Chapter 9

Biana Vacker's POV

Our unlikely group trudged off in Nico's direction.

We walked for what felt like hours, but probably only minutes. I quickly became tired, and my vision was starting to unfocus. I looked around at my friends. They seemed to be we feeling the same, apart from Tam. He looked... Happy wasn't the right word, but he seemed content. Like this place was no different to the world above.

"How much longer?" Keefe groaned for the fourth time.

"We're not even halfway. I'll tell you we get close." Nico replied for the fourth time.

"What are those pus thingys?" Fitz wondered.

"Membranes. Dont pop one. It's where a monster regenerates. Or several." Will told us, shivering.

"How much-" Keefe started.

"If you say how much longer one more time, I will cut your own feet off and stick them so far up your- Nico started, before Will put a hand on his arm.

Nico seemed to relax, more or less. He didn't look like he wanted to kill Keefe as much as before. Nico glared at him but didn't say anything else.

We walked for a while longer before anything else eventful happened.

In the distance, I heard a loud pop. I froze, along with everyone else.

"That's the sound of one of the membranes popping." Annabeth whispered.

"Hooray." I said sarcastically.

A loud roar echoed through the land, shaking the other pus membranes.

A moment ago, the demi-gods had looked tired, unfocused, eyes glazed over. But now, adrenaline rushed through them and they looked good as ever.

I peered into the distance, and saw a humanoid creature soaring it's way towards us.

"Run?" Linh suggested.

"It's too fast. That's a Harpy. It probably has friends too. Some can be nice, like my friend Ella. I'm getting off topic. The point is, we need to kill it." Percy said hurriedly.

"How?" Tam asked incrediculously. (A/N I have no idea how to spell that.)

"Watch and learn kid." Leo said in an imitation of someone I didn't know. (A/N Coach Hedge.)

On cue, Percy pulled a pen from his pocket, which I didn't think was going to do much against the flying bird-woman, until he uncapped it, and it turned into a three foot long bronze sword. Annabeth drew a a sword that looked like it was made of bone, Hazel pulled out a golden cavalry sword, Jason drew a golden spatha, Frank summoned a bow and a quiver full of arrows, Piper pulled out a knife, Nico drew an iron sword, and Leo's hand burst into flames. Will didn't have a weapon, but he still looked deadly.

Us elves just stood there looking stupid.

"Demi-gods." The harpy sneered. " A lovely first meal." And she dove at Piper.

I thought she was a goner. There was no way I'd survive being swooped by an evil bird-lady. But Piper seemed to anticipate the move. She easily side-stepped and stabbed her dagger through it's side while it was low on the ground.

The harpy screeched and flew back up, but Frank had loaded an arrow and now shot it at the bird, only missing it's head as the creature was flying unsteadily because of the damage to it's shoulder. Instead he hit it in the behind. The bird-lady squawked in pain as it turned it's attention to Leo. He promptly hit her in the face with a fireball. The beast went up in flames as two more of them arrived. It had friends.

Percy, Nico, Piper, and Will took birdy A, Annabeth, Jason, Frank, Hazel, and Leo took birdy B.

I watched the fight with birdy A unfold.

"Will!" Nico yelled.

Will got the message, and started glowing a blinding light. He aimed the beam at the Harpy, like a flasher, and the creature was blinded. It flailed around, no longer able to see, and took a blind dive at Sophie.

"Stop!" Piper bellowed. The elves and I immediately stopped what we were doing, the demi-gods paused for a second before coming back to their senses. The Harpys only faultered for a second, but it was enough for Piper to get close enogh to get it's attention away from Sophie. Although now she had a Harpy's full attention.

"Over here bird brain!" Percy yelled at it. Still being blinded by Will's light, the creature couldn't see him, and became incredibly confused. A large blob of water popped in it's face.

Linh? I thought.

I glanced at my friend, but she shook her head helplessly.

The bird screeched in annoyance and again took a blind dive, this time head for Nico. At the last second, a large barrier of bones flew out of the ground, positioning itself between Nico and the beast.

The Harpy was too slow, and ran into the creepy wall of death. Nico jumped out from behind it and ran his sword through the creatures neck, and it dropped dead.

I turned my attention to the ongoing fight between birdy B and the others.

The Harpy had a few arrows sticking out from it, it's tail, tip off it's wings and feet looked burnt, and it had a couple if stab wounds in it's left wing. Still, it stood. Or flew. Whatever you want to call it.

Jason shot into the air and grabbed the Harpy's attention, letting Frank take a free shot, and the arrow landed in it's shoulder. The bird cried out in pain as it dove at Hazel, who easily dodged it and impaled her sword through the beast's side, killing it instantly.

The demi-gods seathed their weapons and carried on in conversation like nothing had happened

"Who summoned the water?" Linh interrupted.

"Me. Son of Poseidon and everything." Percy raised his hand slightly.

"Why did we all stop when you said to?" I asked Piper.

"Charmspeak. It's in the name." She replied.

"So you can control fire?" Dex asked Leo.

"Yep." He burst into flames for good measure.

Dex took a step back. "Cool."

"And how'd you do the skeleton wall thing?" Tam asked Nico.

"My dad's the god of the dead." He replied.

Tam looked wistful.

"I can try and teach you sometime." Nico offered.

Tam just nodded.

"We're nearly there. Keefe." Will jumped in.

The group set off again, Nico thankfully not murdering Keefe for jumping around in joy.

A/N

So that's chapter 9!

First fight too.

I'm trying to decide wether Damasan is actually nice or is really a raging Giant that wants to kill everyone.

Have a great day!