“Foul!”

          “I didn’t make you leave.”

          “Foul!!” Raging against this traitor, my foot stomped hard against the ground.

          “Maybe don’t-”

          “Not now Vel, dear.” I patted his head to let him know I wasn’t trying to ignore him. “FOUL!!”

          “Humans delivered themselves to my doorstep, what was I supposed to do?” He had a blasted grin plastered on his face. I gritted my teeth and resisted the urge to plaster him over the wall.

          “Wait for me! We’re supposed to torment children together…” I tried to force back tears, real ones for once as ridiculous as it was. I stomped the ground again, in the same indentation from the first one.

          Vel ducked a loose rock from the ceiling, “Really, you shouldn’t-”

          Babaris’s grin widened, “Now, now, Vel. She wouldn’t bring the place down,” rotating his thumb down, “An angel uplifts.” He shifted his finger up.

          Now, to be clear. I knew he was provoking me. I was aware of that. However, looking back…I may not have been thinking entirely straight as we had just returned from a sadly fruitless journey. Apparently this area didn’t raise a lot of cattle.

          From such disappointment, we came back to find a pack of merchants kneeling in our front yard, offering wares to a certain someone. Their eyes betrayed terror and broken wills. He found new toy- friends and he broke them without me.

         And so, as things do as a matter of one’s course, the cave collapsed.

          “…Now what?” Vel-boy was propped over Babaris’s shoulder, holding the chessboard. Babaris held a bag that probably had the pieces. I realized at that point he’d been holding that bag since walked in.

          “…Now we have demon stew.” The merchants were scattered, hiding behind each other and the few scattered trees. My focus was solely on him as I dimly noted the rest.

          “And who would make you both real meals?” Relaxed as can be, he pulled an odd contraption that looked like a misshaped walking stick before he pushed and revealed a small black canopy that he propped on the shoulder the child was not.

          “…then a small fight, you never did let me spar with you.”

          “Don’t traumatize the brat more than you’ve already done.”

          I finally thrashed my wings and arms like a child, demanding, “THEN GIVE ME SOMETHING TO DO!”

          “Heaven and Hell are holding a tournament.”

          “Did you pack snacks?” I slid over and tried to peer in the bag he was holding. Feeling around, it didn’t feel like it had food. I puffed my cheek a bit in disappointment.

          “…right. Merchants always have such fun news, so I decided to make sure I got the best to pass on.” He tilted his head, a dark gleam in his eye. “Forgive me?”

          “For what?” I tilted my head to match his, the child groaned and slumped from his position as a sack of flour.

          Blackie’s smile faded, giving me his more characteristic flat gaze.

          “…never mind. I forgot who I talking to. Yes, I packed snacks.”

          “Yay!” I hopped a little and gave him and Vel’s legs a quick hug, ignoring the kicks the random legs tried to deal me from the odd angle. “I’ll carry the bag!”

          “The snacks aren’t in there.”   

          “Drat”

          “Can I get down now?”

          “Maybe if you say, ‘Please set me down Father?’ I popped around and winked at the boy, who just glared at me with exasperation.

          “I would consider it.” Babaris chuckled as we started walking.

          “Please, set me down old Ancestor.”

          I turned away, coughing into my hand.

          Hearing a whomp, I turned back to see the boy on the ground, flat on his back. I discreetly turn to admire the sky.

          “According to the merchants, the news of the tournament is a secret to almost everyone among the humans. Apparently they’re trying to keep this as quiet as possible.”    

          “How do they know about it then?” Vel trotted to catch back up, curiosity in his eyes.

          Babaris raised his eyebrow at him, but answered, “They trade with heaven.”

          “Ah, right.” The boy nodded, as if that explained everything. I felt a little offended.

          “So, my dear, when and where is it?” If they mentioned it, they definitely spilled every detail about it. Even I had to admit that.

          “A week, there’s going to be an eclipse on the North Islands for several hours so the mists will be thicker than normal.”

          “So, both angels and demons can be out and neither will have an advantage? But will the mist really be able to block the sun?”     Vel frowned, thinking about it.

          “Not normally, but the islands are special.” I chimed in again, “The islands are the farthest land north, so they should be cold, but they lay on a crack that heated the ground tens of thousands of years ago.” 

          “Right, and the crack sealed, which cooled the ground, but it still heats the seas around the islands. They are constantly drowning in mist, but for whatever reason, the mist is even thicker during an eclipse, to the point it blocks the sun completely and it feel like the tail end of twilight even during noon.” Blackie always got a look on his face when he was teaching, it was adorable. His eyes were softer than normal, but he was clearly trying to look more stern.

          “…maybe the heat from the sun normally dissipates the top layers of mist? I wonder…” Vel started muttering to himself.

          It warmed my heart to see them get along so. I almost cried again.