THE REJECTED SMITH

In a world where divine beauty and rejection hold the power to shape destinies, Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths and fire, is a living testament to the cruel whims of the gods. Cast aside by his own mother, Hera, for his perceived lack of physical beauty, Hephaestus's heart is a crucible of unrequited love. His mother's favor falls on the handsome Ares, while Aphrodite's infidelity with the god of war further inflames his torment. Seeking solace, Hephaestus turns to the wisdom of Athena, only to discover that even her love remains out of reach. His world unravels when he uncovers a hidden secret: Achilles, the hero of the Trojan War, is his half-brother, sired by Thetis, the naiad who raised him. When a fatal arrow, guided by Apollo, pierces Achilles's vulnerable heel, Hephaestus confronts the gods with bitter accusations, culminating in a heart-wrenching demand for Hera to annul his marriage to Aphrodite. With a heavy heart, he abandons Olympus, leaving his mother to watch him depart, while Athena witnesses her brother's exile. "The Forged Fate Trilogy" unfolds as Hephaestus descends to the mortal realm, living as a human under an assumed name. There, he begins to rediscover the world of mortals, their inner beauty, and the true meaning of love. Meanwhile, on Mount Olympus, the absence of their divine blacksmith leaves a void, and the tensions among the gods and goddesses simmer as they grapple with the consequences of Hephaestus's departure. The contemporary modern world is the backdrop for the final chapter, "The Prophecy's Call." A prophetic message emerges, hinting at the imminent return of Hephaestus to Olympus. The Olympian pantheon must now prepare for the possible return of the god they once spurned. With the world on the precipice of change, the gods and goddesses must confront their past actions and prepare for an uncertain future. "The Forged Fate Trilogy" is an epic tale of love, rejection, and redemption that traverses time, from ancient Greece to the contemporary modern world. As the Olympians grapple with the choices, they made and the impending return of Hephaestus, they are guided only by the enigmatic words of a prophecy. Will the divine blacksmith forge his own destiny, or will the gods and goddesses be forever altered by his return?

artemis_grace · Fantasy

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Prologue: Hephaestus's Descent

I was tired. Tired of the sham my life had become. Tired of the deceit, the pain, the humiliation that had plagued me for eons. Olympus, once my home, had become a prison, and my marriage to Aphrodite, a curse that could not be undone. It was a divine pact, a promise made before the gods and witnessed by the heavens themselves. I was bound to her, and there was no escape from the torment of our union.

It all began when Zeus forced me to marry her, the goddess of beauty and desire. My heart, naive and trusting, believed that there could be love between us. But love, it turned out, was not meant for me. Aphrodite's heart belonged to another, to Ares, the god of war. She taunted me with her infidelity, parading her affairs in front of the other gods, and they mocked me, calling me the laughingstock of Olympus. I couldn't bear it any longer.

And so, on that fateful day, I decided to break free. It was after the death of my adopted half-brother, Achilles, a hero whose life had been marked by glory and valour. Achilles was beloved by the gods, and I, too, had grown fond of him. His death served as a stark reminder of the emptiness in my own existence.

I called upon the gods, my voice echoing through the grand halls of Olympus. I had surrendered my hammer and anvil to Zeus, for I would have no need of them where I was going. I needed to confront those who had caused my suffering, and so, with all the fury I could muster, I called out Ares and Aphrodite, the source of my anguish.

As I stood before the assembly of the divine, I let my anger and despair flow freely. I yelled curses and accusations, demanding justice for the wrongs that had been done to me. Zeus, the king of the gods, watched in silence, his gaze stern. Hera, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Poseidon, Hades, Dionysus, Hermes, Demeter, and Hestia all gathered to witness my outburst. They had all played a part, directly or indirectly, in the torment I had endured.

"Ares and Aphrodite," I shouted, my voice thundering like a forge's furnace. "You are the cause of my misery, the source of my despair. You have made my life a living hell, and for what? A cruel jest? A game of divine amusement? I curse you both, and I curse all who have wronged me!"

The gods watched in astonishment, some in disbelief, others in pity. It was a rare sight to see me, the blacksmith of the gods, the one who toiled tirelessly in the depths of Olympus, reveal the depths of my anguish. But I could bear it no longer. I had to break free, to sever the ties that bound me to this existence.

Turning to Zeus, I beseeched him, "Find another to take my place, to forge your divine weapons and craft your marvels. I am Hephaestus, and I am done with Olympus."

With those words, I made my decision. I would leave Olympus and return to my home island of Lemnos. It was a place where I had found solace in the past, a sanctuary away from the judgmental eyes of the gods. The heavens themselves seemed to weep as I began my descent, for even they could sense the gravity of my decision.

I left Olympus that day, a broken and embittered god, leaving behind the only life I had ever known. But it was a necessary step, a leap into the unknown, for I could no longer endure the agony of my existence. Olympus would go on without me, and I would seek a new purpose, a new life, away from the gods who had caused me so much pain.

To be continued

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