Mount Etna—the blazing forge of Hephaestus. Among the Olympian Twelve, the god of the forge stood apart: neither a warrior nor a schemer, but a craftsman whose skill shaped the very weapons of the gods. Born of Zeus and Hera, Hephaestus was, in truth, Diana's half-brother, and when Diana entered the world, he had crafted for her several divine arms—among them, the God-Slayer Sword.
In matters of forging, no hand surpassed his. Yet his appearance had none of the majesty of Olympus. Hephaestus was stocky, scarred, and almost dwarfish—ugly, some might say—but his hands burned brighter than any flame as they beat against molten metal. When Jack Kadere found him, the god wore a blackened apron, sparks flashing at every hammer strike, his workshop echoing with the roar of furnaces.
"You are Jack Kadere?" Hephaestus's eyes narrowed as he glanced at the Disciple—the battered time ship that had fallen from the skies—and then at Jack, who strode out of it calmly.
"Can you repair this?" Jack asked directly, his tone as steady as ever.
Hephaestus set his hammer aside. "Olympus is in disarray. Gods squabble like children, some worse than mortals themselves. I keep apart from such struggles, but I long for peace. I can aid you. I will repair your ship… but in return, you must bring an end to this chaos."
His voice was steady, yet there was resolve behind it. "I know what you are capable of. I know you could kill me with ease if you wished. Still, I believe you can set things right."
Jack studied him for a moment, then gave a faint nod. "Fine."
Hephaestus motioned to his assistants, who moved to haul the Disciple toward his forge. Jack had planned to study the repair process, but quickly realized it was not a matter of science or engineering. The god worked with divine essence, reshaping alloys with fire and willpower, weaving enchantments into their core. There was no blueprint to follow, no schematics to trace—just raw godly craftsmanship.
With nothing to observe, Jack wandered the forge. Everywhere, racks of weapons glistened—swords, spears, axes—all forged from ordinary ore yet imbued with divine skill. Even without sacred metals, each carried a strength beyond mortal comprehension.
Nearly an hour later, Hephaestus called Jack back. "Strike it," he said, pointing at the Disciple, now whole once more.
Jack arched a brow. "How hard?"
"As hard as you like," the god replied with confidence.
Jack clenched his fist. Without hesitation, he struck.
Bang!
The shockwave rattled the cavern, sending Hephaestus's assistants staggering. But the Disciple remained untouched.
Jack's lips curled into a grin. "Not bad." He drew deeper on his demigod heritage, stacking his strength fourfold, and struck again.
This time, the hull dented slightly, but did not crack.
"Impressive." Jack gave a thumbs-up, genuinely pleased. "That was about as strong as four full-force blows from Diana back when she was still half-divine. And all it left was a dent. Even Firstborn's strength would take time to break through that."
If the Disciple faced another assault like the one it had endured before, the barrier might falter, but the ship itself would likely survive unscathed.
"This is for Diana," Hephaestus said, his tone weary as he retrieved a blade from a nearby stand.
Jack took it, recognizing the craftsmanship instantly. "The Vulcan Sword? Not bad." He tilted it, examining the edge. "Tell me—could it cut through my ship?"
Hephaestus remained silent.
Jack laughed. "So it can. You really do play favorites, don't you? But family is family, I suppose." He sheathed the blade, a spark of amusement in his eyes. "You're one of the few gods of Olympus I actually respect. Keep that up. If you ever find yourself in trouble, you can look for me… though I can't exactly hand you my number."
With that, Jack boarded the Disciple once more. Hephaestus had done his part; the next step would be to acquire a proper AI system, then meet with Ray Palmer—the Atom—to study nanotech and reduction technology. Piece by piece, his plans were coming together.
Boom!
The Disciple roared to life, lifting from the forge and streaking into the skies, faster than it had ever flown.
Hephaestus watched it vanish, then sank into a chair, exhausted. Reinforcing the vessel had drained more of his strength than he had expected. The ship's design was intricate beyond mortal comprehension, and weaving godly enchantments into its frame had tested even his mastery. Still, it was done.
When Jack guided the Disciple back toward Themyscira, the return journey took less than half the time of his departure. Speed, defense, resilience—all vastly improved.
Jack couldn't help but smile. "Perfect."
As he landed on the island's shores, he spotted Diana striding toward him from afar. Without hesitation, Jack leapt down, closed the distance, and pulled her into his arms, pressing his lips against hers.
The sudden kiss caught the Amazon Princess off guard, but after a heartbeat of surprise, she found herself responding, just slightly.
Moments later, Jack released her, still smiling. "Your brother does good work."
"For you to say that… it means a great deal," Diana said, her expression softening. Then her lips curved slightly. "It seems you're very satisfied with the Disciple's new form."
"More than satisfied," Jack admitted, handing her the newly forged blade. "This is a gift from him."
Diana's eyes lit up the moment she touched the Vulcan Sword. She could sense the divine power humming within its edge. "And my Lasso of Truth?" she asked, her tone suddenly firm.
Jack smirked, shaking his head. "That one's too useful to part with."
"Hmph." Diana crossed her arms, feigning annoyance. The proud set of her shoulders only made Jack step closer, draw her into his embrace again, and whisper against her ear: "The ship… or your chamber?"
Her cheeks flushed as she stammered, "Didn't we just… before returning to Themyscira… why again—?"
Jack chuckled low. "Learning from Zeus, perhaps. And besides… once the matter with Olympus is settled, I'll be gone. The next time we see each other could be decades… maybe even a century."
"You intend to seek out the Flash?" Diana asked, her voice caught between worry and resignation.
"Yes." Jack's grin widened. Without waiting for a reply, he pulled her toward the Disciple.
But Diana slowed, gently slipping free from his grip. "I cannot, Jack. My sisters need me. I must strengthen our defenses. And… don't forget, we are still enemies. Next time, I will defeat you." Her eyes hardened. "Even if you wield power greater than the gods themselves."
Jack paused, then lifted a hand to the glittering heavens. "Do you want the stars above, Diana? I could steal them for you."
"What?" Diana blinked, startled, then glanced up at the constellations. "Steal the stars…? What trick are you playing now?"
Her confusion only deepened as Jack's gaze sharpened with a strange light. "I'll steal the sky itself—and replace the sun."
Diana frowned. "Replace the sun? Jack, what does that mean?"
He only chuckled, brushing past her toward the Disciple. "You'll understand when the time comes."
Left standing in the moonlit courtyard, Diana watched him go, her heart torn between mistrust and an emotion she refused to name. Jack Kadere remained an enigma—a man who could speak like a lover one moment and a conqueror the next.
And as the Disciple's engines thundered back to life, Diana realized she wasn't sure which version of him she feared more.
...
PS: In the New 52 continuity of Wonder Woman, a darker origin was introduced for the Amazons. Every so often, the Amazons would lure sailors to Themyscira, procreate with them, and then kill them afterward. If a child was born from these encounters and it was a girl, she would remain on Paradise Island. If it was a boy, he would be secretly given to Hephaestus, the god of the forge. In return, Hephaestus would provide the Amazons with weapons and equipment. These boys were raised in Hephaestus's care and worked in his forge, not on Themyscira.