Unfortunately wanting something and getting it, are two very different things. Almost as soon as we turned to leave we heard it, we heard Quatal say "huh?" We turned to see, wondering what she was doing and saw her holding a rock.
"Papa, that man just threw a rock at me, does he want to play catch?" The moment she asked, we realised the looks of both fear and fury on everyone's faces. fury at the fact they had seen it happen, fear as they had never seen my temper tested in such a way, not to mention Eve's.
The Black stretched out from us. "Yes dear, he wants to play catch, but you have work to do so pass it here." I said calmly. "Now would whoever threw the rock please start running, at this range your entire body will explode." I announced with an ominously playful chuckle.
He tried to hide, but the other applicants weren't about to let him and get caught in the crossfire. So he started running as the black chased him down. Everywhere it went became an extension of me, able to see hear and move freely.
When I was sure he was far enough and I could throw without injuring any innocents I did so and the moment it connected his leg exploded at the knee. I then appeared at the mouth of the snaking darkness. "I once used this spell to make Eve taste hot chocolate and marshmallows. Now you will endure a thousand lifetimes of suffering." I created the memory orb that replicated sensory memory, but didn't offer it to him, instead I smashed it into his skull and forced him to tolerate it.
Eve, Leeson and Byurik arrived as I watched him trying to scream, I had placed a paralysis glyph on him to stop him suffering physical injury, but his expression was a mosaic of misery and attempted escape into madness.
"Adam, don't get me wrong, he deserved it for trying to hurt a kid like that. I'm worried about you though... You're never well after hurting people." Byurik said, putting a hand on my shoulder.
"If that ever changes, do the world a favour and ask me to leave it. I don't feel well, but don't worry. The fact I'm a father punishing one who attempted to harm his daughter, well, it makes it ok. Take him to the grounds, let it be known what happens to mortals who harm those I care about, let the girl know that those who harmed her before, will suffer worse before they die... Astrael has a surprisingly sadistic streak."
Eve just nodded, taking my hand like nothing had happened. If anything she seemed a bit annoyed that he was still breathing. "Thank you..." She said as she led me toward to the guildhall. "Thank you for doing that. I would have killed him, then felt horrible, while were trying to make a baby I don't want either of us to harm or kill anything. I think that would be bad. Let's retire to The Garden, at least for the next week."
"You know what, that's the best plan ever. Let's go get those job cards and supplies quickly."
When we got to the guild we saw an unfamiliar group, I guessed they were the ones who hadn't arrived on time, all of them were sour faced and bellyaching. On the other hand one young man who I also didn't recognise seemed full of life, but strangely tried to melt into his surroundings.
"Eve, are you alright grabbing the cards, someone just caught my eye."
"Sure, who though? Not like you to take interest in people on days like today."
"That amusing young man who is trying to become invisible through sheer willpower."
"The one terrified of your lingering blood lust you mean? I see, he clearly likes people, he can tell you're who he came to see, but smart enough to stay away from the danger... Go ahead, tell him to go to the clinic, we don't know what is going on at the training grounds."
I smiled and saw the young man sigh with resignation, then approached.
"For what it's worth my levity doesn't portray a lack of disappointment." He offered immediately. "I was act-"
"Boy, you are the only person I have passed today. In fact there aren't many still being tested. Most of the other fools, only inspired what was making you melt."
"Oh... Well... In that case, I feel silly for soiling myself." He spoke with abrupt confidence and faux-smugness before he laughed and so did I. It was a rare person who could make me laugh in such a mood.
"Boy, this group is a family, you will need to earn their approval to, go to the clinic and tell them I sent you to join the group, a warning, if a young girl applicant is about... Try to contain yourself, she likes space and hates men, upset her purposefully and I will not be happy."
"Right, what should I do to that group when they jump me?" He asked, nodding at the table of sour-faced failures.
"Adventurers! What do we to trouble makers!?"
"Nothing nearly as bad as you, so please don't say "we". We kick them out of town or if they resist, the deva comes and puts a collar on them."
"Has she really been doing that? Astrael and I really need to have a talk."
"I wouldn't worry. Some men seem quite happy with even that attention." They burst into laughter as I shook my head and approached the table.
"Now young men, if you cause trouble, know I have already had my fill of it... Insta-kill only from this point on The Black will be watching." I backed away whilst speaking to let my shadow stretch. I only intended to give them a standing reason to behave, but, pointing to my lingering shadow that stood guard against them I grew sincerely angry with every word.
My cold tone left no room for anyone to doubt my seriousness, and I muttered about how my family had been threatened, made the target of violence, belittled, demeaned and I had been ignored.
"Seriously... What is wrong with you humans? Should I even bother trying to help you?" My voice was a murmur, yet heard by all regardless, they had seen me mourn the deaths of sporadic enemies and hostile forces alike and now I seemed to be genuinely wounded by their very existence.
"Is this why gods don't come to our world? Can't blame him for being sick of us if someone did that."
"Shut up! I just can't believe anyone threatened his family... You know everyone loves them to pieces, that girl of his is the cutest."
I turned and bowed in respect to the direction of the voices. "Thank you... Truly. You remind me it's not wasted effort and I apologise for the foul mood."
"Adam, you were an adventurer first and we stick together."
"Yeah. This town was on the verge of collapse before you showed up."
"We may not be your family, but we are A family."
"We were all close to hitting the road til you showed up."
"Aye! The people looked like ghosts in disguise."
"See Love... You aren't alone, or feared and hated anymore. You mean the world to these people, you dealt in absolutes before you got to the mortal realm, then you became human and dealt in judgements before reaching those absolutes. Now you're both and neither, you can choose to do both and neither, we are a new breed and we make our rules, well you also get to redefine how you interact with things and people." Eve said hugging me.
"I see... The chance to evolve... Maybe I spent too long judging worlds, I can't believe I forgot I can simply judge individuals..."
"We Can... Seriously man, your memory is the worst..."
"Hey! I hear there's a good clinic in town..."
"Yeah just don't mess with the little lady, she had that guard Karl crying when she told him she'd cut the leg off if he didn't stop flinching."
"Thank you, everyone. You humble me." I tried to interject so we could be on our way.
"Is it just me or has he got a bit fancier talking since they made him king."
"Shhhh! That's a secret idiot!"
"Why are our state secrets so widely known?" I sighed as I squeezed Eve.
"Mostly because Halsan comes here to drink and whine about you with Byurik." One of the crowd admitted.
"Ah... Sooooo... It's my fault? Yep, that tracks I guess, everything else is."
"Not everything." Dusk said taking his usual place. "But don't worry, we'll make sure if these problems decide to cause any more trouble they have to make their way home in their skivvies. Did one of that lot really threaten the young lady?"
"Worse, he tried to throw a rock at her, thank god she caught it, I may have killed them all."
"Don't you worry, Adam. Brothers, sisters, why don't we go make sure no one else causes trouble because they're butt-hurt about rejection. Adam gave us travellers a place we felt we belong, showed us how welcoming these people are. Let's honour it by showing them we won't let our friends be insulted and don't insult them yourselves by causing needless trouble... I assume you dealt with the main issue and harshly I hope."
"Yes... Took a leg."
"Probably his mind too... Oh, and Dusk, you can consider us even after this, thank you."
Dusk nodded, then marched out, they left the table of sour-faces under the watchful eye of my shadow, which seemed to have completely detached from me and act on my subconscious will.
"I wish I had been born to this era... Things could have been so different."
"Indeed... I heard you tried your hand at music in a peaceful world... something about "The King Of Sinners"." Eve smirked at my suddenly pale complexion.
"Astrael, I assume. No matter. You should know though, they were just lyrics it was the zeitgeist, I drank a lot. Look, the world was very peaceful. They liked punk music and anarchy but in four thousand years not so much as a back alley brawl, all I had to do to blend in was play guitar and all I had to do to travel was go on tour, it was all business I swear."
"Well I have to know. Do I have a, what was it? Oh, "a body built for sin"? Don't know exactly what it means, but I can guess from the rest of the lyrics."
I didn't answer, I simply hooked elbows with her and pulled her out and toward the house as she chuckled.