"Lucky shit," Hephaestus muttered under his breath as he crossed the boundary of his workshop. The partition rose, separating him from the arena. The Trident was perfect. The technique was flawless! How did he dodge!? He touched his cheeks with his left hand and brought it back into view. Shallow cuts, but he did something I didn't think possible… He walked to and sat down at his workbench, leaning the trident on the table. "Where's Beta?" He called out.
One robot to his left moved away from a table displaying a short, singular pipe doused in energy. "Sir, Beta is awaiting your inspection and final tuning."
"Then where is it!?"
"To your right, next to the table." Hephaestus looked to his right and saw a metallic rectangular case sitting on the floor next to his bench. "It just needs assembly from you to be ready."
"Ah. Hmm…right. I asked for that." He turned back to the robot. "Appreciate it."
"Here to support."
Hephaestus picked up the case and opened it. Carefully placed in a custom-molded foam were three thick metallic indigo-colored bars, one with a flat gold end, and a spearhead that looked like two horns twisting around themselves. Damn, I thought it looked prettier in my head. He pulled the pieces out of the box and placed them on the table. Red energy traced down his arms from his shirt sleeves again, the heat from earlier returning. He went to work, assembling the pieces with dexterity his large hands did not seem capable of. The heat from his hands soldered the metal rods into place, forming a long shaft. The spearhead now sat at the top of the weapon, neatly in place. The glowing points where the metal pieces connected were quickly run over by Hephaestus' finger, effortlessly smoothing the melted metal down. Now assembled, he placed his hands on the weapon. The glow began to fade as Hephaestus' hands grew warm. Prometheus, you dumbass. He thought, smiling. This is how you use fire. He picked up his newest creation and brought the pommel to his face, staring down the shaft of the weapon. He slowly turned it a full 360 degrees, then grasped it at the shaft's center and shook it. No blemishes, weight distributed as intended closer to the spearhead, and most important of all…heavy as hell. A childish smile appeared on his grizzled face. You're even prettier in real life!
"Sir, the time."
Hephaestus looked up at the timer; Forty-four seconds remaining. "Crap." He looked back at the robot. "Status of Gamma and Sigma?"
"Both have passed initial testing. Gamma can now retain shape for a few seconds at a time, and Sigma's precision and response to stimuli have improved. Estimate both will finish secondary and tertiary testing ready upon your return."
"Figured Gamma would only need to hold out that long…Zeus prefers to fight with his fists. Usin' that would make fights end too quickly." Hephaestus said to himself. "Status of Mu?"
"Sir, Mu is in the second round of prototyping. The results from initial testing were insufficient."
"Once Gamma and Sigma are done, I want all teams focusing on it." Hephaestus turned around, carrying the pole arm and picking up the Trident. "Get that damn thing up and running."
"Sir, there are still things about it that are running contrary to initial schematics. If we cannot correct those discrepancies-"
Hephaestus walked back towards the partition. "That Human won't be enough of a threat that they'd matter. Get it done."
"Hrist!" Leo shouted behind him. "I need a favor!"
"What is it!? We're busy over here!" Hrist Alpha yelled.
"The helmet's shape is taking longer than I anticipated! I need the team downstairs to continue working on the internal computers and the visor while you two get the casing finished!"
"I'm still working on the damn chest armor!" She looked back down at her table, her hands busy at work. "Wait…Am I?"
"It should be done now!"
"Stop doing that! It's weird!" She looked back at Leo, seeing him focused on the Hydroformer. How is he working on all these different pieces of equipment simultaneously!? She thought. And it's not just these two… She could sense movement and the vibrations of equipment coming to life below her feet. What are we building down there!?
"Can you finish this while I'm out there?" He asked.
"I mean…yes, but I thought you needed the helmet more…" Hrist One responded.
Leo walked away from the Hydroformer and over to the center of his workshop. "Believe me, I do, but we don't have enough time to put it together with just two minutes. I'll buy time with the Chariot and Tank while also gathering data. Nothing quite like field-testing!" He laughed mirthlessly. Both Hrists ran over to him, carrying a contraption shaped like a gold disc, a cuirass, pauldrons, and faulds. "Let's do this." The two quickly snapped the Cuirass into place, connecting the faulds at its base and the pauldrons over the shoulders. Hrist One attached the disc to the backplate while Hrist Alpha connected wires from the cuirass down into the cuisses.
"Crossbow Tank fully assembled." Hrist One said.
"Connection established between the Scythe Chariot and Crossbow Tank." Hrist Alpha added.
Leo lightly slapped his chest, letting a dull ring reverberate in the air. Perfect fit. He thought. Let's go, Arash. The klaxon roared above them, and the partition dropped. Leo walked away from Hrist and back to the arena. He saw Hephaestus walk slowly from his workshop, now armed with his Trident and a new weapon. Ah…that's bad. He grimaced at the sight of the thing.
"You know…it really kind of sucks you already figured out what this thing is!" Hephaestus shouted. "Makes the surprise lose impact!"
"Simple yet sufficient," Leo responded. "You don't need fancy equipment to put me down."
"Damn right, and this Bident here is no exception." He pointed it straight at Leo.
Leo sighed. Both stopped near the center of the arena.
"Now it's time for the second battle!" Heimdall roared overhead. "As these two craftsmen are stepping up their game, both now sport new weapons! For Hephaestus…if I weren't seeing it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it! It's Hades' Bident!"
Up in the box seats, Hermes and Ares stood alone behind three ornate wooden chairs, observing their brother's work. "Well, well," Hermes said. "Looks like Hephaestus is taking things a bit more seriously."
"Indeed." Ares chimed in. "Wielding both spears will surely give him an even greater level of speed and range to attack that Human with."
"Not necessarily."
Ares turned to his younger brother. "What'd you mean?"
"While they're both polearms, the Bident and Trident were built specifically for Hades and Poseidon concerning their respective tactics." Hermes raised his left and right hands, both as knife-hands. That Bident, were it used like its sibling, would be near useless."
"Then how would Hephaestus use it?"
"He'd use it just like the God he made it for, like he did with the Trident." He firmly clenched his right hand into a fist." Any weapon Hephaestus makes is so intricately tuned to its chosen wielder that it only becomes strong when they wield it and wield it how it was intended." Hermes grew a wicked smile while lowering his hands to his sides. "He knows this and, as the God who forged them, can replicate to some degree the prowess of their masters. But…he's doing something new. He's using both at the same time. He knows how both Hades and Poseidon fight. Makes me…wonder what he'll come up with."
The Klaxon roared back down at the arena. The partitions rose. Hephaestus slid his grip on the bident's shaft up to just a few centimeters below the blade. Leonardo dashed forward. Hephaestus thrust with the Trident. Leonardo jumped to the left, avoiding the attack easily. Hephaestus steadied his breathing and thrust again. Leonardo dodged to the right, adjusting his step to move closer to Hephaestus. "Bob and weave! Bob and weave!" Heimdall shouted. "Leonardo Da Vinci's wading through the barrage of attacks without any effort!"
No effort!? Leo thought. A single hit from one of those attacks, even a graze, could dismember or slice me in two! More attacks came his way, the thrusts swarming him en masse as they blended. Time to kick it up a notch! Leo rounded his shoulders as he brought his arms close to his chest. He stood up on the balls of his feet and burst forward. Hephaestus' eyes widened as he continued his attack, but each thrust missed its mark. He tried aiming for his torso. Leo stepped back. As Hephaestus pulled the trident back, Leo followed the attack. Hephaestus thrust again at Leo's head. Leo slipped to the right, continuing to advance as the Trident cut only air. Hephaestus slowly slid his feet back, trying to keep his distance. Leo could see the panic in his eyes as he came within a meter of his opponent. The blades on his greaves began to whir to life. I'm almost there! You're not getting away! Hephaestus twisted his body to the right, firing a thrust so fast the weapon and his arm blurred.
Amphytrite! Hephaestus shouted mentally. The attack was faster than anything Leo saw up to that point. It was akin to gunfire. Leo's eyes strained, turning nearly bloodshot. He crouched. The air displaced by the thrust's power blew threw his hair as it sailed barely a few centimeters above his crown.
"Hephaestus unleashed one of Poseidon's most powerful moves…and Leonardo Da Vinci dodged it!?" Heimdall screamed in confusion. Far from anyone's ears except for a few, Ghulam burst out with a joyous, near-deafening laugh.
You cocky bastard! Hephaestus thought. I'm not some damn one-trick pony! Leo burst forward and kicked his right leg up, swinging the greaves' edge towards Hephaestus' torso. Hephaestus hopped back as he withdrew the trident. Leo's leg cut the air, missing entirely. His leg swung down, and his toe tapped the ground and immediately swung back up. He hopped forward, his leg higher than before. Hephaestus raised his bident and twisted his body to the left. Leo's heel found Hephaestus' temple as a dull clang rang out. Pain erupted from the point of contact, but he stood firm as Leo's leg descended. Hephaestus stepped his right foot forward, caving in the floor beneath it, and swung the bident down.
You won't get me with that either! Leo thought, jumping back as his foot touched down. I already figured out the distance- Leo saw it for a brief moment again. Where Hephaestus stood was now a young white-haired God wearing a white suit and a purple shirt underneath it, his rage-filled bearing making Leo feel microscopic. As Hephaestus swung down, his grip loosened, letting the Bident slide through his grip. Mid-swing, the Bident reached its maximum range. Leo was caught. Even for this brief moment, his feet were still just barely off the ground. The swing came too quickly and at a greater range. He could picture it, the Bident's head caving his skull in and tearing through his body with such ferocity it would explode. Something whirred to life on his back and shot out behind him.
"Persephone Titan!" Hephaestus roared. The bident crashed down. The floor of the arena exploded in a mass of dust, rock, and air. The force of the swing lifted his body off the ground and flung him high up in the air as the arena walls filled the air with clangs and dings, as the gravel battered them.
"Hephaestus just roared to life with that one mighty blow! Did Leonardo Da Vinci get crushed!? Is it over!?" Heimdall shouted.
Hephaestus' eyes darted about the area floor, scanning for any signs of a corpse or a threat. His ascent began to slow as the dust settled. He heard two clicks from the farthest wall of the arena, and two arrows flew towards him. He did survive! He thought. He twisted back to the left in mid-air, the arrows grazing his left shoulder and his stomach. A third flew shortly after the first two. Hephaestus barely moved his head out of the way as it grazed his forehead. Gettin' tired of this! He flexed his back and hips as he twisted his body back to the left. "Persephone Kallichoron!" He thrust the Bident towards the hidden source of the arrows. The attack's raw power pulled him down with it at incredible speed. He heard a fourth click, but no arrow. His attack slammed into the ground, clearing the air. He heard more clicks to his left, turning his gaze towards an exposed Leo. His face was covered in scrapes, his hair was undone, several dents and scrapes covered his armor, and his body suit was covered in tears. Hephaestus did not see his expression hidden under his goggles, but he saw the noise's source. Sitting on Leo's shoulders, aimed at Hephaestus, were two curved metal extensions with three barrels each. The one on Leo's right shoulder had one arrow in the middle barrel; The left had one arrow in the middle and right barrels each. Leo gritted his teeth and fired the right-barrel's arrow. Hephaestus winced and ducked, the arrow flying overhead.
"Damn!" Leo shouted. The two extensions folded back onto Leo's back, forming into the top half of the disc. His mind accelerated despite the pain encompassing his body. I underestimated that weapon. Swinging speed .17 seconds, uneven weight distribution towards the point, and a spearhead designed for both crushing and impalement? It's more a halberd or a hammer than a bident! He's using his back and hip muscles more. Is it because the weapon needs him to do that? Those two weapons, despite their similar shape…are near opposites of each other. How is he using them so effectively? All these thoughts occurred within .016 seconds. He took in Hephaestus' attacks, the transition from speed to power, the weapons that made such a mundane change seem insurmountable, Hephaestus' movements, and muscle activation. All of it to formulate a strategy. Had I not modified one arrow in each salvo with a rope and hook to reel myself out of the way…I'd be dead right now. I have to take that into account now. He felt the soft and slow whirl of the disc on his back. He didn't see me reel the first one back in, did he? Can't risk it. The disc did a half spin, and two more curved extensions jutted out to rest on Leo's shoulders. All six barrels aimed at Hephaestus. I have to get around those spears! Two arrows were fired from Leo's left shoulder, and Leo sprinted right behind them. Hephaestus stood back up, turning his body towards Leo. Without thinking, he reared his right leg back and swung it straight into the embedded Bident. The kick knocked it loose, flinging debris towards Leo and his arrows. One was knocked out of the air while another embedded itself in Hephaestus' left shoulder. Leo's charge stopped as a large piece of debris slammed into the left side of his chest, pain erupting under his armor as the force made him twirl off his right foot and fall to the ground.
"Got you!" Hephaestus shouted, ignoring the embedded arrow. He dashed forward, readjusting his grip on the bident back near the spearhead. He stepped his left foot forward and began to thrust the trident.
Gotta do it now! Leo thought.
"Leo! Hurry!" Hrist One yelled in his ear. Leo spun his legs and hips back under his body and crouched down.
Johannes, you were unwilling to teach me when I asked, but… Leo started to burst into a sprint again. As his left foot pushed off against the ground, on the bottom of Leo's greaves, two pistons slammed down on either side of his sabaton. He rocketed forward, stretching out his left arm. Hephaestus flinched, the thrust passing over Leo as he closed the gap. Leo's left arm found home on Hephaestus' stomach, looping him around and behind his opponent. That doesn't mean I didn't learn something from you! Leo quickly looped his right arm around Hephaestus' torso. He felt his armor compress around his back.
"What the hell are you-" The Leo lurched back with all of his strength, barely budging. The pistons slammed down, lifting both Fighters off the ground. "What the-!" Leo continued to strain his back, feeling Hephaestus loop over him as they slowly flew. Hephaestus slammed head-first into the devastated stone floor, his neck creaking as his shoulders hit it shortly after. Leo's right shoulder hit the floor with a loud clang, and he rolled away from Hephaestus, his greaves' pistons immediately retracting.
"You're kidding! Another German Suplex!?" Heimdall roared above the arena as Johannes fell to the ground in Leo's workshop, laughing uncontrollably.
"Tell the guy to beat it, and what does he do!?" Johannes spoke between laughs, his joy failing to mask his pride. "Copies me from watching my fight!"
"Told you he was worth teaching," Ghulam said without looking away.
On the monitor and back in the arena, Hephaestus rolled over face down. His grip on both the Trident and Bident did not yield despite the pain. How the hell!? He thought. He heard the clicking sound to his left. On impulse, he twirled the trident. Three loud clangs erupted from it as he swatted three more arrows out of the air. He continued to twirl it as he slowly rose, eyeing Leo through blurred vision. He stepped towards Leo, continuing to twirl the trident. Leo remained still, his makeshift bows each armed with one arrow.
Wait for it. Hephaestus continued closing the gap. Almost there. The bows shifted from his shoulders to next to his ribs. He was just about to enter his ideal range for either weapon; Leo gambled which one it would be. Come on… Hephaestus stepped his right foot forward, swinging the trident away to the side. He twisted to the left, starting his downward swing. Now! Leo fired his last two arrows. They grazed Hephaestus' torso and back as he continued his swing, his face turning into a furious smile. The two arrows embedded themselves in the wall. The swing continued, the shaft quickly sliding through Hephaestus' grip. Leo's greaves came to life, slamming the pistons down and sending him flying towards his opponent. Please let the timing be right! He leaned back and brought his shins up. The scythe chariots whirred to life as Leo flew.
"Shit!" Hephaestus stopped his swing and crossed the Bident and Trident in front of his chest. Leo's bladed greaves slammed into them, grinding the shafts as sparks flew. The disc on Leo's back began to whir and buzz.
"Hey!" Leo shouted as the wires connecting the disc to the embedded arrows went taut. Hephaestus felt the wires against his ribs.
"What!?" He yelled.
"Let's take a trip!" Hephaestus' feet began to slip out from under him.
"You're kidding me! All this…just to snare me!?" Leo's disc began to reel the two towards the wall. Hephaestus backpedaled to keep himself upright while trying to block the blades. What the hell's going on!? When did it get tough to push this guy off? His feet slipped out. The two soared towards the wall. Hephaestus slammed hard, the wall filling the air with a dull thud. Leo continued to hold his position, trying to cut through Hephaestus' guard.
Damn, it didn't work! Leo thought. With his back against the wall, Hephaestus braced himself and began to push back. Leo saw red lines of energy begin to trace down from Hephaestus' shirt towards his hands. Both the Trident and Bident began to glow a dull red. A bizarre smell hit Leo's nose, and his instincts fired. Need to disengage! Leo tapped his hands on the top of the bows. The wires disconnected, and Hephaestus swung with all his strength. Leo braced himself as the two weapons flung him towards the center of the arena. He back-flipped in the air and landed on his feet. He looked up, seeing his opponent seething at the wall.
"You screwed up, Human. Now you're mi-!" The klaxon roared. Hephaestus went quiet. His rage persisted, but the lines of energy vanished. Leo let out a sigh of relief. "You're damn lucky! That last move screwed you!" Leo looked down at his greaves, eyeing the smoking, warped, and contorted blades. "These two weapons could take a star blowing up on top of them and not even bend a millimeter! What makes you think you can break them?"
"I don't need to break them to win. Just you." The partitions began to lower as the two locked eyes.
"Ha! With that!?" Hephaestus pointed the Trident at Leo. "That fancy armor of yours isn't doing jack-shit. You tryin' to copy your pals ain't doin' jack-shit either."
"How's your head?" Leo retorted. The partitions were nearing the point of meshing with the floor. Hephaestus went silent, the pain on his temple still throbbing. "Mock me all you want. I don't care. But this armor?" He slapped his right hand on his thigh. "This homage to the men and women who died yesterday? Keep your damn opinion to yourself." A fire began to burn behind Leo's eyes. "They may be gone, but their strength and will are here in this armor. They asked us, pleaded us, to continue the fight, and I will not turn my back on them."
"What's the point of copying failures?" Hephaestus said as he turned and walked towards his workshop.
"Failure breeds success, and that's how we'll beat you." Leo turned away and sprinted back to his workshop. Both continued their trek to their respective sides; their inner fires beginning to burn and seethe. Of course, he can control heat. I should have accounted for that. Leo sighed. At least I already had a few of the Vitruvian Maidens working on newer versions of both the legs and torso. He crossed the threshold, and the partition rose back up. I'm sorry, guys…I'm still not there yet. If it were any of you… He walked back to the worktables, ready to continue.
"Posturin' erratic asshole…" Hephaestus muttered as he crossed his threshold, the partition rising and the timer starting. "Focusin' on failures never helped anyone…"
"What…was that?" Ares asked his brother.
"Hmmm?" Hermes responded.
"Those red, glowing lines going down his arms." Ares traced a line on his right forearm with his left finger from his elbow down to his wrist. "I've never seen him do that."
"Not sure…but if I had to guess, that red shirt is a special Divine Tool he made for himself."
"But I thought he couldn't bring Divine Weapons to this match."
"'Tools,'" Hermes raised his right index finger. ", and 'Weapons,'" He raised his left index finger, "are sometimes interchangeable terms. However, when it comes to Divine Artifacts, they are kept distinct due to their roles. 'Weapons' are used to express and amplify a God's Divine Might, while 'Tools' allow for Gods to use their Divine Might to build and craft. Since he's not penalized for having it, I imagine it's a Divine Tool much like his automatons."
"I…I knew that." Ares' face turned a little red.
"Never doubted you for a second." Hermes smiled.
"It's an old project he shelved a while back." Zeus' voice spoke behind them. The two turned around, seeing their father and his brothers enter the box. "Hephaestus' mantle, The Ever-Present Forge: Ichor Hephaistos."
"Ichor?" Ares said. "You mean…like his blood?" Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon walked past the two and returned to their seats.
"Quite right. Hephaestus is an oddity amongst the Gods." Zeus continued. "He travelled throughout the cosmos, learning and trading techniques with other Smithing Gods and Artisans. With that knowledge, he made that mantle with blood vessels he had Apollo surgically remove and blood packets containing his blood."
"That's…odd."
"Yes…But it's far safer than what Prometheus did to try and burn his soul to fight that madman earlier."
"Hephaestus, despite his low Battle IQ, knows his limitations." Hades added. "It's a shame he hides himself away in his workshop. Had he taken to the frontlines during the wars, he may have built up enough experience to have already won this fight."
"Yeah…" Ares said solemnly, hanging his head. Hermes glanced at his brother.
"You are right, Lord Hades," Hermes added. "But the workshop is where he shines. Were it not for his efforts, the unity binding the Gods together would not exist." Hermes softly smiled. "It's what makes him strong in his way."
"Quite, but I'm puzzled," Zeus said. The four turned their attention his way. "Hephaestus can build our weapons quickly enough. They're simple, but powerful. That Human, Leonardo Da Vinci, is making those complex pieces of armor at the same pace. How is he doing that, or rather…what else is he cooking up?"
"Sis, that armor is so cool!" Göll shouted. "Leo's fighting back against Hephaestus!"
"It looks that way." Brünhilde smiled, looking at Göll. "I'm betting none of the Gods expected Leo to bust out such awesome weapons so quickly."
"How is he, anyway? From what we saw at the start of the round, there were those two robots that looked like Hrist. How could three people build that armor so quickly?"
"What makes you think it's just three? Also, why do you think it's just what you saw?"
Göll tilted her head. She snapped her fingers as the bulb lit up. "There are multiple levels!"
"Exactly. Remember which two contests I picked first?"
"It was Wrestling and Workshop. So…this is why you picked it?"
"Workshop's rules were specific about time and what counted as a weapon. What it did not specify was how the layout of a workshop had to be. Knowing that, Leo prepped a multi-level workshop loaded with all kinds of equipment." She pulled out her tablet and laid it flat on the railing. The screen lit up and projected a 3D image of a five-level structure, each floor lined with several different pieces of equipment. Göll could make out a water jet cutter and press brakes on the third level, a hydraulic press on the top-most level along with the work benches, lathes, and grinders on the second level, and a swath of other machinery she barely understood. "Leo designed a workshop that could build and adapt his armor to nearly any situation, but here's the best part."
"Which is?" Göll's eyes began to shine in awe.
"Leo's doing all the work while fighting."
"What?" Göll responded deadpan.
Brünhilde touched her right temple with her right index finger. "Leo's mind is like no other. He's constantly thinking up ideas, innovating and adapting his ideas as the fight goes on. However, without an outlet for his thoughts, he gets scatterbrained. That's why his Völund with Hrist is so important;
Army of Assembly
Vitruvian Maiden
Hrist is unique amongst us since she possesses two souls within her. This unique aspect of her, combined with her power, The Trembling One, gives her souls the unique property to shake and break apart into several pieces, each acting independently and operating a separate robot."
"But that doesn't explain how she is connected to Leo."
"Easy. It's his goggles." She made circles with her index fingers and thumbs and placed them in front of her eyes. "Those goggles he's wearing take in everything he's seeing and thinking. Each Hrist-bot assigned to a specific task then begins building whatever he's thinking up, letting him focus on the fight."
"That's cool and all, but shouldn't he focus on winning the fight? If he takes too long, Hephaestus may catch him."
"He's trying to win, Göll. But we have to remember Leo's not a fighter like the others. He's out of his element and is trying out what works and what doesn't, but it would be wrong to say he's not focused on winning. We haven't seen anything yet."
"Huh…okay, but how's he going to repair his armor that quickly? Hephaestus did that weird heat-thing, and his armor was ruined!"
"He's likely already got a replacement set ready. If Leo were able to continue upgrading his armor without Hephaestus dropping a new weapon on him, this fight would already be over. But this is Workshop; each fight is a field test. Each fight shows what works and what doesn't. Both of them are predicting what the other may build and must adapt." Brünhilde tapped the tablet's screen, and the image vanished. She picked it up and stowed it in her pocket. "We have to trust that Leo already has an idea of what Hephaestus is planning."
"Leo!" Hrist One yelled. "The newest version of the Scythe chariot is ready! The team below is sending the parts up!" Leo nodded to her as he worked at his table.
"The improved Crossbow Tank is on the way as well." Hrist Alpha added. Leo raised a thumbs-up and continued working on his project.
Leo let his mind wander as his hands assembled and soldered the contraption on the table. The trident is designed for speed with minimal air friction. The fact that he could twirl it so easily showed the perfect weight displacement from tip to pommel. The bident is power. Strong swings and devastating thrusts that are strengthened by a heavier head. It's slower, but not by much. Heimdall said they were Poseidon's and Hades'…that means that there may be something of Zeus'. I should have asked Brünhilde for a list of Divine Weapons…no, that wouldn't change anything. The smell of burning metal and sparks flying everywhere calmed him. If I were Hephaestus, I would want to complement the ideas of 'Speed' and 'Power.' There are only a few concepts you can move from there if he didn't choose to upgrade the weapons- Leo stopped. He breathed slowly. The sound of equipment humming around him began to sync with his breaths and heartbeat. He wouldn't. No…would he? "Hrist," He said aloud. "Have them also send up the Organ Gun."
"What!? Why?"
"I have a theory, and it's a bad one. I also need them to prioritize finishing the Arms and the Architonnerre."
"They'll be ready for the start of the next round! Do you think you can hold out until then!?"
Leo sighed, looking down at the helmet in front of him. "God, I hope so." He picked up the helmet, then looked up at the timer. 34 seconds and counting. "Hrist! We need to move!" He jumped away from the table, taking the helmet in both hands. He stopped at the assembly station. The floor to his sides opened up as several small mechanical arms rose out of the openings, removing his damaged greaves and the disc. Two took the helmet out of his hands, opened it like an egg, and set it on his forehead, snapping it into place. Leo's goggles perfectly meshed with the new helmet. Two more hands brought up another disc and placed it on his back, twisting and snapping it in place. Another pair assembled his new greaves. Leo flexed his calves. Perfect fit like always. The opening to his right widened, allowing a platform to rise. On it sat a mini-gun, lined with 33 small barrels in a perfect loop. Future generations took my Organ Gun designs and made you with it… He looked tenderly at the weapon.
"Assembly complete, Leo." Both Hrists said simultaneously.
"Good thing we had this assembly station prepared." He said, tapping the left side of his helmet. His goggles lit up a bright blue, standing out against his gold armor. He walked over to the gun, picking it up by both handles. "Scythe Chariot 1.1, Cross Bow Tank 1.1, Organ Gun 1.0, and Diving Apparatus 1.0. All systems are ready." Time to show him what failures can become. Leo walked to and stopped at the partition door. The Klaxon began to ring.
A Minute Earlier
"Sir, Gamma and Sigma have finished testing and are ready." The small red robot said as Hephaestus walked past it.
"Good." He responded. He set the Bident and Trident against the table and sat on his stool. Learn from failures. Pathetic…Gods…don't make mistakes…He felt his stomach churn at the thought.
"Sir, are you well?"
"Run a diagnostic scan on me."
"On it." A blue light shone from the robot's eyes, tracing Hephaestus' stocky frame. It walked around him, continuing to scan until it came to a stop. "Sir, lacerations on your torso and back, an arrow embedded in your left shoulder, contusion on the right temple, and physical trauma found on your skull, neck, shoulders, and back. Likely from falling or collision."
"Spot on. Get this damn arrow out and patch the wound."
"On it." The robot's arms extended towards the embedded arrow. Grabbing from both ends, it snapped off the arrowhead and pulled the shaft back out. Hephaestus did not flinch. "Shall I apply first aid?" Red energy snaked down to Hephaestus' right hand. The air around it sizzled as he slowly raised it to his shoulder. He gripped his shoulder, feeling his flesh sizzle and burn under his touch. If it hurt, it did not show. "First aid is not necessary. Get Sigma and Gamma." The robot backed away, turned, and walked over to the other tables. Pan, I'm making myself look like a fool out here. I know you asked me to come back…but I'm not fulfilling my promise to you. Three robots walked over to him; one carrying a large silver belt, one a bizarre robotic claw with a second thumb in place of a pinky, and a short, gold tube. But with this, I will. Hephaestus grabbed the belt, lifting it over his head and letting it hang off his right shoulder and down across his chest. He grabbed the robotic arm and attached it to the belt. It immediately came to life; its fingers wiggling around before forming a tight fist. It reached over and grabbed the tube from the third robot, then travelled along the belt so that the arm rested on Hephaestus' back. "I'm heading out. Finishing working on Mu."
"It will be ready when you return." The robot responded. Hephaestus walked back to the partition and waited. He breathed slowly and closed his eyes. The klaxon roared above him, and the partition sank into the floor. Hephaestus walked back out and saw Leo with his new armor and gun. "Well, aren't you fuckin' fancy with that?"
"Got to be ready for anything," Leo responded, his finger resting above the trigger.
"You're right." The mechanical arm gripped the gold tube. Sparks began to flicker under its grip. A few at first, but soon a dull hum could be heard as more and more electricity began to spark and crackle from it. The mechanical claw travelled slowly up to Hephaestus' right shoulder and turned the tube, now fully enveloped in white, sparking energy at Leo. "But there's no way to be ready for this."
"E-Everyone! It's real! He's using it! It's Zeus' bolt…and it looks like it's wielded by…Argetlam!?"
"Ha….I was right. Body modification…and range. Ah crap." The klaxon roared, and the bolt let loose.
Valhalla Arena
Inner Halls
Set stood alone in the hall, his back against the wall as he watched the fight on his tablet. You are going this far. He thought. It must hurt to wield those weapons given your past, but you are doing the best you can. As he watched, the silent echo of footsteps entered the hall. With each passing step, it grew louder and louder. Set ignored them aside, focusing his attention on the screen.
"Well, well." A voice spoke as the footsteps halted. "Didn't think you'd be here, Set. Thought you'd be up in the box seats with Gramps and the gang."
Set looked up. His mood soured as he saw Buddha standing there, smiling without a care. "Are you here to interrogate me, too, Buddha? Zeus did earlier, and Romulus, Brünhilde, and Nuada all had their turns yesterday."
"Ha! Nah. Honestly, I was just minding my own business. Speaking of Nu-Nu, I had a fun chat with him yesterday, too."
"Anything worthwhile?"
"Nah. Just confirming something I am interested in. Maybe you could do the same."
"…Please leave me alone." Set's tone grew irritated. "I am just watching the Fight and I want to show my support to Hephaestus."
"Hephy's fight is important in a lot of ways, and don't worry. The others think you're some big threat, but I know the opposite is true."
"…How so?"
"You're trying to stop the big threat, but I just don't quite understand your logic."
"My logic?"
"Yep. For the life of me, I don't understand why you're working with Din-Din when you're trying to stop him."
Wait…what does he know about Odin!? Who could have told him!? Set thought.
KILL HIM NOW! The other voice shouted.
"…What do you know?"
"A lot, and I'm willing to share what I know if you'd share some details with me. After all, we both have things being threatened by him." Buddha asked, a snide smile grew on his face.
Set sighed. DON'T SAY A DAMN WORD! Set's inner voice screamed.
"Fine. What do you want to know?"