Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

(A/N: This is thanks for all the support I've been receiving about the novel~! Enjoy Hebaestus's suffering <3. This is kind of like a teaser for the POV recap at the end of the Volume as well.)

(Warning: NSFW Ahead.)

The day Vahn had left for the dungeon had become one of the most memorable in Hephaestus's several million years of experience. The fact that the young boy she had met only a few months prior was not only able to find his way into her heart, but also heal the mark on her face left a deep impact on Hephaestus. For the rest of the day, she just lazed about on her workshop table unable to think clearly.

Hephaestus just lay about in a daze while staring toward the ceiling with both of her eyes. In her hands, she held a polished mirror and would periodically peer into its surface to once again confirm the mark was gone. Every time she did so, she felt a pang in her chest and wanted to cry, but remembering the face of Vahn as he had left, she managed to hold back the feelings. She understood that she had more than simple affection for Vahn, but couldn't overcome her own inhibitions to act on them.

Thinking of Vahn, Hephaestus closed her eyes and relaxed her body in a lazy manner. She began replaying all the memories and experiences she had with him while listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. As she had grown accustomed to the act as of late, Hephaestus had begun to associate the rhythm with her own peace of mind. Listening to the steady, powerful, beating heart of Vahn, Hephaestus was able to relax and let her worries fade away.

Of course, this was not always the case, as several hours after Vahn left, Hephaestus noticed his heart rate increasing. She could feel excitement build inside of him, almost as if he was reveling in some enjoyable act. It was times like this that had caused her a great amount of stress lately. Since she couldn't see or feel what Vahn was going through, the only thing she could do was try to interpret the events from how his heart was beating. She hoped that, in this instance, he was simply working hard to increase his strength.

Remembering the promise he had made earlier, Hephaestus believed this to be the case so she allowed herself to experience his excitement as well. Almost as if to respond to his heart rate, Hephaestus's also increased and she began to experience feelings of excitement as well. She imaged the brave figure of Vahn defeating monsters with a smile on his face, so she too smiled and wished she could be there to see it.

Fortunately, as the day faded and night came, Vahn's heart seemed to calm down and Hephaestus was able to relax once again. From what she had experienced, she felt as if he had been in combat for a long period of time and was glad he took the time to take a break. Dragging her body lazily toward the couch in her office, Hephaestus lay down on the bed face-first and tried recalling the fragrance which had long faded. It felt like, if she focused enough, she could recall that peculiar smell that made her heart tickle.

Finding the 'fragrance', or at least imagining she had found it, Hephaestus began to blush fiercely. Looking toward the door and noticing the locks were properly in order, Hephaestus heaved a sensual sigh as she let her imagination begin to wander. Today had been a mixture of highs and lows, and her body was in high tension, especially after Vahn had restored her face to an unblemished form. As her emotions continued to rise, Hephaestus reached down to ease the ache that had been building inside her.

Entrusting her body to the couch, Hephaestus slowly lowered her form-fitting trousers and inserted her hand into the hidden garments within. She could feel a powerful heat and a dampness that had spread within the fabric as she began trying to release her pent-up emotions. Though her current body was that of a virgin, Hephaestus was not unaccustomed to the acts of sex and self-pleasure. As most gods found her unappealing, she had long adapted to a life of self-comfort when it came to releasing her urges.

Unlike the sessions of the past, now Hephaestus began to lose herself in the moment. She began gasping for breath, and no matter how much air she drew it never seemed to be enough. As her left hand continued its endeavors, she unfastened the buttons on her blouse and found some small measure of relief in her free right hand. She squeezed her left breast and let out a gasp that almost sounded like a name.

As she continued to service herself, Hephaestus tried focusing on the steady rhythm within her soul. It was like a beacon of light in the stormy seas she was experiencing, and she sought after the warmth and security it offered. The closer she allowed herself to get to that light, the greater the feelings became and she earnestly wanted to take that light for herself. This time, Hephaestus couldn't hold her voice as she cried out in a weak moan, "Vahnnn..."

The aching feeling in her body continued to increase, and no matter how much Hephaestus tried to chase it away with her hands, she couldn't stop the surging tide. She began to gently repeat the name over and over in her mind while doing her best to stifle her own voice. Her body bent forward in the search for greater pleasure as her lungs cried out for more air. Her actions intensified until they had reached a critical point where her body suddenly inverted.

Bending backward like a bow, Hephaestus twitched while releasing a powerful groan through her clenched teeth. She felt all the feelings in her body surge and explode outward in an unstoppable wave. The wave continued echoing within the emptiness that had emerged as Hephaestus collapsed powerlessly into the couches embrace. In her disheveled state, she just stared lazily toward her dark office as a powerful loneliness began to permeate throughout her body.

In the silence that followed, while Hephaestus felt like she had become lost, she could hear that ever-present rhythm beating within her soul. She thoughtlessly listened to each individual thump as she allowed the feelings it brought to spread. It slowly, steadily, chased away the empty feelings. Bundling herself up into a ball, Hephaestus tried to keep those feelings from escaping using her own body to contain them. In this state, she slowly drifted off to sleep, for the first time embracing the hope that had been ignited within her.

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Doki Dokie','Unstoppable Tide','Vahn's Presence')