Chapter 32: Plans for an Uprising against Zeus.
As Mark wanted this place to become not just his personal forge, but also his lair, he had an idea. Curently his flamming castle had been placed in a separate space created by Runeas, but Mark had just found the perfect place. As large as his castle was, it was not nearly enough to fill up the entire Super Volcano Lava Chamber.
When Mark brought this up to Hephestus, the god found this to be a great idea. Mark's castle from what he described produced Demonic Power-fueled lava on its own and radiated a powerful heat.
The castle on its own was massive, nearly 3 miles wide(4 kilometers) and 5 miles tall(8 Kilometers). A truly massive structure that only a Devil like Runeas could have created with her powerful Demonic Power.
Once Mark got done explaining what the castle was like, the god accepted right away.
"Good, we have something to start with. We will use your castle as a base for the forge and other buildings we will need to build. For the moment, we can do this."
Divine power radiated from the Lord of the Forges as he held his palms underground. Massive cracks and craters formed in the ground of the chamber causing super-heated magma and mana to rise up faster.
It was still not very fast, but it was faster than before. Mark returned to his true gigantic dragon form, but even that was not enough to fill the chamber. Mark reared on his back legs and raised his arms high.
Hephestus moved out of the way as Mark smashed his arms down causing the rock under them to be to be destroyed. It was obliterated causing magma and mana to surge into the chamber. This was just what Hephaestus wanted to see.
"Good, bring in your castle. We will have to work on the runes and other safeties on the go, so we will be quite busy. But they sure look happy over there."
Mark looked over and saw how the creatures were bowing to him over and over. They were thankful for the bounty of plenty he had brought them. As creatures who fed on magma and the mana of the earth, they saw what Mark had done as him saving their race.
As soon as their elder sister returned from where Mark took her they would be happy. Mark nodded and closed his eyes. He warped the Separate Space that Runeas had made for his castle and brought it here into the Volcano.
The moment the giant orb appeared here, it settled down in the very center of the chamber, just enough for the both of them to work. Once it was here, Mark cracked open the separate space and freed his castle.
With pure mental power, he caused the giant flaming structure and the rivers and lakes of lava which Runeas had made. He lowered them into the rising magma and through mental will fused the structure into the center of the chamber.
Hephestus drew out his symbol of power, a smithing hammer which he used to strike the castle causing it to be flooded with his divine power. At the same time, Mark's Dragon Mana and Hephestus' Divine Energy worked together as one to complete the process of fusing Mark's home into the chamber, but this would just be the first step of many.
When Mark's castle and the rivers and lakes of lava fused into the terrain Hesphestys turned to Mark.
"Step one of many is done."
Mark nodded.
"Let's keep this up."
"Right."
---
Much like he loved to do, Mark set up a massive time Dilation Field that would let them work without a worry about time. Following the pattern of before, the stronger Mark got the better he could control the time flow.
Here, time flowed 60 times faster than the outside which was perfect as they wanted nothing but perfection for this place. Not only would it be the newest forge of Hephstus who would make weapons for Mark as his personal smith, for his allies, family, and friends, but it was also his lair.
The lair of a Dragon like Mark had to be perfect so they treated it with meticulous attention to detail. Mark called Runeas who instantly came to help. Not just that, but Grimnar, and the fully evolved Astrid, who now looked far stronger than before added to the work.
Celestine was also in the chamber, but she was not much help as she was quite weak for how young she was. It did not really matter, as everyone else worked for her. Astrid led her weaker kin in following the commands of her new Lord to smooth out the walls of the chamber while also encouraging her young kin to feed to grow stronger.
Once they finished this, Mark would superheat them in his powerful flames for Hephestus who forged the walls into powerful walls. After this, Runeas would carve runes, and magic circles into the walls with Mark's blood. The last step was just for him to turn them on which caused the energy of his blood and magic to course through the volcano.
As for the runes, they reinforced the walls, made them more magic resistant, and filtered the toxic smoke in the volcano while also making the place harder to detect. Once the walls were covered in such runes did they go into the next step?
They made the magma and mana flow faster into the special chambers that they built to fule, not just the castle, but also the forge they were making in a new chamber of the castle. One big enough for not just Mark's true dragon form, but for the magma that would fule the forge along his flames.
On another note, Astrid's kin had begun to grow in strength with her watchful eye over them. Mark nearly destroyed their kind, but in the end, he was giving them power now. The young felt thankful for their new lord while Astrid had pure loyalty toward her dragon lord.
When the forge was completed, they felt that for the moment the lair was good enough. The castle which was made of Runeas' Demonic Power was reinforced with Mark's Mana, and blood along with Hephestus' Divine Power.
Finally, they all gathered in front of the castle which now, truly looked like the lair of a Dragon Lord. Mark oversaw his giant home which was big enough for him to walk through some of its halls in his true form.
He grinned showing his massive fangs at the joy he felt from his lair being complete.
"It's perfect."
Grimnar roared to the sky like he was congratulation his master's home. Celestine the small dragon rested on his head looking like a lizard compared to her giant master. As for Astrid, the giant elemental bear stood at Mark's side.
"It's perfect my lord."
Her words had gotten smarter since she had evolved. Not just that as she was much bigger at 85 meters tall. Her own heat radiated in waves which made Runeas stay away from her and even Mark who was like a volcano on his own.
"You surely made the castle I made for fun your own, you even put it in a real volcano."
Mark nodded.
"Felt right for my lair."
She had no complaints to give as she had made it for him to do with as he liked. Besides, the inside of the castle was still the way she designed it, just refurbished. Hephestus sighed as he popped his shoulders.
"How long did we work on this?"
Mark had kept a perfect record of the time.
"Around 5 months. Though with my expert time manipulation only 2 days passed by outside."
Hephestus whistled.
"I could use one of those in my forges, think of all the stuff I could make if I did not need time. And I feel we will need this formation because if Zeus finds out about what we plan to make he will try to stop us at all chances."
Mark reverted to his human form as he looked at the god.
"You have no loyalty for him?"
Hephestus shook his head.
"None, not for him. That child does not deserve loyalty which he will spit on. Tell me, Mark, what do you honestly think of Zeus."
Mark thought about it.
"He needs to go. One way or another, I always planned to deal with him since I met him. I think the same for Poseidon, but I can see the guy is TRYING to change. It is probably too late for him after all his crimes, but I might as well give him a chance.
Though, Zeus deserves no such chance. Only a painful death is what he deserves."
Hephestus nodded.
"I agree. Once he is dead my mother will no longer need to be bound by her divinity as the goddess of marriage. Though, when will you go after him?"
Mark patted him on the shoulder.
"As soon as I gather the allies I feel would be good allies to have from the Olympians. Someone new will need to take over as King of the gods, but who?"
That last bit would need to be determined as they had to be someone Mark considered trustworthy. Or else they would just become the next Zeus as the gods were like that. As he thought that one name popped to mind.
"Hades."
Hearing that made Hephestus nervous.
"You want to put the Lord of the Underworld as the King of the Sky as well?"
Mark nodded.
"Hades is a schemer, but I respect him. As long as he becomes my ally, I won't care what schemes he does, but if he does betray my respect, I can always turn him into ashes as well. But, maybe some of the Titans that are not too bad could also work with me."
Runeas had her own thoughts on this.
"The Titans are trying to overthrow Zeus, if he is gone, will they just leave the other Olympians in peace? You are currently in possession of the Scythe of Kronus which they will want back. Will you just return it?"
Mark shook his head.
"Definitely not. It's mine now."
Hephaestus sat down on a rock.
"No, not all of them. Some of them are still free and they were allowed freedom. Though the ones punished into Tarturs would never work with the Olympians who imprisoned them."
Mark sighed as reorganizing a pantheon would be trouble, but worth it. Without Zeus, the world's women would be a much safer place, and while Mark was no good person Zeus was a menace.
Mark then had an idea.
"Wait, I am a Heavenly Dragon, the strongest the second strongest rank of Dragon Kind. I could gather an army of my kin, with promises of both protection from those who hunt them, and treasure from Zeus' vault."
Hephestus grinned.
"Good choice and I can make them all armor. I am getting so excited"
For now, they cut their conversation. Mark waved his hand and removed the Bounded Field he had made around the Volcano letting time flow normally once more. Once this was done, Hephestus felt his heart beat faster as he got excited at the idea of the weapons, armor, and gears he was going to make.
He did not even care that they would go to overthrow Zeus, as no one liked Zeus. He would not have built that Golden Net for Athena, Hera, and Poseidon if he had loyalty to Zeus.
"When can we start sir?"
Hephestus had picked his new loyalty, Mark. A dragon-like Mark was bound to get much, much stronger, and being the personal blacksmith of such a being was an honorable thing.
Mark thought about it as they would need to gather, Ares, Athena, Phobos, Demios, and Hestia as despite what she said, Mark would make her something. He would have to talk to them for them to gather the gods they felt were trustworthy to join in Mark's uprising against Zeus.
While he could just rush in and kill Zeus, that would cause unneeded trouble. Better to make it a clean battle where only Zeus and those who supported him died.
"Soon, for now, Runeas. I think it is time you received your gift?"
She perked up.
"What is it?"
Mark walked toward her and bit his tongue hard. From his mouth came out a burning drop of blood which floated toward her.
"Take my bloodline."
Runeas looked at the blood that floated in front of her. She sighed as she thought it was going to be a ring or a necklace, but this was ok.
"Thank you, Mark."
She opened her mouth and drank Mark's blood which instantly reacted with her Devil bloodline. She felt the power of Mark's blood which caused her to pass out as her very being was changing.
Mark caught her in his hands as he helped her through the process.
"We will take our leave, Astrid, want to come?"
She shook her head.
"No, my kin need me. I stay and protect them."
Mark accepted that.
"Alright."
Hesphestus prepared to leave as well.
"I will gather my supplies. We will need to test the forge out and make some new tools. The stronger and better the materials and tools the better."
"Good idea."
With that done, Mark and Hephestus teleported away. Grimnar and Celestine were taken with him while the giant volcano bear like golem Astrid remained behind to guard her Lord's realm.
(There can be no coexistence with Zeus. Only war with him.)
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