Away with the Birds

"Step up Harry! Talking never accomplished anything! Not unless you are Pheme... and you are not!" Heracules shouted at Harry who was dodging blasts of Lava from the Lava wall.

"I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU DO THIS, SMART ASS!" Harry shouted as a spark burned his arm.

"I've done this... numerous times. As well as dodge deadly poison from the Lernaean Hydra, so, this is just pie in comparison... hmmm I'd like some pie" Heracules said as a lava ball shot through his intangible, ghostly body.

"I can do this! I CAN DO THIS!" Harry shouted as he ran, ducked under a lava ball, side stepped another and pounced over another. He bounded for the wall, clung to a nook and slashed the off cords. The lava dissipated.

Heracules clapped "Impressive. A Hydra, however has more fire power, it can move, seven heads and you if you wait that long you'll be dead" Heracules said seriously but cracked into a smile "Calm down Harry, no Hydra will attack here"

I wiped a sweat drop off my head in a sigh of relief "What next?" Harry said as he pitched his sword in the dirt.

"How is you're hand-to-hand combat skills?" Heracules asked, still laughing.

"Um, not as developed as I'd like" Harry said with a nervous giggle. Heracules took a moment to think and looked at Harry.

"My boy, we must venture to the Ocean. The only way to learn is with a live being" Heracules said and hovered outside the boundry line. Hesitantly, Harry followed. They walked down to the sea shore.

"So... who will I be fighting?" Harry asked, curiously looking up and down the shore to see nothing but sand but to the east... the sand was moving. Harry screamed "WHAT IS THAT?!"

"That is a friend of mine. Arteraius, a friend I met on my travels. He is the best combatant I have ever met" Heracules said as the man emerged from the sand.

"Hello there" Harry said and extended my hand to welcome him. He looked at my hand and back to Heracules.

"Commence" Heracules said and the guy punched my face.

Fifteen minutes of excrutiating beatings. Arteraius stopped as a weird, birdly sound echoed over the beach.

"What... is that?" Harry said as I ate some Ambrosia, healing my wounds.

Just then a massive bird materialized. Ghosts can't go pale, can they? If so, Heracules was the whitest ghost ever.

"It's just a bird" Harry muttered and punched Arteraius, but he took no notice.

"That.. is no bird. DRAW YOU'RE WEAPON HARRY! That's Zeus' Vulture!" Heracules said and backed up into the surf, watching the vulture.

"Wait, the one that tortured Prometheus?" Harry asked and his eyes widened immensely.

"The same. I killed it. But obviously I cannot now. It is down to you. It's weak spot is under the-" Heracules was cut off as the vulture dived. Arteraius tackled the Vulture, but It took out his liver instantly.

"Um..." Harry scardly said, balancing his sword with the head of the vulture.

"RIGHT WING!" Heracules shouted as the Vulture dived for me, but I hit the deck and rolled down a sand dune.

Harry spun and dove. The bird circuling the Demigod and diving. How could Harry out run it? How could Harry kill it? Heracules had to give some support, or Harry's liver was dinner.