Rex readied himself to quote scripture, several verses coming to mind lest Hercules indeed reveal his true nature. Only some of the verses would call up the fire that Rex summoned, even though Rex had seen Hercules shrug off fire and molten metal before. The other verses weren’t designed to call fire, they were designed to fight spiritually.

He waited, watching the other man, tensing himself and stilling, all the better to quickly move into any action, including….listening.

Hercules’s master was named William? Rex seemed to have triggered some frustration in the other man. Those strange, shifting tattoos began to glow again and Rex backed up in alarm. An immaterial wall of flame was nothing to this person - neither were spines and bones.

“No…no….” Rex said haltingly. “No, magic is evil. It’s a rebellion against god. Witchcraft. At the end of days, all sorcerers, wizards, and those with familiar spirits shall burn forever in the lake of fire. It is written.” The man’s mask began to crack. Water formed in his eyes and he started to shake. “No, I cannot undo what I’ve done, but I can choose not to go forward. You almost had me, Hercules. I don’t know who you are, I don’t know if you’re the agent of the Devil, a blasphemer, a con man, or just delusional. I’ve seen you do great things, amazing stuff actually, but…but even so! I…I just can’t…”

The strength went out of Rex and he slumped against the wall of the alley, sliding down it.

“If I keep using magic, I will lose my soul. Then I will never be able to look at my wife and kids ever again.”

Tears streamed down his face and Rex wept.

The glow continued while Hercules stoically glared at the man who was having ‘a moment’. Herc let the man have it. It seemed there was a lot on the man’s shoulders, something Hercules wished to help the man with. That was a lot to bear alone.

Rex of the inferno was crying now in the alley. Despite the situation Hercules approved of the breakdown. There was nothing wrong with feeling emotions, who was the god to dictate how to feel. He didn’t know the man’s faith. He knew of it but hadn’t studied it the way he did other religions. It seemed far too ‘absolute’. Hercules rarely met other deities that strict.

The glowing died down and Hercules unfolded his arms walking over to Rex and crouching down across from him. He towered over the man tears falling down his own face out of pity for the mystic. ”I’m sorry for you’re loss Rex of the Inferno. I hadn’t known you had suffered so.” there wasn’t much he could add to how he was feeling for the man.

”I’m sorry for your loss and I hope you do meet them again.” Hercules didn’t share the mans faith but he did experience the Greek after life having been to ‘Hades’ himself once or twice. He too hoped he could be reunited with his wife and son after his curse ended. When there was nothing left of humanity.

”Magic is what you make of it. How you choose to wield it. I cannot change how you view the world, I can only tell you what I know and what I have experienced. I have not met your god, he was after my time. Several hundred years in fact but I do know your god is a forgiving one.” he had heard sermons and preachers. ”From my understanding he judges based on deeds? Unless I’m mistaken!” the god stood up and started to glow again.

”and I have seen you do good deeds, use your gift to help others. I know of gifts and curses, you don’t know who I am? Allow me to tell you!” Hercules glowed even brighter illuminating the alley as he flexed showing off his tattoo’s that moved across his body. ”I am Hercules son of Zeus! King of the Greek Pantheon of Gods! I am also known as Heracles. I am a demi-god and god of strength and willpower! Slayer of titans and monsters but first and foremost I am a protector of Humanity!” he continued to flex as he introduced himself.

”I am a lot of things but I am a protector. Not a deceiver, nor con man. I have labored for centuries to protect your kind. Mortals. Why would I wish to deceive you?” he asked seriously.

What would his wife think of him? What would his children think? Rex’s head tapped the brick wall behind him and his eyes squeezed shut. Rex himself didn’t know what to think. All he had were his demons.

Who would want a man like Rex in their lives? He could feel the heat from the building starting to make its way into the alley as the flames surely spread. A small part of his mind was tracking the unseen fire, predicting its path. It would probably chew through the ceiling first and then spread through the floor, avoiding the cinderblock walls. It would then be able to work its way down to the other rooms in the basement, but also the rooms on the ground floor, which hadn’t seemed like stone at all.

It was his fault.

He could almost feel the hulking presence of the other man. He definitely heard rustling and such. Likely crouching. The voice came from a lower height, and a softer tone.

Rex didn’t have any more fight in him. He listened.

It was…was it blasphemy if you weren’t a believer? Misguided then? Not to mention that the road to hell was paved with good intentions. Then again, Hercules’s words….had the ring of truth to them. How? Was this another attack? The Devil quoting scripture to him? Was this Rex’s desert experience?

Was this Rex burying his talent in the ground?

“I don’t know,” Rex said softly. “I don’t know.” It didn’t matter what he was responding to. He didn’t know what he knew. “You…you are sounding like my priest.” Hercules could’ve been reading out of the priest’s Bible, for his words sounded just like the ones the priest had spoken to Rex on many occasions. Intention, faith, and good works.

“I…I can’t accept that you are a god,” Rex said slowly and with many pauses. “I…just can’t.” His eyes stayed shut. He didn’t move his head. The tears slowed down, but they’d return in full force if he opened his eyes. “I can accept…that you are a good man. I think. I don’t know you well, but….what I’ve seen….you place others…before yourself. I…can’t ask for much more than that.”

The heat of the fire seemed to be getting just a little stronger moment by moment. Oh God, what had he done? His eyes were shut but all Rex saw was death and destruction. He almost could hear a voice calling out to him again from the fire, asking for his help.

“I don’t know what to think. Everything in me says you’re either deluded, a liar, or a servant of the great Deceiver. Maybe you’re right. Maybe dead wrong. I just…don’t know.” Somehow Rex slumped even more.

The faint klarion call of fire engines could be heard in the distance. It would still take them time to get here through the crowded streets, even at this hour. However, though they could not dry as the crow flies, Rex was confident they’d do everything they could to intervene at this clinic.

Which meant it wouldn’t be long before Dr. Cama and Rex himself would have to face the music.

Hercules despite the tense situation roared with laughter, ”It seems you have already heard reason then?” Hercules asked trying to cheer the downed hero up with a crack of a smile and flex for good measure. His hands still remained on his hips as he let Rex continue to open up about what was going through his head. The god agreed it was a lot to deal with.

”And I would never ask you to. I am what I am, I need not the approval of those I am sworn to protect. It would be nice but that isn’t the kind of god I am or want to be. One of the reasons I was cast down from Olympus. To be bonded to the mortals fate.”

”You think?” Hercules roared with laughter again, ”I shall continue to prove myself to you then! I shall consider it a trial! And I always pass my trials!” boasted Hercules as he reached a hand down to the man who was no longer weeping. Hercules might have had tears to match the man’s expression feeling so much for the man before him. The Hero, Rex of the Inferno. Burdened with an intense faith. No doubt why he was so strong.

”We will waste our lives wondering on what is or what can be Rex of the Inferno. Such philosophic questions often eluded me and I considered them a waste of time. I know what I am, that is enough for me. You should learn who you are Rex, a good person. One who is burdened with a great and terrible power but chooses to wield it for good. Yes, it can harm. So too can my power. I’ve chosen to be a protector of humanity, sacrificed so much to get where I am today. Look around you.” he gestured towards the few victims of the doctor huddled in a corner of the alley way terrified.

”If not for you, or me they would have continued to suffer. You’re easing their burden Rex of the Inferno. Never forget that.” his voice changed slightly becoming more stern, ”Now! Stand with me Rex of the Inferno, do not be ashamed of the emotions you’re feeling. Stand tall with me, show them that their heroes are here! That is what they need most right now! Hope!” he offered a massive hand to the man wishing to pull him up.

Tension that had hitherto been unknown to Rex drained out of his shoulders as the giant laughed. The threat of offense had passed and the tattooed man seemed jovial. The storm was over, let the rainbows dance.

Hercules was not a god. He couldn’t be. He was a good man though, even with all of his flaws. He genuinely believed he was a god though, so who was Rex to try to sway his opinion? The giant was a man of conviction, however blasphemous that conviction may or may not be, yet it did not seem to come from a place of pride or anger or greed or lust, but rather a sense of humility, kindness, love, and joy.

With such bountiful evidence of the fruits of the spirit, Rex….he couldn’t hate the man. Especially if he too had suffered major tribulations in his life and come through them.

Rex finally opened his eyes as the man commanded him. He looked at the huddling victims. He also looked at Dr. Cama, who was stuck on the fire escape. He looked at the muscle man standing before him. He looked at the clinic that was being consumed by voracious flames. He looked at the hand stretched out toward him.

He looked at all these things before closing his eyes once again, bowing his head for a moment as one hand found its way to the crucifix hanging from his neck and under his shirt. His lips moved inaudibly as he sent out a prayer to the heavens. Then he opened his eyes. He looked up at Hercules.

He placed his hand in Hercules’s and pulled himself to his feet.

Tears were still glistening on his face, making tiny rivulets in the faint layer of soot that had accumulated there. The moisture was beginning to sparkle in the dim streetlight and the glowing orange that was appearing in the ground level basement windows.

Rex stood tall.

“Thank you,” he said stiffly, abruptly turning his face from Hercules to inspect the clinic. “I…I’m a bit…lost right now but I….I’m trying to find my way back. Thank you.” Rex’s throat went dry as he finished his speech. Still not looking at the other man, he grunted, “Would you…be available….if I needed to…talk?”

There was a moment where Hercules wondered if Rex of the Inferno would strike at him, a moment where he assumed the worst of humanity once again. In the face of a god mortals often did foolish things and if his god commanded it was Hercules that would be put in a precarious situation. He knew the war mortals waged in the name of their god. It was... misguided to say the least. Any god that truly cared for humanity couldn’t ask that.

”But of course Rex of the Inferno!” Hercules clapped the man on the back and pulled him into a one armed bear hug making sure not to pop anything of the man, less he have one less hero to stand by when he was in need. Humanity needed her protectors. Hercules would do anything to help them. After all what happens if he was removed from this plane of existence. Who would stand in his absence?

Releasing the man and stepping back Hercules placed his hands on his hips, ”The trials of a hero. I know them well. We all fall sometimes Rex of the Inferno, never forget that.” some heroes fell harder than others. If he was truly lost Hercules would do anything in his power to help the man find his way. From what he could tell, he truly was a hero.

”It would be an honor to help you find your way again Rex of the Inferno.” Hercules slammed a massive fist to his chest a salute to his brother in arms. ”I’ve helped many a hero along the way, there is no greater privilege for the son of Zues.”

”We shall exchange information?” he asked knowing this was a custom. He was used to being summoned different ways, a phone call would be an interesting one. The god did not have his phone but memorized the house phone to the place he was staying at and his masters phone.

The firefighter grimaced as the man’s behemoth of a hand slammed into his back, but he took the unintentional blow without a sound. It wasn’t the first time Hercules had done so - the man could hardly be expected to always know his own strength - but when the arm wrapped around him, Rex thanked God that Hercules hadn’t opted for a bear hug. As it was, his ribs groaned a little bit.

He grunted when he was released and immediately stepped away, to avoid another display of emotion and to prevent any future grappling. Rex was a wrestler but Hercules was a weight class all of his own.

Rex didn’t exactly return the chest thump, but he did nod in acknowledgment. “Very well,” he said, fishing in his back pocket for his wallet. He pulled a simple, plain business card out of it and handed it to Hercules. It had his name, number, and email address on it. Times New Roman, 12 point font, black text on a white card, all centered. No frills whatsoever. “My card.”

The sirens were even closer now and Rex could tell they were almost there. “If you’re going to leave, this is the time to do it,” he told the other man.

”Thank you Rex of the Inferno!” he looked to the card and nodded approving of the lack of frills, no gimmicks on this man’s card. The simplicity was a bold choice. Well done Rex of the Inferno. Well done. The prince of power had been wondering if he too should get a calling card. Something that people saw and it gave them hope. This one might just do that.

”I shall call you upon my return home!” he gestured down to his half naked body, no phone would be found on his person. Odds are it was broken in a fight or Dr. Kama had left it where he was captured. The coward. Hercules looked over to the ‘good’ doctor and scowled.

”No, I shall stand watch as these people are rescued by the proper authorities in case any of them get hysterical. No one else shall be harmed tonight! You have my word.” he knew it would raise questions about a lot of things but the god knew that justice would be served here today.

”A true hero doesn’t run from a fight, nor the police.” he cleared his throat and boomed, ”If everyone can remain calm the authorities are nearly hear, you will receive the utmost care! You have my word!” he then pointed to the Doctor, ”I will see to it personally you will remain chained as long as I do!” Hercules said glowing brightly, all of the runes danced on his body as the first responders arrived.

Rex nodded in acknowledgement. Indeed, it seemed as though Hercules didn’t exactly have anything on him at the moment, but Rex would have to content himself with the promise. Again, Hercules seemed to be a man of his word - even when Rex doubted the man’s authenticity, he didn’t doubt his sincerity, if that made any sense. Rex wasn’t sure it did but few things made sense in his life at the moment.

“Very well,” he said simply and walked to the front of the alley. A small part of him was relieved Hercules was staying. It meant another witness to the events and unlike the other victims, Hercules still seemed level headed at the moment. He also worked well in crises. It was also a relief that the man did not flee such crime scenes, either. That was a start.

“Everyone, let’s get to the other side of the street,” he commanded in his authoritative voice, the one trained to carry over burning buildings and chaos. “We need to give room for emergency services to work and we need to get away from the fire. Make your way across the street. If someone by you is having problems, help them. If you need assistance, let someone know. It’s almost over, people. It’s going to be okay.”

Just like that, things started to become normal, at least for Rex. The fire engines arrived, followed by ambulances. As firefighting efforts began, Rex worked with Hercules to get all the patients taken care of by EMTs and finally give their statements to the police.

It was time to face the music.