20 Hade's Payment.

Mark and his dog both teleported into his hoard room inside his blazing castle. The room was a massive warded space that Runeas had made with help from Mark. Once something was in this room only Mark could get it out as not even Runeas could get in there without Mark's permission.

Her idea, but Mark appreciated her respect for him. Though at the moment only Luke and his sword were there. Luke was not treasure and the sword did not look like much, but he would keep it anyway.

Grimnar walked toward Luke who was still wrapped in shadows though they were no longer burning him. Mark placed the backpack on his back as he looked down at Luke who was shivering as he looked at Grimnar. He kneeled and patted him on the head.

This caused Luke to shiver as he tried to back away from Mark.

"You know Luke, you were not wrong about betraying the Greek gods. Your mistake was being too damn weak to do anything that mattered."

Luke tried to beg for mercy the only way he knew how.

"WAIT! Hear me out, Kronus has been speaking to me. This sword belonged to him and as long as you let me go, he will reward you. I am sure about it, just don't take me to Hades."

Mark looked at the sword he brought along with Luke. He thought it was just a demigod weapon so he was going to leave it in his hoard, but this brought his attention to it. When he picked up the black and bronze blade he instantly felt powerful energy course through him.

He also felt the familiar feel of Time magic, but stronger than before. Luke explained a bit in hopes that Mark would take it as a payment to let him go.

"Look, that was once the scythe of Kronus. His Symbol of power, once it is reforged I am sure it will be useful to you. Just promise to let me go. No, join me and Kronus. He will reward you greatly. You are being paid to work for Poseidon and Hades right, he can do the same. Take this as payment from me to you to help me."

Luke saw Mark's look to be deep in thought, but Mark's next words made his blood go cold.

"Why would I do that? When I can keep the blade and receive what Hades has to offer all at once."

"NO!"

Mark punched Luke knocking him out. He tossed the sword into his left hand as the Boosted Gear appeared over his arm.

[Mark, keep this at your side. Once you reforge it, I can assimilate this into the Boosted Gear to give you the power that Kronus once used. From what I can tell this contains, Celestial Bronze, Adamantium, and Mana Steel. And it was once the symbol of the power of the Titan of Time. Once you make it your own, you will gain another powerful weapon."

Mark placed the sword in the sheath and placed it on his left side. Mark could feel Ddraig already sending his energy through the blade to make it match the Boosted Gear's wavelength. Kronus would regret losing this as Mark would make it better.

He picked up Luke on his shoulder and looked down at Grimnar.

"Come on, let's give this package to Hades. But to be safe."

Mar took the Masterbolt and left it in his hoard room. He did not want Hades to get both of them at once. Grimnar barked as Mark warped space open directly into Hades' throne room. This would have been dangerous to anyone else, but Hades had been expecting him.

Pluto and the three furies were in the throne room with him and they saw how their master became excited at the sight of the portal. When Hades saw Mark step out of the tear in space with his Helm of Darkness and Luke his skull seemed to grow wide in a smile.

When Mark and Grimnar entered the throne room, they both took a knee. Mark respected Hades, the god along with Ares had the least bad stories in mythology. It was always Poseidon, Zeus, and the other gods that gave the pantheon its bad name.

And Hades deserved this respect as he was in the Top 10 of the World's strongest. Mark looked up and placed Luke down in front of him. Then, he held the Helm up.

"Lord Hades, I have come to fulfill my mission. The traitor Luke and your helm."

When Hades rose from his throne, flesh began to cover his skeleton. Albino skin, purple blood, dark eyes, and long black hair appeared. In his more human form, Hades looked to be a young man in his early 30s.

He only took this form when he was truly happy, when he noticed this he instantly returned to his skeletal one. Mark acted as if he saw nothing, but Hades took the helm from his hands with considerable glee.

"My Helm, and the traitor. You have done me a great service Red Dragon Emperor. I keep my word, and you shall be compensated. Pluto, give him his due."

Pluto reached into his cloak and tossed Mark a ring. Mark caught the ring and sent some of his magic into it. When he looked inside, Mark grinned. He saw piles of diamonds, rubies, sapphires, amethyst, turquoise, garnet, gold, platinum, and many more. Piles on piles of them and that was not even the best stuff.

There was enough stygian iron to form several armor sets, along with vials of pure black water, a vial full of glowing red blood, one big apple that seemed to radiate the glow of galaxies, and a big amount of pomegranates.

"You dragons love treasure so I am giving you plenty. The water is purified water of the River Styx, the blood is a gift from Cerberus to his child, the Stygian Iron is a gift from me, as for the apple, it comes from the garden of Nyx. The only thing that grows in Tartarus, as for the pomegranates. My wife called me and asked me to give you some of them.

She seems to have taken a liking to you for helping me out. Not many do that these days."

Mark lowered his head as he thanked Hades.

"I thank you for your generosity, Lord Hades. If you ever wish to have my services, I will always be open for business."

Hades laughed as he snapped his fingers. The three furies rushed to Luke and dragged him to be tortured for the rest of the time.

"I may need that one day. Now go, you have done me a service and I will remember that."

Mark nodded and warped himself and Grimnar away. They returned to Mark's treasure room where Mark instantly released the treasure of his spatial ring. Piles and piles of gems began to fill the hoard room. They spilled like a large sea showing that Hades did not cheap out in paying him.

They glittered like stars in the formerly empty room which made Mark drool. He only left the gems and kept the treasure that Hades had given him in the ring.

[I will explain how to use these soon. All of them are very valuable to you. For now, we need to get Percy, Grover, and Annabeth. Then we talk to Zeus where we give him his bolt and get Poseidon to pay us.]

Mark laughed.

"Us?"

Ddraig cleared his voice.

[Well, don't I deserve a share of the hoard? I mean I did help out we are partners.]

Mark nodded.

"I know, I will get you a share."

[Thank Mark.]

Ddraig was honestly like Mark's brother at this point. He was his best friend and his teacher so he owed a lot to him. He reached down and pulled Master Bolt out from the pile of gems. Mark wanted to just sleep on them, but he had things to do.

He placed the bolt in the backpack and warped into the Gremory Estate. More specifically, next to Runeas. When he and his pet stepped out of the portal he saw Runeas lying down in a big bed alone.

She looked bored, but she perked up when she saw Mark and Grimnar. She jumped toward them and hugged them tight. The dog seemed quite happy to be appreciated.

"Mark, you are back."

Mark wrapped his arms around her and picked the dog up.

"Yeah, I am. Guess what, I just got paid by Hades for turning in Luke and his Helm. I even befriended Ares after a big fun brawl. All I need to do now is get paid by Poseidon and hopefully Zeus."

He, Runeas, and Grimnar lay down on the big bed as he explained his plan. Hearing that made her feel happy for him.

"Great, what did you get from Hades?"

Mark was truly excited to explain this.

"So many precious stones, gold, and several treasures from Hades and Persephone. And something for Grimnar here from his dad."

Grimnar barked with a happy look. He wanted to prove to his father Cerberus that he was the best of his children. As for Runeas hearing what Mark had been doing made her feel lazy. She was strong sure, but she could get stronger.

But that would ruin her quiet life, but marrying Mark would already bring her out in the open. She had to make a choice and she was not one to second guess herself.

"You know what, I think it is time for me to come out of the dark. You are already making moves as the Greek gods keep paying you to do them favors. I eventually will be found out as you are becoming more famous."

Mark let go of her as he sat up.

"Just do what you think is right. If you want to stay quiet I won't force you, but if you rather fight at my side in the open you are more than welcome."

Runeas smiled.

"I like the sound of the second one. Though let me enjoy a year or 10 before I do anything big."

Mark shrugged as that time would eventually begin to feel like a day. He got off the bed and decided to pick up his three proteges.

"Where are the campers?"

Runeas sighed.

"Annabeth is not doing good, but she is training with Percy by Sirzechs alongside Rias. Come on, let's go there."

Mark looked at Grimnar who controlled the shadows and warped them outside the manor. They appeared in the training field where Percy, Annabeth, and Rias were working together to try to match Sirzechs.

He kept teaching them how to better use their natural powers. From the look of it, Percy already got a feel for mana and was using it actively. Though when Sirzechs saw Runeas, Mark, and Grimnar come out he knew it was time.

"We can stop here. Mark has returned and I think it is time."

Mark nodded.

"I have retrieved the Helm and the Masterbolt. The Helm and the traitor have been turned over to Hades and now we just need to return the Masterbolt to Zeus. Once this is done, Poseidon will pay me."

When Annabeth heard that she looked away with tears.

"Luke."

Mark did not console her as he was not close enough to her to do that. Percy and Grover did though and they both tried to talk to her. However, she did not want to hear it and just turned away.

"Let's just go, I will be fine."

Mark walked toward her and looked her in the eye.

"If you plan to go traitor or something, remember my words. Pray, that one of the gods does not pay me to go after you."

Percy sighed.

"That is not going to help."

Mark shook his head.

"It won't and was not meant to. I know he was your first love or something, but he was 17 and you are 12. That is just creepy and he knew it, I could smell it. He cared for you. but more like a sister. There might have been good in him, but that was gone. Now, we will be off."

Mark looked to Runeas who walked away.

"Go on, I will go back to our house. I got to keep renovating."

Rias called out to Runeas.

"Can I come?"

Runeas looked at Mark who nodded.

"Sure, I don't mind. I should be home in a few hours so have fun you two."

Mark as he warped away toward New York. It was time to meet with the gods to stop Zeus and Poseidon from having their war.