Heidi was incredulous, her mouth agape. “C’mon Katharos, I thought you were smarter than that. He isn’t a God.”

“You know I worship the God of Justice, Heidi,” Katharos straightened and clasped his bird-claws clasped behind his back. He was always calm, but his eyes gleamed with excitement just looking at me. I wondered why he worshiped me so much when nobody else did. “I’ve studied him and thought about what he would be like my whole life. In fact, my people have stored paintings of what he looked like when he walked among us. It’s an honor to meet you…” He was a little in awe, I supposed.

His body guard, Asher spoke quietly behind him “…careful, Katharos.”

He waved his bodyguard away, and he gave his master space reluctantly. “Sorry, he’s a little protective. You are Justice, are you not?”

I looked around, making sure no humans in the village would hear me, and then I nodded and said, “Yes. I am the God, Justice.”

“I knew it! I knew you existed because when I was on my deathbed from my churning stomach I prayed for your mercy.” He gazed upon me in admiration.

Katharos had gotten lucky. He was on Death’s door, incredibly sick. I was judging as myself the day I’d looked upon him, and because Katharos had only done well in his life, he was spared. It was one of the only hard decisions I’d ever made as myself. 

I would never tell him that his life had been saved based on sheer luck. 

If it were Vengeance or Justice, they probably would have let him die.

His eyes shone, but he refused to cry. He was smitten by the idea that I thought he was special enough to save. “Thank you for saving my life…”

I said nothing. Saying ‘you’re welcome’ felt like it would devalue his life.

After a moment he asked, “But what are you doing here in the mortal realm?”

I looked at Heidi, who was looking bored and unamused at our conversation and my perceived lies. “I was stripped of my powers because I rescued Heidi.”

Katharos was confused. “Why strip you for that?”

“Because she was meant to die.” I answered truthfully.

“But I was meant to die, and you weren’t stripped of them because you saved me…”

Heidi, fed up, rolled her eyes. “When will you two stop acting like starry-eyed children? You don’t have powers, and you didn’t save me, Joshua! How long are you going to waver under that delusion?”

“I could tell you that, but it won’t be true.” I told her flatly.

She looked a little surprised, noting the sarcasm in my normally emotionless voice. She stared for a moment, and then shook her head. “When you want to start acting like an adult Joshua, come find me.” She walked off, irritated.

I turned my attention back to Katharos. “Heidi was meant to die and you weren’t. I bent the rules for Heidi.” I answered him vaguely.

Katharos wanted to ask more, but he could tell I was uncomfortable. He changed the subject. “How long will you be in the mortal realm?”

“A year.”

Katharos was shocked. “A year among mortals! I hope they won’t corrupt you!” Katharos paused, and then he asked, a little haltingly, “Do you like us…? Mortals, I mean? In general?”

“No.” I said truthfully. I knew I was supposed to like them, but I simply didn’t.

He frowned. “I see, so there is no hope for us?”

I shook my head. “The problem lies with me, not you. I like you and Heidi, but others displease me.”

He nodded, crestfallen. “I see… I shall have to work harder to prove we aren’t all bad. But for right now, I have to do work.”

I waved goodbye to him, and he gave me a wave goodbye with a flourish of his wing as he tore himself away from me. 

I rubbed the back of my neck. Suddenly, I was feeling very light-headed, and I collapsed.