I don't own anything. All characters and all rights belong to Ichiei Ishibumi*
M for mature topics. No children allowed. *
The Broken Boosted Gear
By Try Another Time
Story 1: Two flames meet.
Location: Olympian Realm, Archipelago of Gold.
An endless sea of stars covered the night sky of the realm while a full moon with the symbol of a bow on its center continued to illuminate the many islands that filled the realm. An absurdly large mountain stood in its center as the home to the Olympian pantheon, while a vast ocean stretched out in all directions.
On a small isolated island, far away from the rest, a certain male was leaning on a palm tree as he waited for someone. His long spike green ponytail flapped as the night breeze hit him straight on. His lower body was covered by loose black pants, which seemed made of a material similar to silk, while his chest and feet remained uncovered. Scars from many fights covered his body as proof of his constant fights against those who dared to face him.
The sound of steps alerted him to the presence of someone. As the male opened his eyes and turned them toward the sound, he found a limping man slowly approaching him. The limping man seemed a bit on the fat side of body structures at first sight, but in reality, all muscle had been developed through years of constant physical activity under extreme temperatures. His Ashburn's short hair matched his eyes which were looking at him with interest and curiosity.
"Of all the beings that would dare to infiltrate Mount Olympus just to leave a single letter and a map without being seen, I never expected to be you. How long did it take you to prepare such an insane plan? Did the security measure fail to stop you? Maybe it was the guards?" The man said as he got closer in an inquisitive yet amicable tone.
"It took two months of constant surveillance and information recollection. The guards weren't the problem, but Zeus and the rest of the horny gods in your pantheon were the ones that gave me a clear path. I can't understand how Zeus is still alive after so many escapades. Either luck is on his side, or Hera has become unfazed after so long." The green ponytail male says as he stretches his hand towards the limping man.
The god takes it without excitation and shakes. "Is a pleasure to meet you, Y Ddraig Goch, the Welsh Dragon."
"Ddraig is alright, Hephaestus, God of the Forge."
"Hephaestus is alright, so drop the title. Not every day, I get to meet one of the most infamous beings in the faction's history. Many of my weapons were used against you. Tell me, how do they fare? Were they able to cut through thy scales?"
"A few times. Your weapons are amazing, but those using them often lack the talent or the strength to wield them properly. You can give them the strongest sword in all of Yggradssil, but if they lack the skill necessary, the weapon becomes useless."
"True. What did you do with them? Teams haven't been able to recover them whenever they look for the bodies of the deceased."
"I keep most of them. Olympian gold is an expensive material, and any amount can be useful as an "international" coin for transactions or to be reused in another way. The taste is atrocious, so don't think for a second that I've been eating them. I recommend using smaller quantities since a golden sword, axe, spear, or shield becomes another piece of my treasure after eliminating their owners. Based on what I know, olympian gold works best in attaching runes to weapons. The same happens with Asgardian gold."
"Oh my, I didn't think you would understand it so well. I think the same, but you know, customers, almost all of them like to waste materials for the sake of their wild delusions of grandeur. "This golden blade will finally claim the head of the Welsh Dragon." That phrase has replayed itself for too long; they keep trying, and more are dying. At some point, they need to realize that it is an impossible fight. Not even Ares has that much balls to try to fight the "Crimson Flames that kill even gods." Heck, I say Athena has a better chance at winning, but I doubt that she'll join the fray. That "Sister" of mine usually has a good head."
"Hey, don't summon another contender for me to fight right now with your words. I prefer if everyone stays away from me from now on. Albion is the only adversary I want to fight right now. That white-feathered idiot is the only rival that makes my blood boil enough to push my limits. There's nobody else that could ever match him. My true equal." Ddraig's eyes shine with excitement as he talks about his rival.
Hephaestus shakes his head. "I see doom in your path if this is your goal. One day that rivalry will be the death of you. Mark my words. Now let's get to business; what do you want, Welsh Dragon? There has to be a reason for the famous killer of thousands, no hundredths of thousands of proud warriors from different pantheons, to come looking for me. Is it a weapon you are looking for?"
Ddraig scratches his head. "You don't have to mention all of my past adversaries, and no, I don't want a weapon. Hephaestus, I came to you with a request that doesn't involve a weapon."
Hephaestus is taken by surprise by this. He had created so many weapons throughout the years, and on very few occasions did, he get the chance to create items that weren't weapons. "You have my curiosity; what do I need to create, and how much are you willing to pay for it?"
Ddraig summons an item from his pocket storage. "It is going to take a bit to explain. Want to share a few drinks while I talk?"
Hephaestus chuckles at the sight of the bottle of alcohol in Ddraig's hand. "Someone must have heard about my stamina when it comes to drinking. Do you have what it takes to keep up with me?"
"I'm not a lightweight, and I'll prove that. I have brought a large selection just for this occasion."
Thus began a long night of drinking and blood.
One hour after, it began.
Bottles of different alcohol types lay around the sand as the pair kept going from one bottle to another.
"Mighty Uranus, you have what it takes, you damn lizard. That's at least 36 large bottles of different kinds of alcohol, and you seemed not even a bit tipsy."
"You're not bad yourself. Any other drinking partner would have been wasted at this point. Tia would have been laughing and giggling by now."
"The chaos karma dragon?"
"Yes, exactly her. She can drink, but she does get drunk, which is a bit dangerous since her normal limiters get released. The usually composed Tia becomes a quick-to-anger dragon capable of cutting your head off instantly when she's drunk. Is fun but very dangerous. Don't think for a second that her reflexes get affected by her drunkenness; she's far more dangerous that way."
"Sounds like your "wife" is a dangerous drinking partner."
Ddraig blushes. "Tia… is not my wife or mate. We're just friends."
"Friends? Boy, you're blushing. One doesn't just blush when talking about a friend."
Ddraig shakes his head. "Tia is just a close friend. My first friend. We care for each other but we don't have a love relationship. I might like her, but I don't know what she feels, nor will I try to confirm them."
"Why?"
"I can't give her a family. I know her; I know that she'll want a family just like Tannin has. Children, a home; the current, I can't give her any of that. I'm the Welsh Dragon, enemies are always coming after me, and I'm constantly putting my life on the line for the sake of becoming stronger. I live to fight, and it has become worse since I met my equal. The first time I fought Albion, I was so injured that Tia had to take care of me for several months as I got better. I was smiling like an insane lizard while she feared my injuries. She thought I would die, and she let me know how mad she was."
"So why not stop and change? Wouldn't it be easier just to stop?"
"I can't. Fighting is all I have; it is the only thing I know that gives meaning to my life. We, the first dragons that appeared in Gaia's world, all looked for the purpose of our existence. Tannin found him after meeting Lucine, his first wife. After meeting her and her race, who are lesser dragons who could only survive by eating Dragon Apples, he decided to lead them. You might know them; this particular group of lesser dragons was an experiment by a group of gods. They wanted an army that could match the first generation, yet they weren't even close to us. One hundred lesser dragons can't match even one of us. They were discarded like trash and thrown into Gaia's planet after being deemed useless similar to what Loki did with Midgarsormr back in the day. Tannin now leads them, and he seems happy alongside them. I truly feel alive after fighting and becoming stronger. The current me is just a being that would likely end up hurting Tia, and if I had a child, I'm likely to have them killed. Is not possible now."
"Now? So what about the future?"
"Maybe… the "me" in the future might find a different path, but the "me" now is a no-go. Anyway, going back to the subject of our meeting. The item that I want you to create is one to save lives instead of ending them. I want something that can allow me to heal, like when we crystalize and return to being an egg. It would also put Tia at ease if I had something like that."
"So it is true, you dragons can heal by returning to being an egg. I heard the rumors, but I didn't know if it was possible."
"Great Red told us that we could do it when needed, but the time inside the egg can vary, and while inside, we are vulnerable. I can't stay inside the egg for years; it is too dangerous and a waste of time."
"So you want me to create something that can simulate your ability but make it faster? Sounds like an impossible challenge."
"Impossible for you?"
Hephaestus scratches his sides. "Not impossible, but hard. I can't just make something like that without the right materials. We're talking about something that would deal with the flesh of a dragon. I would need the highest quality of materials and a lot of time."
"Would a dragon's heart be enough?"
"The heart of a dragon would be very useful, but it is impossible for me to get one. You'll need to provide one for me."
"I can give it to you right now only if you promise to keep your mouth quiet about it."
Hephaestus's body shakes in fear for a second at the seriousness on Ddraig's face.
"Hey, you came to me with a proposal, and a client's business with me is a private matter. As long as you respect our relationship as a blacksmith and the client, I won't say anything. You provide the materials and the payment; I won't ask questions. You came to me, so you trust my skills, and I will create the item you requested. I'll make the item better than what you initially requested. So go ahead and surprise me."
Ddraig looks at him momentarily before he transforms one of his fingers into a sharp claw. "I'll need your help with this."
"What are-"
Hephaestus is interrupted by Ddraig as the dragon makes a large cut on his chest. His chest cavity is open, and the god can see his inside.
"Us higher dragons possess several particular secrets. One of them is the fact that we possess not one but two hearts. It is something that we don't tell others under normal conditions. Now, Hephaestus, move your hands and help me remove one. I'll make it so that it doesn't change back into its actual size."
Hephaestus's face becomes pale after seeing the sight before him. One would run away in this kind of situation, but his mind and pride as a blacksmith told him that he couldn't run. He had in front of him a one-in-a-time opportunity, and he shouldn't let it go.
The god took the bottle of alcohol once more and drank from it before pouring it down into his hands. A flame appeared on his right hand before it became a small knife. "This is going to be rough, so let's do our best, my dear customer. Trust me with this."
2 hours after.
Blood covered the sand as the night continued. Two males sat down on the sand and continued to drink.
"So, can you tell me why you had Phoenix tears with you?" Ddraig asked as he touched his chest. Where a large cut should be now laid a large scar.
"I had a certain client once. You're not the first to come to me with an interesting proposal. I won't say what I made for that client, but the payment was a pretty good one. Now, thanks to you, I have a material that any other blacksmith would die for." Hephaestus said as he put the beating heart away in a magic pouch that he kept hidden inside his toga.
"I'll bring the other materials that you need. Just meet me on this island every two months in the earth's calendar."
"Are you going away? We still have alcohol. It has been a while since I had such an exciting and enjoyable night. Come on, my dear customer, let's keep drinking." Hephaestus said in a cheerful tone. He felt proud of himself for the operation and had to admit that he enjoyed his time with the dragon.
Ddraig took a few moments to decide what to do. "Very well, I'll stay only for the alcohol. Let's keep drinking."
"Ah, this is great; the others in the Olympus would be drunk by now. Athena barely holds it after five bottles, and Zeus gets completely drunk after 10. Dionysus is the only one who keeps up with me but bores me with his conversations. Aphrodite…. She doesn't join me when I drink for some reason."
"Aphrodite? She's your wife, right?" He remembers that particular pink dragon he smashed into a valley once whenever he heard her name.
"She is. We have been together for ten earth years."
"10? That's a good amount of years. How are the kids?"
"... We don't have any."
"What? But you two are married! Tannin has only five years with Lucine, and they already have a child."
"I know, but Aphrodite hasn't "slept" with me yet."
"... What? Hephaestus, I need context. You two are married; it doesn't make sense."
"I know, I'll explain. When Aphrodite came to Olympus, every male wanted to be with her. For many years, almost every male fought over, and we practically were close to ending in war. Poseidon, Ares, Dionysus, and even Hermes wanted her. She's the goddess of love, a jewel of temptation that everyone hopes to get. I myself fell in love with her at first sight, but she never turned her sight towards me. Zeus saw the tense situation amongst the males in our faction, and the goddesses also pressured him to find a solution."
"Your marriage. I heard rumors that Zeus chose you as her husband. The two of you were wed as a way to prevent the war that would arise over her. Sounds like a cop-out to me."
"I know, you don't have to tell me. I was happy, but I knew that Zeus had practically forced her into a marriage she didn't ask for. But even then, I hope she will fall in love with me with time. At first, we didn't even sleep on the same bed; she didn't even talk to me, but as time when by, things changed. We began to sleep on the same bed after the first year, and she even kissed my cheek. I feel that she will-"
Ddraig stops him. "Hephaestus, I'm not an expert in these things, but I know that you can see it. There's something wrong with all of this. Ten years is way too long, and by the look on your face, you might be trying to hide something."
"I am fine rea-"
"Hephaestus, don't try to hide it from me. Your face is that of someone trying to claim to be happy while enduring the unbearable pain of a lie. You're acting just like Crom Cruach when he claims that he's finally happy because he has finally found his purpose in life. A liar will always break at some point. Lies can't last forever."
Hephaestus tries to keep a smile, but the seriousness on Ddraig's face tells him that he has no way out. "... I want to embrace her, to have a child with her. I want us to be an actual couple, but she pushes me away whenever I get too close. She smiles, and talks to me with such a sweet voice, and her scent drives me wild, but I can't shake this feeling that everything is a lie. She has disappeared several times for many months, and when she reappears, she claims that it was due to her godly duties. Several new deities appear shortly after she comes back. New children join the pantheon, and I feel that everyone is laughing behind my back with each new one. Athena, Hestia, and even Artemis told me that Aphrodite will never bring me happiness. I don't want it to be true, but I feel that she's-"
"Cheating on you." Ddraig sights before he stands up. "I'll say this; if you want to live the lie, go ahead, but if you want to stop it, the time is now. Get me inside Olympus once more, and my nose will tell you who are the males she's bringing into your bed with her."
"Your nose?"
"The senses of a dragon are exceptional, and our sense of smell is one of the strongest ones around. If she's indeed sleeping with other males and having children with them, your bed might have been stained by them. Their scent is bound to be weak after some time has gone by, but it might still be there. The children would be harder, but the scent of a child has a few similarities to their parents. So now tell me, Hephaestus do you want the lie to end, or are you alright waiting for something that might never happen?"
Hephaestus felt the pressure put on him. He was deeply divided in what to do, and yet one single phrase rang in his head.
"Brother of mine, wake up from that dream and see the truth before you. Don't live in a fantasy." Athena said to him many years ago.
"I… accept."
The dice of fate were thrown that night.
Story 2: Siblings of different parents.
Athena, who was wearing a blue toga, walks through the sand of an isolated island. Her sandals left footprints behind as she advanced. The island had been once empty without a single inhabitant, but that had changed a year ago due to a certain event that created many cracks within her pantheon.
As she moved farther from the coast, her eyes saw the small house that had been built right in the center.
"Brother!" Athena called out to the male that was peacefully enjoying the breeze while sitting on a rocking chair on its front porch.
"Sis!" The male got up and waved at Athena. "Nice of you for coming to visit me."
Athena smiled, and as she approached the male, she hugged him. "How's the new leg doing, lass?"
Hephaestus pats the mechanical leg that now replaces his old one. "Ares might have taken my old one, but this one is much better. I don't limp anymore. I should have replaced it a long time ago."
Athena's face darkens as the memory pops up in her mind. "I should have reacted on time. I could have protected thee from him."
Hephaestus shakes his head. "You didn't need to. I took that chance to punch the bastard, and although I lost a leg, it felt good, knocking a few teeth out of his mouth. I just wish I could punch all the other bastards as well. Anyway, came to sharpen your spear once more?"
"Yes, but I also came to talk to my sibling," Athena admits.
"Let's go inside." Hephaestus guides her inside his home.
Although the home looks small from the outside, its inside is a whole different matter. The home was a large smithy with golems running around and taking care of different tasks for its creator. Materials and incomplete items were moved around as Hephaestus continued to complete different orders he received from his clients, which didn't decrease with a certain event.
"It is amazing how you move the whole operation here. I never thought that thy smithy had such a curious function."
"You do forget that "Mom" threw me to the bottom of Mount Olympus after being born. I made my way back up after ten years, but I never forgot that. I told myself that if I ever needed to leave Olympus, I wouldn't leave anything that I created behind. Where I go, my smithy and creations come with me." Hephaestus admits.
"Zeus regrets not having all of this back on Olympus. Security is not the same anymore either since all of Olympus got used to having your golems helping around. There's also his lighting bolts which don't get the same maintenance as before."
"Surely he misses having a blacksmith such as myself that can take care of his every desire. He should have thought about it before fucking my ex-wife alongside all of those other bastards. I hope that their wives do the same to them and cheat with even more men than the bitch did." His words were filled with anger as he talked about all of those implicated.
The memories of that night were still fresh in his mind.
Back to that night.
"Hephaestus, I can detect at least five different male scents in your room and at least three strong scents in your bed. Those must be really new. I don't think she has been cheating on you with only them, either. I'm sorry, but this is the truth." After getting Ddraig inside his room, the dragon went to work and began sniffing around. It didn't take long for him to detect the scents of other male deities.
"Can you tell me who by tracking them to their rooms?"
"I can. Just help me to keep security away from me. We don't want a fight right now."
"The golems are under my control, so it is going to be easy."
From there, Ddraig and Hephaestus walked around the halls of the Olympians' residence while tracking the other males' scents. The first one to be tracked down was Dionysus all the way to his chambers. The one after him was Hermes, who Poseidon then followed. The next one was Ares, and finally, the one that surprised him the most was Zeus.
"Even him."
"Although barely there, their scents were in your room. I doubt that any male allows each other to go inside them without you being there."
"You are correct..." Hephaestus goes silent for a few moments while keeping his rising anger under wraps. "You have done enough for me, my friend. Let's get out of here. I don't think I can stay here anymore. I don't even care about knowing which ones are the children that were birth from their adventures with my so-called "wife". I just want to get out."
"Let's go then." Ddraig felt the anger that the god was feeling. "So much dedication just to get betrayed in the worst of ways. I'm truly sorry, Hephaestus."
That night, the gentle flame of the forge left Olympus with an army of golems that were bringing many of his tools and inventions. Without a single sound, Hephaestus had left, and only one single goddess saw his departure but chose to say nothing.
"This is bad," Artemis told herself as she watched the god's departure.
Sometime after.
It took two months before he returned to take revenge by capturing Aphrodite and Ares in the act with a golden net.
As she lay naked and trapped under the net with Ares, surrounded by the rest of the pantheon, Aphrodite saw how Hephaestus's eyes were filled with wrath and not a single drop of love towards her anymore.
"Ten years, I gave you all of my love. I never lay with another lady and try to do everything to make you fall for me. Gifts and all of those dates were in vain. While I try to make this marriage work, you were going around and having a blast with all of them." Hephaestus pointed his fingers at all of the males involved with the cheating.
The goddesses watched in anger while the gods began to shake in fear, especially Zeus. Hera was right behind him, and he could feel the blade of a non-existent knife across his neck.
"Answer me, this so-called goddess of love; you never loved me, did you?"
Aphrodite's long pink hair covered her face as she tried to decide what to do.
"Answer me, woman. I need to hear it from your mouth."
The gods shake in fear at the sight of the blazing flames coming out of his mouth. The gentle flames of his forge were not there anymore.
"I….. couldn't. I never saw you as a husband. You're charming, but you never made my heart skip a beat. I just like the security that you offered me, that's all. I can't see you as a male."
The room began to shake as those words reached Hephaestus's ears.
"You're a whore, a despicable vixen who fucks any man that walks in front of her. I despise you and those who ever got in bed with you. I curse all of their relationships" Hephaestus points his finger at all of the males involved in the adulterous acts. "And I curse you to suffer the most tragic of romances until the very end of your days. Your so-called love should make you suffer and cry until your heart breaks into millions of pieces." A blazing mark appeared on Aphrodite's neck. The mark had the form of a heart covered in thorns.
Aphrodite screamed her eyes out as the curse took shape and attached itself to her. She couldn't believe that Hephaestus, who was supposed to be weaker than her, was actually cursing her. "How could you do this to me?"
"Hephaestus, you can't-"
Zeus tried to stop his blacksmith, but he stopped in his tracks. The eyes of his blacksmith weren't the same anymore. They were sharp and devoid of any respect towards him.
"You can do whatever you want, but hear this, you cheating bastard. Never again will I ever sharpen or make a weapon for you. In your times of need, find another blacksmith to sharpen your weapons, for I will no longer be part of this pantheon. Kill me if you want, but I won't help any of you traitorous bastards." Hephaestus turns his face back to Aphrodite. "By my decree, every gift you ever received from me should turn to ashes about now. You don't deserve any of my work. None of you who called yourself my family deserves any of it."
The group watched as many items around the room began to turn to ashes. From jewelry to dresses and other items, all turn to nothing in a matter of seconds.
Hephaestus removed the net and turned around before beginning to walk away. As soon as Ares was freed from his prison, he stood up. He felt enraged after being humiliated in such a matter by his brother, so he summoned his spear.
"Hephaestus!" The god attacked the limping god before anyone had time to react.
Hephaestus tried to dodge but felt a sharp pain as one of his legs was cut clean off. "You bastard. You dare to attack me while my back is turned to you." The flames of the forge surrounded his body. The metal around the area melted before being summoned around his body. A massive blazing fist took shape on his right arm in a matter of seconds. Hephaestus lifted his fist and punched Ares straight in the face with all of his anger. The body of the god of war pierced the floor and descended several levels.
Nobody expected such a sight; Ares was, after all, the god of war, and yet the limping Hephaestus had punched him with strength equal to his.
Ares didn't seem to be conscious as several moments went by, and his body didn't arise from the rubble.
"Brother." Athena watched as her sibling continued on, although he was injured.
"I'm leaving. This is the end of my stay in this place." The god departed with his army of golems and left Olympus in disarray.
Back to the present.
"Thy curse began to act. I heard that one of her lovers died tragically after a certain accident." Athena said as she summoned her spear. "I was always against this marriage. The vixen was bad news as soon as she came to Olympus. A wife for thee should be someone that isn't forced into it by another force."
"I know that now and that is why I don't think I will ever get married again. She has tarnished the concept of love for me, and it's going to take many years before I allow myself even to try to fall for someone else." The god took the spear and began to work on it.
"I'm sorry, brother, but maybe one day that person will show up. Maybe not now or in 1000 years, but I pray that thy destined wife will show up one day. Just remember she should approach thee first."
The goddess smiled as she talked to her brother.
"I'll keep that in mind. What about you, my dear sister? Is there a guy that has finally captured your attention? Will our virgin goddess finally get married and leave the virgin trinity?"
Athena blushes. "No, at least no in this pantheon."
"Oh, so there's someone, and from which pantheon is he from? Can I know who's the guy that has my sister's attention?"
"I find him cute, but it won't happen. We haven't even exchanged words yet."
"Athena, if the guy is worth it, just try it."
Athena shakes her head. "He's never going to look my way; if he did, he would surely fall from heaven."
"Heaven? Wait, you like someone from heaven? A son of the bible god? Who is it? Raphael? Maybe Uriel?"
"... Is Michael. I like his looks, but I want to know more about him. It is so hard to ignore him when I look at him. The few times we have seen each other on the surface of Gaia's planet, he's always working, and I don't have the guts to interfere with his tasks."
"It is indeed a troublesome situation for you. He's a pure seraph, banned from ever following his carnal desires. Marriage is far from reality with him unless he gives up his halo and becomes a fallen one."
"Yes…. love is hard. I don't want him to lose his place in heaven for me, either."
"It is indeed, but I believe you should try to approach him and make an initial connection with him. Take the time and keep it hidden but do try to talk to him. If he does feel the same about you, he might be willing to fall for you, but getting married to him would mean leaving this pantheon."
"I'm willing to do it. I have no deep attachments to this place. "Father" fears that I will try to steal the throne from him one day; he tried to kill me while I was still in my mother's womb, Metis. I had to survive for years inside of him until I made my way out. I haven't forgotten his actions, and one day I will leave this place alongside Hestia and Artemis. I don't want the throne of this pathetic excuse of a pantheon….. Hephaestus, would you join me if I said I wanted to form my own pantheon?"
Hephaestus sights. "You're late to the party, sister. I already promise someone else to join his faction if he ever creates one."
"What? Who?"
"That's a secret. When he finally grows up and matures, he'll come to get me, and we'll share more drinks. My one good friend." Hephaestus says as he remembers the promise they made.
"You're better than them, Hephaestus. You don't deserve any of this. A male shouldn't touch another's bride, and Aphrodite doesn't deserve you. If I ever form my own faction, I would want someone like you within my ranks, and I would never betray them like this."
"So what are you inviting me to join you if you ever form your own faction?"
"Yes, if I ever do it, I will come to get you. So will you join me when the time comes?"
Hephaestus takes another sip from the bottle. "Maybe, you'll need to find me a place to set up my smithy and materials for me to work with."
"If that time ever comes, I'll get you what you need. That's a promise."
The god smiled as he remembered the smirk on the dragon's face. "Maybe you should join me once the time comes. Is going to be interesting if we join that flaming battle maniac."
"... I'll need to see who's this person we're talking about first." Athena pondered about who was the one who had approached her brother first.
"One day, I'll present both of you," Hephaestus said.
It would be many centuries until the promise became a reality.
*Author's notes: So here we go. The side stories have begun. We start with our boy Hephaestus. Before anything, remember that this story happened a long time ago, so their personalities might differ from their current selves. This won't be the only side story involving Hephaestus either; one more would also involve Aphrodite. Athena and Michael will also get their own later on. The next one would focus on Asia, Gasper, and Valerie. See you another time.*