinked into the magical numbers: 400, 450, 500. Grover and I exchanged glances. “Annabeth,” I said. “I’m sorry—” “You tried to tell me.” Her voice was shaky. “Luke is no good. I didn’t believe you until…until I heard how he’d used Silena. Now I know. I hope you’re happy.” “That doesn’t make me happy.”

I found Dionysus’s son Pollux propped up against a tree. He had a broken arm, but otherwise he was okay. “I can still fight with the other hand,” he said, gritting his teeth. “No,” I said. “You’ve done enough. I want you to stay here and help with the wounded.” “But—” “Promise me to stay safe,” I said. “Okay? Personal favor.”

“To claim your place at the hearth,” Hestia told her, “you must let go of your distractions. It is the only way you will survive.” Rachel nodded. “I…I understand.” “Wait,” I said. “What is she talking about?” Rachel took a shaky breath. “Percy, when I came here…I thought I was coming for you. But I wasn’t. You and me…” She shook her head. “Wait. Now I’m a distraction? Is this because I’m ‘not the hero’ or whatever?” “I’m not sure I can put it into words,” she said. “I was drawn to you because…because you opened the door to all of this.” She gestured at the throne room. “I needed to understand my true sight. But you and me, that wasn’t part of it. Our fates aren’t intertwined. I think you’ve always known that, deep down.” I stared at her. Maybe I wasn’t the brightest guy in the world when it came to girls, but I was pretty sure Rachel had just dumped me, which was lame considering we’d never even been together.

I picked up Pandora’s jar. The spirit of Hope fluttered inside, trying to warm the cold container. “Hestia,” I said, “I give this to you as an offering.” The goddess tilted her head. “I am the least of the gods. Why would you trust me with this?” “You’re the last Olympian,” I said. “And the most important.” “And why is that, Percy Jackson?” “Because Hope survives best at the hearth,” I said. “Guard it for me, and I won’t be tempted to give up again.” The goddess smiled. She took the jar in her hands and it began to glow. The hearth fire burned a little brighter. “Well done, Percy Jackson,” she said. “May the gods bless you.”

But Kronos himself stood right in front with his scythe in hand. The only thing standing in his way was . . . “Chiron,” Annabeth said, her voice trembling. If Chiron heard us, he didn’t answer. He had an arrow notched, aimed straight at Kronos’s face. As soon as Kronos saw me, his gold eyes flared. Every muscle in my body froze. Then the Titan lord turned his attention back to Chiron. “Step aside, little son.”

“YOU!” Annabeth turned on Luke. “To think that I . . . that I thought—” She drew her knife. “Annabeth, don’t.” I tried to take her arm, but she shook me off. She attacked Kronos, and his smug smile faded. Perhaps some part of Luke remembered that he used to like this girl, used to take care of her when she was little. She plunged her knife between the straps of his armor, right at his collarbone. The blade should’ve sunk into his chest. Instead it bounced off. Annabeth doubled over, clutching her arm to her stomach. The jolt might’ve been enough to dislocate her bad shoulder. I yanked her back as Kronos swung his scythe, slicing the air where she’d been standing. She fought me and screamed, “I HATE you!” I wasn’t sure who she was talking to—me or Luke or Kronos. Tears streaked the dust on her face. “I have to fight him,” I told her. “It’s my fight too, Percy!”

I glanced outside the magic barrier. Nico was fighting his way toward my mom and Paul, but they weren’t waiting for help. Paul grabbed a sword from a fallen hero and did a pretty fine job keeping a dracaena busy. He stabbed her in the gut and she disintegrated. “Paul?” I said in amazement. He turned toward me and grinned. “I hope that was a monster I just killed. I was a Shakespearian actor in college! Picked up a little swordplay!”

“Mom!” I yelled. She whirled when the monster was almost on top of her. I thought the thing in her hands was an umbrella until she cranked the pump and the shotgun blast blew the giant twenty feet backward, right into Nico’s sword. “Nice one,” Paul said. “When did you learn to fire a shotgun?” I demanded. My mom blew the hair out of her face. “About two seconds ago. Percy, we’ll be fine. Go!” “Yes,” Nico agreed, “we’ll handle the army. You have to get Kronos!”

But Annabeth was in no shape for jumping. She stumbled and yelled, “Percy!” I caught her hand as the pavement fell, crumbling into dust. For a second I thought she was going to pull us both over. Her feet dangled in the open air. Her hand started to slip until I was holding her only by her fingers. Then Grover and Thalia grabbed my legs, and I found extra strength. Annabeth was not going to fall. I pulled her up and we lay trembling on the pavement. I didn’t realize we had our arms around each other until she suddenly tensed. “Um, thanks,” she muttered. I tried to say Don’t mention it, but it came out as, “Uh duh.”

“So much for him.” Kronos picked up his sword. “And now for the rest of you.” My only thought was to keep him away from Annabeth.

“My knife.” Annabeth tried to raise her dagger, but it clattered out of her hand. Her arm was bent at a funny angle. She looked at me, imploring, “Percy, please…” I could move again. I surged forward and scooped up her knife. I knocked Backbiter out of Luke’s hand, and it spun into the hearth. Luke hardly paid me any attention. He stepped toward Annabeth, but I put myself between him and her. “Don’t touch her,” I said.

Luke gazed at Annabeth. “You knew. I almost killed you, but you knew…” “Shhh.” Her voice trembled. “You were a hero at the end, Luke. You’ll go to Elysium.” He shook his head weakly. “Think…rebirth. Try for three times. Isles of the Blest.” Annabeth sniffled. “You always pushed yourself too hard.” He held up his charred hand. Annabeth touched his fingertips. “Did you…” Luke coughed and his lips glistened red. “Did you love me?” Annabeth wiped her tears away. “There was a time I thought…well, I thought…” She looked at me, like she was drinking in the fact that I was still here. And I realized I was doing the same thing. The world was collapsing, and the only thing that really mattered to me was that she was alive. “You were like a brother to me, Luke,” she said softly. “But I didn’t love you.”

Next to me, Annabeth’s knees buckled. I caught her, but she cried out in pain, and I realized I’d grabbed her broken arm. “Oh gods,” I said. “Annabeth, I’m sorry.” “It’s all right,” she said as she passed out in my arms. “She needs help!” I yelled.

The next few hours were a blur. I remembered my promise to my mother. Zeus didn’t even blink an eye when I told him my strange request. He snapped his fingers and informed me that a bright blue flag fifty feet wide was now flying from the top of the Empire State Building. The mortals would just have to wonder what it meant, but my mom would know: I had survived. Olympus was saved.

Clarisse marched in, still shivering from her time in the ice block, and Ares bellowed, “There’s my girl!” The god of war ruffled her hair and pounded her on the back, calling her the best warrior he’d ever seen. “That drakon-slaying? THAT’S what I’m talking about!” She looked pretty overwhelmed. All she could do was nod and blink, like she was afraid he’d start hitting her, but eventually she began to smile.

He held out his arms and gave me a hug. I realized, a little embarrassed, that I’d never actually hugged my dad before. He was warm—like a regular human—and he smelled of a salty beach and fresh sea air. When he pulled away, he smiled kindly at me. I felt so good, I’ll admit I teared up a little. I guess until that moment I hadn’t allowed myself to realize just how terrified I had been the last few days. “Dad—” “Shhh,” he said. “No hero is above fear, Percy. And you have risen above every hero. Not even Hercules—”

Annabeth walked in and stood next to me. She looked good for someone who’d recently passed out. “Miss much?” she whispered. “Nobody’s planning to kill us, so far,” I whispered back. “First time today.” I cracked up, but Grover nudged me because Hera was giving us a dirty look.

He called Thalia forward first, since she was his daughter, and promised her help in filling the Hunters’ ranks. Artemis smiled. “You have done well, my lieutenant. You have made me proud, and all those Hunters who perished in my service will never be forgotten. They will achieve Elysium, I am sure.” She glared pointedly at Hades. He shrugged. “Probably.” Artemis glared at him some more. “Okay,” Hades grumbled. “I’ll streamline their application process.”

I figured he’d be okay. He would wake up as a lord of the Wild with a bunch of beautiful naiads taking care of him. Life could be worse.

Athena called, “Annabeth Chase, my own daughter.” Annabeth squeezed my arm, then walked forward and knelt at her mother’s feet. Athena smiled. “You, my daughter, have exceeded all expectations. You have used your wits, your strength, and your courage to defend this city, and our seat of power. It has come to our attention that Olympus is…well, trashed. The Titan lord did much damage that will have to be repaired. We could rebuild it by magic, of course, and make it just as it was. But the gods feel that the city could be improved. We will take this as an opportunity. And you, my daughter, will design these improvements.” Annabeth looked up, stunned. “My…my lady?” Athena smiled wryly. “You are an architect, are you not? You have studied the techniques of Daedalus himself. Who better to redesign Olympus and make it a monument that will last for another eon?” “You mean…I can design whatever I want?” “As your heart desires,” the goddess said. “Make us a city for the ages.”

Rise, my daughter, official architect of Olympus.” Annabeth rose in a trance and walked back toward me. “Way to go,” I told her, grinning. For once she was at a loss for words. “I’ll…I’ll have to start planning…Drafting paper, and, um, pencils—”

“The Council agrees,” Zeus said. “Percy Jackson, you will have one gift from the gods.” I hesitated. “Any gift?” Zeus nodded grimly. “I know what you will ask. The greatest gift of all. Yes, if you want it, it shall be yours. The gods have not bestowed this gift on a mortal hero in many centuries, but, Perseus Jackson—if you wish it—you shall be made a god. Immortal. Undying. You shall serve as your father’s lieutenant for all time.” I stared at him, stunned. “Um…a god?”

“I approve as well,” Athena said, though she was looking at Annabeth. I glanced back. Annabeth was trying not to meet my eyes. Her face was pale. I flashed back to two years ago, when I’d thought she was going to take the pledge to Artemis and become a Hunter. I’d been on the edge of a panic attack, thinking that I’d lose her. She had looked pretty much the same way I did now.

I could be a teenager forever, in top condition, powerful, and immortal, serving my father. I could have power and eternal life. Who could refuse that? Then I looked at Annabeth again. I thought about my friends from camp: Charles Beckendorf, Michael Yew, Silena Beauregard, so many others who were now dead. I thought about Ethan Nakamura and Luke. And I knew what to do. “No,” I said.

“I’m honored and everything,” I said. “Don’t get me wrong. It’s just…I’ve got a lot of life left to live. I’d hate to peak in my sophomore year.” The gods were glaring at me, but Annabeth had her hands over her mouth. Her eyes were shining. And that kind of made up for it.