Percy Jackson and The Sands Of Time

| Chapter 1 || Where I Become A Soldier |

Hello, again readers it's me *Dylan_Walts* I have come to post the very first chapter of this story and I truly hope you enjoy this. Have a happy early Christmas!

*Dylan_Walts*

| Chapter 1 |

| Where I Become a Soldier |

"Hey, mom! Guess what I learned today?" the little eight-year-old me cried as he bounced up and down excitedly upon leaving the school. I was wearing a blue striped shirt and some cargo shorts, my backpack dragging behind me. I had been so excited to leave and tell her what I'd learned that day in school that I hadn't even had time to throw it over my shoulder and onto my back before rushing out of the classroom.

Mom bent down to kneel in front of me once I reached her. She didn't even seem to the care that the pavement was digging into her skin and dirtying her work outfit. "What did you learn darling?"

She had a bright smile on her face, and, at the time, I hadn't known why she seemed so much brighter that day. Now, I understood that she was thrilled that I'd finally found something that interested me. Since before that day, there was nothing that could catch my interest except for our annual trip to the aquarium, and I knew that my mom was worried.

"Today we went into the library for quiet time and we started reading a story about time travel! The librarian read it to us and everything!" My smile was wide and missing a few teeth, which only seemed to make mom's smile grow.

"Really, darling? What was this story called?" she asked.

"The Last Musketeer! It was amazing, mom! You should've been there!" I couldn't sit still as we got back to the car, and mom had to hold me down as she strapped me into my car seat, though she was smiling and laughing the whole time.

As she strapped herself into the driver's seat, she turned her head to the side slightly to show that she was talking to me. "I'm glad you had fun today, sweetheart. How about this: tomorrow afternoon, we'll go to the library and get you another book. I'll read it to you every night before my night shift. How does that sound?"

As a child, I hadn't been able to appreciate what my mom did for me, but in that moment, I was too excited to really understand the depth of what she was doing for me.

Time travel had always been an interesting concept to me. From the moment I'd first heard of it in the third grade, I was intrigued. Since that day, mom had gone out of her way to check books out of the public library, and together, she'd read a new chapter to me before bed. She never thought that my obsession was strange. Her belief made me feel normal, no matter what the kids at school thought.

I didn't know why these thoughts from my childhood were coming to the forefront of my mind, in the final moments of mine and Annabeth's battle against Kronos. The titan still had Luke Castellan under his spell, but Annabeth was convinced that she would be able to get through to him. I had my doubts that she would manage to defeat the King of the Titans with mere words, but it seemed to be working. A little.

I saw Luke eyes flash blue for a split second, but then they returned to gold so fast that I almost convinced myself that I'd never seen it. Rage was bubbling up deep within his soul - I could tell by the subtle changes on his face - and I knew that Annabeth would die if she continued what she was doing.

I interjected: "Luke! Look at what you have done. You've killed almost all of the demigods and Thalia is out there fighting for her life right now because of you!" I paused to take a breath as the reality of Thalia predicament weighed down upon me. My body moved without my approval, numb hands grabbing Annabeth's shoulders and pulling her away from Luke's trembling body.