- Prologue:
Between the gaps in he trembling and calloused Fingers that cradle his father's head, the sound of words being muttered under the gurgling of blood and teeth. Even as Hurst lay dying on the ground he still expressed his disgust with his only son... “Y-You Killed me j-Just like you did yer' mother...Disgusting abomination.” The breathing would stop, whatever kind of force Julius had used on his father had caused enough damage to give the man those last words in timely fashion. Julius, or rather Hephaestus had already called the ambulance, when they arrived the battered body of Hurst was carried off in a mob of men. That was all that was left of the abusive monster that took the mantle of biological father in the poor life of young Hephaestus.
That was all that was left of Hephaestus father, the bane of his existence, as happy as he should have been, guilt overwhelmed the young Faunus. He had just killed a human, his father no less. Guilt? Frustration? Self-loathing? Certainly, these were all the things that the Faunus warrior was feeling, emotions that were consuming his light-heart which was now burdened. Perhaps Raze would have the solution... Something to get him away from here fast.
Black clouds were on the horizon of Syne academy, thunder cracked in the distance over the illustrious school, nonetheless many of the boys and girls, pilots, all took the risk of taking the airship to get there to make the deadline of acceptance there. Great thunder was followed by burning rain on the white wings of the airship which carried a very rushed applicant to the school. One that passed every test in his previous combat school with flying colors... The ride on the airship was bumpy, the students restless from the fear that a bolt of lightning would suddenly just cause the airship to loose power. Not hesitating to get themselves to change the subject of fear over to the weapons they had built in a very, very loud obnoxious manner.
“I built a _____” “Well I built a ___________ __________” Blocking out the noises as best he could, ignoring the names and types of the weapons from. It was all the same, they were there to learn, but they could at least have the courtesy to quiet down a decibel or two. Just, why were they so loud? The sound of thunder should have made their hearts pound, invigorate their souls to ensure that they would be brave enough for the weeks to come. But nope... They had to be loud enough to break the ear-drums of a rum-guzzling forge worker.
When the airship landed on the helipad, Julius was the first to get off. Everyone either afraid of the rain or simply too busy gathering the stupid-high number of bags they had brought along with them for their stay within the illustrious academy. There was something about an academy cast in white with a storm overhead that just seemed a bit ominous, nonetheless it would pass. As did the hammer Thunderfall unto the hooks on Julius belt.
Another Krakoom! of thunder struck in the distance, reminding the young blacksmith to hurry towards the entrance of the school. Upon arriving he couldn't help but just stand there and stare up, "So this is my new home? Raze wasn't kidding about the size... Or the fact that everyone here was about as baby-faced as the kids in Atlas..." Words muttered to himself under his breath... "Alright, let's see if I can't find somebody to point me to where i'm supposed to be... Or the pub. They have a pub right?... I'm going to have to brew something on my own..." Alcoholism is tearing other families apart. The beard and long hair, burns on his forehead, should've passed him off as an adult... A short one, but still.
