32 Voyage with the Pygmaioi

{Abidjan, December 3rd 1999}

"So how exactly are we going to hunt these birds down?" I asked Koussai the chief of the Pygmaioi tribe as I walked beside his goat.

"Simple enough, we already know where they will be, we just need to get there in time, also what is this we hunting the birds you are talking about our agreement was for our tribe to guide you, not fight with you." Koussai responded turning to face me though even on his goat he just barely reached my neck.

"Well, I thought you know since I beat you guys in the brawl you guys would help me." I replied to the chief somewhat embarrassed as I scratched the back of my neck.

"Well you thought wrong, we have our own monsters to fight!" A Pygmaioi from the back yelled on top of his goat. Koussai nodded at the short tribesmen words "Indeed we need to fight the migratory cranes." Koussai explained.

"Then I guess I will stick with you guys until I reach the place were the Stymphalian Birds will fly over." I couldn't help but sigh as the thought of going into battle with a tribe of goat riders against my newest labor vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

"Just wondering but how far away exactly are we from the spot were the flock I am after will fly over?" I couldn't help but ask Koussai. "Hmm, we aren't that far away probably a month or two away on goatback." He replied as a matter of fact.

"Two months! Can't we you know get there a bit faster." I whined slightly as I heard the chief's words.

"Sure, you could make it there before that but it would make no sense as they would be in a different spot in time so you will just be twiddling your thumbs until they fly over." Koussai replied a grin forming on his face at the expense of myself.

Days started turning into weeks as the small tribesmen, their goats and I slowly traversed the African terrain little by little.

Day 8:

"Come on grip her horns, it isn't that hard!" The voices around me yelled. "Come on Odysseus even newborns can do this!" Another voice yelled from the sidelines.

"What do you guys think I am doing!?" I yelled back to the small men while infusing myself with shadows strengthening my grip on the goat's horns, yet it continued jumping up and down up and down destroying my balls, it was honestly worse than when I rode the Trojan dragon.

The bleating of the goats that seemed to cheer the goat I was riding to shake me off didn't also make my situation any better.

Day 17:

"So Koussai I was wondering." I asked the small man laying on the shady dunes at my side, "Why cranes, I mean you guys could go after another animal right."

"Don't know what to tell you Odysseus, our tribes sees cranes and we have to hunt them, the same goes for them it is almost a tradition at this point." Koussai answered while stretching his short limbs.

"That seems weird." I whispered to the silent night, "Not any weirder than what other tribes do, elysium(hell) I would even say the gods are weirder than us." Koussai laughed aloud at his own words.

He slowly rose up and said in a comforting tone "Now come on demigod, we need to rest up for tomorrow." "Yeah I guess so." I replied as I followed him into a portable tent the tribe members had built up.

Day 34:

A small breath of victory was released from all the members of the Pygmaioi tribe as I also started to notice something in the sky in a darker shade of black than usual different lines travelled through the sky, intersecting among themselves at different points.

"We reached the land of Birds, Mali." Koussai said with the same foolish grin as a child would have. "Oh that is cool, land of Birds, but just wondering what the hell is even that?!" I said while pointing frantically at the different lines across the sky.

"Oh you stupid, stupid demigod, isn't it obvious those are the flight paths of different bird monsters that travel through here." Koussai said his foolish grin widening even more.

"Yeah I get that what I mean is why can I see them?!" I asked frustratedly at my little companion.

"Wait you can see, since when can you see?" Koussai said a fake dramatic gasp escaping his mouth.

I rolled my head at his antics which I had slowly grown used to, "You know I can see know please explain those lines across the sky."

"Oh those, those are just formed by a slight modification of the Mist made by Hecate you know Hecate godess of the Mist, Magic and Crossroads pretty useful for times like these." Koussai replied.

Day 45:

After some more teasing of my ignorance by the tribesmen we started following a Mist road as they called it, as you could probably guess it was the Mist Road for the Stymphalian Birds.

We finally reached a place where the Mist road seemed to conglomerate into a spot and then continue forward, while I was looking at the dark spot in the sky the voice of one of my companions broke me out of my stupor.

"Well I guess here is where we part ways." Koussai's voice permeated through the dry air like a knife through butter, "Huh." I couldn't help but say at the suddenness of his words.

"Yeah this is the place where the Stymphalian Birds will fly over, and also the place where we part ways." Koussai said a sad smile appearing on his face.

"Well then small man, I thank you for your service." I said quickly trying to change the bad mood which had fallen over us and the rest of the tribe. "I hope we meet again." I continued.

"If the fates permit it, Odysseus." Koussai said as he clasped my hand in a final goodbye, I then said goodbye to the rest of the tribe members and the extra goat which had brought me here, Bessy (I know best name for a goat).

Then they slowly began to ride to another Mist Road probably to go fight the migrating cranes, but I decided to stop thinking about that I had my own fight ahead and if Heracles' labor was anything to go bye it wasn't going to be easy.

[Greek Mythos Fact: In the Iliad Achilles wasn't invulnerable to attacks, he in fact had a magic armour which enhanced his strength and couldn't be pierced, he lent this armour to his brother in arms (also his gay lover) Patroclus and when he was slain by Hector, Hector stole the armor.

In the end with the help of his mother, Thetis, Achilles convinces Hephaestus to forge a new magic armour and a shield for his battle with Hector Prince of Troy.

The myth of him being bathed in the River Styx was written by Statius in the Achelliad were we learn that he was bathed by his mother in the river hanging by his heel making him invulnerable except for that part.

Therefore according to Homers books Achilles wasn't invulnerable and this is just one of the times in Greek myths were information was changed.]