Kintsugi

by The White Wulf

The practice of repairing broken pottery with precious metals. it signified the importance of an item's history and the beauty of imperfections. In one reality, the God Hephaestus experiences such a concept. The melding of Heroic Spirit and Divine Entity creating an impossible miracle. A new God walks the earth...for good or ill. (Will go from Ancient Greece to modern day).

4. Chapter 4

SURPRISE MOTHER FUCKA.

Back to back updates for Fate/clover and Kintsugi, ya welcome! I sleep now. Also, word of warning. Chapters 1-3 are going to be revised for word counts and slight fixes. Nothing Plotwise or personal changes in the story, just word choices, grammar issues, and a few misspellings (*Cough* Charon *Cough*)

Kintsugi Chapter 4:

It had taken some time for Hephaestus to get his bearings. His emotions, volatile as they are, were suppressed for the sake of survival. Though, survival was a stretch. His experiences had honed an instinct that was hard to ignore, no matter how his strength compared to his surroundings. When he was dropped into this seemingly unknown location, his first instinct had been to find a place of refuge and ensure necessities. A little overkill, some would say, considering the level of power he could now exhibit. To be fair, there were existences in this time that were a threat even to the likes of Zeus, so having some caution was warranted. Countless adventures in Chaldea, missions of Alaya, and even the knowledge gained in this life painted dense forests as home to ghastly things. Still…was this really what he was supposed to be afraid of? Sitting on his shoulder was a small puffy little sprite of some sort. He had never seen anything like it in his entire life, both lives even. It was, quite literally, a small circular ball of fluff with eyes. On his head was a small, almost rag doll like spirit, and finally on his right shoulder was a pixie. One of the few fae species that existed in Greece. Apparently, they existed all over the world, who knew. But they were not the only ones. Various nature spirits followed him like he was a long-lost friend. He didn't have the heart to send them off, especially when they were helpful navigating through the rather dense woods. The woods carried ancient and powerful spirits. They were not like the Gods, nowhere near as overbearing, but dangerous and tricky in their own way.

Perhaps he was over thinking it, but only a fool bulldozed through his problems simply because he could. It was one of the first things that Hephaestus had realized with his new life. As a God, a genuine God, there were few that would hold him responsible for his behaviour and even of those few, it was a coin toss if they cared. Who were you, as a person, when there were no consequences to your actions? When you could act and do as you wish, would you act the same? Would you be moral? Or would be immoral. Hephaestus was the captain of his destiny, the master of his soul, and because of that bore the responsibility of his own behavior. When you could act as you wish, that was when discipline mattered most. As he finally exited the trees and saw the coastline, Hephaestus finally realized where it was that he had been sent back to.

"So, it was here," he mumbled.

The island of Lemnos. In ancient myth it was believed to be the island that Hephaestus grew up on and/or made it the home of his personal forge. How ironic he found himself here for the second time in his life. In truth he had never set foot on the mainland after Thetis took him in. In fact, he had never set foot on any land once he was taken to the oceans. But still, the island of Lemnos held a certain sway to him, not to mention that it was uniquely suited with a leyline right in the center of the Volcano. Who was he to spit fate in the mouth if fate's design worked so well for him. Densely forested, with long plains and rolling mountainous hills, the place was free of any human settlements now, though he was certain there were a few villages on the other side of the island. He had to pass through here a few years ago, his wanderlust inviting him to parse through the land by foot, rather than circle around it by sea. He met a female centaur by the name of Kassandra, a lone mare that had been struggling to contain a massive fire that had broken out from the island, and the rumblings of an underground volcano. The volcanic eruption would have devastated the entirety of the island and beyond, and so Hephaestus intervened for both it and the great blaze. It had delayed his trip for several days fixing the problems here, but Kassandra had been good company and the idea of all these spirits and people dying didn't sit right with him. He knew this, for the hill in the distance from this forest was a smoldering bright red rock, leaking with Hephaestus divinity. Kassandra had created the seal, though it was more of a mystical vent really. She created the shell, Hephaestus provided the power and together, they created the means for the land to naturally vent the overbearing mana from the volcano along with its pressure. The fact that it was untouched could only be due to the machinations of the spirits that currently surrounded him. While there were no settlements nearby, he highly doubted the idea that there were no people on the island outright.

Perhaps there was a use for it? It had been left to its own devices for years after serving its purpose, the lands long since settled. There was no danger in removing it and using the material for something else. There was no telling what sort of changes it went through, considering the flexible nature of its own divinity and the nature of this world. Still, that was not where he was at the moment. Making sure to mark the location in his head, he began to move even further through the island. Moving from the forest and through the plains, he eventually brought himself near the shore. He nodded, looking at the area with a discerning eye. A small beach to his right, the forest to his back, and enough open land to do something with. More importantly though…not a single human in sight and not hint of divine energy.

The pain of Caliope still echoed within his heart. It was not the pain of losing a lover, that was a pain he knew all too well as EMIYA. No…rather he had lost someone that he had connected to. She made him smile and enjoy their time together. The way she had flourished and achieved her dreams was nothing short of breath taking. Happiness achieved through one's own hands will always be sweeter than the happiness achieved by the merits of others. She was beautiful and could have possibly become something more...he missed her. He missed the life she should have lived, the life that was hers, forged by her own efforts and struggles. The unfairness of it was what really stung. He knew intellectually there was nothing he could have done. If he knew they were being attacked he would have done everything possible to intervene. The reason he felt so distraught was the idea that he had become complacent. There were forces here he didn't fully understand yet, but he would learn. It was the unfairness of it that fed the brazier of his vengeance the most. Perhaps one could argue it was petty…but he cared not. Whichever God was a part of this would pay, one way or another. There was also the issue of the runaway husband. He knew fear all too well…but it was strange that his spirit was not in the underworld. While his senses were diluted in comparison to his kin, they were far superior to any mortal being. He should have noticed the man there…which meant that he was somehow alive. A project for later though, he had more urgent tasks to take care of. He shuddered a bit at the feeling of the spirits around him cooing, responding to his negative mood. He closed his eyes, feeling the spirits try to cuddle into him more. Their soft furlike bodies were helping, a fact that surprised him. He smiled, picking one spirit up by hand.

"I appreciate this. Truly. But I wish to be alone for the most part."

Politeness appeared to be the key, as the spirits dispersed to give him space. Plans for a grave and memorial were already under way in his head, but there was another reason for his reluctance to sit and wallow. The Master Bolt. The spear of Zeus, it needed to be built. He had given the lord of the Gods his word and there was no way to go back on that promise without severe repercussions. Besides, the work would distract him from the pain for a time, so a win win. After he had settled those debts with Olympus, forging the 12 gods their weapons, then he would have the time to pursue his own goals. He just knew if he didn't the Gods would interrupt at the worst of times…and they didn't need to be involved in this. He couldn't have them involved in this. The politic landscape was simply too broad and quite frankly too damn complicated to navigate it with gut feelings and assumptions. He had a few rough ideas of where to start with an investigation into what happened with Calliope…but the real issue that he was facing currently was the fact that he had no real direction to go for crafting the symbols of power to begin said investigation. The faster he could finish the job, the faster he could chase down those leads. From a warrior's perspective, the idea of anything grandiose was abhorrent. It just needed to accomplish its goals, what did it matter the aesthetics of the item in question? That he could handle. But the Gods were of course difficult. If the appearance was not something worthwhile, then the strength of the weapon mattered little. They would use it, yes, but they would be belligerent about it. Belligerent Gods were less likely to leave him the hell alone. To be fair, they were not just instruments of war, but a physical show of status. A reminder to the lesser Gods that their strength knew no equal. At least, that was the vibe Hephaestus felt from the reactions. He lacks the…unspoken communication and nuances the Gods seemed to have, so he had to make do.

Trying to turn his residence into a secret was a fool's errand. Hermes and various other trickster like Gods would be able to breakthrough without issue. Perhaps if he was a full and true divine entity, his divinity would be enough to block them out. But his fractured nature and limited means of conjuring even basic mortal runes outside of his creations made him doubt his ability to hide his home. He needed one, a home, mainly so that he could have a place to rest. Walking and travelling all these years had created a sense of restlessness within him, a need to settle and simply breathe for a bit. Yet, the idea that he would somehow be felt alone was a foolish one, and so he didn't need see the need to hide his home, not when it was redundant anyway. After all, the secret items he would create already have the best sort of vault there could ever be. Whatever forge he created here paled in comparison to the true forge that lied within his very being. It was a place no one could access without his saying so, literally. So, what better way to fool the unseen enemies and thieves than a place reinforced with incredibly strong defenses and some basic but powerful treasures, hm? Because he had enemies, that was no doubt.

What happened to Calliope was only the reveal, the show of cards that others were playing, that for some reason or another he was a target of some kind. The reasons didn't matter, only the knowledge that the game was being played was important. So, he crafted it without worry. Using projection, enforced with divinity, he created a cabin. It wasn't terribly advanced in comparison to what architectural designs he had knowledge of, but it was far beyond the limits of human creation in this era. He needed assistance though as his magic finalized his creation. While skilled and powerful, he lacked the ability to wield runes as they were intended. His very essence allowed the short cut of transcribing runes with a thought, but the moment it was applied outside of blades and armor…well it fizzled out into nothing, the instinctual stabilization absent. He wanted a warding spell, to keep the humans away. The least he fucked around with their development the better. That and it would further sell this place as his "mortal" residence.

He jerked his head to the left, the scent of the forest strongly filling his nose, an impossibility considering his proximity to the ocean. He mentally prepared a few blades, ready to fire, but relaxed as a familiar face made itself known. Moving beyond any normal comprehension, a female centaur glided across the open grasslands, a large smile on her face. She was exactly as Hephaestus remembered her those years ago. Long chestnut hair, curling around her shoulder and left breast. She wore a green tunic around her chest, the sleeves stopping at her forearms and drapping somewhat over the chest of her equine body. On her back was a garment used for passengers, as she put it, but he could sense the powerful protective charms that were woven into it. An ingenious design, though limited by the material and skill of the maker. The runes and sigils could have been woven with greater care, but that was just his perfectionism showing. It did its job well.

"HEPHAESTUS!" she cried, her human half an extreme example of human physicality. The muscles were large, fitting seamlessly with the muscles of her horse appendages. Her upper body shone with a light sheen of sweat and highlighted the contours of her physicality.

"Kassandra," he responded, nodding.

She gawked at his stature, the way his head was mere inches into her human stomach, when before he was hunched forward closer to her knees.

"You're walking!"

She trotted around him, looking at every inch. She even went as far as to curl her finger into his hair. She shivered at the warm silky feel. Supposedly she stated it was the softest thing she had ever touched. Yes, he was weirded out by that, but he allowed her eccentricities. After all, better an honest person than a liar. That and it was honest affection…something he was in short supply of.

"How!? That's just incredible, the way…"

She lost her smile as she leaned forward as far as her body would let her. A sick expression formed on her face as it dawned on her.

"Your legs," she whispered.

"A necessary sacrifice," smiled Hephaestus, not all bothered by the reality of his impediment and not rightly understanding her sick reaction.

"….right," she muttered, any excuse to not talk about it further taken with gusto.

"It's been a while! I take it you're going to settle here?"

The hopeful expression warmed him. Honestly, if he wasn't looking for Leto that time ago, he might have settled here earlier…was that why he was sent here? A connection of some sort? What did that imply with Styx and her knowledge of him? How much did she know? How much did she see?

"You're doing that spacing out thing again," chuckled Kassandra, flicking his head. She whimpered a bit, shaking her aching finger.

"Apologies, that was rude of me."

Kassandra squealed.

"Oh, I love that little polite thing of yours!"

….what?

"You don't even notice, do you? Oh, not like it matters, half the Gods all talk so rudely! Pan is just a dickhead about, well all this," she said with a smirk, "but even Abredes treats me like a mule."

Pan being a dick was par for the course, but he didn't know the name Abredes…perhaps a divine spirit of some sort? He raised an eyebrow as Kassandra began to rattle off about random passings and goings, spewing the name of nymphs and gods he didn't even know of. He forgot she was quite the gossip and yet…the fact did little to annoy him. Her smile and general energy was more than enough to make him feel welcomed, and that was worth the rambling she carried on with. She muttered for so long that Hephaestus just started to nod along, finishing up more of his little project. The cabin was more a bungalow, a single floor home. He had plans to dig into the cliff side underground in the future, but that was for latter. He wanted his forge to be a "secret", so he had to at least put some effort into it. As she spoke, he started conjuring tools and a fishing rod. He would normally conjure a boat, but considering the creatures that lived in the sea, he'd rather the boat be made with sterner stuff. It wasn't likely that anything COULD break said boat, but he wanted to try his hand at being a shipwright. Kassandra chuckled a bit. She trotted alongside him as they made their way to the woods, Hephaestus intent on finding some materials for both himself and Kassandra.

"Sorry, I know I ramble."

"It's quite alright, I was paying attention. If you don't mind, can you direct me to the trees that are free of any nymphs or spirits? I'd rather not intrude on someone's home."

She gave him a small smile, and from the side of her body, taking something from the clothe draped over her equine form, produced a small staff that looked as if four branches were curled together into one. A magical focus. A shit one at that. He had noticed it years ago and, at the time, made a mental note to improve on the basic design. A note that had been greedily focused on in his time in Leto's separate dimension. Perhaps it would make for a fine gift, for Kassandra's help. Suddenly he was lifted off his feet, his instinct to strike at whatever lifted him taking an immense mental toll. Still, the way Kassandra placed him on her equine back was appreciated, though the grunt she had as she adjusted him was laughable.

"You got heavier!" she grinned, "but I can handle it!" she said, curling her arm.

She trotted through the woods, bending space as she went. What would have taken even him a few hours to cross on foot (assuming he was walking at a human pace), was crossed in mere moments. He focused on the whole process, trying his best to understand it. It was of course a futile effort, his understanding of even the basics of magic and Centaur biology was lacking of course. Still, even as fast as they were travelling, he could see a familiar path, one that Kassandra had taken those years ago in her bid for assistance regarding the death of the island.

"…this is…"

Kassandra smiled,

"You remember?"

"Of course, we are heading to Wis' tree, no?"

Wis, the nymph of what had to be the most ridiculous tree that Hephaestus had ever seen. It was an ancient and powerful tree, one that had long transitioned into a divine state. Though she was not as powerful as a true God, the knowledge she had was extraordinary. It was thanks to her that he learned to consolidate and expunge his own power, creating the sealstone with Kassandra that vented the pressure of the Volcano. She had guided him without restraint. It would be good to see her again. He frowned, feeling Kassandra's temperament settle out. She tore through a subspace of some kind, a hidden creche that separated the nymphs from the humans, and she slowed down. This was the usual method to see Wis…but she was nowhere to be found. Letting Hephaestus jump off her back, she brushed her hand against the trunk of a tree. It stood solitary in its standing amidst a sea of grass, the branches fluttering with melancholy. He knew what this was. He stood beside her, paying his respects.

"When did she pass?"

"A year ago," she whispered, tracing some sort of pattern on the wood.

Hephaestus rubbed his jaw, sighing. He remembered her. Wis was young looking, as all Nymphs were, but she was terribly old. When he had stopped the eruption that was threatening to wreck this island asunder, she was one of the many nymphs of the island to celebrate. She was as bright and youthful as the others, dancing the night away without any signs of weakness or age. His memory was eidetic, so he never truly forgot anything he came across, which was why he found it so strange that she had passed with what he knew. She seemed healthy and strong…than again she wasn't human either.

"I know that Nymphs don't live forever, but the tree merely grows and doesn't die from age or sickness. Her tree was one of the most powerful divine structures I had come across. It seems strange that she just up and died."

Kassandra chuckled, looking at Hephaestus. She gestured to the winds as she spoke, a bittersweet smile on her face.

"I forget sometimes that there are things you don't know. Nymphs like Wis don't really die as much as they transition. She had a strong connection with mother earth, one of the few direct children she had through pollination. She was the oldest living thing on this island. She may not be dead, but her time with this tree had passed."
Kassandra smiled, looking beyond.

"I know Wis will return one day, whatever form she takes, but for now she has left us."

"Is this a common thing? These transitions?"

She shook her head, brushing some markings and stray leaves off the tree. She redrew some sigils, the signs glowing briefly as she reapplied some that were fading.

"Nah. Usually only the direct children of primordials usually elevate like Wis did. Most nymphs die with their tree."
"I…see…than why bring me here?" asked Hephaestus, "surely it's not to harvest her?"

"It," corrected Kassandra, removing her hand, "the absence of its nymph makes this just a normal tree."

He stared at her with a blank expression. She chuckled a bit weakly.

"Ok, fair point. As much as normal a divine tree gets. It's normally not a problem for normal trees…but she grew so large that the tree won't fall through natural means. The energy within it can't revert to the earth if the tree does not fall. You feel that?"

Hephaestus placed his hand on the tree and scowled, focusing his senses deeper than just what he could smell. It took some doing, but he was able to puncture the divinity of the tree. There was a sick energy within it. The outward bark was fine…but the festering energy was far from it.

"Necrosis," explained Kassandra, frowning as she applied more runes. The power within them kept the energy contained, but they were rapidly decaying themselves. "When a nymph dies or leaves a tree, the necrotic energy is usually enough to just topple the tree and fizzle out. A natural process. But her tree is so large and power, that it has gained enough power to create necrotic mana potent enough to infect other living things. It will grow and spread far beyond her little dimension here. Given enough time, the tree will become a cursed structure. Wis asked Pan to sever her tree when she left and…he never bothered to, even after he…extracted his payment."

Ah. He had heard of this before. EMIYA had learned in passing that cutting down trees was a means of caring for large forests. Too many trees in a singular area with create enough shade to kill off smaller shrubbery and the like. But in truth it was the consumption of nutrients in the soil that would kill off smaller and weaker trees, turning them into hazards hosting fungi and flammable material. Granted, it took a lot for a forest to need such a thing. Perhaps this was the divine equivalent? The necrotic energy was obviously created in the separation, one that Wis could not help so she sought the help…wait what?

"Excuse me?"

Kassandra sighed.

"It was fine I just…I just hate that he didn't even keep his word…not that he gave it in the first place."

Disgusting…but par for the course if Greek myths were to be followed. Wouldn't stop him from kicking Pan in the dick though, he liked Wis. Still…Pan? Really?

"Pan…a lord of the wild?"

"THE lord of the wild, but yes that Pan," she smiled.

HA. It was laughable that Pan called himself THE lord of the wild, as if he was the singular entity that reigned over the entirety of the concept. What about Artemis? The nature spirits? Even other minor Gods shared in Pan's domain. From what he could gather these lords of the wild were tasked with maintaining the ecosystems of the supernatural world, with some taking their duties to the natural plane as well. Gaia's chosen if you will. It would seem one wasn't doing their job. The idea that he also took something and didn't even have the balls to do the deed that was requested was even more appalling beyond the sick transactional nature. Still, Pan was not a true God. Divine in nature, yes, but he was not a a God like Hera and the others. He was more like Wis and the other nymphs, a divine spirit.

"Why was he needed? You're strong Kassandra, surely you can cut a tree down?"

Her magic was incredibly potent, even from his memories as a comparison. Kassandra gave him a smile, shyly brushing her hair past her ears.

"Strength has little to do with it. This tree is the centerpiece of these woods. Wis used her own body to center this little subspace. She used it so other nature spirits could escape the Titans and other gods when they came calling. A lot of them like the attention, I'll admit to that. But most just…wanted nothing to do with them. Wis protected those that didn't want to be involved here…"

He turned, looking at all the spirits that had come to the tree in these few fresh moments. The sadness was thick, something that he could almost taste at the back of his tongue. Inevitable it may have been, this separation…but that meant little for the pain it wrought.

"That, and Its bark is far stronger than anything I can deal with," huffed Kassandra, "Magic, fire, even just swinging a damn axe at it has barely dented it. It needs to go Heph…for her. She wouldn't stand for her power, whatever leftover it is, causing pain. If you can use the tree for other stuff, all the better. I know you'd use it right."

He placed a hand on Kassandra's back, well her horse back. Their time together was short, but even Hephaestus felt sympathy for her…enough to ignore that GOD AWFUL nickname. That had Wis had been, for whatever short a time, a wellspring of information. A debt that had been formed from that knowledge…one that appeared he could pay back. Still, he had to make sure.

"It was her final wish?"

She nodded, and he saw numerous other nymphs' gathering around the tree. Their hopeful expressions cemented his decision. As sad as they were that a piece of their protection was being removed, their respect for her last wish was apparent.

"Alright…I'll try."

Time was of the essence it seemed. Every moment the necrotic energies he could sense festering in the tree spread, eating away at the runes. It wouldn't happen today, or even tomorrow. But eventually the runes would no longer be enough to contain this outright spiteful energy. It was strange, smelling the rot and seeing the way the space around it kept crushing it into a single point. It was like a person trying to cram their own hand into the mouth and biting to keep the hand in. It was technically possible, but fuck why would you even bother? Kassandra's sigils drew on the power of the tree itself, thus making it weaker to the rot than it would ordinarily be.

The intent was clear…this tree needed to go. Hephaestus placed his hand against the tree and using structural analysis, tried to garner an understanding of what he was dealing with. He had seen his centaur friend rend the very earth beneath her feet with little issue, a common enough feat in this day and age for a magic user…but the idea that her strength wasn't enough was strange. Energies he couldn't really make sense of where coiling around the tree, screaming and running around without a second thought. Further within the divinity, was a small spark of primordial power, a sliver of a sliver of Gaia's power, left by Wis. So small and potent, that he could understand why Kassandra needed a God to get rid of it. In comparison to himself it was very weak, easy enough to surmount, but it was still beyond mortal magic to remove and sever. Kassandra, for all her inhuman nature, was using mortal magic.

He knew what it was that he needed. From his hands he summoned from within a noble phantasm. While there was a large selection that he still could not access in full, that was merely the instinctive eidetic conscious memory. If given time, the entirety of his reality marble's contents could be called on. Even for a God, infinite weapons took a second to sort through if not memorized. Even the most ridiculous ones needed a second sometimes. Case in point, this one was a noble phantasm that Archer never thought he would need to use. It was the axe of one Paul Bunyon. It was…well it was basically useless, a throwaway item made for a spirit that wasn't even a heroic spirit to begin with. But even so, the axe itself was a weapon that transcended modern materials. A weapon that existed on a spiritual front, not a physical one. One that was formed and tempered with the myth of chopping trees and splitting the very earth. He went next to the tree and prepared to swing. From what Kassandra had described this tree was strong…it would be best to swing with everything he had.

Kassandra shivered as she watched the back muscles on his back expand violently, the pressure brushing some wind on her face. She began to sweat a bit, feeling a strange physical pressure that wasn't there before. She remembered Pan trying to cut the tree down with a single attempt. He used no weapons, but his arm had been wrapped in the full might of the wild.

It did dick all.

Having failed he scampered off, uncaring of the collateral that could be left in his wake. Wis had been horrified. Kassandra remembered holding her for a few days, consoling her. The lord probably believed no one had seen him fail and give up, but Wis knew and so did Kassandra. She had prepared a large ritual to ban the likes of Pan from the island and thus far it worked wonderfully. It was the reason she stayed alive after all. If Pan knew she knew of his failure, he likely wouldn't let him life. Still, happy as she was that Wis' final wish was being granted, the idea of her ex lover's tree being torn apart bit by bit was going to be a bitter hell.

She tensed, watching Hephaestus grunt and swing. She expected an agonizing number of hits. Instead? The wind exploded out with the force of a damn hurricane. She meant that literally. A few spirits even floated off into the air, a shocked expression on their faces as they were launched off into the distance. The mana that she could feel from the wind burst into harmless particles, swirling back into itself to reform. The strange cartoony looking axe tore through the ancient tree, splitting the wood with a keen edge with a loud screeching chunk. Kassandra's hair was blown from the wind, along with all the leaves in the surrounding area, a portion of her upper body lifted off the ground even with her magical assistance. She blinked, registering the absurd strength she had just witnessed. It…it went beyond reason. The might of the Gods indeed. The tree began to fall over…but thankfully her friend caught it with his hand, using his energy to stabilize the trunk as he carefully put it down.

"Do the roots have to be removed?" he asked, turning to her.

She smiled. She had to admit she was concerned when she had learned that Hephaestus had found Leto. After all, it was one thing to be decent when you needed something from someone, it was another thing when you no longer needed something. But thankfully, he was no different. She trotted over, inspecting the stump. She tapped it with her focus, Hephaestus' hand out and near, just in case. She scoffed but appreciated the effort. He was like this before too. Asking how to help, careful of who he was talking to, always polite. Always acting without asking as well. How many "little things" did he do for the spirits around the island, changing their lives with nary a thought or effort, waving off their thanks and appreciation with nary a word. He was nothing like the other Gods, nothing like Pan with his boorish perverted attitude, nor Hecate her previous master. That wasn't to say her master as evil or anything, but she was a cold mistress…but she had some kindness to her. Kassandra gave Wis' stump one last look, before being content.

"No, the tree has been severed and none of the energy remains."

Hephaestus nodded, placing his hands on the stump that remained. He filtered the energy of his body into the stump, letting the earth drink from his divinity. The space shuddered a bit and the blue sky above them became slightly cloudy. The mana of water and fire began to build as the world expanded bit by bit. It took her a moment to realize what he did. He was…he was feeding into Wis original enchantments! Using the stump as the new nexus, he was feeding the original runes and staves his own power, restructuring them into a newly formed and powerful series of protection charms. He couldn't make them, yet, but it was the same way that they had created the venting system those years back. So long as someone formed the outline, Hephaestus' divinity could fill the blanks. An impossibility for other Gods, due to the restraints on their domains. A shard of crimson crystal splintered from the stump, the connective fragment that allowed control of the dimension. He picked it up and tossed it to Kassandra, the cheery mare catching it and staring at it. Wis…she loved this space and the safety it provided for others…to think it would continue. She stared at her friend, words failing her even now. She settled for trying to give him all the appreciation she could in one look. His response was typical.

"What? Whya re you staring at me like that? It wasn't a big deal. No need to fuss over it."

His face was as stoic as always, a serene expression of calmness. She smiled anyway. He was right after all, it really wasn't that a bit a deal, not really. Kassandra had been working on ways to offset the divinity requirements for the dimension for quite some time and had settled on a makeshift variant. It worked, but Gods could invade if they wanted, as the energy was weaker. All he did was feed energy into an existing system. It truly was not a big deal. But it was the fact that Pan and Abredes both didn't bother to do it, even as their divinities allowed it. Pan refused unless all who entered were…willing. Abredes was the local river god and wanted a variety of sacrifices that were simply not on the table. Yet, Hephaestus just did it and passed all control of said energy he funneled right into her hands. Granted, she couldn't do a thing with it without blowing the fuck up, but that was beside the point. It was the principal of the matter.

"…you," whispered Kassandra.

"I remember something, from Wis" explained Hephaestus, staring at the stump, "that giving back was just as important as giving away. This tree…I can make quite a few things with it. Seemed only right to give something in return."

It was like the wind had caressed his cheek, a quiet whisper of thanks echoing across the space. He placed his hands on the severed remains of the tree and absorbed what little of the primordial spark remained. He was interested in seeing what it could do within his own world. He immediately knew replicating the damn thing was impossible. A raw primordial spark like that could never truly be replicated…but he could use it as a source of raw mana. He could feel the way the earth mother's power saturated itself into his reality marble, coalescing into a form that he would review later. It did not merge with him, such a thing simply not being possible, but the material it had become within him was a different story. A time for later. Besides, he wasn't lying about what he said to Kassandra.

The ancient woods that he copied for the bow of Apollo and Artemis were of the highest and pure quality. But this tree? This was the actual ancient tree born from a child of Gaia…it was about equal to the divine wood he could produce through his reality marble. What was different was the stark earthen quality it had to it. The divine wood used previously was effectively a blank slate, pure and divine, but lacking any qualities beside this. But the tree he just cut down was saturated with natural power…it was the perfect material to make for anything that dealt with nature magic or items that would be attuned to it. His first thought was Kassandra, creating a focus for her. His other was Demeter. The wood here would be perfect for a sickle…though he wasn't entirely certain she would be open to that being her symbol of power. Shit, if he wanted to do this right, he might just have to return to Olympus after creating Zeus' new bolt.

He rose, nodding politely to the nymphs that crossed his path. He shook his head as Kassandra gestured for him to hop on her back. At least this time she let him clamber on. He was an adult for Chaos sake, he could get himself up thank you.

"Now about the,"

He turned and blinked at the sight of several nubile women huffing this tree over their shoulders without a problem.

"….oh, thank you."

They nodded in thanks, chirping in response in a language he couldn't decipher. The giggles they had didn't help. The dimension was strong and with Kassandra at the helm, they left with little issue. She started at a slow trot before bending space again. Kassandra was strangely quiet on their ride back. They made excellent time, traversing far faster than the Nymphs obviously. Situated back at his cabin, with nary a sight of God or man…it was a good day. He wasn't prepared for any of that. Wis' passing may not have been as painful as Calliope and her family, but it still sucked. But the fact that he had preserved both her intent and her last wish made him feel good. That he was still useful. It was selfish to derive happiness from helping others, yes. But Gods and humans were ultimately selfish creatures. It felt good to help them as he did, even if he gained fantastic future material in the trade-off. But now, he just wanted to spend some quiet time. So, when the nymphs arrived with the tree, he politely directed them to place it wherever. They were quick to pick up on the mood and thankfully let him be. Kassandra was enough company, her current quiet mood working just fine for him. He looked to the sea, losing his thoughts to the sight of the water calmly splashing and churning away. The smell of the ocean…it always calmed him. No matter Thetis purpose in "raising" him, he was always thankful that she had brought him down to the ocean depths. Better there than the surface after all.

"You ok?"

He smiled, looking at the distant sand, feeling the soft earth beneath him.

"…no…but I will be. You?"

She sighed, a weak smile on her face. She sat next to him, her equine legs kneeling comfortably beside him, easily within arms length. Thankfully, she didn't touch him. Perhaps it was that common sense people babbled on about that he could never fully grasp. She struggled to say something, but settled with his own words.

"No…. but I will be."

"I believe you should be able to see Wis again, no?"

"Wasn't it you who always said there was no such thing for sure thing?"

"I said there is no such thing as a garuntee but yes, fair point."

Kassandra felt a tear or two flow, old but unfinished tears.

"It…won't be the same."

He turned to her.

"Me and Wis…we were together."

"I see…and she…oh."

Kassandra nodded, looking at the vast water, as if it would give her answers.

"She kept saying she was setting me free…whatever the fuck that means."

Kassandra laughed; her throat tight.

"She didn't know how long she would be, or if she'd be the same, a bunch of other stuff she kept…spewing! Eventually she just told me to…let us drift. That it was ok for things to end. That it was ok for me to move on."

She gestured to Hephaestus, a small witty grin.

"I think it was the age difference. Scared her off. Or something."

He shrugged.

"Some can't overcome such a thing. I guess even Nymphs are no different."

They sat in silence. They watched the sun begin to dim, and Hephaestus smiled at the beautiful stars and moon that began to become visible. Kassandra turned to him, her head hovering over his own.

"That was a nice thing you did," she smiled, "stabilizing that space. Look at you! You've come so far with magic!"

"I barely did a thing. I merely empowered the space with raw energy. It was the effort of Wis that allowed such a thing to even matter."
The mare blinked, confusion written clearly.

"Didn't Leto teach you or something? If not Leto than what teacher were you even talking about?"

"No, the celestial mother did not teach me. Our agreement kept me far away from her on a regular basis, though she did teach me some spells…though the fundamentals she discussed were…too divine in nature. I need the true fundamentals, the kind that I can rework as needed. The coven proves difficult to find. Even the celestial mother did not know where the mother of witches set up camp."

Leto may not have known, but he knew precisely where they were…kind of. Circe's island was the most logical place for the coven to be now. The issue was that he didn't want to be skewered or obliterated by simply showing up. At some point the location of Circe's island would become known…but that time wasn't now. If he hazards a guess, the coven obviously moved from the island once it's location became known. No, if he wished to be taught…than he needed to do it right.

"I get not wanting to draw attention here…but, I got to say it. Hecate, she won't teach you." stated Kassandra.

He turned to her, a rather disbelieving expression. Rueful too from the reckless use of names. Kassandra merely shrugged. He felt the need to prompt her, scoffing at her certainty.

"Surely a trade for some basic lessons can be made? I understand not teaching me the specifics of her domain, but I doubt she would avoid teaching me the basics, even lessons from a student or something would suffice."

He didn't need much. He just wanted to make sure that he wasn't going to accidentally create life out of nowhere. The Gods did that on a frequent enough basis that there was for sure accidents all the time. He refused to believe the platypus, adorable as it was, was not in fact a Gods fuck up. He would rather avoid that thank you. Leto, for all her power, lacked the ability to teach him beyond "just do it". He hated that it worked for some things, but he needed more precision. More control!

"….Heph…you're a guy."

Again with that stupid nickname.

"…and?"

"She only teaches witches. That's her literal thing!"

"….are you seriously telling me there is a gender requirement?"

"What made you think there wasn't?"

"….you're serious," growled Hephaestus, sighing at his bad luck. Hecate was the obvious choice.

"Besides, she's a chthonic Titan anyway, she can't leave the underworld for a prolonged period of time."

….well fuck.

"Great," he muttered, rubbing his hand across his scratchy jaw, "so I have to look elsewhere."

"Not really," smiled Kassandra, "we're neighbors now! I don't mind giving you some pointers! I was taught by her after all."

He turned to her, incredulous.
"What?"

Kassandra nodded, smiling shyly.

"I uh learned a few things from Wis to, so theres that as well!"

"How on earth did you managed to get taught by her in the first place?"

"…never did tell you how I left my herd, did I?"

"I know you mentioned it was a sore topic on those few days we had. In that case, ignore my curiosity, there's no need to dredge up something like this for no reason."

Kassandra chortled, standing up. She shook her legs in a human like manner (it was a little disturbing, Hephaestus would admit), she took a deep breath.

"No. I've told Wis because I trusted her. Our time together was…it was awesome," she smiled, rubbing the clothe that adorned her back as a makeshift saddle/storage.

She turned to him, a serene smile.
"I trust ya, Heph."

"Stop calling me that," he grumbled, "you make me sound like a child."

"….but you are," she laughed, "you're barely in your fifties!"

Ah, that. It was easy to forget that Kassandra was easily well over a century old. In human terms, she was in a similar stage as an early adult.

"yes, yes you're older than me. Continue."

He rose, following her as she began to leave traces of her magic over his cabin. Sigils and staves of protection. He hummed, appreciating the effort.

"Anyway Heph."

Appreciation rescinded.

"Centaurs are a…energetic bunch," she grinned, "always moving and living freely! The wind at our backs, the sun over our heads. Theres nothing quite like riding with your herd."

Ah, so that's where humans got the word from…maybe? Probably not.

"But me, I was always different. They didn't appreciate what I was."

"…a Lesbian?"

"….what on Gaia's great tit is a fucking Lesbian?"

He rose an eyebrow, realizing quickly that he used modern language.

"A woman that seeks love and affection from other women?"

She turned to him, her expression looking at him like he was the biggest retard to ever retard in retard history.

"What? That's…what? No it's because I use magic. They have a word for that, a Bruuuuho."

"A bruho?"

"Bruuuuho."

She turned another corner around his cabin, shaking her head with a weak smile.

"You say the weirdest stuff Heph. Anyway, they don't like magic."

"….seriously?"

She turned to him, a rueful smile.
"Weird right? I mean we are half horse and half human in appearance. We're basically walking, talking, magic."

"Precisely? Why would they care if you practice its use?"

The look she gave told him everything. The pain was clear. Stupid as it was, it was still a thing.
"They cared a lot. Kicked me right out of the herd after my magic went a little wild…havn't seen ma or pa in…in a long time. It was during my run from ho….from the herd that Hecate found me. Apparently being yelled at and called a Bruuuuho was enough to summon her."

OK seriously what the hell was the translation for Bruuuuho, it was definitely no word that had an equivalent to any language Archer/Hephaestus had ever heard across their lifetimes. Is this what learning new shit felt like? It was awesome.

"She took you in," supplied Hephaestus, "taught you?"

"Yup. Said she was interested in how far a Centaur apprentice like me could go. Spent a decade amongst them…realize it wasn't my style. They seemed really pissed when I left though, I mean I had made some friends but they told me not to come back. Like come on," she said with an eyeroll, "get over yourselves."

"I see…you are willing to teach me?"

She turned, facing him fully as they stood at the front of his cabin. The light of the stars shone on her and Hephaestus felt for the first time what it must be like to have a friend. He had felt a glimmer of this feeling before, in his youth as EMIYA (Shirou Emiya), but this felt heightened more…raw. She made him laugh…and per presence was calming. Something he didn't know he needed with Calliope. He spoke without thinking, the words flowing before he could stop them. The relief he felt as he finished was immense, the pain raw and stiniging, but no longer contained. He didn't feel better talking about it…but he certainly felt more relieved having done so.

Her crocodile tears he could do without though. Her nose was running and everything for Gods sake!? She lunged forward.

"HEPH!"

Before he could even speak to reject it, she already crushed him into a hug, his chin resting on her chest. It was comfortable, a small primal part spoke, but damn it HE WAS NOT A FUCKING CHILD!

"UNHAND ME!" he grunted, with a noticeable lack of resistance in contrast to his tone.

"NO!" she whimpered, "you need a hug you emotional retard!"

He stared at her; his face was stupefied by her response.

"What?"

"WHAT KIND OF LUNATIC CUTS OFF HIS OWN LEGS!"

"Why are you bringing that up?" he asked.

He sighed, lamenting the way that she just kept yammering on, all her self-control spent. He knew she was emotional, but this felt like it had come out of…no…he relaxed. He carefully pushed his arms through hers, his strength great enough that it wasn't difficult. She stiffened in surprise as he used his arms to return the hug, staying silent. Perhaps this wasn't as out there as he thought. There were things he missed, socially…but he knew that Kassandra was more of a giver than a taker. How much of this hug was for him as it was for her? A way to comfort him but seek some small comfort in return? It seemed they both sucked at asking for comfort…and preferred giving it instead. He sighed, finding the way that she was basically loafing him around detestable…but the warmth and comradery was nice…and you know what…he deserved it after all the bullshit. He let her warmth suffuse over him, returning what warmth he could in return. They stayed like that for a time, finding comfort in one another in their silence. Two souls brought back together, sharing in desperation. When she finally let him go, her face was bright red, embarrassed. Her face was filled with tears, that she kept trying her best to brush away with her shoulder.

"I…I really hope you don't misunderstand," she said, setting him down, rubbing her hands over her tears, "I like you buddy, really, I do. But I don't want you thinking I LIKE you, I just, I needed-"

"I know," whispered Hephaestus, a small smile growing, "I needed it to. More than I knew apparently."

"Well, you are emotionally re-"

"It might have been funny the first time but don't push it," he grunted, silencing whatever retort she was likely to fire at him.

That appeared to be exactly what she needed as she just laughed. They laughed together for a moment, and Hephaestus looked upon the beauty of the night sky. He realized that he never thought to ask Kassandra where iut was that she stayed for the night. He heard Centaurs roamed the open plains as a herd, but they were group together and were unlikely to face predators.

"Where are you staying?"

"What?"

"Your residence, where is it?"

She blinked.

"I…just sleep outside Heph. I'm a centaur?"

He felt his brow twitch at the tone she was using. He was not an idiot damnit, she was! She must have been freezing outside, not to mention how indefensible it was just standing there sleeping?! No, it was unacceptable how stupid this was.

"You'll be here tonight," he said, brokering no argument, "give me a moment."

A snap of a finger and a show of power, and her own little stable was made. It wasn't the stable of many horses, the interior hollowed out for her own use and the size of a standard two bedroom home in modern comparisons. But it was more than enough to cover her from the elements. The scent of rain was getting stronger. He was a little worried it was Zeus, but thankfully there was pointed lack of divinity.

"…fine," she smiled, "I guess I can stay. Thanks, Heph."

"Seriously stop calling me that."

She looked at him, the stern and serious expression so unmoving, it made mountains look meek.

"No."

He blinked as she trotted off, staring at her with a contemplative expression.

"Why am I friends with you?"

"HA!" She yelled out, waving back, "YOU CAN'T TAKE IT BACK!"

He smiled, shaking his head. Tomorrow was a new day, one filled with what he needed to do for Calliope…and for Zeus. Still…it was nice to have a friend through it. The staves were through-out the property, so she was just as protected as he was. Physically he felt as strong as ever but…mentally he needed sleep. He really hoped he didn't sleep for a decade or something weird like that. It took some time getting used to the idea that he didn't need to sleep for years at a time. Apparently, Gods did sleep, but it was more for pleasure and passing time than anything. He rolled his shoulders and went into the cabin, intent on a perfect night's sleep. A small crow cawed from the woods, the small woodland creatures and their restlessness like a melody for Hephaestus heightened senses. He could hear Kassandra's breathing grow steady…but he didn't close his eyes until he was confident, she was asleep as well.

-The next day-

Waking up, sensing Kassandra, had been cathartic than Hephaestus realized. The idea that he wasn't alone physically was more of a balm than he was frankly comfortable with. He felt…weak for it, as that was the only way that he could rightly put it. Thankfully he didn't have to talk with Kassandra about it at all, making their newfound living situation more uncomfortable. The day had been spent creating a roost for Ifrit, who had arrived not a moment after the rising sun hit Hephaestus face from a window in his cabin. Together with Kassandra, the two of them centered on creating a sense of…remembrance for Calliope and her family. With the knowledge that they were safely in the underworld, there was no reason for tombstones (though they were called seal stones by some), but he still wanted something. He had settled with weaving some cloth. Alteration on some of the fabric that Kassandra had access to make this easier than he thought. He created a large, thick, sheet of red cloth, the same shade as that child's hair. He wrapped the shroud around his shoulders, intent on carrying it until he avenges the family entirely. A means to ensure that he never forgot his self-imposed goal, no matter the obstacles that he encountered. It sat comfortably on his shoulders and reminded him of the shroud of Martin. He still itched to wear the shroud outright, but for now it would come with questions he had no desire to answer.

Then came the lessons that Hephaestus sought. Kassandra, at night, began to teach her friend all that she knew. They started slow, of course, as Kassandra quickly learned that Hephaestus, for all his power, was quite frankly horrible at free form magic. It started with learning the runes and sigils of the witches, the way that they carved and used materials to augment their basic spell craft. Three days flew by as Hephaestus divulged himself entirely into the study of magic, already seeing the opportunities that lied beyond this hurdle. On the fourth day he took a break, insistent on finding the means to forge the Master Bolt, which resulted in their current dilemma.

"So, you're gonna use that, what you call it?"

"Fulgerite."

Kassandra poked the lightning baked glass. She shivered feeling the minute traces of Zeus' power. There was no divinity there, but the "identity" of the lightning was obvious. A mark of territory in a way. Hephaestus turned to Kassanda, pointing at the tragments of glass that they found from the lightning storm days ago.

"I'm going to summon the messenger. Make yourself sparse. I'd rather you not be here."

Rather than joke around, Kassandra made herself sparse, disappearing into the pocket dimension that Wes had left behind. Hephaestus surged his divinity and stated just a name.

"Hermes."

"How can I help you cuz?"
He turned around and sure enough, the sandy blonde youth was before him again. Hermes was living lightning, his arms and legs coursing with electrical currents. It was visually impressive, until one remembers that such a show was more an inexperience with restraining ones divinity, than it was a natural consequence of his body. Some Gods could appear this way naturally, Hermes was not one of them. It was obvious that it was mostly for showing off though.

"I need you to send a message for Zeus."

"Oh?"

Hephaestus produced some Drachmae, tossing a few coins Hermes way. They disappeared into Hermes outright, the messenger smirking.

"Alright. What's the message."

Hephaestus pointed at the beach, the product of the efforts between him and Kassandra. It had taken roughly an hour to turn the entire beach into fine quartz sand in a way that had left him satisfied. He didn't need Kassandra, but she had been a help lugging any of the impurities that had formed from the process.

"I need Zeus to strike this sand with his divinity, using lightning."

"…is…is that it?"

"If he wants a weapon the likes of which Apollo and Artemis use, than yes."

"…oh…well…here."

He flipped Hephaestus back three of the four coins that he had payed the messenger.

"FYI cuz, four drachmae is usually for delivery and other stuff like that."

With a pop the God disappeared…and the skies darkened. Hephaestus began huffing it, momentarily forgetting the instantaneous nature of the Gods. Thankfully his own divinity was more than enough to withstand the unreasonably huge lightning strike that struck the beach. What was once a beach of fine sand, was now home to an entire segment of divine fulgurite, the kind that could he used to create the master bolt. It was an impossibly azure color, and Hephaestus greedily picked every ounce of it up, storing it within. Like he needed these things out in the open. Besides, he already had a build idea. The divine weapons were surprisingly easy to make, when one thought about it. Gods, by their very nature, could invoke the effects they wanted themselves. They were restricted by the nature of their domains, but anything within them was free range for the God in question. Unlike humans, who could benefit entirely from mystical weapons, Gods were above such things…supposedly. What they needed was simply something that could withstand their might. The divine crystals, when used in conjunction with Hephaestus domains, would allow that. He had everything he needed. Time wasn't a factor, as he could simply work through the night for several years again without concern for his health. Creating the spear was near completion. Hermes saw where he lived, which meant the location of his home/fake forge, was now in the wild.

Kassandra trotted back, whistling at the beach and the remnants of the divine might that was just inflicted on it. Thankfully the water spirits and nymphs were unharmed, Zeus at least having the sense to prevent harm in his brothers domain.

"Damn! Did you get what you needed?"

Ifrit cawed, landing on Hephaestus shoulder for some affection, one that he freely gave. He rubbed the crest and beak of his fiery bird.

"yes, I have everything I need. I'll finish working on it tonight, but for now we should be settled. Hows the farm?"

Kassandra grinned, pointing at the acre of land they we reusing.

"Going well. The forest and sea nymphs have all pitched in with getting it up to standard. You got enough blessings in that there that I'm a little concerned we'll make more than we need."

"I'm sure many of the forest critters will have their share."

Kassandra inched her hand towards Ifrit, a common practice since he had arrived. Finally, after days and reassurances from Hephaestus, the mighty phoenix allowed Kassandra to touch him. Ifrit, much like Hephaestus himself, had an aversion to touching for the most part. It stiffened as Kassandra softened her touch, caressing the warm but soft feathers. She leaned forward, smiling.

"Thank you Ifrit. Ah, you're just so adorable! I'll stop petting ya now."

She turned to Hephaestus, grinning as she created some sigils in the air.

"Well apprentice, ready for more lessons?"

He smirked, intent on mastering at least two of the sigils today. He almost had them…even if they were the basic equivalent of the letter A in the mystical language. As night fell, Hephaestus retreated into his cabin, bidding Kassandra goodnight. Within his own forge he was intent on crafting a strong and powerful weapon…but resisted. For now, he would create a weapon of the same quality as Apollo and Artemis. A sense of progression in his craft was a smart idea, and in time he would understand more of the political landscape that was the Olympian Pantheon. Better to keep his full potential in reserves, especially when he didn't know precisely who was against him at this time. The crystals within him were manipulated to converge into themselves, his domain twisting and churning his divine energies into crafting the weapon to be perfectly aligned with Zeus himself. The crystal was condensed and sharpened into a spear.

Though the design was more of a pike than a spear, it was still aerodynamically accurate. It was swirled with white gold and standard gold enamel, to give the weapon a more metallic look. Space was put between the two metals to better vent the pressure of the weapon. Thankfully, the metals were treated and infused with traces of the fine particles of Zeus' divinity via crystal hardening. A process that was only possible in his domain it would seem. The weapon was effectively done, the process taking a careful few hours at his expense. Than he noticed something. His divine senses were not reacting to anything. There was absolutely nothing wrong. But his nose smelled a rich scent of herbs and darkness. It smelled Magecraft, or some approximation of it.

He busted out of his cabin as fast as he could, following the scent straight into the woods and deep through the area. He rushed, pushing legs faster and faster, his divinity empowering his physical form. He ran for what seemed like a solid 28 minutes…right back to Wis, tree. He shoulder charged through the dimension, the barrier between the physical world and it weaker than it should. Something had woven itself in. He smelled Kassandra before his vision cleared up, could hear her distressed breath, he shouted Ifrits screeching behind him.

"KASSANDRA!"

His vision cleared…and there was Kassandra struggling against the stump of Wis' tree. She was enshrouded in ethereal green tendrils of energy. The energy was permeating through the hand of one woman. She was tall, impossibly so for a human woman. Easily 7 feet, minimum. She was fit and muscular, her abs showing a clear dedication to martial fitness. Floating around her were two focuses, made purely from divinity. Her ensemble seemed like a Greek sinpired medival witch, complete with a large witch hat. While a cloth covered her lower face, her dusty skin and green eyes left nothing to the imagination. She turned to him, her ethereal eyes digging into him.

"…so another here to suffer for you."

Hecate…the Goddess of magic. Around here were numerous nymphs, unconscious and burnt from whatever magics Hacate used. He couldn't care less. All he saw was Kassandra, terrified. All he saw was his friend chained down. He didn't give a shit anymore about learning from this witch.

"LET."

Never again.

"HER."

Ifrit screamed as its flames billowed even hotter.

"GO!"

Hecate raised an eyebrow, surprised at the fact this young Godling was a match for an Olympian. But she was no minor Goddess. No, she was the chthonic goddess of magic and witchcraft. She was an equal, if not a superior. His divinity did nothing to her…though she appreciated his restraint regarding his fire. She watched as he absorbed the ambient heat from the phoenix. She was impressed that Golding manage to tame such a creature, but that was neither here nor there.

"She has broken the pact, child. She must pay the price of it."

"There has been no agreement." He muttered.

She scoffed, wondering where he had the audacity to disagree with her. That was until she saw his eyes. Gold and piercing, like only one other.
"Ah…Hera's boy."

She reveled in the victory of watching him squirm at her title for him. Still, if he shared his mother's potency for omniscience…than this just got a little harder.

"You do not understand what you are meddling with."

"Neither do you," scowled Hephaestus, letting his divinity increase once more.

The two locked eyes, stuck in a standstill…neither willing to backdown. Their divinity kept fighting each, each a match for the other. Eventually though, one would crack…and the true battle would begin.

-The End-

Trying cliffhangers. I hate em to, but this one was too juicy not to try! Hope you enjoyed the chapter, see you next time!

Next Chapter Updates: Legend of the Strawhats/Kintsugi

If Kintsugi gets done before Legend of the Strawhats, I'll get that done to!