The ashes before Strife

Episode 12 : godly visitors ; 2

"I don't care what business you have, you are to kill that vermin, or the gods shall come down to smite thee!" The chubby white-hooded man spat out his words as he raged.

I scratched Thorn's chin, happy he had pissed off the church goons trying to extort my father. "I'm sorry but I practice misotheism so if one of the gods wants to come down here great. I'll simply punch them back up to their cloud in the sky."

The taller and fatter hooded priest took several steps closer to me "blasphemy! How dare you utter the gods in such a tone!"

My father looked worried at what I was doing but I gave him a slight nod easing him slightly "isn't it a motto of the church, that the gods forgive us all no matter what we do? How come then, is it, that one will jump down from heaven just to discipline me for letting my cat piss on your shoe? Hmm?"

His hood covered his face but I could see through the eyes holes that he was erupting with rage. He raised his hand against me to slap me infusing it with mana, but when he swung his arm down I grabbed his hand draining the mana from it "how dare you interrupt the gods will!"

"Is it God's will for you to take half a million from a man who couldn't even earn that in his lifetime?" He staggered back surprised questioning how I knew.

His friend who was still tall but not as round then took several steps forward "my friend. This isn't your business, so why do you help a man who is simply a pebble on the road of our great journey."

"Largely because your great journey is just a shortcut to death if you get in the way of my business with this man."

My father then stood in between us as tensions rose. "Listen I-I can't get you what you asked but-"

"Please get out of the way, Allen."

My father looked behind him to see me emitting the same commanding bloodlust as my mother scaring him "okay... just don't do anything stupid." I gave him a judging look and he acknowledged it was already too late to say that.

"Citan Rias. You understand what it means to insult a member of the Unix church correct?"

"Obviously. This isn't my first time getting into a scuffle with swindlers like you who bully less accustomed people." I then tossed him ten gold coins into his chest knocking him and his fat compatriot outside the doorway into the open street. "My friend..." his voice was filled with anger then he opened his hand to see the coins "I thank you for your charitable donation to the church!" There was no essence left of his past self "come monk! We're leaving now!"

The two walked away and the fat one shot me a mad glare which I responded to by pouring killing intent into his mind making him envision his own death as he tripped over face first.

"Haha, fat idiot!" Thorns glee was great to hear as I laughed as well.

I turned around to face my father who was confused by what just happened "what did you do to get them to leave?"

I walked back inside as I spoke "it's nothing a muscle-brained father would understand."

"Huh? You bribed him! That much I can tell but I never thought priests would accept them." We both headed up the stairs as I explained that the higher rank you are in church the greedier for money they get, taking off my white coat again.

We then arrived back in the dining room and saw my mother talking with Lucy and Lilly on the floor in the next room "ah Cayde! Your sisters have something they want to ask you."

Curious I headed into the green-carpeted room with a fireplace, several chairs, and a stool. I kneeled in front of them "what is it that you want to ask me then." They nervously looked back at our mother who motivated them on then back to me.