Once again, everyone I am sorry about the wait. College has been kicking my ass. I'm a full time student, and I work two jobs.(Plus my webcomic)

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He didn't know why he reacted the way he did. When Hephaestus saw Zeus ready to throw his lightning at Hestia, he jumped in the way. He couldn't put his finger on it but one could call it selfless love.

Hestia was always kind to him, as an aunt should be to her nephew. She looked out for him even when his parents didn't. He couldn't let Zeus hurt her.

Hephaestus was going through major sensory overload. The lightning ripped through his form, causing his body to spasm. His ears were ringing, his sight was dulled and he struggled to stand.

Cedalion and Hermes, helped him to his feet. The other Gods stood by, impaired with shock and fear.

"I'm glad you've returned son. It all makes sense now." Zeus spoke, lightning dancing around him.

Only Hestia knew what he was referring to.

Technically Hephaestus just brought himself back. Does this mean he is king? Or is he the one to dethrone Zeus? Hestia thought as she silently thanked Hephaestus for his save.

"To think you. The cripple, would overthrow me. HA! Impossible." Zeus roared, in mocking laughter.

"What is this!?" Ares screamed. "You promised that you if one of us brought him back we get to be King!"

Zeus responded with throwing another bolt at Ares. Thunder boomed across the room. Ares flew across the throne room his body completely immobilized.

"Yes I did. And since Hephaestus has presented himself, none of you qualify." Zeus decreed coldly.

The gods and goddesses who participated felt the rush of shame, regret and stupidity. Hermes tried to tell them that Zeus would try to swindle his way out of his agreement. But they didn't listen.

"I don't give a damn about being King." Hephaestus said, struggling to rise to his feet. " I came here for her." He said pointing at his mother.

"What?" Hera asked.

"That's right. I came for you." Hephaestus said turning towards his mother. He then was hit by another bolt of lightning.

"Don't ignore me! You have come to take my thrown away!" Zeus screamed.

"What are you talking about!?" Apollo asked.

"Zeus has lied to us!" Hermes screamed. "His contest was just a ruse! His true goal was to weed out who was his overthrower!"

"It is true. Zeus was given a prophecy by the fates. He would be overthrown if he releases his lightning." Hestia added.

"What!?" Hera was taken aback. "You kept this from me!?" Hera asked, enraged at her husband.

"I AM KING! I DO AS I PLEASE!" Zeus roared, his anger reaching an apex. The lighting that danced around him flared up and shot haphazardly across the throne room.

All of those who were in the room immediately got behind something hard and sturdy. There was no stopping him now. Only He and Hera and Hephaestus stood alone in the middle of the room. Hera was immobilized with fear. No one including herself ever witnessed Zeus so angry.

Hephaestus then stood up, manifesting the item he had gotten from his workshop before coming to the Upper level of Olympus. He unwrapped the cloth concealing the item and revealed a set of fancy looking armor.

It was shocking to see. Hephaestus, The King and Queen's crippled son, stand tall before his father. He stepped in front of Hera, as the armor he carried floated out in front of him and then dispersed, piece by piece attaching itself to him. There a faint red glow emanating from the armor.

"Look at you. The great King of Olympus. Our Father and Brother, has all of his family chained down with fear." Hephaestus said, taking a step closer to his father.

"You've killed people for simply disagreeing with you. You've raped women in droves, creating a vengeful jealous wife. You abuse you siblings and children. You. Our father. A father is supposed to guide and protect. Not destroy. Not hurt." Hephaestus spoke as if he needed to say this. Zeus needed to hear this. He was tired of standing by while Zeus gets away with everything. For not being the father he was supposed to be.

Zeus was quiet. An almost contrast to the electricity bouncing off the walls of the Olympian throne room. Then he spoke.

"What do you know about that? Every child that you have had was not your own. It is because of your weakness 'son' that you have been stepped on your whole life. As for me. I'm different. I have and always will be strong! NO ONE WILL EVER STEP ON ME! ESPECIALLY A BROKEN WEAKLING!"

Zeus threw another bolt at Hephaestus. The biggest he had ever released. Everyone was screaming, begging Hephaestus to dodge the incoming bolt of rage, for Zeus to stop this madness.

Cedalion ran after Hephaestus.

"MOVE MASTER!" The young smith screamed, but it was too late. The bolt of lightning engulfed Hephaestus, the flash was blinding as much as the thunder was deafening.

But as soon as everyone's senses returned, they found that it was Zeus who was on the floor. He was having spasms and the entirety of his body was badly burned.

Everyone was shocked.

"I – I don't understand. Why is Zeus the one injured?" Apollo asked.

"Did Hephaestus catch it and send it back?" Aphrodite asked.

"Impossible. The Lightning bolt is too fast." Athena clarified.

"Then how?" Hermes asked.

"It's this armor." Hephaestus answered. He walked over to a now unconscious Zeus. He picked up the unworthy King and tied him down with chains, entrapping him to his throne." This armor was specially made to reflect any magical attack. But I can only use it once as it is still imperfect."

Hephaestus' armor crackled and broke. Pieces of the now useless armor fell to the ground, the glow it once held now dissipated.

It was genius. Something that only Hephaestus could pull off.

Zeus was the strongest God. Everyone knew this, some begrudgingly had to accept it. No one knew exactly how to defeat Zeus. But it was as Athena says "Sometimes one must think outside the box to achieve victory."

Sometimes brute force won't suffice. A little ingenuity is needed.

"Now enough of this. No more games." Hephaestus said walking over to his mother.

"Hera. I want you to dissolve my marriage. Now!" Hephaestus demanded while pointing at Aphrodite. Both Goddesses became upset.

Aphrodite couldn't believe what she was hearing. The man she was in love with was dumping her, in front of the entire court no doubt. She was a hot mixture of embarrassed, sad and angry.

Hera was livid. No one has ever divorced before within the divine community.

"What are you spewing!? No son of mine is getting a divorce! I don't give a damn what kind of fancy armor you have!" Hera shouted.

"So what would you have me do!? Go back to a sham of a marriage that hurt me more than you ever did! Aphrodite will not change! I'm done being her cuckold! I don't give a damn if you are Queen or Goddess of Marriage or whatever loaded title you wish to take for yourself. You will dissolve my marriage!" Hephaestus retaliated.

Hera was shocked. Her son never spoke to her in such a manor before. Many were shocked and silently thanking Hephaestus for finally giving Hera a mouthful that she deserved.

Ever since Hephaestus was born Hera treated like a bother, a burden. He was the black sheep in her eyes. Then again that is how Hera treats almost all her children but Hephaestus got in worse. Ares was a violent brute that everyone couldn't stand. Hebe and Eileithyia were kind and important goddesses, yet they weren't one of the Twelve Olympians like most of Zeus' are. Eris, being the Goddess of Chaos, was chaotic rude and spent most of her time causing any mayhem she could conjure up.

But despite their faults, they were still Hera's children and a mother should love her kids unconditionally.

"And what will you do if I don't divorce you two." Hera spoke as cold as the rivers of Hades. Hephaestus was quiet but even Ares who almost had no capacity for empathy could tell that Hephaestus was angry.

His form slowly turned into fire, his body glowed with blinding fury.

He moved his hand in a slow beckoning motion, then out of nowhere various chains sprung from the ground. They surrounded Hera, they hot metal burning her skin as they tied her up.

She began to scream and wail. The hot chains burning deep within her body.

All of Olympus was either terrified or felt bad for the Queen. Many of them screamed for him to stop his torture of his own mother.

"Brother stop!" Hebe screamed, trying to calm her brother.

He ignored her.

"Hephaestus! This is not the way!" Demeter protested.

He ignored her.

"Hephaestus!" Demeter called one more time.

"Why do you defend her! WHY DO YOU ALL DEFEND HER!" He screamed back as he tightened the chains constricting Hera. The mother began to cry and wail even harder.

"SHE IS JUST AS BAD AS ZEUS. She has wronged each one of us! For Heaven's sakes- THE BITCH CRIPPLED ME!"

In that moment, Hestia walked up to her nephew and slapped him. As hard as she could. All the denizens present at the scene went quiet. Hestia looked disappointed. Angry even.

Hephaestus' body reverted back to normal. He looked at his aunt with surprise written in his face. The chains that held Hera dissipated and she fell, but was caught by Hermes.

"So, this is how you get what you want. By being like them" Hestia said, her voice filled with authority. "Let me ask you this my nephew. If you were to become our King. Would you be like Zeus, or Chronos or Uranus?"

"I- I don't want to be king."

"Answer my question. Would you fall into the cycle of abused power like your predecessors if you became king?" Hestia quickly asked.

"Of course I wouldn't be like them."

"You say that, but look at what you did to your mother! So if you don't get what you want, you'll resort to violence?"

"WHAT CHOICE DID I HAVE!?" Hephaestus asked. "She is amazingly stubborn, you know this! She would have denied me like always!"

Hestia shook her head. "There is always a choice Hephaestus. You could choose to find another way. A peaceful way."

"…Hestia..I..I just want to protect my family. I want some shred of happiness." Hephaestus said, his head now downcast. He was starting to realize he was becoming the thing he hated most. A bully. A tyrant. He hated this feeling. He betrayed his morals, his beliefs, his Identity in his blind fury. One could say they deserved it. But it still cost Hephaestus something. Peace. More and more he saw Zeus and Hera when he looked in the mirror. He saw it whenever Aphrodite cheated on him. Or when he was mocked or bullied by his brethren. The rage. The animosity. The darkness.

"But what about the prophecy?" Hermes asked.

"Yes. Who will rule us now. Hephaestus?" Artemis asked.

Everyone was quiet as they all turned to Hephaestus.

"No. I have no intention to rule Olympus, I just want to be free of this place." Hephaestus stated.

"But Hephaestus. You just beat Zeus AND Hera. You technically brought yourself back to Olympus. So, that means you are King." Demeter recoiled.

"You have a king." Hephaestus said, pointing at a still unconscious Zeus. "I know he is not the ideal ruler now. But I urge you all to help him grow. He has it in him. I am not the one."

"Oh, come on Brother! We know Zeus! He will never-" Hermes tried to finish, but suddenly a black flash of light popped up over Hephaestus. A hand was stretched out and took hold of the Fire God. It pulled Hephaestus inside before vanishing.

"What was that!" Dionysus said.

"It was a form of teleportation." Athena explained. "He was whisked away somewhere."

"But where?" Hestia asked, now panicking.

"I don't know." Athena answered.