That damn ringing. He heightened his senses, peering into the world between. At first there was nothing. Just a smidge across his vision. Whatever this was, it was hiding from mortal and divine eyes.
"This is so easy it's pathetic," muttered a woman.
Her voice was smug, the utter arrogance scraping against his ears. As he reduced the divinity in his eyes, a black haze shimmered around him.
His eyes latched onto it, maintaining the the strange haze between the natural and supernatural. Like a lens focusing, the haze became more and more defined. Black hair, black wings, and alabaster skin. Her face was right in front of him, her features hard to describe. He kept his eyes focused beyond her, letting her loom even closer.
"A little discord in your balance and you drop like a potato. Maybe sis has a point. You gods are too high on your thrones to be worth much."
He had never seen her before, but the pieces came together from what he knew of her. Eris, the goddess of discord. More importantly, she was Eris, the sister of Nemesis.
"Discord in my balance?" thought Hephaestus.
His very nature was that of two. Mortal and God intertwined. The cracks of his skin broke as he invoked his power. They were larger, more distorted than before.
Eris swirled around him, smirking. He sputtered the cracks away…all but one. Between the shoulder blades, a shape took place, hidden by his chiton.
"Aww, that's cute. It's always thrilling to watch little things like you squirm," she said as he stood. She laughed as he stumbled around, the world spinning even faster. She laughed, but the sound was reminiscent of the ringing that he heard.
The sound of discord.
"Poor thing," she mocked. "You don't even know what's happening right now, do you?"
The rune was slow going, the shape faltering if he tried to force it to grow. He needed time.
"...this is discord," he muttered, "but why?"
She stilled.
"Oh? Figuring me out are you?"
The gods could appear to those they chose to, but they could also be completely absent from sight. Hephaestus had assumed that meant the gods could be hidden from mortal sight…it would appear that it extended even to the gods.
That, or Eris, was special. It mattered not.
"This…this–"
Eris swooped in, bringing her ear close, her smile crooked as she waited to hear it. The rune shone as it stood in place, the swirling lessening rapidly.
"Why is Ares' lapdog here," he growled.
She immediately formed in his face, a row of sharp teeth forming. A loud gong erupted around them, her face demonic as she growled at him.
"I AM NO ONE'S LAPDO–URK"
The rune for harmony shone brightly on his back, his hand catching her by the throat. She dangled uselessly in the air, her eyes wide as she stared at him. He looked around, eyes frantic. The woods seemed darker, covered in a fine mist. This wasn't natural, not by a long shot.
"ERI!" he yelled, "ERI WHERE ARE YOU?"
Eris chuckled a bit.
"Adorable that you–"
He snapped her neck, forming Harpe to pierce her heart as he slammed her into the ground. Eris twitched, her form cracking as the curse of the weapon severed her divinity. Hephaestus took off, Ifrit flowing out of him soon after. Ifrit slammed into the ground, the effects still lingering. She bursted into flames, remerging with Hephaestus.
"ERI!" he yelled, the mist swirling around his legs.
There was a rustle of leaves and he took off. Time slowed as he noted a single black feather falling in front of him. It warbled like ink, barely able to contain it's shape. He dodged to the left, Eris landing where he once stood.
The goddess of Discord scowled as he rose, brandishing a large sword.
"We're not done here, welp."
"...you survived," he muttered.
"No thanks to you and that odd sword…But I don't fight alone," she smirked.
"Your sister and mother empower you."
"I have–what?"
"It's obvious to anyone with a brain."
In myth, Hypnos once spied on Zeus for Hera. Enraged, he chased the god of sleep for revenge, only to be halted by the primordial of night herself. A simple story, but one that revealed that Nyx would fight for her children if need be. The gall that Nemesis had only made sense with the idea that she had connections to such a power. It stood to reason that Eris shared a similar connection.
"...Alright," smirked Eris, a cruel smile forming, "I admit when I've lost. I'm not stubborn like my sister."
Hephaestus's eyes narrowed. So it was Nemesis that sent her here. Yet, he kept silent. Eris' smirk fell, and for once apprehension began to fester in her heart.
"You failed…why are you still here?" muttered Hephaestus, eyeing the way she just kept her distance.
His mind began to race, her objective failed yet here she still stood. His head slowly turned, eyeing the mist that surrounded him. He pursed his hands through it, shivering a bit at the quantity of divinity that was saturated in it.
He reduced his divinity and before his very eyes, the mist disappeared. He turned, seeing the broken trees and the landing site of Ifrit.
"You're delaying me, you're after Eri!"
Eris smirked.
"Too la–"
Her vision went black, but not before every ounce of divinity was expunged from around her in a storm of fire.
"ERI!"
His ragged voice was carried by his divinity, dispersing power around him. Eris' form splintered, breaking into ash at the sheer power that exploded from him, along with every inch of grass and trees around them. The ground rumbled, the earth growing more agitated by the moment, the magma deep within roiling with its master.
"DAD!"
He turned, blitzing through everything in his path with no concern. Trees ignited, the ground steaming as he raced past, he was fast enough that he could still hear the echo of Eri's voice as he neared.
"Dad, help!"
He charged through, heedless of the obstacle. He broke through a tree, sliding as he found his daughter…and the back of Medusa. He saw Eri's arms and feet, a bit of her red hair as he came to a sliding stop.
The petrification of Medusa was no simple malady. A remnant of the divine power that transformed her in the first place created a curse that transmuted someone into pure stone, rather than a shell. He knew it was too late the moment he arrived. Every aching moment stretched for an eternity as he slowly slid to a stop.
He conjured countless blades ready to kill Medusa into a paste, but when he went to look at his daughter's petrified face…he instead found a pair of shaking hands covering her eyes.
"Damn you! DAMN YOU!"
The owner of the hands smirked, even as her delicate skin splintered. The cracks flowed upwards, her eyes shining as she scowled.
"You cannot interfere, divine law–"
"Buzz off," muttered Aphrodite weakly.
Eri reached for the hands covering her face, Aphrodite's body wrapped around his daughter like a shield. She tightened her hold, both the goddess and the monster turning to see Hephaestus. Medusa's face went white as the Goddess' relaxed.
"You–"
"DIE!" roared Hephaestus.
The sun was blotted out by unlimited blades, the qualities of which had never graced this world. Magics so potent that even Medusa felt her skin peel at the sheer force of them. They launched, only to be brought to a complete halt right before they struck her.
"What?" muttered Hephaestus.
He didn't hesitate, his fist cocked back and already in front of the monster. Yet, for all his strength, it fell short. His body refused to listen, his mind trapped within it.
"What is this!?" he thought.
It wasn't Medusa, the monster just as surprised. She slithered off, disappearing as fast as she could. The moment he went to check on his daughter, he could move freely, yet when he decided to kill Medusa, his body halted.
It…it felt like when he recieved orders from Alaya. Completely and utterly undeniable. No amount of will could fight against such a thing. For a moment, he was afraid, his breath coming in ragged coughs, his arms shaking as he tried to fight whatever this was.
Delicate hands grasped his face, cracks slowly closing. He looked, seeing Eri bundled between him and Aphrodite.
"She's here," wheezed the goddess, "she's here."
His daughter's eyes filled with tears as she hugged him close, Hephaestus gripping her tight enough that she almost wheezed.
"You-you're alright," whispered Hephaestus.
He looked to the goddess, her form faltering even before his eyes.
"I…how?"
Aphrodite sputtered, actually sputtered, as she tried to say something.
"Well…we are…married…right?" she chuckled. "I…I felt you…felt Eri. When you thought you lost her. I–"
She didn't know how to say it, still couldn't understand it. The mist that surrounded them wasn't something that could just be done away with. Sure, the god of fire burned it away, but even that required nuance. A nuance that Aphrodite normally didn't have.
She wasn't sure where she got the strength to get involved, nor the resolve if she was being honest. She just acted. Yet, for all the pain that she was feeling…she couldn't say she regretted it. Seeing Hephaestus and Eri together…it felt right.
"Eri, are you alright?" asked Hephaestus.
His daughter coughed, holding her stomach.
"I…I'm feeling better. I think."
She was pale, but even so, the young girl turned to the woman that saved her. Once luscious silver hair was replaced by a flow of crimson locks and yellow eyes. Bounded curls that rested on her chest, rather than flowing across her back.
"Thank you for saving me," muttered Eri.
The goddess stiffened as the girl hugged her, the delicate child soft in her arms. The swell of emotions between them all was too much for her.
"...no," thought Aphrodite, her arms coming around Eri, "No, it's not."
The surge of emotions funneled into the goddess, her form slowly restructuring itself. The emotions that she would normally ignore surged and danced within her. It ached, hurt even, but it felt…good. She had always enjoyed pushing her physical form with Ares the rare times they sparred. This pain…it felt something akin to that. As if she pushed herself. As if she had grown.
"Don't mention it," whispered Aphrodite. "Seriously, don't. No one can see me like this."
"I don't understand…you…you can't involve yourself in mortal affairs without justification."
The gods could, in theory, get involved in their children's lives. Asparents, they had that justification. However, it came at a cost, one that would in most circumstances be less than ideal. What was the point of helping your kid if it dispersed your consciousness for months or even years at a time?
It was a weak excuse, considering Thetis and Zeus both showed it was doable, but it was the prevailing theory. Yet, here was Aphrodite, protecting his child.
"I…technically have a right," muttered Aphrodite.
It took him a moment to realize.
"Our marriage?"
"Our bond grants us many allowances and rights, dear husband of mine," she snarked, "Most gods just don't bother."
"...I…I don't know what to say. I owe you more than I could ever repay," he whispered.
She looked at him and for a moment, she was ready to cash in on that. Instead, her mouth moved before her brain.
"I guess we're even," she smiled.
The divine holdings that would enforce cooperation fizzled out, forever lost to the winds. The shock on his face made her smile, a warmth settling in her chest. She ran a hand through Eri's hair, her tired eyes softening at the child.
"We're even," said Aphrodite, this time with greater strength. "Now, I'm exhaus–EEEP!"
She shuddered at his touch, but that wasn't the problem…or rather it shouldn't be? The warmth that surged in her body was unnatural, a flow of his energy seeping into every crevice and crack of her divine form. Her own divinity had taken a hit from the aftereffects of getting involved. Her exhaustion would have taken her weeks to recover from.
For as much as a right as Aphrodite had to be involved, that didn't change that Eri was no child of hers. A lessened strain that she was thankful for. Yet, it was a moot point. It was unlike anything she had ever felt. She was an ocean compared to his spark, a primordial entity against a God. Yet, it was seamless. The fire seeped into the depths of her core, easing the strain.
It kept coming over and over. She briefly inspected it, just a peak–
CRUNCH
SNAP
She had to rear back. The flow of early memories was simply too much.
"Aphrodite?"
She was jilted out of her shock, eyeing Hephaestus.
"I'm sorry, I assumed that—I shouldn't have–"
"It's fine," she muttered, "Just never felt that before…that's all."
It wasn't a lie, but he looked at her as if she spoke one.
"I can offer more, if you'd like. I meant it when I said that I owe you more than I could ever repay," he whispered.
She waved it off.
"I'm more concerned about you at the moment. Didn't think you swore an oath not to harm Medusa."
"I didn't."
His face was as calm as ever. Yet, his heart, it rung with a fear dark enough to make her think it was Tartarus itself.
"Well, you must have," muttered Aphrodite, lazily getting up. She eyed Eri, the girl still holding her tight.
"I can promise you I swore no such oaths to any entity."
"Really? No promises at all?"
"I've given promises but…"
Aphrodite crossed her arms.
"Well?"
"...I promised Athena I wouldn't get involved in her business anymore," he muttered.
"...She cursed Medusa, so it is possible. The fates did decree Perseus' life to Zeus lately. I heard Medusa was involved."
"Fuck," growled Hephaestus.
"Bad word," muttered Eri, her voice watery and weak.
Hephaestus typically didn't veer from his word. Athena felt different, more involved certainly, but he didn't think his word would bind him so. He had meant his words to Athena, invoked them with–
"Divinity," he muttered.
The weakest of the promises a God could invoke. It was the equivalent of a pinky promise. Something that showed sincerity but could be broken easily with only social consequences.
"Hilarious," growled Hephaestus in his thoughts, "The weakest promise a god could invoke, is the most binding!?"
Aphrodite shared in his apprehension. Swearing on Chaos was the only thing she had seen stop a god cold like that. The Styx would ravage a god, sure, using its own power in conjunction with her own, but that was different. There was time to break such an oath, disastrous as it would be.
Yet another of his secrets she would keep. Her mouth opened, echoing with primordial power.
"Forget."
A single word, and all mentions of his secret dissipated even from Gaia herself. Aphrodite eyed her hand, the power that slipped through her fingers now being called so easily.
"...I don't know what that was, but thank you."
She waved him off again, patting Eri's head to get her off. The girl sniffed, a bit of snot dribbling down her nose, her eyes covered in tears. It was rather gross, yet the goddess was not as averse as she thought she'd be.
"I have to go kid," she smiled, "but you're safe."
"You are Eri, I promise."
The calm glint in his eye had been done away with entirely. There was a madness there that woud turn the world to ash if need be.
"Aphrodite…it is best you go."
The goddess blinked as Hephaestus looked up. She dispersed, leaving with a pop.
"Hermes," he growled.
The god of speed appeared, smirking away.
"Man, it has been a while bro how–ooh."
The trickster wilted at the sight of his brother. The heat blasted him in the face, his eyes drying out. It was far from pleasant.
"So I take it that I won't be delivering goods. Got it–"
"Deliver a message to Nemesis and her sister Eris."
"...what's the word?"
He was flippant, but at the very least Hermes appeared to be taking some of this seriously. A few trees spontaneously combusted, the earth beneath them groaning as Hephaestus' concentration slipped.
"Nemesis' is next! You tell her–"
Hermes didn't move. If anything, he looked more disappointed.
"Take a breather–"
"They almost murdered my child! The only reason I do not storm Hades is to prevent the god forsaken war that idiot and his minions would wage if I did!"
Hermes rushed forward, eyeing everything around them.
"You are lucky I like you big red, or I would be telling Hades you called him an idiot. Breath."
The ever calm Hephaestus finally showing some cracks in his behaviour would have, ordinarily, made Hermes' day. But actually seeing it felt like he was two steps away from a volcano erupting, literally.
The god looked as if he was about to erupt and destroy everything around him.
"Look," sighed Hermes, "let's be straight here. Nemesis would just twist it as she always did and this whole thing would start again. You're almost there, just remove the last of her deals."
The realm was silent, the bubble Hermes had around him bringing it all to a silence.
"...you knew?" growled Hephaestus.
"Course I knew. I'm the lord of secrets and messages bro. You seriously think I wouldn't find out the so called cost for your wares?"
Hermes smirked.
"I have to admit, clever move having them swore non-agressions against you. The way you worded some of those contracts to screw over Nemesis without her realizing it? Oh, beautiful."
"Your flattery won't stop me," said Hephaestus, his voice acidic, his hand rubbing Eri's back as she coughed a bit more.
"Then let's talk facts," said Hermes. The switch-up was instant, an eerie stoicism that rightfully did not belong on Hermes. He wore it like a suit, his jovial attitude slipped away in the corner of his aspects. Zeus' fixer was the one talking now. "You go down blasting away it won't just be you paying the consequences, but all of us. You have zero substantial prove that it was Nemesis that pulled this off and you already dusted Eris."
Hermes looked in the distance, as if seeing all the specks.
"Literally. Even with Nyx aiding her recovery it will take her years to reform. You've already exacted your vengeance on the person that targeted you. It's how Nemesis rolls. All play, no consequences."
The way he spoke was irritating, especially as Hephaestus realized something.
"You know how she does it."
"I do," shrugged Hermes.
They both knew they were speaking of more than just avoiding consequences and divine law.
"She can manipulate fate?"
It was a ludicrous statement, and also completely illogical. Which was precisely why he said it. He eyed Hermes, the trickster's eyes widening as he settled into an easy smile.
"I can neither confirm nor deny such a thing," said Hermes glibly. "Nemesis is the arbiter of all conflicts, both vengeful and justified."
They shared a look, Hephaestus nodding along. Eri coughed a bit, but he held her close, Eri's face turned away from Hermes. Not that he was a fan of it.
"Of course…how silly of me. It would be completely unreasonable for her to have any sway on the scales of divine law itself."
"Oh yes," smirked Hermes, "the scales of divine law don't exist as a physical object after all."
But they did exist, a conceptual idea of fairness…one that Nemesis could nudge to her advantage. It was beginning to make sense, to a degree. But, there was still more to learn here. Hephaestus' rage simmered, held in a vice grip as he eyed Hermes.
"What would you suggest then, Hermes?"
The trickster shrugged.
"Just leave it be, nothing you can do about it. It would just get messy and more involved than it needs to be."
If he attacked Nemesis, others would come to her aid. It was why Hephaestus had begun to ply his trade, using agreements and contracts as payments. He was severing her alliances one way at a time, unbeknownst to Nemesis and her allies.
It was something outside of that. But he needed to be sure.
"Hades?" asked Hephaestus.
"Hmm?"
No, it wasn't him…it couldn't be.
"The night," he muttered.
"I've come across her a few times," admitted Hermes, "but I can't be sure what you're talking about. Speak sense brother."
Eri was bouncing between the gods, wondering what the actual hell they were talking about. But Hephaestus wasn't deciphering, but rather paying attention to how things were said.
He only said the night, not mentioning Nyx at all in proper context. Yet, Hermes admitted to having met the night in response. Nyx was the one that cursed him, limiting his knowledge of Nemesis. She was, of course, ready to protect Nemesis as well, as expected. But to what degree?
"Protective?" he asked.
"Extremely."
Protective beyond sense.
"Collateral?"
"Massive."
A nuclear response, escalating the conflict.
"Does origin matter?"
"I would say no. Others would… vehemently disagree."
Hermes knew, now Hephaestus knew. However, spreading this knowledge accomplished nothing as Nyx would just go nuclear anyway.
"...ease of movement?"
"Barely. One region."
However, she was restrained to the Underworld, and hopefully, Tartarus.
Hermes was having fun. His little spy games were rare between the gods, even his father not bothering half the time. But that was the fun of it, the plausible deniability.
"Hermes…I have a different message for you."
Hermes smirked.
"Oh?"
"Send an invitation. One she can't refuse."
Hermes rose a brow, eyes widening as he realized what he was doing.
"You're–"
"The summer solstice. Invite her to Olympus, under my authority. Tell her that I have need of her services against Eris, if she's interested."
Hermes bowed, the air around them thick in his divinity. Normally, he would be adjusting the memories of the land, ensuring that nothing would remain, yet it was if the entire place was already scrubbed clean by something.
It definitely wasn't Hephaestus, which meant someone else was here.
"I'll deliver the message accordingly."
He dispersed and Hephaestus lifted Eri close and moved. Athens, while relatively quiet compared to the region, was not without its mystical problems. At least, usually.
What few monsters were near shivered and died as Hephaestus simply waltzed past them. His mind was ablaze with the possibilities. The summer solstice. Of the celebrations, it was rather tame. Important, yes, but nothing overtly celebratory…until now.
Over the years that he had been an Olympian, he had basically been allowed to skip over much of the so-called big celebrations in lieu of more important things. Eri and Hecate for the most part, along with assisting in developing Lemnos in his minute ways.
This year was a different story. Zeus had all but confirmed this was the one event he could not skip. He had a feeling why, but that wasn't important. It was a highly classy event and the only one that he could think of that would bring Nemesis to him.
It would take years to find something more suitable, years that would bring Eris back. For now, Nemesis knew nothing, only that he had slain Eris successfully.
To her, he would be inviting her to exact further vengeance, with the invitation being proof of his sincerity.
"Dad–"
"Not now," he rumbled.
He would have to accelerate his timetable. He forged on his own time, creating weapons, armor, and even strange items that peaked his interest. He would then spend time with family, friends, and on his own. Work was, admittedly, a secondary concern, with him putting it off until a day or two before the deadlines.
Now?
After this trip, he would have to readjust his time tables.
"Dad?"
He stopped, bringing Eri up to eye level. She had smudged her face clean, still coughing a bit as she eyed him.
"You're getting sick," he muttered.
"No…I don't think so."
Eri was leaking divinity, a consequence of her actions.
"Your head is warm," he muttered, ignoring the short quintet coughs she fired off. He placed a hand on her, noting the way her body was heating up. He sighed a bit in relief. He knew what this was.
"Come, we'll rest."
"B-but Papa–"
"None of that, sleep."
Zeus, Demeter, Hera, Eris, Aphrodite, and even Hepahestus himself had all allowed their divinity free reign around Eri. It stood to reason that she was beginning to feel slightly off from it all. He found a tree, just outside the city limits of Athens.
For all that Eri pushed against him, she soon settled into sleep, a final cough for good measure. She was here, alive and well. His fingers softly threaded in her hair, holding her close.
His golden eyes shimmered, the cracks of his body shattering into place. The once golden lines shining an eerie blue. His body shuddered as he closed it off forcibly, the rage returning to the darkest recesses of his mind. It would not be fire that would win the day. No.
Hephaestus' eyes began to dull, the once golden sheen withering into that of a cold, steel, grey.
Never again.