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He is alone, surrounded by a sprawling landscape of monochromatic grey. The air around him is dead - thick, murky and stale. Hades huffs as it enters his lungs, cloying and stinging. Instinctively he knows Zeus is toying with him; trying to convince him he's in the Void again. Well, his brother totally screwed the pooch on this one. The bitter tang confirms it; Hades is wrapped in some type of cloaking spell. The pertinent question is – what lies beyond it? Or rather, where? The gritty floor offers no clues; it merely crunches beneath his feet as he circles the area carefully, getting his bearings.

The movement brings pain, and with it, awareness. Hades needs to stop walking a mile in Rhye's boots and get some of his own. He pictures himself clothed in a rich black Armani suit and suitable Italian leather shoes, and with a trill of victory in his heart, he swirls his hand upward. The draw of power is again more than he expected, but when his magic subsides, the oversized biker outfit is gone and he is finally dressed appropriately. He straightens his lapels. It's about damned time.

His scabbard still dangles at his hip. He flicks it and the red and gold metal turns a deep black, etched in silver. There. Much better.

A stiff, foul wind blows past him; knocking him off balance. It is followed by a low resonance of laughter, the sound lingering, echoing in the distance.

Hades howls his brother's name in outrage, and the laughter repeats, louder and tinged with cruelty.

"What's the matter, brother?" Zeus' voice booms across the plain. "Lose something?"

Zelena's scream pierces the air, and Hades' rage explodes within him. He can feel the anger fueling him, sending ripples of power throughout his body. He calls it forth and swipes his hands before him, removing the spell that shielded his environment.

The reveal catches his breath in his throat. He is on Mount Olympus, in the Great Hall… and nothing has changed. Centuries have passed and it is still the same gleaming marble tribute to the opulence of gods it always was. The curved dome roof twinkles with the images of the heavens above, held aloft by impossibly tall pillars of Calacatta marble. Between the pillars stand gleaming windows, each with a breathtaking view of the valley surrounding the mountain. The floor beneath him glitters with the dust of diamonds, necessary for traction against the pale Marmo onyx floor. His father liked it that way, stating that gods were meant to tread on the finest things the world had to offer. Hades' heart flutters erratically as the memories return. It's like he never left.

His head tilts up towards the rows of white stadium seating surrounding half of the circular hall. He is not alone. Intangible silhouettes are hovering in the shadows, silent and still. He cannot tell which god is which, but he can feel their eyes on him. It's unsettling.

"Way to spoil the surprise, Hades," his brother mutters behind him. ""And I went through so much trouble to bring everyone here. The planning, synchronizing calendars… you have no idea."

Hades spins around, defenses flaring. Zeus is reclining in the jeweled golden throne of the King of Gods, robed legs tossed casually over one gleaming side. The last time Hades saw that throne, his father doomed him to a life in the Underworld. Seeing his brother slouched within it sends new waves of fury and jealousy crashing through him.

"You were always such a buzzkill," Zeus says, studying his fingernails. "Oh well, I guess we can start the party now."

Zelena is curiously absent from the room. "Where is she?" Hades growls. "Where is Zelena?"

Zeus plops his sandals down onto the pedestal at the foot of the throne. "Who? Her?" He snaps his fingers and a blast of hot, damp air hits Hades from behind. He turns and finds himself staring into the depths of the Underworld. Zelena is curled on her knees, leaning against the golden bars of an ornate gilded cage. It dangles over the fiery pit of Final Judgment, just beyond the edge of the stone landing.

He rushes towards the window-like portal but flames rise up at its edge, blocking his path. "Zelena!"

Her eyes flutter open, and Hades' stomach drops. The haunted look he saw after she ended her time spell has returned with a vengeance. She smiles and mouths his name before a fit of coughing overtakes her.

He whirls to his brother, enraged. "What did you do to her?"

"Me? Nothing. She did that to herself. I just made it so that when she dies, she doesn't have to wait for her Judgment." Zeus tilts his head, attention focused on the portal. "Do you think she's repented enough to make it to the Fields? I'm not quite sure… really, all she's done is save you, and that's no great win for anyone."

Hatred surges within him - until he realizes that's what Zeus wants. Hades needs to stop behaving like a mortal, and start thinking like a god. Gods aren't driven by emotions and they don't form attachments. They run on power and care only about their own selfish whims. If he is going to get Zelena out of there, he needs to play along with Zeus' game until he can figure out what the hell his brother really wants.

"This is a little dark for you, isn't it?" Hades chides. "Aren't you supposed to be the 'good' one? Now you're going to end her life over… what? Me? Should I be flattered? Please, do let me know – all those years locked in the Underworld really dulled my social skills."

Zeus' eyes narrow. "She has to pay for what she's done."

Hades scowls slightly, shaking his head from side to side. "Perhaps. But she sacrificed herself to save the man she loved. Repeatedly. If the price of that act is her knowing eternal peace in the Fields, well… I can live with that. It's not like I can't go there." Hades' nose crinkles as he quips, "In case you forgot, I am the God of Death."

"The Elysian Fields are barred to you."

Hades wanders casually towards the portal. "Well… they were barred to me, when my heart was stopped and I spent eons daydreaming about roasting yours over a spit. But, like I told you in Storybrooke, I'm different now."

"Are you certain?" Zeus lifts his chin analytically. "All I see is a weakened version of the same bitter, cowardly god."

Hades flinches but refuses to let it affect him. "You're grasping at straws and you know it. What do you really want? We both know it isn't to watch a mortal slowly waste away in a birdcage."

"Your power is returned to you. I cannot allow that."

"Why not? Afraid I'll overthrow you some day?" The light flicks on in Hades' mind, and his heart races with anticipation. That's it. Zeus is afraid he can take over Olympus – which can only mean that somehow, Hades has that ability.

It must be the Crystal. Somehow the Crystal pulsing within him can give him more power than Zeus. The realization sends a spike of energy through him, and Hades knows he's right.

"Your evil does not belong in this world. Nor any world."

Hades grins toothily. "Oh, dear brother. You have once again let the cat out of the bag. I am destined to rule Olympus, and I will do so with her at my side."

Zeus barks out a laugh. "You're delusional. That little sliver of power keeping your heart in check can't possibly surpass mine. Besides, I do think you've forgotten something. Your True Love isn't the only one responsible for your return." He gestures over Hades' right shoulder, and a fresh blast of dank air courses over him.

It is another window into the Underworld, but this time, it reveals a birds-eye view of the River of Souls. An irate Henry is pacing nervously inside a twin to Zelena's golden cage, the bottom hovering only a few yards from the iridescent viridian water. The doomed souls within it are circling below, their skeletal hands stretching upwards.

Oh holy hell. "Henry!" Hades hollers. "Don't move. Stand in the center and don't move."

The teen looks up in surprise. "Hades! Wow! Is it really you?"

"Yeah kid, it's me. Try not to move, okay?"

Henry takes a step backward, his voice hesitant. "You didn't do this to me, did you? I was with my moms one second and then 'poof', I was here."

"No kid – Gods, I would never… " Hades' temper flares as he shifts to Zeus. "What kind of game is this? You'd never directly harm an innocent."

Zeus snaps his fingers and Henry yelps as his prison drops two feet closer to the water. "Oh? Wanna bet?"

"Henry! Don't let them touch you! Dammit, Zeus - what do you want? Whatever it is - you can have it. Just let them go."

"I want payment. Plain and simple. Since you're family, I'll give you a discount. You get to keep one of them. Your choice."

Hades studies the two portals. Henry's eyes are wide with fear as the bony claws of the undead are raking the bottom of his cage, their nails scraping the soft metal. Zelena is curled in the corner of her cage, her breathing shallow and faint, eyes clamped shut from either fear or pain.

Hades knows the minute he makes a move towards one, Zeus is going to destroy the other. He can't risk saving either of them, and neither will last much longer.

He faces his brother. "Take me."

Zeus scoffs. "You're joking."

"I'm not. I'll prove it." Hades calls forth his power and summons the Fates. They appear at the base of the stadium in their true form, clustered together around a clear, glowing orb.

"Oh!" Clothos cries happily, morphing from haggish to heavenly in a split second as she claps her hands together. "Look Attie! It's Hades!"

Atropos and Lachesis follow suit in their transformations, the former tucking the orb into her robes. Lachesis leers toothily, sending him a bawdy wink. "Looking good, handsome."

Atropos says nothing, and for the first time since Zelena restored him, Hades senses that something might be wrong. He raises a brow in question, but she avoids his gaze.

Hades isn't about to let a moody Fate deter him. They'll do ask he asks, because he is the God of Death.

"Just give the word, brother," he tells Zeus, "and I'll have them cut my thread of life."

Zeus throws back his head and laughs as Clotho replies, "Um…"

"We cannot do that," Atropos says firmly. "You are no longer the God of Death, and no god holds the power to control Fate."

Hades' heart sinks when Atropos' eyes meet his. There is sadness there, and now he understands why. He glances at the two portals. Henry is shaking his cage, trying to dislodge a wraith's hand hooked over the edge. The movement is calling more attention to himself and causing more undead souls to swim towards him. Zelena is now prone on her cage's metal floor, white hair spilling around her. Hades is out of time.

He unsheathes his sword. "Well, if you ladies won't kill me, then I guess I'll have to do it the hard way." He knows it's sheer suicide to challenge his brother, but he's done playing Zeus' games. It's time to force the issue. With a roar he ignites his power, channeling it through the sword, igniting the blade in blue fire as he charges his brother. Zeus' shocked expression lasts one millisecond before he evaporates in a crackle of gold-white flames. Hades' sword clangs against the golden throne, the pure tone reverberating throughout the hall.

"Come on out Zeus," Hades sneers, circling behind the throne. "You know you've wanted to kill me for eons. Well, here's your chance." He stands on the far side of the throne, and leans against it. "Let's be quick about it though. I'd like to hit the Fields before dinnertime. I hear it's taco night."

There is no response and Hades traces a finger over the jeweled armrest. He dreamed of one day sitting in this, ruling over Olympus. But now, seeing it up close, he's not entirely sure why. It seems garish and honestly, rather uncomfortable. His eyes scan the detailed carvings along the side, and he's surprised to see a rectangular section at the bottom depicting the Olympian Crystal.

He taps the image lightly with the toe of his shoe. "I'll bet you wish this still existed, don't you brother?" He jumps as something bumps into the bottom of his leg. He looks down and his jaw drops in amazement. The bottom rectangle of the throne is a drawer, one that opened at his touch. Within it, on a soft bed of red silk, lies a duplicate of the Olympian Crystal. The sliver of the old Crystal twinges painfully in his chest, and Hades is stunned as the one at his feet starts to glow and pulse in perfect synchronicity with his heartbeat.

He can't help himself. He sheaths his sword quickly and picks it up. The cool, deep power flows through him like an ocean wind, igniting the flames on his head. Oh yeah. That's more like it.

It's a whole new ballgame now. Hades points the Crystal at Zelena, and she appears on the floor before the throne. He directs it again at Henry, and the boy is transported next to her, grunting as he lands.

"Hang in there, kid," Hades tells him, swiping the Crystal across the room to close both portals.

Henry gapes at him. "Is that the Olympian Crystal?"

"I'll explain later. We have to help Zelena."

The teen finally notices his aunt and hovers behind her as Hades kneels on the scratchy floor. "What happened to her?"

"Nothing good. But don't worry - she'll be fine in a minute." He glides the Crystal over her body slowly, white magic cascading down as he sends healing energy into her. The image in his mind is in sharp focus, and he thrills as Zelena's aged appearance reverses and her white hair returns to crimson once again.

Hades' heart soars, and the Crystal shines to an almost blinding light. This is what he wants. To have the power to heal her, to help her – to give her everything she could ever wish for. Her gaze meets his, and Hades smiles as he watches the last remnants of darkness fade from her soul.

"Hades?"

He traces her face with his fingertips. "Zelena… thank the Gods."

Her eyes widen at the sight of the glowing Crystal and she scrambles backward, fear prevalent. Henry yelps, awkwardly sidestepping to get out of her way. "Where did you get that?"

"It's okay. I healed you with it. See?" He flicks his wrist and a silver mirror appears. He offers it to her, and her fingers fly to her cheeks when she sees her reflection.

"Oh, Hades…"

He winks at her, grinning slyly as he helps her to her feet. "You can thank me later. Right now, I'm taking you and Henry back to Storybrooke."

A slow clapping echoes through the hall, originating from the shadows high up in the stands. "Bravo!" Zeus proclaims. "Such heroism. Well done." His voice drops to a harsh whisper. "But we both know you can't always be at their sides. Eventually, I will take what I am owed."

Hades growls in frustration. This is the problem with gods. They are so damned difficult to get rid of.

"The game has changed," Hades says, holding the Crystal aloft. Its power flows through him easily now, responding instantaneously to his will. "You sure you still want to play? The odds are not in your favor."

Zeus' low chortle fills the room. "Brother, the game hasn't even started."

There is a flash of gold-white light beside him and both Zelena and Henry disappear within it. They reappear atop a high platform that is sliding out from the seating on the far side of the Hall. Zelena and Henry cling to one another for balance as it glides to a stop. Below them an inky black portal appears. Hades' gut quails with the memory – it's been a long time since he's seen the depths of Tartarus.

His brother reappears a few feet beside the dark vortex, and makes a point of peering down into it. "I figure this is fitting. You sent our father there, so I'll send your loved ones there. That'll make us about even, don't you think?" He gestures upwards and the platform starts to click, inching its way back into the stadium wall. "Oh wait, mortals don't do so well in Tartarus, though… do they?"

Hades rolls his eyes. "What is this? Amateur hour?"

He points the Crystal at the portal, sealing it shut. He then raises it and pulls Zelena and Henry to his side in a burst of blue and white flames. Both stumble when they appear, as the multiple teleportations within such a short period of time are starting to take their toll.

They can't be used as pawns in this game. It's time for Hades to take the offensive. He circles the Crystal in front of him and creates a thick protection spell around Henry and Zelena, effectively sealing them within a dome. He'd like to see Zeus try to break through that. He then draws on the Crystal's power, consuming it, bending it to his whim. If it is a battle of the gods that Zeus wants, it is a battle of the gods he will get.

Hades drops his head and stretches his arms outwards, letting the power flow through him, strengthening him - coating him in the darkness of death that is his to control. His flames surround him, evaporating the Armani and replacing it with a thick dark suit sewn from the souls of the damned. It glimmers with an unholy light as it spreads down his arms and legs, expertly tailored, lines crisp and precise. The trailing cape that accompanies it slides down his back to the floor, barely grazing it. The Italian leather of his shoes is replaced with demon hide, the thick soles formed from the darkest ash of the depths of Hell itself.

It's been a long time since he's worn these clothes, and he's forgotten how their power amplifies his own. All that's missing now is his bident, and in a burst of creativity he draws his sword from its scabbard. It glints darkly as Hades hovers it before him. He releases the Crystal - aligning the two within the depths of the flames, merging them into one. The blade absorbs the Crystal and deepens to black, growing and stretching, the point forking in two as it extends upward. The silver hilt disappears into obsidian as it elongates, forming the solid base of the bident. The entire staff flashes in finality and Hades takes it in hand. The hellish energy flowing through it is like nothing he's ever felt. He hammers it against the white onyx floor and a ring of blue-white fire radiates out around him. Reveling in his return to his true god-like state, Hades lifts his head, now permanently alight with blue flames, and stares outward towards the coliseum.

His senses are heightened; he can see the gods in the shadows. Apollo, Ares, Hephaestus and Dionysus, the goddesses Athena, Aphrodite, even Hera – they are all watching him. He cannot read their tight expressions, nor comprehend their mutterings – but he does not care to do so. They were always haughty and arrogant, and their opinion matters naught to him now.

The Fates, however, are studying him intently. A muted white glow is coming from each of their robes – whether it's an after-effect of his magic or something to protect them, Hades is unsure. He dismisses them – his fate is his own.

Whom he does not see is Zeus, and that chafes his ire. It is time to end this. The energy of the Crystal is thriving within him, a never-ending feedback loop that keeps increasing his power exponentially. He is giddy with it, and itching to use it on the one person that made his life hell for centuries.

A loud gasp from behind him draws his attention. Zelena and Henry are crowded near the far side of the domed protection spell, gaping at him. The front half is cracked and blackened, and Hades dimly realizes his power did that. He flicks a finger and repairs it, a ripple coursing over the top as it solidifies. There. Now he can battle Zeus and not worry about damaging Zelena and Henry.

The teen's voice is muffled through the spell. "Hades?"

He turns, slightly irritated. "Yes?"

Henry's eyes widen in fright as he steps backwards. Hades frowns. Mortals are such weak-willed things. "Did you want something?"

"I… uh…"

Zelena moves and stands next to the boy. She murmurs softly, but Hades can hear her words: "Get behind me."

"Well that's uncalled for. I'm not going to hurt him."

Zelena's back stiffens as she drills her eyes into his. He stares through her, annoyed that she'd think he'd hurt the boy, and her defiant look recedes, the icy blue melting into watery submission. She shifts her gaze to the floor and Hades grins, pleased that she acknowledged her mistake.

He taps his bident on the floor, creating another circle of chilling fire. "Zeus," he calls, "time to come out and play."

"Hades," his brother replies solemnly, the cocky sarcasm curiously absent. "You have gone too far." Zeus is standing before his throne in robes of pure gold, a subtle glow pulsing through the shimmering fabric. The fluttering cape flowing from his shoulders is of the purest white - rippling with the waves of power cascading off him. He wields a jagged spear that arcs with lighting in his hand. The platinum wreath of leaves, the symbol of the King of Gods, rests lightly atop his head, his sandy hair covering it along the sides.

"Oh no, dear brother. It is you that went too far. It was you that stopped my heart and dumped me in the Underworld, a half-dead shell. It was your ridiculous counter-spell that left me trapped there for centuries. Let's not forget your latest claim, re-engineering my entire existence to fit your whims. And when my fate didn't suit your fancy, you brought me and those I love here to Olympus to play in your twisted games." Hades stalks slowly towards the throne, and Zeus steps down off the platform to meet him, eyes blazing. "I must say," Hades grins, "it is going to give me great pleasure to finally finish you."

Hades lowers the bident and sends his power forth. Zeus blocks it deftly with his own weapon and the collision of the two forces sends sparks flying all around them. Hades ducks to avoid them and takes aim at Zeus again, hatred and vengeance amplifying his power.

Zeus parries the blast and it hits one of the massive picture windows, fracturing it into tiny mosaics before it disintegrates into dust. "Ooh," Hades cries. "That was pretty. I wonder if it'll be that pretty when it hits you." He sends another surge towards his brother and Zeus deflects it neatly, the energy whizzing off to the side to rip a hole through a section of the coliseum seating.

Hades hears the gasps and mutterings of the other gods, distressed by the proximity of the blast. "Quiet in the peanut gallery!" he hollers. "If you can't take the heat, stay the hell out of the kitchen."

An idea flits through his brain, and he teleports into the stadium, disappearing into the shadows. "I have another game for us to play, brother. Let's call it my version of Assassin's Creed."

Zeus scans the stadium, searching for him. Hades winks out into invisibility and chuckles low in his throat. His laughter echoes, just as his brother's did, and that spurs him on even more. He points and fires, just missing Zeus by three feet to the right.

"Damn," he scoffs loudly. "The sights must be off on this thing." He teleports to the other side of the stadium and launches another blast, his brother sidestepping to avoid it as it nearly hits him from behind. "Ah… that's better." Hades continues his game, his throaty chuckle reverberating throughout the Hall as he attacks his brother again and again.

"Hades, you cannot defeat me," Zeus booms, voice amplified to drown out the laugher. "Don't make me destroy you."

Hades teleports to the throne, still invisible, and settles himself within it. He reappears, twirling the bident before taking aim. Zeus whirls around and leaps to the side, barely avoiding the jagged blast as it crashes into the far wall. A section of his glorious white cape is burning, and Hades laughs as Zeus spins around to extinguish it. "It's too late for that, brother – already been destroyed." He waves the bident towards Zelena. "I have the little redhead over there to thank for that…" His words trail off as his eyes meet hers.

Zelena is standing in the center of the protective dome glaring daggers at him, tears streaming down her face. Henry is beside her, his face etched in horror and disgust. Hades flicks his wrist and teleports inside the dome to stand before them, both jumping in fright when he arrives.

"What is wrong with the two of you? Can't you see I'm trying to protect you?"

Zelena's blue eyes darken as she stands in front of Henry. Again. "Are you?"

"Of course I am! If I don't destroy him, he'll haunt us forever!"

"Just like you needed to destroy the heroes when we returned to Storybrooke, right?"

"Exactly!"

Zelena's lips part, fresh tears pooling on her lashes. Hades doesn't have time for another one of her emotional tirades. Why can't she understand? Zeus is a god. He can find them anywhere. He has done nothing but torment Hades for centuries. He needs to be destroyed, and finally Hades has the ability to do so. Zelena should be delighted, not distressed. With Zeus gone, Hades can give them everything they'd ever want.

Henry steps out from behind his aunt. "You mean destroy my family," he says, voice wavering. "The people you call 'heroes', the people you wanted to destroy, are my family."

Hades doesn't have the patience for a trip down memory lane. Besides, he can see Zeus out of the corner of his eye, circling the dome. "Yes Henry, I'm well aware they're your family. I didn't destroy them, remember?"

"You killed Robin."

Hades' brows furrow. "That was his fault. He got in the way."

"He was protecting my mother! You were going to kill her!"

"Fine, fine. Yes, I was going to kill her. My bad." He points the bident at Zelena. "Thanks to her, I didn't. Are we done now?"

The teen's eyes darken to a cold jade. "What's happened to you?" He turns to Zelena. "Why is he like this?"

Zelena doesn't answer. She just shakes her head, eyes downcast. Standing directly behind her, slightly distorted through the protection spell, is Zeus. Hades waves his hand and the image clears, revealing the white-hot eyes of his brother as they bore into him. Zeus is stalwart and regal, the perfect image of the King of Gods defending his kingdom.

Well, Hades can fix that. His vision narrows as he tilts the bident forward, aiming it towards Zeus. Zelena instantly yanks Henry to her side as she darts sideways, but the teen squirms within her grasp, twisting free. "No! He won't hurt me. Something's wrong with him, can't you see?"

Her blue eyes are sapphire, her voice laden with grief. "This is who he is now."

"No, this isn't him."

"Henry, he's a god."

Henry's words swell with emotion. "Yes, but he's a hero, too!" His voice cracks. "He is my friend."

Hades isn't paying much attention to the boy's melodrama. Zeus is his quarry, and he has his eyes on the prize. The bident is humming in his hand, poised to strike. His fingers twitch restlessly. Your move, brother.

Hades is so focused on Zeus that he barely hears Zelena's reply.

"Not anymore."

The words are slow to sink in, but when they do, Hades' patience snaps. He breaks his stalemate with his brother and charges towards the two of them. He's had enough of their debates on his character. "There is nothing wrong with me!" he yells down at them, pounding the bident against the floor. Zelena cringes as she pulls the boy closer. "What in Hell is wrong with you? I am protecting you from him!"

He glares at Zeus, aiming the bident directly at him. Zeus meets his gaze and raises one brow in question before darting his eyes down to Zelena and Henry. When they return, the depths of cold blue are shimmering with a dark inner light.

Hades glances down, expecting the worst - but nothing has changed. Zelena is still cradling Henry, tears are still drying on her cheeks, and they are still cowering in fear at his feet.

No. He steps back, slowly, lowering the bident until the twin prongs point to the floor, away from them, away from Zeus. His brother nods and touches a finger the protection spell, evaporating it with ease. The jarring truth finally crashes into Hades like thunder.

"It was a test," he murmurs, his rage tempering into waves of regret. He should have known. The signs were there. Zeus was testing him – testing his claims of redemption and change. It was a test that Hades just failed. Zeus hasn't been hovering outside the dome to attack Zelena and Henry; he was there in case he needed to protect them. From him.

His brother approaches slowly, eyes on Zelena and Henry. "To some degree, yes."

No. I am not the villain. I am not that man any longer. Zelena lifts her head, and Hades sees the fright and anguish - something he completely missed before. "Zelena… I… I'm sorry." He knows it's not enough, and she confirms it when she rips her gaze from his with a sob.

Henry shifts to comfort her, taking her into his shoulder. His look of hatred from that morning in the library apartment has returned with a vengeance. "Stay away from us," he growls; his tone an eerie echo of his mother's.

"Henry… I didn't…"

"Yes, you did. You told me once that life is about choices." He nods towards the bident in Hades' hand. "You chose power. And revenge. You didn't even think about it." His head drops. "I was wrong about you."

"No, Henry. I've changed. You've changed me."

"You are the same." He makes a point of scanning him from head to toe before focusing on the bident again. "You are a monster."

Hades' eyes shift to the bident, blinking in horror at the clawed hand clamped around it. There is a sickly grey tinge to his skin and his fingernails are now sharp and savage. He drops the weapon, grasping his wrist with his other taloned paw as he steps backward.

"I'm not. This isn't… who I am…"

It's the Crystal. Its power did this to him. It happened before on that day in Regina's office, and it is happening again now. Somehow the Crystal's power blinds him, dulls his emotions. With a gasp he realizes he is not controlling it - it is controlling him. A shudder of revulsion burns through him as he pictures the tiny sliver embedded deep in his heart. It is a poison – hell, his whole body has turned toxic from it.

Insight shines through the haze of hate, of evil. He knows what he has to do.

Hades shifts his head towards Atropos in question, and her eyes sparkle with the affirmative. Dread fills him as he finally comprehends his destiny. There is no other option. The Fates said he had to determine what was him, and what was not. The Crystal is not a part of him. It merely turns him into a demon – one who kills without thought, one who cannot see or feel anything but power and vindictiveness.

Hades looks over at Henry. "You're right, kid. Life is about choices. Thank you for reminding me."

He reaches for the bident, feeling its power return as he lifts it. It is coarse, raw and unfeeling. Just like he was. Wordlessly he heads towards the Fates.

"Hades," Zeus murmurs, following him. "I am sorry."

"Me too. See them home safely, will you?"

"I will."

"And… watch over them. Make sure they are okay."

"As you wish."

Hades calls forth the cold power and hovers the bident in front of him. It takes more effort than he expected, but he separates the Crystal from the sword. Gods, he's going to miss that sword. He lets it fall gently to the ground as he grasps the gleaming handle of the Crystal. This isn't going to be pretty.

His brother places a hand on his shoulder. "Perhaps there is another way."

Hades shakes his head. "No. It's time I paid for my sins." He gestures to Atropos. "Make it quick," he tells her. The brunette nods and motions to Lachesis. She spreads her arms wide and Hades' thread of life rises from her side and starts to hover and swirl in the air above her.

All three Fates' eyes open wide as saucers, each glowing with an inner white light. Their hair starts to circle upwards around them - not in elegant waves, but frightful spikes that jettison outward in all directions. All three are chanting under their breath and Hades knows it won't be long before they reach the trailing blue-and-white thread that is his life now.

There are murmurs and whispers from the stadium around him, and Hades remembers the other gods. He chuckles lowly in his throat. They are in for quite a show.

Hades waves the Crystal in front of him, removing his wardrobe of death and replacing it with the Armani he loves. He rolls his shoulders and forces the clinging grip of corruption from his skin, returning his complexion to pink and his nails to normal. He squints and they are instantly trimmed and buffed. There. That's who he is.

Hades hands the Crystal back to his brother. "It was never mine to wield. I am sorry I thought it was." Zeus nods and in a flash of gold-and-white it is gone, its disappearance jolting the sliver deep in his heart.

Zelena and Henry have approached, whether at Zeus' request or of their own free will is unknown. Hades faces them. "I never meant to hurt either of you. Please - try to remember me this way. Not as… what you saw."

Zelena's eyes are red-rimmed but pale. Confused. He holds his fist against his chest, waiting for a sign from the Fates. Comprehension dawns as her hands cover her lips.

"Hades, don't."

"I can't have it in me, Zelena. You saw what happened."

"With the whole Crystal!" She points to his chest. "That's different. It's just a sliver. Tiny."

"It's the same. In time, it'll affect me the same way." His voice cracks with remorse. "I won't put you, or anyone else, in danger again."

Henry's brows are furrowed as he desperately tries to follow. "He's got a piece of the Crystal in him?"

"Yes," Zelena replies softly. "In his heart. It's what's keeping him alive."

"What?" The teen's head darts from Hades to the Fates and back. Green eyes bore into his as comprehension dawns. "Removing it is going to kill you, isn't it?"

"If I'm lucky," Hades says, sorrow ruining his snarky reply. He looks away, unable to face the boy any longer. He knew it, that day in the apartment. He was never meant to be a part of Henry's destiny. But oh, how he wishes he were.

"You're willing to die," Henry states, "for us."

Hades' body jerks forward painfully before he gets a chance to reply. Dammit, this is going to hurt. The chanting from the Fates is reverberating in his mind, incomprehensible words that he knows are finalizing his life. He looks behind him and the three women are now hovering above the onyx floor, gowns alight with that muted glow, hair ramrod straight and encircling each of their pale faces.

The brunette's head swivels, milky eyes piercing, and Hades nods. It's time.

He speaks to Zelena first, her eyes bright with tears. "I love you. Despite all that's happened between us, I never stopped loving you. I... you deserve happiness. Please - don't give up on finding your happy ending." Her lips tremble and Hades looks away, biting back his own emotions when he hears her whimper into her palms. He faces Henry. "You made me your friend, and I can never repay you for that. I never had a friend before. But this is my fate, and it's high time I accepted it."

He turns his back to them, unwilling to let them see his fear, his shame. His fist is shaking when he taps against his chest, but he uses ever ounce of power he has to pry the sliver of the Crystal out of his heart. He releases it and it hovers in front of him, dripping, before falling to the floor. Hades follows it seconds later, buckled over and gasping in pain.

He lifts his head to the Fates, his vision dimming rapidly, his heart racing under wet, clammy palms as the wound bleeds through his beautiful suit. The blue-and-white thread is flickering dimly, its end dangling down between Lachesis and Atropos. He is curled on his side, eyes glued to his thread of life as its glow sputters and fades to grey. Blades of scissors appear, and Hades feels his heart clench as the golden edges slice through the fine string. He squeezes his eyes shut, trying to force himself to believe that his soul won't cease to exist. But belief is hard to come by when you finally realize who and what you are.

His last thought is of Zelena, her cry of anguish filling him with one last stabbing pang of regret as he slips into the inky dark of nothingness.