Divine Awakening

Chapter 19 - Sparks of Loyalty

The rhythmic clang of hammer on steel echoed through the forge, accompanied by the crackling of the ever-burning fires

Piper was working alongside Hephaestus once again and her hands blackened with soot as she meticulously crafted a piece of armor under his watchful eye

The god of fire and the forge had a way of creating an atmosphere of focus and calm, even amid the chaos of his workspace

"Watch the balance between the edges," Hephaestus instructed in his gruff voice "you're strong but your control needs to match that strength so the metal needs to yield to your will, not break under it"

Piper nodded, biting her lip in concentration as she adjusted her grip, feeling the connection between her hammer and the piece of molten metal in front of her

She wasn't just learning how to craft weapons here because she was learning how to channel her power

The storm within her, wild and unpredictable, was something she had been struggling to control for so long

But here, in the forge, under Hephaestus's careful guidance, she was beginning to understand that control wasn't about suppressing her power because it was about shaping it

Hephaestus moved to inspect her work, giving a gruff nod of approval "Better so much better and you're learning"

Piper couldn't help but smile at the praise

Coming from Hephaestus, it felt like a hard-earned victory

He wasn't one to hand out compliments easily and every bit of approval felt like a sign that she was on the right path

Suddenly, the quiet of the forge was broken by the sharp, grating sound of a voice Piper hadn't heard before

"Well, well, what do we have here? The mortal brat playing with fire in the forge"

Piper stiffened at the tone, her hands pausing over the half-finished armor

She turned slowly to see a tall god stride into the forge, his golden robes glinting with an otherworldly shine

His face was set in a sneer, his eyes flickering with disdain as he looked between her and Hephaestus

It was Apollo

Piper had met him briefly during her early days in Olympus, but they hadn't exchanged more than a few words

His arrogance had been palpable even then,and it seemed to have only intensified since

"What are you doing here, Apollo?" Hephaestus asked and his tone neutral but with an edge that Piper recognized

Apollo waved a dismissive hand, his smirk widening before saying"Just passing through but I couldn't help but notice the smoke from the forge, so I thought I'd see what was taking up your time but I didn't expect to find you wasting it on this mortal demigod"

Piper's hands tightened on her hammer and she felt the stirrings of the storm within her

The sparks of lightning crackled faintly at her fingertips but she forced herself to remain calm

Apollo wasn't worth losing control over

Hephaestus stepped forward, placing himself between Piper and the god of light

His face, usually set in a stoic frown, hardened even more and he said "Piper's not wasting my time because she's here learning something I'd expect you to understand Apollo if you ever bothered to spend time on things that actually matter"

Apollo laughed and the sound grating on Piper's ears before saying "Learning? Is that what you call it? She's a child of Zeus and Nyx isn't she? She doesn't need to play with fire and metal because she's better off practicing her lightning strikes so leave the crafting to the actual gods"

Hephaestus's fists clenched at his sides, and Piper could feel the air in the forge grow heavier with heat "You don't know what you're talking about," he said, his voice low and simmering with angry "Piper's learning control, discipline and she's becoming more than just her raw power and if you can't see that then maybe you should stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong"

Piper blinked, surprised by the edge in Hephaestus's voice

He wasn't usually one to show this kind of emotion because his true nature was calm, steady, like the molten rivers of lava he commanded

But now, there was a fire in his words that Piper hadn't seen before

He was defending her and not just because Apollo had just insulted her

"You think she'll ever be one of us Hephaestus?" Apollo continued, his eyes narrowing as he took a step closer "She's not like us because She's something different and no amount of playing in the forge will even change that"

Before Piper could say anything, Hephaestus stepped even closer to Apollo, his broad form towering over the god of light

The forge flared with heat, as if responding to Hephaestus's anger

"Piper's more than capable of standing alongside any of us," he growled "and if you can't see that it's because you're blinded by your own arrogance"

The air between them crackled, and for a moment it seemed like Apollo might push back

But then, with an exaggerated roll of his eyes, he took a step back, raising his hands in mock surrender before saying "Fine, fine and I'll leave you to your little projects but just don't expect me to be around when she can't handle what's coming"

With that, Apollo turned on his heel and strode out of the forge, his golden robes trailing behind him

As soon as he was gone, the oppressive heat in the room began to dissipate and Piper let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding

Hephaestus muttered something under his breath and returned to his workbench, clearly still simmering with anger

Piper, still shaken by the encounter, hesitated for a moment before speaking

"Thank you," she said softly, stepping closer to him and put her hand on his shoulder "You didn't have to stand up for me like that"

Hephaestus looked up from the anvil, his expression softening slightly before saying "of course I did because you don't deserve to be talked to like that especially not by someone like Apollo"

Piper swallowed, feeling a warmth spread through her chest before saying "I I guess I see you as a mentor, you know? You've taught me more than just how to use these weapons and you've helped me understand what it means to control my power because you've given me a kind of guidance I didn't even know I needed"

Hephaestus seemed taken aback by her words, blinking at her for a moment before his usual gruff demeanor returned and said "You've got potential, Piper more than most of the gods around here give you credit for so don't let anyone especially Apollo make you feel like you're less because of where you come from"

Piper nodded, her chest swelling with gratitude

She hadn't expected Hephaestus to say something like that but it meant more to her than she could express

"Thanks," she said again, her voice quieter "you've helped me more than you know"

Hephaestus gave her a nod, turning back to his forge with a grumble that sounded almost like a chuckle before saying "enough of this sentimental stuff because we've got work to do so pick up that hammer and get back to shaping that armor"

Piper smiled to herself as she returned to her work

The flames of the forge flickered brightly, casting their warm glow over the room

She knew now, without a doubt, that she wasn't alone in this journey

With Hephaestus's guidance and the strength she was forging within herself, she was ready for whatever storm lay ahead