like, it is what Percy would do. he'd yolo his ass up there with everyone because he knows how to deal with these things and he has a problem called "being too Gryffindor"
He'd play escort the first day up the mountain until the flesh eating horses and then... essentially get them to chase him? so everyone else can get onwards.
because technically what Percy does to give others the ability to breathe underwater is covert water molecules to their oxygen and hydrogen for breatheability around their heads.
meanwhile, Malik is I think yeah gonna go "I can't do shit about the weather, let's go camping!" with Altair (and probably bringing Melissa along because he wants to be a terrible dork with her.)