Once again the god was shut down by a mortal. Someone whom he, the son of Olympus wanted to form a pact with. Do these mortals not understand what he had to offer. ”Mortals.... truly never cease to amaze me!” the god chuckled to himself as Rex ran off wanting to save everyone. The god didn’t know what they were saving but if that was the way he would win Rex of the Inferno over to become a new master....

“Now everything is cool, Drac’s a part of the band and my Monster Mash is hit of the land”

”You may thank my future Master REX OF THE INFERNO for your lives! I know not what they will hold or if you may ever return to what kind of life you lived before falling victim to the Doctor.” the god stomped his feet as the green along his body started to flicker then glow. ”That is not for I, Hercules! Son of Zeus to decide! Lay down and get out of our way!” he shouted after Rex of the Inferno disappeared into the hallway.

“For you, the living this mash was meant too when you get to my door, tell them Boris sent you.”

The god charged roaring as he ran forward and met all who turned their backs to a god to chase after Rex.

“Then you can mash, then you can monster mash”

”Your fight is with a god!” Hercules shouted and grabbed the nearest abomination and flung him into the room behind him where the door was a jar but the god would gladly hold all there who Rex of the Inferno wanted to rescue. His chains would help. The creature was thrown behind him with ease as another leapt onto his back and bit him on the collar.

“Then you can mash and do my graveyard smash”

”Ha HA!” the god roared with laughter feeling the blood trickle down his shoulder as he brought up a giant hand to the creatures head and squeezed till the poor creature released. It flew through the air as his godly abilities waivered and dimmed. The manacles on his wrists prevent him from his full power which was fine. ”It has been some time since I was faced with such a challenge! Truly an auspicious day!” he shouted forgetting his promise to kill them all. His current word to Rex was more important. If he deemed they had life worthy of rescuing still then who was he to cut it short. They were still mortal right?

“Then you can mash, you will catch on in a flash, then you can mash!”

The chain whipped through the air as he hit another two creatures crawling on the walls towards him. Both dropped to the ground as he ran over and launched them back into the room as another appeared behind him slicing at his back leaving a large gash with three wounds the creature was rather larger than the others and was covered in tufts of fur.

“Then you can monster mash”

”Monster mash!” the god turned and charged into the creature as they fell through one of the walls and into the floor where he pinned the creature to exchange a handful of restrained blows.

There were footsteps following him, a small stampede it seemed, but Rex wasn’t concerned. He flew down the concrete hallway, his target in sight. Dr. Cama wasn’t a particularly fast man, despite the panicked energy he had. He clearly spent too much time in the books and not enough time on a treadmill. Rex rapidly closed the distance and was mere yards away when Cama made it into his office and flung the door shut behind him.

The door did shut. The door did not lock, however.

Rex smiled grimly, even as he heard familiar bellowing from further down the hall. It seemed Hercules had decided to assist him after all. Excellent.

“Now everything is cool, Drac’s a part of the band and my Monster Mash is the hit of the land.”

Rex twisted the doorknob and shoved his shoulder into the door, ramming the door open hard enough to bang against the wall as he burst into the room.

Dr. Cama had just reached a cabinet and was frantically pulling folders and documents out of it, including an old-looking, leatherbound book with aged yellow pages. He looked over with wide eyes and yelled at Rex, “No! You can’t be in here! You’re ruining everything!” Anger flashed over his face. “Who sent you? Was it Rook? I paid him well for the books, we’re square!”

Rex glared. “I don’t know a Rook - I know the friends of the people you’ve abducted,” Rex said stonily. “I also know there’s a spot for you in the lake of fire for what you’ve done.”

“For you, the living this mash was meant too when you get to my door, tell them Boris sent you.”

The doctor sneered and gave a greasy smile. “Ah, one of those. Well, that just means this will be even more enjoyable! Agarrelo!”

No sooner had the command to “grab him” hit Rex’s ears when a sour, moldering stench filled his nostrils. His own eyes widened and two seized his arms and lifted him so violently his head struck the ceiling. “Aah!” he shouted as he was brought down. Rex leaned back and shoved his feet out to catch the doctor’s desk, using the surface to shove himself back into his attacker in hopes of knocking him over.

Instead, the body of his assailant just squished and backed up half a step, then moved no more.

“Then you can mash, then you can monster mash”

“That’s right, my pet, get rid of this intruder! And stop the other one too!” Dr. Cama ordered as he returned to rapidly packing up various papers and documents.

“You unholy abomination!” Rex roared at Dr. Cama as he writhed in the thing’s grasp. “What you’ve done here is a blight upon your soul and a stain upon this land!” The thing holding him wrenched one of Rex’s arms suddenly and he cried out. He took briefly and caught a glance of the face of death.

A pale, emaciated face stared back with mismatched eyes and sagging skin. Across its face were stitches and staples where very distinctly different patches of skin were grafted. Revulsion filled Rex and he fought to keep his gorge from rising.

“Then you can mash and do my graveyard smash.”

The creature opened its mouth and a ragged wail came forth and Rex was slammed into the doorframe and then into the other frame.

“Enough of this! Forgive me Father for what I must do!” Rex shouted even as the creature started to squeeze him in a python’s grasp. “He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people!” he quoted, the last words were gasped out with the last of his air.

Then fire burst forth once more.

“Then you can mash, you will catch on in a flash, then you can mash!”

The creature began to scream as flames latched on to its dehydrated, decaying flesh, instantly searing its entire body. THe flames whirled around Rex and struck the door frame as well, setting it ablaze within moments. The creature let go even as flames began traveling from its torso to its arms.

“My creation!” Dr. Cama cried, his lab coat turning orange in the sudden light of the flames. In his shock and surprise, he dropped his armload of papers.

Rex fell to the floor and gasped. His chest was on fire, even if none of the flames would touch him. His arms burned in pain and the right one wasn’t moving right. “Madre de Dios, ayúdame!” he gasped. He couldn’t stay down though. It was even more dangerous now. His fire was starting to spread and there were suddenly so many flammable things in reach of it.

“Then you can monster mash”

He shut off his fire pillar and backed out into the hallway where he had seen a fire extinguisher. That, at least, was standard operating procedure. He pulled the pin, aimed it at the burning man and began spraying it down. “Forgive me,” he croaked, smoke already starting to form. He then moved forward and began blasting the extinguisher into the office. The flames had just begun. Maybe there was still time to stop their further spread!

The creature was strong. If it wasn’t for the manacles however and his ability to draw more strength it wouldn’t have been much of a fight. The god silently wondered if he should keep the manacles permanently. If a creature such as this presented a challenge... No, he couldn’t. It would have made protecting mortals harder and that was first and foremost his purpose.

Hercules caught a claw to the face gashing his eyebrow but managed to pull away before it his eye. The damage was done however and he had to close his eye so it wouldn’t be covered in blood. ”YES! MORE!!!” the god of willpower shouted as he clasped his hands together and brought it down on creature in a mighty blow.

Jumping back Hercules brought his hands up to cover his blind side waiting for the next strike but before if could be delivered the creature stood then collapsed to the ground. ”A wonderful bout! I wish you a speedy recovery so we may do this again!” the demi-god gleamed as he wiped his brow and returned to his task of following after Rex.

”Ha! Yes! Come at me! You shall be saved by Hercules! God of Olympus!” he shouted as he walked down the hallway grabbing everything that was coming at him and throwing it back into the room once it came. He’d round everyone up later. For now his focus was Rex of the Inferno and the ‘Good’ Doctor. The smell of fire stung his nostrils the further he went till he saw a soot covered lab coat exit from the room only to stop short as the Doctor ran into him then fell backwards. Hercules looked down, ”Oh ho? I was looking for you Doctor! I have seen you already met my ally Rex of the Inferno!” he boomed as the sound of a fire extinguisher went off.

“Ah! Hercules! I was... just coming to free you... yes!” the doctor stammered and tried to push himself up. “I got all the information I needed from you, you’ll save countless- uerp” the doctors rambling stopped short as Hercules grabbed the man around his shirt and lifted him with ease. The man was tiny, a pathetic shell of what a ‘true’ human was. ”You’re crimes against humanity are grotesque. I’m shamed knowing you are alive and breathing on this planet. However... it is not for me to decide your fate....” if it was he wouldn’t still be breathing. How can someone abuse humanity so?

”Rex of the Inferno!” Hercules shouted as he ducked into the office to see the man fighting the flames that were quickly spreading. ”It seems you are destroying all of the....” he looked at the abomination with seared flesh. One of the patches of skin left was familiar. Hercules grabbed the skin with his free hand and then held it up to the doctor. ”Was this you’re plan? It wouldn’t have worked. For it is not the skin that makes me this way but the power I can draw on others. The curse can not be replicated or reproduced. She made sure of it, the secret of the curse is kept with her!” it was clear Hercules was irritated.

Tossing the flesh onto one of the flames he ignored the smell.

The doctor ran past Rex but the man had another focus. Let the place catch on fire further or try to stop him? The man could always be tracked down later - for now evidence had to be protected. It wouldn’t do anybody any good to catch the man and have nothing to prove that he did anything. Rex also didn’t want the man collecting any insurance.

The booming voice of Hercules filled Rex in quickly on the next events. The grim man actually creaked out a smile as the doctor was quickly apprehended. Good. It let Rex focus on the matters at hand.

He tried spraying down the doorframe but the flames were well-set, but Rex was thanking God the entire time the walls were made of cinderblock. But even as he slowly made progress with those flames, a glance inside the office problem was highly worrying.

There were a lot of flames.

The fire had struck the fallen papers and they’d gone up like tinder. From there, flames were spreading up the solid wood desk and were just reaching the papers on top of it, where they quickly flowed across the entire surface. The stench of burning flesh was already filling the air.

“Hercules!” Rex shouted. “I can’t contain this! We need to get everyone out! Dr. Cama has keys! We need to free the other prisoners!”

Rex took another look into the office, suddenly aware that all the evidence was going to burn up. He spied the leatherbound book only mildly touched by flames and made up his mind. Something was better than nothing.

Sweeping the extinguisher all around him, Rex rushed in and snatched the book from the pile of burning papers and wedged it into his pants, handgun style, as he returned to trying to control as much of the fire as possible. From inside the office though, he could see his efforts were going to end in failure. From this side, he could see the flames from his pillar of fire hadn’t stopped at just the doorframe. They’d gone higher, striking the ceiling, which was not made of cinderblock, but of kindling. The fire was rapidly consuming the ceiling and Rex noticed there was no sprinkler system.

What kind of a fool didn’t include a sprinkler system? The kind who didn’t want anybody knowing this part of a building existed.

“We have to go, now!” Rex shouted, leaping out of the office.

“Easy Igor, you impetuous young boy…”

The god of willpower hefted the doctor and then glared at him. ”If this place goes down and there are still mortals inside I will make the rest of your short life as painful as possible.” he tried to activate his full strength and glow but he was still struggling accessing his full power due to the manacles that restrained him. ”Unlock my hands.... now!” he roared setting the doctor down.

The good doctor looked to Hercules his new favorite experiment then to the new comer that ruined all of his plans and shrugged, “Well I can’t continue my work if I’m dead. Besides, I have no intention of letting all of my experiments die. There is still soooo much to study on them.” the doctor fumbled for a pair of keys in his pocket and then handed them to Hercules. The giant dropped the doctor and then stood on his lab coat so he couldn’t run away.

”Wise decision, though if I had it my way you and your abominations would be sent to Hades so they might finally know peace.” the god growled as he fumbled with the manacles as Rex of the Inferno struggled with the flames. An unlocking sound never sounded so good to the god as each of the manacles dropped.

”YES!” Hercules roared in triumph as his body started to glow the way it was supposed to, heal the way it had for centuries. ”This... this is my power!” wounds and burns alike began to mend and he suddenly felt a flash of pain from William across the city. So much power being drained at once... he really needed to find another master and fast if mortals were getting this creative with magic.

”Stand aside Rex of the Inferno!” in all of his glowing glory he brought his hands together over an open flame and slammed them together with such force on top of one of the flames he snuffed it out from the wind generated from the clap. Knowing full well he couldn’t quell a raging inferno with the method he left the rest to Rex. ”Before I part doctor...” Hercules grabbed one of the manacles opened the chains that were attached and wrapped it around the doctor snuggly so he couldn’t escape then closed the link back up. ”Stay here. While I free your captives.” “Patients.”

”Rex of the Inferno... if he catches fire.... let him suffer before you put him out... he has created many atrocities against you mortals and I shall not stand for it.” Hercules then departed running around and tearing the cell doors from the wall as he passed. ”Flee mortals and know it is I Hercules and Rex of the Inferno who have freed you!” he didn’t know what kind of life they would lead after being experimented on the way that they had but he believed in them. In humanity. Surely Rex of the Inferno had a plan for them!

There was no plan. None besides getting people out of the building. Every person.

Rex stopped by Hercules and Dr. Cama and he raked his eyes over the manacle-less man, whose wounds were rapidly vanishing and whose tattoos were glowing brighter and stronger than before. Obviously the man’s magic was no longer inhibited, meaning he would be quickly returning to his prior powerhouse levels.

It didn’t matter. Rex stared into the taller man’s eyes. “No more suffering,” Rex declared. “He will answer for his crimes, in this life and in what comes next.”

Rex and the doctor were left behind as Hercules began the break out. The chains on Dr. Cama still glowed with their own etchings and it seemed they still retained part of their power, as the doctor was making several savage claw-like gestures with his hands and glaring impotently at the creatures pouring out in the hallways.

None of the creatures were attacking, though. In fact, many of them could be heard shouting their gratitude and joy for their salvation.

As the first waves of heat from the flames started to reach Rex, he grabbed the doctor’s chain and yanked him off balance. “Can’t control them anymore, can you?” he asked. Then he grunted as he answered his own question. “Reaping what you’ve sown.”

Rex bent down and wedged his shoulder into the remaining creature’s stomach, where it was huddled over from the fire. At least those flames had been put out, although much of the flesh had already been scorched. “I am sorry for this,” he said as he hoisted the abomination to its feet and pulled it close so he could shoulder it’s weight.

With Dr. Cama in tow, Rex and the monster started shambling for the stairs.

“Wa hoo, monster mash.
Wa hoo, monster mash.
Wa hoo, monster mash.
Wa hoo, monster mash.
Wa hoo, monster mash.”

The smell of smoke and melting plastic filled the air the further he moved away from the location of the fire, the god’s vision was obscured slightly from his glow interacting with the smoke. It was like his light was reflecting off of the smoke closer to the ceiling so he had to duck as he ran to free the others. One cage ripped off it’s hinges followed by a door caving in from his fist. If it wasn’t for the fire and the captive mortals Hercules would have enjoyed this.

”Flee mortals!” Hercules chided as they seemed to meander out of their cells slowly. ”Flee, as if your life depends on it!” he continued to shout irritated there seemed to be a bottle neck point at one of the exits. The creatures staggered slowly then stopped to one of the doors. The god of willpower slowed as he saw the reasoning behind it. Another rather large sized man in a pair of blue scrubs stood in front of the door. His body was disfigured as if there was a hump on his back.

“You shouldn’t be here, you should all be back in your cells till the doctor....” it was then the ‘nurse’ spotted Hercules glaring at him from across the hall. They locked eyes, Hercules flexed then the door behind the Doctor’s staff burst opened behind him. The humped back wall of a mortal kicked the door out behind him and then proceeded to flee as well. Or so it seemed when the door opened he was gone as the former ‘patients’ of Dr. Cama flooded out of the exit.

Hercules nodded his head and then rounded back down to the cell where he had left a handful of ‘nurses’ after his great escape. ”As I told you before. No prison designed by mortals can hold me. Now come! Let us escape with your lives. You poor mortals. I promised you a swift death but it seems my new mas.... Rex of the Inferno has plans for you! You shall thank him when you see him next!” the god boomed as he grabbed a handful of experiments and hefted them on his shoulder. Despite their grotesque shapes they were still relatively light.

”If you can’t walk by yourself find someone to help you escape!” the prince of power cried out as he became the beacon of light for others to follow glowing more than he had moments before. Even with the smoke now filling the air he needed the mortals out. Rex of the Inferno had demanded it!

Rex, Cama, and the creature were the last to reach the stairs, burdened down as Rex was. He also kept checking each room they passed to ensure nobody was left in there by mistake, or else. Rex even looked in the room Hercules had been held in and a surge of triumph snuck through him as he noted no collapsed nurses on the floor. Good. Hercules had removed them as well.

There was hubbub and chaos all around, although it was a far cry different from the hellish wails and torments of before. Now the victims were panicked, but there were ways out and from the glimpses Rex caught of the glowing man at the other end of the hall, they had a figure to quickly marshal around.

Now Dr. Cama was pulling on the chain. “Let me go! The fire is getting too close! We’re not going to make it if you hold us back like this!” he shouted in Rex’s face.

Rex ignored the tone. “You are not leaving my sight,” he said and continued walking as fast as he could, one hand on the chain the other hand supporting the burned creature.

“Just leave the experiment then! It’s slowing us down!” the doctor cajoled.

Rex snarled, “If I was going to leave anyone here, it would be you! Not this poor thing you warped and twisted through your unholy sorcery! Now shut. Your. Mouth.”

Dr. Cama’s mouth fell upon but he saw the look in Rex’s eyes, the only part of the man’s expression that revealed anything. Despite the fire still far down the hallway and behind them, firelights were somehow reflected in his eyes. Angry fires.

The doctor shut his mouth and actually crossed in front of Rex to pick up the creature’s other side. Immediately they were able to move fast. “God, you’re going to get us all killed,” the doctor said.

Rex ignored the doctor’s vain use of the Lord’s name. “Then you’ll reap your rewards soon enough,” he said flatly and spoke no more.

Smoke was thickening in the hallway but Rex didn’t look back. It would change nothing.

They made it to the stairwell and followed the last of the abominations out, the slower ones who, by mishap or horrible treatment, were not able to rapidly make it up the steps. Progress was still made though, and after an agonizing amount of time, Rex brought up the tail of the group as they made it to the ground floor of the clinic and reached the doors, bursting into the cool night air.

To anyone watching the scene it was a sight to behold, a tattooed glowing giant ducked under the door frame carrying a dozen magically altered humans and mutants thrown on his shoulders and being dragged in each hand. If there was any more to carry he would have had to get creative. Luckily none of them were large and fit onto his person with ease. Some of the creatures ran as soon as they exited the building others cowered in corners in small groups not sure what to do next. Some of them wailed and howled to the flames at the building roared to life.

Rex of the Inferno was no where to be seen. Neither was the Doctor. Hercules frowned and called out with no response ignoring his soot covered body that dimmed his tattoo’s. The prince of power turned on his heels and was about run into the building then he saw him. Rex of the Inferno. In all his glory, a true hero exiting the building carrying one man on his shoulder and the lone villian trailing behind him.

As soon as he saw the man Hercules rushed to his side laughing loudly. ”Rex of the Inferno!!!! You are indeed a true hero! the man didn’t have to save either but willingly put himself in harms way to save them. Even the monster. Hercules would have killed him and all of his poor creatures. He shamed himself as he hefted the burned creature and gave a large thumbs up to Rex.

”I retrieved all who dwelled in the cells! None reamin which seems good considering the building will be reduced to ash!” he laughed again. ”Thank you for rescuing me! I would have struggled a bit longer if not for you!” Hercules was sure this was the type of man he wanted as his master. To stand alongside such a hero... Hercules was covered in goosebumps at the thought of it.

”What do we do about all of the experiments?” Hercules asked doubting their humanity after what the doctor had done to them.

Rex kicked the door shut behind him with a solid shove. No sense letting more smoke out. He took a deep breath of the night air and immediately coughed. They’d moved quick, all things considered. Smoke hadn’t had time to really build up. Rex had still been close to it though, and with lugging two grown men around and going up stairs, he’d been breathing harder than normal.

He nodded with relief as Hercules bounded out of the shadows to take the patchwork man from him, leaving Rex with just Dr. Cama and the inscribed chain. “Thank you,” Rex said in acknowledgement of haivng his burden taken away, if not directed at the man’s compliment. He didn’t like how the man kept adding “of the inferno” to his name. It sounded, well, hellish.

That can only be fair. Is not hell the source of all witchcraft?

The thought troubled him, as it always did. It was one of many things he discussed frequently with his priest. His priest offered absolution and mercy, but Rex…Rex couldn’t get over it. From what he’d seen this night, he didn’t think he wanted to.

How could magic be used for the glory of God? IT was an abomination, a rebellion. Rex stared at the creature now held up by Hercules. That thing existed like it did due to some unholy acts. The same kind of power Rex could call upon. He himself, in self defense, had caused a fire that was now eating its way through a free clinic, one that had helped hundreds of people even despite the horrors it held within!

He realized he was staring numbly off into the distance when Hercules asked about the…experiments.

Rex frowned and rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand.

“I…don’t know,” he said. “If they want to leave, they can. I think many of them are from this area. If they need medical attention--proper medical attention--we’ll get that for them. And, ah, I need to call this in, anyways.”

Rex pulled out his phone to put in a call to the authorities.

The son of Zues was never surer about anything, other than his calling to protect mankind. Rex of the inferno was the perfect candidate for a master. He had all the qualifications the god searched for, willingness to help others being the most important one. If he had a master like this most of his long life... the world would have been a better place. The burden felt heavy on the god’s shoulders but he ignored the feeling for now and smiled warmly at the man.

As he removed the phone and started to dial in to the authorities Hercules watched as a few of the experiments cowered into a corner at the sight of the Doctor. Hercules felt a sense of rage as he witnessed the fear plaster on their faces. This man had indeed committed grave offenses to humanity. If it not for Rex of the Inferno Hercules would have made the man suffer before extinguishing his corrupted flame.

Tears started to streak down his face and he walked over and hefted the doctor off the ground and looked for somewhere to put him where he’d be an easy find for the authorities. Deciding hanging off a fire escape would be a good location. If the doctor was to free himself he’d no doubt fall a few feet in the process making a big stink about it. Or if the experiments wanted a bit of revenge it be an ideal swinging range for a pinata. The slayer of titans might be tempted to join himself if that was the case and Hercules always got the candy.

”Know this!” Hercules struck a heroic pose and put his hands on his hips flexing and showing off his ‘glow’ as he roared, ”Should any of you need help getting to your families or need proper medical attention let me or Rex of the Inferno know! You are now under our protection and we will continue to keep you safe. On my word as a hero!” Hercules looked back to Rex and gave a thumbs up. He had seen it many times before. It was a heroic thing to do.

”No need to thank us! All in the days work for a hero!” he boomed and then looked to the patchwork experiment the one who had a piece of his flesh at some point stapled and sewed onto his skin. ”You shouldn’t move. It seems you require the most medical attention!”

It was a quick call. Rex identified himself and crisply and clearly informed dispatch of the situation, including his estimate of how fast the fire was spreading and that police and medical officials were needed. Everything was delivered succinctly and swiftly, the years of experience pouring out of him. Then he ended the call and the phone returned to his pocket.

While on the phone, he’d kept a wary eye on Hercules as the man bodily lifted Dr. Cama off the front and stuck him on a fire escape. He didn’t know what he would’ve done if Hercules had hurt the man or tried killing him - Rex didn’t want to think about that, but he couldn’t ignore the real possibility. He remembered what Hercules had suggested down in the bowels of the clinic.

There was no trace of joy on the firefighter’s face as he watched the tableau form. There was hardly a trace of anything else on his face either, except maybe anger, revulsion, and steely resolve.

That eldritch light of Hercules flared up again as the man addressed the victims who’d remained. It was effective, even if it wasn’t very helpful. There was no way to guarantee protection - that wasn’t their job. That’s why Rex had called the authorities. He couldn’t help with medical treatment either - what little he could do was far better handled by hospitals.

Rex stifled a grimace as Hercules gave him a thumbs up. Rex coughed to clear his throat and raised his own voice, “The authorities are on the way. Firefighters, police, and ambulances. I alerted them to the situation - if you’d be willing to give statements, that would go a long way to ensuring that man,” Rex thrust a hand toward the dangling doctor, “is unable to do anything like this ever again.”

Many stuck around, either for want of medical attention or a desire to see the doctor jailed forever. Several left though, vanishing into shadows and around corners, to parts unknown.

Rex exhaled slowly and walked over to Hercules, who ended up standing over the patchwork man.

“Dios mio,” he breathed as he got his first good look at the man.

He was only wearing scrub pants. His chest and arms looked like a bad puzzle. Various patches of skin covered him, different shades, textures, hair types, and even a patch of scales. It was horrifying. The burns made it all worse. Rex felt sick.

He knelt down beside the man, although making sure he could keep Dr. Cama generally in sight. “I am so sorry,” he said softly. “For what I did, and what Cama did. You didn’t deserve any of it.” Water started to appear in Rex’s eyes. “If I had the power, I would heal you now. But I only have the power to burn.”

It was a sign of damnation. Cursed to destroy everything he touched. It even twisted holy scripture around, using something that was supposed to be good to call up something that hurt people. Because of that, he refused to touch the man. Rex had done enough harm.

The prince of power looked over to ‘Rex of the Inferno’ and his smile wavered seeing the man’s expression. Twice now, he had helped the god preform heroic acts and save someone and once now he rescued the god’s time and his masters life. Surely he would have gotten free, even Tartarus couldn’t hold the god of willpower. No prison could, for he was already serving a sentence. One that lasted as long as the human race did.

”That... isn’t entirely true.” the god said shining brightly and trying to force a smile despite the situation and looking over the poor creature that was experimented on. ”You, did what you had to free these... poor creatures...” from what he could tell Hercules couldn’t sense much humanity left in them. You start treating them less than human long enough, expose them to terrible things and well... they stop being human. Mortals they were but Hercules wasn’t sure what they were now other than that.

”You freed me and them from the clutches of the evil doctor. No telling how much longer they would have suffered.” his glowing faded and he touched Rex on the back with a heavy pat on the back, something to build comradery.

”You just don’t have the power to heal yet.” he offered. ”You wield flames that burn and destroy, however their other avenues to channel magic.” he glowed and pointed to his chest where the tattoo’s glowed and shifted, ”This is how I channel magic. While I’m cursed to only use magic this way you can learn how to heal.” he said confidently.

William didn’t want Hercules talking about their relationship to others. ”My master.... is adept at healing... I’m sure I could ask if that is what you wish.” he offered. ”You are a good man Rex of the Inferno. If you wish to heal more than burn things allow me to offer my help.” he said folding his arms and flexing.

Rex didn’t immediately look up at Hercules. The brawnier man had clearly overhead him. That made Rex uncomfortable. It was hard enough to open up to the person he had wronged, for another to hear him? That was…that was embarrassing.

The patchwork man groaned and his eyes shut, a certain limpness starting to work through his body. Rex didn’t think that boded well. The man was passing out, likely as shock was wearing off. There was nothing else the firefighter could do though - emergency services were already on their way and extra calls would not speed them up.

A hand settled on Rex’s back and he registered the calm words. He still knelt. He squeezed his eyes shut. The words felt like absolution, yet still. Did they justify his burning of this man? Of that…den of evil?

The burgeoning light began again as Hercules’s words change their tenor. “What….what do mean…yet?” Rex said haltingly. He turned his face upward to the false god’s. An ember of hope lit inside his soul but his face was a steel wall, keeping anything from rushing in to crush that hope. He frowned. Magic….can heal?”

Rex held his hands up and stared at his palms. They were covered in grime and blood from carrying the patchwork man. Faint bits of ash lingered around his fingertips and he could always believe that he saw phantom flames flickering. If he could learn to use the magic to help instead of hurt he could--

Rex snapped his gaze back to Hercules and he rose quickly to his feet. The frown was in full force. “What do you mean, your master?” he said in alarm. What a fool Rex had been. Lulled into complacency by the man’s congenial nature and acts of strength and bravery, only to offer…a deal. A deal for power. Had not Lucifer himself done the very same thing for Jesus in the desert? Offering him power, glory, and sustenance, for seemingly no prince. It was all right there, in front of Rex the whole time. Hercules, a man who reveled in witchcraft, who claimed to be a god, who had a master who would want nothing more than Rex to delve deeper into dark pursuits?

“Get thee behind me, Satan.”

Hercules allowed Rex of the Inferno to process the information the god of strength was offering. It wasn’t often he was asked about his knowledge he was an immortal after all and had millennia to ready over the texts and learn magic. It’s just he could never preform any of it given his curse. Not only that but the god was never adept with magic. It required too much time and that was one thing he never had enough of before he ascended.

”My master William...” he said revealing the name to the man. Had he not discussed William to Rex of the Inferno before? It was clear there was a misunderstanding here. It was all too often the prince of power found himself in those predicaments. If only William was here to explain things better.

”Oh ho?” he added, it seemed Rex of the Inferno was a pious man. One that mistook the son of Zeus for the evil of another time and religion. ”You mistake me for someone else.” the god said still folding his arms now returning the glower, ”Do not mistake me for someone else. Someone evil.” Religions were often based on real events and real people. Rex’s was no different to the god. Hercules however has never interacted with those of that religion. Just heard of the stories.

”I have sacrificed far too much of myself for you mortals to be compared to one that wishes to destroy what I have fought so hard to protect! Do not mistake my intent, I am a protector, if you wish to be a healer more than a warrior allow me to show you how. Don’t be dense Rex of the Inferno.” he said glowing a little. Trying to move past the insult from his ally.

”Magic is neither good, nor evil. It just is. The one who wields it decides what it can be.”