[The Omniverse - The Grand Sanctum of Healing]
The Grand Sanctum of Healing was historically a place of infinite divine mercy, where High Clerics used holy magic to mend the broken bones of the Omniverse's bravest warriors.
Today, the golden halls smelled strongly of sterilized bureaucracy. The sanctuary had been aggressively restructured into the Pantheon Health Maintenance Organization (HMO).
Princess Ignis, wearing a sharp, tailored executive blazer over her demonic armor, stood at the admissions desk. Her hellfire was restricted to a low, corporate simmer.
A heavily bleeding hero stumbled through the automatic doors. His arm had been severely crushed by a Minotaur's warhammer.
"Please," the hero groaned, leaning against the polished obsidian counter. "I need a Tier-4 Regeneration spell. I pay my monthly Abyssal Care premiums on time!"
Ignis sighed, pulling a glowing holographic claims form from the Tycoon's Ledger terminal. "Name and policy number."
"Kaelen of the Northern Wastes. Policy 84-B," the hero winced in agony.
Ignis tapped the screen, her demonic eyes scanning the data. "I see your premium is current. However, your claim for a Tier-4 Regeneration spell is denied."
The hero choked on his own blood. "Denied?! My arm is crushed!"
"I don't make the policy, pal," Ignis shrugged ruthlessly. "Your coverage explicitly states that you are an 'Aggressive Melee Vanguard.' Getting your arm crushed by a blunt instrument while actively engaging a Minotaur is an occupational hazard. Therefore, the injury is legally classified as a highly predictable 'Pre-Existing Condition.'"
Victor Thorne walked into the lobby, sipping his black coffee. Elara, the former Heroine of Light, followed him, her face pale as she watched the hero bleed out on the waiting room floor.
"Victor, this is barbaric," Elara whispered, completely horrified by the ruthless capitalist system. "You own the healers! A Regeneration spell takes three seconds to cast! It costs us nothing to save his arm!"
"It costs us profit margins, Elara," Victor said coldly, caring only for the bottom line. "If we provide unlimited free healthcare, the heroes will take reckless risks during their raids. They will throw themselves at bosses, assuming we will fix them. That increases our spell-casting overhead and damages the efficiency of the insurance pool."
Victor walked over to the bleeding hero, adjusting his midnight-blue cuffs.
"Your claim is denied, Kaelen," Victor stated flatly. "However, Pantheon HMO does offer an out-of-pocket premium service. We can cast the spell right now, but because it is out-of-network, you will be billed for the raw magical output at a five-thousand-percent markup."
The hero collapsed, his vision blurring. "I... I'll pay it. Just fix me."
"Excellent," Victor smiled a cold, calculating smile. He waved a hand, authorizing the clerical drones to cast the spell. "Ignis, add a three-hundred-thousand-credit medical debt to his portfolio. And remind the underwriters to increase the premiums for all melee fighters next quarter."