Brontos stood before the sealed cases containing the divine weapons, his massive chest swelling with pride. He struck a theatrical pose, one hand placed over his heart as he gazed heavenward.
"Huh… Why, Lord Kaos?" he mused to the empty air. "Why did you burden me with such perfection? The envy of lesser craftsmen must be a terrible cross to bear." He sighed dramatically, though his eyes sparkled with self-satisfaction. "Alas, I must shoulder this glorious sin alone."
From the shadowy doorway, his brother Arges scratched his head and released a long-suffering sigh. "Not again. His narcissism returns faster than a phoenix from ashes."
Cotus tapped Arges's shoulder, pointing nervously at the third case. "Umm… brother, didn't Hades specifically request a spear?"
All five brothers crowded around the third case. Arges quickly unrolled the schematic scroll, his eyes darting between the drawing and the case. His throat worked as he swallowed hard. "Brothers," he whispered, the parchment trembling in his hand. "We made a huge mistake!"
"NOOOOOO!!"
The cry was a chorus of despair. Steropes dropped a hammer with a resounding clatter. Cotus buried his face in his hands. For a moment, the mighty Cyclopes looked like scolded children, the life draining from their postures.
Brontos turned at the commotion, his brow furrowing. "What happened? Why are you screaming?"
Arges approached him, stammering. "Brother… we made a… mistake."
Brontos's hand instinctively flew to his jacket pocket where the broken flask was hidden. "What mistake?" he asked, his voice dropping to a serious tone.
Arges gestured helplessly at the third case. "Hades wanted a spear as his weapon, and we made… a polearm."
Brontos's tense shoulders relaxed. "Oh. Is that all? Ah! That's why there was material left over." He clapped a reassuring hand on Arges's shoulder. "Arges, don't take on so much stress. Accidents happen. Perhaps Fate herself wanted it this way. Just enjoy the life you have!"
The other brothers' gloomy expressions lifted, replaced by relieved smiles.
Creeeak.
The heavy forgery door swung open. Hades, Hecate, Zeus, and Poseidon entered. Hades raised a hand in greeting. "Good morning, Uncles. Are our weapons ready?"
"Good morning Everyone! All of your divine weapons await," Brontos replied with matching formality.
He opened the first case to reveal a sleek white prosthetic arm etched with radiant gold veins and glowing azure runes that crackled with latent lightning. It rested perfectly in its velvet-lined casing.
"This is for Lord Zeus," Brontos announced, lifting the arm with surprising delicacy.
Zeus took it, his eyes widening as he examined the craftsmanship. He pressed it against his stump, and the arm attached itself with a soft click and a hum of divine energy. He flexed the fingers, and lightning danced between them.
Brontos beamed. "Multiple rune sets provide the same sensation and control as a natural limb. It can manipulate weather, thunder, and air without draining your divinity—in fact, it amplifies your power. Its unique ability: it stores part of kinetic impact as energy. When fully charged, your next attack releases with massive thunderous force."
Zeus smiled, a genuine expression of pleasure. "I like it."
Brontos opened the second case. Within lay a golden trident veined with glowing sapphire lines that pulsed like the ocean's heartbeat. Its three blades, forged from pure sapphire, shimmered with trapped currents. Etched along its shaft were Leviathan's runes, glowing with a faint cerulean light that flowed like living water.
Brontos presented it to Poseidon. "This trident can shake the earth, command any water, control storms, summon sea beasts, and strengthen your divinity many times over. It will return when called. But its most unique feature…" He paused respectfully. "It contains the Leviathan's soul. It will manifest when you call, its power scaling with your own energy."
Poseidon took the trident. His hands, which had commanded oceans and shattered continents, trembled. He didn't speak. Instead, he bowed his head, a single, gleaming tear tracing a path through the forge's dust on his cheek before falling onto the Leviathan-runed shaft. The trident pulsed in response, a soft, cerulean light acknowledging its new master. When he looked up at Brontos, his voice was rough with emotion. "Thank you." The simple words carried the weight of an eternal debt.
"No, no, it was nothing! Just doing my job!" Brontos protested, though he and his brothers wore matching, proud smiles.
As Zeus and Poseidon departed to test their new weapons, only Hades and Hecate remained.
"Oh, Uncle!" Hades teased, gesturing at Brontos's still-moist eyes. "I didn't know you were such a softy."
Brontos quickly wiped his face, scowling. "Shut up, brat! Learn from your brother—how to appreciate craftsmanship! And you… ah, forget it."
Arges chimed in from the background, "Wasn't it you, Hades, who permitted the Leviathan's soul to bond with the trident?"
Hades waved a dismissive hand. "That was a small thing. But Uncle, did you complete what I asked?"
Brontos nodded, his expression turning businesslike. "I embedded hidden runes in their weapons. They'll be disabled for a full day when activated by these." He handed two simple silver rings to Hades and Hecate.
Brontos studied Hades, genuine confusion in his eyes. "I don't understand you. One moment you play the caring brother, helping in secret. The next, you're the villain setting traps behind their backs."
Hades's smile was thin, touched with an old, familiar sadness. "Because they are puppets who believe themselves free. The schemes are the strings I'll one day use to pull them from the fire. And the secret help?" He looked away, his voice dropping. "They see this realm as my consolation prize, Uncle. My openly given aid would only be salt in that wound. Let them have their pride. It's all they have left."
He released a long sigh while look at Arges and other happily chatting. "Sometimes I truly envy the bond you share with your brothers. No schemes, no infighting. Just pure, carefree loyalty."
"Ya, ya, ya, enough with the flattery," Brontos grumbled, though his expression had softened. "Go see your weapons—they're in those cases." He gestured to the remaining three cases.
Hecate raised an eyebrow. "Uncle, there are three cases. Which are ours?"
"The first two are Hades's, the last is yours," Brontos called back. "I made an extra—had leftover material."
Hades opened the first case to reveal a polearm with a long, slender black shaft of polished obsidian. The blade curved outward in a graceful crescent, gleaming gold with etched runes that seemed to shift under the light. The second case held a blackened chain of obsidian steel with glowing crimson runes, ending in a jagged spearhead veined with shadowy energy.
Hades picked up the polearm, testing its weight with a series of practiced swings. "Uncle," he said, running a finger along the blade's impossibly smooth edge. "I requested a spear. This is a polearm and a chain."
Brontos waved a dismissive hand. "Aah, what are you grumbling about? Spear, polearm—what's nineteen or twenty differences? Doesn't it fit your hand perfectly? Isn't it as 'cool' as you demanded?"
Hades had to admit it felt natural, its balance exquisite, its appearance undeniably majestic.
Hecate opened her case to find a scepter that ended in a floating crescent cradling a dark crystal swirling with violet mist. Shadowy tendrils coiled along the shaft, moving as if alive, while glowing runes orbited the orb, pulsing with arcane power.
Brontos launched into his explanations. "The polearm's abilities contrast beautifully with your divinity. Each strike carries mortality. Its sharpness and strength grow with the target's sins. You can manipulate its weight at will. And its unique ability?" Brontos grinned. "Each strike absorbs your opponent's energy and stamina. Just like you BLOODSUCKER."
Hades smiled, though his eyes remained sharp. Brontos continued, undaunted. "The chain obeys your will. Control its weight, length, width. It never misses its mark and can strike multiple targets simultaneously."
Turning to Hecate, he said, "The scepter has all you requested. Teleportation within a hundred-meter radius, solar energy absorption to magnify power, energy storage, and its unique ability: it can create an eternal night domain."
Hecate examined the scepter carefully. "How many times can the domain be used?"
"As long as there's energy to fuel it," Brontos assured her. Then he smacked his forehead. "Oh! I almost forgot! All your weapons share one more ability, they return when called."
Hades and Hecate placed the weapons back in their cases and walked across the chamber. "COME!" they called in unison.
The weapons levitated and flew toward them, but the scepter flew to Hades's hand, the polearm to Hecate's, and the chain snaked out to bind them both together.
Hades and Hecate turned in perfect, unnerving synchrony, their gazes locking on Brontos.
Brontos's smile froze. 'Oh, shit!' He scrambled forward, his massive fingers fumbling with the shadowy links until they fell away.
Hecate's voice was dangerously calm. "Uncle. Explain."
Brontos's eyes darted around the room, sweat beading on his temples. "That must be… because of your soul bond! Yes, that's it! Your souls are so intertwined the weapons got confused!"
Hecate's cold stare didn't waver. Hades smiled, though his eyes promised retribution. "Uncle," he said pleasantly, flexing fingers that now ended in sharp, shadowy claws. "You know I can detect falsehoods. Will you tell me, or must I… encourage you?"
Brontos dropped to one knee, the words tumbling out. "Please forgive me! It was an accident! When I was handling your essences, the flasks broke and the energies mixed! It bonded your weapons to each other instead of just to you!"
Hecate released a long sigh. "Stand up, Uncle. Can it be fixed?"
Brontos nodded vigorously as he rose.
"Good. How long?"
"One hour."
"Proceed. We'll wait."
---
One hour later, Brontos presented the weapons again, now with additional runes etched into their surfaces.
Hades and Hecate called their weapons once more. This time, each weapon flew true to its master.
Hades raised the polearm high. "From this moment, you are Helkarion." He lifted the chain. "And you are Velkarion."
"Why name them?" Hecate asked.
"Because they will be my partners in battles of life and death, as you are my soulmate," Hades answered, his tone utterly sincere. "Should they not be treated with the same respect?"
Hecate nodded, a soft understanding in her eyes. She held the scepter close, whispering, "Nythra." A subtle, warm pulse traveled from the crystal to her palm, a silent vow of allegiance. Brontos, watching, felt a deep satisfaction settle in his soul. 'Lord Tartarus, our promise is fulfilled. They have found their master.'
Suddenly, Hades appeared before Brontos and pressed a scroll into his hands.
"What's this?" Brontos asked, unrolling it.
"Treasury security needs additional rune work. You're the master runesmith, so this is your new assignment." Hades's smile was all innocence. "And this one's just for you."
As Hades and Hecate departed, Brontos's brothers filed past, each delivering a pat on the back with exaggerated sympathy.
Arges clapped a heavy hand on Brontos's shoulder, his face a mask of utterly false confidence. "You are the master of runes, brother," he declared, his voice booming with exaggerated assurance. "This will be but a moment's work for you."
Briaseus stepped forward, placing a hand over his own heart and casting his eyes skyward with a theatrical, wistful sigh. "Lord Kaos may bless you with boundless patience," he intoned, as if delivering a solemn prayer.
Cotus gave a quick, nervous glance towards the door before offering Brontos a weak, encouraging smile, shuffling from one foot to the other. "Do not overwork yourself..." he said, his voice trailing off before he gestured vaguely around the forge, "...we will... uh... manage the forge in your absence."
"Try not to achieve too much perfection on this one," Steropes added with a wide, innocent blink. "The rest of us still need to feel useful, you know."
"Yes, perhaps try using only one hand," Cotus chimed in, nodding sagely. "A true test of your genius, to make a masterpiece with a deliberate handicap."
They hurried out, leaving Brontos alone in the suddenly quiet, vast forgery, holding the daunting scroll. The weight of his "perfection" had never felt heavier.