HEPHAESTUS

The mother of the boy was covered in thick animal fur hiding almost her entire face. Her curly black hair was tied back in a braid and her dark ash eyes were staring at the gunsmith with horror. And her carbine was ready to shoot again. But there was something more. A heated thread fell to both the gunsmith and the woman, tying them together. Hephaestus did not realize that a tear shed from their left eye.

''We mean no harm''Hephaestus lifted their hands and held their cane tight.

The woman hissed and loaded her weapon again.

The boy turned to the woman with a smile as he rushed to embrace her with his small arms. The woman chuckled and patted his head slowly.

''Are you from the army?''She growled after.

Hephaestus shook, disagreeing.

''I don't buy it'' she rasped fast.

''Lady,'' Mara said, pointing to each one of them with her hand. ''Do we look like we are from the army?'

The woman's eyes searched and studied each one of them. One two three. Ten seconds before she lowered her carbine and let out a sigh.

Her eyes softened and she pulled the clothing down, exposing her burned face. Her lips formed a gentle smile.

''You have anywhere to stay?'' The woman asked roughly, moving back to her son with a warm smile. ''I have soup''

''We have to go'' Mordred insisted on hurrying up.

''What kind of soup?'' Hephaestus asked, feeling their mouth, watering from hunger.

''Duck broth'' The woman frowned.

Mara raised her arms, squeezing her hands into fists.''Yes please,'' she shouted with a cheer.

Lucifer tried to apologize to the woman, denying her offer. Mordred moved to Hephaestus, pulling them by their arm closer to him. The scent of Roses exploded on Hephaestus's face as they looked up into his hidden eyes.

''We need to leave,'' He whispered.

''She is just a mother with a child''

''She might work for the army'' He imagined.

''She is a warlock'' Mara said out loud and pointed with her index finger at her.

''How do you know?'' Lucifer asked her with her arms crossed on her body.

''Warlocks have no smell'' She explained with a proud wrinkle of her nose. '' How did you think I found out that you were not mortals?''

Hephaestus shrugged and turned back to Mordred with a smile.

Mordred sighed and looked at Ukko.

Ukko shook his head and smiled.

''I mean it's a long way'' He explained slowly.''Better to gather as much strength as we can.

The camp of the mother and the boy was not far from the cave. There were toys and stuffed animals on the ground for him to play and a small fire with an oiling pot was hanging right above it with a chain and two small sticks. All of them, sitting on the ground with the boy running with a loud laugh. He even landed on Mordred's lap and tried to remove the mask. Hephaestus held their laugh as they watched Mordred push the boy far from him.

''Afraid of kids?''They grinned at him.

''Do not like them'' He admitted with the boy trying to move back to his lap as he was pushing him with his hand touching his body.

''Where are ya from?'' The woman asked, taking off the feathers of the fat duck with all of her strength.

''Aztlan'' Hephaestus answered everyone. That was the safest option that they could think of. The idea of ''Hey we ran away from Naraka taking a royal and a noble so we could go to a mythical place outside the wall and the whole army is after us'' Was not the best explanation.

The woman shook her head and stopped her job as her eyes fell on the almost vanished fire.

With a snap of her fingers, a spark explodes from the pyre, making the light even brighter.

Hephaestus's eyes flickered at the sudden colors, making their heart shake for a mere second.'The colors were once bright, the smoke thick and the pot kept boiling more and more.

''Give me the knife girl'' She ordered Lucifer, showing with her finger the hulking dagger next to her. Lucifer shook her head and offered the dagger shakily. The woman grasped the dagger and opened the naked animal with one stab, moving the meat to the fire, letting the blood drop to the fire as she prayed for the Spirits, thanking them for the hunt. No. Not the Spirits. To the Bird of Fire. Phoenix.

''You are a Phoenix Holder'' Hephaestus frowned amused.

''Took you long enough kid'' She said and moved the duck back to her body, tearing it apart with the dagger, piece by piece.

''Phoenix holder?'' Lucifer asked, confused as she watched the fire, impressed.

''Hestia was one,'' Mordred said. ''Didn't you know?''

''What’s a Phoenix Holder?'' Mara raised her hand, interested in the woman’s story.

''The ones who are cursed from the ashes'' The woman explained to her, exposing more of the burn marks on her skin.

''We used to be nomads'' She said, lifting her head. ''Hidden in forests, far from eh army and Royals''

Both Ukko and Lucifer shared a nervous glance.

''But''The woman sighed and opened the pot, throwing it inside the boiling water of the duck.

''Me and my son are the last ones of our nomad'' She said after and looked at her son warmly. Hephaestus's chest had become tight and looked once more at the fire.

''But we have to walk far again.’’The woman played with her son’s hair. The army became thicker in the last few days. ‘’And too many strangers’’She shifted her eyes to Hephaestus.

''Why?'' Mara asked, surprised by what she was listening to. ‘’It’s just fire. You can burn their flesh to-’’

‘’You don’t know?’’ Lucifer replied to her with a judged brow. ‘’No stories.’’

Mara shrugged, unbothered.

Ukko was ready to speak but the woman glared to stop talking as she looked back at her son with an awkward smile.

''You, redhead'' She said to Hephaestus with a rough rasp.

''I have a name'' Hephaestus replied disappointedly.

''Just come with me'' She said, standing up. ''Your hands look worth holding herbs'' The woman's eyes shifted to the others.

''Hurt my son and your ashes will float in the air. Understood?''

Both Ukko and Mara shook their heads nervously. ''Yes, Ma'am'' They said in sync. Mordred shrugged and faced far from the woman. Lucifer promised by nodding her head gently.

The bushes the woman was cutting were thick, filled with acorns and red fruits.

Hephaestus focused on their prosthetic and the missing piece of steel they had used before.

The steel pierced one soldier's throat. As he fell down, the other one raised their gun. Hephaestus whimpered and moved their hands close to their chest, moving the steel back at them and scratching the soldier's body.

''Please'' Hephaestus begged. The last one moved up, staring at Hephaestus with fear and then back at their fallen comrade. So she let out a scream before she tried to aim at Mordred.

The gunsmith could still see blood at the end of their fingernails. The bitter taste on their tongue made them want to puke.

''So. Red Head'' The woman showed her dagger as she cut a few branches off the bushes.

''It's Hephaestus'' they replied.

''Where are you really from?''

Hephaestus blinked two times before taking a step back.

''From Aztlan'' they said again.

''The weird one with the red eyes had a rough accent for her to be from Aztlan''She said, cutting on more branches. Hephaestus gulped.

''The lilac one's clear. Too clear and sort of loud for Aztlan too''

''Listen'' Hephaestus sighed.

''Phoenix holders are a secret''She interrupted them. ''Only the army and the Ruler know ...''

''We are not from the army'' Hephaestus interrupted her.

''Hush Redhead'' She hissed. ''Didn't your parents tell you it's rude to interrupt''

None of them spoke after her question. Hephaestus stretched their wrists and looked away. They could tell her the truth. That their parents were forcing them to study, learn to write, and read like a noble, so they would become a merchant like their father. Instead, they were throwing the books into the air, shouting with disagreement, and walking to the nearest workshop to see their newest inventions in secret. Almost a secret as they were returning with dirt all over their face. In time, their parents gave up trying.

But Hephaestus did not mind. For them, that meant more free time to investigate the workshops.

Hephaestus did not speak and did not answer the woman's question.

''Oh,'' the woman sighed softly. ''Sorry, kid'' She stretched her neck.

''We are not from the army'' They repeated.

''I can see that'' The woman rasped. ''But I have a son''She sighed. ''The last thing I want is him getting hurt'' She moved her eyes down, showing her marked hands.’’And I hope that I will keep hugging him.’’

''I don't want anyone to get hurt either'' Hephaestus assured.

''Then tell me the truth'' She shook her head. ‘’What are you?’’

Hephaestus held their silence once more, counting the seconds of quiet. There was this string again, burning their eyes with a memory of Prometheus coming by once more. His hands burned like the woman’s

They could listen to the trembling of the leaves, the flow, and the river. And the iron steps which they were approaching behind the woman.

'Watch out!' Hephaestus shouted, jumping in front of the woman and pushing her behind them. The iron bullet strikes the center of their chest, a few inches far from their heart.

There was warmth. A heat surrendering their chest, trying to get out. Down on their knees gasping for air as the soldiers emerged and threw the iron net at the woman.

''Let go of me'' She screamed. And she screamed. And she screamed till Hephaestus could only hear their heartbeat.

The iron did not burn. But the bullet was strong. A flashing memory came back to their head. Venus was on their side, his smile warm and bright like the sunrise.

''What is your dream?'' He asked them with a cup of warm tea in his hands.

Hephaestus raised their brow confused as he had asked a person he just met. Instead of replying, they took a small sip of the hot tea.

''Mine is to be strong'' He said, answering his own question. ''Like the soldiers, protecting the innocent'' He stood on his feet right at the bed with an even wider grin. ''And none will ever hurt me again''

''Will you protect me?'' Hephaestus asked with a weakness in their voice and mind. Their eyes were still tired from the bright colors of fire, their mind still numb from the horror they had witnessed.

His eyes, the color of the clouds lit up with excitement, and he got on his knees, moving closer to them.

''Of course''He giggled, showing his thin muscles, holding his left arm and elbow, hands squeezed to a fist.

''I will be strong for you''

''RUN''

The echo of the woman's scream snapped to Hephaestus's ears, waking them up. The left side of their head rested on the ground. They gasped hard and lifted their body higher with their left hand and touched their chest, right at the bullet wound which was now almost a faded scar.

Then, looking up, Mordred emerged from the trees with the pistols gripped in his hands.

''You are alive'' Mordred sighed, almost amused. Almost relieved.

''Where are the others?'' They asked tidily.

Mordred got on his knees and took out his gloves, placing them inside the bag.

''Safe''He panted with his fingers slipping to Hephaestus's face.

''I am fine'' They said, tilting away.

''You are bleeding'' He insisted. Hephaestus sighed and snatched his thin wrist, moving his fingers far from their wounded skin.

''They got the woman'' Hephaestus informed.

Mordred inhaled and shook his head.

''They ambushed us earlier'' He said. ''The boy is lost''

Hephaestus moved their hands to the floor, pushing their body to get up on their height completely.

''They are six of them''

'' I know''Hephaestus nodded.

''We have to leave. Now''

''No'' Hephaestus said roughly. ''If they kill her...''

There was no need to tell the rest. Hephaestus knew the answer. And so did he. He moved back down handed their cane to them and waited for them to take it. Three parts of steel twisted together with a piece of copper dressed in leather holding them together. Hephaestus had never used it, had never tried to bend it again, only because they were frightened they could never make it the way it was again. Flawless.

''I have an idea'' They smiled, embracing the cane with their shaking fingers.

''No. This time you will follow mine plan'' Mordred admitted, exposing a small excitement in his tone.

Hidden now in the trees and bushes, the rest of them could now see the camp which was once for both mother and son, four soldiers were guarding it against each corner and two of them keeping the woman in check with their pistols. One to her head, the other to the center of her chest, right at her heart.

Even if she was chained up, the soldiers could find ways to torture her even more. Pointing either the pistols to her body or their hands searching her between her thighs.

Hephaestus clenched their fists and turned to Ukko whose teeth were gritted.

On the opposite side, there was Lucifer who was stepping a few inches to the side of the camp, and Mordred right on her side. Mara was on the corner right behind one of the soldiers.

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One of the soldiers suggested removing the woman's clothing as they had now pulled her down to the ground. The other licked his lips. The woman cursed at them, threatening them that she would kill them within her might.

Mordred moved his hand up and let it stay for

One.

Two

Three Seconds.

Everyone closed their eyes.

When the hand fell, the light came across the camp like a right torch with each soldier gasping from the shock and pain. After that, a scream broke from Mara's side and the sound of broken glass came after.

Hephaestus did not know how far the light had spread to the forest. If anyone could spot it. If he had noticed it. But there was no time to think about what the scientist noticed.

''Got a gun'' Mara screamed.

Hephaestus's eyes snapped, looking now at Mara shooting one of the soldiers in the center of his chest and falling right to the floor. Looking at her side, they found a body, frozen and into pieces, limb by limb. Four.

Mara jumped two steps back, almost falling.

’Shit’’ She cursed and looked at the pistol. ‘’It’s heavy’’.

‘’You bitch’’ The one on the opposite corner growled, aiming at her. Thrones next to the woman. tried to stand up but it was late as Mordred was right behind them with the chain ready for it to feast on the blood. Hitting both of them with his pistols, putting them unconscious. Or so Hephaestus and Mordred thought. Ukko moved to the woman’s side to help her get free.

When she did, the soldiers managed to stand up and tried to attack once more. But the woman did not look like she was ready to die or get humiliated once more. She flexed her fingers with her eyes staring back at the campfire. With one single breath, the fire turned over, ten times bigger to the soldier’s side burning every exposed flesh. The iron remained invadable but the soldiers kept getting burned

Hephaestus faced the woman, watching her eyes burn by fire as long as her skin turned even more wounded. But the woman had enough. She just smiled at the screams of the soldiers accompanying her.

The faded thread made Hephaestus’ lungs burn as one more tear fell from their right eye. They turned away fast when the soldiers were dead and burned corpses with only their uniforms remaining untouched.

One of the fallen soldiers though did not give up as he was now fighting Mordred with his bare hand and an iron dagger and kicked one of the logs far from the fire, closer to Hephaestus. Eyes darted for a mere moment of shock before they looked back to the fight.

One. One was missing.

The woman fell on her knees tired as her fingers started shedding blood. Mordred stormed to her side and let himself help her. ‘’My son. I need my son’’ She cried.

Hephaestus took a small jump behind with their cane and turned to the trees. They had to find him. They had to find their child.

Small jumps, their hand pushing every bit of their strength to their cane. One more wrong sound came from their cane. Now alone, they looked left and right for the boy.

There was the heat. A warm heat, right behind them.

‘’Found you filth’’ The soldier laughed.

Hephaestus panicked. They did not listen to his heavy steps. Turning back, they found him and heard a rifle in his hands, pushing himself at them, falling to the ground with their head. Their eyes noticed the soldier’s feet. He had removed his iron boots.

‘’Let me’’ Hephaestus panted. The soldier laughed, licking his lips and taking their cane. He studied it and them for a few seconds before he laughed again and threw it far from them.

‘’I remember I killed you’’He said, moving the gunpoint, right at their chest, caressing it.

‘’Shall I try again?’’ He asked.

Hephaestus gulped and heard a familiar sound. A whimper. Turning their eyes to the left, they found a crying little boy with dirty heavy clothes.

They were not the only ones who noticed him.

‘’The whore’s son’’ He laughed and licked his lips.

‘’Don’t’’Hephaestus pushed their torso up. ‘’Don’t you dare’’

‘’Or what?’’ The soldier replied, shifting his eyes up and down to their body.

Hephaestus growled with a rough burn.

The soldier laughed mockingly.

‘’The woman is a Phoenix holder’’ They said after. There was a sudden look at the man’s expression. But only for a second.

‘’What do you think will happen to you if you kill her?’’

‘’Then I am not going to’’ He replied. ‘’I will kill her filthy son. And then you next’’He licked his lips with his filthy tongue.

Hephaestus closed their eyes and shook their head as their left hand fingers were moving up and down, flexing, aiming at their cane. No, not their cane. A part.

‘’And after that’’ There was a greedy blush on his face that could make Hephaestus puke. ''I might start with your own corpse.''

‘’Shut up’’ They said again.

The man laughed and lifted their rifle higher and then kicked with the edge, Hephaestus’s head, turning to the boys’ side. Frozen. Frozen from fear he was watching and waiting for his death.

‘’You will die now filth’’ The man laughed. ‘’For good this time’’

‘’I have a name’’ Hephaestus shouted and a cold piece landed on them and grabbed it tightly. They hit him on his head, pulling him back. They could now catch a proper breath. But that was not enough. A rage burned their eyes and blood like a fire. Not engine. Fire. They now landed right above him and now him to the ground, Hephaestus laughed.

The man’s eyes darted, whimpering from fear. Praying for mercy. Hephaestus saw what he was planning to do to the woman. Putting her to the ground, his hands forcing her to open her legs, his fingers holding her mouth, the other soldier undressing her as she cried, struggling in iron chains. How much more souls has he tormented? How many people had he tortured? How many lives had to be sacrificed? How much more was he planning to hurt?

Was this what a soldier was?

‘’I am tired’’Hephaestus smiled, looking at the pathetic mortal.

The sharp edge found his chest. And it found it again. And again and again, till they stared shouting an ugly cry. Venus came to their head once more. He wanted to be strong. Strong like the soldiers. Is this what Venus wanted to become? Strong like the pathetic man who begged for his life?

He wanted to protect innocents and himself. That Hephaestus could understand. But who was innocent? Who could have been innocent anymore?

Hephaestus

Prometheus's broken voice broke into their head. Hephaestus snapped and looked at the blood on the soldier’s body. Then, they looked at their palms. A tight knot to their throat as they turned back to the boy’s side. Now even more frightened.

They were happy that there was no mirror to see the horror of the way they were looking. Because they were still smiling.

They moved up from the man’s side pulled out the steel from his body and let it fall. There was still fear in his body. Even looking into those eyes was enough to tell Hephaestus that the last thing he saw was Lord Death, taking his life. The leg made two more false noises. But it did not matter.

Nothing mattered as they faced the boy and offered their hand to him. Trying to comfort him with their stained hands…it failed as he finally took a step. But back.

Hephaestus lowered their head and took a deep breath as a melody poured out shakily from their mouth.

The boy in fire loved the color red.

Loved it even when they stole it.

Loved it when they took it.

The boy without fire loved to see the fire grow.

Grow to the others.

The boy gasped and took one step front and now back at his original place.

The Boy in Flames was never forgotten

They said the rest of the song, just like Prometheus told them.

The boy in flames was still alive with everything he wanted.

Loved by the air.

Feared by the world.

The flame laughed.

The boy giggled as he embraced Hephaestus warmly, hugging them as much as he could, and kept muttering the song.

Hephaestus exhaled without touching the boy’s body looked up and remained silent. A girl, younger than them, younger than Mara, studying them with curiosity. The pale long white dress danced to the wind, exposing the scars down to her legs. Her hair was braided in two directions and her smile was soft. She was followed by whispers. Familiar whispers send shivers down their spine.

‘’Please tell me you are not Sedna’’ Hephaestus groaned softly. After getting in danger and almost killed…Listening to Mordred’s proud voice and admitting to him that he was right for everything because ghosts exist would be a fate worse than death.

The girl smiled and moved back to the depths of the forest, vanishing into the darkness.

‘’How?’’ The woman’s voice broke behind Hephaestus. The boy pulled away and rushed to his mother’s body.

She let out tears and a heartfelt smile when the boy landed in her arms. The woman hesitated before she let her trembling burned hands touch the boy’s back, tight letting her tears shed.

‘’How do you know that song?’’She asked and kissed the boy’s fat cheeks with all her might, squeezing them.

"A friend," they said, still on the ground and looking at the man’s body.

‘’What happened to your friend then?’’ She asked curiously, moving her boy up and down her arms.

Hephaestus stretched their wrists as a sudden heat swept across their cheeks.

‘’Whatever happens to friends’’ They replied.

The woman laughed but it did not last long as she looked back at them with her eyes opened and lips parted. The woman showed her sympathy by sighing heavily.

‘’Oh, redhead’’ She moved to them and embraced them with her free hand, patting their back. Hephaestus did not move, even if it hurt more than they could imagine. Again, embracing them. They did not want to.

‘’I would say that you can come with me but…’’ She frowned, clicking her tongue.

‘’There you are’’ Mordred’s voice was right in front of them now and looked at the fallen man.

‘’He seems to care about you’’ The woman’s lips curved as smiled as she whispered in their right ear.

They could have said that he cares about them because he wants to kill them himself. But instead, they shook their head.

‘’Come back to the camp’’ She said, standing with her boy keeping a wide smile. ‘’ The rest can get rid of the bodies as I still cook the soup’’

After she vanished, Mordred drew nearer to them and got on his knees.

‘’Was the boy?’’ He asked them not to finish his sentence. Did he watch it?

Hephaestus shook their heavy head.

Mordred shook his head and sighed heavily.

‘’He is going to have nightmares’’

‘’I thought that you did not like children’’ Hephaestus frowned.

Mordred’s hand emerged on their forehead. Hephaestus moved their head cowardly back.

‘’Your are hurt’’ He informed.

‘’I will get heal-’’

His hand cupped their chin, pulling them closer to his mask.

‘’You almost died, twice today’’ Mordred informed them strictly. ‘’The last thing I want is your ghost annoying me for life’’

He ran his hand to their bangs, pulling them back, exposing one of their wounds. His thumb was soft against their rough skin. A wave of energy pressed against their head, making it lighter. Their eyes shifted once more to the man. The stained blood on their hands, their clothes, and their cane. The life they just took. The fire grew to their mechanic as they were back to the old house. Back to the screams.

‘’You saved the boy’’ Mordred said, waking them up in front of their old nightmare. ‘’You did not murder a human’’ He said with joy and held their wounded hand. ‘'You did not kill an innocent. Remember that...'' He let out a sighing tone.

''How many have you killed?''They asked him, feeling a rough burn in their throat.

Mordred faced the ground. ''Thirty.''

Thirty people. He remembered how many lives he had taken. Was it because he felt guilty? Or because he enjoyed counting them? Maybe he had a goal to kill a hundred, or a thousand people.

''But it wasn't my decision. I only kill when Hermes tells me to.''

That's why you didn't kill the soldier too Aztlan...

''And you are alright with it?'' They frowned.

''I''He took a deep breath.''I sometimes pray that those people I have are not innocent. Especially the last days...''

''That is a lie, isn't it...''Hephaestus smugged.

''I am...trying to make you stop struggling with your hand''He sort of laughed.

They let out a harsh laugh and moved their hand closer to his.

''No, I do not, why should I feel guilty of taking the life of someone I don't even know?''

That was something Hephaestus did not think about it. But that's what the soldiers were correct? Following, orders, arresting, killing people, they had to have a bitter heart, a strong stomach. And now, look at them, they were feeling guilty for a man that tried to kill them.

''I am jealous of you''They said.

''Don't be Hephaestus''He said.''There is nothing to be jealous of.''

Their eyes moved back at him and stayed. They did not shift. In either case, they did not lower or raise. They just stared. And Mordred did not comment.