"Can I assume that racket is you giving me more work?" Byurik grunted, not looking up until he sensed the tension in us. "What's wrong, has something happened? Wheres Quatal?" We raised our hands and he took a breath.
"The deva sisters just found out their crea- their father has passed. Celesael has returned to the domain of black, to act as steward until Eve and I are strong enough to rule effectively." I explained, still a bit achy from her departure.
"I'll have to let Kuronovus know... How are the other two coping?" He spoke grimly, the same empty and pointless questions that everyone in his position would ask.
"They are them...I think that's the best way to put it, Quatal will miss movie time with the lazy auntie for a good while. Layaera hasn't been about since the wedding, so much has happened I have neglected her a bit."
"She's fine, been helping me pick applicants. I'm going to miss her help when she leaves. She visits the temple often to, unlike Eve she didn't feel trapped by it, remember that."
I nodded. I felt like I was forgetting something.
"Adam, you don't seem yourself, are you ok?"
"I just tore out the hearts of three people who mean the world to me. That's going to take some time to process... Can you remind me, when is the final selection exactly and how many do we need?"
"Adam, don't work, work through what you already have to deal with. I'll collect you on the day. Check on the clinic, help some people like you did when you arrived, you all need normality for now, not to be faced with coming changes."
"He's right, let's go, seeing Fala will surely make you feel better."
"No... Telling them what happened right now will only make me feel worse...Why don't we visit Tyrland , he returned to his lands after the reception didn't he?"
"Yes, he did, that might be a good plan."
That's what we did, we went straight to Tyrland's palace with the teleporter.
The guards surrounding it all pointed weapons at us... Of course they did, we just burst into the palace with no invite or warning. Usually I would have been more aware of that, but I simply stumbled forward, impaling myself on a halberd without even realising and asking where Tyrland was.
Eve pulled the weapon from my torso and slapped me, then two of the generals entered bowing respectfully upon recognition, then seeing the signs of serious injury and Eve's anger.
"What happened here?"
The guard who had been holding the weapon now in Eve's hand, suddenly fell. "H-h-h-He Just walked onto it... Then it healed... Nothing, not a scratch."
"That doesn't mean it didn't hurt him!" Eve snapped, cold and fierce. "You're lucky I saw him do it. He isn't in a good mind, he- Something happened with deva and he's hurting he needed to get away, spend some time with a friend."
"Of course Eve, Tyrland will want to help, follow me."
When he heard the story, Tyrland punched me in the gut, then seemed to evaluate my state.
"Eve, there isn't such thing as an expert on divine physiology, or psychology... Well, one that isn't the patient. What natural abilities can you tell me about, they may shed some light for me." Tyrland asked, a bit relieve she trusted him enough not to avenge the punch.
"We have regeneration, won't age past our prime, creation of matter though we aren't there yet I don't think, destruction of matter, which he can use and I may have used, absolute will a-"
"Absolute Will?"
"As gods our wills are enforce as much as possible and we can even enforce them upon our selves, but it is a double edged sword, it is absolute which means a stray thought or intense desire can manifest it."
"Ah, now I understand. Can you do me a favour and fully enforce yours upon him telling him to feel again?"
"What do you mean, he is already feeling again, we fixed that before the wedding."
"Yes, then he broke the hearts of three members of his family, felt abysmal, grief depression, anger, self-loathing, physical pain and guilt. All those things eating you from the inside out, what might you think"
"I wish I didn't feel this way..." She sighed, a little bit embarrassed she didn't realise it herself. Suddenly her eyes turned black and the colour drained from her skin. "Adam, feel again." She ordered and my body did as commanded, making me hug her after it felt like forever.
"I was completely numb, barely able to walk since I couldn't feel the ground. I'm sorry, it was a stray thought I promise and thank you Tyrland, she would have realised, but thank you for helping. That was horrible, worse than when I had the implant in my head."
We spent a bit of time chatting, catching up, talking about the demon lands and their operational retreat. I had them granted the entire northern edge of the continent when peace was declared, some argued, but said it would be a reminder to the humans about how the last war turned out.
Tyrland had his own punishment though, the demons were no longer allowed to live their lives in seclusion, the needed diplomatic channels and interaction with every nation, even hostile ones.
They were victims yes, but they were also villains and that could not go unpunished.
The demons were build roads from the front lines back to their lands, the national version of an extended hand waiting for someone else to take it.
"Tyrland, can I ask something personal? All my friends back home are single... Oh wait! no! I forgot, Valo and doran... Anyway, what I was saying. Are you married, is there a demon queen I should be paying my respects to?"
"In my experience a man taking an interest in my wife is good for no ones hea-"
"Shut up... What I meant was, I don't have any married friends, strange for an era like this. Usually most people are married, but here they aren't. Despite my age, I've never been married before and it would be nice to have a married friend to ask when I need advice."
"Youuu. You are a strange god." He laughed. "First piece of advice, ask your friends their opinion on everything. second, do the opposite, third, apologise anyway. Now, why don't we go see her. She is busy and often temperamental when that is the case, but she was saddened she couldn't attend the wedding."
"Not that I feel slighted of course, but why couldn't she?" Eve asked as we followed him through the pre-raphelite syle hallways. The malachite decorations a strange choice for interior decorations.
"Our child is going through a... Well a special time for demons, she is a tad diminished as a result." Tyrland's answer was cryptic, but it must have been a deeply private thing for him to think of hiding it.
It took several minutes to wind our way through the structures, then we came to a set of large double doors behind which it sounded like a war was being raged.
"Is she entertaining guests already?" I asked sarcastically.
"Perhaps we sh-"
"Tyrland if you wish to interrupt then do so already, but show me the spine you had when we met." The female voice echoed through making Eve and I stifle nervous laughter as he fulfilled the voices demand. "Oh, Apologies. I didn't realise we had foreign visitors, welcome t-"
"Please waste not the pleasantries, I came as a friend seeking comfort and realised I had been denied the pleasure of meeting my friend's wife far too long. Please call me Adam."
"And I am his wife, Eve. A pleasure to meet you, did we interrupt a sparring match?"
"Ah! Adam and Eve, so sorry I couldn't make it to your wedding. The boy might be a clumsy, talent-less lout, but he has the advantage of youthful energy."
"Think nothing of the wedding, to be honest there were more people than either of us expected or wanted, our hands were tied with the coming announcement though. As for the sparring match, I could do with blowing off some steam, if you would like a break."
"If you could beat the boy out of puberty it would be greatly appreciated. Demons always go through a stage of obnoxious arrogance, personally I think you humans do it much better."
Eve and I chuckled. "Err, actually we aren't technically humans. We are both fledgling gods, we kind of went through a type of puberty for it, but since we're the first there isn't an instruction manual."
"Is that why you're looking to spar Adam, to prove your dominance?" The words made Eve snort with a chuckle and turn bright red.
"It was something like that, but we already took care of it... Even if the score is still a tie." Eve whispered so only the queen could here it.
"Anyway boy, you ready to stand or need a nap first." The demon lunged savagely.