HEPHAESTUS

Help me. A familiar voice screeched into Hephaestus’ mind.

Hephaestus saw the girl and Sedna, like a memory that became a dream. Just like Lucifer did before.

An illusion made of mist. But the truth did haunt them. Because Sedna was a woman, Mordred's cause was loyal. Did he know what kind of woman he was serving?

Of course not. She died thousands of years ago. History gets twisted. She did the right thing for the cause. People would probably say this to their history books.

Their eyes fell on Ma’at, burning with anger and fear once again.

‘’Give me the dagger’’He ordered them kindly. But there was no kindness to be found in him. ''And I will set you free.''

Leviathan behind him opened a flask with twenty feet whip of water moving around the machine. Enough water to drown them all. Everyone took a step behind. But Hephaestus did not.

‘’And what if we don’t give it to you?’’ Mordred emerged from behind, keeping their pistol at gunpoint, ready to attack the man again. Hephaestus forced themselves to not look at him, thinking that Ma’at would do something to him just from a gaze they could just hit the healer. But Leviathan did notice something and flickered their fingers, moving the water closer to them.

''Not yet''Ma'at commanded tired.

''We know that you want to destroy Babel why should we...''

''Babel?'' Ma'at gasped in shock. ''Oh, you are far more naive than I thought you were''

Ma’at clicked his tongue and lowered his gaze before his head moved Hephaestus’ presence.

‘’What choice will you make?''

Hephaestus gulped, feeling Mordred’s eyes, connecting the dots, wondering what they were going to do next.

And then the march of iron boots approached. Approached from everywhere from each bridge, from each door, guns aimed at all seven of them.

And this time, they looked back. To Talus and Orion.

I can heal. To them a shot to their heart and they are gone. Even Mordred could not bring the dead back.

‘’You can choose a side,’’ Ma’at reminded them. ‘’The living or the dead.’’

But he did not mean all of them. He was talking to Hephaestus. Choose to save the ones you care for.

Ma’at did not seem scared or bothered by the death slowly coming at him. Was it coming though? Mara could kill him if she wanted to from the beginning. Hephaestus knew that she was capable of it. Enjoying playing with everyone who he was thinking was lower in his eyes than him.

He let out a tired sigh as there was no response from none of them and moved his hand up, signaling the soldiers.

The playing of the roulette hit Hephaestus’ ear. The wave of the water, the weapons of Lord Death.

One. Two.

’’Wait’’Hephaestus stuttered, taking a step forward. They stretched their wrists and tapped their fingers at their pants.

‘’What are you doing?’’ Lucifer whispered, asking them confused.

Mordred’s hands reached for theirs. But instead of looking at him, they pushed him away.

This was a question that Hephaestus did not have the answer to yet. But the girl’s voice could not let go of their head. From their ears, from their blood and soul.

‘’You will let us go’’Hephaestus said roughly with a burn. ‘’No soldiers no other experiments hunting us down’’

Ma’at stood up in a straight posture and shook his head calmly.

‘’Why should I believe you?’’ Ma’at asked curiously, almost with a mock.

‘’Because I made a choice.’’ They reminded him. ‘’You could take the dagger from our corpses but we are still alive. That means something that I have no idea what you want…’’ They took a quick breath, This time they looked down on the dagger.

''And I don’t give a shit about it, just please'' they begged with a narrowed gaze.

He had given them a choice before. He had been given a choice of joining him or standing with Prometheus till the end. Inside the dark rooms where flames kept growing from the old man's body. His eyes filled with rage, ground shaking as he was breathing harshly.

He did not speak. Five, Ten seconds passed and he let out a sigh, meaning an order for the soldiers to let down their weapons.

‘’Go ahead’’He said, fixing the posture. Leviathan gasped and the man made a gesture to retreat. Disappointed as they were, they moved the water back on their flask.

As they were a few inches away from the others, they felt a cold twitch around their nape. They could feel distant from their bodies, with someone whispering in their ears to stop and another one to free them.

The man lowered his palm, waiting patiently for the dagger. Hephaestus moved their hand to his shaking wounded palm with cogs moving around to help it shake. His fingers looked like the claws of a beast, ready to wrap his long nails around his prey. Every gaze, every thread was now on them. Waiting for the word to spring in the opposite direction when they would make their decision an action.

‘’You did the right thing’’He whispered to them with a slow burn. They did not speak as they forced their fingers to relax from the handler of the dagger.

‘’Tell that to Prometheus’’ Hephaestus whispered with burning hatred.

They lifted their hand, avoiding him and the blade was now caressing his dark blood which was blooming from his chest, right at the center of his heart.

He could still be hurt. The burn marks were proof. He could be wounded. What would happen if the mark they would stab was his heart? Could he be still standing up like nothing happened with the blood flowing from his clothes? From his skin.

Please..free me.

Hephaestus believed in their morals. Their morals would not let an innocent girl be trapped for nothing or be used anymore by Ma’at, Elysium, or Babel. Curse or magic? No, it is a virus. Virus technology that they believed they could break, let the voices stop. The nightmares ended.

White flames of anger burned their body as their eyes had light to search for hope.

He is no human.

They reminded themselves as rage erased their mind.

The man tried to find the strength to inhale air with his body shrinking to the ground.

Let me. Free.

‘’As you wish’’ Hephaestus whispered, hoping that she could listen to their anger.

It was easy to break the blade. Even if it was inside someone’s body, the dark blade felt like a simple glass when Hephaestus turned their wrist to the right. A wave of energy tingled their body, making their vision draw to the darkness of the dark shadows.

The girl’s name was Apophis. This was the name she told them now. She was the queen of an old kingdom when she got trapped inside the dagger. No friends, no family. Her loyalty stood to Sedna for years and she would not change it.

They did not shake. They did not cry. They felt nothing when they took his life.

The air became cold and familiar. Their face had dark red spots that made them feel strong around their skin.

Ma’at had fallen to the floor with his cold face looking at the ceiling. Even if Hephaestus could not see his face, they could see a small tear of humanity around him. He looked young. And yet so old. A body trapped in time. They faced their hand with the broken dagger as it shifted slowly to the light. The firm, dagger’s form changed, becoming, longer, and sharper than before with a leather of crimson around the grip and the smell of ashes. Taking a better look, Hephaestus could see that the dagger was just a sword and a broken one at least.

If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

''What have you done?''Leviathan cried.

What? Hephaestus let it fall to the ground, making a loud echo.

They lifted their eyes to see Mordred screaming at them. It felt that he was screaming at least. His movements made it look like he was yelling at them but no voice visited their ears. Their heart was loud as a train and fast like light. They could see Orion and Talus alive. With no wounds. And yet. Frightened.

Thank you. The girl said. But something was wrong. The girl’s voice was deep and rough and close to them. And familiar.

‘’For freeing me’’ The man whispered from behind, close to their ear, the cold air of death caressing their shoulder.

But turning back, they only saw Levithan attacking now with their bare fists and water emerging from the flask on their shoulders and legs.

''Wait''Hephaestus tried to speak but it was too late as their head smacked the ground. They could listen to people moving on their side but then, they stopped.

''You don't deserve your life''Leviathan shouted, moving the water inside Hephaestus' open mouth and wide nostrils.''You don't deserve the power you don't deserve.''

Someone shot them in the head. And nothing happened as they continued laughing hysterically and pushing their body closer to Hephaestus.

Their eyes were swimming with jealousy and rage. Hephaestus could feel their body weakening as they lost the ability to breathe. The water did not move. It stayed inside their lungs, their nose, and even their eyes began to water. Heart racing, fire fading, limbs weak.

Was it worth it?

And then, Leviathan's form started rotting. They pulled away from Hephaestus, standing on their own heeled feet, and held their throat while their incantation moved away from Hephaestus' mouth. They began choking, and taking the water out of their mouth and nose, facing panicked Leviathan trying to breathe desperately.

''Please ''they cried to someone, facing above.''I can give you so much more please I cannot die...''

''Do you know why I always gave you a chance over and over again?''A voice echoed behind Levithan.

The air and the world started shaking as Ma'at stood closer and closer to all of them with his hand aiming at his experiment.

Leviathan turned back to see him and shook a frightened no.

''All these experiments, the drugs I gave you was to see..''His voice echoed clearer.''What was my mistake with you? What did I do wrong when I made you like that?''

He moved in front of them without any help from the cane while Hephaestus tried to stand up on their own feet with the help of their cane.

''After failure and failure, dose and dose repairs. I just realized.''The man let out a scoff.''It was not, my fault.''

Levithan nodded as their veins turned black. And then, Ma'at grabbed their head by the hairpulling them closer to his face.''All this time you were just a born disappointment.''He spat with disgust. Hephaestus gulped dry as Leviathan's eyes fell to them and turned back to the scientist." A failed soldier who could not obey a single order. Might have been amusing at the start but now...''

Leviathan fell on their knees crying and pleading. Ma'at got away from him and moved his index and middle fingers closer to one another.

''Please, I will.''

''Time to change that.''

And with a snap of his fingers, Leviathan's rotten corpse was gone only for dark blood to remain.

''Hephaestus''Mordred screamed but they could not move as the man moved back to them with amusement as he kicked the broken sword towards them.

They failed. The plan failed. It didn’t work. Again. They got used. Again. They failed. AGAIN.

A soldier found the courage to shoot Hephaestus in the center of their vest, pushing them down to the floor. They tried to breathe harshly. They tried to breathe as they felt the bullet trying to push far from their body. Eyes darting to the ground. Mind is blind.

‘’I did not command you to shoot,’’ Ma’at said clearly to the soldier above.

‘’Apologies sir I thought that.''

‘’You thought wrong’’ He sounded disappointed with his gaze piercing Hephaestus. They forced themselves to look up at the man who was walking in front of them calmy. And yet every second he was moving closer, the mechanic felt closer to the Lord Death.

And with one snap of his fingers, red rained from above. Hephaestus’s lips were showered with the crimson blood of the soldiers. Every soldier was slain with their blood falling from above and from below.

Sweet. Hephaestus thought. It tasted sweet.

‘’Well,’’ The man sighed amused.’’It seems that your stupidity has worked in my favor.’’

The man snapped his fingers and now their darted eyes were staring at the man whose hand was wrapped around their neck.

''Every soldier, every priest I have met all these centuries are all the same...''He spat, pressuring his fingers more on their flesh.

'And you...''He sighed entertained on Hephaestus.''Soldiers like you...''

''I am no soldier''Hephaestus barked.

''Oh, but you are my child. You follow rules like a soldier you fight like a soldier. And like a priest, you don't ask if your morality is the right one''

Trying to attack, to kick their feet, Hephaestus faced back to all the blood realizing what would happen if they did.

‘’What’s the matter little bird?’’ Ma’at asked them with his nails getting deeper under their skin, making the air trapped in their body, nowhere to get out so another breath would run inside their mouth.

‘’Lost your voice too? Can’t scream?’’ His other hand caressed their left cheek. Hephaestus noticed that his body was healed. His grip and his fingers were soft and cold, like a kiss from the Lord of Death. His voice was calm and soothing, with no sign of emotion or soul.

‘’Let go’’ They rasped with their hands clenching to his fingers, trying to use their incantation. Their gaze looked around and found that everything had stopped. With a mist, rapping the time inside a cage, everyone, except them, stopped moving.

‘’Thinking that you can outsmart me..’’He moved them to their side, letting his grip go with Hephaestus' fall to the cold iron floor, letting out a groan of pain.

‘’Poor, child’’He was looking at his cane and back at his leg, before he threw it to the deep end. With a snap of his fingers, his clothes changed too. Dark clothes with small daffodils and lotus flowers around the sleeves of his pitch night coat and an updated top hat, this one shorter than the other with a dark green ribbon and a light purple lotus flower pinned to it.

Hephaestus realized that the machine was shaking. But it was not just the machine even more now. The air, their blood, and their soul are all part of them.

The world and everything around it was trembling loudly as if an earthquake snapped from the deepest of the earth attacking the sky.

‘’If only you knew how far you were. Tricking you so simply was one of them.''

The sound of two pistols snapped behind Ma’at’s body. Mordred’s guns. Hephaestus found an opportunity to look at his terrified expression. Shit even his hands were shaking.

‘’Let them go’’He demanded with no stutter, no cowardness.

‘’Are you sure?’’He asked Mordred, curious about his actions.

Mordred remained silent, lowering both of his pistols. Hephaestus felt a horrible taste on their lips as Mordred’s eyes faced far from theirs. Ma’at sighed and faced Hephaestus once more.

‘’I needed you once but,'' his fingers clenched deeper into their skin, cutting every possible breath.

‘’I have one like you already.’’

Like me?

Was it pride? Was it the humiliation they found from his sharp words? Or that they felt regret for not avenging their friend’s death?

No matter what it was, Hephaestus moved their hand, creating a light, sharp, and thin-like glass piece of steel, and tried to pierce it right into his face.

‘’No, you won’t’’ Ma’at snapped his fingers, and a wave of air pushed them back to Mordred and the others.

Their vision became blurry with everything that happened. But two long hands were wrapped around their arms, tight.

‘’What did you do?’’ Mordred asked them, confused. Hephaestus’s mouth opened slowly and he tried to explain. No words get out from their lips.

Mara took the gun from Talus’ pocket and with a cry of anger started shooting Ma’at while she kept approaching him.

Not a single bullet hit him. And if it did, nothing would happen to him. No blood, no pain.

When the bullets were done, Ma’at’s hand found Mara’s throat.

‘’Don’t ‘’ Hephaestus yelled at him to stare at him with no blinking, as he was showing Mara who was leaning against him and his long nails deep into her throat. She had no sign of fear or terror but Hephaestus could see how she trapped it.

Her fingers, trying to reach his skin, his clothes, something to touch. But it was of no use. She was so close and yet so far. Cries screeched from her as she tried to fight once more.

A complete silence for a mere moment till the man sighed with boredom and pushed Mara back at them, making her fall to Lucifer’s side.

‘’Such a disappointment of your kind....’’ He spoke to himself loud enough for her to hear his disgusted voice.

Mara cleaned her throat from her blood and then turned her gaze away from them, ashamed.

Ukko tried to attack by spreading his hands making a wave of electricity around his palms and then, he pushed his hands in front, making the wave, which hit Ma’at’s torso. But his invocation resulted in the iron walls breaking, showing the engines which were filled with electric wires, causing the room to shake.

Ma’at screamed. And then laughed. Dark, horrifying that could bring everyone to Akhet down to the grave, just by hearing it.

‘’Let’s see’’ He held up a finger and jerked it towards them, with an arrow of thunder ready to hit Ukko’s eye. Ukko moved quickly to dodge Ma'at's attack. Ma'at's scoff echoed in the air, a sign of his triumph. Hephaestus wanted to cry. Their mind could not think of any logic of what was happening, they could not think of anything. He used an incantation. He was still alive. He used incantation. He used incantations.

But Ukko was not done yet, and he had his plan in mind. As he took a deep breath, he held all of his doubt and Hephaestus could see his sweaty face and open wide mouth but his eyes were calm and rational. Every wall. Every wire started shaking, the wind became rougher and sharper. Even Ma'at was standing with his shoulders tensed, his fingers shaking.

''Wait'' Hephaestus let out a shaking breath, watching the walls slowly getting ruined, wires flying around.

Ukko snapped out fast and the shake stopped all so suddenly and looked back, scared.

''I am sorry''He said, facing Hephaestus and then Mordred.

Ma’at shrugged and lowered his finger, making the thunder disappear.

‘’I expected to see more,’’ Ma’at said, disappointed with what he was observing.

‘’But that is all I get from the thieves you took my work isn’t it?’’ He asked roughly.

‘’But I thank you for..freeing me’’He said slowly, reminding them whose fault it was.

''The one who was a gift to the world. The savior that was made for great use. The one who won’t vanish till their purpose would end. The one who fights to bring balance to the world till the time will fade once again’’

Mara whispered, realizing slowly what she was seeing with her eyes. Hephaestus understood what she meant and shook a giant no.

Lucifer began to cough loud and yet dry with tears falling from her eyes. Ukko was the first one to move to her side, asking her if she was alright. She shook her head and faced back to the man.

‘’Lucifer?’’ Ukko asked as she kept coughing. ''Lucifer what happened?''

‘’He is…’’She took a deep breath, forcing herself to speak with blood falling from her lips.

I broke his curse. Hephaestus thought. Thinking about what Mordred said once. The seal. To make a curse stronger, there had to be a soul inside.

Morals, and beliefs, are shattered in minutes. Science, and intelligence, drown in darkness.

One two, three.

Something broke.

I broke a Made One’s curse.