In truth, cutting through the alleyway was perhaps not the smartest choice, but I was pressed for time; something that wasn't helped by the man who blocked my path with a knife in his hand.

"Wallet. Now," he barked.

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Don't," I replied simply.

"You think I'm joking, lady?" the man yelled back almost instantly. "You think I won't gut you like a fish? Give me your wallet now or-"

His words were cut short by a loud, somewhat moist thud that echoed through the alley. The would-be mugger barely had enough time to react before he found himself laying on the ground, looking up at the tall man with fiery red eyes standing beside me, wielding a two-handed hammer that matched his already impressive frame.

It was then he finally registered the pain in his leg. He looked down and saw the bloody pulp where his knee once was.

"O- oh," he muttered before passing out from shock. I looked over at the man standing beside me.

"Thank you, Lord Hephaestus," I said politely. He only grumbled back.

"No respect for craftsmen, I say," he said, clearly dissatisfied. "Are you well?" he asked me.

"With you watching over me, always, Lord Hephaestus," I smiled.

"Good. The prototype medical brace need some tuning, but is otherwise impressive. Keep it up," he nodded simply. I bowed my head respectfully and by the time I looked back up, he was gone, leaving behind only a fiery imprint of his shoes in the pavement.

I looked back at the mugger laying on the floor and reached for my phone to dial the ambulance. As I busied myself, a small ember left behind by Hephaestus slowly descended onto my shoulder and dissipated almost instantly, yet... the second it did, my eyes narrowed at the man's mangled knee.

"Of course," I whispered to myself. I perfect idea flashed through my head - a way to improve the medical brace I was designing, adding strength while removing weight with just a couple of simple adjustments. It seemed so obvious! Why didn't I-

I noticed the tiny speck of ash on my shoulder and chuckled. It put my mind at ease; I no longer felt bad for not thinking of the improvement earlier.

One can't beat divine inspiration from the God of Craftsmen, after all.