POV: Guardian Angel

Tian paused as he wandered down the dirt road outside of his clan, having noticed the five children that were now blocking his way, sneers on their faces. He was eight now, and having shown no ability to cultivate conventionally whatsoever, it is expected that he would be the target of bullying by those who did cultivate -especially in a cultivation clan. Unfortunately this ridicule flowed down from the adults and into the children, who were more vocal in their learned disdain.

"What do you want?" Tian asked, clenching his fists by his sides and looking at the bullies with a carefully blank expression. For a child to have such control over his emotions like that was very impressive, and a little disheartening.

"Hmph. Shut up, you trash." The oldest of the five kids said, and Tian clenched his teeth but said nothing in response. The kid that spoke stepped forwards and grabbed Tian by his jet-black horn, dragging him around for a bit and not even giving an excuse to his anger. "Trash is trash and should know when to shut up." Ah, there it is. I was waiting for that bit. Tian struggled to get away, but the other kids just laughed at him as he struggled, one of them shoving Tian with all of his might. 

Even if he was just a child that had barely reached the first stage towards reaching the first true stage of Qi cultivation, the boy was far stronger and more durable than any normal kid his age. However, how could the kid know this? Only the one holding Tian's horn would really understand, and instead of letting go of Tian's horn, he actually viciously twisted when Tian fell. It was the action that normally would be written off as some childish accident, however I could see that the boy's soul was dark to begin with. His action was a thought of hate given form, with no real conscious thought on his part. Nonetheless, he did it with the intent to injure Tian. I could see the negative karma around the boy increase a bit.

With a sickening crack Tian's horn snapped clean off, leaving the boy sprawled in the dirt and looking up at the sky, not able to comprehend what had just happened. It wasn't until Tian looked up and saw his horn that it registered, and he reached up to touch the stump. When he pulled his hand away it was covered in blood, and he could do naught but stare at it. His horns hadn't even fully grown yet...

It was around this time that Tian was supposed to scream, thus drawing the attention of the nearby clan members and causing the kids who hurt him to be reprimanded. Unable to cultivate or not, one does not go around picking on mortals, or those who don't cultivate. It's a serious taboo, even if those people are looked down upon. However, how could the one who stood up to the "Enemy" allow things to go as planned? Even as a child with no memories, his personality, heart, and soul are far stronger than those around him. How could he just allow this to happen?!

The other angel guarding Tian with me started to move forwards as Tian stood up, teary eyed and looking as if he might cry but still holding the tears back. I, however, held my fellow angel back. This may be off track, but...I could feel something shifting inside Tian, threatening to wake up. It was the thing the Creator wanted to wake within Tian, it was merely happening earlier than planned.

"Give it back." Tian said in a trembling voice. The other kids just stared at him for a moment, unmoving, until Tian stepped forwards and held out his hand. "Gi-give me my horn." He said, just barely able to hold back from crying out in pain. The other kids hesitated, and one started to move forwards as if to console Tian, or perhaps attempt to give the horn back, but the one holding Tian's horn held him back. 

"Go get the Creator." I said, turning to the angel next to me. 

"I'm already here. I sensed it." A voice suddenly called out from behind me. I jerked in surprise and bit back a curse. When I first became an angel, I thought that meant that no one would sneak up on me anymore. I don't know why I had that foolish notion, but I did. And damn was I wrong. The deities love just popping up out of nowhere, and it really pisses me off. "Don't act." The incarnation the Creator had sent said, narrowing His eyes as He looked down at Tian. Being in the presence of the Creator was...something else. Even if it was just an incarnation, He had an aura about Him that...I don't know. I suppose I am not yet able to understand it...

Tian howled, and I turned back to the scene before me, having missed part of the conversation between himself and his bullies as I contemplated the Creator's aura. Currently Tian was...getting the crap beat out of him. Well, sort of. The bullies were absolutely beating him, the one that had held his horn punching with incredible force, but Tian was like a wild boar -he just kept coming. He was in pain, he was bleeding, but still he continued to climb to his feet and bite and scratch and claw and punch at everyone that came within reach. 

Something had snapped within Tian, and now he was letting it out. Not even the cultivating children before him could stop him as he instinctively began to use both soul and heartpower, strengthening his body and mind.

"He snapped earlier than expected." The Creator noted calmly, watching the fight with a critical gaze. Tian didn't win, but the bullies were not without their own injuries. Cuts, bruises, Tian had dealt plenty of damage despite the fact that he was now laying in the middle of the road, his broken horn on the ground next to him. It was a very pitiful sight, something more fitting in a fight between adults rather than children. "He's a very surprising person, but also very predictable." The Creator said, shaking His head. The other angel and I looked at each other before nodding in agreement. 

"At least he didn't mess anything up. Though I'm worried. If this is his reaction now..." I trailed off, thinking of the path that had been laid before Tian. One of hardship. 

"Yes. That's the point. Just make sure he doesn't make too big of a mistake, and if there's anything you can't handle you know what to do." The Creator said with a sigh, muttering something about upscaling. I nodded and looked back down at Tian, ignoring it when the Creator disappeared and continuing to just...watch over things. However, I did manipulate a few people here and there. Just because I'm watching and guiding one person in particular, doesn't mean I can't help others as well. 

POV CHANGE: Statera Luotian

Honestly, we still need more angels. The ones we do have are all about the same level of power I was before I became an Origin Deity, which, while powerful, is still not much. There were angels that presided over multiple galaxies back where I came from. Those were the real game changers. And, when I ran into a problem that I couldn't solve I'd just call someone bigger and stronger than myself over, and let that one handle it. Well, not like I can complain too much. All things take time after all, and the Four Realms is still young. 

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

When I returned to my palace, I was surprised to find Elvira already waiting for me, sitting on one of the many verandas that gave me a good view of the entire Four Realms. 

"Elvira? What are you doing here?" I asked, a little confused. I didn't sense any problems in the Heaven Realm, so why was she here? It couldn't be just...to talk, could it?

"Do I need a reason to come see you?" Elvira asked. 

"Generally you have one, yes." I deadpanned, raising one eyebrow. She deflated a bit and I just grinned, shaking my head and waving one hand. Randus appeared moments later and at my request vanished again to go get some tea. Gesturing to a table and chairs made of solidified primordial chaos, we both sat down and stared at the Realm Sun. 

"Actually, I do have a few questions..." Elvira said slowly. I just laughed and shook my head, waving my hand for her to continue. She shot me a small glare, her feathers ruffling and tails twitching in annoyance, before continuing. "I...would like some advice on guiding mortals." She said, looking away. Randus reappeared in that moment, pouring both myself and Elvira a cup of tea before once again vanishing. I took a sip and nodded, relishing in the feeling of the very pure and very positive-feeling energy flowed through me. The tea was specially brewed with a few plants I was experimenting with. I hadn't gotten it quite right yet, the energies held within hadn't balanced in the way I wanted them to, but this was much better than some of my previous attempts. 

"Hmm. Funny, Keilan's been working on the same thing lately, though he hasn't come to ask for help yet. He's a bit more stubborn on that front than you are. Does this have anything to do with Tian?" I asked. Elvira said nothing and took a sip of her tea, looking down at it in surprise afterwards. 

"Woah." She said, peering at its contents. I just grinned and waited for a response, or question about her drink. "What is...?" She asked, looking up at me quizzically. 

"It's a combination of tea trees from my personal garden. You won't find the plants anywhere else in the Four Realms." I replied calmly, taking another sip. Elvira stared at the tea for a moment before looking back up at me. 

"You have a garden?" She asked. A full bodied laugh escaped me, and I nodded my head, beaming at her. 

"Yes, I do. Reika helped me set it up." I replied, looking at Elvira expectantly. She just nodded and continued to stare at her tea. Seeing as how this would go nowhere fast, I decided to once again take the lead in controlling the conversation. "It's not surprising that you're having troubles guiding the mortals. You've been dealing with deities and high-tier spirits since your birth, and they are completely different from mortals, as I'm sure you know." I explained. She just nodded and sighed, rubbing her face with one hand. 

"They're just so...difficult." She muttered. 

"Mm. You must remember that the harder you try to grasp them, the more they'll fight. Especially those with lower levels of karmic attainment. They can get particularly nasty when they sense something trying to manipulate or force them." I told her, but this was something she already knew. It showed on her face, but I was patiently waiting until she physically asked me the question she was so dying to have answered. 

"What I don't understand is why, after all these years, there have been no angels or immortals from among the Avians? The Karae have had one angel come from them and although the Elementals have neither immortals or angels either they're getting closer. The Avians are falling behind, and I don't understand." Elvira asked, and I smiled. Technically speaking, it doesn't matter what race a soul is reborn as. They all have equal opportunities to grow and become angels, at which point things like race and gender basically become irrelevant. However, souls do have some say in how and where they will be reborn, meaning that if they're looking for a life that will help them rise in karmic attainment or, to a lesser extent, have a powerful cultivation base, they'll be born into an area that will give them chances to do so. 

Therefore, when it comes to the races, of course the souls are going to choose the ones where they feel have the higher chances of having what they want. In the case of Avians, they're getting the majority of souls who don't have a desire to go anywhere, either up or down on the scale. The others are similar, though Karae are beginning to attract those who wish to go higher, and Fae have the widest margin by far. They get everyone. 

Come to think of it, this is very much like a friendly competition, isn't it? To see who can create the "best race," I mean. And now that Alexander has added his Draconians into the mix, I wonder how the scales will tip? Well, I'm pretty confident the Fae will stay on top, but that's beside the point. It's kind of fun to see my kids so worked up like this.

"No, you don't quite understand it. Keilan has a bit of a head start because he has a deeper understanding about Karma than you do, but that doesn't mean that the Karae are automatically going to have more angels, does it? Just like how the Avians don't naturally have more Qi-cultivation immortals simply because you based their bodies off of the energies in the Heaven Realm." I explained. Elvira nodded. 

"Yes, I understand that." She said with a frown. "What I don't understand is what I'm doing wrong." 

"Nothing. You're not doing anything wrong, per se, but you're not going about it as well as you could." I replied vaguely. "Your people are tied to you, Elvira. Whether they realize it or not they will grow as you do, and will unconsciously follow in your footsteps....to a degree. As you understand more about yourself, your domain, and your Realm, they naturally will as well. If you want your people to grow you must guide them, yes, but you yourself must also continue to grow." I explained. Elvira's eyes lit up in a strange sort of enlightenment. She had known that instinctively before, but hearing it was another matter entirely. As it always is.

"Oh...oh, I see." She said. 

"Do you?" I questioned. "What do you need to do now?"

"I...I..." Elvira frowned and muttered for a second, her thoughts whirring. "I need to understand my domain." She said decisively. I nodded in approval as she stood up, turning to leave and act upon her new revelation. Then, she turned and gave me a thankful smile. "Thank you, Father." She said, and shot off towards her palace. I lifted my tea cup towards her for a moment before draining it and holding it out for a refill. By this point I had gotten used to Randus's whims. 

Technically speaking, none of the Big Five have Deific Domains, like my own Balance, except for Alexander. Alexander was far and above the highest when it comes to understanding both mortals, his Realm, and his domain, exactly because of the nature of the Spirit Realm. He has to guide the other Realms through his own, so naturally that forces him to grow and learn quicker. True, Keilan, Elvira, and Reika were all born to rule over their respective Realms, but that doesn't quite give them the domain like the other deities. Those four are naturally different than normal deities. It's a subtle difference, but it's there nonetheless. Keilan, at least, was beginning to find his domain. It lay in Karma and the mind. No one doubts what Reika's is, Life, but she has yet to truly begin to walk that path. 

"Raising children is hard." I announced to no one in particular, my gaze falling onto Tian as he went about his life. His attitude was getting worse and worse as the days passed. He was getting angrier and angrier. That was one of his lessons. He needed to learn to let go of the anger that stems from his obsessive desire to protect. It's been haunting him for a while, and while that doesn't mean he should no longer feel anger, it means he just shouldn't hold onto it so long that it turns into hate. Another sigh escaped me. 

For that to happen, however, Tian needed to hit a tentative "rock bottom." His personality was too stubborn otherwise.