Arcane Chaos

by Kronium345

A boy who leads a dark path, different than his siblings. Cut off from familial ties at a young age, he seeks power. Power to protect himself and those he cares about. This ambition, this greed, will drive him to great lengths to attain this power and become a maelstrom in the world of gods, monsters and demigods. Son of Poseiden! OC. Harem. Somewhat Dark!/Grey OC. Godlike! OC

38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38:

Markus vapour-travelled everyone to camp, all four demigods and satyr safe and sound. Annabeth, Thalia and Grover all shuddered, not used to vapour-travel. Their skins were slightly wet from the experience.

"I don't think I want to travel like that again," Annabeth said, trying to recompose herself. She glared at the snickering sons of Poseidon, who were perfectly dry. "A little help?" she asked, gesturing towards the trio.

"I don't know. Should we?" Markus asked Percy while chuckling. "It is kind of funny."

"Yeah. Maybe we should-" Percy was about to say something, but stopped at seeing the furious looks on Thalia and Annabeth. At their combined glares, he wilted like a flower. "Uhh, maybe I should dry them." With a wave of his hand, all of the water on the trio's bodies vanished, leaving them dry.

"Pussy," Markus muttered, rolling his eyes. He then looked at camp, and was shocked. "i didn't know that it could snow at camp," he said, seeing the snow on the ground and on top of the cabins. Markus was feeling nostalgic as glanced around. The eight months that he spent training really made him miss camp. The canoe, his cabin, his friends... he sighed in contentment as kept on looking.

He walked with the others towards the Big House. Frost covered the chariot track and the strawberry fields. The cabins were decorated with tiny flickering lights, like Christmas lights, except they seemed to be balls of real fire. More lights glowed in the woods, and weirdest of all, a fire flickered in the attic window of the Big House, where the Oracle dwelt, imprisoned in an old mummified body.

As they walked, the others were asking Markus about his trip. He replied that he'd learned new magic, went around the world a bit - when he mentioned his trip to Greece, Annabeth kept on hounding him with questions about Parthenon, in which he replied as best as he could - and other stuff that he did that was kept hidden.

There another thing that confused Markus and Percy. There was barely anyone in camp during winter. Just the year-rounders were there - the ones who didn't have homes to go to, or would get attacked by monsters too much if they left. But there didn't even seem to be many of them, either.

Charles Beckendorf from the Hephaestus cabin stoking the forge outside the camp armoury. The Stoll brothers, Travis and Connor, from the Hermes cabin, were picking the lock on the camp store. A few kids from the Ares cabin were having a snowball fight with the wood nymphs at the edge of the forest. Markus noticed that Clarisse wasn't around. He noticed that Percy was just fine with that. He did, however, notice that Silena was there and she smiled brightly him as they passed. He responded by giving her a wink as they passed.

The Big House was decorated with strings of red and yellow fireballs that warmed the porch but didn't seem to catch anything on fire. Inside, flames crackled in the hearth. The air smelled like hot chocolate. Mr. D, the camp director, and Chiron were playing a quiet game of cards in the parlor.

Chiron's brown beard was shaggier for the winter. His curly hair had grown a little longer. He wasn't posing as a teacher this year, so that meant he could afford to be casual. He wore a fuzzy sweater with a hoof print design on it, and he had a blanket on his lap that almost hid his wheelchair completely.

He smiled when he saw the group walk. "Percy! Thalia! Annabeth! Grover! And Markus? Very good to see you all again." He blinked, seeing just them come in. "I assume that the mission was a success?"

"Well, not quite," Grover said with a pointed look towards Markus. The others did the same. He just grinned sheepishly.

"Oh, no. What did Mary do this time around?" Mr. D asked with his typical drawl as he dealt his cards.

"Good to see you too, Mr. Dick," Markus responded with too much glee in his voice. Grover bleated in shock while the others looked at him in shock as well.

Chiron almost dropped his cards in nervousness as Dionysus narrowed his purple eyes at the demigod. "I'm sorry. I must be going hard of hearing. Could you repeat that to me Marcie?" he asked dangerously.

Markus just grinned at him. "You heard me, you sorry excuse for a drunk," he said with far too much cheerfulness that didn't match the words that he'd spoken.

"Markus, shut up now!" Grover told him nervously as he grabbed at the demigod's arm, but Markus shook him off.

"No, Grover. I know what I'm doing. And quite frankly, I'm sick of Mr. Dickless acting like a spoilt brat because daddy gave him a time-out."

Mr. D's eyes became purple swirls as he looked at the arrogant boy before him. He went to turn him into a squirrel, only to be surprised that nothing happened. "Wha-" he asked in shock.

Markus' grin became wider. "Was that all you got? That was pathetic."

The god's face turned purple in rage as he tried to delve into Markus' mind and drive him into madness, only to recoil slightly, like he'd hit a brick wall. He exited from his mind as Markus gave him a knowing grin.

"Tried to drive me mad, eh?" Markus tutted. "That won't work on me. I think it's time that I showed you something to fear." He mentally thanked Tim for helping him shield his mind from mental attacks thanks to learning Shinto magic. No mental attacks, be it mind-reading, charm-speaking or illusions would work on him, since his mental shields were very strong.

"Yūrei Idō (Ghost Movement)," Markus chanted under his breath. Suddenly, one of the legs that held Mr. D's chair broke suddenly, causing the god to fall into a heap. Markus quickly stepped towards him and held the god's shoulder, removing any kinetic energy from his body.

Dionysus tried to move, but couldn't. It was like he was stuck in a block of ice. He couldn't even speak. His eyes showed incoming madness and anger, though that quickly faded when Markus cast an illusion on him.

(In the illusion)

Dionysus gasped as he was brought onto Olympus. Normally, he would've been ecstatic at being here, since he was rarely allowed up here. However, this was different.

The eternal palace was in ruins. Temples were destroyed, the floor cracked and turned to rubble. Statues of the Olympians were razed. He almost cried out in shock and horror at the scene that he was looking at.

Then his surroundings blurred. He was now brought to the central palace. Thrones belonging to each Olympian were crushed and destroyed, barely looking recognisable. Dionysus just now noticed that the sky was blood red.

"W-What is this?" he asked, laziness no longer in his eyes, but fear and panic. He whirled around, looking at Olympus in horror. The hearth, the gods, the thrones, the constellations, all gone! "Where am I?"

"My personal domain," a familiar voice said behind him. He whirled to see Markus, sitting on what used to be his throne. Now, it was a chair of gold. It represented royalty. In the demigod's hand was a goblet of red wine. He sipped his drink, sighing content at the flavour. Dionysus snarled. Not only was he sitting in what used to be his throne, but he was also enjoying the one thing that he couldn't enjoy!

"You miserable little bastard!" the god growled out. "I'll make sure that you're tortured for this! You'll be sent to Tartarus, never to see the light of day again-" He was interrupted by gold chains appearing out of nowhere, trapping him and bringing him to his knees. "Wh-What is this?!" he bellowed out, struggling to free himself.

"You are in no position to be making demands with me," Markus said calmly after a sip of wine. "This," he gestured to everything, "is Olympus' ruin. And it is all your fault."

"M-My fault!" Dionysus gasped out, stopping his movements. "How is this-"

"Simple. Because you made me mad." Suddenly, behind Markus' throne, a large shadowy figure emerged. The god shivered as he beheld the creature. The bloodlust was impossible to withstand.

What emerged was Markus' Twelve-Headed Dragon Construct, only not made out of water but solid flesh. In each mouth, ichor stained its teeth and jaws. In between its fangs in eleven of its heads were the remaining Olympians, though their figures were now just crushed corpses. Most of their heads - that were intact - stared down at Dionysus emptily, judging him, blaming him.

"No!" he shouted out, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I-I couldn't have done this! This is impossible!"

"Oh, but it's very much real," Markus smirked, his head held by his fist. His sea-green eyes glinted, the same thing reflected in the beast's eyes. "Your fellow gods have fallen by my hand. Olympus is now nothing but a memory, along with you useless fossils. And you're next."

"No! Please, no! No, no, no, NO!" Dionysus shook, the illusion getting to his surprised mind. The scenes were too much for him to take. "I beg you please! Don't do this!" The chains rattled in response to his useless movements.

"Too late for regrets," Markus sneered. He inspected his goblet, seeing his reflection in the wine. And then he threw it at the god's face, smacking against his face and spilling the contents on his face. Despite his terror, his tongue lapped up the remains of the liquid wine on his face. The taste made him break down in tears, sobbing.

"At least you'll be able to taste what you've wanted before you die." The demigod grinned sadistically. "A last act of mercy. Don't worry, it won't be the last thing you feel." Markus' eyes flashed red. "That's his job." He pointed towards the beast behind him.

"NOOO!" the god screamed out as the one head the didn't contain a dead Olympian opened its maw and bit down where he stood. And all he knew was pain.

(Out of the illusion)

Markus' eyes gleamed with sadistic glee as Mr. D broke down into tears, curling into a ball and whimpered, muttering, "No, it can't be real" "I'm sorry, make it stop, please". He even cried out in pain, as if he was feeling the pain from the illusion in real life.

Everyone watching looked with wide eyes as Markus reduced the god of madness to tears. It wasn't even a few seconds where Markus placed his hand on his shoulder, and then this happened.

"M-Markus, what h-happened?" Chiron asked in shock, looking at what the demigod did.

Markus shrugged, still smiling sadistically. "Oh, I'm just giving poor Dionysus a taste of his own medicine. Well, at full maximum. Hopefully, when he snaps out of it, he'll learn his lesson. Now!" Markus clapped his hands, catching the attention of everyone. "Let's be off. Got a lot of people to meet. I'll give you details of the mission later, Chiron. Ta-ta!" He stepped forward, wrapping his arms around the others and dragging them out of the Big House.

Chiron ignored them for a moment, stepping forward and trying to tend to the whimpering god. But all it did was make him burst into even more tears.

Markus kept dragging the group outside until Annabeth wriggled her way out of his grip. "Stop, just stop for a minute!" she exclaimed, catching Markus' attention.

"Okay." He did stop, letting go of the others. "You have my attention. What's up?"

"What did you do to Mr. D?" she asked, straight to the point. "One minute, he's furious, ready to blast you into oblivion, and the next he's sobbing like a baby. What did you do?"

"Like I said, I gave him a taste of his own medicine," Markus shrugged nonchalantly. "He tried to enter my mind, so I did the reverse on him."

"But how? How did you stop him from messing with your mind? He's the god of madness?" Percy, Thalia and Grover nodded, wanting to know what he did.

"Simple. I didn't want him to enter my mind," he answered, grinning. They almost face-faulted at his answer.

"Th-That doesn't work!" Annabeth retorted. "You can't just not want a god to enter your mind! It's impossible."

"... Annie," Markus said, amused. "I deal with the impossible. We all do."

"That still doesn't make sense," Thalia said, eyes narrowed. "What aren't you telling us, Barnacle Brain? And don't dance around the question."

"I'm not, princess," Markus said. "I was able to block him from entering my mind, and did the same with him. Then I made him see... something."

"And what is that something?" Thalia asked with crossed arms.

Markus grinned, and the others weren't sure they wanted to know what Mr. D saw. "Something that'll fuck with his head," he said simply. "Now, don't worry your pretty little head about it. I'm back at camp, you're back at camp, everyone's happy. Now if you'll excuse me..." Suddenly, Markus disappeared in speed, heading towards somewhere.

"I'm really starting to hate that," Percy said, a little jealous at his brother's disappearing act. But mostly annoyed. The others nodded in agreement.

Markus stepped in front of the Demeter cabin, wanting to meet a certain someone. He really wanted to go the the Aphrodite cabin first and meet Silena, but if he did, he would be all over her and have no time to meet the others. So he decided to meet Katie first.

He knocked the door, waiting for it to be opened. When it did open, Markus had to catch a punch that was being aimed his way. He then blocked a kick, followed by an elbow that would've hit his throat. When he looked at the face of who it was, Markus' breath got caught in his throat.

It was definitely Katie, but she looked different. Her brown hair had grown longer than what Markus was used to, reaching her lower back. Her face had gotten leaner, losing some baby fat that she had, along with more angular. She was wearing her Camp Half-Blood shirt along with some dirty jeans. Her very developed figure strained against her shirt, making it tight on her. Her chest swelled, making Markus' jaw almost drop. Her stomach was flat and muscled, showcasing a six-pack that was visible through her shirt. Her arms had gotten more muscled. And despite wearing jeans, her wide hips and long legs were still showcased. (A.N. - Look up Poison Ivy, and she looks like that. Only younger, and has brown hair and eyes).

Markus was so thankful that he'd learned to curb his large libido during his training. She looked beautiful. Before, she was cute but had her moments of beauty. Now, she looked like she could give some daughters of Aphrodite a run for their money. Hot damn!

Markus grinned sheepishly. "Hey, Katie..." He was unprepared for the knee to the groin that she delivered. Markus almost dropped to the floor in sheer pain as he cupped his dick and balls that screamed. He squeaked - an actual squeak, despite his deep voice - and stumbled.

Katie narrowed her beautiful eyes. "'Hey Katie?' Is that all that you can say after you left suddenly for two months?"

"I'm pretty sure that he can't say anything after you did that to him," her sister, Miranda, said behind her with a smirk. Her smirk faltered when Katie glared daggers at her. "Right. You're angry. I get that. Hi Markus. You look hot."

"Hey, Miranda. How have you been?" Markus asked, managing to be somewhat coherent to speak. He summoned water from the air that splashed on him, healing him of his fatal injury. "Damn, woman. You can kick hard. I think something popped."

"Don't tempt me to kick you again," Katie threatened, crossing her arms. "I'm still angry at you."

"I know," Markus nodded, surprising her. "I know that what I did was a dick move, and that I should've at least told you that I was leaving. The reason that I left was to go on a sort of self-discovery trip. I know that doesn't excuse me leaving. I'm sorry. Truthfully. Your one of my best friends and your precious to me. You had a right to know where I was and what I was doing."

"Both daughters of Demeter stared at him after he'd finished speaking. "Damn," Miranda said after a moment. "That was deep. Hey, you sure that you're still interested in my sister? I don't need an Oracle, but I can definitely see you and me-"

"Goodbye, Miranda," Katie interrupted, annoyed. She pushed her sister into the Demeter cabin and shut the door. Then she looked at Markus. "I'm still mad at you."

"I know," Markus nodded, completely serious.

She sighed. "But at least you're honest. You're lucky I missed you so much, or I'd offer you up to a Venus flytrap."

"I understa- wait, what?" Markus asked, but Katie stepped forward and hugged him. Markus decided to ignore the statement and hugged her back. He really did miss her. She changed so much. Not just in appearance, but in attitude as well. Katie was always confident, but at some points shy and a little insecure. Now she was simply brimming with confidence. It made Markus proud.

His thoughts were interrupted as he noticed the contact between them. Despite keeping a firm hold on his libido, he still blushed. He could feel her big boobs pressed against his chest. Why did all the girls he'd met change so much since he was gone?

"Guess Miranda was right," Katie said after a moment, moving back from him. She looked him up and down with lust. "You are hot."

"Oh? And I wasn't before?" Markus asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You were cute then, but now you're sexy," she responded bluntly, making Markus almost wide-eyed in shock. She really was more confident in herself. "Anything to say to me?"

"You are hot," he answered bluntly as well. Well, if she could do it, why couldn't he? "I'm not saying you weren't attractive before, but now... you look like a daughter of Aphrodite."

Instead of blushing, she grinned. Her hand reached upwards and caressed his cheek, making him shudder slightly at the contact. "Good. I'm glad to see that you finally notice me as a woman." At his shocked face, she giggled. "And speaking of daughters of Aphrodite..." Katie leaned forward, her hot breath on his lips. "... I know about you and Silena."

Instead of acting surprised, Markus raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what do plan to do about it?" he whispered, leaning close. The two demigods were so close that their noses were touching and lips almost an inch away from each other.

"Well, my dear son of Poseidon," she whispered, leaning forward, towards his ear rather than his face. "I plan to make you mine. And don't worry about Silena. We both had an... interesting discussion with each other. And she convinced me of something. We. Decided. To. Share. You." Removing herself from his ear, the daughter of Demeter winked at the shell-shocked Markus. Passing by him, she walked away from him and her cabin, swaying her hips purposefully along the way.

Markus really hated to see her go away but really really loved seeing her leave. He went into a trance as he gazed at her large and firm ass swaying slightly. He pinched himself to make sure that he wasn't dreaming.

Feeling very happy that two hot and sexy girls were willing to share him, Markus made a small prayer. "Aphrodite, if you're hearing this, thank you. Very much. You have the best daughter ever." Deciding to walk away, Markus had a spring in his step as he walked towards a certain destination.

XXX

Markus pushed Silena against the wall of the Aphrodite cabin, sucking on her tongue. Silena's hands roamed across his muscled body and Markus' went in a rhythmic order: from her breasts, to her hips, then to her ass.

After his encounter with Katie - and using very cold water to douse himself - he made his way to the Aphrodite cabin to meet his girlfriend. Mainly to greet her, and also to thank her. As Markus didn't know a girlfriend that was willing to share with other girls.

Both of them separated due to the need of air. Immediately, Markus attacked her neck, licking and sucking on one particular spot that made Silena moan constantly. To make her really excited, Markus vibrated his tongue as it danced across her neck, making Silena almost scream in pleasure. He kept this up for a good couple of minutes (in which Silena thought that she was going to die from pleasure) before Markus removed himself from her neck. In a flash, Markus removed her shirt and gazed with longing at the bra-clad breasts that looked like... "Are you wearing lingerie?" he asked excitedly.

"Yes," Silena smirked, knowing how much he loved it. "It's a special surprise. But first." Silena pushed him down onto her bed, looking at him with bedroom eyes. "My turn to pleasure you," she whispered, making Markus very excited.

She stalked towards him slowly, still wearing her jeans that clung to her legs like a second skin. As she got to a certain distance near her bed, she stopped. Then she slowly went to remove her jeans. She turned around, slowly peeling off her jeans while moving her body to music that wasn't there. She bent down, her ass flaring as her underwear was slowly, almost agonisingly, being revealed.

Markus watched with rapt attention as his dick stood to attention like a proud soldier. Despite wanting to do nothing but remove the clothing himself, it was more fun and sexy when she did it.

Then she stood up, turning to look down into Markus' eyes. She stood at the edge of the bed, and started to move her body above Markus' crotch, essentially giving him a lap dance. Whenever her ass touched his dick, he moaned. Silena was doing a really good job at this.

As she kept on dancing, she smirked down at him, making sure that her movements were sometimes slow and sensual, or fast and rhythmic. Then she sat on his lap. The daughter of Aphrodite's hands crept up to his stomach, rubbing his chiselled abs. Her hands kept rubbing them for a moment, taking in the hardness and muscle tone.

"So you love my abs, eh?" Markus asked with a raised eyebrow, smirking.

"Yes, I do," Silena responded, still rubbing his abs. She wiggled her ass on his lap, exciting him even further. "Is that a problem?"

"Not at all. Just feeling a sense of pride."

"Well, I'll be sure to stroke your ego even more..." Her hands moved under his shirt, taking in every inch of his very muscled body.

However, before she could explore any further, she was interrupted by the sound of the conch horn.

"Something's up," Silena said in alarm, standing up from Markus' lap.

"Noooo," he whined. "It's probably nothing. Come back, please!"

"Chiron wouldn't sound it unless it's important. We already had dinner, so come on." She started getting dressed into her previous attire.

Markus growled. "If there's nobody attacking, I'm going to kill Chiron."

"It's okay," Silena said. She leaned forward. "If you be a good boy, I'll reward you later. So come with me to see what's going on and maybe I'll-" She couldn't finish as Markus was already up and carrying her out of her cabin. She laughed as he did this.

All the campers gathered from their cabins to meet Chiron, who was looking at a golden school bus. The surprising thing about it was that it was glowing with the same light that the Apollo cabin did during the day.

The door to the school bus opened, and out came a group that almost no camper was happy to see.

"Damn Hunters," both Markus and Silena muttered at the same time. The two blinked, looking at each other.

"I met them when I was doing an assignment and had a little... argument with them," Markus said. "You?"

"They came to camp some time ago. I don't like them. At all." Was all Silena said as she glared at the group of immortal Hunters.

The driver got out, smiling. He looked about seventeen or eighteen, and for a second, Markus tensed. The guy looked a lot like Luke. But then he relaxed. This guy had the same sandy hair and outdoorsy good looks. But it wasn't Luke. This guy was taller, with no scar on his face like Luke's. His smile was brighter and more playful. (Luke didn't do much more than scowl and sneer these days.) The driver wore jeans and loafers and a sleeveless T-shirt.

From the golden glow, Markus guessed that it was Apollo.

"So that's Apollo," Silena muttered, having come to the same solution as Markus. She hummed. "He's hot."

Markus' eyebrow twitched. "Why is that an important question?"

Silena shrugged. "I'm just saying. But don't worry, sweetie. You're hotter."

"Damn right," Markus muttered as Silena patted him on the back to make him feel better.

"Lord Apollo," Chiron stepped forward, bowing. "It is an honour to see you. As well as the Hunters of Artemis." Here, Chiron gave them a tight smile, and he received some glares in return. Only the one with the silver circlet seemed to nod to him.

Apollo chuckled. "Chiron, there's no need for formalities. You of all people don't need to call me lord. And I'm just transporting these sweethearts for my lil' sis." At the mention of Artemis, Apollo's smile faded. "By the way Chiron. I need to ask you something: bring Markus Henderson. Zeus wants him brought to Olympus."

Chiron blinked. "May I ask why?"

Apollo almost snarled in anger. "If you must know, he's the one responsible for my lil' sis not being here for the moment. And he attacked her for no apparent reason."

Chiron was about to argue to that, but was interrupted by Markus appearing out of thin air beside the centaur. Chiron looked shocked while Apollo's anger showed again on his face, his figure glowing brightly.

The other campers behind whispered as Markus appeared. They hadn't seem him at all for the last two months. Some - namely those who resided in the Hestia cabin - looked at him in awe and hero-worship. A large number of the girls blushed as - to them - he'd gotten even more handsome. Seeing this, many of the guys glared daggers at him. Seriously, how the hell did he turn into an Adonis?

Meanwhile, Silena, Katie, Beckendorf, Percy, Thalia, Annabeth and Grover face-palmed. They knew that this wasn't going to end well.

Seeing the one who defeated their mistress, the Hunters glared at Markus and even readied their bows. This was stopped by Markus merely looking at them, his eyes turning red. His bloodlust was activated, making them stumble and drop their bows in fright as he glared at them. Then he slowly turned his gaze to Apollo's glowing one.

"I'm here," he said simply. "What do you want?"

Apollo narrowed his eyes and snarled, as if he wanted to incinerate him on the spot. "Zeus demands your presence on Olympus."

"For what?" Markus asked with a raised eyebrow.

"For attacking an Olympian goddess."

"You said that I attacked Artemis for no apparent reason," Markus said calmly. The gasps and whispers from behind showed that the demigods didn't know of that fact. "And that I defeated her. Where did you get this information from?"

"It doesn't matter," Apollo said through gritted teeth.

"So it was from her bitches, then?" Markus turned to look at the furious faces of the Hunters. "Tell him the truth. Tell him that Artemis attacked me first and that I defended myself. Her defeat was on her head. Or did the broken image of your goddess not register in your minds?!"

At this, the whispers had gotten louder. Some doubted Markus' claim of defeating Artemis, calling him a liar and an attention-seeker. Others looked at the scene in curiosity.

Apollo turned to look at the Hunters. "Is this true?" Apollo asked silently. At their stony faces, he snarled. "I asked you a question, Hunters. Is this true?"

"Yes," the leader bit out harshly.

Apollo glared at all of them, breathing in deeply to control his growing rage. "You are lucky that my sister cares for you so deeply," he said quietly. "Otherwise I would incinerate you all for daring to lie to me. I knew that you were withholding something, but with Artemis in critical danger, I didn't think too much on it."

The Hunters of Artemis looked shocked at what Apollo had said, and even a little fearful. They were used to the playful, flirtatious Apollo. They had just realised just who he was.

Apollo then looked at Markus. "Regardless of the situation, Zeus still demands that you appear on Olympus."

"Let me guess: he's going to smite me for daring to hurt his precious daughter." At the boom of thunder in the sky, Markus had received his answer. "Then fuck no. I refuse. I'm going to be killed for defending myself? God of justice my ass."

"You don't have a choice in the matter, mortal," Apollo growled. "You will appear on Olympus. Even if I have to drag you kicking and screaming."

Markus glared at him, anger bubbling in him. If Zeus wanted to play this game, then he'd play. "If Zeus is so offended, let him come down hear and say it to my face. Otherwise he doesn't really think of Artemis as a daughter and more of my attack as a slight to Olympus." At the massive boom of thunder and lightning flashing, Markus smirked. He looked at the sky. "Well? Come on. Prove me wrong. You ain't changing my mind."

Everyone looked at him as if he was crazy. The campers looked worried at the stunt.

"You are just digging your own grave." Apollo's snarl was now guttural. Everyone had to look away as he was glowing with sunlight.

"Look, Apollo. Don't do this. I understand why you're angry. You are one of the gods that I have no problem with, and don't mind. So please. Don't do this. You know why I did what I did. So please, don't do this." Markus was actually reluctant to fight Apollo. Not because he feared him, but because he had done no wrong to him personally. He even understood why he was angry.

"I'm sorry, but I can't. Even though I know that it's not your fault, Zeus has ordered me to retrieve you," Apollo said, a little reluctant. He was still angry that someone dared to harm his lil' sis and even caused her to cry, but he still didn't want to do this.

Markus sighed. "Then I guess that I have no choice." Suddenly, he chanted, "Enkidu: Ten no Kusari." Out of some gold portals, his Chains of Enkidu appeared out and, like a viper, wrapped around the sun god and bound him, similar to how it did for Dionysus in his illusion world. These were different than his usual Mistform chains. Instead of being made of Mist, they were solid gold, with runes written in different languages. Several of the words were 'Absorb', 'Drain,' etc. During his training, Markus had crafted his chains out of his magic and divine energy. So he could now bound gods if he so wished, the same ones from the anime.

"Wha-!" Apollo exclaimed, struggling to remove himself from the chains, but it became harder to do so the more he struggled. The whispers from the campers now became shouts. Children of Apollo were screaming at Markus to release their father, but Markus ignored them. The others were shocked that he was able to bound a god.

"Quiet!" Chiron yelled, stomping his one of his hooves loudly to gain the attention of the campers. They managed to quiet down, but there were still murmurs.

"Release me, mortal!" Apollo yelled out, struggling. The chains tightened in response to his struggles. He gritted his teeth, snarling. "How dare you do this to me?!"

"I did it because I do not wish to fight you," Markus said, glaring. "As I said, Apollo. I have no problem with you and I understand why you're angry. But I refuse to listen to Zeus. I'm not going to Olympus. So you can either swear on the Styx not to abduct me, or this is going to be ugly. Decide."

Apollo continued struggling, but he couldn't break the chains. They were sapping his strength. He still mustered the strength to glare, though. "I will make you pay for this. I-"

"If you decide to curse me, I'll just make you struggle more." Markus was all out of mercy at this point. If he wasn't going to listen, then he would force the god to submit. "Swear on the Styx, or I'll leave you powerless. Decide!"

"Never!" The chains glowed, making Apollo scream slightly as he was being weakened. He was forced to kneel, his fiery glow slightly diminishing. He kept on struggling, but it was pointless. The campers started shouting, telling him to stop, but Markus wasn't listening to them.

The son of Poseidon glared as he kept binding the god that was now powerless. The lack of power showed. He still kept his handsome physique, but his body seemed less powerful. More... mortal.

"Swear. On. The. Styx," Markus repeated slowly.

"Fine!" Apollo bit out. "I swear on the Styx that I won't abduct you and take you to Olympus!"

The sky boomed with thunder, signifying the oath.

"Good," Markus nodded. "Now, leave." Markus recalled the chains back, letting them vanish in the golden space/time portal.

Apollo glared at the demigod. "Know this. Zeus will be furious and will call for your head for this insult."

"Noted," Markus sneered. "Now, scurry along like a rat to daddy. Or do you want to be bound again?"

Sending one last final burning glare to him, Apollo mustered enough power to teleport, making the crowd close their eyes. When they looked back, Apollo was gone, along with his chariot.

"Now..." Markus started removing his jacket, getting bewildered looks from those watching. He removed enough of his jacket to allow his left arm to be visible, causing the females watching to watch his toned and muscled arm exposed. And then he blurred, grabbing the second-in-command of the Hunters by the neck with his Devil Bringer, the arm shifting mid-movement.

Alarmed, the Hunters tried to raise their weapons, but stopped as Markus halted their movement with blood control. His bloodlust returned with a vengeance, scaring the campers and Hunters as his now red eyes bore into the frightened one's of the lieutenant. "... What to do with you?"

The girl struggled as his demonic arm choked her. She kicked at his chest, but it was futile. Markus merely applied a little strength to the arm, and the girl's eyes bulged.

"Release her, filthy monster!" a tank-like Hunter screamed, struggling to move. Markus merely turned a lazy eye towards her.

"Monster?" Markus smiled coldly. He casted a wide-spread illusion that caused a silhouette to appear behind him. Instead of his Twelve-Headed Dragon Construct, a spectral demonic warrior in purple armour appeared. The figure had a black demonic Oni mask on its face, and was grinning widely. The aura that it was releasing, along with the bloodlust Markus was releasing, made some of the campers pass out in fear. The rest watched in fear and horror as Markus was grinning in the same manner as the specter (A.N. - Nero's Devil Trigger avatar from DMC4, only purple, an Oni mask and doesn't have a sword). "No, girl. I'm a demon."

The poor girl in Markus' grasp shook slightly, the figure turning its eyes on her. Tears started falling from her eyes due to fear. She struggled, but Markus kept choking her, making choking noises come from her mouth.

"I think it's about time that I taught you bitches humility. And what better way to do that than to show you what you are. Now..." Markus commanded them via blood control to grasp their silver knives that they had on them. Their figures shook, but ultimately obeyed his command. He excluded the girl that he saved, but he still froze her movements. "... write."

Tears fell from their eyes as their knives were forced to pierce the skin on their forearms, done by their hands. They started carving into their fleshes. First a crude B, then an I, followed by a T...

"Sto- urk!" the girl in his grip tried to scream out, but was still choked. Markus' red eyes looked at her.

"I didn't say that you can talk," Markus snarled at her. "This is your fault! I warned you not to bother me, and yet you lied to Apollo about your bitch of a mistress, hoping that he would drag me to Olympus and hoped that Zeus would kill me! All because Artemis attacked me first and payed the price for her actions. No, I'm done with you! You will suffer and watch as your cheerleaders brand themselves and show everyone what they really are!"

The demonic words from Markus almost made the girl catatonic. Then he turned his eyes, still controlling the girls to write on their forearms. With tears in their eyes, the Hunters of Artemis could do nothing but display the new tattoos on their forearms. The word BITCH was carved onto their forearms using their knives.

Markus smiled. "And just to make sure..." Markus casted a weak but widespread heat spell that cauterized the wounds. The girls cried as the words were branded on their arms, the process entirely painful.

Markus chuckled, then he laughed. "At least everyone can see what you are. And dry your tears, you can take 'pride' in your new tattoos. Now, I believe that I have unfinished business with you...," Glaring at the girl in his grasp, he let go of her throat, making her fall. Instead of hitting the ground, however, she was caught by Markus' normal hand.

His Devil Bringer hand ignited with black flames. The Hunters, campers and Chiron shivered at the demonic aura that the flames brought. They definitely weren't normal.

"I think that's enough, Markus," Chiron warned as he stepped forward. Markus glared at the centaur.

"No, Chiron. She deserves this. She tried to kill me!"

"That does not justify your actions," Chiron said, frowning heavily. "You already did enough with the Hunters of Artemis. Will doing this really make you any better?"

"Do you think I care about guilt? About morals? News flash, I don't."

"And what about your friends?" That stopped Markus cold. "Your fellow campers? Look at them, Markus."

Not taking his view away from the girl in his grip, Markus looked behind him slightly. And he could see it. The fear on everyone's eyes. In the younger campers, in his friends, in... Markus almost recoiled at the horror-filled gazes that Silena and Katie were giving him.

"These campers, they think of you as a hero," Chiron kept at it. "You gave them hope when they didn't have it. You gave them strength when they needed it. Please, for them and yourself, don't do this."

Markus didn't move for a moment, contemplating his actions. The demonic energy he was using was bringing his more primal instincts, like anger. The anger was all his, the energy was just bringing it out even more. He wanted to kill the Hunters of Artemis, to punish them, but... he didn't want the campers watching. They were afraid. Of him.

Markus snarled as he let go of the girl, who sat on her ass breathing heavily and shaking slightly. "Get out of my sight," Markus whispered to her angrily.

She didn't need to be told twice. She scrambled towards the other Hunters, who were released from his control and were now crying slightly at the pain. Some glared, but their hearts weren't into it.

Markus gave them one last warning. "That's strike two. One more time, just once... and I'll butcher all of you." With his piece said, Markus dismissed his Devil Bringer and spectral figure. He walked back to the campers, readjusting his shirt. As he walked through the parting crowd of campers, he could feel the lingering looks of fear they gave him.

XXX

As Markus was in his cabin sleeping, he was - as usual - brought to a dreamscape where someone wanted to talk/screw with him. Because typical demigod uniqueness.

In his dream, he was standing on a stone cliff face, looking down at a supposed bottomless pit. He knew where this place was. He was brought to the very same place in his dream two years ago. And spoke to the being who resided in the pit.

Markus breathed out sharply through his nose in frustration. "What do you want Kronos?"

A deep chuckle reverberated across the chasm. "Why, grandson. I thought that you would be so happy to see me?" the Titan king spoke, his usual voice sounding like knives scraping across his back. Markus wasn't affected by Kronos' voice or presence. He refused to show any weakness. "I'm not. I'm supposed to be sleeping. In my bed. Thinking happy thoughts. Instead, I'm visited by my dismembered and chopped-up grandpa who can't take a hint and leave me the fuck alone."

Kronos' laughter once again echoed across the chasm. Markus just stared down at the pit, not amused.

"That's one reason I like you so much, grandson," Kronos chuckled. "You are fearless. You show no fear or hesitation. Not to me or to the Olympians. Is it that you do not fear death?"

"No," Markus said. "I just refuse to show either respect or fear to those who annoy me. I'll ask again. What do you want?"

Kronos chuckled again. "I know how powerful you are, grandson. The Shinto and Hindu gods did good work training you, molding you into their little pawn."

"How do you know about that?" Markus asked, eyes narrowed.

"I have my sources. It makes sense. How you grew so powerful so quickly. How you have skills no normal child of my son possess."

"What's your point?" Markus shrugged. "I did what I had to do to stand where I am now."

"Power is the one thing that matters, right?" Kronos asked knowingly. He chuckled again. "My, I can see the family resemblance between us. You're probably the only one that understands what needs to be done to stand at the top."

"And look at where it got you," Markus scoffed, making the Titan growl. "I know that I want power, but I would never sacrifice those I love for that cause. I'm not like you and you're not going to change me. Is that all?"

"Are you honestly not interested in joining me?" Kronos asked bluntly. Markus raised an eyebrow at his approach. Usually, Kronos would weave words and offer sweet lies to convince him. This was direct. "You are practically a god compared to your fellow demigods. The Olympians fear and threaten you. They would like nothing more than to destroy you?" Ah, there was the manipulation. "The demigods have seen only a fraction of your true power, and they are afraid. Not for you, but for themselves. They envy you, loath you, want not you but your own power for themselves. They fear that you will turn on them for no reason."

Kronos' words turned seductive. "Join me, Markus. You will be at the pinnacle of power and command under me. You can have more power, your enemies will be crushed and destroyed, and you could have anything you ever wanted. Be it fame. Wealth. Love. Women."

Am image started forming in the pit. In it, Markus sat on Zeus' throne in Olympus, with the other thrones no where to be found. Image-Markus wore gold and silver armour of the finest quality. Rubies and emeralds and gems glittered across it. A red cape made of the softest silk trailed from the back of it. He still had the same features as Markus did, but his image-self had an arrogant smirk on his face.

At the floor of his throne lay three familiar weapons: the master bolt, the helm of darkness and his father's trident. Kneeling before him were several people. Dozens of nymphs and naiads offered him food, wearing the skimpiest of clothing. They had looks of adoration on their faces as the looked at their king and ruler. Other girls knelt and stood at his side. Markus could see all of his female friends, Katie, Silena, Annabeth, Thalia, Lou Ellen and other girls, kissing and caressing him. At his knees stood several of the gods he'd met, wearing rags and chains. They looked docile and pathetic, like slaves.

The females undressed themselves, making real-Markus blush massively, showcasing their voluptuous bodies to him. Bare breasts, long legs, beautiful asses... Markus was actually jealous of image him. He burned with even more jealousy when he saw image him taking them for himself. Forget the riches and slaves, he was more envious of him for the girls.

"All of this could be yours," Kronos whispered. "A reality. Join me, grandson, and no one will be able to touch you. You could be a king, an emperor, a god."

A part of him, a large part of him, was actually tempted by his grandfather's words. He was really thankful that he had enough willpower and mental strength to resist.

"Enough." Markus' power flared, shattering the image like glass. His mental barriers started to destroy the dream around him. "I'm thankful for the beautiful dream, grandpa. Really, I am. But like I was once told: the sea does not like to be restrained. I refuse to bow to you or serve you. Now I kindly ask you to get the fuck out of my head."

Kronos roared in fury. "You dare?! You will pay for this, boy! When I rise, I will personally send you to Tartarus-!"

"That threat is honestly getting old," Markus muttered, before the dream faded, along with the wail of the Titan king.

Just as Markus was about to force himself awake, he entered another dream. He was standing in an expanse of grey. His eyes twitched. "I'm seriously getting pissed."

"Well, it's good to see you too, Markus Henderson," a familiar voice said behind him. Markus whirled to see Savitr, his blond hair, broad shoulders and massive arms identifying him for Markus. The god of motion was now wearing a majestic cloak that was made out of white material.

Markus was slightly shocked. He hadn't seen Savitr since he met the god at Spellhaven. He tilted his head in greeting. "Savitr. What are you doing here?"

"I'd hope that we'd meet under normal circumstances, but we need to talk." Savitr's expression turned from warm to serious.

Markus raised an eyebrow. "Before, you were gruff but casual. Now, you're friendly but stern. Is this how you usually are or..."

"This is how I usually am," Savitr said. "But we can discuss my mannerisms later. I have a gift for you." Holding out his hand, a staff appeared in the god's hand. No, not a staff. A shakujo, a prayer staff. It had twelve rings on the head of the staff. Markus had read up on Hindu mythology. He knew that the shakujo was primarily used in prayer, but could sometimes be used as a weapon as well. Also, the twelve rings were a sort of testament to show a sort of creed or following in Hinduism. Four rings represented the Four Noble Truths, six rings represented the Six Perfections, and twelve rings represented the twelvefold chain of cause and effect.

"Take it, Markus Henderson. As a sort of prize for yourself," Savitr said.

Markus raised an eyebrow. "And why are you giving it to me? I'm not complaining, just asking."

Savitr smiled. "Because you have impressed me. You have used my blessings in ways that I never thought possible. Self-duplication, vibration of your molecules, forming energy... quite frankly, I'm a little jealous that I haven't thought about it."

"Thanks for the praise," Markus said. "But I don't believe that's the reason why you came to speak to me via my dreams."

"Good, you actually got smarter," Savitr smirked. "The reason I am giving you this is because with this - along with the teachings that I have implanted into it - is because you need to prepare yourself. You have gotten more powerful. Dare I say it, you might be the strongest demigod I have ever seen, both in my pantheon and in others. But the forces that you will face in the future are even more powerful."

"I have a feeling that you aren't talking about the Titans," Markus spoke with suspicious. "Can you give me a hint as to what I'm going to face in the future?"

"I can't." Before Markus could blow up, Savitr continued. "Not because I don't want to, but because gods interfering too much into other pantheons can breed disaster. Plus, my prediction may not be accurate. You may win the war with the Titans, or you may lose. I do not know for sure."

"You're not filling me with confidence," Markus said, angry.

"I know," Savitr nodded solemnly. "Which is why I must prepare you for the task ahead. Don't want my investment to be put to waste." Extending his hand, he held out the shakujo. "Take it, Markus Henderson. As my gift towards you."

Looking into his eyes and finding no deceit, Markus slowly reached forward and gripped the shakujo. And he was suddenly filled with knowledge that he hadn't had before. Images, words, techniques filled his heads at such speed that he could only recall a couple of them at a time.

"Good luck, Markus Henderson." The expanse that he was standing in started to crumble. He was starting to wake up. The last thing he saw was Savitr's smiling face.

XXX

Markus was playing Halo 3 on his Xbox 360, with his speed clones operating in his cabin. One was doing some potion work, another was focusing on genetics and another was deciphering and writing down notes that he collected from Savitr's shakujo that he gave him. Using his mental prowess, he deciphered most of the information downloaded into his brain and was able to put it down on paper.

Now he was relaxing in his cabin, enjoying his free time. Playing video games were pretty much the only interesting thing that he could do. Training was mostly done by reading, since he still wore his gravity and resistance seals for physical training. And the others weren't exactly being welcoming.

Ever since his encounter with the Hunters of Artemis, the campers gave him a wide berth. This was done largely due to fear. Some had admitted that while his dressing down of the Hunters was awesome (though a little extreme) it was still scary for some of them. Many of the campers were worried of making him mad, otherwise he would whip out his freaky arm and kill them.

Markus wasn't really bothered by this. All he cared about were the reactions of his close friends. With Percy, he still stood by his side, though he was a little cautious around him. He didn't treat him any differently, though, to which he was happy about. Grover, however, steered clear of him completely. It wasn't that he hated Markus, it was just that the spectacle had caused Grover to pass out due to the unholy feeling. As a satyr, Grover could sense and read the emotions that Markus gave off at the time, and it was nauseating to him. He actually smelled like a demon, even though it was only brief. So whenever he was near Markus, the fear and trauma returned. Markus couldn't really blame Grover for that, to be fair.

Silena still acted the same, though she had the same fear that the other campers had. Even though she tried to hide it, Markus could still see it, though. She never judged him for what he did to the Hunters, to which he was grateful. Katie was the same, even though she admitted that what he did was cruel and scary. She didn't judge him for it, though, to which he was grateful. She started talking with him, catching up on old times. She didn't make mention of what she talked about before, though she did make it a habit of sitting very closely to him and gave him very suggestive gestures. In which he responded in kind.

Thalia admitted that while she was scared of what he did, but didn't tell him off for what he did. She admitted that - though cruel - he humiliated the Hunters excellently. Markus knew that it was mainly Thalia's grudge against the Hunters that made her more supportive of his actions.

The only one who really had a problem with it was Annabeth. She screamed at him, telling him that what he did was wrong and evil, and that he had gone way too far. Markus responded that what he did was tame and that the Hunters deserved it. She looked shocked at what he said, and kept on arguing with him about how he went about it. The two have been arguing a lot, and only through the intervention of others did they not resolve to full-blown shouting matches.

At least Markus' actions had a positive aspect. The Hunters of Artemis were now humiliated and somewhat docile in their actions. Everywhere they went, many vindictive campers mocked and taunted them of being bitches, which was what they were. And so they responded in kind. Even though the kicked the camper's ass (it was always a male camper), they were still mocked and taunted behind their backs. They were treated less like the Hunters of Artemis and more like a joke. The funny thing was that whenever he saw them bullying a camper, Markus made it a show of clearing his throat and announcing his presence. Their reaction to his arrival was amusing. They backed away in fear and clutched their branded forearms. One even burst into tears.

The second-in-command, who Markus now knew was a girl called Zoe Nightshade, stayed clear of him. Even if she tried glaring at him, the lingering fear caused her to back off. This became clear when she got into an argument with Silena, who both hated each other. Silena due to the Hunters rejecting love and calling it worthless, and Zoe due to Aphrodite representing the things she hated.

As a good and caring boyfriend, Markus had to intervene. It wasn't that he didn't have faith in Silena to handle herself. It was an automatic response. Markus appeared on the scene and stopped the fight. Then he looked at her. Not even a glare, just one look. And she shook slightly in fear due to the memory of what happened. And so she backed off immediately with no word. He got a very thankful gift for that.

Many of the campers - that weren't blinded by their fear - looked at him with awe. He had done what no man had ever done. He had made the Hunters of Artemis his bitches. The male campers instantly proclaimed them as their hero and god, something that immediately boosted his ego. He was going to go down in the history books.

Other campers were fearful, although for a different reason. They were scared of how the gods would act due to his actions against Apollo. Imprisoning a god was one thing. Defeating a goddess was another. But resisting Zeus' command? That was a very quick method to be smote. Some didn't know whether to applaud him or to be scared for him. Even Chiron was nervous, as he kept looking towards the sky that had turned cloudy and stormy for a few days due to Zeus' mood.

Well, if Zeus didn't like it, tough shit. He refused to bow to anybody anymore. No more fear, no more being weak-willed. You earn his respect, or don't get any at all. And Zeus done nothing to earn his respect. He didn't care if he was acting foolish or arrogant. He was sick and tired of the Olympians and their arrogance. He even preferred hanging out with other gods from different pantheons than his own, which was ironic.

As Markus played in multiplayer, he grinned at all of his achievements. Since he was a serious gamer, Markus loved playing multiplayer in different games. His nickname was SeaHorse123. Not the most original, but whatever. In every game, he used the same gamer tag. And in every game, he crushed the competition. Call of Duty, Halo, BioShock, God of War II... he was simply the best. Sure, he lost a few times, but his losses were overshadowed by his victories.

He was currently shooting at one particular player that was surprisingly good, called SkylarkLover. Seems that he wasn't the only one with a crappy name. He was still playing when a knock sounded on the door. He ignored it for a couple of minutes, until the knock came again, louder this time. Markus growled. He was in the middle of multiplayer! How the hell did the person at the door expect him to pause while he... oh. Markus almost facepalmed.

He created another speed clone that took over for him while he went to the door. He didn't actually know who to expect at the door, so he was surprised when he saw someone that he could recognize. It was Hermes. He was wearing what Percy described him wearing last time: a New York-City Marathon T-shirt but with red sweat pants on this time. He was wearing Nike trainers with white wings on them and had his caduceus in his hand with the snakes wrapped around them.

"Hello, Markus Henderson," the god greeted, smiling apologetically. "I'm going to need you to come with me."

Markus just looked at the god, very tempted to slam the door in his face and go back to gaming. He sighed. "I take it that you were sent by Zeus?"

"Yes," Hermes agreed. "I'm sorry. I personally have no problem with you or what you did, but those are my orders."

Markus' brow was twitching in irritation. You'd think that Zeus would learn from experience but noooo. "Let me guess: because of how I bound Apollo, he sent you because you could just use your speed to avoid my chains. Am I right?"

Hermes chuckled sheepishly. "Yeah, kind of. Please, don't make it harder for yourself. I personally like you, Markus. You're a good kid and you helped my kids a lot with the creation of the Hestia cabin. But I have to follow orders."

Markus honestly couldn't hate him. Despite his encounters with Luke, he didn't blame Hermes. Yeah, he could've treated Luke better when he was younger but it was his decision to join the Titans. Kronos was a manipulative bastard, sure, but still. Suddenly, an amazing and exciting idea popped into his head.

"Well, I could go with you," Markus offered, grinning. "But you're going to have to catch me first."

Hermes chuckled. "Kid, you're fast, I can tell. But I'm known for my speed. There's no way that-" He was interrupted by Markus phasing through Hermes and using his super speed to run. The god blinked, and then grinned. "Oh, it is on." And so he disappeared in a blur of speed.

The two speedsters ran out of Camp Half-Blood without any disturbance. No sonic boom or anything. They were nothing but a blur, running through the streets of Manhattan. As Hermes ran, he skillfully and gracefully avoided any imcoming cars, cabs, people and hot dog stands. Markus just vibrated his body as he ran, phasing through everything.

Markus was slightly ahead, so Hermes easily caught up with him. Markus turned to look at the god as he ran. "You a fan of the Flash?" he asked casually, still running.

Hermes shrugged, not bothered with conversation while on the move. "Yeah, though I do love the Golden Age Flash."

"More of a Godspeed fan myself," Markus shrugged. He even made the Godspeed suit as he ran, the kinetic energy warping around his body and forming the full suit.

Hermes gawked, almost hitting an incoming car in shock. Both of them narrowly avoided any buildings by turning sharply or phasing. "That is so cool," he admitted. "How'd you do that?"

"Catch me and I'll tell you," Markus told him. And then he blitzed forward, creating a small boom.

Hermes grinned in challenge. "You don't know who you challenged, kid." He formed the iconic Golden Age Flash helmet and clothes, and ran forward, creating a sonic boom.

The two ran out of Manhattan, running across the East River and still running. Hermes was easily gaining onto Markus. So Markus applied way more kinetic energy than normal. They were moving past supersonic speeds, roughly 768 mph. Despite the joy the two were feeling at finding someone who could match their speeds, they remembered that Hermes was trying to catch them.

So Hermes moved instantly, as if he teleported. He was closing in on Markus, just inches away. Just as he was about to touch him, Markus suddenly stopped for a fraction of a second, then zipped behind Hermes. In the space where he was previously was an after-image of himself.

Hermes was confused, before he was kicked in the back, almost toppling over in the water. He managed to right himself, however, and looked behind him as he ran, seeing Markus. The demigod gave a little wave, before accelerating westward. Hermes followed after him.

They zipped through Brooklyn and Boston, the forces from their high speed movement almost destroying everything in their paths. Hermes kept on matching Markus' movements, enjoying himself. He'd never had anyone keep up with him in speed, and he was starting to get competitive. Markus felt the same way.

They continued playing their game of tag. Despite enjoying himself, Markus couldn't fully experience the thrill of running due to the god of speed chasing him. It made the run more challenging, though. When Hermes matched his pace, he tried to kick the demigod and force him to stop running. Markus phased through the kick, annoying Hermes.

In a burst of speed, Markus pushed his physical body to the limit. He made a sharp turn that would've made a normal human body snap in half due to the whiplash. He ran in a circle to build up more speed and momentum. After a minute, he zipped after Hermes and went for a punch. Hermes immediately tried to counter it but Markus faded, leaving his after-image to go through the god. Confused, Hermes was defenceless to the uppercut Markus gave him.

Hermes skidded across the water, almost falling into it but recovering quickly. "That is seriously annoying," Hermes admitted, frowning.

Markus grinned under his mask. "Not my fault that you can't keep up."

"Oh, you did not just say that."

The two continued their races, circling around the world in different areas. They ran from the North Pole to Paris (both grabbed some croissants and baguettes along the way and ate them) and to the Amazon Rainforest. A little scuffle here and there (in which Hermes got in a cheap shot by kicking Markus in the knee after he got distracted for a bit), and then they ran back to New York.

Markus was honestly exhausted. He had very high stamina but this was ridiculous. And Hermes was a god, so his stamina was unlimited. He wasn't actually looking for a fight, but he needed to knock him out. An idea popped into his head.

Two Markus' appeared beside him as he ran, tackling the speed god and giving Markus time.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Hermes yelled out, occupied by the two clones.

"It's not! Read the comics! I'm so fast that I'm in three places at once!" Markus yelled out. As he ran, Markus released his gravity and resistance seals, along with applying Third Gear. He made the Godspeed suit disappear as his hair stood up. His body was already protected by the lightning produced.

Using both the lightning from Third Gear and kinetic energy, Markus ran. He didn't go back to Hermes, he just ran. His perception of time slowed down. He was running through different countries, too fast for him to follow. Yet he was able to move properly with no problem. Markus vibrated the particles in his right arm, so fast that it was a blur to his movement.

The physics behind what he was doing came to his mind. The faster something moved, the more mass it obtains. Force equals mass multiplied by acceleration. He may not have that much mass but he did have a lot of acceleration.

Markus kept moving, his speed reaching just under the speed of light - 186,000 miles per second. The added lightning and kinetic energy was making him move at speeds that he couldn't achieve alone. Gathering enough power, Markus kept moving towards the location where Hermes was, which was just at the banks of the East River. The god was fighting his speed clones. Well, clone. He must've dispatched of one of them.

Moving to the front of Hermes, the god just had enough time to see the smirk on Markus' face before he unleashed his punch. The reaction force of Markus punch made the resounding windows of buildings in Manhattan shatter and some of the buildings to crumple slightly. The ground caved in a bit, along with the windows of many of the cars shattering.

The waves of the East River rippled harshly, feeling the effects of the force behind Markus' punch. And Hermes?

His face caved in slightly, making a crack sound out from his head. The god crumpled like tissue paper, his Golden Age Flash helmet flying off his head. His cheek showed the indent of Markus' fist, which was smoking slightly.

Markus panted harshly, dismissing Third Gear and lying on the ground, unable to move. He was worn out, exhausted and so so hungry. His right arm was splintered, with some bone poking out of it slightly. That wasn't good. His body shook with spasms, trying to get the ambient energy out.

At least he was still conscious. It was a good thing Hermes was a god, or his head would've exploded along with his body. Markus' body wasn't used to moving at that speed all at once. Kinetic energy? No problem. Third Gear? He'd manage. Both together? It was a miracle that he was still in one piece and not all over the place.

An idea popped into his head to heal much quicker. His physical body wasn't able to move, but his willpower wasn't. He commanded the water from the East River to splash on him, rejuvenating him. His right arm was slowly healing, the damage done to it making it slow to heal.

Markus laughed deliriously. "I win!" Markus raised his good hand in victory. He was now back to full strength, except his arm. He laughed in victory, jumping up and down. Then he remembered the unconscious god, and looked down. "Uhh, sorry Hermes. At least you kind of won, since I technically cheated. But... I did run so fast that I knocked you out. So... I win!" Satisfied with his logic, Markus walked to a nearby McDonalds store. He was starving.

And done! Wow... this took a while to write.

Not going to lie, the race with Hermes was perhaps my most favourite part of this chapter. Since I gave Markus super speed, I always imagined a race between them. And technically, Hermes is faster. Since Markus had to use Third Gear to do his version of the Infinite Mass Punch (not like the original, however). So... You know what? I'll just use Markus' method.

Here, Markus met up with old friends, mentally scarred and frightened the Hunters of Artemis, Markus got blue-balled (poor bastard), met Kronos and Savitr in a dream. Savitr's intervention is due to something that'll make sense in future chapters. Wouldn't want to spoil anything. Oh, and Markus giving Dionysus his just desserts. Which was very nice.

Hope y'all liked the chapter. Nothing really much to say here. Oh, wait. Guest review answers.

I don't know which one is which, so I'll address all of them in order:

1) Having Markus do other quests for different pantheons is a very good idea. Something I will do in the future. Possibly after Titan's Curse.

2) Percy and Reyna meeting at the end of Titan's Curse? ... I can do that.

3) As seen above, Markus and Apollo are... well, not enemies, but definitely hate each other now. And the other issue is already addressed.

4) Artemis and Zoe will join the harem after a while. For character development and all that. And Aphrodite and Markus meeting will be an... interesting encounter. That's all I'll say. And Percy/Calypso would be a very good pair.5) Yes, when the goddesses are in the harem I will go on with the Roman aspects/personalities.

6) No, Aphrodite will stay. I personally want her in for reasons. So she's staying. And no to Hecate or Khione.

7) Like with Aphrodite, Artemis is staying in the harem. Since I do personally like her.

8) Aphrodite's pairing will be more than just sex. That I will promise.

9) Thanks for the idea on Castlevania Lord of Shadows 2. I'll go with either the blood whip or water whip. Leaning towards the water whip. Dunno about Typhon, but we'll see.

Anywho, thanks to all those who f, f, r and r the story. Yadda, yadda, yadda. Sorry, just tired.

Thanks! Read and review!