Chapter 30:
-Two Months Later, Lemnos-
"Steady the ship! We're almost home boys!"
Their cheers mixed with the waves. A celebration of the first ship their island had made. It was a nameless vessel, but it was strong. Built by Krios and a hodgepodge of settlers, by all accounts it shouldn't have been seaworthy so quickly, nor with so few. Pulled by large sails and pushed by a strong crew, this ship was Krios' pride and joy.
The smell of the waves always brought him inner peace, but the haul they were lugging with them just made it all the sweeter. The first trade of many. Krios grinned, handling the pithos of wine from Lesbos. It was a strange island, but their wine was exquisite…though, Krios had to admit that was mostly due to the lack of wine they normally had.
Any wine was better than no wine after all.
But that was beside the point! The wine he held in his hands was more than a mere drink. It was a gift, one for a cherished friend.
"Where do you think he'd be?"
Krios turned, smiling at the rugged looking woman. She and her brother joined them in the middle of their trip. A pair of mercenaries that were tired of running from place to place.
Most didn't take kindly to strangers, so when Krios and the others had offered Lemnos, they were quick to take it.
"Andrea! Knowing Hephaestus…most likely with the council. If our timing is right, they're likely badgering the poor God about what to do next."
The poor girl blinked, narrowing her eyes. The utter loathing was new, but he didn't let it get to him.
"...I was asking about your Dēmarchos," she muttered.
"Same thing," chuckled Krios. He lobbed the bottle in his hand, leaning against the rail as he faced the woman.
"Your Dēmarchos…your leader…is your God?"
Her arid tone would dry the desert. Krios only laughed, plopping his hand on her shoulders. If he noticed her stiffening at the touch, he pretended not to care.
"You'll meet him soon enough," he smirked, "On that, you needn't worry!"
She rolled her eyes, his laughter more grating than she wanted to admit. Krios scurried across the ship, eyeing the pole that held their cloth. He had hoped it would catch the wind and propel them forward. Sadly, the experiment yielded less than desirable results.
The cloth was weak, torn in places where the wind caught and ripped right through the sails. He had hoped it would be revolutionary, an idea that came to him when he saw a rag fluttering through the wind in the past.
Back to the drawing board it would seem.
Thankfully, Krios and the others had the foresight to ensure the ship was still usable, sail or otherwise. He smiled, eyeing the sacks of seeds and grains that he had managed to gather over their trip. Not everything could be held within the hold beneath them. A few things littered the deck, strapped down as they were.
They didn't have the space to lug livestock, but beneath the deck was an abundance of resources. Wood, rope, herbal remedies, the full work. But it was the medicine that remained their largest haul.
It was funny though.
The trade was only so good because they assumed they would be trading with them again. Poor saps, they weren't going to do that, not with Kassandra being able to reverse engineer the medicines.
The poor horse had to explain to all of them that magical ingredients, to no one's shock, were absurdly hard to come by, and that they would need natural medicines one day.
"You'd think we're a bunch of simpletons," muttered Krios, frowning at the memory. It was rather humiliating being talked down to. She acted as if they didn't have any concept as to just how magical the limited medicines were.
To be fair, they had a child chase after an owl…another that ate poisonous mushrooms…and Krios himself chased after Hephaestus that one time.
"Captain?"
Krios' face was scrunched, recalling the follies of his youth. It was the curse of adults to look back on their more childish actions. Perhaps it was karma for the now grown hellion.
He couldn't help the rueful sigh. Perhaps they were but like bumbling children to the ageless Kassandra now that he thought about it.
"Well, she is immortal," he thought.
Now wasn't that a change? An actual immortal amongst them. He knew Hephaestus was immortal, but the man was a god, that came with the territory. But Kassandra? They all assumed she would age as they did, centaur she may be.
But no, she never aged. Still doting on them as if even his grandfather was a kid.
Still though, he'd prefer a doting immortal rather than a dominant one. She was helpful too. With the remedies they had traded for, Kassandra would be able to figure out what they were made of and how to make more.
Remedies were in short supply for Lemnos. While deaths to sickness were rare, they were something they'd rather avoid.
"I wonder if she'd like the flowers and other plants we came across?" he thought. There wasn't much that Kassandra liked that she didn't simply make herself. New regents though, that should put a smile on her face.
"Ooooooooh–"
Krios laughed as his men sang to the ocean. The wind kissed his skin and the sun, the sun was the most glorious part. This…this was living. He couldn't even imagine this years ago as a boy, the thought of sailing the oceans a dream that was unattainable.
He basked in the glorious rays of adventure, the salty air filling his lungs. He leapt across his men, climbing the sail pole like a man possessed.
"Captain! Get down from there you lunatic!"
"I see them!" announced Krios.
He waved at the people near the docks they've made. He chuckled as his mother waved back, only to begin frantically telling him to get down. He couldn't hear her of course, but he could never mistake the way her arms waved him down, small as she was in that distance.
He masterally hopped down, almost dancing across the deck. Close as they were, it was still another hour or so before they made land.
As the plank fell from the ship to the dock, Krios greeted Lemnos with open arms.
"We've returned!"
His voice was proud. His mother, not so much.
"You idiot!" she yelled, grabbing his ear, "Who climbs up so high!"
"Mother please, I–MOTHER!"
The crew laughed as she pulled him by the ear, nagging him the entire while. It was funny at first, but after a few minutes a few began to worry if Krios would lose an ear this day.
"You're going to stop my heart you brat!"
"I am a full grown man, thank you!"
"You are as full grown as a weed!"
His mother eyed the two individuals that climbed off the ship. Clad in weapons and armour, the two struck a dangerous image.
"..."
"Ah," smiled Krios, "meet our new friends. A pair of mercenaries looking for a home."
Andrea felt hope for a moment, that these were not all religious nuts. Instead, the mother of her temporary captain scoffed.
"You know they cannot just be invited, Krios. What of Hephaestus and the others?"
"Ah, the council will be persuaded just fine," smiled Krios. The free-spirited man only smirked. "Besides, Heph has never turned away any–OW!"
The older woman pulled hard on her son's ear, again.
"For the last time boy, he has asked not to be called that!"
"It's a term of endearme–OW–OW!"
"Honestly, what am I going to do with you?"
The poor man rubbed his ear as his mother let go.
"So," she said, turning to the mercenaries, "you wish to settle here?"
"We do."
Andrea was a worn woman, hard and muscular. She had a bit of a scar across her lip, and a pale line across her collarbone. A masterful cut that she had been lucky to survive. Her brother did not bear her scars. A larger man, he merely stood behind her, like a sentinel. Motionless and quiet. A stoic guardian, though more often than not it was her that was saving him.
Still, there was no one she trusted more.
"Lemnos is not one to turn away settlers. My name is Daphne, mother of–."
They both turned to see Krios beaming away, laughing with others. For all that Andrea considered him a fool, he was at least a well meaning one.
"-that bundle of joy."
For a moment, the siblings felt a pang of jealousy. For all that Daphne may have gripped at her boy, there was nothing but love.
"Andrea. This is my brother Leon."
At six feet, the man was taller than most. He grunted in greeting, but refrained from speaking. He was made even more unnerving with the gaze he carried. Wide-eyed, ready for anything. A bow was strapped to his back, a worn quiver at his hip for travel.
"Well, if you wish to enter the city proper, I'd have to ask that you keep your weapons here."
"We will not be unarmed."
Daphne sighed, looking at the sister.
"What my brother said."
Neither sibling would relinquish their weapon. As if they'd enter a city with a known cult. Granted, the stories that were spreading across Greece about Lemnos were sporadic.
A destroyed island that had recovered at an unprecedented pace. They worshipped the newest Olympian, Hephaestus, the God of Fire and Craftsmen. In just over a decade, the island had begun to trade with ships that came by, and in doing so the world learned of one thing.
The Lemnians were nuts. For they didn't just worship a god, but believe him to walk amongst them, like he was a part of the village.
The sheer insanity of such a concept would explain the art that flowed from that place. Pots and urns of unusual makes were but the base of the oddities that sprung from Lemnos.
It was the mad that made the best art.
It was what brought Leon and his sister here in the first place, the rumors of the island. While the God was obviously the story of a delusional populace, it didn't change the fact that Lemnos was rapidly becoming a name again. A growing city that would need protection. A city that would pay for seasoned warriors.
That was the thought at least. Above the two a sharp cry echoed. Andrea eyed the bird above, the light glittering on its feathers in the oddest way. The sun must have been shining oddly. After all, what sort of bird was blue?
"Well, nothing I can do about it," muttered Daphne, "if you're that serious about settling here, then let's go."
"What?" muttered Andrea.
She followed Daphne's gaze as she turned away from them, finding the bird again. It wasn't the trick of the sun, the damn bird was actually blue. If she didn't know any better, it was looking right at them.
"...oh gods," thought Andrea.
Leon must have assumed the same, for they both shared the same exhausted look. Whether the bird was a sign of their god, or was their god, it meant the same thing. Naive and assumptive.
"Might be better to just scavenge what we can from this place and move on," thought Andrea. She wasn't a blood thirsty person by nature, but she was a survivor. While this place seemed plentiful, she and her brother would move on if necessary.
Still, she would admit the city was beautiful, in a colorful sort of way. Paint was uncommon, but she had seen it on homes before in other regions. But, as they closed in on the city, she couldn't help but wonder how they had built the stone walls that surrounded it. They were massive, easily 15 meters in height. They were the largest walls that she had ever seen. She contained her awe, her brother not so much.
It was the most expressive she had ever seen him, his mind alight with the wonder of how such a structure was possible.
Most city walls were slopped, to help bear the weight. Yet, this entire wall seemed joined together by a strange grey mud, the stones cut into rough rectangles. The oddest part? The walls were painted on. Actually, they were being painted on as they approached.
Young, old, it was a menagerie of artists. Some, of course, were atrocious…yet they painted unimpeded.
"Never seen people paint before?"
"Not like this," stated Leon. "Most officials frown at people desecrating their walls."
Daphne only beamed, as if what he said was an affirmation of something. The paintings were varied. Mostly it was just kids having a blast, buckets of the color near their feet. Some were painting each stone, others just stripes of color. Andrea's brow raised as she noted the sheer multitude of colors. Yellow and brown were common enough, even green. But the shades of blue and purple were rare elsewhere.
"What…on Gaia is that?" muttered Andrea, eying the gate.
It was pure metal, standing at a height even two men together may not reach. It was wide, allowing for multiple people to process through if need be. Yet, it was the color that made her worry. It was a pure onyx, the metal shimmering in the light slightly. There was no way it was made of tin or even bronze.
"It is a gate our god Hephaestus built."
"What?"
While her brother was blunt, there were moments like this one where she appreciated it. Daphne smiled as they walked past the gate, eyeing the symbols spread across it, missing the point entirely.
"This gate was given to us by Hephaestus." Daphne barely hid the smirk that was forming. It was always like this with some of the newer settlers. They would stare at their gate with curiosity but then ignore them when they told the truth. "It was built to commemorate our city, our home. So, we painted around it. Symbols of us, of the hopes we have. My son painted that one."
It was a rough boat like squiggle, with blue paint acting as water beneath it.
"Every newcomer is welcome to add to the stonework, if you're allowed to stay."
Andrea cleared her throat, her trepidation growing as the gate groaned open. She could feel her feet rattling as the heavy gate shifted. She could hear the squeak of a pulley of some sort. How heavy was the gate that it needed something like this.
Her brother shifted, coming closer behind her. He must have felt the same. For the once looming walls now seemed ominous. Like the cheerful outlook hid a much sharper presence.
Still, they entered the city regardless. Her brother marvelled at the ground beneath their feet. Stone walkways were aligned across them, like a road. Further up down their current path, they saw a group of men being directed by…a woman?
"How's the mixture?"
"It keeps hardening the moment we stop," grunted one of the men, "we need to keep it moving once we mix it, or it will just set."
"So nothing different than before," complained another, "Is using this for the ground the best idea?"
"Who knows, but I for one am tired of getting tripped by the holes in the dirt."
"Then just fill it with dirt!"
"I would if someone's dog would stop digging!"
A third man, staring at the concrete puddle looked between them all. He than turned to the wall, his eyes narrowing.
"...why don't we just make the path like the wall?"
The group turned to the concrete, the woman in charge chuckling a bit as she grappled the surprised man.
"That's my man," she grinned.
"What in Hades are they talking about?" thought Andrea, a bit disgusted at the open displays of affection.
Their conversation made no sense, but they moved around them, Daphne waving hello.
"We're moving to the centre," her brother whispered.
A straight path inwards perhaps?
"At least the ground is normal," she thought, passing by the strange stone pathway.
Andrea looked around, her unease growing. The homes were varied in sizes, some larger than others. Most were wooden huts, but a rare few were actually made of similar stone to the walls, though not as straight. Did they have an entire village just carving stone for them to be experimenting so easily?
They both jumped at the sound of a wall collapsing to their right, the last of the stone homes on their current street.
"GAH! Damnit! Not again!"
Andrea reached for her sword as the last of the stone fell. An older man, a cloth wrapped around his bald head, came barreling past the wall, coughing dirt. He patted himself down, rubbing his eyes. He was rather short for a man.
"Stupid crow fucker! Damn thing won't set worth a damn!"
A woman, quiet, brought the man something to drink.
"Thanks love," he muttered, eyes still seething with anger.
He turned to them, eying the sword on Andrea's hip for a moment. He eyed the sky, visibly relaxing at the sight of blue feathers. Honestly, it was rather annoying for the mercenary siblings to be dismissed just because of some bird.
She relaxed her grip as Daphne laughed.
"Serves you right, you stubborn fool. We already have a good mix going."
"So what!? That doesn't mean improvements can't be made! Aside from the walls, that mix crumbles after the winter!" The older man pointed down the street, back to the people that were pouring the mix. "See!? Imagine if we didn't have to scrape the broken remnants and replant all that each year!"
"And you think more ash will fix that?"
"All that volcanic ash can make this even better! It's from the volcano just as Hephaestus is!"
"Really now," drawled Daphne. She crossed her arms, smiling away. "You think it's possible?"
"Of course it's possible! I saw it with my own eyes. Fuck, you were there!?"
"I saw Lord Hephaestus show you an example of something, not that he told you how to make it."
"Everything I need is in my workshop! I'll get it eventually! I will!"
The short old man turned back to his work, grumbling about mixtures of some sort.
"...perhaps…that white stone? Mixed with rubble?"
Andrea peaked in as they walked past, a room of nothing but rocks and a strange pile of dark dirt in a pithos. He was mixing them, stacking the stone with the material. Crushed stone, rubble, and that black powder were being mixed in a slurry, and coated on the stone to harden.
It was the strangest thing she had ever seen.
"Come, we're almost there."
The siblings looked at each other. As odd as this place was, there was nothing dangerous as of yet. Andrea wasn't one for architecture, preferring instead the clay works of a master. Her brother though, he always enjoyed figuring out how to build structures.
That same stoic brother was wide eyed at the building they approached. It was as large as any temple she had ever seen, but it was a bustle with a frantic, almost frenzied energy. Children, adults, and various others were all moving in and out.
It took her a moment to realize what was happening. The children were following adults, learning from them. The temple was sectioned into rooms, with a large pot in the middle bubbling with a communal stew.
"This place," she thought, "it's…a place of learning?"
Knowledge was being shared here, and if she squinted, further in the temple was a large section filled with bedding. It was a messy place. A child zoomed across, followed by a frantic adult chasing them.
"...this is a temple?" she thought.
She actually wanted to investigate these rooms, especially the one that had a woman showing children how to mould clay.
"We're here."
Leon scowled, eyeing the group that was eating from the pot. There was an old man, who the others seemed to defer to. If anything, he was doted over by the pair that sat around him. A younger man and a woman.
"This…is your king?"
"King?" muttered an old man, looking to the others "we have a king?"
Leon grew even more disheveled as the young woman beside the old man, still chewing, just snorted.
"We haven't had one of those since he died to Atlas."
"Now they're muttering about Titans," whispered Andrea.
At least Atlas made some sense. There were stories of his rampage from decades ago, but Andrea and her brother never took stock in it. Just another natural disaster. The old man hummed, stroking his beard as he lost himself in memories.
"I don't think he ever left his villa. I remember a time when–"
"Nikolas," begged Daphne, "please, we have guests. Possible settlers to. At least try and pretend to be a council."
The group of adults looked at each other. A quiet chuckle echoing through them.
"You know as well as I do, we're just waiting for him."
A young woman, pouring another bit of stew into a clay bowl actually giggled.
"You think he'd catch on by now."
"Knowing him, he's well aware. Just don't want to admit it!"
"You remember when we first offered the crown to him? I've never seen a god look so aghast before!"
"You think he'd swallowed a rock!"
"His face certainly looked like it!"
They all chuckled, Daphne rubbing her hands across her face.
"Meet the council. They'll consider your request."
"Oh get over here and stop pretending you're not on it."
The siblings stiffened as Daphne sighed, taking a seat at the head of this strange cabal. They were merely benches that surrounded this large communal pot, but the bench Daphne sat upon bore no others.
"In the end, they bore no ill will," stated Daphne, "but that doesn't mean they don't intend us harm."
"We were careless," whispered Leon.
His sister hummed. Already she could see where this was going.
"I should have given the weapons up, is that it?" she snarked.
"Of course not, only a fool does that," muttered Daphne, "it was the fact that you were ready to strike an unarmed man at a moment's notice that I take issue with."
"That matters why?" asked Leon, "we were merely startled is all."
Daphne only smiled, the sound of metal echoing in the chambers.
Andrea's eyes narrowed. The room felt different. A weight settled on the siblings but for the life of them they couldn't figure out why.
THUMP.
"Daphne, your thoughts?" asked a younger man. The siblings didn't dare turn to the sound, more focused on this. He was sipping at his stew with a clay bowl, arms resting on his knees.
"I've made it known already. Their skills are sought after, but it's their temperaments I'm more concerned with."
"We need guards that help protect people, not harm them," said another. He was obviously a farmer and seemed important. He was also unusually beautiful. Perfect hair, flawless skin, if it wasn't for the dirt that clung to his arms and legs, she would have believed the youth royalty.
"But a guard with no bite is no better than a neighbor."
The boy who spoke seemed on the cusp of adulthood. He was a tall fellow, lanky. His body and clothes were covered in paint. His sandy hair curled around his eyes, giving him a goggle-like appearance.
"We're fine," growled a heavy-set woman. She smelled of bread and berries. "We don't need some strangers among us, telling us what to do!"
"We're fine now," stressed Nikolas. "But in the future? Our people grow with each waning of the moon. These two are just the tip of the spear. Eventually, we will need a means to keep the peace in times of strife."
At that, they all muttered an agreement.
"Still…these two?"
"We are strong," scoffed Leon, "we do not need your judgement."
THUMP. THUMP.
"What is strength without purpose?" smiled Nikolas. "If you wish to stay here, then by all means. But, if you seek to ply your trade here, then we have little use for mercenaries. What do you bring to our island, aside from an appetite for murder?"
It dawned on her in that moment, the sly look in the old man's eye. They were testing them.
"Leon–"
Her brother hummed, but remained silent.
"...we can teach," she said, eyeing the rooms around them. "Teach your people to fight, in exchange for a place here."
"Now that," smiles Nikolas, "sounds like a much better idea. Now, you're welcome to stay, but our Lord Hephaestus must attend to some matters first."
"So you truly believe your god lives among you?" muttered Andrea distastefully.
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.
It was meant to be a test. A small jab to their beliefs to see how they'd react. For once, she was stumped. For the response she received was neither angry, nor sad. Instead, it was just bewilderment. The old man looked at her, his eyes bright and wide. He blinked.
"Well…yes."
"So he's just among you?" scoffed Leon, crossing his arms. "You understand how insane that sounds."
He ignored his sister's glare. He didn't know why she was so patient with these cultists. It was if she didn't remember what they went through, what they had to survive. It wasn't going to happen again.
Leon grew even angerier at the old man's jovial laughter. As if he didn't have a care in the world.
"Ah! So that's what you youngsters are worried about. Fair enough!"
When he stood, Leon felt small. There was a surety to this man that even the cultists didn't have. A faith that seemed immovable.
"I think we can reassure your concerns with a simple introduction."
"Oh," smirked Leon, "it's that easy."
"Well sure, he's right over there."
"What?"
The ground rattled with a heavy thunk! The force reverberated into their knees. They both turned, Leon immediately going pale. For starters, they had been hearing a steady clang for some time, but thought nothing of it. As they turned to the sound, all they saw was a giant of a man, crimson in hair and gold in eye…lugging a massive hunk of stone.
Well, it was two, considering one of them was just plopped on the floor in a room across from them. A frantic young woman began eyeing the slab of stone, chipping away at it with tools.
"Thank you lord Hephaestus!" she smiled.
"Anytime," muttered the god.
His voice was like smoke, a timber that curled around Andrea's throat. She swallowed the difficulty of the task alien to her.
"...oh," muttered Andrea.
He lugged the massive slab on his shoulder as if it didn't weigh anything. Than he walked.
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.
Every heavy step was met with a clang from his metal legs. Her sharp eyes saw the twisted skin at the middle of his thigh.
"Nikolas, do you know where Bria wanted this?" he asked.
"The further room Lord Hephaestus. Sorry to have you wait, but we were preoccupied for a moment."
Leon's eyes slowly followed the god as he exited the room, a flaming bird following close behind.
"The blue bird," he realized.
The gleaming feathers were not a reflection of the sun. It was on fire. It's sharp gaze drilled into him, the sentience behind it no mere bird could match.
"...that…that can't be an actual phoenix," he muttered, his disbelief growing.
"That's Ifrit," smirked the old man. The smirk died as he grew solemn, coughing with second hand embarrassment. "Just don't try to pet the sour thing. Not a fan of it."
The old man shook his hand, the phantom of a small burn still on his hand.
The clopping of a horse echoed through the room, both growing evne more apprehensive.
"Who is stupid enough to ride a…horse…in…"
Andrea's thoughts dwindled as she stared at the actual centaur rummaging through her saddle bags, approaching them as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"I'm sorry I'm late! I was just testing some more regents with Arachne and lost track of time! We were supposed to meet, oh, you're already done! Hello, my name is Kassandra."
She stared. Her brother stared. She jumped at the light pat on her shoulder. The pitying look from a man about her age as he nodded.
"First time?" he muttered.
"...so…your…he's…that's a god?"
They all nodded.
"An ACTUAL God?"
They nodded again.
"I don't believe this?" muttered Andrea weakly.
"If it helps, we can have Hephaestus breathe fire again," muttered Kassandra.
"...I….but…"
The lumbering steps echoed through the room as they all turned to Hephaestus. Astride his shoulders was a small child, with hair equally as red.
"Papa, there's new people here again!"
"Eri don't be rude."
The god knelt down, the small girl blitzing off into one of the rooms. He only shook his head. He turned to Daphne, his shoulders drooped in exhaustion.
"I don't know how you raised Krios and the others," muttered Hephaestus.
"Believe it or not, you get used to it eventually," smiled Daphne. She gestured to the two siblings. "Meet our new residents. They'll take some getting used to, but they can teach more of us to defend ourselves, if need be. We can't rely on you forever."
"Nor for everything," said the farmer.
Her eyes slowly trailed up as the god got closer. He seemed so normal at a distance, but as he got closer he seemed to grow larger, as if the shell of a mortal man was not enough to hold him.
Well, the fact that he was massive to begin with didn't hurt either.
"Hello," he smiled, "my name is Hephaestus." He offered his hand but neither took it. A god, an actual god was before them. If even half the stories were true, than they needed to be as meek as possible.
Hephaestus cleared his throat, hand falling to his side. "Contrary to what these people may tell you, I am not the lord of this domain."
"The nymphs say otherwise," muttered the young farmer. He rubbed his head, scowling to himself.
"Liaos," muttered Hephaestus.
"You're not the one that got beaned in the face for agreeing with you."
Liaos was a young farmer. A savant if one would. Plants seemed to grow better under his care, his unearthly beauty equally unnerving. Hephaestus had assumed that this was a child of a nymph of some sort. The boy had, quite literally, come out of nowhere after all.
That, and he was telling the truth. If it wasn't so painful for the boy, Hephaestus would have laughed at the memory.
Liaos had declared his agreement with Hephaestus one fine day, that the god was no lord of these lands. Then, out of the woods, a satchel of hard beans socked the man in his head, almost knocking him unconcious.
The god only shook his head, turning to her once more.
"I'm typically here around noon to assist, so if you need something merely ask."
"Well that settles it," smirked Daphne.
They shared a look, Hephaestus' gaze sharp. They clashed in their silent struggle, the strife popping at the sound of children giggling behind Andrea. The mercenary jumped again, blushing at being caught off guard.
"Do it again!" smiled the girl, holding a bowl of ash to the god. Andrea moved, her brain trying to figure out what the hell was going on.
It was too much, too fast.
"Nea, for the last time, stop standing behind people!"
A young woman came around the corner, a baby strapped to her chest and another on her back. She was a young woman and was far too vibrant to have mothered two children.
"But–"
Hephaestus raised a hand, apologizing silently as he pushed past Andrea. He knelt down, gripping the ash.
"I did promise you, if you listened that I would make you something. Do you have a preferred color?" he smiled.
"Purple!"
"Very well."
Light shone from his hand, the sound of the ash crinkling filled the room. The girl giggled as a fist sized nugget of amethyst was placed in her hand. He patted the young girl's head, laughing at the jealous pout Eri shot at him from behind a pillar.
"Are you not supposed to be learning to paint?" laughed Hephaestus.
"HMPH!"
"Eri, silly girl."
He followed after her, leaving a disheveled, mentally broken, mercenary. The stoic hard edges had been worn away by disbelief, leaving an almost frantic looking young woman.
It was her brother that was the most weirded out. He grew apprehensive, eyeing his wolf-like sister. She looked at the god, watching as he doted on Eri, the poor girl blushing as she pretended to loom elsewhere.
She failed horribly. Leon grimace, a slow hand reaching to her.
"...Andrea?"
Finally, his sister heeded him, only for her to turn to him a blushing mess.
"...oh no," thought Leon.
She seemed lost in her own world, completely ignorant of the knowing looks of the council. Hell, one of them gave another a few coins, scowling all the while. Though, Leon wasn't angry or even that annoyed. In all honesty, he was rather overjoyed.
They finally had a home. He loved his sister, he would die for his sister, but for the love of the gods she was the most prickly person ever. Finally, they had a home again. The craziness of it just added to the charm.
"Welcome to Lemnos!"
When he turned, it was his turn to blush. She was a short woman, bright smile, and of a thunderous appeal. He cleared his throat, ignoring his sister's glare. Like she could say anything anymore.
"Erm…happy to be here."
-3 months later-
Hephaestus grunted, the dark energy pooling into his body. His cracks glowed an eerie green, before sparking into a purifying fire.
"Did you get it?" he asked.
Plop!
Kassandra was beside him, a single drop of the purple divinity suspended within a glass container. The shape twisted, before becoming a solid transparent circle. The divinity within shimmered, waiting to be studied.
"Finally," muttered Kassandra, "we're getting somewhere!"
"Craaaa."
Kassandra smiled, eyeing the spider woman before them.
"Give me a moment Arachne."
She galloped away from Hephaestus' home and into the stable, now turned alchemical laboratory. It was nothing compared to modern labs, but Hephaestus doubted there was a more advanced place on earth at the moment. Not even Hecate could boast to match it….though to be fair he didn't think to tell her.
For all that their relationship was filled with love and mutual respect, there was a silent aversion to Hecate asking for his help.
It must have been a god thing.
"Krrrrr."
The chittering made him smile. Arachne was now clothed, or at least her human-esque half was. A black robe around her torso and a hood that was currently down. Her head was bald, the mismatched strands of hair having been shaved away. Her eight eyes whimmered with intelligence and barely restrained hope.
"We have you," reassured Hephaestus, "I have a good feeling about this one. Kassandra, is it as we thought?"
Kassandra returned, a runic circle above her palms. Above the sigil, the bottle began to crack. Hephaestus' eyes glowed as he surrounded the vessel with his divinity. The sigil turned the same dark purple as the divinity within it.
Kassandra swallowed.
"This is…this isn't of this world Hephaestus."
"I had a feeling," he muttered.
He had heard of outer gods before. Dionysus usually fighting them off on his lonesome. A rather incredible feat all things considered. However, that wasn't to say that the outer gods' influences could not be felt…or in this case, used.
Rule Breaker's ability to disrupt divine curses was shaky enough as it was. Within its history lies the blood of Medea's uncle, a man descended from the Titan of the Sun. This alone was what made Rule Breaker able to interact with divinity. Combine this with Unlimited Blade Works, and the issue of the dagger breaking from prolonged divine exposure was non-existent.
Of course, until Athena. For all that she was the goddess of wisdom, her pride would be her undoing. The arrogance to believe that she could reasonably direct an outer gods divinity into a curse of all things was insanity at best.
The worst part was that it worked. The curse itself was resilient in a manner Hephaestus still struggled to understand. Hecate would have been an immense help, if not for her reluctance to become involved with Athena in any way.
"We may not be able to break it," smirked Kassandra, "but we can change it!"
Hephaestus nodded, eying his arm. An outer god's influence was powerful, no doubt, but this was but a shard. Against the full might of Hephaestus though, the curse could not endure.
But, such a brute force method would harm Arachne beyond repair. For now, they focused on a different avenue. If they could not remove the curse, they could change it.
Hephaestus moved to a different sigil, and clenched his fist. Blood pooled between his fingers, small blades sprouting from his inner world cutting his skin. The blood sizzled when it touched runes, igniting the entire ritual with power. Kassandra began chanting, her arms alight with the symbols of a student of Hecate.
Her eyes glowed green and the regents that surrounded his blood swirled into the mixture. Hephaestus focused, seeping the excess divinity into his body once more, acting as a natural filter. He committed the energy to memory, searing the potency of it into his mind, to prepare if Athena brought it to bare again.
It was only a few moments, but everything swirled together into a crimson liquid. With magic, it was sealed into a bottle, for a final check from Kassandra.
"Well?"
She smiled as she swirled it, marveling at the glass flask. She still didn't know how Hephaestus made these vessels, but they worked wonders for her experiments, especially for the caustic materials she couldn't work with before.
"It's good, just need to make sure that it is stable."
Arachne was already jittering, quickly moving around them, eying the potion. It had been three months since she was brought to Lemnos. While she avoided the populace directly, she was thankful that they had been welcoming to her. Not many in her situation would be so lucky.
Food would find its way to her home, clothes, and other sort of baubles. Even the children would come stare at her, though that was less welcomed. While she couldn't speak, her shaking hands grasped the flask softly.
"Now listen, we have no way to know if this will cure you in its entirety. It won't kill you," said Kassandra, "that much we know…but how far it can alter the curse…we don't have any way to tell."
"Is it as strong as we can make it?" eyed Hephaestus, concern dripping his tone.
"Heph, I shoved a phoenix feather into this thing. A divine phoenix! This potion is pure enough that it would pop a human the moment they drank it. If it wasn't for your blood I don't think this would have been viable at all. Speaking of, how do you feel?"
Hephaestus rolled his shoulders.
"Like I had spent some time in the forge."
As a god, sacrificing his energy had lasting consequences. It was a strange existence, that energy used would recover quickly, while energy sacrificed was slow to return, but it was one he was willing to bear. He placed his hand on Arachne's shoulder, smiling.
"We're here either way. So take your ti–"
The human spider shot back the liquid, swallowing it as fast as she could. Her body creaked as it shifted, the mandibles retreating into her face. Her carapace retreated to reveal pale human skin, at least around her face.
"Goo, urg!"
Her ribs popped along with her spine. It was painful, but in the shimmering glass she saw a human's face. Tears sprung, both in pain and relief. When it was finally over, Arachne stood on two human legs…well…kind of.
Her hair had turned white, her eyes now a shade of red, the black of her sclera turning back to white. While her face had been melded back to a human form, her arms remained covered in the same black chitin that adorned her body before. One leg was covered in the same armor, while the other was pale with stripes of black. She could feel the mismatched chiton that covered her torso beneath the robes that covered her.
"Ah…I…I—"
She hiccuped and shivered, covering her face as she sobbed. She stiffened at the warm touch on her arm.
"I'm sorry," muttered Hephaestus, "I had hoped that this would have cured you entirely. Perhaps I can have Hecate to–OOF!"
He actually felt her arms crush him in her embrace, her tears flowing down his chest.
"T-t-thank you!" she warbled, "thank you!"
She kept crying, her hands touching a face she thought was gone forever. Kassandra smiled, hoping to do some final checks. From what she could sense, this seemed permanent at least.
She jumped as Arachne hugged her, the poor woman burying her face into her abdomen. Both witch and god smiled at one another. It was a step, yes. But at least the woman cursed by Athena could speak once more. It would be a long road to recovery for her.
Well, that's what Hephaestus assumed anyway. Over the next few days, Arachne had undergone a drastic transformation, one to match the horrors her body went through.
"Yes, YES!" yelled Arachne.
Hephaestus blinked, staring into the distance. He was currently in his house, his daughter laughing as she sat on a window still, Kassandra smirking from outside through the same window.
"I–"
"SHUSH! I'm not done yet!"
Underneath the wrist of Arachne's arm was a thread of silk. Using the clawed points of her fingers she was able to rapidly weave clothing around Hephaestus. It was an unusually soft material, rich in mana conductivity.
"Perhaps more around the torso…no…a robe perhaps. No! Something never before seen!"
There was a manic gleam to her, a thundering inspiration. She giggled as she rapidly began to cut away the threads with her clawed fingers. Hephaestus eyed her, Arachne's joyful humming both soothing but troublesome.
"I'm happy you're weaving again," muttered Hephaestus, "but are you sure that–"
He went quiet as even Eri was shaking her head.
"I am doing fantastic," grinned Arachne. Her white hair was pulled into a bundle, her fanged canines open to the world with how wide she smiled.
"I thought my world was closed to me, my one solace gone. But I can weave again, better even! You've already proven my curse can be altered. One day, it will even be lifted! But for now, I'll make do with what I have."
"I…I see," he muttered. "But…why am I your–"
"Why for your clothing of course! I admit, your own design is inspiring but…you wear nothing else! No other color, no other garments! Just the same horrid, dull thing. I mean, the hood alone is intriguing but why settle with one design!"
"I mean–"
"Leave it to me. On the summer solstice, you'll be the envy of all the gods!"
"...oh," he muttered, the realization hitting.
"That wretched Goddess won't know what hit her! Perhaps then she'd get out of that stuffy war aspect or whatever she has going on and face me true and proper!"
Eri coughed a bit.
"Oh, no offense to you child. You adorable little thing. I mean just look at you!"
Eri blushed a bit, looking away as Arachne began to look her over.
"That perfect little face and those chubby cheeks!"
"Hey!" Eri grunted, pouted as her face was pinched. Arachne was on a roll though. She stood a bit from Eri, strands of silk between her fingers. The strands of white silk shifted in hue. Hephaestus blinked, wondering how she could even do that. "Gold," she whispered, "no, perhaps some color to accent the hair!" The silk shifted to an orange hue, then pink. "Bah, so many options I haven't considered before. Oh, I just have to start. Out, I have to begin!"
"This is my house?" he complained.
"Out, get! If you want your clothing done, I need space!"
Thus, the God of Fire was kicked out of his own home. He stared dejectedly at the ground, wondering why it was that he even listened to the half spider. Actually, he began wondering how it was that it had even developed this far.
"Come on Heph! At least you'll finally wear some clothes that aren't black or red, right!"
"...you speak as if I can't dress myself," he muttered.
He eyed his daughter as she patted his metallic leg. She only smiled, eyes filled with nothing but pity.
"Father…I love you."
Such words would spark a fire in his heart but today…today, it only weighed on him even more. He was a craftsman damnit, he was an artist even! He could dress himself damnit. Hell, he could dress himself well even!
He turned, eyeing Ifrit as she returned from his inner reality. The smug bird only squawked in laughter, fluttering away without a care.
"Fine," he muttered, "I'll be heading back to the forge anyway."
"Again?" asked Kassandra, trotting around him, "you've been almost non-stop the last few days. I mean, you were even making something for that one guy. What was it again? Some metal bulls?"
"A commission from Helios. Well, an eventual one."
"...what?"
"Don't worry about it."
Hephaestus had already started forging as much as he could. Projects he knew the gods would want thanks to EMIYA's knowledge. He bristled a bit, feeling a presence poke at his barriers.
"Dad?" asked Eri.
"Go with Kassandra. We have a visitor."
Unlike barriers formed from magic, the walls of authority that shielded Lemnos from divine interjection fell only with his will. The trees shuddered, revealing a beautiful man. His fair flowed across his effeminate form, his gaze locked to Hephaestus' own. The god floated off the ground, where even the tall Hephaestus had to crane to look up at him.
He had an arrogance that was typical of his kind. An absurd mane of green hair. Even in front of him, the god was slowly altering their appearance in small ways. His musculature expanded, though he was still lacking in front of Hephaestus.
They stared at each other in silence.
"Yes?" Hephaestus asked.
"I am–"
What followed next was the usual. A god that announced their importance, about how it was an honor to be requested. All the posturing, all the grand standing…for a spear.
The god didn't even know what he wanted out of it, just that he wanted a spear like the big three. Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. It was rather sad, all things considered. Especially because Hades and Poseidon's symbols were not a spear to begin with.
Just a small god chasing any bit of glory and status that it could. Like all the others, a deal was made.
"Is this truly all you want?" scoffed the God.
"Yes. All I ask is that you refrain from taking action against me, unless I take action against you," reassured Hephaestus.
Such a request would solve a great number of conflicts between gods. It would ensure that deals would be adhered to, as it would be binding. But to request it was a sign of weakness to many.
To other gods, it was open to being abused in some circumstances. A sign of naivety. Hence, it was the simplest thing to get all of these gods to agree to it. The minor god never noticed the smirk on Hephaestus's face, too busy basking in their supposed triumph. As they disappeared from his island, the air shimmered, revealing Cabeiro.
"Hook and Sinker," she smirked.
"They do really come running, don't they?" smiled Hephaestus, "I have you to thank for that."
"Zeus doesn't settle for anything less than the best," she assured. She flicked through some runes, her smile growing. "That was the last of the minor gods that was associated with Nemesis."
How she discovered this, Hephaestus didn't want to know. Mainly so that such a thing remained a secret but also because she emanated bloodlust the first time she wrangled a god to him.
Forty-three. Forty-three gods had been under the sway of Nemesis. He had assumed a handful at most. But, forty-three? It was little wonder that Nemesis had such influence in the upper realms.
That…and the gods were idiots. Little things to them that didn't matter were easily ignored. Until it was too late. But, that trepidation paled in comparison to his true enemy at the moment.
"You seem…bored?" snarked his assistant.
"Bored" is an understatement. I should be thankful their requests were so…banal but..."
A spear was one thing, but most of their requests had been jewelry, trinkets, and honestly, odd things. He had one god that requested a strip of red cloth. Literally. An actual strip of cloth.
Granted, they would be items of impossible standards to the humans of this era, but to him? Simplistic and rather weak. The greatest project he had on the go right now was making the flaming bulls of Colchis. Hidden away in his reality marble, so as to prevent Helios from requesting anything different. The titan's child wasn't even a thought yet, but that was how bored he was.
Hephaestus stilled, a smile growing as Cabeiro began looking around.
"Seems I'm quite busy today."
She looked to the sky, frowning a bit at what she felt. She was never comfortable with the man approaching. She dispersed without a word.
"I wonder what happened between you two?" he muttered.
"I didn't do shit!"
Hephaestus reacted, throwing a blade straight at the voice. A meaty thunk echoed, Ares walking from the woods, sword in hand.
"Really brother? Is this anyway to greet family?"
The sword dispersed into particles, leaving the brothers to greet each other. A firm grip on each other's forearms, Hephaestus' other hand on Ares' shoulder.
"Welcome brother. You've been coming by a lot more as of late–"
"Is that a problem?" Ares interrupted.
There was something to it, that much Hephaestus could tell. But, he was honest as always.
"Of course not," he said with a smile, "you're always welcomed here."
The two moved to Kassandra's stable, or rather what used to be her stable. Over the years, Kassandra had become more intertwined with the human settlement, resulting in what was once her small workshop, being turned into a large communal barn. Both Hephaestus and Kassandra stored tools and other items here. There was still a space for Kassandra to rest, but for the most part it had evolved into a storage room.
Ares poked at some of the tools that lined the walls, eying the twisting wrench for a moment.
"The hell?" muttered Ares.
He noticed Hephaestus approaching a strange chest on the floor. It radiated a chill that made the God of war blink. As a god of fire, anything to do with his opposite should have been impossible.
Yet…there he was, cold chest in hand. He opened the lid, revealing…drinks? Hephaestus reached in, giving him a sealed vessel filled with liquid.
"...want some?"
They were small, easily fitting into Ares' hands. The God of war marvelled at the clear material. He could crush it easily, but it held stronger than most. It was a long vessel, about a half hand in width. Ares took this strange bottle, copying Hephaestus as he twisted the metal to open it.
He sniffed, blinking at the smell.
"This is…ambrosia?"
He eyed his brother. While many gods could make it, it was still relatively unusual to just have some lying around outside of Olympus.
"How?"
"Demeter lets me forage from her garden every so often when I visit," smiled Hephaestus, sipping at the divine beverage, "gave me the recipe to make my own."
Ares went frigid. Did this idiot even know what he admitted to? Demeter never, EVER, allowed anyone to feast on her hand grown food. Sure, she would grow food but that was different from the goods that she meticulously grew within her domain for personal use.
Dionysus had been rampaging for years to get the grapes that Demeter grew. While Dionysus was the god of madness and wine, Demeter could grow produce like no-one else. It was a point of pride that the Wine God wanted to test.
"...Brother."
"Yes?"
"Keep this to yourself."
"What?"
"Ares is right Hephaestus, best not let anyone else know that Demeter lets you in her Garden regularly."
Neither reacted to Artemis rounding the corner. Hephaestus simply got another bottle and tossed it to the huntress. She hummed, smiling at the drink.
"This is…a bit more bitter," she admitted.
"I prefer it," smirked Ares.
If it was anyone else, she'd say it would have been brotherly affection. But Ares detested sweets, hated them even. A drink like this was exactly the sort her brother would desire.
"Good," smiled Hephaestus, "it's what I was aiming for. You mentioned you didn't enjoy the batch Dionysus made last time."
Artemis couldn't help but giggle at Ares' uncomfortable expression. It didn't surprise her. Not many would do something for Ares simply for the sake of it.
"Um…thanks," he muttered.
"I was experimenting with different brews anyway," sighed Hephaestus, "the orders I've been getting haven't piqued my interests and Hecate showed me how to make adjustments. A small side project of mine."
He took another bottle, this one was labelled with the number five on it.
"Try this one Artemis."
This was a much sweeter drink, focused more on fruit than honey.
"It's not perfect," she admitted, "but there's a charm to that. If you have another, I'd like to take it with me."
"...why are you here?" asked Ares.
"I was testing his defenses," smirked Artemis.
He blinked at that, a bit hurt Hephaestus didn't ask him.
"You're more of a blunt instrument Ares. You're telling me you would probe my defenses as meticulously as Artemis?"
For a moment, Ares' eyes flashed red. Yet, it was quelled as quickly as it grew, the war god smirking as he shook his head.
"A fair point. Still, I'll be adding my own tests to your so-called defenses. Zeus knows you need it with Hermes pestering you."
They all grumbled in agreement. Hermes had become obsessed with infiltrating Hephaestus' domain. Supposedly it was for the fun of it, but Hephaestus knew the truth. Hermes had discovered his physical forge was a dupe, a fake. Hermes was hunting for his real forge, a forge the god of thieves would never find sadly.
"He'll never stop," complained Artemis, sipping her drink. "Ever. Hermes is that determined. It's rather odd why he keeps coming back, considering that he's already succeeded."
"He may look like a flighty prick, but he's got an edge to him…just be careful." cautioned Ares. He took a final sip, tossing the battle behind him. Before his brother could stop him, the glass was obliterated by a crimson energy, the stench of war filling the air.
"...what?" muttered Ares, the two giving him a look.
Hephaestus could only shake his head, getting back on topic.
"I'll be fine," he reassured them. He turned to Artemis, smiling. "I've heard you've gotten your group officially recognized by Zeus. Congratulations Artemis."
Ares rolled his eyes, Artemis beaming with pride, even at the obvious change in topic.
"It took some work, but father saw the benefit of my huntresses."
"Yeah, the benefit of a pack of untrained warriors."
It was an old argument, and a tired one. Ares pouted, Artemis no longer taking the bait.
"I've recruited a few nymphs to follow me," smiled Artemis, "and I have an eye on who will be my head priestess. Though…the title doesn't really reflect what she does, in truth. I may offer a different title."
Unlike the others, Artemis didn't really partake in direct worship. She enjoyed the feeling of it, as the other gods did, but she didn't interact with the so-called priests in the same manner. For her, the true chosen were her huntresses. Hand-picked by her alone.
"Just call them your lieutenant," advised Ares, "it will keep the chain of command clear."
"...you believe so?"
For once, the words of the God of War were not taken in jest. The Huntress eyed her half brother. There was a seriousness to him, advice that was given because he thought she needed it.
"If you're recruiting, now is the time to strengthen those chains of commands. If you want them to be able to operate without your direct oversight, you need it to be clear who's in charge if you're not there. Humans have yet to really develop this idea, so starting small is best. You have the time to organize them, so take it. Rushing isn't going to help. Especially when you're offering this force to hunt monsters."
The sight of Artemis taking his advice so readily was a strange one for Ares. On the one hand, it filled the bottomless pit that was his pride. But, on the other…there was a queasyness there. A strange sense of fulfilment that he rarely contended with.
So he ignored it, as usual. At least, he tried to. The feeling bubble, popping in his chest, gnawing at the question that had fluttered between him and his brother for the last few visits.
Ares always made it a point to visit his brother often, at least by divine standards. However, the last few months he had been returning to the island on the regular. Anyone else would have demanded what he wanted, but Hephaestus? He just remained still, expectant and waiting.
He wasn't going to push him. The other gods that were around would have abused the knowledge of his request without fail…but Artemis was not one of them. Ares sighed, chugging the bitter drink to drown the anxiety.
"Hephaestus…I have a favor to ask."
Artemis stilled, the air growing heavy between them. Hephaestus could sense his daughter approaching Kassandra. The centauress kept to the woods as Ares cleared his throat.
"I…I have a daughter–"
"Congratulations," beamed Hephaestus.
"She's not a newborn," scowled Ares, "a full grown adult…but my deal with Athena has expired and now people are starting to notice her. She's…not like me."
There was a shame there. Though, Hephaestus couldn't tell if it was about his daughter…or Ares himself. The God of War eyed his brother. His eyes twitched, every bit of pride souring his words. But he spoke to them anyway…for her.
"I…humbly," he growled, "request that you offer her–"
"Done," he said, not allowing Ares to finish. Both gods blinked. Artemis just smiled ruefully, closing her eyes and sipping the sweet drink, one that had somehow grown ever sweeter.
"...brother," sighed Ares, "you don't–"
"Your daughter is under my protection," said Hephaestus, his voice growing in power. The words echoed, shuddering at the weight of an oath. If the sky darkened with Styx' involvement, then the air became searing. The raw heat brushing against everything around him for a moment.
"Should she need it, she will have it."
His little brother, the abandoned child, simply winked at him. An oath given without a full request was, by other gods, idiotic. A task taken without the expectation of anything in return.
"...Why?" asked Ares.
"Because you are family brother. You hid your daughter for a reason. You're concerned for her. That's all the reason I need to offer my strength. Though, you know I am not like other gods," warned Hephaestus, "if she calls…I admit some concern of not hearing her."
This was the first time that Hephaestus swore an oath of protection. He had no issues offering it. For after the events surrounding Athena, both him and Hecate delved deeply into the differences his make brought to divine law.
While the expectation of service may have been there, there would be no repercussions in him failing to hear a request, only in ignoring it. Besides, he would have protected his niece regardless, oath or otherwise. In many ways, it was both a test for himself and a reassurance for Ares. If it was successful, then Hephaestus knew more about himself, and the restrictions of divine law. If it failed, and he couldn't hear such a plea, then it meant there were oaths that, even sworn, could not realistically be upheld.
In the end, the oath wasn't for Hephaestus, but for Ares.
"..."
His brother said nothing, just going back to sipping his drink.
"So, a child," smirked Hephaestus, "and here I thought Eri was the first."
Hephaestus had always wondered what made Athena so interested in demigods. She had never lied, Hephaestus had no doubt that part of her interest did stem from him. But, it appeared out of nowhere to the Lord of Flames. He always felt there was more to the story.
If Ares had done a deal with Athena to hide his demigod child…then it stood to reason that's where the seed of Athena's interest was born from. He didn't need to ask Ares why he did it. The image of Hera fluttered in his mind. Regardless of the reasons…it must have stemmed from her.
They shared a look and Hephaestus kept this realization silent.
"Why did your deal with Athena end?" asked Hephaestus, "if you don't mind me asking."
"I'm curious myself," admitted Artemis.
"She…became aware of…well me. My daughter that is," sighed Ares.
"...she didn't know you were her father?"
"No," grunted Ares. "I met her mother twenty-three years ago. One thing led to another and she was pregnant. I was happy at first."
He scowled at Artemis.
"Don't give me that look! She was mine, MINE!" growled Ares. He gave a side-long look at his brother, before he muttered, "I'm not my mother."
Hephaestus seemed unbothered, a fact that just made it worse for Ares. But, the war god carried on.
"Then she was attacked. It was a weak creature, easily fended off. But when the laws took their price from me I realized that protecting my daughter directly only made it worse. So I kept my distance. The less she knew, the weaker she was, the less her scent attracted monsters."
Ares' eyes glowed, his fist clenched.
"I coerced witches to give them protective charms and it worked. I hid myself. Aglaurus always knew it was me when I appeared," chuckled Ares weakly, "but my daughter…she could never know."
"She was weak because she didn't know you?" muttered Hephaestus quizzically. "That…that makes little sense to me."
"Your daughter is a freak of nature," grumbled Ares. He ignored his brother's scowl, shrugging. "It's true. Whether you like it or not, Eri is an outlier. But now my own daughter knows I'm her father and now her strength grows…along with her scent."
Ares spat to the side.
"She was always a warrior, but this is different. She doesn't have the fire to fight on and off for decades till she drops. She wants a common life." Ares actually chuckled a bit, a glow of pride to his cheeks. "Actually," he admitted, "she's a fighter that seeks out a challenge, but those are battles on her terms. If that's what she wants…I'll damn well make sure that's what she gets."
"That doesn't sound all that different from what you're trying to protect her from?" scowled Artemis.
"She seeks conflict, not war. The difference is in the scale."
It was one thing to seek battle every so often. It was another to welcome perpetual war. An unending battle.
"I get it," muttered Hephaestus.
"I knew you would. I already have boars circling around but–"
Ares' eyes squeezed shut, flakes of his body sputtering into pieces of crimson energy.
"Damnit," he growled.
"...I see…so you're worried you'll falter."
"I know I will," scowls Ares, "That's the problem. Fuck, I should have just raised her like you did from the start. At least then she'd have some power to protect herself."
"...there is no right or wrong here," admitted Hephaestus, looking to the sky. "As much as I want to say that I've raised Eri well, that's not…entirely true."
"Right," smirked Ares, "She talked a big game with mom and got bit on the arse. That's not the same thing and you know it. Don't hide behind things to make me feel better. The truth is apparent."
With Eri as a comparison, Ares had been left with the realization that there was another way…a costly one. Even if would risk his ability to materialize, it was something he would have paid without a thought.
It was the fact another faucet of his being was currently with his daughter at this moment in Athens. As he spoke with Hephaestus, he trained his daughter. Her eyes alight with her savage grin.
She was every bit the fighter he wanted her to be. But the lust for battle…it waned and peaked. It was not ever present. The life of a demigod was one of constant strife.
Even as he trained her, it was draining his strength to maintain his presence. But Ares was an Olympian god and his daughter a demigod. It would take days worth of constant exposure for either to really start feeling the effects. But after that?
Ares scowled, berating himself mentally. He should have experimented, figured out an optimal on and off schedule to prepare her. Instead, he tried to give her a normal life, hid her, protect her, and now has left her without fangs or claws to protect herself with.
"...so you'll protect her?" asked Ares.
"Only if you are unable to," smiled Hephaestus.