HEPHAESTUS
After Janus gave them a bag of supplies, they kept looking right at his face. He told them to follow him to the fifth floor and listen to what was happening.
Meanwhile, he continued talking about the cause, trying to persuade them to join. But Hephaestus could not care less. They had their problems. Every time they closed their eyes they could see Venus's frightened face. And they could think of every word they had to say to him. That they were sorry. They wanted to tell him. That they loved him. Everything.
''You were calm throughout all of this'' Janus complimented them. Hephaestus hummed. They could not tell him that they were aware of that place since they were young. There was a woman who gave a warlock a chance to survive.
''I remember that Mordred tried to punch me'' He muttered, stretching his jaw, making Hephaestus laugh as they tried to imagine him trying to punch Janus' face. They could even say that they were amazed by Mordred.
Janus' smile deepened as he also gave them a dagger. Dark silver. Sharp and flawless. For a blade. The grip felt old around their fingers as if it was made centuries ago. Hephaestus's ears could detect whispers and screams escaping from it as the blade was also ringing.
''Give it to Mordred''Janus suggested kindly.'' It is from Hermes''
Hephaestus shook their head and placed it inside their bag.
They were near the exit, waiting for Mordred. They took another look inside the bag. There were two guns, the military kind that Hephaestus, was familiar with. A round metallic container. Hephaestus opened it and smelled the cold water.
Food, covered in blankets. Tools and metal materials for them to make. And few of their devices that Mordred and the others did not use. There were flash bombs and a pair of electric gloves that they made for the army.
A glimpse of their gaze found Mordred standing on the opposite side of Hermes. He said something to them. They nodded and after that, Hermes rested his hand on the top of their stiff shoulder. Mordred did not move or flinch. He just stood there, waiting for the next order.
Hephaestus looked away, feeling a deep pain inside their stomach.
They heard intense footsteps again as soon as Mordred walked towards them with the hideous mask covering his charming face.
''Are you ready?'' Mordred asked them.
No.
''Of course'' They lied between their teeth. Mordred remained quiet and started to walk away from them. Hephaestus tried to follow him as fast as they could.
‘’Just, do not touch any of my stuff’’ He said roughly.
They stopped at the great golden door, thinking once more their plan, what they learned what could they do. Maybe they should wait three more years and few months based of their calculations.
''Come'' Mordred ordered them and kept stepping forward, opening the door. In the blink of an eye. He was gone.
''Wait'' Hephaestus rushed in the path that Mordred took. A strong wave of energy was pushing them their front and back. They could smell the strong scent of flowers.
Their eyes were now wide open as they could see the cold cloudy daily sky. Searching the old world clearly, Hephaestus had a better picture of it. They were inside a deep forest.
They took a small step back, close to the cliff, and pushed their head front. They could see the strange and peculiar place again. Then they got back. And then they tried to look at Babel again.
''Come on gunsmith'' Mordred told them again. Their eyes shifted back to his side and then up as they could see the tall wide wall.
''Wait'' Hephaestus pounded. ''We have to climb? Can we just'' They looked around and frowned. ''Use the crystal you used before''
The one that almost made me fall.
''We could but it is for emergencies'' He explained and kept walking. Hephaestus rolled their eyes and followed him.
But their curiosity grew even more. Their brain was working like giant machine while sparks and thick steam was getting out of them.
''What are those crystals exactly?''They asked with a big smile.
''Well,'' Mordred let out a tired sigh. ''Just like mortals, the earth took the spirit blood too, making crystals containing energy. Strong, but rare as they can get used only once'' He moved his left palm around.
''To use them you have to give a big amount of energy or even life force'' He muttered.
''Some of them can take you from one place to another, like the one I used before. Others can amplify your strength, send messages, change your appearance'' Mordred, walked to their side, as Hephaestus's invested smile covered half of their face. Their mind could not stop thinking about every word Mordred uttered from his covered face. They could even imagine the devices that they could make if they had a crystal like these. They could help those in need. Or at least their ticking sound would satisfy them enough.
They stopped for a while, sitting down under a big old tree with its leaves covering the soft winter sunlight. Hephaestus took out the container and two bags of food from the bag.
A gentle breeze caressed their sharp cheekbones and touched a few locks on their sharp jaw. But their eyes could not stop staring at Mordred. His mask is half out. He was munching a small piece of thick loaf of bread with a hole in the middle that was filled with cheese and pork.
''I told you to stop staring at me'' Mordred growled. Hephaestus did not stop staring at him and started eating their bread.
‘’Are you shy?’’They teased.
He did not answer. Instead, his mouth frowned. Hephaestus’s smile faded.
‘’You are handsome you know’’They raised their brow. ‘’It is a waist to hide it. Many girls would want a piece of,’’
‘’It doesn’t matter.’’
Mordred sighed, moving his fingers to the blanket, and putting back the food to the bag. Their eyes found his leathered gloves, covering his mark. Mordred turned at them and let out a long sigh.
‘’They.. hate priests’’ Mordred replied with a stutter. Hephaestus pressed their lips to a thin line and stretched their wrists. And then dig back to their food.
‘’I am proud, wearing this’’He explained to them.
‘’Of course, you are’’They opened their food blanket and started eating the insides of the bread.
As they prepared to start walking again, Hephaestus asked him a question. ''Can mortals live? There. In Babel''
Mordred shook his head and took a deep breath. ''They need the spirit blood to get inside'' He explained. ''If they are not warlocks or demons, they all vanish''
''Janus told me that there are mortals out there''
''Well, we have daggers that''
Hephaestus hummed and took out of their bag the sharp dagger, thinking that this was what he was explaining to them. It felt lighter than they expected as it was made of glass.
At first, Mordred looked at the dagger and then at them with narrowed, mistrusted eyes.
''Hermes wanted you to have it''They said and instantly his face lit up. As Hephaestus caught sight of the soft grin he was holding, he snatched it away from their fingers. The whispers did not stop though.
''It is made for mortals''He explained, showing it up and waving it around. '' 'If they want to join in...we're using this'.' He began to play with the dagger around his long and thin fingers.
''A simple scar,'' he explained and moved the dagger towards Hephaestus' left cheek. Eyes deadly, expression empty. Is he trying to scare me?
''And they can walk freely to Babel and only Babel'' He pushed the dagger even more into their dirty skin. ''But if they betray the cause''
''They cannot walk anymore '' They muttered with realization. WRONG. THIS IS WRONG.
Venus. Hephaestus thought. Would he like to stay in peace with them, looking at the fabriced sky? Would he love to eat and drink in peace? Would he like to betray Akhet? For them? For their...kind.
''So,'' Hephaestus took the dagger away from the healer and played with it around the grip as if it was a regular screwdriver. Or a hammer, based on the weight of it. '' Something like this can break the Mother of the Deep's curse? ''There was a laugh.
''Curses are always confusing but well crafted.''He explained, holding a bit of joy, tutoring someone. ''Some books said that she was fond of incators. But she wanted her own kind to feel safe among the barrier.''
''Well, that sounds like an explnation''Hephaestus nodded and almost made the dagger fall to the ground befred hugging it tight on their torso.
A drop of sweat drew from Hephaestus’s brow to their left cheek. Their eyes returned to Mordred who was sitting still and probably rolling his eyes on them. Hephaestus laughed nervously and gave it to him as he snatched it away.
''This is a sacred weapon''He explained again calmly. ''Do not play with it.
''What about the whispers? ''They asked. The healer ignored their question.
Mordred did not speak after that and kept walking faster than before with the mask back to his face. Hephaestus tried to follow him but the prosthetic was not strong enough to keep them running.
They spent a day of silence with him. Even in his sleep, the mask was not out. Hephaestus could not sleep so they decided to look at either the sky or him. After that, they decided to work on a few of their inventions as they had no materials to work with. I might need them there. They thought with regret.
‘’Too much noise’’ Mordred groaned, listening to the ticking sounds of the metal against the screwdriver.
Hephaestus ignored him and kept working.
‘’Go to sleep mechanic.’’
‘’I am working unlike you’’They frowned. ‘’You might thank me later.’’
No reaction.
It was funny to look at him earlier, checking each of his belongings, putting them out from the bag, and then back inside. The dagger, bullets, and his food. This happened four times.
Hephaestus could even say that they found it interesting how careful the healer was with his belongings. How slow they were putting them inside and pulling them out.
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The last time they had a conversation with a priest was a nightmare. He was outside the workshop, scaring the people and customers as he was talking about the Made Ones and Spirits. Of how the gunsmiths and inventors were filled with greed by helping the army to have their weapons. Hephaestus tried to ask him calmly to leave but he did not listen. Instead, he pushed them making them lose their balance. Hephaestus grabbed him from his iron fabric. They bite their lower lip and fall with their hand on purpose m to cover the wound. After that, Talus started yelling at the priest while Orion helped them out.
‘’The Spirits might forgive you if you turn to the right path’’He growled.
Hephaestus was now laughing, looking at their hand, remembering their old red wound, flexing their fingers.
A brief gaze of Mordred’s pistols. The chain is getting dragged to the ground. Shape and size width like a necklace but the height is the size of the carrier's presence. They tried to slip their hands into it. To make it less troublesome. Mordred snapped and took a few inches away from them.
‘’Do not touch them’’There was almost a growl.
‘’But I can make it better,’’ They explained. ‘’Make the chain return to the grips or…’’
‘’I said’’ Mordred let his mask out and glared at them.
‘’Fine,’’ Hephaestus chuckled nervously, moving their hands up.
If the Spirits exist, then they already hate me.
‘’If you are a healer, why do you want to fight?’’ Hephaestus asked.
‘’The medical center is getting run mostly by Nephthys.’’ He explained calmly. Hephaestus remembered the woman with the dark curls.
‘’The one that she was suggesting…’’
‘’She wants me on her side. That means far from Hermes. From his orders.’’
Hephaestus raised their left brow and looked at the sky.
‘’So, you want to be on Hermes’ side because…’’
‘’I trained for years for him.’’Mordred took a deep breath. ‘’Fight for him, kill for his orders. He is the light. My light.’’
Hephaestus stretched their wrists and fixed their almost visible goatee.
Mordred’s head, facing them roughly as he kept explaining his decisions. But at that moment, he gave up. ‘’You wouldn’t understand.’’ He faced away from them and lowered his head.
‘’You want to make him proud. I do not understand that’’ Hephaestus said skeptically. Mordred scoffed.
‘’But you care about him.’’
His head turned back to them, almost gasping in shock.
‘’If you want to be close to him, I understand why you want to fight.’’They curved a gentle smile.
Mordred kept looking at them stunned. Did he really believe that they wouldn’t understand? Everyone had someone to care about. Even them. And they would do anything to be with him.
They flexed their fingers. ‘’I will help you just by that’’They took back their words with laughter. ‘’And also because I do not have a choice.
‘’You,’’ Mordred gasped and cleared his throat, taking every emotion far from his presence. ‘’You should rest.’’
The sun rose and they walked once more. There was a feeling of cold rushing through their bodies and a tight knot in their throat and stomach. They could not keep silent anymore.
''Red'' They murmured and Mordred stopped walking. ''My favorite color. Is red'' They explained again. Mordred turned back to their side and Hephaestus could feel that he was confused.
''Listen, I know that you hate me'' They took a deep breath and touched their knees. ''But if we are...'' They made a long pause and stretched their wrists. ''Partners we have...''
''It does not matter'' Mordred interrupted them. ''It is a mission. We don't need to have a conversation''
They clenched their fists and hoped that this time they would punch him. Mordred saw it and let out another long sigh. He took out his mask slowly and placed it in his bag. They could not lie that they were happy that they could see his face again. It felt like he was getting closer as the cold ice around him was melting and breaking moment by moment.
They were both now in front of the water, along a small trail made with rocks and wooden decks. Hephaestus felt nostalgia for Prometheus's stories. They stretched their wrists and frowned, looking down at the cold water.
Mordred turned his head towards them. ''If you don't want to come with me then turn back'' Hephaestus lifted their head and shouted a small sound.
''If you are afraid that you cannot afford the end of the deal then you shouldn't have said yes'' They responded and walked right in front of him. They tried to step across the path. Their prosthetic leg made the wooden deck break and misstep. Mordred grabbed the right side of their body just as they were about to fall into the river. Hephaestus turned back nervous and looked at his calm gaze. They looked back with a small prideful hum. ''I think that you will be a mess without me'' They had now crossed to the other side and waited for him. His tall legs fell to the water as the wooden deck moved left and right. His golden eyes fell on Hephaestus who was trying to hold their laughter.
''You are a mess''He mumbled as he got out of the water.
Diyu, the forsaken area
Hephaestus looked around the unfamiliar place. They couldn't believe that they were on Diyu. They walked far away from Mordred as they got distracted. The citizens around looked at them as easy prey.
Mordred grabbed Hephaestus' hand who was holding the cane so they would stop. They noticed his white mask and hood covering his head, allowing him to be fully concealed.
''Come on '' They whined and turned back to look at Mordred's empty, mad face. They looked down sad and apologized.
''We have walked for hours'' They continued whining. They remembered that they were almost ready to die as they climbed the wall. The rope that had a hook in it so Mordred could throw it to the wall, snapped and they fell to the ground on the other side of the wall. They whined and got hurt a lot but thanks to Mordred they healed eventually. But they continued to wander around the woods.
Mordred started coughing and inhaling dry as if he had never experienced such a scent before. Hephaestus rolled their eyes and turned to see people enjoying themselves with each other. They could remember the days that they and Venus were leaving like this around the dark alleys of Aztlan and staring at those people without even realizing that was wrong or right. When they got caught the people repaid them by breaking one of Hephaestus' teeth and Venus returned with a dark eye to their house.
And in the end. They just laughed together.
They turned to Mordred again. ''Listen...'' They stretched their wrists.
''I know that you are a ''They moved their palms around. '' You'' Mordred nodded a no and let them continue. ''But I grew up living like this...'' Hephaestus frowned. '' Most of it''
They stopped talking and looked at the wall with the ruined wanted posters. ''So'' They pointed at Mordred's chin and then themselves. ''I am saying I know what I am doing'' They moved away but they still could see his tired face.
Their stomach started growling from hunger. They touched it slowly and leaned their back forward and down. Mordred hummed proudly. ''Are you really acting like...'' His stomach mimicked theirs. Embarrassed, he covered his face while Hephaestus started laughing.
They went inside the building that was called FOURTH CIRCLE, waiting for a waiter. Some citizens were drinking, others were fighting and others were gambling. Mordred looked up to the stairs and quickly down. Hephaestus turned the side he was looking at, finding two men kissing while one of them was caressing the other between his legs.
‘’Jealous?’’ Hephaestus laughed and walked closer to an empty table.
No response.
They didn't talk to each other for a while. Hephaestus looked around really fast so no one would see them. They knew how to act around thieves. Well, at least they remembered some things from years ago.
They stretched their wrists as soon as they thought of Venus. About how easy they had it because of him. Instead of starving every day, they were starving two each week. Instead of living in the streets, they had a roof over their head.
Then, they stared at Mordred who was looking around for a waiter. ''So...'' Hephaestus leaned to the table and stared at Mordred's blank mask
He looked away with a shrug. Hephaestus tapped their fingers to the table all excited '' Tell me the mission'' They whispered closely to him.
Mordred raised his hand as soon as they found a girl with white hair like snow walking with a disk near them. The girl looked at Hephaestus's and then at their cane. Her big blue eyes filled with greed snapped as she had a dark mask covering her mouth.
‘’Inka Diyu’’ She said.
Mordred turned to Hephaestus.
‘’Rieste’’Hephaestus replied, thanking her. ‘’Two sandwiches’’They pointed with two of their fingers. ‘’Whatever you suggest’’
As the girl moved quickly with a few jumps, Hephaestus frowned at Mordred.
‘’How can you not know the dialect?’’Hephaestus asked, surprised.
‘’Did not have the opportunity’’ Mordred said.
‘’How? What if you meet another person…’’
‘’I usually do not talk with other people’’He replied instantly.
Hephaestus’s mouth opened and their lips made a pout.
‘’Your life is so sad’’They whined childishly, wiping out with their hand their invisible tears.
‘’The mission’’Mordred growled, returning to their previous subject. Hephaestus chuckled and tapped their fingers once more, this time with a rhythm.
''There is a girl with an artifact that we need'' Mordred explained roughly and fast.
''So we just have to find her?'' The girl returned with two sandwiches. Hephaestus was ready to eat but they smelled the rotten cheese. They placed it back on the plate with a look of disgust. Mordred opened it and saw that they had something that was not exactly meat. Both of them pushed their plates away.
''I don't understand'' Hephaestus admitted, looking at Mordred.''If you..'' They pointed at them. ''Were you know....'' They tried to explain that they were at Babel, making hand junctures. ''You were once ...'' They showed the entire place with their arms, meaning the kingdom. Mordred agreed with them and cleared his throat. ''So...someone found you...'' Mordred's hands started shaking and faced the other way.
''I was ten. '' They admitted and l faced the other way.''Almost nine years ago'' He pressed his thumb to the table.
''You got caught?''
He nodded. ''The spirits had a role, a fight for me. I failed it'' He explained with riddles.
‘’Did they tell you that by sending a letter?’’Hephaestus grinned.
''You don't believe in spirits?''
They grinned and moved their heads left and right. ''I believe in my morals' cause'' They showed themselves with their palms. ''I am a genius'' Mordred didn't say anything. They let his face speak. He did not believe them. Hephaestus ignored it.
''This is stupid'' He admitted. ''We are warlocks'' His palm pointed at them for an example. ''We are proof that they once existed''
Hephaestus rose their brow. ''I prefer to believe in science and morals'' They lowered their eyes and then returned to him with a cocky grin. ''There was no spirit blood. It was a plague'' They tapped their fingertips on the table. ''Then, a virus''
''Magic is a virus?'' Mordred asked scoffing.
''Magic is an ancient way to explain it''They interrupted him. ''The side effects were powers. And the 'medicine' is iron''
''Do you actually believe that?'' Mordred laid back with his arms crossed to his waist.
''You believe in ancient beings falling to the sky'' Hephaestus said. ''I believe in logic''
''The wall?'' Mordred asked once more.
''Electric field that can only detect those without the virus,'' Hephaestus said. Even if they have no proof about it they have heard scientists and inventors suggesting that theory.
‘’Made Ones’’ His head emerged in front of them. Hephaestus’s breath was cut with a knife. They looked down and back to Mordred. They did this movement three times before they spoke again, cowardly.
‘’Scientists who wanted power’’They smiled. ‘’If you want, you can believe in an opening sky with a creature emerging from the light through’’
Mordred raised his hands in surrender. His breath was heavy as his eyes also looked away once more.
If I have to believe in something, let it be something that I can understand. Hephaestus thought.
Then, a wave of a fight snapped far from them, on the other side of the building. Both Hephaestus’ and Mordred’s attention fell on the people who were getting into the fight and got pushed by.
The gunsmith was the first one to stand up and move to action.
Mordred snatched their hand fast and stopped them.
‘’What are you doing? ‘’
‘’We might find answers to where to find the girl,’’ Hephaestus added and pulled their hand closer to them and kept walking, crossing everyone from the crowd. They took a big step to one of the chairs with the help of their cane and they could see a giant figure attacking half the workers of the place and the few drunk men by just using his bare hands. But he did not get unharmed as a few of them pierced daggers at his skin.
The figure took a deep breath, glaring at the crowd with his hazel sharp eyes with his long wavy locks sticking at his sweaty forehead.
Hephaestus found the figure now familiar.
‘’Ukko’’ They called out his name.
‘’You know him?’’ Mordred stood on their side, confused.’’Of course you do.’’
Ukko’s eyes lit up as he noticed both Hephaestus and Mordred standing in the crowd higher than most of them.
‘’For Spirit's sake, you took your time’’He said. But Hephaestus had no idea what it meant.
The crowd kept growing with now, the workers moving out copper pistols from their pockets.
Hephaestus turned to Mordred and looked at his pistols. ‘’We need to help.’’
‘’Why?’’ Mordred asked.
‘’Enough.’’ A voice yelled steadily from above. The entire room looked up to see a man on the upper floor drawing everyone’s attention to him.
Hephaestus tried to focus their vision on him. Early thirties. Golden hair till his shoulders, eyes light just like his pale complexion. His coat is heavy silver, almost suiting him perfectly. And a smile devious, filled with greed. And next to him, there was a girl with raven hair staring at the crowd, searching for something. Her eyes stopped just for a second when she found their side. And then, they kept looking away.
‘’For those of you that may not know me,’’The man said inside the silence. ‘’My name is Mammon, the owner of the fourth circle. Please we allow everything for your pleasure, except for violence’’He said strictly.
Everyone moved afar from Ukko but he had now turned furious to Mammon.
‘’I lost my friend here because of you’’He yelled.
Mammon moved his head back and Hephaestus almost heard him laugh.
‘’I am sorry to hear it young man but I can’t understand why are you telling me this.’’
‘’Your worker took her. ‘’He now pointed with his thick hand at the girl next to Mammon. The man turned to the girl and back to the crowd. ‘’There must be a misunderstanding’’He laughed. My daughter would never do such a thing.’’He reached his hand into his pocket and threw a shining object down, letting Ukko catch it at once.
‘’Tell you what. This is my gift to you for this unpleasantness. Feel free to search for your friend and stay safe as long as you like.’’He announced gently. ‘’But, when you find her or want to ask more….’’His gentle wind broke.
‘’You will need to pay a price.’’
His face shifted as he looked at the crowd once more and laughed. ‘’For the rest of you, please enjoy the FOURTH CIRCLE as much as your heart and pockets desire.’’
One, two, ten seconds when Mammon and his daughter moved inside the other room. Twenty seconds for the room to return to normal.
‘’Alright’’ said Mordred, standing down from the table. ‘’Let’s go somewhere else.’’
‘’No you are not’’ Ukko shouted from behind.
Hephaestus took a look at his wounds. They were completely healed. Even if he had more than ten stabs, he was healthy.
‘’And,’’ Mordred took a step closer to Ukko, mistrusted the entire conversation. ‘’Why should we do that?’’
‘’You are from Hestia,’’ He said.
Hestia? Hephaestus stayed even more curious.
Ukko raised his hand and showed the pair of keys with the number 005.
‘’If you want to know where the artifact is.’’He made a long, panting pause and faced Hephaestus with a brief smile. Then glared at Mordred. ‘’You have to help me.’’
The guard of Elysium. Warlock who served the opposite side of the guard. As well as a gunsmith who refused to fight.
The three of them stared at each other and could sense that they were having the same thought. Everything became more complicated than before.