The Story of Steel

The two heroes worked side-by-side in the forge. It was an infrequent sight in Thebes these days with all the traveling the two men had been doing in recent years.

Passersby would stop to say hello, or offer a friendly wave. Some would just stand and stare at those magnificent, metal gripping, horseshoe flipping, muscle rippling, sweat dripping champions of Greece. Sigh

Where was I? Oh, yeah...

Drinking ladles full of cool water and splashing themselves with more, the two took a break for lunch...energy food...fruit, toasty warm bread, plates of tangy, white farmer's cheese, olives and honey. Tankards of ale that had spent all morning cooling in a cask that had been hung from a net into the well behind the forge, helped to wash it all down.

They enjoyed companionable conversation. Hercules about the fine work they'd accomplished that morning. Iolaus about what they should do with the haunch of venison their last customer had given them in payment for repairing a bridle.

"We just finished eating a wonderful meal and here you are already thinking about dinner. You are insatiable my friend," said the amused demigod.

"About everything buddy and don't you forget it!" exclaimed the grinning hunter.

"How could I, you won't give me a chance," added the now laughing demigod.

The hunter rose from the table and loosened his belts. "I think we should Bar-B-Q the venison. I'll just go grab enough coals from the bin to get a good fire pit going and I'll be right back to work, okay buddy?"

"Okay Iolaus. Don't be long we still have that sword to do for Jason," reminded the demigod.

"No problem buddy. Be right back," Iolaus said as he kicked the chair back into place at the table. "Want to sample tonight's dessert?" he added as he breezed by his partner's chair and bent to give him a lingering kiss before leaving.

When Iolaus returned to the forge with a hod full of coals, he tripped on a misplaced tool in his path. The coals went flying and most of them landed in the vat of melted iron the heroes would be using to mold into Jason's sword.

"Damn, Iolaus. You've got to be more careful. Look what you've done," grumbled the demigod.

"Oh, it's not so bad Herc. Look, the coals are burning away to nothing more than ashes. Just mix it in. It won't hurt the metal and what doesn't hurt it can only make it stronger. Right?"

Herc continued his grumbling about how he hoped it wouldn't be a wasted afternoon as he stirred the coals into the molten iron.

He poured the iron mixture into the mold that Iolaus had made and was surprised to note that the iron seemed to be a lot easier to work with.

As Iolaus worked the bellows, Hercules worked the metal, getting it hot, working it, getting it hotter, letting it cool, beating it...on the anvil.

"It's amazing Iolaus, what you did with those coals seems to have worked wonders for this metal. You've invented something new here buddy. We've got to come up with a good name for this new mixture," breathed the demigod as he ran his hand admiringly up and down the shaft of the sword. "Why, I haven't felt anything this wonderfully smooth and hard since..." The demigod's thoughts drifted and his twinkling eyes reflected the happy place his wandering mind had taken him to.

"Hey, give me a chance at that buddy," yelled the hunter, rousing his partner from his pleasant reverie. Iolaus grabbed part of the shaft his partner was holding out for him. "Yeah, you're right Herc. I haven't felt anything this hard since..."

"Steel!" the two of them chorused together.

"That's a perfect name for this creation, Herc. What do you think?" queried the grinning blond hunter.

"It's better than perfect, Iolaus. It's so appropriate. And what do I think...I think we should pay the man a visit and tell him about this new invention. Besides, his birthday's coming up right around now. We can celebrate our discovery and his special day at the same time. What do you think, buddy?" enthused the bright eyed demigod.

"What do I think? I think it's the best idea you've had all day. Let's go and we can take that haunch of venison with us. We can Bar-B-Que it there and think of something to keep us busy until it's ready. Let's dampen down the forge and get all cleaned up properly."

The heroes worked together and had themselves ready in record time. It was almost as if they were in a state of urgency to get to their friend and tell him of this most amazing discovery. On the way out the door Iolaus picked up the honey jar and stuffed it into the top of his carry-sack.

"What's that for, Iolaus?" inquired a very curious demigod.

"I just remembered what I wanted for desert Herc," said the grinning hunter as he closed the door to the forge behind them and fell into step with his partner.

As they made it to the fork in the road the hunter turned to his partner and with a sparkling gleam in his eye he dared, "Race ya!"

The demigod pondered this for a second and replied, "Last one there cooks!"

And the two laughing heroes hotfooted it down the path towards another grand adventure.