Domain

I was in some kinda cathedral that was a mix of medieval and futuristic architecture.

The large vault door opened automatically, inside the vast space was a catwalk leading to a short flight of stairs. Underneath the catwalk a swirling vortex of silver energy pulsed and undulated, emanating an ethereal glow that illuminated the space. In the center of the vaulted chamber was a woman behind a smithing forge. I approached the woman cautiously, the air crackling with energy around her chained form. Her hair was a cascade of red, flowing down her back in waves, covering her right eye. She lifted her head as I drew near, her crimson left eye piercing into mine.

I could sense immense power radiating from her, even in her restrained state.

"I am the Scourge," I stated calmly.

The woman's one visible eye narrowed at my declaration. She cocked her head to the side, her crimson locks cascading over her shoulder. "The Scourge?" she repeated, her voice a low purr.

"And who might you be, chained up in this strange place?" I asked, circling her slowly, taking in every inch of her nude form. Her naked body was a sight to behold, all toned muscle and feminine curves, marred only by the thick chains round her wrists, ankles and neck that held her captive and the whip scars that crisscrossed her back. There were two noticeable scars on her back that had black feathers round them.

"I am Hephaestia, a fallen angel of smithing" she declared. "And it seems you've stumbled into my domain, Scourge."

I raised an eyebrow at her declaration, stopping my circling to face her fully. "Your domain?" I questioned, my gaze raking over her chained form appreciatively. "And yet, you appear to be quite... restrained. I thought Ariel said this place wasn't to be used a prison."

"Oh, my dear Scourge, this is no prison." She shifted her body, the chains rattling with the movement. "I bound only by my own choice."

I stepped closer, intrigued by her words. "Bound by choice? I don't understand."

"I made a deal with a demon king to resurrect my son in exchange for giving access him access to a Sin Eater."

"A Sin Eater?"

"They were created by the Light to destroy worlds that were beyond saving. I only gave the demon king one Sin Eater but he was able to mass produce them. He resurrected my son as he promised... but it was as a Sin Eater." Hephaestia's eyes flashed with a mix of anger and sorrow at the memory. "My beautiful boy, reborn as a monster, a weapon of destruction. As penance I had my wings ripped off my back, was flogged..." Hephaestia lifted her hair, revealing that her other eye had been torn out. I stared at the grotesque sight of her mutilated back, the two blackened stumps where her wings once were and the empty socket where her eye should have been. "My eye was torn out. As penance for my crime, I willingly underwent these punishments."

"And you bound yourself here willingly, out of guilt for what you've done?" I asked.

"Yes," she hissed through clenched teeth, the pain of the memory as sharp as the whip that had carved it into her skin. "I deserved this punishment and more. But I can still be of use, even in this state. Tell me, Scourge, what brings you here? Surely not to gawk at my... assets."

I held up the broken sword, its jagged edges catching the ethereal light. "I need this repaired. Can you do it?" I asked bluntly.

"Infusing the sword with silver energy will not only fix the damages but also increase its power" Hephaestia informed as I put two parts of the broken sword on the forge "This will be an easy fix"

She raised her chained hands and struck the two parts of the sword. The sword shook as sparks of energy shattered like lightning. She handed me the sword and I inspected it carefully, it was in perfect condition and ready for battle. I was about to leave when I remember I had no actual weapons myself.

"If I'm to slay the demon queen, I will a weapon of my own" I said.

"So the Dark has a new ruler. I'm not too surprised. Very well, Scourge. I can forge you a blade worthy of your task."

silver energy floated onto the forge and Hephaestia struck it with her hammer. Hephaestia hammered the molten silver, sparks flying, as she shaped and forged the glowing metal into a blade. Her muscles rippled with each powerful strike

The silver energy had transformed into a sword that resembled a Ikakalaka lightsaber glowing red with an otherworldly light. Hephaestia held the finished sword aloft, the crimson energy pulsing with power. "Behold, the Scourge's Edge. Forged in the fires of the Abyss, tempered by the silver of the Celestial Realm. A blade to strike down the darkness and bring balance to the worlds."

I reached out and grasped the hilt, feeling the familiar weight and balance of a sword. The energy thrummed through my hand, resonating with my own power. I swung it through the air, the crimson blade leaving a trail of red light in its wake. It felt right, an extension of myself.

"Thank you, Hephaestia," I said, sheathing the sword at my side. I decided to explore the rest of the domain before I left. I descended the flight of stairs to find my bedroom from my previous life. I walked into the bedroom and looked around. The room was exactly as I remembered it, down to the smallest detail. My PS3 and PS4 were there, along with my collection of anime figurines and Funko Pop Doom figurines. I saw a photo album on the dresser and opened it, flipping through pictures of my old life. There were photos of me with friends, family, and even a few with my ex-girlfriend. As I looked at the photos, I felt a pang of nostalgia, but also a sense of closure. This life was over, and I had moved on to something greater. Still, I could come here to unwind after a day of punishing evil, play Marvel Rivals, Doom, Wolfenstein or Fallout, watch Rising of Shield Hero, Goblin Slayer, Fate, Sword Art Online or Konasuba. Oh, I still gotta finish reading Punisher: Welcome Back, Frank. On the floor below was a destroyed enormous bipedal mech torso in some kind of service gantry.

As I emerged from the portal back into the bedroom, the others stood frozen in surprise. Astoria stood up and almost ran to me, stopping a few meters away. I held up the restored sword, its pristine surface catching the light and the knight slowly touched it, picking it up and inspecting it, confirming it was hers'

"By the gods!" Lord Zuberg blurted out, clearly taken aback by the swift and perfect restoration of the weapon. Astoria's face lit up with astonishment as she took in the now flawless blade.

"But how? Where did you go? And how did you manage to fix it so quickly?" Astoria asked, her face reflecting awe and curiosity.

The Knight's reaction was pure joy and almost childlike.

"I found myself in some sort of cathedral, where I encountered a woman named Hephaestia." I explained, watching their reactions closely. "She's a fallen angel, a master smith who helped restore the sword and forge a new one for me." The others exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of surprise and skepticism. "The cathedral was unlike anything I've ever seen - a fusion of medieval and futuristic architecture. There was a swirling vortex of silver energy and a vast chamber with a catwalk."

"I've never heard of such a place," Lord Zuberg said, scratching his beard thoughtfully. "But if it was Hephaestia who helped you, then I believe you."