It was beautiful out tonight, a cool summer evening. No matter how many times he ventured down to the Mortal Realm Anatos would never get used to it. The Divine Plane was exact, everything felt the same there and it bored him. That’s why he loved the the Realm of Mortals, he could finally feel something; feel alive rather than just some sort of necessary aspect of reality, a god. That’s why he came down here, to feel alive, well one of the reasons.

  He moved through the forest on the outskirts of the human city of Arkencourt. There was much injustice here, it broke him to know it how much there was in Arkencourt. But the gods made a deal a long time ago to refrain from interfering in mortal affairs. Anatos couldn’t care less for that rule, well, he started not caring a few years ago. He had met Elizabeth then, his wife. He knew it was forbidden, to love a mortal like that. And it was especially forbidden to have children with mortals, to have demigods.

  Anatos thought about these things as he made is way to the humble little cabin that Eliza, and his son, William, called home. He disturbed the creatures of the wood as he ran, his niece’s domain, these creatures would alert her if she was awake. Anatos made sure to keep his relationship secret, he would be severely punished if the truth ever came out. Every time he visited his family he made sure to go whenever the rest of the gods wouldn’t be watching. When he wasn’t keeping the gods accountable he was watching them, waiting for them to turn away.

  He was there now, at the house. The moon lit the home and the clearing it inhabited. He could feel the midnight dew on his bare feet and his hooded cloak billowed in the night wind, obscuring his body. He looked… intimidating. His sword sheathed at his hip and his inhuman pitch black skin was fear inducing, but Eliza didn’t care. William however, who was just a boy, would be scared.

  Anatos shifted his form to something more hospitable. His skin lightening to a deep brown and his eyes no longer the glowing white orbs they were but now human and brown as well.

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  He began to walk towards the door, the smell of a pot of soup on the hearth was welcoming.

  Whoosh

  Anatos turned around, his left hand immediately moving to the handle of The Sword of Justice which was sheathed in a scabbard attached to his right hip. Anatos surveyed the area, looking amongst the trees and the tall grass of the clearing.

  There was nothing there, just the wind.

  Anatos would be lying if he said he wasn’t paranoid each time he came down. Because someone did know of it all, another god. Saro, his little brother, found out one day. Anatos wasn’t careful that day, the day he rushed home to meet his son when he was born.

  “I give my word that no one will know, big brother.”

  “And what is your word worth, Saro?”

  “Everything to you right now. If I tell anyone of this little… involvement of yours, then you’ll be exiled and they’ll be killed.”

  Anatos drew his sword in an instant, the end a few hair widths away from Saro’s neck.

  “Do not test me Saro! I could strike you down on a whim!”

  “Oh please big brother, would the god of justice commit an injustice? I don’t think so.”

  “I said not to test me!” Anatos moved his sword even closer.

  “Always quick to anger, aren’t you?”

  Anatos scoffed, “You threaten the lives of those I hold dear, I believe my actions are quite justified!”

  “Shouldn’t be the one to lecture Justice incarnate about justice, hmm?”, Saro chuckled, “I’ll let this slide, let this secret continue, but I have one condition”

  “And that is?” Anatos readied to plunge his sword into Saro, he would to anything to protect those he loved.

  “It’s simple; if Matal dies, they die. Sound good?” Saro did another of his idiotic chuckles

  “No one will know?”