CHAPTER 1

The lame god--there had been unceasing stories, always flashing to that unbelievably ugly image of the crippled theoi, you know the one, with the abusive childhood, his married life a disaster, his name the punchline in every deformed god joke, then a quick cut to the ashamed parents, Mom wishing she he didn't exist, Dad denying he's even his son--that god, that ugly god, Hephaestus was approached by someone.

Hephaestus stopped working.

Hermes, the messenger god, had just given him an invitation to olympus for a party.

They were in Hephaestus' workshop on mount etna on saturn's day where

he had been working on his newest project, a bronze shield which acted like a sponge, absorbing all strikes and blows, rendering it virtually indestructible.

Hephaestus gave a world-weary sigh. "What is the occasion now, or this party just an excuse to have another orgy, where I won't even sleep with anyone?"

"Nah, it's to celebrate the release of the titans, besides any girl would fuck you... if she was blindfolded."

Realizing what he just said he tried to apologize. "Just kidding ok." but Hephaestus wasn't listening, he was too focused on the shield. The weight, how many blows it would take, and most importantly, the artistic design on the front. So many problems to solve.

Hephaestus had long reddish-brown hair which he had shortened to a crew cut. he wore goggles on his forehead which were for more fashion than functional. His clothing was--for lack of a better word--homely.

Forging was more than a duty for hephaestus.he was millenia in age and one of the few divine blacksmiths, him being the best of all. Blacksmithing was his life. His hands were always working, even when far away from his workshops. He couldn't help it--Lord Hephaestus created. His friends and family were used to it, some even actively encouraging it when it suited them, but strangers and new acquaintances found it annoying.

So that was what he was doing, crafting the shield. Ignoring, as he often did, unnecessary information. Lost in his own bliss of craftsmanship. Noting density and hardness, taking account of ductility and lustre, envisioning the height, weight, width and breath, the amount of magic to be put into the metal to make it sufficiently enchanted...

"It's not finished yet."

"What?"

Hephaestus hadn't realized he'd spoken out loud.

"The shield."

Hermes frowned. "Stop your crafting and get ready for the party, Hephaestus!"

He glared at hermes and the air rose several degrees higher, enough to cause discomfort but not burn.

"I'm sorry okay, but if we don't make it in time zeus will blame me."

"Fine, I'll be ready in a few minutes."

So saying that, he snapped his fingers, which was a signal for his automatons to start working. Immediately, they removed his clothing and cleaned his body, before adorning him with trousers and a simple shirt which was covered with a magnificent silver buttoned-up long-sleeved coat with gold outlines and designs of a lightning bolt. Hermes also received a makeover, getting a similar coat except his had shorter

sleeves. The cloak was made of silver and gold aether woven by athena herself, and the design was to show they were zeus' children and indicate their status as olympians.

Hephaestus left instructions for his cyclopes assistants on what to do while he was gone, while Hermes stood there, waiting for him.

Hermes had black shoulder length hair, a pretty face with mischievous blue eyes and a proud smirk, he was average in height and had a well devoloped body, like that of a runner. He looked like a teenage boy whom puberty had been kind to and he knew it.

Hephaestus sighed, knowing he was going to have to abandon his work. "Alright brother, take us to mount olympus."

"Okay then."

Saying so, he touched hephaestus' shoulder while waving his caduceus, and in an instant they were gone from mount etna.

Okay how do you like my first story guys, It's my first fic so pls don't go easy on me. Tell me what I need work on and don't forget to like and review.