(Hephaestus POV)
The morning air, filled with sounds of birds and leaves drifting in the wind, awoke me from my soporific sleep. Contrasting with my heavenly morning, was the smell of tar and fire that burned in Aetna's biggest volcano. The one I lived right next to. To my convenience, the volcano was the least of my worries, it was the smell itself. Its taken me almost 50 years to build my citadel, forging new weaponry when I have nothing else to do. And believe me, there is nothing else to do. The same routine proceeds me every day. Wake up, wash off, shave, put on necessary attire, and head down to the mound where I work all day. Or rather, that was the plan, but a sudden noise stopped me.
I walked through the barely empty home, trying not to wake Thetis and the others and opened the door. I opened it slowly trying to reduce the creaking sound, but failed miserably. While praying that Thetis didn't awake, I looked at the young man standing at the door. His big orange eyes seemed out of place in the human world and that bright blonde hair of his was something I've never seen before.
"Um, I'm sorry to have woken you up."
"Do not bother with that. What is it that you want?" The beautiful blonde suddenly materialized a note in the thin air then handed it to me.
"You are Hephaestus are you not?" I nodded as I slowly took the letter from his hand. Engraved on it was my name in golden letters. I looked up at the boy who seemed to be glancing about at my body.
"Is there something the matter?"
"O-oh! Nothing! Forgive me, I just never imagined you would look..."
"Look like what?" I said as anger began to swell within me.
The blonde hair boy began to tremble as I glared at him, but I decided to ignore his uncivil looks.
"Who are you anyhow?" I said as I calmed down and opened the letter.
"I-I'm Hermes?" I choked as I looked up from the letter and at Hermes.
He is a god. This is my first time seeing one besides my mother, Hera. And I have just witnessed his powers of communication. Just as the humans explained, Hermes is the god of commerce.
"What is it you want with me?" Hermes shyly pointed at the letter which I had just opened.
I looked down at the fine piece of paper and read the words oh so new to me...
'Dearest gods and goddesses, The summit of the gods is among us. Peace thee with you as you read this and peace thee with you when you join me. When the sun rises on the third day of July, come forth and join the festivities of the god.'
-Zeus
Shocked at what the letter said, I looked up at Hermes who stared off into the distance.
"Is this true? Has Zeus himself actually invited me?"
"It is father's wish that all gods attend." Hermes awkwardly glanced away from me as he spoke.
Once again, I ignored his unpleasant looks and continued to question him. "Will...Hera be there?"
"Yes, mother attends every time."
I nodded and continued staring at the letter. Why would they invite me to this meeting of the gods now? I thought Hera wanted to hide my ugly existence, yet it seems Zeus invited me wholeheartedly. Why?
"Well, I'll be on my way?" Hermes bowed and flew off.
"Hephaestus! What's going on?" Thetis came from behind me rubbing her eyes. "Who's at the door?"
"Good morning Thetis." I ignored her question wondering if I should tell her about the meeting.
"Are you going to pay no heed to what I've said? I've raised you better than to be a liar Hephaestus."
I sighed and closed the door. "Zeus has invited me to attend the summit of the gods."
Her eyes grew wide when I handed her the letter. "After 50 years, they finally invite you. Hera must have revealed your existence."
"Who cares what that woman has done. Zeus himself has invited me, I will attend only because he wants to."
"You do not have to go. As you have heard, Hades doesn't appear all the time."
"I'm not Hades. There must be a reason I was invited." I sat down on the sofa and scratched my head thinking. If I were to see that woman again, how will I handle all this anger? She tossed me off a mountain for heaven's sake! And claimed me to be ugly.
"You should bring a gift to show your appreciation of course." Thetis spoke as she went into the kitchen.
"A gift?"
"Just win the approval of Zeus, then you will be accepted by the other gods." Thetis said while she prepared breakfast. "That is what you will do."
Win Zeus's approval... is that all? But how? Besides making weapons, I have no other redeeming qualities.
Weapons.... of course! That's what I'll do.
And I'll bring one for Hera as well...
**********************************************
The sun shined brightly as I gazed up at this miraculous mountain. I haven't seen this sight in 50 years. For a god, that may not be long, but for me it felt like an eternity.
I wore my best attire and fixed my face the best way I could. The hair on my chin was gone and I washed up my frizzy brown hair. The smell of tar and inferno were still faint because I had been working all night, but all in all, I was presentable.
"Hephaestus, there you are." I looked up and saw Hermes coming down the long stairwell. "Welcome. I came to show you around."
"Thank you." I said while following Hermes up the stairs. Everything was pure white and nothing was out of place. Every once in a while, beams of sunlight would hit the white stairwell and create beautiful spectrum's of light, as if it were meant to be that way.
"Hermes!" Glancing up, I saw a figure of a woman...an amazingly beautiful woman.
As we got closer, my eyes were glued to her. Her pink lips which contrasted with her naturally pale skin. Her platinum blonde hair beamed with a radiance of inexplicable luminescence. Is she real? I thought as the distance closed between us. She pushed her hair behind her ear exposing her clear nails and taintless skin. Her eyes were iridescent as she blinked and looked upon my existence. Then she smiled a seraphic smile leaving me blind and breathless. My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest and my mind became clogged.
Who was this woman?
Who was this goddess?
"Where might Ares be?" Her voice rang throughout my ears as she spoke.
"Ares should already be inside."
"I did not see him. Oh..." She quickly glanced my way then leered at my face. "You...are Hephaestus?"
"Uh." I panicked when she spoke to me and awkwardly answered her. "Um...yes."
She blinked a couple of times, looking at me up and down then laughed.
"Hahaha! You look nothing like mother! Looks like Ares lost the bet."
"Aphrodite! I told you Ares has bad luck." Hermes who had forgotten I was there for a second, quickly relapsed.
" Ignore her Hephaestus. Let us keep going." Hermes began to pull me past Aphrodite and into the palace.
"Forgive her Hephaestus. She always plays around." I looked behind me at the beauty named Aphrodite and my heart started to beat once more. What was this feeling? I thought as I was led through the big doors of Mount Olympus. I came back to reality, noticing all of the guards surrounding us. They, as well, wore all white and kowtowed at our appearance. This decorous presence was all new to me and I felt extremely out of place.
Promptly, we went through another set of doors and inside was a room filled with more glorious beings. With wide eyes, they all stared at me and whispered among themselves. I would be bothered by their stares, but Thetis taught me better than to let my anger control me. Instead, I glared back at them and one by one, I nodded my head in respect. As I did, all their whispering ceased and they nodded back.
"Father?" Hermes said as we inched closer to a man with silver hair. He turned around slowly and his blue eyes flickered to mine. Unexpectedly, he smiled and spoke my name with delight.
"Hephaestus I presume? You are bigger than I imagined." He kept smiling wonderfully. "Ah, forgive me for not introducing myself. I am Zeus."
Zeus! I quickly fell to my knees in honor and respect. "Thank you for your invite."
"No need to bow, we are all gods here."
I stood up and continued to speak. "I have brought a gift for you all." I pulled out my working mallet and pointed it towards the four huge thrones meant for Poseidon, Hades, Hera and Zeus and blasted my power onto them. They turned completely gold and sparkled all around. Praise went all throughout the room as I put away my hammer and looked at Zeus.
"This color...how wonderful. Such pure gold. Did you create this."
"Yes, and many other weapons that could be of use to you." Zeus was about to respond until suddenly, a woman's voice broke in.
"Ah, Hephaestus! Its been such a long time." A scent, a sight, a goddess that I never wanted to see again, appeared before me as if I were the love of her life. Hera, she hugged me and grabbed my face with tears in her eyes. Had I'd been an evil man, I would have pushed her to the ground and spoke of her sins. Yet, I only looked down at her and waited for her to take her seat. Once she sits on the golden seat, her soul would be forever stuck.
That's not evil is it? I was taught not to take revenge but as a god...It's just my right...