Days gone by- Book one: The Return. (A Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

~Chapter 1~

~Three years later~

Katie was right. Of course it was Alaska.

She always had her theories, or as she put it  "Complete fact!" I didn't doubt her, cause out of all of us she'd have the best guess. One survey of the soil that made up some of the walls, and she could pinpoint it's nativity. She was gifted like that.

   I hope with all my being that she's alive. Erin too. Caroline, Shay, Lou Ellen and Gale. Even old Edios. I was grateful for the help he lent in the end.

    They were so brave. Brave to stay behind and deal with the aftermath. They did more than I ever could. They're my family now, and I owe them everything.

It made sense too. What better place to build a prison unknown to the gods, then the land behind their power.

   In an ironic way, his choice of prison sites might actually benefit me. I had no idea how well the mist would conceal me. I didn't need the gods detecting me and interfering.If I had the amulet, Erin had promised it would be enough.

   Even though I knew they could help, I couldn't risk the Olympians finding out. Vasalios had people in high places; I leaned that the hard way. If one word got though to him that the gods knew his plan, it would all be over.

   I only had to hope that the others could hold down the TC. I trusted them, but we couldn't avoid Vasalios knowing i'd gotten out.

   The realization hit me. I was out.

    What felt like centuries of torture was, if only for a moment, gone.

    I couldn't help it when my legs gave way. I kneeled in the dirt, clutching at the grass just for the feeling of it. I relished in the breeze across my face. Just out of eye site, a fresh mountain stream gurgled.

    Water

    I crawled towards it with extreme hunger. Years of nothing but filthy underground water and vapor. It was like a sharp point was removed from my consciousness.

    I couldn't stop the absolute sigh of relief when my body touched the water. Or the tears.

    Years ago, I would have laughed at the situation I beheld right now. A young, dirty, weak man sobbing in a river. Yes, 17 year me would have found this hilarious.

   I must be an adult by now, but Its hard to tell. Gale only started tracking the sun a year or so ago. I could be 19, I could be 25. Who knows. I stopped keeping track.

   I kneeled in the clear water, head bowed. As the water washed over me, it cleared my mind. It swept away the past years, washing it away down the mountain.

   In order to achieve my goal, I had to let of everything leading up to know. Every distracting memory. Every link to my past. No distractions could stay.

    All the quests combined wasn't going to be nearly as difficult as what lay ahead of me.

    I told them I wasn't up for it. That someone else was more worthy. Shay would have been ideal. She was strong, fast, and could snark even the toughest guards facade.