"And Freya... actually agreed to this?" Hephaestus's single eye narrowed.
"Pretty much," Damien replied.
Tsubaki sat beside him, her arms crossed. "It is a really good thing. Uniting the great Familias."
"Indeed." Hephaestus leaned back in her chair. "But I have a hard time believing Freya is in on this. How did you convince her? You must have offered something. Especially after what happened in the dungeon. You did kill one of her children. A special one at that."
Damien smiled. "I offered nothing." He winked. "You could say I am very charming."
Hephaestus narrowed her eye. "More like she charmed you."
"No. She cannot do that. Not to me, at least." His voice was steady. "She is mine now. Literally. Loki is obviously in on this, and I can think of plenty of other goddesses who will join our alliance. But no one is more worthy of me coming personally other than my beautiful blacksmith." He met her gaze. "Hephaestus."
The room grew quiet.
"You were my first choice of a Familia if not for Hestia. So to me, you will always hold a special place in my heart. And I hope you do as well." He leaned forward. "So what do you say? Are you in?"
Hephaestus was silent for a moment. Then she spoke.
"Can you hand me your blades for a second? I want to see something."
Damien raised an eyebrow. He did not know why she would want to see them, but he pulled them from his inventory and placed them on the desk. She picked them up and examined them closely.
Tsubaki glanced at the weapons. "That is your work, Goddess? Quite excellent indeed. You are lucky it was her, though. If I had seen you working with weapons other than mine, I would choke you."
Damien smiled. "Speaking of weapons, I have something you and I need to work on later."
Hephaestus turned the blades over in her hands. "They like you."
She ran her fingers along the edge of one blade.
"You have really progressed them beyond my expectations." She nodded. "Excellent work."
Damien tilted his head. "You can talk to weapons now?"
"Not talk. Feel." Hephaestus set the blades down. "Their owner's respect, love, and treatment. They are more than happy to serve you." She paused. "Fine. I suppose I will name them for you."
Damien's eyes widened. "Well, I would be honored if you would."
Tsubaki shot to her feet. "Wait. Seriously? Are you serious right now, Goddess?"
"Yes. I am."
Tsubaki grabbed Damien's arm, her voice breathless with excitement. "Damien! She is about to name them for you! You know what that means?"
Damien blinked. "Uh... I will be calling them something instead of 'blades'?"
"No, you idiot!" Tsubaki shook him. "This is Hephaestus! Hephaestus naming them! She has not named a single blade since her vow not to make a divine weapon! This is it! That is the final step to a divine weapon....being given a name by the Goddess of Blacksmithry herself! Hephaestus!" She was practically shouting. "She is making them divine weapons for you!"
Damien turned to Hephaestus, his expression shifting. "You are serious? Did you not make a vow?"
Hephaestus's single eye met his.
"I did. I vowed not to make a single divine weapon for any mortal. And I stand by it." She paused. "But in front of me stands not a mortal. But one who dominates gods themselves. A future god." Her voice was soft but firm. "So a divine weapon for you is my gift. And proof of my loyalty and allegiance to your alliance. To the Eternal Hearth." She inclined her head. "And to my chosen King and Master. Damien Ardent."
She smiled.
Her eye shifted to a multicolored glow.
She held the blades together, pressing them close to her chest. Power radiated from her—ancient, divine, absolute.
"You may call them Nyx and Nótt." Her voice echoed, layered with something deeper than sound. "Damien Ardent, care for them well. For they are the bringers of night." She held the blades out to him. "Your Blades of Night"
Energy erupted from the weapons, connecting to them, binding to them. The light faded. Hephaestus smiled and handed them over.
"Care for them well. They truly love you."
Damien took the blades.
The moment his fingers closed around the hilts, he felt it. A connection deeper than anything he had experienced before.
"Master! Master! We love you! Thank you for sticking with us!"
A cheerful young woman's voice, bright and eager.
"Indeed. You are a powerful existence. Thank you for holding us dear in your heart. We shall strive to always serve you well, dear Master."
A serious woman's voice, deep with respect.
Damien stared at the blades. "You can talk now?"
Hephaestus nodded. "Only you can hear them. They are loyal and connected to one master. None will ever be able to hold them other than you."
The cheerful voice returned. "Yes! I will always serve only you, MASTER! Oh! Oh! I am Nótt!"
The serious voice followed. "And I am Nyx. I too vow to only ever serve you, dear Master. To cast a shadow at your orders...Is a honor."
Damien looked down at the blades with warmth in his eyes.
"I see. I too am thankful for you two. Both of you. Nyx. Nótt. I promise to forever hold you dear. You have saved my life countless times. I truly appreciate your service."
The blades hummed with happiness. Damien felt something shift. Instead of placing them in his inventory, he felt a new option. He focused, and they disappeared...joining with his own soul. Soul-bound. They could now reside within him.
Nótt's voice rang out. "Yay! No longer will we stay in that boring dark place!"
Nyx's voice was calmer. "Not that we fear or hate darkness. But Master's soul is much more peaceful."
"Then rest well, you two," Damien said.
He turned to Hephaestus.
"Since day one, you have always been generous to me. Helping me. Providing for me." He placed a hand over his heart. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart, my dear Hephaestus."
"Don't." Hephaestus shook her head. "It is I who truly appreciates you. A child who saved my own child. Risking his life for another. You even helped secure him a future. Helped him become a true blacksmith like he should have been." She stepped closer. "You did not receive my favor because of generosity. You earned it. By being a man who sees beyond the horizon."
She smiled. Then she rose.
"But this..." She faced him. "Is for my own personal feelings."
She leaned in and kissed him.
Damien accepted her kiss.
Tsubaki bounced on her heels, giddy. "Hell yeah! Go for it, Hephaestus!"
Hephaestus pulled back, her single eye soft.
"This is my thanks to you, Damien. For inviting me to join your alliance. For personally always being a beacon of hope to me." She placed a hand on his chest. "Tonight, come visit me. I shall show you who I am. Whether you accept it or not does not matter to me. There is nothing to offer other than my loyalty."
Damien took her hand. "And I accept. I shall see you tonight. I promise."
Hephaestus smiled and nodded.
Tsubaki clapped her hands. "Okay! Perfect! Now then, Damien! Let us go to my shop! Work on that armor of yours!"
Damien turned to Hephaestus and nodded. She smiled back.
"Yeah, sure." He followed Tsubaki to the door.
He left with her.
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