There was silence, blessed silence. Painful, agonizing silence. The silence that threatened to drown you in its sweet, welcoming embrace. Rex started folding inwardly, his mind racing back along memories stained with regret. He closed his eyes and tried breathing deeply. In, out. Focus on the breathing. It was a technique his therapist had told him to use. Breathe in, breathe out.

Hercules broke the silence, but for once it wasn’t with clarion shouts or booming laughter. At least not as first. The jubilance and zeal came on quickly though and Rex sluggishly tried to follow along, distracted as he was. Too much, just too much, and what on Earth was the man talking about?

Rex rubbed his face again and stared up at the other man. At the man who was flipping from fired up to crying in the span of moments. Rex’s face was blank as he tried to process it all. Master? Child? Injured parents? Totems? He didn’t understand what Hercules was saying so he focused on the only parts that made sense.

Hercules said he disliked the Welldrinkers and was implying some kind of reckoning, and he said it all with such emotion!

Rex didn’t know how to react. His face remained a blank canvas. What did one say in times like this? Assuming any of it was true, even, and not just part of Hercules’s image-marketing or whatever. So he didn’t address the emotions. “I cannot tell you where they meet,” Rex finally said. “I have told them I washed my hands of them. But I will not invoke retribution from them for spreading their secrets. They have already shown me they know how to find me and I did not enjoy the method they used.”

His face darkened as yet more memories emerged. A burning shop, the pain of the sword slashing across his back. No, he would do nothing to attract them again.

Hercules stared for a moment the tears starting to dry up, when he cried it wasn’t for very long. His emotions could change quickly and they often did. So when the tears stopped he did what he normally did and let them air dry. No need to wipe the tears from his face not now at least. ”........ Very well.” he said knowing he could force the information out of him.

Even with his fire magic Hercules could close the distance quickly, intimidate and threaten. Or.... no... he would have to discuss that with his current master first. That was a decision he’d most likely want to be apart of. Though it would lighten the burden a bit for his master.

”You’re conviction! It’s truly inspiring!” he said folding his arms ignoring the groan from behind them. It seemed Brazen was either trying to ignore the conversation of fight his way free. Either way Hercules didn’t pay much attention. ”While it would make things far easier on me to know where they meet I also know at the moment I’m in no shape for it. My master grows weaker by the moment.” he said looking at his nearly healed hand.

”So they attacked you before.... I understand. There will not be a second time. For I am in your debt! Let it be known Rex of the Inferno! You have made a friend of a god today! You’re courage and eagerness to help me best these villains puts me in your debt. Never stop doing what’s right!” Hercules walked over and offered the man his newly healed hand in a handshake.

”If there was a way I discovered their location.... could I count on your support if I need it?” the giant asked wondering what depths Rex of the Inferno’s strength. ”I can promise you they won’t harm you again.” he said confidently.

Rex stared at the man for quite some time, searching the man’s face and trying to ignore the shifting tattoos and the healing burn tissue. A slight frown and inquisitive gaze were all he displayed before he finally spoke. “You must be crazy,” he said with very little inflection. It was the only conclusion Rex could draw.

Hercules seemed to legitimately think he was a god and that was...problematic...on so many levels. It seemed to go beyond just self-marketing and seemed a byproduct of...delusion. Somehow that was tied into having a master? What was the story behind that? Was Hercules the victim of someone taking advantage of a mentally-ill person? It didn’t all quite line up for Rex and it made his frown deepen. What was going on with this man?

And he seemed to want to take down the Welldrinkers! Rex hadn’t stuck around when the other initiates had stained their souls with magic, but after seeing what Raijin could and would do, Rex’s head began shaking. “No. No no, no. They’ll destroy you,” he said calmly. They were willing to commit mass murder and arson just to discredit a single mutant. What would they do to someone trying to bring them down?

Rex looked back at the beaten Brazen, still contained by the metal shackles Hercules had made. He’d seen some of what Hercules could do. He stood by his assessment. He returned his gaze to Hercules. “I can’t be a part of that. I….I have a family.” Somewhere out there. “No, you should just go to the police.” Rex started backing away. Oh God, this was getting too messy. There was a lot to take in from this night and oh he was going to have so much to discuss with his therapist. And his priest. “Just...no.”

The god of willpower grinned when he was asked if he was crazy, he was neither his half brother Dionysus or one of his followers. You want to see crazy? Try partying with a wine god. One of the few drinking matches Hercules lost to. He didn’t like to bring it up. ”Far from it, quite sane actually.” he added a flex to show off what he meant. How could he be crazy?

”Oh? You’ve seen me in action and you still doubt my power!?!” Hercules flexed some more and slammed his fists together activating his pull on power. It was foolish on his part but he wasn’t really thinking about it after Rex of the Inferno questioned his abilities after seeing first hand what he could do. What a time to be alive, mortal after mortal questioning him? He shook his head and scoffed as his tattoo’s flickered a few times with light before Hercules decided he didn’t have enough power. Or rather William didn’t have enough power. His poor master! He almost forgot to stop drawing power!

His lights died down.

”All the more reason to help! Show them who you are! You are Rex of the Inferno! Protector of the innocent! A master of mysticism!” Hercules boasted. The demi-god was still a little upset his power was being doubted. Hercules shook his head having watched several dirty cop movies recently. Unfortunately most of his knowledge of came from movies and television shows. ”We don’t yet know how deep the well is, my master doesn’t trust a lot of adults! Thus we are alone! Well other than you now Rex of the Inferno!” he said confidently.

”Do you still really doubt my abilities as a god?” he asked curiously? Looking around for a piece of junk on the ground. His master would be upset with him if he saw him in his state searching for any old item. Ideally one that was easy to carry.

Rex flinched involuntarily as the false god suddenly smashed his hands together, but he didn’t miss the sputtering lightshow. He steeled himself again and stared straight into Hercules’s eyes. “Yes,” he said. “I have seen their power as well. You could not handle them all.”

Yes, Hercules was still standing despite all the attacks he’d withstood that night, but Rex remembered the poison. He’d see bullets finally penetrate the man’s flesh. There had been blood. His invulnerability was fleeting - one look at the healing hand showed that. Rex suspected that the glowing tattoos were somehow connected as well. Not as many of them had been lit up anymore.

As the tattoos darkened, so did Rex’s face. He stepped back sharply as the man accused him of mysticism. His lips pressed together as he fought to hold back the bile it began brewing in him. “No,” he repeated himself. “I’m no protector, just as you are no god. You’re powerful, yes, but there’s only one god and my soul is in enough jeopardy with him as is.”

His fingers curled into fists and he wanted to strike something in frustration. He wanted release. He wasn’t angry at Hercules - he was angry at himself. He turned away. “You’ve done this before? You can handle the police?” he said, putting more distance between him and….the whole situation. He wanted to leave, to run, to hide, to get to the church. He was going to need so much repentance after this. He needed a long, hot shower and he needed this to be over.

The demi-god stopped searching as Rex of the Inferno doubted his abilities again. He only had one master... of course his power was limited however with ‘club’ and his newest ally Hercules had the utmost confidence in himself. That was all the god needed. At least that was how he felt. ”You insult me yet again!” Hercules laughed trying to shrug off the insult, Rex of the Inferno didn’t know what he had done in his lives to have such confidence.

”I have fought armies, legions and hordes. Natural disasters, and assassins. Creatures that haven’t existed in this world for centuries. I’ve even held my own with titans. What can a group of mortals do to one such as I?! Maybe give me the challenge befitting one as great as I? I have seen the oceans rise and fall and mountains fall. I’ve guided and protected countless lives.” he said now over compensating for the fact that his abilities were being doubted. If he had more masters and more to draw from... ”You might not believe me. That is fine.”

Hercules found a penny in his pocket. One he was planning on giving his master who he noticed had a penny collection. This penny was minted in 1971. With this penny his master would have a penny from every year of the decade. ”You lack confidence in yourself. You might not believe you are a protector but it is difficult to deceive one such as I.” Hercules said chastising his new ally.

”and no, I am not your god. I’m a god. You may pray and believe in whoever you wish. I am not the type of god who demands worship. I’m a god that protects those who need it and guides those who need it. That is my purpose. My curse ” he said never meeting the god Rex of the Inferno was talking about. Hercules knew what he was, he didn’t need anyone else to believe him.

”Tell me Rex of the Inferno! Why did you come to my aid today!?! Why did you join me here!?!” he asked holding the penny from 1971 in his now healed hand. His fist clenched around it as a few of the sigils on his forearms lit up.

A hollow feeling began to grow inside of Rex as Hercules kept engaging him and telling him of his exploits. Insanity. Delusion. Near-blasphemy. Rex didn’t believe most of what the man said, but he could feel his conviction, and that was terrifying. This was a man full of faith in himself and with abilities to back it up. Just like the other mutants who thought themselves to be gods.

Rex started shaking his head involuntarily, a motion that only increased as Hercules began to accuse him of lying. No, Rex wasn’t a hero. Not anymore. He was a shell of that former man. What he wasn’t, however, was a man who was going to stand here and listen to a false god telling him off and attempting to coerce him into some kind of ill-fated vigilante justice!

His face darkened further and finally turned back to Hercules. “I don’t know why I’m here. I wish I had just gone home.” It was truth. It was lie. It felt right, but also wrong. The hollowness gnawed at him and Rex suddenly felt adrift and unmoored. His hands were startings to shake so Rex stuffed them in his pockets.

“Make sure the police get everyone,” he said, his face closing up again and turning his back to the man once more. Then Rex stiffly walked away, back into the hallway they’d fought through, back out into the street. He carefully picked up a feather, but then he started to make his way home.

He was done with this.

The penny minted in ‘71 felt heavy in his hand, a piece of his soul now tethered to it. It was mighty weight one that he’d get back upon his death or that of his masters. Hercules frowned at the lack of confidence Rex of the Inferno had. It seemed he wasn’t happy with who he was. The demi-god clenched his jaw and his eyes watered as he started to feel what Rex of the Inferno felt. He pitied his new ally.

There was more he wanted to say but it seemed Rex of the Inferno was done here, looking for an excuse to leave. Hercules decided to give it to him. No longer thinking it be best to form a pact with the man. The god needed someone who was confident in themselves someone like William, his current master. Maybe Hercules should find another teenager to tether to teenagers seemed to be overflowing with self confidence.

”Very well....” the penny dropped like it was something Atlas struggled to hold up. Hercules forced a smile and then waved, ”I will steal no more of your time Rex of the Inferno. I wish you safe travels, and if you ever need me seek me out! I’m not that hard to find!” Hercules said lowering his head in a bow.

When Rex of the Inferno left Hercules was alone with Brazen and his minions, ”As for you! I shall now lecture you until the police arrive!” Hercules boomed as he turned to the villains eager to point out why what they were doing was wrong.