Chapter Four
Saviour?
He didn't know how long he had been out cold, or whether he was alive or dead, but a black image filled his vision as Milo slowly opened his eyes.
The bouncer coughed a few times as he tried to make sense of where he was and what had happened, as he tried to move, he winced in pain and he felt a stickiness on his hands.
"Poor unfortunate souls..." a hoarse but whispering voice filled his ears.
"What?" Milo groaned as he blinked several times "Who...what? Where am I?"
"Don't be afraid, friend."
"Whose there? Who are you?"
"There's nothing to fear, I've come to save you."
"Save me?" Milo asked "What's going on?"
"I saw what was happening to you and your friend, you were being a good Samaritan, yet those evil monsters decided to attack you."
"Marcus!" Milo's eyes shot open and he looked around, his vision clearing until he saw Marcus laying next to him, bloodied up and bruised.
"Marcus!" he moved his hand over and placed it on his, "Marcus!"
"He's still alive." the voice came again, "But only just...and you, the wounds you have sustained, it will not be long until you bleed to death."
Milo blinked and looked up yet he could barely see who was talking to him, looking around, he saw what looked to be an abandoned building with an open roof and he could see starlight.
He was confused, but he was also scared stiff, especially since he was in pain and he didn't know if the owner of the voice was there to help him or hurt him more.
"Who are you?" he asked trying to find the source of the voice "What do you want with us?"
"Nothing." the voice came again, "I only wish to help you, but if you want my help you must understand."
"Understand what?" Milo choked as he felt the pain in his chest and stomach spasm as well as feel more blood escape from the wounds.
"That if you wish to live, there is a price, but if you choose death, I will not judge you..."
"Price?" Milo asked.
"I was given this life, yet I didn't ask for it, it robbed me of my human form, and I resented it..." it was then Milo realised who the voice belonged to, as out of the shadows, he saw the moonstone blue eyes of Diablo the Raven.
"Holy shit!" Milo gasped looking upon the mutant bird's appearance and he tried to move again yet each time he tried, he could feel the searing pain within his body from where he had been stabbed.
Diablo stepped over and knelt before Milo.
"Do not fear me..." Diablo whispered running a taloned hand over his face "I only wish to help you, you and your friend, that is if you wish it."
Milo was so shocked he couldn't speak yet Diablo continued on.
"What I give you, should you agree to take it, you will gain strength and abilities you never had as a human, you will be able to live a life without restrictions, without law, and be free, live life as a mutant..."
Milo swallowed hard as he took in Diablo's appearance.
"As a mutant Raven?" he asked.
"A mutant yes, but you may take on a different animal form," Diablo answered "But you need to choose quickly, for yourself and for your friend, for you haven't got long before those wounds do you in..."
Milo swallowed again, he looked at Marcus, then at Diablo, he knew very well he was dying as he was starting to feel sleepy, and he knew once he closed his eyes he would never wake up again.
He knew he had to make a choice, and he didn't wish to expire and he didn't want Marcus to die either.
"So..." Diablo spoke looking into Milo's eyes with his moonstone blue ones "Do you wish to live again?"
"Ye...ye...yes..." Milo rasped, he then saw the mutant bird smirk then lift a bottle filled with clear water above his mouth then dribbled some into it.
Milo caught the water and it dripped on his lips and tongue, wondering what would happen next.
"Brace yourself." Diablo whispered then stepped back "Prepare to be reborn."
No sooner did he do so than Milo felt his body spasm in pain, then he screamed as if his insides were being wrenched out.
He clenched his fists and howled as he felt every cell on his skin start to burn, almost like he was being licked by white hot flames.
He soon felt his jaw start to stretch forward slightly and his teeth started to get sharper, then he felt his tail bone start to grow longer.
He wasn't sure how long it had been but as soon as the pain came it began to fade and he collapsed exhausted on the ground breathing heavily and trying to make sense of what had just happened.
"I am sorry." He heard Diablo speak "I should have warned you, that the transformation does cause one great pain."
Milo took a few deep breaths then looked up at the Raven who stood above him, the same smirk on his beak.
"Impressive!" Diablo said "I think it's a perfect look for you!"
Milo lifted his hands and he cried out in shock seeing they were black and furry and had sharp claws on them, he then felt his face and head and realised his ears were higher and his nose was wet and he felt a sort of hare lip.
"What the fuck..." he choked "What have you done to me?"
"I've given you life, that's what." Diablo answered "You wished to live didn't you?"
Milo opened his mouth yet the words didn't come out.
"I've given you a chance to live again." Diablo continued "I saw what those bastards did to you, those fucking red-necks! They beat you and stabbed you and your friend to near death."
Milo blinked then he remembered the Red-Necks he had seen bullying Marcus and he had stepped in to help his friend.
The Red Necks had then ganged up on him, and Milo, being experienced in his job at throwing idiots and perverts out the the Strip Club, he was able to take on quite a lot of thugs.
But the Red Necks had fought dishonourably and he remembered how they stabbed him in the back!
"Jesus Christ..." he murmured.
"Those wounds would have done you in." Diablo explained "And I couldn't let that happen."
Milo looked up at the Raven.
"You...you turned me into a mutant?" he asked again "What...what am I?"
He looked around wondering if he could find a piece of glass or some sort of mirror so he could observe his reflection and he soon saw a large puddle on the floor to which he leaned over and recoiled in shock seeing what he had become!
"A Panther." Diablo said casually "I have to say that is a good look for you, I did wonder what you'd turn into, but I never expected a panther."
Milo turned to Diablo and placed his paws on his face.
"Why?" he asked, still in shock.
"Do I have to repeat myself?" Diablo asked rolling his eyes "I've given you a chance to live again, I did ask you if you wished to live, or die, and you chose to live."
Milo looked at his paws then at Diablo again, still in shock then he looked over to Marcus who still lay on the ground.
"Marcus!" he went over and grabbed his friend's shoulders.
"He is still alive friend." Diablo confirmed "But only just, and believe me when I tell you, you haven't got long until he breathes his last, only then will it be too late for him to be given his second chance."
Milo looked at Marcus again then touched his own face feeling the black fur, there were so many options. He knew Marcus had fallen on hard times and it seemed hopeless for him, since he had returned from service, he had found it so difficult to find work, and people gave him a hard time since he only had one arm.
He wondered if he would be able to accept living life as a mutant, Milo still had some reservations about his condition, but in a way he was still grateful to be alive.
"So?" Diablo asked, a slightly sense of impatience in his voice yet he bit it back "Have you made your choice for your friend here?"
Swallowed hard, Milo looked down at Marcus then up at Diablo.
"He had a shit life recently." he said "He doesn't deserve to die by the hands of selfish evil Red-Necks, give him the water."
Diablo smirked and nodded then stepping over he dribbled some of the water into Marcus's mouth.
"Be reborn..." Diablo whispered as he stood back.
Milo also moved back and saw as Marcus began to spasm and he opened his eyes then arched his back screaming.
Milo swallowed hard and watched as Marcus writhed in agony and clawed the ground then he saw the veteran's right arm shake then something began to emerge from the stump where the healing skin had puckered at the base.
"No way..." he then saw Marcus's missing arm grow back, yet it wasn't a human arm but rather a black furry one with claws on the end.
Marcus then screamed again as his mouth and nose connected and formed a snout with a wet black nose and his ears moved upwards and became more pointed.
After a while, Marcus stopped screaming and writhing and lay on his back breathing heavily.
"Shit..." he breathed "What...what the fuck?"
"Marcus!" Milo cried in relief "You're okay!" he stepped over to the veteran and took in his appearance.
"A Doberman." Diablo mused "Hmm, I can understand why, a known guard dog, or war dog, and judging by your friend's medals, he's a forgotten war hero?"
Hearing Diablo's voice, Marcus looked around and he soon saw Diablo and Milo looking down at him.
"HOLY SHIT!" he shouted and tried to moved away, yet as he did, he felt the ground under his right hand which shocked him even more.
At first he believed it to be the phantom feelings he often felt since missing his right arm, but this felt so real and turning his eyes to look down, he saw his right arm had come back! Yet it was brown and black and the hand had claws!
"Fuck!" he cried again "What? What's happened to me?"
"Marcus!" he heard Milo's voice and he looked over at the Panther where he clearly recognised his friend's voice.
"Milo?" he asked, a sense of shock filling his entire being "What? What's happened what's going on here?" he then looked across to Diablo.
"Who are you?" he asked "What are you?"
"Look, I'm just as confused as you Marcus." Milo said "But the Raven says he did this to save our lives after those Red-Necks almost killed us!"
"You trust him?" Marcus demanded.
"I'm not sure!" Milo replied "But he gave us the choice whether to live or die!"
"Believe me." Diablo cut in "I felt exactly the same when I first mutated! I never wanted to be this, but I soon discovered it's benefits!"
"Benefits?" Milo asked with a snarl "Becoming a mutant? Not being able to go back to our normal lives? Back to what we know?"
"I understand you are angry and confused." Diablo replied in the same causal tone, "But you'll soon be thanking me for this, I promise you."
"Thank you?" Marcus growled "Thank you? You expect us to thank you for this? This Curse? This mutation?"
Diablo nodded.
"I said those exact same words, but soon I realised I should have thanked those who did this to me, otherwise I never would have realised what being what I am now would do for me."
Milo glared.
"I believe you owe us an explanation!" he snarled "Then we can decide whether we should be thankful, or rip out your feathers one by one!"
Diablo glared and opened his wings before flying up a little and sitting on a broken beam above the Panther and Doberman.
"Very well." he said "I believe getting to know each other is important, as well as giving a full explanation for what I have bestowed upon you."
So Diablo has 'saved' and mutated both Milo and Marcus, Milo becoming a panther and Marcus a Doberman!
Will they accept their lives as mutants and be grateful to the Raven?
Find out in Due course!