I don’t know if I’ve ever been that stupid.He cursed himself.I was so damn focused on Zeus—and since when does Hermes not make a blasted amount of noise everywhere that he goes?
“Hermes.” Erebus cursed his name aloud, spitting on the ground. He began muttering under his breath as he ran a hand through his hair, a nervous habit, causing the heavy chain to hit him in the nose. “Gods damn it! I’ll kill you for this!” He shouted at the door and into the presumably empty hallway.
It was still dark out, so either he had been out for an entire day or not very long at all. Erebus had too many questions and no abilities to calm himself down to sort through them. The agony of his missing shadows was like a phantom limb; it was clear through his damp clothes that he hadn’t stopped sweating since he’d lost the sensation. He leaned his head back against the cool wall, his breath shaky.
There must be a way to warn Nyx. I don’t know how he plans to use me as fucking bait. Does he have another pair of chains? How does he think he’ll even get themonNyx? This is insane.
“It is insane.” A deep, quiet voice broke through the silence of the night, causing Erebus to sit up with a start.
“Who’s that? Why are you here?” He normally would have felt his own power rising to the surprise of a visitor, but he felt nothing.And get out of my head, while you’re at it.
“Your expression looked rather incredulous.” The voice answered, coming from the other side of the door.
“Who are you?” Erebus said it again, his temper rising at the sheer weight of his own vulnerability. He had never felt this incapacitated before and wasn’t looking to make a habit out of it. There was a heartbeat of agonizing silence before the door swung open and Hephaestus snuck in.
“You bastard,” Erebus screamed, jumping to his feet as the chains swung between his arms. He took a step forward but faltered, falling to his knees as he hissed out another long string of curses. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
Hephaestus was as calm as ever, seemingly unfazed by Erebus’s reaction. He waited until Erebus glared up at him, expecting a response, before he started speaking.
“I do. Doyouknow what I’ve done?” There was something in his voice that made Erebus feel like he had missed something. Hephaestus leaned back against the door, crossing his leg at the ankle and running a hand through his beard absentmindedly. He was wearing his helmet, making it impossible for Erebus to read his expression.
“You made these chains. You made Zeus a weapon that could contain immortals. Why would you do that?” Erebus shook his head in bewilderment as he sat down on the floor, coming off his knees. Hephaestus nodded slowly as if he was dissecting this new information.
“I did do that. It’s not the only thing I did.”
Erebus started grinding his teeth together in frustration, feeling a growing sense of urgency.
“What… else… did… you do?” Erebus choked the words out slowly, staring up at the god with an angry and tense expression. He couldn’t tell for sure, but Hephaestus’s head moved in such a way that he thought he might be smiling. It took a second before he answered.
“I made Zeus the chains. It’s in my best interest to remain a very… neutral party. I’ll take requests, and payment, from anyone.”
“That’s a coward’s way to live,” Erebus growled, fighting the urge to leap onto Hephaestus since he knew he didn’t have the strength. “You’ll take money from all sides in a war, but you won’t ever fight yourself? You call yourself a god?”
Hephaestus shrugged, something about him was so resolute that he was unbothered. He stood with his shoulders straight, bright eyes boring a hole into Erebus where he sat.
“You do not know what I do during the ides of war or what I call myself. You are the God of darkness, and Zeus, the God of lightning. Do you know what I am, Erebus?”
Silence.
“I’m the God of alchemy. The God of bottled chaos. They say only women can grow mankind, gestate a god, create new life. Do you know what I can do with metal? With wood? With the things of the earth?”
Hephaestus was met with silence again. Erebus had never heard him speak this way. His voice dropping to its lowest register with a command to it that even Erebus had to admit was impressive.
“Do not ever say that I have done another god’s bidding.” Hephaestus spat the last word like it was poisonous. “Yes, I created those chains for Zeus. Ask me about them, Erebus.” Erebus raised an eyebrow and sat a little taller, his gaze roving over the god.
“Tell me about these chains, Hephaestus.”
The god nodded once; all the fire that had been in him seemed to cool back down to an ember. “I made the weapon that could capture any immortal, no matter how strong they are. It uses their own powers against them, it bottles up their power, effectively acting like a seal on an amphora.”
“Helpful,” Erebus interrupted with a sneer.
“I’m going to ignore that you seem to don’t understand I’m trying to help you.” Hephaestus quipped back. “They amplify your own powers and keep you from them, but every god has a weak spot. A counterpoint.”
“All right…” Erebus looked up at Hephaestus, trying to uncover where he was going.
“Your power is darkness. The chains are bottling up that darkness and holding it from you. What is your opposite?” Hephaestus asked a leading question.
“Light, I guess.” Erebus shrugged. “It doesn’t really work that way, though, I can summon darkness even during the day…”
