A volcano rises high above the green landscape, steam billowing from its top. Locals know to stay away from it, because even though it has been emitting continuously for years, it could blow at any moment without warning. What the locals do not know, however, is that that is not regular steam. The blackness in the air around the volcano is actually smoke from forges. Which means that that mass of earth is not technically a volcano, either.

Deep underground in the ‘volcano’, creatures can be seen scurrying around in a competitive fury. The rim of the open space is piled high with weapons, tools, and other equipment, still glowing and hot to the touch. As the creatures continue on their work, it becomes easier to divide them into two appearance groups. One group looks like they have faces like dogs, with black snouts, brown eyes, and pointy ears. Their bodies are sleek and black like seals, their legs are half flipper and half foot, and their human-like hands have sharp claws. A good way to describe them would be as if you blended together a Doberman Pinscher, a human child, and a sea lion together, the resulting creature would look like a Telekhine. Some of them look to be almost seven feet tall, barking and growling as they waddle around doing their work. Do not mistake their dog-like qualities or nickname ‘fish children’ for friendliness, however. Telekhines are vicious and merciless.

The other group is much smaller in number than the Telekhines, with only three of them working together. These beasts appear to be much larger, but look slightly closer to humans, if only barely. What causes other to stare, however, is not their height. It is their one hundred arms and legs, and fifty heads, each with a different facial expression. These three are brothers, and are known as Hekatonkheires, or ‘Hundred-Handed Ones’. Two of the brothers, Cottus and Gyges, look extremely tired and seem to shimmer in the light of the fires, as if they were slowly becoming transparent. The third brother, on the other hand, known as Briareus, looks strong enough to throw an entire mountain like he was back on the front lines. Many of Briareus’ faces show determination for the projects he is working on, but other faces show sadness and keep glancing towards his brothers. He knows that their tiredness and transparency are signs that they will soon fade, and this makes him heartbroken. He needs their help in crafting weapons and tools for gods and half-bloods, but he will also greatly miss them. He is afraid, too, that without his brothers to fight with him, Kampe will reform and force him back into Tartarus. So he distracts himself with his work, crafting as many items as he can so he can prove that Hekatonkheires are better than Telekhines any day.

The forge, once belonging to Hephaestus, was recently overtaken by the Telekhines. As part of a deal to get them to leave, the three Hekatonkheires bet them that they could make more weapons and equipment than the Telekhines in an hour, and whoever lost would leave the forge in the possession of the victors. So here they all were, welding, tinning, and smithing as fast as possible. Quality and quantity were equally important to Briareus and his brothers, but not to their opponents. Many of the weapons shattered when tossed onto the Telekhines’ pile, but they still counted each as a full and completed item.

The sundial in the center of the space showed only moments to go, and Briareus wished that he had some of his younger Cyclopes brothers to help him. But from the corner of their many eyes, Briareus and his brothers notice a small fire beginning to engulf some of the Telekhines’ finished items. It seemed that a younger ‘fish child’ had either left a fire unattended, or had been too ambitious in building his fire. Either way, the creature’s lack of wisdom and caution seemed that it would cost the Telekhines the competition. The three ‘Hundred-Handed Ones’ lay down their own tools and sat back to watch the Telekhines cry out at their poor fortune, chuckling to themselves and thanking the gods that they had the wisdom and patience to properly care for their fires and finished items. The three brothers shared a knowing look, one that spoke of how a centaur would react if one of them were there to witness that. A monotonous lecture on good planning and wise decisions, no doubt.