Helios countered, his hand exploding into a viney appendage and slamming the door shut.

  “But I like desperate folk, and you reek of it. Let’s say we do a…mutual exchange.”

  Jax knew he would regret this, but what choice did he have?

  —---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Rachel sighs patronizingly and grabs some towels from the cabinet. Spraying the door, she cleans the bloody remains from the wood.

  “Say…Jax, how about we stick it to those rich pricks, and I give you a little boost?”

  Jax carefully chose his words. He was already in debt and didn’t want to cause it to slip further.

  “I would love to, but I am short on funds. Can I write you an IOU or a payment plan? My word is good; I can sign a blood contract, too!”

  “hmmmmm…No,” Helio said as he pushed Jax back down.

  “You know this arm looks bad. I don’t need to scope it to see the rot setting in.” He poked the stub, and thick, vicious pus leaked from the skin.

  “I’d hate to see such a talented man perish in the streets.” He stuck a finger inside the weeping tissue and wiggled it around.

  Each tiny movement results in a fiery pain. He thrashed against the table, screaming out in agony as tears fell from his eyes. This wasn’t normal; that man must have increased the sensitivity of his nerves. Every motion amplified beyond normal levels.

  “Please stop,” he grunted, his breath heavy and body weak.

  Helio smiled, and with one final pinch, the agony stopped. The healer deadened the nerves, resulting in a complete loss of sensation.

  “Dad, stop playing. He clearly is going to accept…isn’t that right, Jax?”

  He wanted to hug the woman, his savior, but he knew it was a ploy. Both tag-teamed into agreeing. Since no options remained, he might make the best of it.

  “Yes, I’ll help…”

  “OH WONDERFUL! Now, let’s get you strapped down and fixed up.

  Helio pressed a few buttons, and thick leather straps wrapped around the slayer. A gag quickly silenced his panicked screams. The deal was made, and he was at the mercy of the deranged man. Rachel pushed the gurney through the halls as the psychotic doctor ranted.

  “I’m glad you stumbled in here! The moment I saw you on camera, there was something special. This procedure wouldn’t work with a normal…I needed somebody exposed to divinity, but not too much. A delicate balance of malleable flesh but resilience. By the way, that shoulder wound should have killed you by now,” he added at the end.

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “So you are the perfect specimen, and I’m so glad you are volunteering for the sake of science. Do you have loved ones? I’ll make sure they are cared for if anything happens.s” Helio turned to Rachel, who pulled out a notepad.

  “MRAHGHD?” Jax struggled against the straps, but it wouldn’t budge.

  “Oh, good. We have to ask that. It's just some formalities and laws. We can’t be killing off breadwinners and leaving orphans behind. Rachel, make note that he has no dependants.” Rachel smiled and checked off a few boxes.

  “Don’t worry, I’m one of the best around. Sure, I might be a bit…creative in how I do things, but you’ll be walking out of here ready to take on the worlds!”

  With one final push, the three entered the experimental chamber. It was a frozen room filled with hanging bodies, pieces of flesh, and more. Various instruments glistened under the fluorescent lights, each freshly cleaned and sharper than obsidian. Remnants of slain gods floated in glowing fluid. But the worst was the thing suspended on the ceiling.

  “He’s a good one, don’t ya think.”

  It gave off a sense of wrongness. An emaciated man hanging from a series of wires. His hands and feet were removed and dripping a thick ichor. His chest split open as tubing pumped some concoction into the glistening organs. The eyes were scooped out and replaced with an artificial pair that stared downwards. Its jaw dislocated, and various pipes and wiring jammed inside the open maw. Bits of divine energy leaped between the material as the god struggled against the mechanisms.

  “I wanted to hire an assistant, but they keep fucking things up. Made a deal with this one a while ago. Said he’d do anything not to die…I think he regrets it.” Helio chuckled

  Immediately, the air shifted, and the divine being above could hear all that was said. His presence intensifies and pushes back the chill.

  “Enough of that!” Helio jabbed the creature with a rod. The creature's body quaked from the strake, and the metal muffled its screams.

  “Okay, Jax. It looks like we're all ready. Let’s just hook you up real quick.” Helio reached into the god’s open cavity and pulled out a few tubes. The creature spasmed in pain as the fingers dug within.

  Jax watched in horror as the man cut away a bit of skin and inserted the tubbing inside. Instantly, he was filled with the raw life-essence of the captured god. A burning fire rushed through his blood. Helio ignored his cries and continued to add more connections. Within a few moments, the two became one. The creature's conscious brushes against his own, begging Jax for death.

  “Best helping in town! Long as he is kicking, you’ll never die! After the first few months, he refused to eat, so now I have to feed him some essence forcefully.” Helio pointed at the busted mouth; the feeding tubes began to glow. Jax could see the end stuck into the goo of another god across the room.

  “So Jax, Buddy. As you can see. I really enjoy tinkering with the divine. This here is just a start to it all. My colleagues call me crazy; some wanted me executed for fusing mortal and divine. But we all know that it happens naturally to us slayers. You felt it after you killed that first god. I know you did. We are taught that the lingering essence is good for us! But I sew together a god and mortal, and suddenly I’M the bad guy.” He was getting worked up, a rage building up in his eyes.

  “Dad…” Rachel said and handed him a bit of coffee.

  “Oh, thank you.” He took a moment to sip the warm liquid. Ignoring the groans of the living god getting pumped with essence above.

  “No, I’m going to take that gag off you. When I do, you will be a good little slayer and listen. I’ll fix your arm, but it isn’t going to be yours. If you are nice, I’ll let you pick the one I attached. If you fight, I get to choose…and can be VERY creative. So, let us make this a mutual partnership, buddy. Just a little experimental surgery and you’ll be smashing gods like rotten pumpkins on Halloween.” Jax slowly nodded in agreement. He was in deep and wasn’t sure how to escape.