Even now they were starting to spread to neighboring towns. Missionaries working to extend his influence. He was prepared to battle other gods. But this…man was ruining it all. There was no more time for offerings. He was going to take what was rightfully his.

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With a wave of the hand, two nearby followers collapsed. Their essence seeping from the mouth drifting into the god’s own. Chothos took a deep breath savoring their lifeforce and healing some of his wounds. While it wasn’t as efficient as a willing sacrifice, it allowed him to continue the assault. This time he was more conservative with his actions. Shooting out thick balls of dark magic. Each one designed to kill in a single hit. Once this man was dead, he was going to enjoy torturing the soul.

But Jax was used to these games. His own magic easily dispelling the magical assault. One hand swatted away the deathly energy, while the other continued to fire. He took a moment to reload only to see the realm shift. No longer was the god trying to fight from afar, instead the smoke thickened. It rose high into the sky and obscured his vision. Even the enhanced visor couldn’t penetrate the bubbling clouds.

“Damn it all” he cursed.

Chothos shifted into a semi-corporal form and swept across the land. Jax tossed the pistol to the side and tried to track the quick movement.

“GOT YOU” He turned as the god returned to flesh.

The being reappearing behind mid swing. Holding up the dagger, he blocked the assault. His bones rattled as the force reverberated through him. He twisted to the side and smashed the hilt into the god’s cheek. Magic flared as the bone shattered on impact. Even still, it felt like he’d hit a tungsten wall. Tossing the dagger to his left hand, he shook out the right in pain. Chothos stumbled back unleashing a cascade of screams. Those still alive collapsed in pain. It was a banshee’s wail that shattered ruptured eardrums.

His suit filtered out most of the ear-piercing sound. Ignoring the cries, he shifted his stance and attacked once more. Chothos was able to match the assault. His staff parried each strike and narrowly avoiding the god-tainted blade. But Jax saw through it all, he was far slower than before. He had killed so many followers, each one weakening his adversary. Emboldened, Jax started to take a few risks. He needed to land one last good blow.

The god quickly reverted to more trickery instead. Shifting the smoke clouds, the choking gasses enveloped the two. With vision all but gone, Jax tried to disengage. He worked on instinct as the raging creature attacked from all directions. His form shifted in and out of the clouds in moments. Only through his drugged out brain and environmental scanners did he have a chance at blocking. Through sheer luck, he stabbed the god through the arm. The smoke clearing as Chothos jumped back. Even the obscuring wall was gone. In the distance he noticed a few more followers had died, their bodies shrivial and drained. He shouldn’t have dropped the pistol, he could have taken out a few more.

Without any further distractions, he stepped forward. It was time to end this charade. He lunged towards the god’s heart, his wrist knocked to the side. Keeping the momentum, he answered the parry with a leg sweep. His suit cracked as it smashed into the robes, but the god stumbled from the impact. Twisting, he swung his dagger and felt it sink into the flesh.

“FUCKING DIE” He cried out as he forced the blade all the way to the hilt.

But Chothos was a petty being. Like the before, it decided on one final gambit. Jax felt those cold fingers wrap around his arm. Black ichor slowly eating through the protective metal. He tried to pull free, but the god held fast. All around him the remaining followers rapidly perished. The parasite sucking out the last bits to fuel this final curse.

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“GET OFF” Jax screamed out. He tried kicking the creature, punching with his free hand, but nothing worked.

Pain flared through the flesh as the necrotic grasp reached the skin. His suit blaring with alarms as the integrity failed. Chothos slowly worked through the defensive markings, uncaring of how many died to break through. One by one, the ink oozed from the skin. The power was dismantled and the wards failed. No amount of drug could halt the agony he felt. IT was as if each nerve was meticulously dissected for utmost pain. Only when the last enchantment failed did the god let go.

His laugh one of ridicule and mockery. His body no longer smoking, but drips from the gaping wounds. Even if he was banished from this world, the slayer would go with him. Jax held his arm and stared at the dying flesh. His skin turned blue as his veins blackened. Each vessel pulsating under the skin, the congealed mass of decaying material pushed into untainted sections. His fingers liquified in seconds, the dagger falling alongside the chunks of rotten meat. Each passing moment, that terrible curse crept upwards. His forearm is gone and already his bicep is weakening. Suddenly, a question popped into his vision.

“Do it” he panted.

Immediately, the shoulder joints constricted. Jax fell to his knees as metal dug deep into the flesh. There were no painkillers, there was nothing to bite down on, he just had to endure. Only two seconds had passed when the suit amputated the infected limb. His arm fell to the ground in a cascade of blood before rotting into soup. Stumbling up, his legs quivered and his vision hazy. This wasn’t how the fight was supposed to go. It should have ended on the first shot.

The action furthered the laughter of the dying god. A cacophony of screams jeering at his misfortune. But the fight was near its end. Only five followers remained, the rest dead. Even those ones were nearly comatose from his earlier actions. With such little power, it couldn’t fully heal the deathblow. Only stifling the wound, delaying his demise. Grabbing the staff once more, it slowly walked towards the man. It’s eyes fading and returning to a human-like quality. There would be no more show, all its power would be used for these final moments.

Jax tucked backwards, narrowly avoiding the strike. Mud splashed onto his face as the weapon smashed down. He was a bit off-balance from the missing limb, but the god seemed to be even slower. He kicked outwards, the boot crashing into the creature’s knee. It felt…weak. The bone snapping and bending backwards from the impact. As the god stumbled forward, Jax hooked upwards and slammed his elbow into the falling face. He might be one armed, but that didn’t mean he was unarmed. Globs of black blood flung from the beings mouth as it tumbled to the side. The thing tried to get up, but with the shattered leg it couldn’t stand.

Holding the bloody stump of his shoulder, Jax felt a surge of exhaustion take hold. The drugs had worn out and the effects hit him hard. Muscles locked up and he nearly vomited from the extreme pain. His vision started to blur as darkness crept in from the sides. It couldn’t end like this! He bit his lip, tearing off a chunk of flesh to focus. Stumbling forward, he approached the pathetic creature. Leaning back slightly, he kicked the creature's side. The tip of his boot crunching the ribs and exploding the organs within. Black, watery discharge leaked from the open wounds and pooled on the ground below. Jax struck the thing so hard, that fetid fluid splattered his own visor.

He paused. His body swayed under the crimson light. Sweat poured from his brow as warm blood trickled down his neck. The mangled god tried to crawl away. Faint whispers emanating from its lips, dozens upon dozens of deals, promises, and threats tickled the ears. How they could be partners and rule this realm, how he’d never fear death again, how he could be the strongest being to exist. All sweet words to stroke his ego. But Jax knew better, to live under a god was to give up one’s right to be human. That bubbling disgust rising up once more.

Pulling down his visor, he wanted the dying thing to see its killer. The two make contact for a brief moment, a mutual understanding passing both. Raising his foot once more, he slammed it down into the god’s face. Bone caved inwards as the skull splattered along the field. A ripple of power emanates from the falling god. Its death wail echoing throughout the mire. But it was done. There was no smoke, there was no magic, just the splattered brains of a god made manifest. Looking up, Jax smiled as the moon slowly shifted back to blue. The beautiful stars returning and the sense of dread leaving. He could return home.