Chapter 25:
Time had passed for Hephaestus these nine precious years. He was currently in a magic circle, just outside his own home. The runes beneath him sizzled and sparked as he focused. Runes of various sizes and strengths twisted and turned on his skin, the cracks breaking into new shapes at record speeds. The circle prevented the worst of the mishaps that could occur from affecting his surroundings.
Yet, his thoughts were not focused on his newest skill. Rather, that was the point. Hephaestus didn't want a hat trick, he needed something that was viable in combat across varying levels. So, he purposely reduced his focus. Focused on something else entirely.
Eri.
He remembered that first year with her, his smile growing. The little gremlin was…well, a handful was putting it lightly.
-8 years and 7 months ago-
"Eri! Eri! Get down from there!"
"Hehehehehehehehehehehe!"
It had been a few months since Hephaestus had effectively moved in with Hecate. Though calling it a cohabitation was a more accurate definition. They lived separately, if only by technicality.
Separate homes, the same door.
"Eri!"
She had just started to crawl a few days ago. Short distances at first. So, he made a blanket for her to roll and crawl around in while he continued making adjustments to the house. He was currently making a room for Eri…one that he kept redoing over and over again. This was the eighth iteration.
This was to be the final rendition of her room.
"ERI!"
That was the plan anyway.
"Eh!"
She looked like a toddler. One barely into their first year. All chubby and cute with a mane of wild red hair that didn't belong to a child that young.
WOOSH!
Said young child…was climbing the walls.
Literally.
Her fingers were strong enough to hold her weight and her strength was greater than she had any right to. She leaped across the room, laughing and giggling away, heedless of the danger.
He had turned for one moment, just a moment, to conjure a tool, and his daughter bolted. Showing off the full extent of her inhuman mobility, she was a terror to grab. Now she was jumping from rafter to rafter, wall to wall with even greater ferocity.
"That's it," growled Hepahestus.
He jumped, his larger frame wrapping around the beams of his roof and grabbed Eri. The wood cracked a bit, as he covered Eri with his body. She of course was just giggling, reaching for the beam that she was attempting to jump to, even as she was held in his arms and falling to the ground.
He breathed a sigh of relief. He looked her over, making sure he didn't accidentally hurt her by grabbing so quick. He was lost in her eyes and giggling face, his own smile spreading.
"Having fun without me?"
She entered the room like a summer breeze. It felt warmer with her there, more complete. Hecate was without her usual ensemble, standing in the doorway of the room. She wore a normal chiton, free of any jewelry and cut off at the knee. Her cape assemble and heavier clothing was also absent along with her hat. It was just her in her most casual attire.
Her hair was long, tied into a ponytail that was slung over her right shoulder but otherwise unadorned. Her mouth was visible, her eyes sparkling at the sight of Eri's rampant energy. A transparent shawl was shimmering around her mouth. Something she had begun doing after a few weeks of their relationship. It made it easier to kiss each other while containing the power of her voice.
"She…can apparently climb and run," muttered Hephaestus, checking Eri over for any damages again. The damn child just stuck her tongue out.
Hecate blinked.
"...You're jokes need a bit of work," drawled Hecate.
Staring right at her, Hephaestus placed Eri down. Hecate's eyes nearly bulged as Eri stood on her own two feet, booking it for the door. A bubble of magic circled her and Hephaestus side-eyed her.
"This…is not unprecedented," muttered Hecate. Eri laughed, swirling around the bubble of magic, cooing and reaching for Hecate. The witch crumbled immediately, the bubble depositing Eri into her open arms. Hephaestus scoffed at the way his daughter settled into Hecate's arms, calm as could be.
"It was to my understanding that Demi-Gods are mostly human at birth?"
"From most of what we know so far, that's true. Most follow typical human limitations in their earlier development."
She brought Eri to her arms, the child settling with a smug grin in Hecate's arms. She brushed a bit of Eri's hair from her face, never taking her eyes off Eri as she finished her thought.
"There are exceptions."
"Perseus?" smirked Hephaestus.
"That would be the one," smiled Hecate. "It would seem that the strength of the parent dictates the quality of the child, in some way anyway. I know of one child born from a tree spirit that can move through the earth as easily as he runs on land. Besides, Perseus' half brother is nothing like his brother. Follows the standard development of a human child."
Hephaestus' face fell, of course Zeus had another child around the same time. He wouldn't be shocked if there was a third or even a fourth running around.
"So they're both the same?"
"No. Perseus was born with greater strength than Zagreas. The potential is there however. Eri seems to be more inline with Perseus. An outlier, rather than the standard."
The idea that a demi-god could be born and be similar to humans in scale was laughable to Hephaestus. However, to be fair, they were just children. Eri tugged at Hecate's ponytail, making the Goddess laugh. She did cringe a bit though.
"It appears she inherited her father's strength," she smiled.
"Is that a problem?"
She snapped her fingers. His entire house was suddenly covered by a shimmering field of green. It dissipated, but a quick structural analysis showed the added strength Hecate added to his materials. However, he noted the way that the edges of the house shimmered just a tad bit more, cushions of force around them.
"Not anymore," smiled Hecate.
She glided across the room to him, leaning in for a soft kiss. She smiled as they separated, her nose soft against his own.
"Come. It is time we attempt our first lesson with Eri."
"...is that not a bit soon?" he stressed.
"Nonsense."
He had concerns of course. Eri was a small child, barely developed. She may have been strong, but her cognitive function was still developing. In a way he was right. Teaching Eri was a problem, though not because she couldn't understand magic.
It was the fact that she did.
-8 Years Ago-
In a bowl, Hephaestus was mixing several ingredients. Instead of his own home, he was currently in Hecate's. Said Goddess wrapped around him, peaking over his shoulder as her fingers playfully dug into his pecs. .
"...and this is…a dessert?" she questioned.
"It is."
"You know this, how?"
"Experimenting," admitted Hephaestus.
It wasn't a lie. This particular variant of the dessert he made he figured out by experimenting.
Making vegetable shortening was an experiment in and of itself, but it was doable. 454 grams of shortening. 454 grams of non-salted butter. 1 kilogram of fine sugar (icing sugar).
Mixed together thoroughly and it made a fantastic icing for all sorts of pastries, especially cakes. He would have preferred bringing out a hand mixer, but Hephaestus wasn't in the mood of explaining how he conjured that particular idea up.
As convenient as it was, it was for the best that he limited modern conveniences in the current age, even with Gods and his children. Well…to an extent. The stone oven that was used in Hecate's home was not exactly…uh…purely grecian shall we say.
Easy to hide, when you knew what you were doing. While the icing was being mixed by hand, it was the batter that he was more concerned with.
"Can you place that pan into the oven please? The heat should be great enough."
She eyed the mixture dubiously, even looking at the oven. The entire thing was made of stone, with a latched door that covered the oven itself. A marble ensemble that was a work of art. But to a Goddess like Hecate, at this time, the idea of an oven was rather strange.
"Very well."
He missed her heat, but smiled as she complied. He was confident in his skills, making sure that he made use of ingredients native to the area. He had to traverse through more of Greece than he wanted to admit to get everything, especially the cherries, that was harder than he wanted to admit.
He never felt more thankful for Gaia having a soft spot for him than ever. But it was worth it. For EMIYA, cooking brought a sense of peace and purpose. For Hephaestus, it was a genuine joy. Something that he could create and eat all in one. Never in his memories, either memories, did food taste as vibrant as it did in his current life.
So, he wanted to go all out for Eri's birthday when he discovered her obsession with cherries. It was why they were on Hecate's island actually. He didn't want this to accidentally get spread to humans of the current era.
His batter was a pretty standard recipe that EMIYA had come across. Butter and sugar mixed until light and fluffy. Egg whites, vanilla and almond extract. The vanilla was genuinely the easiest part ironically. While native to the Madagascar and other western and far eastern regions, Hecate's island was home to a wide variety of plants that were found the world over.
To them, vanilla was used entirely for mystical purposes. The thought of eating the plant raw for any reasons wasn't even considered.
Still though, it was worth it. He smiled broadly as he smelled the batter baking. The dried cherry bits wafting through his nose brought a sense of accomplishment and pride.
"Aren't you in your element," drawled Hecate, draping herself over him. For all her take of independence, she was a ferocious hugger. It didn't take a genius to know that she was touch starved. He was more than happy to oblige. She reached a finger into the icing, actually yelping at the sharp smack he gave her.
"We'll eat together. For now, leave it be."
The icing had taken a pinkish hue. He extracted and refined the cherries to a more potent mix for an even greater taste when mixed with the shortening and butter. The bowl was ready, the batter baking.
"HMMM!"
And his daughter was just outside. He quietly gripped Hecate's hand as he looked outside, smiling at his daughter's tomfoolery.
Even Hecate smiled as they watched Eri struggle just outside their home. She was older now, dressed in a baggy set of clothes. They were smeared in dirt and hung off Eri's shoulders with a pair of straps over each arm.
She pouted, scowling as another set of runes fizzled out from in front of her hands. She kicked a stone hard enough to embed lightly into a tree, falling shortly after a few minutes.
"Is she still trying that?" snickered Hephaestus.
"Yes. Ever since she saw you breathe fire, she's been trying to do the same. It's rather adorable, actually."
Hephaestus had not wanted Eri anywhere near him when he forged, but apparently Hecate had a hard time saying no to the girl. He wasn't sure how, but apparently they were able to watch him from a distance without being near him.
Ever since, Eri decided magic was for the weak. That because she was a daughter of the God of Fire, that fire would heed her command. He laughed as Eri reared her hand back and shoved it forward. Her body shook with the effort of attempting to spark a flame…to no avail unfortunately.
"She'll grow in her own strength," smiled Hephaestus, "even if it's not like mine."
Eri kept going, forcing every ounce of will into her desire. She wanted fire! She wanted power! She wanted–
Toot.
The poor girl froze, looking around for anyone that heard that. She looked to the window, breathing a sigh of relief. Hecate and her father were nowhere to be seen.
Instead, they were silently laughing together on the other side of the window. Hephaestus was overhead, his arm above Hecate. They locked eyes for a moment, their laughter settling as they kissed.
She ran her hands through his hair, enjoying the quiet warmth for a moment. She sighed as they separated, a smile growing.
"Is your…dessert almost done?"
"Another twenty minutes or so," he admitted.
He never did catch her eyes narrowing.
"Minutes?" she slightly mouthed.
Suffice to say, the party was a joyous one. Kassandra, some of the witches that Eri had befriended, and even Ifrit, were all in attendance. A table lined with food cooked by Hephaestus was doubted at first.
He smirked when the first witch bit into it, only to slap the table in shock. Eri munched away, having already enjoyed such food constantly. Even the orphans in Lemnos were privy to dishes that would make Kings weep in jealousy.
Yet, it was the cake that was meant with dubious concern. Raw sugar wasn't really a concept in Greece at the time. Honey was their main source of sweetness, and wine their preferred beverage if available. There was of course fruit juice as well.
Manual processing wouldn't be possible for a number of generations. Though, having to manually reconfigure graphite into sugar proved a more monotonous task than expected. Eri looked at the cake in wonder, smiling at the little swirls of fire that danced above the icing. Eight little palls of fire. He didn't care about anyone else, only the toothy smile of the girl as she looked to him.
"Happy birthday little one," smiled Hephaestus.
She was basically jittering when he cut her a slice. Yet, she waited until everyone was served. One of the witches smiled half-heartedly, until Kassandra chowed down without a thought.
"By the gods, this is great!" yelled Kassandra.
That was all she needed, and Eri went rabid, devouring the cake with nary a breath. He ignored her as he cleaned his daughter's giggling face, missing out on the wide eyed shock of Hecate as she ate.
-5 years and 4 Months ago-
Eri was walking through the town, smiling away at all the people who walked around her. She was taller than any four-year-old had the right to be, easily four-foot-six in height. She wore a longer chiton, complete with a pair of pure white crepidas. The straps of leather were dyed the same snow white as her father's armor. She still didn't understand why he covered his legs in the armor that he did, but she attributed that to his own quirks.
She smiled happily as one of the older women smiled at her.
"Oh hello dear, looking for your father?"
"Yup! I just got back from Kassandra's lessons!"
Eri found it easier for people to understand that she was learning from Kassandra rather than Hecate herself. She didn't know why they seemed so uncomfortable with other gods, but she didn't like it when others felt uncomfortable around her. Made her feel queasy.
THUMP!
She stilled, looking to the source of the sound.
"Oh?"
Even the humans had to stop.
THUMP!
THUMP!
THUMP!
The echoing sounds of heavy steps rounded the corner near the pier, revealing Hephaestus. On his shoulders was a stone pillar, easily twice his own size in length and width. It sat on his shoulders with ease, held in place with one arm. Eri knew her father was strong, Hecate would regale her with tales every so often without realizing.
However, she didn't realize her father was strong.
"Would this work?" he asked one of the fishermen. The fisherman was younger than most, just the specklings of a beard growing on his face, just over the cusp of a teen to an adult.
"Yea, that will do," smirked Krios, "we got a lever system that we wanted to test, but couldn't get a solid enough weight to put it through its paces. With a stone this big, we might be able to drag larger catches onto shore after dragging them in!"
Krios was a full grown man now, a deep chestnut beard draped across his face. His chest hair was loud and proud, a body forged for life at sea.
The village had grown into a genuine town, bustling with life and expertise. One woman had discovered pigments and paint. As such, Lemnos was now privy to a town covered in the artistic whims of its residences.
Krios, for all his focus on fishing, was a bit tinkerier himself. Hence, the hook. It was an inspired idea, though Hephaestus knew it wouldn't work as intended. After all, none of them had considered how to drag these bigger catches to this lever system in the first place with the pier so close to the coast. Yet, that wasn't the point. Human development was to be nurtured, not rushed or bypassed.
Besides, it wasn't as if Hephaestus was a mariner expert by any means, perhaps they'd surprise him.
"Where do you nee–"
"Dad?"
He paused, turning his head to see Eri. He couldn't twist around too much, though.
"Eri? You're done early. Did you finish your lessons that quickly?"
Eri blinked, tilting her head.
"W-when w-were you able to do-do that?"
He smiled softly at her stutter, a verbal tick whenever she got too excited.
"I've always been able to do this," chuckled Hephaestus.
"B-but you never told me!"
"I didn't think I needed to?"
"I want ups!"
"Eri, I've always given you ups–"
"But not when I knew you were strong!"
Hephaestus sighed, ignoring the way Krios laughed at him. Even the mothers and fathers that surrounded him chuckled a bit. Unfortunately, Eri wasn't one for a no.
"I'll give you ups when I'm done helping Krios…also, aren't you a little old to be asking for ups?"
Krios gave Hephaestus the side eye. What sort of four-year-old talked like an adult to begin with? If anything, asking for uppies when you were four was normal.
"I am allowed to ask for ups for as long as I want! Nay for as long as I demand!"
Every adult looked at Eri. She was bigger than any kid her age was supposed to be. If anything she acted more like she was 12 than she was 4.
"Terrifying kid," muttered Krios.
He was a smart man, that much Krios knew. Any pride he had in that fact got obliterated though. Nothing worse than having your ideas scrutinized and improved, by a four year old.
"You'll get too old eventually," chuckled Hephaestus. He placed the stone on whatever infernal contraption Krios and the others had made. It looked like a dock hook of all things. It was impressive for the times.
"No, n-never!"
He went to grab Eri, groaning for good measure.
"You're getting heavy!" he joked.
She pouted, crossing her arms.
"U-u-u-u"
A scowl formed as she smacked her lips a bit, her tiny fists clenching.
"U-ups properly!"
His smile lost a bit of its shine, before relenting. She could feel it, see it even, in the way his shoulders relaxed completely. She was dangling helplessly as her father smiled at her.
"Do I weigh anything to you?" she asked.
"You're like a sack of grapes," smiled Hephaestus. He heaved her up a tad, for extra measure.
"...Throw me!"
"No," said Hephaestus flatly.
"...throw me please?"
Eri's eyes grew wide and pleading, the golden color adding to an ambiance of cuteness that no human could rightly endure.
"No."
It deflated instantly, her own flat expression growing.
"Just a l-little," she whimpered.
"..."
He really tried. He did. But a soft smile and he was lobbing Eri up just a tad. Only a foot or so.
"Higher Papa, higher!"
He hated it when she did that. She only called him Papa when she was manipulating him, the rascal. But damnit, it worked.
He didn't know how, he didn't know when, but he ended up throwing Eri an easy six feet in the air, his eyes narrowed in perplexity. Why on earth would he be doing something so reckless?
"ME NEXT!"
Any thought of his lot in life shifted as he turned, confusion morphing into dread at the sight of the now gaggle of children around him.
"...Shit," he muttered.
"You said the bad word, you said the bad word! I'm telling mom!" laughed Eri as she wiggled out of her shocked father's grasp.
He froze, watching Eri dash through the town.
"So…her mom is Kassandra?"
He turned to Krios, the utter befuddlement rendering the man mute.
"So…not Kassandra?"
"No Krios," muttered Hephaestus, "it's not Kassandra….really?"
The man helplessly shrugged, just watching as the children pulled at Hephaestus' chiton. Any urge to ignore them wilted at the sight. Hephaestus was always weak to things like this.
….though why the random adult woman got in line was beyond him….or at least he prayed it wasn't what he thought it was.
-4 years ago-
Hephaestus watched intently, following along as Hecate taught Eri. His daughter was fully focused, eyeing every detail she could.
"Magic," explained Hecate, "is merely the application of your will. Runes are the language."
"Does it have to be runes?" wondered Eri.
Far from bothered by Eri's interruption, Hecate smiled.
"Not at all. Runes are the most basic of spellwork, rigid in their applications perhaps as individual sigils, but written in sequence…why the possibilities are endless."
It was true, to an extent. Runes were powerful, even in the world EMIYA was from there existed primordial runes and symbols of immense strength. They were done away with both for the cost of their use and also the conditions needed to make full use of them. While runes could garner great strength, they were ultimately dependent on the capability and compatibility of the user. Diverse, but lacks the peaks true specialization can bring.
There was also the type of runes. If there were any similarities between EMIYA's world and this one, it might mean that the runes and symbols of other cultures could have varying degrees of effectiveness.
Genuine magic, the sort of which Hecate was a master of, was far more malleable, allowing for greater complexity and freedoms. It was more difficult to perform unlike runes, but it had far greater depths. With it, one could create rituals, new runes, and of course, unique spells. It was the basis for all schools of magic, making it absurdly difficult to learn and master.
So of course, Hecate taught this first, with runes being the basis of this field of magic.
He could only laugh as Eri clapped, watching Hecate create various elements out of thin air as an example.
"As you can see, my witchcraft carries many possibilities."
Eri grinned, as if she finally won the argument.
"So no more runes then! Better to focus on the end result right?"
"Oh, you sweet foolish child–"
Eri's face dropped.
"You know that's not how that works. The basics first, then we advance."
She poked at the ground, sighing.
"...fine…sorry."
She was diligent once more, face relaxing into a stupor of complete focus. Every sigil that Hecate conjured, Eri committed to memory. Not just her either. Hephaestus was watching, learning as Hecate explained the intricacies. Eri proved a phenomenal student…actually, she proved more than that.
She was utterly ravenous. She easily held an eidetic memory, but the way she was able to weave complicated concepts wasn't human. At least, it wasn't viable at her age. She was far more developed than any normal child.
This was of course attributed to her mother, Athena. It was a rather sore subject for Eri…but one Hephaestus found she didn't really dwell on all that often. He was almost ready to finally start delving deeply into his new abilities, when Eri asked a rather sudden question. She ceased her studies, turning to her father.
"Dad…"
"...yes?" he muttered, eyes still scanning the cracks of his body.
"...when can we go to Athens?"
The entire clearing paused. Hecate turned to her, while Hephaestus began mulling on the idea. His first thought was…less than ideal. It was a no. A hell no even. He didn't want Eri anywhere off the island. She needed to be home. She needed to be safe.
Which was precisely why he knew that wasn't the answer. Keeping her contained, even for safety, was the same trap that Demeter fell into. It was tempting, the itch to protect swirling with the need to keep her close in a potent and toxic mixture.
One, that admittedly, almost won. EMIYA's wisdom proved itself once again, the dull steel of his experiences and knowledge proving to be the greatest tool Hephaestus would ever wield.
"...We can go together, how's that?" smiled Hephaestus.
She giggled.
"When, w-when!"
"...when you're older," he said.
"So never," she slumped.
He stood, moving to kneel with his child in the circle. He looked at Hecate, a small smile on his face. He appreciated her silence in this matter, even if she had more than earned the right to have a say.
"I promise you, within the next few years we will go. I just want you to grow a bit more. After all, Athens is far away and knowing you…you'd like to travel and see everything we can on the way right?"
She grinned, her crooked teeth the most adorable sight that Hephaestus ever saw. He cupped her cheek, his warm hand making her feet tap on the ground.
"That's good with you?" he asked.
"Hmm hm!"
"Good. Now focus on your lessons Eri. A few more segments and we can take a break."
"Oooh! I want to go bathe in the hot water again! That felt so nice!"
Hephaestus sweated a bit, remembering that incident. He had gotten injured slightly in a conflict with some idiotic river god. The moron tried to make Lemnos his home, even when he wasn't welcome.
A slippery bastard, one that managed to get a hit in. As he was cleansing the divinity in his body, the river steamed, heating up. Eri, for all her intelligence, decided it was a great idea to jump head first.
Good news, she was fine.
A bit of negative news, he realized that her resistance to heat and fire was not absolute. She was…fireproof in a sense, but he doubted she could endure divine heat.
He wasn't in the mood to really test her resistance to fire outright, so there was that as well.
A good lesson to know ahead of time.
"Dad, you're doing that thing again."
"Hmm?"
"He tends to lose himself in thought, doesn't he?" smiled Hecate.
"Oh! Oh! L-l-lets go together!" jumped Eri, her energy climbing.
"Oh?" smiled Hecate, "Bathing in hot water? I have to admit the idea of it is rather…counterintuitive. Is it really as grand as you describe?" chuckled Hecate.
"I promise it's great!" laughed Eri, "L-l-let's go!"
There was no stopping her, so they all gathered together.
"Alright, alright," sighed Hecate, " but we continue lessons after, understood?"
"Yes mom!"
Hecate stilled as Eri laughed into the woods. She was shellshocked, staring at the ground.
"I told you she called you that years ago," chuckled Hephaestus, standing beside her. He grew concerned when she didn't move.
"Hecate?"
She slowly turned to him, grasping for words that escaped her.
"I…I've told her," she seemed to mutter, "hundreds of times. I'm not her mother."
"I doubt she cares," smiled Hephaestus.
"...I…I can't…I…this…"
Warmth spread from her shoulders as Hephaestus engulfed her. She had been held numerous times by him. Felt his warmth around her. The way he'd hold her, focus on her, it was all new. It reached parts of her she thought dead and withered.
She couldn't look into his eyes, looking away.
"It saddens me," he muttered, "that you believe yourself so undeserving of love."
She shivered, a part of her desperately wanting to leave. Another, selfishly wanting to stay. He cusped her cheek, turning her to face him, a soft kiss as he held her closer. The anxiety she felt simmered away, the warmth eating away even the darkest of her thoughts.
He rubbed away at the beginnings of tears as they separated, and for a moment…Hecate knew love. She had assumed Aphrodite was the weakest of the Olympians. In this moment…she knew otherwise. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't even speak. So deep was the realization that it struck her at the very core she kept so well hidden.
"I…"
"I know," smiled Hephaestus softly, "and so does Eri."
He took her hand, softly leading her back home. She felt so vulnerable, so open. It was abhorrent. A weakness. Had she? Had she grown to genuinely love something? As they neared her home, she could hear the sloshing of the deep spring she kept so close.
It was supposed to be for alchemy.
"She's that excited hmm?" chuckled Hephaestus.
He shrugged off the upper layer of his chiton, his muscular back open to her. The wave of heat brushed against her cheek as he turned back to her.
"Come. I promise you, it is actually quite delightful."
So she bathed. Bathed with the man that had become her lover and the child that became her daughter. She hated the way she was splashed by Eri. Detested the way Hephaestus laughed between them. She utterly loathed Eri's erratic energy. She utterly hated…just how much she loved it all…and the way the smile on her face just kept growing.
She narrowed her eyes as Eri splashed her again.
"That does it child, we are here to relax! So, relax."
The water swirled Eri around, bringing her right in front of Hecate. Positioned just beneath her, Eri hummed happily, kicking at the water in front of her as Hecate held her close. The witch couldn't help but laugh as the small child sneezed, her grey hair tickling Eri's nose. Those golden eyes looked up at her, smiling away.
"This is great, right?"
Hecate smiled, locking eyes with Hephaestus right across from her. His elbows were spread across the ground, acting as a rest as he leaned against the earth. He still wore some cloth around his waist, some form of modesty for whatever reason.
He was silly. So was she.
"It's perfect," Hecate whispered.
-Current Era. Hephaestus-
He was full. His heart, his mind. Hephaestus felt complete for the first time in his life…and it felt good.
CRACK!
He smirked, eyeing the runic sequence he developed from his arm. Across the shoulder down to the back of his hand…was runes. A sequence that hardened the body, empowered his movement, and more importantly.
FWOOSH!
Gave him options. The gust of wind that shot from his hands was rather forceful, a strong kinetic burst that would knock even a seasoned warrior off their feet. There were still a few kinks to work out, but the sight of such magic, the sort that he needed Noble Phantasms and Mystic Codes to replicate…it was good. He closed his eyes again, the runes shifting once more, he smirked
"Finally," he muttered, feeling the effects of the rune. "Now onto–"
"DAAAAAAAD! Ifrit's ignoring me again!"
He sighed. He didn't even need to look as Ifrit rocketed into his chest full force, disappearing into his inner world. He turned, facing his daughter.
"Well," said Hephaestus, "you were supposed to be preparing, not chasing Ifrit again. Are you ready?"
Hair as crimson as his own, a crooked cheeky grin, and a deep blue chiton similar to her father's. She was now above her father's knees, adjusting a pack on her back.
A single sash, woven into a satchel worn across the back, rather than the waist. It was a beautiful grey, fine make, and utterly enchanted by Hecate herself to be much larger than what it appeared.
"I was already ready! You're too slow! Come on! Let's go! Let'sgolet'sgolet'sgo!"
She was damn near jumping as she moved around him, the older man smiling at her exuberance.
"Very well then," he said, "let's go."
For a moment, he thought of saying good-bye to Hecate again…but stilled his hand. Her island, along with the rest of the witches, were being moved elsewhere. It was less a transition of movement, and more of a deal of some kind with Hera. A transfer of power of some sort that Hephaestus genuinely cared little about. Hecate did though, and she needed her entire focus for the task. It would take weeks of work for her to transfer everything to her satisfaction, so it worked out.
"You say good-bye to Hecate?"
"O-of course I did!" she yelled, turning to him.
She crossed her arms, scowling fully.
"I'm not t-that rude!" she said as they neared the hill.
"Really?" smiled Hephaestus.
"Really, really!"
"Alright, alright," laughed Hephaestus. "We're nearing the coast now. See, Krios is already there waiting for us."
Just over the hill of this home and close to the coast line, was Krios. However, as they neared the edge, it became quickly apparent that Krios wasn't alone. Dozens of people were near their little boat. It was a larger two man rowboat, wider than the usual construction. It was crafted by Hephaestus' own hand, each plank carved and treated with all the means he knew.
To the average Grecian, it looked like a standard row boat. However, it was far sturdier, the wood treated, and reinforced to withstand greater impact. Hell, it could survive the open ocean if pushed to it, though that wasn't the plan.
"You know to follow the coastal routes eh?" muttered a fisherman as they neared.
"I do. Along the south-west, correct?"
"Make sure to stop by Lesvos," smiled a woman, "My brother settled there. If you could, my lord, I would love to hear from him."
He smiled.
"Of course Astia. I expect more of your Loukomades when we return though."
The sound of hooves echoing on stone reached him, making Hephaestus smirk as he turned. She galloped quickly, huffing hard with a few saddlebags worth of goods on her back.
"Heph! Thank the gods I caught up."
Kassandra breathed a sigh of relief as she trotted to him, the people around them making way.
"All the defenses are good to go…kind of. Still can't properly apply seals to the ocean, but I'll keep an eye on it! How long do you think you'll be gone?"
Hephaestus smiled as he brought Eri into his side, the rambunctious child grinning away.
"For about half a month. We plan to travel the natural way for the most part, so that Eri can see everything as we travel."
He still wasn't sure about this admittedly, but the idea of Eri seeing Lemnos as more of a cage than a home was of a far greater concern. Besides, the truth of it was that even Hephaestus wanted to get out there and stretch his legs so to speak.
"Alright then," smiled Kassandra, "we'll see you when you get back…just…don't invite anyone here…please."
She shivered, remembering when Zeus had arrived. Hephaestus had forgotten to explain to anyone that Zeus was visiting the island, so when she galloped straight into the King of the Gods, she understandably thought she was dead.
The shriveled anxiety of her life blossomed into a disgust of epic proportions when Zeus began flirting with her however. She had a newfound respect for the King of the Gods…though whether that was positive or not, only Kassandra knew.
"I've told you a hundred times," says Hephaestus. "If you want to barge into my home so often, without warning or notice, expect guests."
She only mouthed Hephaestus' words back at him, making Eri laugh. He chuckled as he lifted his daughter, bringing her to his shoulder.
"Come," he said, Eri grappling around to rest her legs across his shoulders, "it's time we head off."
The boat was sturdy and strong. It was a small vessel, strong enough to weather the coastal waters, but small enough to fit only two people comfortably. Eri's feet bounced off Hephaestus' chest as he worked to ensure all parts of the boat were up to standard.
There was no sail, as the route he planned made plenty of use of the strong waters. It was also the fact that he didn't want the trip to end so soon for Eri. She wanted an adventure, so she would have one.
By common estimation, he rounded a trip to be about a day from Lemnos to Athens with a sail boat. Though that was without following the coastal route and with a more modern design.
With a row boat, it would likely take a week or so, depending on their pace and how often they stopped, considering his strength. Perfect for both father and daughter to quell the thirst for adventure, however unlikely that was to happen.
He didn't think he would be so excited, but he couldn't help but match his daughter's energy as she sat across from him as they settled within the boat.
"Ready?" asked Hephaestus as he pushed against their small pier.
"Ready!"
She waved goodbye to the people at the coast, the two smiling as they followed the coastal waters. Any concern for the ravages of the tides were null, when compared to Hephaestus' strength.
Though…he did reinforce the boat just in case. He closed his eyes only for a moment, the smell of the ocean making him beam. The subtle kiss of the sun drifting across his skin, as the wind braced against his face.
"It feels amazing!"
His thoughts and her words were one and the same. Yet, he couldn't help but smirk at the slight twitch in her eye.
"Really?"
"Really!" grinned Eri.
"...are you sure?"
Her smile faltered as she looked to the side.
"Well…I guess I'm bored really."
"...Little one…it's been three minutes."
"I'm not small!"
He could only shake his head as he rowed a little harder, laughing a bit at the way Eri pouted.
"It-it-it," she scowled as she glared playfully at her father, forcing her words straight, "it's been more than three minutes!"
It wasn't. Hephaestus knew that it was precisely three minutes, and he had little doubt that Eri was just as aware, the stubborn girl that she was.
The boat swayed a bit as he rowed just a tad harder, sending them forward faster. The boat was heavy enough not to veer with the light effort he rowed with. Lemnos had only just started to be smaller in the distance when he turned his head. He could still see the people watching them go as he rowed steadily, smiling at the sight.
He was the only one at this time though. The silence must have been suffocating for the poor girl, her stimming fingers restlessly bouncing. Her fingers tapped at her seat, a sudden idea forming. She grinned as she turned to her father.
"T-tell me a story!"
He blinked, turning to her as he rowed. The water caved around his paddle as he steadily kept them going along the coasts.
"A story?"
"Yea! A story!"
"...well…You know Hecate was always better at that than me," muttered Hephaestus.
He was an artistic genius…in terms of the more physical arts. The written word? He was basically a dunce.
"Not a made up one," grumbled Eri, "an actual one!"
For a moment he was left wondering what she meant. Eri grinned evilly, looking up at him from beneath the bangs of her wild hair.
"Mother told me about Uncle Ares. When did you first meet!"
"...um…"
"Leave, you are not wanted here."
"...a while back," smiled Hephaestus easily. "When I first met Ares there was…something between us that I still can't describe."
She pouted, rubbing her chin.
"Must be what having a sibling is like."
He realized too late where she was going with this, his face falling a bit as the shadows obscured his eyes, his jaw tightening into a stoic shield.
"When am I getting a sibling!"
"...Eri…you were special–"
"Mom made me! That means Mom can also make me another sibling!"
If he didn't know her so well, he'd be wondering who she meant. He had never broached the topic with Hecate, mainly because she seemed so centred around Eri. There were also subtle hints that betrayed Hecate's reluctance for children of her own. But Eri didn't need to know that.
"Eri…I've already told you it doesn't work that way."
"Pfft, you can at least try."
He really didn't need to hear this so he cleared his throat and brought her attention to something else entirely.
"Well, how about I tell you when Ares visited me for the first time? Does that interest you?"
Any thought of a sibling vanished immediately as she nodded.
"Thank God," he thought.
Hephaestus settled into a steady rhythm, their boat trudging along as he told his story.
"Well, it was a rather…short encounter–"
"Tell the whole thing," muttered Eri, "don't short hand it and leave out the funny parts!"
"...I'm not that bad," snarked Hephaestus.
Eri shuffled across the boat, jumping into her father's lap. She enjoyed the heat he gave off. Normal humans felt so cold in comparison. She looked up, having to blow her hair away from her face.
"You're not bad," smiled Eri, "you always try to just say the ending of the story, rather than build up to it!"
"...but…this isn't a story, it's when my brother first–"
"Just explain everything," smiled Eri, "I promise I'll enjoy it!"
"...very well."
-Hephaestus and Ares, some years back. First Person Point of View-
The sky was rather bleak that day, ominous even. The island was still recovering from Atlas' assault at the time. In fact, it was the reason that he was even on the island.
Really?
Eri, don't interrupt.
Sorry.
Anyways…Ares arrived on the island for a different purpose entirely. One that was more irksome than I gave it credit for at the time.
"Do you really need to be here?" I muttered.
"Of course brother," smirked Ares, "someone has to teach you how to do this."
He had just…shown up. Literally. I woke up, crawled out of bed, and came outside to find Ares sharpening a sword of all things. He had explained that the ability to give blessings was absolutely necessary to cleansing the island of Atlas' remaining power.
Was it?
To a degree. While the result of the blessing did little, the process of granting one did give me in rows to accelerate Lemnos' repairs. At the time I didn't think much of it, still…I trusted him. I still can't properly explain it. There was a connection, an…understanding between us. As if I could feel his intentions. I felt he could feel the same from me. Maybe that's why I followed him when he brought me to the woods.
The woods? What for?
Well…to hunt. We needed something to demonstrate what it was that he was trying to teach me. We ended up finding a boar.
"Here we are," smiled Ares.
Of course Ares somehow found the most unusual one. It was a massive creature, completely unnatural…it…well…it was also unnatural in a different way.
"...is…this yours?" asked Hephaestus.
"...I thought it was yours? A failed attempt?"
"A failed attempt?"
"Are you telling me they can actually grow to this size?"
The boar was easily at chest height for both of us. The loud slopping noise of it eating away at the plants did little to detract from the utter disinterest in its eyes. There was a deer near its feet, half eaten. A candiacervus if you could believe that.
A what?
Not important. What was important was the fact that this boar in particular was rather tame, despite its unusual size. The fact that it blinked one eye at a time led me to believe it was tame in other ways as well.
"I don't normally give my blessings out," smirked Ares, running his hands across the boar's hide, "even the stoutest of men can rarely endure my strength. But this beast? Oh…he will do nicely."
The boar didn't care that it was being petted. If anything it seemed entirely out of it, just eating away without a care.
"...you're…certain?" I muttered.
"Of course," smirked Ares, all the confidence in the world, "Now, watch and learn."
I funneled my own power to my eyes, to help see beyond just the mortal plane. It was interesting to watch and instinctive as well. Divinity is more about emotion and intention than direction. Blessings in particular require a great deal of it from the way I saw Ares do it.
That…doesn't really make sense.
That's because you wield magic. Will is the most important factor for you. How you intend to wield something is how it will be directed. But for the Gods, emotions, desire, their divinity stems from their very being.
That's dumb. I mean, you're a God, and you control your power. Mom and I never sense anything from you. It freaks her out sometimes when you sneak up on her.
What? She never told me? But that's not here nor there. Divinity is more than just will or desire. It's what makes it such a paradoxical power. Easy and difficult to call upon. You can intend all you like, but how you feel about something, your domains, and other factors influence the exertion of your power. It's why weavers, as I've come to learn, are so rare amongst the divine.
Dad. Uncle Ares?
Oh. Right.
You've met your uncle once before when you were a child. What do you remember of that meeting?
He was…harsh. Even when he smiled I could feel like he was going to kill someone.
That must have been scary Eri, why didn't you–
Scary? I guess it kind of was. But it never felt directed to me. I always feel safe with Uncle Ares. Like he would murder anyone that came close to us. He also taught me to throw a spear really hard! Which was awesome!
I…didn't know he taught you that. How did he teach you that you were four? When? How? He was right beside me…ah…right, multiple bodies.
Hehehehehehehehehe.
So you know how his divinity feels. Caustic and violent.
Yep.
That very divinity infected the docile boar. Its once brown hide turned a dull red, it's eyes shining with a hunger that surpassed mere food. Its tusks sharpened ever so slightly, curving just enough to be even more effective at goring a man. There was an alertness to it now, but it was the way its presence grew heavier that tipped me to how blessings truly worked. Still…there was an issue.
"Brother?"
"Hmm."
"...why did you make this boar your divine beast?"
Ares smirked a bit. The God of War's boyish face was a hint of shame for him. His face made him seem so young. The smirk seemed more arrogant and boyish than dangerous.
The mirth was equally off putting.
"No. This is more…an infusion of my domain. If I wanted this beast to be my familiar, I would choose something more ferocious!"
We both had to stare at the absolute monster Ares had made. It's red eyes darted between the two of us, a lust for battle that wasn't there previously growing. The russet fur died into dried blood, the tusks becoming even sharper.
Ifrit fluttered their wings, eyeing the beast. Ares couldn't look at us as we both eyed him. We knew the truth.
"...brother…"
"..."
Ares looked to the side, unwilling to stare at the obvious divine beast before us.
"...you're not exactly skilled at this yourself are you?"
Ares scoffed, annoyance and irritation in equal measure as he looked at me.
"Like you can do much better! Besides, it wasn't as if I was expecting this boar to be compatible!"
I still didn't understand what that meant, admittedly. Compatibility wasn't a huge concern for me, but it appeared it was important to the others.
Dad, you're doing it again.
Right right. Ares was quick to centre himself though.
"You've seen the process, just reduce the divinity. Blessings are all about what you desire. Just focus on what you wish to give…and the rest will sort itself out."
For all his skill in battle, it was obvious to me that the specifics of divine manipulation was lost on Ares. It was more than just desire. If it wasn't, then the likes of other gods would never be able to create the things they do. Didn't mean he didn't get the point across, however.
It was about putting all of yourself into something, not just the parts. All or nothing, than reducing as needed. The large boar was obviously the leader of some sort. That, or at least was something of a protector for its kin. Smaller, normal, boars arrived soon enough, running away the moment they saw us. All except one.
It was rooted to the ground, a younger boar, probably still a child. Too afraid to move.
I held my hand up, my inner fire burning softly towards the boar. It permeated it, surrounding the animal. I could see the way its eyes widened at the surge of power. I reduced it to a tenth of what Ares had done, the bare minimum. Too weak to empower it, but strong enough to leave a lingering echo. It was this that would become my blessing.
"Good, good!" coaxed my brother, "now, envision it. What do you desire, what do you want to grant this creature!"
"Courage," I muttered.
"...sure," muttered Ares, "a decent first blessing. So envision it, that you grant this creature your strength, your courage…"
I could see my brother smiling. There was pride there, a new feeling for me. It was so easy to see it, the way that my blessing would curl around this boar's heart.
"Excell-"
Pop.
I blinked, wiping the slight bit of gore off my face, the meat sizzling against my skin as I stared at the viscera between my fingers. Ares stared at the burnt spot the boar once held, nothing but a smoking pair of hooves remaining. Ares' face erupts into laughter as he held his stomach.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"It's not funny," I muttered, guilty for the poor beast.
"HAHAHAHAHA! Ho-Oh! Oh, that's just…hahahahahaha!"
I watched my brother as he kept laughing and laughing, tears actually flowing from his eyes.
"...Are you done?" I muttered.
…it was then he began to choke.
Wait…he choked?
Yes.
From laughing?
Evidently.
But he was fine right?
Erm…no.
…what?
-In The Boat, Hephaestus and Eri. Third Person Narration-
Eri didn't laugh. Hephaestus found the memory funny, but she seemed more perplexed than anything.
"Was…that good?" he asked.
Eri nodded, just staring at the water.
"Just…I can't imagine Uncle Ares laughing."
He smiled, rubbing his rough fingers through Eri's soft hair.
"Yes. He strikes quite the stature, doesn't he?"
A bubbly nod was the answer he received as Eri got up, slowly walking back to her own seat, spinning to sit across from her father once more.
"...It's nice," she smiled.
"Oh?"
"You smiling. You…don't really talk about yourself much."
"Don't I? It's never really come up in conversation before has it?" asked Hephaestus.
His words were as easy as the summer breeze, free and airy. It made Eri feel more uneasy. She held her arms out, large eyes staring at her father.
"Can I hold Ifrit?"
He sighed, looking her in the eye.
"You know she doesn't like to be touched, Eri."
"I know. Promise."
Ifrit came unbidden, a surge of blue flames erupting from her father's shoulder. The bird ruffled her feathers, eyeing Eri flatly. Eri held her arms out, a hopeful smile on her face.
"Can I hold you for a bit, Ifrit?"
The bird's head immediately shrunk in, an obvious grimace of displeasure. Yet, this was not the small babe any longer. Eri's arms fell back into her lap, her smile never waning.
"Ok, sorry for bothering you."
Hephaestus smiled, one that was mirrored by Ifrit herself. The bird quickly adjusted itself, fluttering its wings to roost beside Eri, rather than her preferred porch on Hephaestus' shoulder.
Rather than reach for the bird, Eri's hands remained where they were…yet her eyes lingered on Ifrit. A question on her lips, one she didn't know if she should ask. She had already gotten more out of her father's past than she had actually expected today.
Yet, fate favoured the bold as they say…and this was a question that had always been at the back of her mind for quite some time.
"Hey dad? Are we there yet?"
She laughed as his face fell.
"It's been barely some time Eri."
"So that means another story right!"
She giggled as her father sighed, pushing some of his hair out of his eyes. She liked the way his sparse beard was tugged with his smile, the crinkle of his eyes. She bounced as he spoke to her.
"...you don't have to justify it you know," chuckled Hephaestus, "merely ask."
"Ok. How did you meet Ifrit?"
Her heart shriveled a bit. Her father's laughter, his merriment…it faded almost instantly. Instead, it was replaced with an eerie calm. There was no judgement or distaste, just an immediate dismissal.
"That's not my story–"
Ifrit shuffled her feathers, her eyes boring into her bonded partner. They locked eyes as they sometimes did. Her intent was clear, even without words.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
He didn't need to ask. Shouldn't have in the first place, considering their connection. Eri was excitable, brattish even, but unlike her mother, she could read a room.
"...I didn't mean to make anyone sad," muttered Eri.
"It…well if Ifrit wants you to know…I guess it's alright for me to tell the story," said Hephaestus.
He looked upon his daughter, a seriousness she had only seen when she had done something wrong, or if he spoke of something with great importance.
"This is not a merry tale, Eri…do you understand?"
"...I…think so? I promise I won't laugh," said Eri seriously.
He smiled briefly, leaning forward for a moment. She could hear the drops of water splashing lightly against the wood of their boat. His constant rowing paused so he looked right at her, rooting her to her seat.
"I mean this is not a story you share with anyone Eri. This is not something you say to the other witches or even Hecate without Ifrit's express permission…she trusts you…and this story is personal. Does that make more sense?"
She nodded.
Hephaestus knew there was more to this. He found it odd that Eri would ask for Ifrit so quickly. Over the years, Eri had learned to treat Ifrit like a person, rather than a pet.
Her request to hold Ifrit was obviously a ploy for a different goal. He had an inkling, but for now he would play along. He looked to the sky, his eyes searching for something…searching for when to start.
He didn't know how long he was lost in thought, pondering what was appropriate to share and what wasn't. Eventually, he settled, eyeing his daughter seriously as he leaned forward, the paddle brought into the boat.
This would take all of his focus.
"...I guess…I start at the beginning," muttered Hephaestus.
-31 years ago (3rd Person Narration)-
It had been a few days since Hephaestus had left the ocean. He had yet to come across any human settlements on the island he had found himself in, but that made sense all things considered.
After all, movement was slow going.
CRUNCH. CRUNCH. CRACKLE. CRUNCH.
He could hear his cartilage cracking, his bones echoing as they socketed out of place with every step. His knee socket churned and twisted as his misshapen legs struggled to move at his command. Most of his weight was put on his right leg, his left leg being too twisted to support anything without him toppling over.
One would think him unable to move to begin with, but Hephaestus' newfound experience had rendered pain a rather known and dull commodity. He still didn't yet understand what, or who, he had become. Was he EMIYA? Was he Hephaestus?
His oldest memories were torn between being thrown into the abyss and waking up in a hellstorm of cursed fire. Two lives intertwined into a complicated helix, mirroring the other–a deranged mixture of memories that was far from chronological.
One would think the existential quandary, the utter dread of wondering who you had become so rapidly, would be his concern. That it would be a cause of vexation.
CRUNCH. CRUNCH.
"Damn it," muttered Hephaestus.
He had effectively lived for so long that time was utterly meaningless. Alaya's tasks and missions for EMIYA brought the heroic spirit outside the traditional barriers of space and time.
His age was truly unknowable, his experience a tsunami, his annoyance…plain.
CRUNCH.
Hephaestus sighed for the eighth time, his mind a stampede of thoughts. His fingers twitched to strike his hammer on another slag of metal. He wanted to craft something, anything.
CRUNCH.
He had been walking for days, but even with the hurricane of ideas and desires that rattled in his mind, it was the utterly abysmal pace that was killing his patience. Memories of movement from EMIYA had shown him just how much he was missing from having a pair of functional legs.
It had gotten so bad that he was even attempting to manipulate raw divinity to create a solution of some kind…hence his annoyance. A spark fluttered aimlessly from his hand, another failed attempt.
He wanted to move faster. Such a mundane concern, yet it was the one that kept him at bay. He couldn't take it anymore, deciding it was time to rest. He had been moving non-stop for days on end. Everytime he called upon his divinity, it fluttered out of his grasp. The human mana that he could feel, the power that surrounded him, was unlike the rigid system that EMIYA was accustomed to, so there was that as well.
He needed a place to settle, a workshop, that was what was needed. Right? At this point he might as well settle for the rock. It was a small boulder really, amidst the craggy terrain he was on. He had left the woods, finding a steep hill that fed into the mountain he was at the base of.
He sat down, the relief of being off his feet doing nothing for his mood. He struggled for a few minutes to call upon his power, but sighed in distaste. His eyes wandered…and he knew peace. Eyeing the beauty of the land around him, his frustrations melted away, the tug of his smile growing more as he eyed everything.
EMIYA's memories had shown him worlds beyond human comprehension, cities of glass and stone, areas mired in otherworldly power. Yet, the emerald haze of the trees beneath him, the cragged peaks of the mountain before him, the way the air filled him, it was this that rooted him.
It was the sweet taste of freedom. He sifted off the boulder, plomping to the ground. As he lay against the stone, he dug his fingers into the dirt. As the cool soil wrapped around his fingers, he couldn't help but wonder. A part of his mind still warred that this was all an elaborate illusion…that Alaya still chained his soul.
Yet, was he that soul anymore? Was he EMIYA or Hephaestus? He didn't rightly know in all honesty. But EMIYA was a designation, Shirou a name that was thrown away.
In all honestly, Hephaestus was as good a name as any. His declaration of freedom from the chains of EMIYA. It was a name that was entirely his own. No parent gave him this name, no single soul enacted the ritual of naming. It was entirely Hephaestus' own, forged by his own hand.
Yes…it would do. Any desire to roam and run was absent in this quiet moment. The sun caressed his face, the warmth seeping into his bones. The smell of the earth, the feel of that slick, soft grass ticking his deformed legs.
It had to be real, it must be. Even the unbearible heat was a god send. It was hot enough that even Hephaestus could feel that it was hotter than it should be.
It took a moment for the thought to register to Hephaestus, his eyes widening as they snapped open from his reverie. He looked to the sky, eying around for anything that could be the cause. He didn't feel this heat before, anything that it could have been was not visible on the ground either.
SCREE!
It echoed across the island, the sharp cry ringing in his ear. He looked up, and felt his heart soar. A massive bird, a wing span easily past the tens of feet, was flying in the sky. Yet, even from this distance he could see the orange hue of flames.
A volery of these birds flew, some varying in size, all smaller than the head of their flock. He smiled, noting the weariness of the animals. The spark of intelligence in their eyes. He was never more thankful for the ability to see vast distances naturally.
He remained seated. The itch to possibly interact with these majestic creatures was strong, but part of their majesty came from the beauty of their freedom. Oh, how he yearned to move as freely as they did, unbound by anything. His smile grew even more when he saw the young. Adorable creatures.
What a strange feeling this was for him, this bubbly cascade in his chest. Was this what it felt like to find something cute? How intriguing.
He knew of many creatures from EMIYA's memories. He was quite fond of birds and dogs. Yet, perhaps it was the inner child that was ignited in him, but mystical creatures like Pheonixes and Dragons held a special place in his heart.
Their majesty and power were beautiful, but even amongst nature's most fascinating creatures, there was also cruelty. He noted that there was a smaller bird on the head of the flock's wings. It was tiny in comparison. The largest bird was massive, but the tiny bird could fit in his palm. Its plumage was more an ashen grey, with puffs of orange.
At first, he thought it was the way for these Phoenixes, to fly with their young. It was adorable…until he noted the aggressive flapping. There was no need for it. It wasn't holding its young. Shaking and barreling through the air.
It was trying to flap it off. He didn't want to believe it at first. He knew that birds would throw their young from the nest for some species, to have them begin flying. But, this felt different, there was a malice to the eyes of this flock.
One that was shared amongst most of their ilk. The child couldn't hang on any longer, beginning to fall…tossed aside.
Like you.
The memory hit him, struck him like a hammer to the heart. When he had awoken the memory seemed so dull and far away. Yet now?
It was happening all over again. The once serene, ignored, memory rose up. It erupted within him as he watched the small bird plummet to the ground, the other birds screeching growing in intensity.
The wings flapped uselessly, every ounce of will driving the young avian to survive at any cost. The floundering of limbs echoing within him. He should even hear the screech of fear….but he only heard his own screams.
He moved before he even thought of it, rocketing through the air with enough force to shatter the earth beneath him. He didn't know how far the distance was, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that someone caught this bird…the way that he wished someone had caught him.
His inner divinity was roused within him again, an absent thought wondering if the emotion of a moment was how he could call upon it reliably. It didn't matter. His body cracked, fire seeping from within him. His energy bursted around him, detonating as he righted himself to be directly in the pathway of the fallen Pheonix.
He should have slammed into the bird with the ferocity of a bullet. Yet, it slammed into his chest with nary a thump, and he held it to his chest, the bird shivering against him. He crashed through trees, branches, slamming into the rocky exterior of the mountain before he stopped. It greedily ate at his heat, the bird chill even to his molten touch.
It squawked lightly, he could hear something wet in the noise it tried to make, but it was the wing that he caught onto. The right was normal, far as he could figure, but the left wing…it was a shrivelled thing.
He only just barely made a hypothesis for why this happened when the alpha phoenix landed before him. It landed in the trench that he had made, eyeing him. It towered over him, even on its own clawed feet. A quick look at his legs and its eyes twisted in the arrogance of strength. It fluttered its flaming wings, cawing at him. It attempted to aim its sharp beak on the bird in his hands, only for it's head to be knocked to the side with a quick jab.
The utter confusion was replaced with a maddened ferocity. A beak easily the size of a man being swatted away with a mere arm? Preposterous.
Yet, back and forth they went, Hephaestus protecting the poor bird. His eyes glowed as more of his own divinity came to bare, the cracks of his body spreading. All his thought, all his emotion, brought into this moment. Puffs of fire pooled in his hand, suffusing into the baby phoenix. Dull pale eyes opened, fluttering with what little strength it had.
Every exchanged, Hephaestus' power grew. The eighth attempt was stopped cold as Hephaestus gripped the beak of the bird. It seemed shocked, it's body burning hot enough that even a God wouldn't so foolishly grab it. There was barely a space for there to be a grip, yet it squealed as Hepahestus' fingers broke into it's beat and refused to let go.
No matter the flames it conjured, Hephaestus remained unharmed. Yet, as it's flames began to funnel into it's offspring, it suddenly sputtered out, glaring at the small bundle of feathers in Hepahestus' palm as the Pehonix's flames retreated.
"This is your child!" he growled.
He didn't know if this bird could understand him. Conventional wisdom mattered little with the mystical world. His grip tightened as the words barreled out of him.
"Enough. This bird is under my protection. Leave, or die."
Puffs of the fire that the bird expelled kept going to the little creature in Hephaestus' hands. It cried for it, reaching for it, only to shudder as it's own smoldering fire was ripped from it, it's other wing shriveling.
Hephaestus' eyes widened, his own fire building from his chest, following in a wild scream of defiance. His arms cracked as flames echoed from within, converging on the bird in his hands.
Before the adult phoenix could even think, his right hand shoved the bird's head to the side. Chains sprung into existence that could not be melted. Endless chirps echoed from the phoenix as it was trapped within the chains and brought low to the earth. The plumage was crushed underneath it's metallic prison. The bird squealed fighting against his metal grip, cringing as Hephaestus' finger's dug into it's skull.
It righted the bird, until it's large eye was centred on Hephaestus.
"This is your child, one that you are supposed to nurture! Yet, you're devouring it's power for your own…I won't stand for–"
FWOOSH-POP!
He sputtered out ash, the phoenix having exploded into a shower of feathers and fire. The ashes fluttered around, escaping his grasp. He scowled, watching the way the ash flowed into the sky, converging into a new ignition. A mighty boom echoed through the trees as the phoenix rose from its ashes.
It glared at him, eyeing him with equal parts disdain and wariness. He could see the connection, his eyes shining as he funneled his divinity through his entire body. A power once so far, once again in his grasp.
He didn't know what this…image was supposed to be. How it was supposed to look. Like a pair of scarlett ribbons, the energy between parent and child was twisted and malformed. The power funneled into the child only for tattered and twisted ones to funnel back to the parent.
Torn like rags, twisted into place. He hated it, and was disgusted by it. His hand rose to grip the ribbon in his fist. He felt nothing, but he could feel the way his divinity gripped on the ribbon.
His anger ate away at it, the elder phoenix squawking away in fear. The ribbon, once the pure connection between child and parent, was crushed in the grips of an angry God.
It flew away the instant the connection had been severed, his fist still closed around it. His mouth curled at the bitterness of victory, the way the bird's eyes widened in perceived joy.
But his greater concern was bundled with him. The fire raged strong, surrounding the poor babe, but it could not feast upon his power, not in the way that nature intended for it. Nature was as cruel as it was beautiful.
It was not unusual for small animals to die in the wild. Even lions carried the instinct to devour their young, should the resources feel wasted on them. That did not make them any less beautiful…but it did put a bitter taste in his mouth. He could see it, even in the midst of his flames. His finger trailed softly across the shuddering wing. He could feel the utter revulsion at being touched…the small scars across it's torso, little pecks that had been taken at it.
They were similar. His grip tightened, the 'ribbon' that his power gripped shuddered as he brute forced his own divinity through it. It was slow, but eventually his power reached the bird, the flames sputtering an azure hue for a moment before settling into a more natural hue of orange.
He didn't know if this would work. Didn't even consider it. He needed to do something, anything. He smiled softly as he watched the malformed wing snap into place, the lifeless eyes of the bird before him gaining color and strength.
The flock above him and long absconded, not that he cared any longer. After all, a creature that should have died was saved! Saved by him! He had saved a life…and no one had to die for it.
He laughed and laughed, a small stream of tears flowing as he eyed the ever recovering phoenix. It was slow, this healing. The sun dimmed down, replaced with the moon and the stars. It wasn't until the crack of dawn that the little Phoenix wasn't so little anymore.
His flames ended, laughing even more as the bird's wings took flight. The size of a dove, the bird's beauty was even greater up close. Orange and crimson intermixed with a rather large series of feathers at the tail. Azure eyes stared into his own, his smile soft.
He could feel his own power within settle but this time it was well within reach. He could twist it as he wished, but he knew there were secrets still to be learned. For now, he would take the win.
"Hello, little one," he muttered, "you're free."
It chirped a bit, shaking its head. It settled on his shoulder as he rose, accepting his soft finger as it curled over its head. He shuffled softly, the concern growing on his new friend's face with every step he took.
"Go on," whispered Hephaestus, "there's a world-ow."
The damn thing pecked him in the eye. He blinked his stupor away, rubbing the slightly aching organ, the blood sizzling as it trailed down his face. The wound was healed instantly of course. The bird was completely unapologetic, eyeing him with a bored look.
He swallowed for a moment, staring at it.
"...you're free," he started again, "You can–ow."
It was the other eye this time.
"You're free–ow!"
Wings fluttered and it was his finger this time.
"You–ow."
His ear.
"...you can–ow".
His other ear. He actually had to grip the bird with both hands before he felt safe to finish his sentence. Their eyes interlocked together. He was certain at this point that the understanding between them wasn't with language, but that his point was understood. So he said it slow and soft.
"...you're free to leave little bird…you don't have to feel bound to me…I've been where you have been," said Hephaestus, his tone wistful, "I know what it is like to be abandoned…to be used."
The image of Hera throwing him off Olympus, the memory of Thetis and her mutterings. He doubted that either were aware that his memory was so strong.
While Thetis never outright admitted to it in front of him, the few words she would carry with him around, mixed with Archer's knowledge, made it pretty clear what she had rescued him for.
He owed her a lot…but that didn't change the intention she had when rescuing him…nor the fact that he was isolated and alone for most of it. The soft eyes that stared back at him only made him smile.
"You understand," he said simply.
He let the bird go, the fluttering of wings bringing a smile on his face. It kited in front of him before coming a tad closer.
"You're free…from all of it. The sky is yours little bird. So go–ow."
It zoomed into his face, pecking several times in defiance. It finally screeched loudly, roosting right into his shoulder. It's talons dug into flesh for extra measure. Once the size of a small dove and grown into a rather medium sized crow. Years of development rapidly catching pace.
"...fine," muttered Hephaestus, "but only for a little while…now what to call you? I can't exactly call you bird, now can I?"
He hobbled forward. He expected pity or concern…but the bird on his shoulder only ever looked at him as kin. He smiled, the word bringing to mind several tools and ideas.
"...how about Ifrit," smiled Hephaestus.
How the idea of tools somehow gave him this name, only Hephaestus knew. The agreeable squawk made him chuckle a bit, eying the edge of the island.
"Might as well follow the coast."
"Chirp!"
"...maybe a horse isn't a bad idea…eventually."
"Chirp!"
So the two went off into the woods, intent on finding the coast. If anyone asked the two, it only took them a day.
"The left you say?"
Chirp!
The truth was anyone's guess.
-Eri and Hephaestus, Current Period-
Ifrit ruffled their feathers. She was far larger now than she had been, but she still habitually pecked at her left wing. Eri looked to her, hugging her knees close.
"That…really happened?"
He didn't explain everything. Certainly not his internal musings or his history with Hera or Thetis. But the events that Ifrit had suffered, that he had told her. The sass was absent from Ifrit's imperious gaze, only a firm glance as she preened her own feathers.
"...I'm…sorry that happened to you," whispered Eri.
Hephaestus smiled as Ifrit shuffled closer to his daughter. It didn't take much for Ifrit to hop into Eri's lap. She was a tall bird, completely obscuring Eri's face. She was hesitant, but Eri slowly closed her arms around Ifrit, nuzzling softly into the bird's back. Her hold was gentle, her fingers slowly drawing little circles on the plumage of Ifrit's chest.
A final squeeze, and the bird lifted off, landing squarely on Hephaestus' shoulder. He smiled in thanks. Eri stared at the azure feather that was left in her palm, her eyes wide.
She knew of countless witches that would vie for this feather. Ifrit was highly sought after. Her eyes locked with the azure bird, a small smile and eyes filled with resolve. She would be worthy of the trust given. That much she swore.
"..."
"So you see what I mean?" smiled Hephaestus.
"I do. I promise, I won't tell anyone unless Ifrit gives me permission."
They all knew that would never happen. Both Hephaestus and Ifrit were rather private people, preferring to keep things close to themselves rather than with others. It was why Eri seemed so nervous.
She had one greater story that she wanted to hear. Something that Hecate had let slip by accident, something that never quite left her eidetic mind.
"Dad," started Eri, rubbing her hands, "can you tell me about your mo–"
"Shush."
She stilled. She quickly looked at her father, expectingly. From what Hecate had spilled, she expected him to be angry, yet…his eyes were focused elsewhere.
She followed his gaze, her own widening as she came to the same realization he did. They were moving. Fast. The ride was impossibly smooth, almost like they were still above calm waters.
It normally wouldn't be cause for concern, if not for the fact that the coast that had once been at their right was entirely absent and a new island was at their head now minutes away. They hadn't swirled around, the fauna that Eri had seen was too different.
The trees were a different shade, and the route they followed lack human engagement. Here, there was evidence of people, a few fishing shacks here or there, with a man made trail that went further away from the beach.
There was also the fact that they were heading for a beach that was a dead give away as well. The familiar craggy surface had been done away with, only to be replaced with the sight of warm sands and crystal waters. Eri's ears twitched as the barest hint of music played softly in her ear. The sound was enchanting, every note perfect.
Her father scowled, looking beneath their boat.
"Enough of this now. You'll…wait."
Eri didn't recognize the person that emerged from the water. It was a Potamoi, that much she could see. A pale, blue skinned man, bare in torso, with a fish's tail for legs. He was beautiful to her, the faint tell of small scales across his skin shining beautiful.
She blushed slightly, noting the way his white hair fell over his eyes. Yet, her blush subsided as she noted the desperation…and the fear.
She expected violence if she was honest, her hands sparking with magic. Instead, the spirit bowed. There was no words, just a strange bubbling sound that Eri couldn't decipher.
"I understand what you're trying to do here, but this trip was for me and my daughter to explore the coastal regions. A trip you've mostly bypassed."
Bubbles popped along with the sound of steam hissing away.
"...I see…and the lord of the seas has done nothing for you?"
Pop, gurgle.
"...that's entirely your own fault, you understand that yes?"
The Potemoi shivered, looking away. Eventually it nodded.
"Hmm…"
She stared at her father, her brow slowly rising. He couldn't possibly understand a water spirit could he?
Hephaestus, rubbed his jaw. His entire attention was on the Potomei before them, eyeing it.
"...my home has no protections via sea," explained Hephaestus, "if you wish, I can give you refuge in exchange for you maintaining protections from the sea."
The Potemoi scowled a bit, it's mouth moving. There were no words, merely steam and the sound of waves crashing.
"Of course. I don't expect you to fight anything like that. I don't expect you to fight at all."
It's confused glance was shared by Eri's own, watching the whole exchange.
"We cannot apply our protections to the oceans, as we do not have the authority and the lord of the seas demands are not ones I will pay for the privilege," he explained.
"However, if you lay claim to the territory of our bays, we can apply those same protections without needed his direct permission, and bypass the payments. He has scorned you, and I will offer you a home if you agree to these demands."
The Potemoi actually smiled.
"Of course. You are not to break the divine laws in any way, merely protect the island from the supernatural effects. Do this, and I will give you a home and my own protection."
It grinned, though it lost it's grin as Hephaestus narrowed his eyes.
"Swear by the Styx you abide by the terms, in full, both in spirit and by word."
It sighed and nodded. Eri jumped in her seat, watching the once clear skies echo with disastrous thunder.
The spirit drifted into sea foam, Hephaestus rubbing his face.
"...I'm sorry Eri," he said turning to her, "I didn't expect him to ever return or desire a place to stay…Eri?"
"You speak water?" she muttered.
He chortled a bit, laughing.
"Of course not, no one but the ocean's denizens can understand that," smirked Hephaestus.
"But then how did you do that?"
He leaned forward, poking her nose.
"You said you were the smartest woman alive no?"
She blushed horribly, looking away.
"That was a b-b-bad joke!" she stuttered.
"Perhaps…but you're clever enough to figure it out, hmm?"
"S-s-stop t-teasing me!"
He looked to the bank, enjoying the scarlet blush across his daughter's cheeks. The adorable sight made him want to tease her more, a bit of pay back for her own taunts. Yet, when his eyes caught the beach, his mood soured ever so slightly.
She followed her father's gaze. She wondered where they were at first, but as she looked up, any wonder dissipated. It was easy enough to tell where they were. After all, in the distance was a certain mountain…complete with lightning and thunder.
"...Oh," muttered Eri.
"Shit," finished Hephaestus.
"...you said the bad word," whispered Eri.
Even with Mount Olympus in the distance, Eri couldn't help but laugh at the dead expression her father wielded. She got him everytime with that one. They weren't at the base of Mount Olympus persay…but they were close enough. For a moment, Hephaestus regretted giving the Potamoi any invitation to Lemnos. If not for its history and begging, he wouldn't have even thought to grant its request.
But, lamenting the past did nothing for the now.
"Alright," muttered Hephaestus, adjusting the boat forward, "let's head into Piera."
They were too close to avoid them. Might as well face the thunder.