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 a 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).

10. Chapter 10: (Beta'd)

Author's Note: Hello folks, I hope you enjoy this longer chapter as a Gift for the new year! Presented by yours truly and beta'd by the one and only Will S. Lavi! I hope you had a merry holiday season!

Anyways, ON TO THE CHAPTER!

Kintsugi Chapter 10:

Hephaestus stared ahead, blankly wondering how his life became…well like this.

"And you need to make sure you're eating properly! Divine energy may substitute your lacking nutrition, but that's no excuse to simply ignore it!"

He thought that EMIYA's experience was invaluable, that with it, he could analyze his way out of situations with ease or, at the very least, have some direction, and that his original history would back him up on what he was lacking.

"Also, for the love of anything existing beyond us, WASH YOUR LEGS! I don't care how mystical you've made these– what did you call them again?"

"…Prosthetics."

"Yes, those! I don't care if you have enchantments that kill infections and bacteria, your body is still mortal and the idea that you're just ignoring that is just entirely unhealthy, not to mention completely disgusting! CLEAN YOUR WOUNDS!"

He was wrong. So terribly wrong. Apollo did not find him disgusting. Oh no, the lord of medicine viewed him not with contempt…but sorrow. The problem wasn't this strange empathy he had. Rather, it was the fact that Hephaestus was likely the one and only patient he could enact this aspect with. Gods didn't get hurt the same way mortals do, and even mortals could not be worked on without bending and twisting the divine rules.

The medicine that Apollo practiced would only assist so far, and be enacted so deeply on whatever injuries did last on the Gods. Barring Typhon and other such monstrosities, not much could bring lasting harm to gods, much less an Olympian. Hence, the younger god's focus on him.

This horrible focus.

Hephaestus just gave up, letting Apollo rummage his hands and divinity all through his body. On the surface, Apollo's hands merely grazed his form, checking for abnormalities like any doctor. But the lord of the sun's divinity had long since analyzed his flesh from head to toe.

"AND ANOTHER THING!"

Hephaestus looked up, a strangely cowed and confused expression meeting the stern and lofty Apollo's.

"YOU!"

A finger was jammed into his chest.

"ARE!"

Again.

"GOING!"

A third time.

"TO ROUTINELY CHECK IN! GOT IT!"

He nodded.

Like a switch, the stern expression vanished, replaced with a dopy and happy expression, complete with Apollo's eyes closing.

"Great! Now, do take those supplements. Hm?"

Ah, that. They were not the pill structures EMIYA had known of in life. Rather, Apollo generated tinctures and potions, each filled with what he needed. They were all mixed into one drink and presented to him. Apollo would have been the father of Alchemists if Hecate hadn't already beaten him to it.

Hephaestus looked around the temple-like room that he was in. It was completely open, with several of what he assumed to be the muses all loitering around and giggling at the two of them. Some of them played soft and quiet music, creating an ambiance that was both calming as it was strange. Hephaestus looked at the vile concoction in his hands, the green liquid still bubbling. He looked up at Apollo. He grimaced, deciding to just get it over with. If he wanted him dead, he could have just shot him.

Throwing his head back, Hephaestus chugged the entire potion. The flask was easily the size of his fist. The liquid hit the back of his throat. It was a disgusting mix of pomegranate and peach, all tinged with a woodsy aftertaste. Hephaestus powered through and sighed as he stared at it.

"So?"

He looked at Apollo, his eyes shining with expectation.

"…it…is an acquired taste."

Apollo frowned.

"You don't like it?"

"No."

Apollo slumped his shoulders and immediately, one of the muses rushed into his side. Her voice uttered no words, merely the sounds of countless instruments all at once.

"Oh, I'm fine," smiled Apollo. "It's imperative to get critical feedback for one to improve."

Apollo spread his arms open, his bright expression illuminating the sky. Literally. The sun burned even brighter, the light bringing a sense of levity as he smiled.

"So! What can I do to improve it?"

"…just don't mix different tastes without having someone taste it. Just use peach or whatever else you want."

Just let me leave was the thought that echoed through Hephaestus' head. He was weak to this sort of thing, the idea of being helped. It was rude to just leave without notice and similarly, to simply ask for help. His entire being was centered on the idea of self-reliance to a rather unrealistic degree, leaving him wide open to genuine desires to help just like Apollo's.

"I see, I see…alright then. Like I said, make sure you take those supplements every day! Your body needs nutrients if it's going to grow! Divine energy has supplemented you a lot, obviously, but if you want to be at your strongest you have to eat every day, even if you don't feel like it!"

Apollo flew up, twisting in the air in an entire body stretch, smiling as his symbol of power rested on his chest, a few strings plucked away.

"Your body is a mix of the divine and mortal. You can't just assume that you feel fine and thus are fine. Your body lacks the basic nutrition it needs, even though it feels satiated. But, with my supplements, there would be no reason for you to overeat and you get everything you need!"

It tasted like vomit and had a consistency like sludge. But fuck if it kept him regularly energized, why the hell not? His body deconstructed everything it needed at a far faster rate than humans did. The moment he swallowed that strange elixir, he felt energized in a way that EMIYA rarely experienced in their youth. A good sleep and a good meal…when was the last time he had that?

"Aren't I the greatest?!"

Hephaestus chuckled at the childlike enthusiasm Apollo held. It was like a kid searching for a compliment. Hephaestus stood from the bench he was seated on.

"I never would have thought to check," he admitted.

He bowed. A small smile on his face.

"Thank you, Lord Apollo, for the concern."

"Of course! We Olympians have to stick together! Between you and me, not a fan of the queen myself, so helping you gets to bug her, then that's even better!"

Apollo grinned, floating beside Hephaestus as he moved to exit his temple.

"Being here is a dream come true…so why don't you stay? We can spend more time together if you do!"

He raised an eyebrow. It blurted out without a thought, the words that came next.

"If you want more of my instruments Lord Apollo, you need merely to ask."

Apollo blinked, a small smile growing on his face. His eyes shone like the sun, as in the entire eye itself and not just the irises. His smile faded somewhat but was quick to return.

"I can see why you'd think that. I enjoy talking with you Hephaestus. You bring a sense of…bluntness to the conversation that many lack. Most just murk their words with me,"

The light that was Apollo dimmed somewhat.

"…or avoid me," he muttered.

Hephaestus didn't have the chance, nor care, to investigate further. Instead, Apollo exploded in motion, now in front of Hephaestus, stopping in his tracks.

"It's why the muses are such a dream for me. Ah, do you have any idea what it is like as an artist to not have feedback!"

Apollo smiled at the muses, the group of women giving him a wave and even a few kisses sent his way.

"It's aggravating!? Can you imagine just…meandering through life believing that you are something, but what you produce is just…formulaic!?"

Apollo cringed, leaning into Hephaestus' ear.

"Can you imagine just…leeching off of old methods? Eww."

Strange as it was…he understood where he was going with this. Hephaestus nodded, crossing his arms.

"I admit…the idea of relying on a singular method is just- "

"Aggravating/Aggravating!"

Apollo said the word just as Hephaestus said it…though he had harmonized with the raspy voice of Hephaestus flawlessly. Apollo smiled.

"You get it! You know what it's like to be an artist! To have ideas crawling and fighting, to just want to express it!"

Apollo held his harp bow.

"This…when I saw this, I knew I was with a kindred spirit. So, trust in my words that you're amongst friends here! So, don't be shy and visit often! Besides, I need to check in and make sure you're doing alright! Well, that and study you. The idea that mortals and gods could breed was an impossibility until you!"

Apollo took a thoughtful expression.

"I mean Dionysus was close, but his mother wasn't fully mortal to begin with if I recall…hmmm…might need to check in with him if that's the case."

Hephaestus nodded,

"I get it. I'll make sure that I drink…whatever you call this stuff,"

"Supplements!"
"Not exactly what I meant," thought Hephaestus.

"Yes, that. Is fourteen days alright with you?"
Apollo grinned.

"So soon! Thanks, friend!"

….ah right. Time was different for thew Gods. Two weeks must have felt like a short time frame with them.

"Thank you. If you'll excuse me, I have to return home. I must prepare for Lady Demeter."

Apollo nodded.

"Gotcha. Oh, drop the lord stuff with us, I don't need that. Friends certainly don't, right?"
Friend. Huh. Apollo was certainly not someone he had expected to hear that from…but then again there were not many Gods that could equate themselves to Apollo so clearly. He didn't know much of the friendships that Apollo had cultivated in his life from EMIYA's perspective. Lovers galore, yes…but friends? Well, this wasn't that world and so far, Apollo seemed genuine.

"Of course, Apollo. I won't forget."

He beamed.

"I'll have Hermes bring the rest of your stuff later!"

"My stu–"

A blinding light seared his vision…and he found himself back home.

"-ff…why does this keep happening to me?"

It was appreciated, yes. But it was still aggravating, enough to the point of setting a new goal. Teleportation. An intriguing challenge, especially considering he knew fuck all about the mechanics of it, the mysticism, and what else have you.

There were certainly theories yes, knowledge from his past both divine and mortal. But that was the same as understanding the concepts of science and being a scientist. You could understand the terms and connections, didn't mean you could reverse engineer it.

Hence the enjoyment. He must have looked silly, a large smile on his face as he made his way home. He was teleported a few ways off from his house, but it wasn't that far off either. A few of the spirits were quick to welcome him back. He could feel the stability of the island had returned to its normal levels. But that was no longer a focus for him.

They didn't need him for what remained of the recovery. It must have been going swimmingly, for as he neared his home the sound of hooves echoed. His smile grew, his eyes crinkling at the sight of his friend.

The word had a fresh taste for him.

"HEPH!"

What smile existed on his face ceased at that moment. The fresh taste echoed within now soured, as she lifted him off the ground.

Again.

She almost barreled him over as she grabbed at him in a display of affection, rubbing his hair as she held him. His face grew more stoic, but that just egged her on further. She chortled a bit, putting him down and rubbing a hand on his head.

"Kassandra," he nodded, shaking his head lightly.

"You're back so quickly!" she smiled, "you'll be happy to know all the damage has been repaired!"

He rolled his eyes at the praise, making her chortle.

"Oh, enough of that. The nymphs you healed made the recovery all the faster. Actually…how did you do that?"

He shrugged. From what he knew, his divinity was not the norm. Apollo had mentioned that the imperfections of his divinity were strangely flexible. From the lord of medicine's own mouth, his divinity could be used to supplement the weakening of others, giving them strength when their own faltered.

It wasn't healing in the traditional sense, but more so a reserve of energy the entity in question would normally never have. Apollo was quick to point out that it wasn't repairing the damage directly, but merely giving the entity the means to heal themselves with a surplus of power.

If given to a human…well, they'd detonate. But for divine sponges like Nymphs? Well…they'd also detonate unless you were him apparently.

He understood the dangers immediately after Apollo had explained it to him, though Hephaestus could have done without the hour-long lecture. He grimaced slightly, remembering all the colorful words Apollo used to describe his stupidity and all the possible ramifications his use of divinity could have wrought. It felt that every time he had a grasp on things, there was just something new to learn…it was strangely gratifying.

"Kassandra," he spoke, turning to her. "I will be leaving in a few days for Demeter, to forge her symbol. While I am unimpeded, it is best to focus on the needs of those remaining. We may have healed the damages, but that does not mean our work is done."

She smiled softly, standing taller.

"You're right. Still, working ourselves to the bone doesn't help anyone either."

Hephaestus smirked.

"You'll find my bones are anything but normal."

She stared at him oddly, wondering what he meant by that. Still, she knew better than to argue. While much of her friend remained a mystery, his stubbornness she was more than aware of.

"Alright then, if that's what you want. There's a human settlement near the edge of the island. They used to be near the center but after their fields were destroyed, those that remained decided to settle near the river. There's…been some conflicts."

He sighed.

"The water nymphs?"

She gave a so-so gesture.

"Ocean nymphs actually."

Ah, that made more sense. Hephaestus frowned slightly. While he liked to think he didn't prejudge entities, ocean nymphs were strangely…irksome to him. Unlike their freshwater or river variants, they tended to be colder. Crueler. Not entirely true for all, obviously, but enough were that it was right to be cautious.

"I somehow doubt the humans have managed to intrude on ocean nymph territory," he muttered.

Kassandra crossed her arms, a concerned look of her own forming.

"I don't know them like I do other nymphs, but as far as I'm aware most Ocean Nymphs don't claim territory, nor do they just pop up near settlements like this."

"They do claim territory," explained Hephaestus, "but its deep into the oceans, not near coastlines."

He rubbed his brow. Things couldn't just be quiet for a day. Honestly, he wanted to nap. But now wasn't the time. He couldn't live with himself if he left this alone to fester when he could possibly stop it.

"I take it they settled before you could remove them?"

"Haven't yet inspected them," admitted Kassandra, "not exactly confident I could deal with them."

"Smart. You've already warned the humans?"

She nodded.

"They didn't move."

She nodded. He sighed, rubbing his hair in aggravation. How things stayed the same, no matter the world or age.

"I'll handle the nymphs," he stated. "It's best to find a new arrangement before it gets out of hand. Leaving it to ignorant humans will not end well nor do we know what the nymphs even want anyways."

Kassandra grimaced slightly, following along as Hephaestus began moving. She always found it odd that he walked everywhere. Most Gods would just teleport, yet he moved at such a mundane pace. It was kind of annoying to lean forward just to listen to him as well. Still, there was something more that bugged her. She leaned forward, bringing her face closer to her friend's.

"I didn't take you for disliking humans," she muttered, "kind of a stretch to assume they're the problem, isn't it?"

The forest was rife with the sounds of life, and though his focus was split between possible solutions, he answered immediately.

"It's not the humans that are the problem. No one explains to them the intricacies of dealing with mystical beings– the rules and norms. Yet, they all expect humans to simply know about it…as if they should just be aware. Educating them does nothing, as the knowledge will likely erode over time."

"You're that certain?"

If EMIYA's memories were anything to go off of, yes, he was certain. Even if a majority of the people were more than willing to abide by any rules…there would eventually be one that would not. That's all that it would take.

ONE.

One stupid individual to piss off the wrong entity. While Gods couldn't interfere with the natural world freely if the justification was granted and was severe enough. There were a number of human villages that just 'disappeared' overnight. It was rare, but more than possible.

Best to avoid it all together. He wasn't their babysitter and he wasn't going to simply lead and educate for a hundred years. Humanity could survive and progress on its own. He saw firsthand through EMIYA what good intentions could do to the best of men.

No, he would not impede their freedoms…even if most were dumb. His thoughts sputtered out as he felt stiff as he was lifted off the ground once more.

"Unhand me," he growled, hanging listlessly. Kassandra, while strong, was still rather weak in comparison. He'd rather not hurt her trouncing out of her grip.

She laughed at his slightly pouty expression, as he sat on her back. He rolled his eyes, adjusting around her as needed to settle in. As tall as she was, she wasn't so large as to be able to just throw him over to set him on her back. Once settled, she began to move, twisting space as she did.

"You're too slow!" she giggled.

A moment later they were at the edge of the newly formed village. To call it a village was a bit much, with a shamble of homes spread across a rather flat surface. Yet, the homes while few were weirdly well-made. Especially for something that was thrown about in the span of a few days. It had an equal distance from the sea and the forests he had just galloped out of on Kassandra.

It was a good location, a prime one even for developing a community. A few of the buildings that he saw housed dozens of families and reeked of magic. It was obvious that Kassandra had helped them create their shelters.

They were situated on a large hill, a distance from the village. One would be hard-pressed to see the finer details from that distance, but Hephaestus still felt open even here. He'd rather not deal with people in general unless there was a need.

"Do you know where the nymphs are? Best to settle things as soon as possible."
She stared at him but nodded. He gave her a quizzed look.

"What?"

"The humans, they're involved in this too, ya know?"

He grunted. She leaned forward, concern growing.

"Is it that bad they know what you do for them?"

He looked at her, right into her bright eyes.

"I am not their guardian, nor their god. It is best they do not come to rely on me. The less involved we are with each other, the better. I will not be tying myself to this community forevermore to solve any of their concerns."

She hmphed, lifting him off her again for the THIRD TIME.

"Why would you want to do that? They're just grateful Heph. To avoid them like this just seems rude."

"I understand that," he said, brushing down the crimson toga he wore, "but the less I have to do with them the better. Kassandra…I cannot hear their prayers nor assist them with blessings. To depend on me would be foolish."

She blinked, staring at him.

"…seriously?"

His eyes were steady, and she felt foolish. She knew of his mortal half, and thus that he could lie unlike other Gods. There was no lie there. He was weird, but he wouldn't do something unless he felt it was necessary.

"Alright, I'll do my best. Doesn't seem like they've noticed us anyway, we're a bit far for them."

He looked along the coastline, narrowing his eyes.

"Strange, I do not sense the claim of any nymph?"

"They're apparently keeping to the banks of the beaches here."

He stared, noting the cove jutting from the mountainous hills that framed the beach on the eastern end across from them. The village was directly behind them and their destination. He could feel that it was maintained mystically, a barrier and symbol of their stay. But there was no signature, it was if it was blank. No way to tell what or who created the barrier.

He knew how people could get, especially in the presence of power. He didn't need some moron thinking along the lines of "glory" or "mystical wife" or whatever else humans had beliefs of regarding Nymphs in these periods.

There were countless stories of human men trying to wed such beautiful creatures, all from the actual nymphs themselves to even creatures like Selkies.

"We'll approach in a moment. Best to make sure they know we're coming. I'd rather not have them think we're there to harm them."

It was low at first, but he heard it loud and clear. He turned to her, his expression annoyed but amused.

"-andra!"

The villagers from afar were still unaware, but some people were approaching, a net filled with wriggling fish with them. The young man in the lead smiled as he approached her over the circumference of the hill, looking up at her with a large smile.

"Kassandra! It's good to see you. Things have gotten a little worse."

The young man faltered a bit at her strained expression. She was always happy to talk to them, even if they annoyed her with their barrage of questions. After all, how often does the chance to talk to an actual Centaur come around? One that knew magic! He lowered his hand, using it to slow the approach of the people behind him.

"What's wron–"

As he and his group moved over the cusp of their hill, he saw him. Larger than most men, if not all by his reckoning, was their savior. The leader was shocked enough that he wasn't fast enough to reign his hyperactive nut of a son. The boy rushed out from behind his father, spinning around as he jumped around Kassandra.

"Kassandra, Kassandra! Make the lights dance again like you did last time! It was so cool that–"

"Krios!"

He turned to his father, still moving. Joyful and uncaring. He tilted his head as he moved.

"Father it's just Kassy! Come on it's all o-oof!"

The boy stumbled as he slammed into something hard and metal. He fell to his hands and knees. Even for a youth his age, he could hear the way the people all sucked in their breaths. He slowly turned, freezing at the sight of the one he bumped into.

The golden eyes that stared at him seemed to pierce him to the ground. Framed with crimson hair and a strong jaw, the god before him held a quiet weight. The calm expression betrayed nothing. The boy had heard stories from his father, about the might of the Gods. That their power was as volatile as their mood. Helpful, and spiteful. Just as quick to help as they were to smite. Even mistaking the Gods for something else had resulted in the detonation of people, or so his father had heard.

Krios felt his lip quiver as he watched the large god slowly kneel in front of him. He shivered as the god's hand clasped on his head. The touch was soft, almost feather-like.

"You seem uninjured. Are you alright boy?" he rasped.

Krios blinked.

"Um…"

The god held his hand in front of him and without thinking Krios grasped it. In a moment he was helped up to his feet. He couldn't help it, staring that was. He stiffened, realizing something.

"I'm sorry Mr. Hepatitus! I didn't mean to bump into you."

Kassandra snorted, looking away. The poor boy's father looked as if he was about to expire. The calm expression Hephaestus held seemed to crack as he raised an eyebrow. He blinked twice as if savoring the word.

"Hepatitus?"

Krios felt his expression die.

"I'm dead," he thought.

It was slow at first. A small chuckle that thundered into a bellow. His expression grew paler as the God laughed, clasping his stomach with a hand as he rested the other on his hip.

"Hepatitus! HA!"

The god looked down, and his expression was warm as the thundering laughter died down.

"What is your name boy?"

"Um…Krios sir."

"Well met Krios. I needed that laugh. My name is Hephaestus."

He held his hand out. It took a moment for the boy to realize what he wanted. He hesitated but gripped the god's hand.

"Um…nice to meet you."

Hephaestus chuffed a bit, shaking his head.
"Hepatitus," he chuckled.

Hephaestus took stock of the group. A young man, an elder, and a couple of children one male and the other female. A number of other young men and even a few young women were not far behind. A contingent of 12 or so people.

Krios was gripped by his father, being shoved behind him as he looked at Hephaestus' feet.

"I…I am terribly sorry my Lord! Please forgive him, he's just a boy!"

Hephaestus clasped his hands on the father's shoulder.

"Calm. You have my oath no harm will come to you or your family over this matter. Ever. Truly, I am not offended."

Yet, even with those words the other mortals began to kneel. Each looking as if they'd rather be anywhere else but here.

"Me and you both," thought Hephaestus.

Aside from Krios' father, a man that he assumed was the leader of this band, an older man was still trying to kneel. He wasn't having any of that, not with the knees he could hear creaking from the strain. He grasped the older man by the arms, making sure he didn't struggle any further.

"I have no need for this; Please, stand."

He turned to Kassandra with a look. It was a bit petty of him, but he thought she would at least have the forethought not to stop right at what he assumed was a fishing spot she knew of. She grinned sheepishly, but he ignored it. It was petty to hold a grudge about something she likely forgot. Might as well make use of it. As the young man stood, Hephaestus stepped away. The older man stared at him, but not with the reverence the others had, a thankful sight for him.

"Lord Hephaestus, we greet you, albeit in…a most graceless fashion." The man whispered.

Kassandra tried, but a quiet chuckle escaped her. A small smile formed on the Lord of Fire's face, reaching his hand to the elder man.

"I take it you are their elder? My name is Hephaestus. May I ask of yours?"

The older man gave a nod and grasped the hand of the deity before him.

"Nikos my lord. It is Nikos."

"Father."

The older man turned to the leader.

"Quiet child. What brings you to our humble home? Please, if you give us just a moment we can have the village prepare feasts and– and sacrifices of any sort in your honor!"

Hephaestus gestured for the others to rise.

"I have no need for that. Your concern should be your village, and ensuring they are fed. No…I am here because Kassandra tells me there are…concerns?"

He had assumed they were fishing…but the use of one net a fishermen group did not make. It would be too inefficient. The wriggling of the scaled fish was obviously digging into the other man's back, but he stood deathly still.

"You've come for that?"

He nodded, his red hair falling over his eyes.

"Yes. This is my home as much as it is yours. If there is a conflict between you and the nymphs, I would see it resolved rather than left to fester. I doubt the Nymphs have been…forthcoming."

As Hephaestus noticed, speaking the language of humans was a rare skill for the likes of Nymphs. He wouldn't be surprised if a number of them simply didn't communicate the way they did.

"I…you don't need to do this lord."
"You can understand Nymphs?"

The lost expressions told him that they couldn't.

"I am not your caretaker," he explained, "but I will not ignore you blundering your way through a conflict you're ill prepared to handle."

That seemed to bristle some of the folks, though the elderly man seemed more confused than insulted.

"Are they truly so unreasonable?"

"It is less unreasonable as it is inhuman. Their values are not your own. What is good, evil, and even common sense is not the same for them. Some much share your values, others will be so inhuman that you'd struggle to understand them. They're only human in appearance. You've seen them, yes?"

The older man sighed.

"Only in the distance. They've…made quite the show of force when they arrived yesterday. No one was injured but…"

It scared them, that much he could tell.

"Nature spirits in general care more for the natural world than the denizens who live in them, regardless of if they are beast or man. It was good that you didn't approach carelessly."

It seemed to still be a sore topic for them, though he didn't know why.

"Nevertheless, they are not denizens of our home…the fact they are here is strange. So, return to your homes. I will handle it from here."

He waved them off. Yet, they didn't move. He felt the urge to roll his eyes.

"Go home. Rest and eat. I'll have Kassandra inform you of the results the moment she can. Isn't that right?"

She sheepishly smiled.

"Yea, you got it Hep– er, Hephaestus."

"The fish will begin to decay if you do not hurry and return home," stated Hephaestus.

Finally, they all began to move. However, the way they all stared was just…uncomfortable. After they all left a good distance away, he turned to Kassandra.

"You didn't notice them either?"

She shook her head, using her hands to manipulate magic. A strange golden dust seemed to center around the area. He had seen this before, pieces of it when Hecate had invaded the island. He thought nothing of it at the time, thinking it to be nothing more than the sparks of divinity of some sort.

"Mist?" she whispered.

"Mist?"

Kassandra swallowed.

"Something Lady Hecate has been manipulating for some time. It appears across the pantheons around the world."

"So, there are others," thought Hephaestus, "good to know."

"It can be molded and manipulated to create illusions, spectral and solid. It can apparently separate the mundane and the supernatural if used properly. Though, Lady Hecate hasn't had a reason to do so."

The power to separate the mundane and the supernatural? Interesting. Without thinking, he created a glass canister. It was child's play to manipulate this strange "dust" "-like substance into the bottle. He tossed it haphazardly into his reality marble, ignoring the quizzical look he got from Kassandra.

"Can the mist obscure the senses?" he asked.

She nodded.

"It can even manipulate memories of mortals and the weak-minded."

He turned to her, a brow raised.

"If it is as powerful as you claim, should this not be more widely used?"

She gave another so-so gesture.

"It's not that easy to manipulate. Even if you can use magic, it doesn't mean you can twist the mist. Some can mold the mist and not use magic."

"Strange…so the new nymphs are trying to hide themselves using this…Mist?"

"If they are," said Kassandra, "than they aren't your average group of nymphs. Heph…be careful."

He smiled.

"You're worried for the village?"

She nodded.

"They came in with the mist. I…I like them Hephaestus. Second, they saw me they didn't run or demand my heart."

He had a feeling that the "demanding her heart" wasn't in the romantic sense…he hoped.

"Go," he said, "I'll handle it from here. I'll send Ifrit to you with a message in an emergency".

She left without a word, her trust in him bringing warmth. But, now that he knew of this Mist, it was rather easy to see if he wanted to. Much like the viewing of souls in the mortal realm, seeing the mist only required concentration. Thankfully it didn't burn his eyes to look beyond the realms he should naturally.

He walked to the coast, hopping some distances from here to there. However, his little hops were several meters in distance. Within twenty or so minutes he brought himself to the coast. He turned to the right, following the golden trail. He narrowed his eyes as the space before him shimmered slightly in the distance.

The entire area was a large cliff face, one that dissipated as he walked through it. He hated the way the mist had reduced his hearing and senses, muted as they were in comparison to others. Even after he entered the cliffside, revealing the rest of the coastline, he saw nothing. He kept his distance from the waters, but even so, he noticed the face of a woman in the water to his left.

He knew this nymph. She was a freshwater nymph, one that resided in the river near his home. He knelt by the water. Her concerned expression warranted the delay. She spoke once more, but the sounds were nothing more than the trickling of the waves, the puttering of the rain, and the sound of rushing water.

"I cannot understand you…but you are concerned."

The sounds ceased and instead, she nodded. She was as beautiful as any of her kind, with demure green eyes, and hair that shimmered the same deep blue of her river. He could see the way the sea water was eating away at her as she flickered and sheared from his view.

"Concerned enough to appear before me in the ocean waters. I appreciate it."

She "spoke" again and all Hephaestus could feel was the slight vexation that he couldn't understand a damn thing. If speaking to the ocean nymphs was anything like this then it was going to get a lot more complicated.

"This is getting depressing."

He stiffened at the sound of the voice inside him. It echoed in his skull as if someone was speaking to him from a distance. But even as distant as this voice was…he knew it. After all, he just argued with them earlier today.

"Styx," he thought, "will this be a common occurrence?"

"Of course not. But the poor thing is pouring her heart out to you and you're just standing there like a rube! It's just sad. Look at her. I'll tell you what she says. Consider it a…form of payment for my residence here. One of many. Now pay attention."

Ignoring the concern that Styx could apparently see through his eyes or whatever method she was using, he obeyed.

To him, the nymph's mouth moved but this time it was as if there was a layer over it…and he heard her. A voice that was distinctly different than Styx's own.
"You can't go in there! They're…they practice strange magics that I've never seen. Magic like the scions of Atlas used when they invaded."

"Are you certain?" he stressed.

The nymph blinked.

"Did…you understand me?"

He could see her beginning to split and return to her river of origin.

"A recent development. You mean to tell me they wield the same magic?"

She nodded.

"…thank you. I never did ask you for your name, now did I. I am Hephaestus…you?"

She tilted her head, a strange trill-like sound echoing from around her.

"Cabeiro."

A single word and she shimmered away. She had been responsible for watering his garden and yet when he asked for the names of those that helped, she was one of the few nymphs that Kassandra couldn't understand to give said name.

It always irked him. It felt good to finally know her name.

"That poor child."

"I believe that nymph is older than this island," muttered Hephaestus as he stood.

"You've smitten that poor nymph with no intention of reciprocating. If you wanted to bed the poor thing, I'd care little for her situation, but to show such respect and have no such intentions? The poor thing has suffered enough being ejected from the oceans due to these brats."

"What?"

"I forget you're not as connected to the realms as our kind should. Cabeiro was once an ocean nymph, before being ejected into the fresh waters of Lemnos. Such a commonality between you two, and not to mention such respect. That dastardly smile of yours as well. I would think that makes you worse than even the Thunder Bringer."

"This is amusing for you, isn't it?"

"Oh, incredibly so. Now, you have a group of rouge oceanids to settle, no?"

He couldn't help it. He just had to say it.

"Are they really rogues if you're all independent entities?"

"….do you want my assistance or not?"

One point for Hephaestus. Though he knew she understood, he was grateful. With her voice came this…understanding. He felt as she did…and he assumed she felt as he did. Being connected within his reality marble was likely the cause.

He walked further down the coast, eventually finding a bed of water darker than the rest. It stretched into the ocean, seemingly filled with numerous entities. As he neared, the water broke to reveal the body of several individuals. Before, most of the nymphs that he had met were mostly human-looking. Sure, their skin tones, hair color, and markings might be different than what would be considered human norms, but human-esque they remained.

These nymphs were far from it. Some looked as if they were Orcas fused into a human shape, some were liquid in human shape, and others more akin to fish. A couple were just flat out water orbs. The leader however was a towering woman. Her skin was think and grey, her eyes a sleek black, tinged with irises of red. Her rows of teeth looked more at home on a shark than a person. There was no hair and their form was certainly not lithe. The only one amongst their number that could be counted as a nymph was what appeared to be a young man. He floated behind them, a sickly expression on his face and strange markings on his chest. He floated behind the large shark woman, lethargic and unresponsive. These were not Nymphs at all, but instead, denizens of the sea not unlike the citizens of Poseidon's realm.

He had come here with peace in his heart, but if the situation regarding the male spirit was what he was thinking it was, then all bets were off. He could swear there was a sneer as the shark woman locked eyes with him. No sounds echoed from them, but he could feel that there was something unsaid occurring.

"They demand why you've entered their territory."

"I've come to seek answers," said Hephaestus, "the humans that have settled here, alongside the nymphs and creatures that live already, have spoken about your…moving in. There have been some conflicts, however light. I seek no violence, merely peace. I believe if we discuss it, we can achieve a cohabitation that suits everyone."

Assumptions were a dangerous thing. What one thing looked like wasn't necessarily what it was. There was also the fact that Gods were weird. For all he knew this was some strange play they had.

Best to toe this conversation carefully. Yet, what he heard merely soured his mood further. The chorus of sounds needed no translations. Even someone as inexperienced as him with the more inhuman means of communication could feel the sheer laughter. They weren't here to live…they were here to take.

Yet, even amidst their laughter, a string of sounds snaked across his ears.

"They are speaking?"

"In their way. They are demanding why a mortal is before them and that they are here to take ownership."

"That is not all of what they said."

"If you want the useless drivel they speak of, very well."

The shark woman's mouth shimmered as her words became clear.

"Yet a strange creature thou are, how does thou think thou are capable of standing before thine retinue!"

He followed along for a solid minute before his eye twitched. This…woman spoke as if she was a person attempting to have an air of royalty to them. Accent, mannerisms. All were an approximation, a fantasy of it. For a solid minute, he listened to the drivel before Styx stopped.

He didn't ask her to resume. Still, there were a few tidbits in the words he picked up.

"They cannot sense my nature?"

"No. Pure gods and spirits can tell, but those like them cannot. Only those mired in the world in full can sense beyond the physical realms. Not all of what you are is present in the physical sense."

Finally, a straight answer. The creatures chittered in their own way. Even the orbs of water bubbled in a strange concert.

"Interesting. It would appear there's no claim to Lemnos."

"Claim?"

"Wis held sway over this land. Enough to have Zeus recognize her sovereignty over its affairs and more importantly the leyline. For Divinity such as us, the use of a leyline is redundant. Nice, certainly, but offers nothing substantial. For those practiced in magic, those that are strong enough, the use of a leyline can be quite a tool. From what I know, mages fight over them constantly."

"So, it's just for power," he thought, "typical".

"They do not appear to understand the circumstances. They've come to take what Atlas could not. The idiots. Just from her stench, I can tell she lacks any sort of magical talent. How They've even entrapped a Potamoi of all things I cannot fathom. I must admit, the magic they've used is certainly of a higher quality than I would expect from a merfolk."

"So, they are using him."

"From what I can tell, most assuredly. If used as a filter, spirits can convert the energies of the leyline into a greater level of force for spells."

Styx would be the expert in such a practice, considering her own circumstances with her father and Kronos.

Still, while he hated what was happening to the creature, he owed himself to at least ask before simply obliterating everything here.

"I say this only once," he intoned, cutting off the speech of the shark woman, "If you wish to stay here, that is your choice. But it will be a choice founded on the understanding that you are one amongst many. This is a place to rest, to live…not to rule. If you wish to remain here…you must first free him."

The same collection of noise. The same cacophony of laughter.

"Very well."

Before his divinity could rise, the head shark creature merely grinned. It was a twisted variant, filled with inhuman teeth.

"…."

"Styx."

"They know who you are, or at least they think they do."

"They do?"

"Barely. They seem to think you're a child of Wis."

…the hell?

"The scent of Wis' power enshrouds you even now. If anything, I believe that is the cause of their assumption."

This again?

"You know more of this?"

"I do. But that will be for later. For now, they appear to be threatening you."

The larger shark woman was gesturing now to the spirits and entities still within the ocean.

"Is…she having a moment?"

"She's speaking to her entourage of hoodlums. Stating this is the beginning of their kingdom against the storm bringer."

"…are you serious?"

"Unfortunately."

It appeared to be a grandiose speech as well. Shame he cared little for hearing it, a sentiment shared by Styx considering the lack of direct translation.

"Anything of note?" Hephaestus asked after a small moment. He crossed his arms, hiding the gesture of his hands as he prepared for battle. A few of his blades were ready behind his head, ready to be called forth and launched.

"She has been calling the Age of Gods the Ruin of the Pantheon, that they alone are to be the inheritors of the domains of the Primordial. Oh, she's also called you and all that live here weaklings along with a slew of other slurs."

The shark woman gestures their hand to him, a demeaning expression in their eyes and their chin lifted.

"They're giving you the ultimatum to leave and never come back."

"An ultimatum requires leverage."

"Well, it's either you leave, or they slaughter the mortal denizens, starting with the boy."

"They're not divine entities, are they?"

"The merfolk were born of Pontus the same way the giants were born of Gaia, well…sort of."

"Give me the bare details."

"Pontus cannot weave worth a drachmae. The Merfolk are of a lesser quality than their giant brethren, bred to even lesser stature over the centuries. Divine origins, but not divine themselves. Weak, but they are not beholden to the same laws as we are."

It explained why Kassandra mistook them for the…wait.

Boy?

His eyes widened as Krios floated out of the water, freely into the open hand of the shark woman. The boy coughed up water, staring at him with fear in his eyes.

"Krios?"

"I didn't…I didn't know!"

Did he follow him? It didn't matter. He stared at all the Merfolks that surrounded him. One blade.

"…you wanted this fight," he said.

Three blades.

"Do not blame me for the results."

His eyes glowed as he called upon his divinity. What he kept tightly bound beneath the skin came screaming out, along with another. Krios felt his skin pucker at the surge of heat that billowed from Hephaestus, and his ears cracked at the sound of the bird that tore through the flames. It launched itself forward, right at Krios.

The bird wrapped its wings around the boy. But instead of a flesh-searing heat, it felt more as if he was wrapped in a warm cloth. The shark woman's flesh remained unmarred, protected by the power of the Potamoi. The others that surrounded her were not so lucky. A moment was all it took for the blades of Hephaestus to spear their contingent through the skulls. Ifrit's heat was so great that the liquid beings that the shark woman had brought with her had died instantly. Evaporated into the atmosphere.

It growled. Fighting gods were so annoying, but she knew the rules, the means to defeat even the Olympians!

CRUNCH!

It was if the air detonated and launched Hephaestus forward. He moved fast enough to grab the larger shark woman by the throat. With a half grip, the trachea of the creature cracked. It wheezed but remained unharmed.

"You'll be perfect."

It narrowed its eyes. Yet, even for all their discipline, they felt their eyes drawn to a new blade, one that magically formed in Hephaestus' other hand. A dagger that shone like the rainbow, shaped like a zig-zag. It was a horribly designed dagger, completely useless for combat by the design alone.

"You deserve to reside in Tartarus for what you've done to this poor spirit…but that vengeance is not mine to have," stated Hephaestus.

He pricked their skin, his eyes closing in concentration. The mark that was seared into the Potamoi's skin sizzled away as Hephaestus severed the connection between them. He let the larger merfolk go, turning to the male water spirit. He watched as it listlessly stared at its hands. Its eyes widened and the sea around it began to churn and swell violently. The skies darkened as the clouds gathered. There were no words, only action. What remained of every merfolk around the Potamoi began to shrivel as the water that once resided in their bodies was violently ripped from them, leaving nothing but empty husks of dried flesh.

It felt without a second word, shooting into the ocean. Ifrit shrunk in size, finding a perch on the rocks above. Krios was left alone, kneeling in the light water beneath him. Hephaestus knelt beside him, shielding the boy from the rather morbid sight.

"…I'm…I'm sorry."

Hephaestus merely shook his head.

"You followed me."

It was not a question.

The boy only nodded.

"You managed to sneak away from the others?"
The boy shrugged.

"what happened?"

"I…was just walking near the rocks and they just grabbed me and dragged me here and…they were threatening you with me…weren't they?"

"They tried. They will not be threatening anyone ever again. Return to your village boy. Grant them the news and free Kassandra of her vigil."

"But what about other monsters," whispered the boy.

He knew not what the boy was seeking here. But that was a concern that was easy enough to quell. He gestured for Krios to look up. When the boy did, the sight of the burning bird that had protected him was before him. It was preening its magical feathers, ignoring the proceedings.

"Ifrit will follow you, ensure that you return safely."

He stood, rolling his shoulders. It was going to be a walk back, that was for sure.

"…Thank you," whispered the boy.

Hephaestus smiled. While it was an unfortunate loss of life, the fact remained that they had come here to take the freedom of those they deemed weaker. He looked to the ocean, allowing those who followed the shark woman here to disperse. He could murder the rest of them, but it wasn't necessary.

Word of this encounter would offer more protection than a mere show of force.

"Hmm. To home then."

Ifrit was more than capable of communicating with Kassandra. After all, the bird had learned to write the common language using their flames. The smell of ash and burnt fish clung to him thoroughly, though a burst of his divinity was enough to quell the smell.

It irked him somewhat to do this, but he had other concerns for the moment. One that he felt a real need for in the last few weeks.

Sleep.

The walk back to his home was a short one. His mind was racing with various ideas, concerns for the future, and other such concepts. He thought of his plans for tracking the God who felled Calliope and her family, he thought of Demeter's weapons and the others, and finally the idea of what it was that he wanted to achieve in this life. Such thoughts filled him and time seemed to fly, his mind free to wander and be free of any interference.

It was a strange sort of feeling. EMIYA felt so concentrated, direct, sharp even. Yet, he felt so disconnected in a way, even with the memories. The way his thoughts seemed to shift from one to the next, requiring effort to maintain the focus…was both reassuring and annoying.

He was his own person, one that seemed to think at a hyper-manic speed apparently. His fingers tapped on the inside of his palm for the entirety of the journey, only ceasing when he saw his little clearing, his home standing tall.

He opened the door, the sight of the barren home filling him with an urge to fill it with a bit more personality. Perhaps some weapons are hanging from the walls. Certainly, some more tools around the home as well.

Instead, he conjured a bed. He would have time to create a true domicile, one filled with quality materials of his choice. But today? Today we would allow this slight.

As he fell into the modern bed, his head resting on the pillows, his mind finally drifted into the unconsciousness of sleep. But when he came to, it was not in the confines of his bed, but rather in the grass of his inner world. When he looked up, he saw the sky that had formed within him, a scattering of clouds. He felt as if he had a full night's rest, focused and rested.

He sighed, seeing Styx's face fill his vision.

"You want something," he stated.

She smirked.

"Well…not so much me. I seek your permission to bring Pallas here."

Hephaestus stared at her.

"That is impossible."

"For humans, yes, it is."

Ah. Right. The bonds of marriage between Gods were…strange. It was a greater concept than humans had of it, that was for sure. It bonded Gods to the very nexus of their beings in a way that Hephaestus still did not entirely understand. But he knew enough to make the conjuncture that what one God knew, so did the other. It stood to reason that Styx either by virtue of this connection or through simple communication, informed Pallas of this development.

"…Fine," he muttered.

There was a lot he didn't know, but here in the reality marble he was at the apex of his strength. Even if this was a trick, Hephaestus had an arsenal these Gods had never seen before that he could draw on. Styx didn't seem to care or know of his inner thoughts on the matter, only gesturing to her river. It now flowed beside them, moving to be near him in this instance, rather than the volcano in the distance.

"Good to know," he thought, "it functions similarly to my blades."

He could eject her with a thought, it made sense that he could summon her the same way. He had to be careful of this. Here she was more open to interference from him. Even if this reality marble allowed her greater freedoms than her previous station, she was still ultimately trapped inside it.

It may have been beautiful and spacious in comparison, but it was still a cage. He would need to figure out a way to reduce the amount of influence he had on her without removing his ability to eject her without a second thought.

A project for later.

He stared at the river, watching as Pallas emerged from the waters. His skin unmarred from the river, but that appeared to be more of a consequence of their bond, rather than an immunity to the river outright.

Pallas stood tall, regal in his true humanoid state. His expression turned to admiration as he stared at the countless weapons strewn about his reality marble.

"This space…it is immaculate work, Lord Hephaestus. Its inner workings escape me, but this would be the envy of any weaver I've seen."

"A weaver?" he muttered, standing up from his position.

"A weaver refers to those that can manipulate the threads of magic to create spaces and life. Most gods are capable of this, but those with the talent are capable of creating entities and dimensions of a grander scale, function, and purpose than any others. Hera and Hestia both are masters of this art. Though, I've heard Demeter's daughter Persephone is a talent without measure as well."

Hephaestus eyed the skies awkwardly.

"They cannot be heard from here. This is your realm Lord Hephaestus, only what you wish to be here can be. So, thank you, for allowing my wife refuge in this space. She's already had quite the time exploring the upper realms."

"So, she can travel through Greece?"

Pallas nodded, though it was silently known it was yet to be all of Greece. While his expression remained its usual stone-like intensity, Hephaestus could feel the sense of gratitude.

"…she asked to bring you here. I take it there is a reason?"

Pallas looked to his left, staring at a gladius that was stabbed into the ground. He lifted the nameless weapon, feeling the grip. There was a sense of disappointment, which was to be expected. The gladius was copied from a mortal frame, after all, not a divine one.

"Your fight with Atlas…I have some concerns."

The Lord of Fire grew apprehensive, feeling the possibility that the Titan of War was bringing more to this than he hoped. He both dashed and upheld that concern.

"Your fight was wrought with constant hesitance, almost as if you were fighting yourself, your very instincts. It was…strange. Most are a slave to their instincts or learn to ignore it all together, for good or ill. Yet you…it was as if you have experienced constant conflict and yet have never strayed within a battle in your life."

Pallas finally smiled, stoic and grim.

"I've decided to assist you, in honing your sense of battle."

Pallas held the blade at Hephaestus.

"Come, lord of iron, let us hone your mettle."

On the one hand, he wanted to dismiss this outright. The intrusion, however necessary it may have been for Styx, was still unwelcome. However, this presented an opportunity that he probably would never find again. To push himself without fear of harming himself or others. More importantly, it was the opportunity to push himself against true divine standards without fear of being enshrouded in the machinations of the divine.

"Fine," stated Hephaestus, "I'll accept these terms."

"A spar then," stated Pallas, "to see what we stand to work on."

"You swear to uphold your secrecy for this world of mine, and all you see?"

Pallas nodded.

"You have my word. I swear on my wife and Chaos."

Styx looked at her husband, shocked and concerned. There was a reason he never bound himself to her and only to Chaos. In a strange circumstance…it was even more binding than Chaos. She knew him inside and out, connected in a way even the greatest of the divines simply couldn't know. Chaos was binding, but to swear on his wife was a complete restriction and enforcement on him that even Chaos couldn't bear.

He doubted it was due to Chaos' ability, but more so to do with care and attention. No god was worth the attention of the creator after all.

Pallas was ready, his eyes instantly analyzing his foe. Yet, as Hephaestus drew a pair of married blades, Pallas scoffed. Like many a young warrior he met, the boy went for a dual-wielding style. It was certainly doable, but many lacked the dexterity and focus needed for such styles of combat to truly be effective, especially at a beginner scale.

"Ready?"

Pallas said, nothing, only nodding. It was a good thing he was focused because he needed to move his head instantly when the black blade was launched at him. It screamed through the air like a hawk, spinning its deadly edge right past him.

Hephaestus was already upon him, striking his neck with the barest opening he could. It was a solid strike, praiseworthy even. It was unfortunate that Hephaestus was eating dirt though. He was flipped mid-way by a throwing maneuver that Pallas engaged him in, one that he attempted to disarm the younger God to no avail. It drove him behind Pallas, slamming into the ground with a loud thud

Hephaestus skidded through the dirt face-first for a moment before righting himself back up. A knee was brought to his face, launching him skyward, where Pallas was quick to slash through his shoulder and rocket him down. The blade he sliced him with shattered, leaving Pallas weaponless. To his surprise, a new weapon appeared next to him, this one objectively stronger.

Too strong. Not entirely divine, yet still beyond the realm of men. He lifted the blade, feeling the power within it. This strange weapon surged with power and with a slash forward, a cutting slice of energy screamed forward. It was easy enough to dodge, there was no way to increase the velocity, but Pallas felt the stirrings of something that had long been buried.

Styx felt her cheeks grow flush as she stared at her husband, feeling the thrum of battle echo through his chest. With every strike, the weapon Pallas wielded stayed unharmed. Hephaestus was adapting, using the same married blades, one black and the other white, to parry and slash back at Pallas.

"Better," growled Pallas, "now push!"

The advantage Pallas had on his onslaught shifted like a keen waltz, the older Titan enduring the blows that Hephaestus aimed his way. Left, right, above. His stomach, neck, and chest. Pallas kept smiling more and more.

"Yes," he grinned, "that's the way! Don't hesitate, CUT!"

A blade buried itself within his stomach, but Pallas used it to his advantage to shatter Hephaestus' arm at the elbow and stab him in the chest. He ensured no damage was done to his heart, but the young God's lungs had been pierced.

Hephaestus fell, gripping his chest wound. He scowled at the slower pace that it healed at. Yet, he couldn't sense any sort of interference.
"…this is Divinity at play," he muttered.

It took more control than Pallas was willing to admit, but his smile wilted as he reigned in the drums of war within.

"Yes. The differences and types of divinity will always play their unique roles. It appears limiting your healing is one."

The wound steamed as Hephaestus focused on it, closing rapidly.

"Interesting."

Hephaestus stared at Pallas, watching the way the Titan shimmered his injuries away.

Pallas rubbed his chin, finding his words before he spoke.

"You're still hesitating."

A fist was suddenly in his face, the winds around exploding from the sheer force of the blow. Hephaestus' nose bled from the kinetic force ejected at this distance.

"I saw you slowly getting faster and stronger as we fought. I believe you've yet to reach the peak of your current potential. You'll have enemies Lord Hephaestus, ones that will strike whether you are ready or not. I can offer you the means to hone yourself in this space on any night you wish. If you will allow it."

He stared at the Titan, his blank eyes making even the Titan a little put off.

"If I wasn't going to accept the spars in the future, why would I bother with this one? I cannot fight every night, but being available does help, thank you."

There was still a lot here that he was not comfortable with, but beggars can't be choosers as EMIYA's memories were quick to infer. He needed every advantage. Besides, he could feel that Pallas lacked the enhancements he could have invoked. That wouldn't stand.

"Again," he muttered.

A smile was what he got…though he could do without the lovestruck Styx staring at Pallas.

….they better not fornicate in here or he was going to throw up.

"Prude," she muttered, having sensed his thoughts.

Pallas chuckled as Hephaestus charged at him. He did not have the same connection with Hephaestus as his wife did, but he had a feeling as to what the Olympian was worried about. His wife may not have cared too much about it, but he would respect the boundary. And respect he did…as he shoved Hephaestus' head back into the ground with even greater force, Pallas preening under his wife's scrutiny.

-6 hours later-

He must have truly become a God, for Hephaestus awoke with nary a speck of exhaustion. He felt sweaty though. His body may have been perfectly fine, but he certainly wasn't. He stared at his skin as if it was covered in muck.

"I need to bathe," he muttered.

The thought had struck him when Styx offered such a practice in her river. It was a jest of course, considering it was basically acid and destroyed his skin, but the thought had lingered in his mind. He had swum within the ocean and simply kept himself smelling fine using divinity. It destroyed any sort of germs and smells on his body but…

It was gross. He was gross.

He felt his mood sour even further at the thought, drifting further and further into disgust. While he would prefer otherwise, he conjured a bar of soap using tracing and his now perfect memory. EMIYA had analyzed every single thing that he could in his youth. Machines, tools, materials, and yes even a bar of soap.

Hell, there was a cotton candy machine rattling somewhere in his brain.

With his divine memory, it was easy enough to recall the molecular make-up. It even smelled like roses. He wasn't entirely comfortable bathing in the open but…he shivered, feeling as if he was disgusting. He didn't want to wait, not to mention that dragging sea water from the coast was just going to suck (and smell), and dragging river water back here was a pain.

There was no way in hell he was going to force others to gather it for him just for convenience's sake. And so, he left his home.

As he reentered the forest, he noticed one of the wood nymphs giggling away at their tree. They were short, what one might affectionally call a short stack. A bright smile and a carefree attitude were his to meet, as he beckoned for the spirit's attention. They looked down from the branches they were sitting on, giving him a quizzical look.

"Is there a river near here, one that I can bathe in?"

The spirit giggled, pointing northward. He could feel a brush of leaves roll over his shoulder and face, directing him further down.

"Thank you."

It was in mere minutes that he found the nearest river, though he had moved at a brisker pace. If even for a moment, the sight of the raw natural beauty was enough to give him pause. His eyes are closing at the feel of the sound around him. It was peaceful and beautiful. The stress he had acquired throughout these last few days was immense…and a sight like this helped, however large or small.

He entered the river without a second thought, quickly submerging himself and removing his clothing. The simple chiton dispersed into particles of magic, leaving him bare to the world. While it felt cool on his skin, he could not really say if he was cold in any way. It was comfortable. Soap in hand, he began scrubbing away at the dirt, grime, and ash that had compiled.

If even for a moment…there was peace.

He sighed in contentment, basking in the feel of the water caressing his chest with deft fingers…he stared down, blinking at the bold nymph that stared up a him, hands on his chest. She gave a toothy grin, her white hair framing her face in a pixie cut.

"I'm not in the mood for company," he grumbled, forming a clothe around his waist and groin.

Thankfully, it dispersed without a second's hesitation. For that alone he'd forgive the intrusion. Besides, if he wanted to 100% ensure his privacy, he should have made such a claim outright. He should have known better than to infer to the previous tree nymph an EMPTY river.

It was his own fault in the end. Yet, he felt such hands on his back this time, and a small scowl formed.

"…I believe I made myself clear."

"You did my lord. This is merely thanks. Please, relax…this is the least we can do."

First off, Styx was translating again. Second, he turned, facing the nymph he had come to know as Caberio. She was quite diligent, studying every frame of his naked body for a speck of grime and dirt.

"I do not need such service. I can clean myself just fine. Nor do I need payment of any sort."

She blinked at him.

"Ah. I see."

And continue what she was doing.

"I do not seek–"

"I know my lord. Relax, I am here because I wish to be. There is much you've done. To reject services such as mine is equally arrogant as it is rude. So please, sit."

The water beneath him hardened, for lack of a better term, into a seat. He knew that the ancient Greeks cared little for skin ship, not to mention the culture that EMIYA came from viewed bathing as a more intimate affair, rather than a solely sexual one.

Still…it was not something he had experienced in this life. He sat, indulging in the selfishness of it. Though he kept his eyes closed, for his own principles if anything.

"….thank you," he muttered.

Hephaestus still did not fully trust the spirit…but she remained diligent in her self-imposed task. Too diligent even, going as far as to attempt to shine his legs. The scene in which Kassandra came barreling in.

"Hephy I'm ba-WOAH!"

He sighed, raising his arm as the now gaggle of spirits swarmed him. Give them an inch and they took a mile apparently. The soap was also a novelty for them as well, with one trying to eat the damn thing, with a bitter result.

"Kassandra, I'm almost done. I apologize, I should have left a note at home."

One spirit giggled as she ran her hands down his back.

"But my Lord, there is still–"

A glare from Cabeiro silenced them. She turned to Hephaestus.

"We are almost done, my Lord."

"I believe I've been cleaned more than enough," he muttered.

She tilted her head.

"Physically yes. But there is grime further in that has proven difficult to remove."

He turned to her, wondering what she was on about. He couldn't really decipher the strange look she carried. Styx was thankfully silent, but it was something he may ask about. The spirits moved away, letting him rise from the waters, his lower half having long since been covered by cloth.

Yet, as he rose from the waters at shoulder level, the spirits shrouded him in a cloth they handed to him. It carried the cooling feel of the water, though it was a deep shade of blue, clashing with his hair quite horrendously. But the gift was received with grace, as all gifts should be. It was the fragments of their divinity given a shape. It wouldn't last long, but it was nice.

"I take it the humans are settled?"

"They are," Kassandra smiled, "Ifrit told me what happened and Krios was quick to give even further details. Little brat won't stop singing your praises you know."

It felt…nice, he would admit. But he felt a greater concern as well.

"I hope he doesn't infer all Gods are like me. I'd hate for him to think–"

"Don't worry, I made sure to get it in his head that you're a weird one Hephy!"

"Don't call me that."

Kassandra chortled a bit, but she walked with him as they trekked their way back.

"So, what's the plan my friend? Everything around us is in the best shape it can be!"

"I have work."

"You have what?"

"Lady Demeter will be sending an envoy at some point. I will be spending the next few days focused on gathering materials for the remaining symbols of power. I'd rather not be disturbed unless it is an emergency."

Kassandra nodded.

"Got it Heph! I'll make sure no one can bother you! Have fun!"

He hated the way she referred to him by that nickname, knowing he would never punish her. Yet, he wouldn't trade it for anything.

The next few days followed the same track. Wake up, gather materials, experiment, learn from Kassandra, and sleep the night away. He sparred with Pallas more and more, drawing even greater power from his body. There were greater depths to travel in his power, but it would come in time.

But even these days had to end. It was a strange morning. He awoke, had the awful supplements/elixir that Apollo had prepared, and walked outside. He blinked as he stared at Hermes' beaming face.

"…Lady Demeter?"

"Yup!"

"Understood. Let me pack."

"Oh, but I'm kind of on a schedule, and–"

Hermes was ignored, the little trickster not bothering to announce himself more than enough of a transgression for his divinity to simply wash over him. Hephaestus created a shoulder bag, a large satchel that hung on his shoulder. It was a simple pack, but well made. It carried a number of tools but was mostly for show. He made sure he had everything from Apollo and ensured that he left a note for Kassandra. The poor centaur having been summoned back to Wis' stump to make some alterations.

He turned to Hermes and nodded.

"I'm ready."

With a pop, the two were instantly elsewhere. It was incredible, he looked around at the flowers he didn't know the name of the sea of colors inspiring him a thousand times over. The nymphs that surrounded him were on edge, a fact he tried his best to compensate for, reducing his divinity to be a bare echo of what it was, restrained to just the touch of his skin.

Hermes' laughter echoed through the fields, the lord of thieves nowhere to be found. He turned his head to the strongest source of divinity, facing a stunning young woman. She was beauty itself, a sea of blonde hair framing a pale face. Her eyes the hues of the flowers itself, a ring of said flowers framing her hair. Her full lips pursed as she struggled to say something.

Analysis was quick to inform him that this was Persephone. He bowed.

"My apologies, my Lady. Hermes dropped me off at this point. I've come at the behest of your mother. If you point me in her direction, I can make my own way if that is preferable."

"My mother did not send Hermes."

He stalled.

"Of course not," he muttered.

Another trick it would seem. Great.

The ground shuddered as Demeter appeared in a shower of flowers, she was not happy.

"You're early."

"I apologize. I should have considered Hermes to play such a joke. If I have offended you, please let me know." He kept his head bowed as he said this.

While he felt it a little ridiculous, he also recognized she wasn't human. Territory was a large concept for Gods, especially their own. It was the little pieces of the world that were truly their own to express and be themselves in. To intrude on it was no simple matter.

Demeter sighed, grasping his face. An action even Persephone was a bit shocked by.

"Mother?"

"Sush child. As for you, look up."

He looked, locking eyes with Demeter.

She was a statuesque woman, standing tall and above six feet. She was bountiful in all ways, sharing a similar blonde hairstyle to her daughter, though she had wider hips than Persephone. Persephone wore a chiton that flowed with multiple colors, whereas Demeter maintained a solid green ensemble, paired with a gold laurel and bracelet.

She was beautiful, no doubt. She tilted his head to the left and right.

"…incredible," she muttered, "you're truly Hera's child. The eyes are identical."

Demeter's eyes were an earth-like brown. They shimmered into a honey-like color, but lacked the radiance of Hephaestus and Hera's eye color.

"I've decided," smiled Demeter, "I'll simply get rid of that mangy thing you call a beard!"

He blinked.

"Wha–"

The word never finished when he felt his chin greet cold air once more. He felt Demeter caress his jaw with an almost motherly touch.

"A bit here,"

Shaves of his crimson hair fell from his skull as it was cut closer to his eyebrows. It was still straight, if shorter, and thankfully, not a bowl cut. There were very few hairstyles Hephaestus would say he didn't like, that was one of them.

"Perfect. At least you won't look so sullen next time. Bah, that horrible child Hermes. Probably thought I'd beat you and throw you out like I did him and Apollo! Selfish brat."

Demeter gave a warm smile.

"But you, you are a respectful sort. Not unlike those other brutes. Besides, I sensed Hermes break you into my realm. I should have been clearer with someone so new to our family. Consider the gift a payment of sorts. I expect you to keep yourself clean in the future, young man. None of those…beards," she muttered.

There was obviously a story there, but he didn't care.

"I understand. I'll make sure to have more effort in my…appearance. Though I lack the care and knowledge to be skilled with such a thing."

Demeter's smile grew.

"Honest too. Oh, you are just adorable! Shame on Hades for whatever court silliness he attempted with you. Persephone?"

Her daughter stood, a tad shorter than her mother.

"Follow along sweetheart, we need to discuss a few things after I am done with my nephew here."

She turned to Hephaestus.

"Ah, this is my daughter Persephone, nephew. Be sure to be courteous. While she may not be an Olympian, she is still my daughter…and Zeus'."

The name was said with such contempt, he honestly felt a sliver of pity for the King of the Gods, but only a sliver. Whatever contempt she felt, he was confident she had more than enough reason to feel it.

"I don't think I'll need to take much of your time. I need only your essence and a confirmation of the form your symbol should take. Afterwards, I can get started."

Demeter nodded along.

"Of course, dear. Still, it will take you some time here before you are complete, yes?"

….

"Here?" he inquired.

She turned to him, her expression serious and uncaring.

"Polite as you are nephew, I doubt you believe I trust you enough to tarry off with a piece of me?"

Ah.

"I understand. It may take some more time, but it is doable. Is there a space that I may place for my forge?"

She nodded.

"Near the home. I intend to ensure you don't misappropriate what I give you."

He felt as if she was testing him, though he only had inklings as to what. He remained truthful, as always. He respected the fact she was so upfront with him about this so he would return it.

They neared a home that was small, but warm. As she opened the door, Hephaestus bowed.

"My lady, I understand your misgivings completely. If I may, I can get started on ensuring the space is ready with everything I need while you discuss it with your daughter. I'd hate to take more time from you that should be spent on personal matters. I can send a notice down when I am ready at your convenience."

She smiled, though it was snarky rather than kind.

"Oh, it takes that much time?"

"It can. I need to see the space and what I can use. I already have several plans ready to be enacted."

"Yes, yes," she muttered, "impressive. Tarry on," a flower appeared before them, "this will lead you to the zone I've prepared."

He figured she took his politeness as more ass-kissing than genuine, but Hephaestus cared little. The faster he was done here, the better. Dionysus, Aphrodite, Ares, Athena, and Hera remain for those who need a symbol of power. The faster he could do this, the better.

Hermes was already done a long time ago. The design was completed last night. He already felt as if he had a grasp on the speedy little god, and the winged greaves he created would satisfy the speed gremlin a thousand times over.

Soon…soon he could start tracking that God down in earnest. Hephaestus followed the floating flower for a few minutes but was startled when a small blur of movement grabbed at the flower. The blur stopped moving, appearing before him at his feet, a familiar sight.

He stared at the same nymph child from days past, holding the flower in her hand. She stared up at him, a smile slowly growing.

"…Child, that is not yours to–"

With a poof, the child surged forward, blitzing into the distance. He stared, sighing.

"Shit."

-END-

Just for the lols, I ended it this way, just seemed right. Still though, funny as it is, I'll stop if it feels forced. But, EXTRA SURPRISE!

OMAKE (This is canon!):

Hermes grinned as he sauntered through the front door like it was nothing. It was easy bypassing every defense this place had. He was even diligent enough to distract that centaur woman Hephaestus thought he didn't know about.

Still, though, this was weak. There wasn't even a lock on the door! Well…there was one but it was such a breeze that it was basically not there. If he didn't want him in, he should have tried harder.

Hermes fiddled with the home around him, kind of disappointed in the blandness of it. Even Demeter's home, small as it was, was chockful of the Goddess's regalia and personality. Hermes felt a small smile spread.

"Ah, she probably beat his ass blue, HA!"

He rubbed his butt a bit, cringing at the memory of trying to meet with Persephone last time with Apollo. She was a sweet and beautiful girl, not at all his type really, but kind. She was always someone he liked to have a chat with, though her mother assumed the worst.

To be fair, Hermes kind of had it coming, he would admit. But blasting his ass with her full divine weight was a bit much. Sure, it wasn't the first time he intruded. The first time he did it she went easy on him. Not so much the second, fourth, and eighth time.

So of course he had to do with Apollo. He tried with Dionysus, but that crazy drunk was easily his worst match-up. Every time he tried to drag him anywhere, the fumes he exuded would just send Hermes to the bushes to throw up. That or be on an acid trip like nobody's business.

He'd figure it out one day, but for now, this little rite of passage eluded his younger sibling. Though not his cousin thankfully!

"Now…what to pilfer…hmm?"

A small piece of papyrus was situated in the middle of a large chest in the room. It held nothing, not a hint of energy or divinity. He raised an eyebrow, lifting the paper.

"Dear Hermes, these are for you….formal weirdo, isn't he?" he muttered.

He blinked, opening the chest. The divinity within bombarded him, resonating with his own as easily as putting on a pair of socks! He gasped, staring at the armored greaves. They were like the ones he wore regularly, but metallic instead of leather. They shone a sleek ivory and didn't stop at the cusp of the foot as other greaves did. The feet were armored, and the entire ensemble was lined with what seemed deceptively soft linen on the inside.

On either ankle of each greave, was a pair of golden wings.

Oh, they were beautiful. He lifted the armor from within. As he brought them close to his feet, the armor magically opened to clasp around his legs, conforming perfectly to his form.

"…bastard," he muttered, "he must have pilfered my divinity."

Instead of being angry…he was instead a little happy.

"Nice," he muttered.

He ran, faster than his form would normally ever allow him. All his divinity sparked around him, the shroud of lightning screaming as he screamed and hollered his way across all of Greece at a speed only he knew was greater. He could even fly through the sky!

Well…he could always do that, but he was slower when he did! Other domains and whatnot. But with this that didn't matter! He could stride above and beyond any surface without concern for territory or rules!

It fit him to a T!

As he stood there smiling like a loon on a random mountain, Hermes looked across the distance in the general direction that he dropped Hephaestus off. He smiled as a breath left him.
"…I am an asshole," he muttered, "…still funny though."

With a pop, the God of Speed blitzed forward, blissfully unaware of the little present Hephaestus had left in his greaves.

-Omake end-

Winner of the next story for the future is!

Bumdadada!

"I Am Not The Elden Lord!

Prepare yourselves for a fun and hooty jaunt into the realms beyond, rife with this character and many others just rightfully flipping the fingers the one finger! I'll be organizing the story and hopefully will be posting in the future of 2025.

Also, for stories that will not be updated for a long time/are cancelled, such as Arcane Craftsman, should I remove them from the site? Just wanted some thoughts on the matter.

P.S: Supernatural love has been done for some time, but I keep rewriting the damn thing. I swear, last rewrite and I'll just post it. Next story to be concentrated on is Fate/Clover! We're nearing the end (another eight or so chapters give or take). After its complete I might even do a full genuine rewrite with the same process I've applied to Kintsugi.

HAPPY NEW YEARS, I hope you've enjoyed the year and all the will come ahead!