As Blackie predicted, we arrived right on time. It was a lovely walk, plenty of trees, beautiful meadows, lively towns that we sadly did not have time to explore, a bandit strong hold we did have time for, even a flower field with my favorite flowers that we went though at night that was just perfect as the moon beamed down on the lovely pale petals.

          “I’m never trusting you two again.” Vel grumbled from his seat behind the table we set up to rest the chess board on as the stadium was oddly silent despite the tournament getting ready to start.

          “It’s not my fault, how was I to know they have a particular liking for human flesh?” They didn’t try and eat angels after all.

          “You weren’t in any real danger. It would take the field a whole day to dissolve your body completely.”

          “Thanks, that make me feel so much better. You moved that piece one too many.”     

          “Drat.” I muttered under my breath, moving it back one.

          “Ha.” Slight gasps were heard from the demons’ seating as Blackie smirked slightly.

          “You still could have gotten me out sooner instead of chuckling on the sidelines.” He crossed his arms and huffed at us rebelliously. Teenagers.

          “Yes, dear, sorry dear.” I ignored the slightly more exaggerated gasps from the angels’ seating as I wondered about my next move. Blackie had all but trapped my pieces and I was running low on pawns.

          “I wonder what idiot got saddled with running this show?” Blackie looked around at the surprisingly well-organized seating and refreshment areas, annoyingly relaxed. He waved a nervous little demon over and ordered us more snacks as we were running low on the ones we brought with us.

          “Don’t move your opponent’s pieces.”

          Blackie immediately turned and wacked my hand. Tears formed in my eyes as I gave him my best wounded look. He immediately softened, just as planned.

          “…stop that.” Vel, and what sounded like half or more of the sectators, shuddered.

          “…no fun.” I grumbled back at them. There was a slight commotion from both sides as three people got shoved in our direction, a pair of identical demons and an old friend.

          “Tavy!” I waved at a familiar ghost-like face. “And new friends!” I waved at the twins. I’d heard about them, but they were not a combat team so I only faintly recognized the one wearing armor.

          “Pelk,” Blackie pointed to the one wearing a smart outfit with a grumpy look, “Olven.” He moved his finger to the solemn one wearing armor and a forcibly attached bowtie.

          “Duke Olven, Ambassador Pelk. Our son Velris.” I smiled politely as we all ignored the frozen spectators. “Velris, Blackie,” the twins choked, “Head of Relations, Archangel Tavliel.”

          “…Please to meet you.” Tavy still had the plastered smile that those scholars always seemed to have when they were forcibly dragged out of their halls. He hadn’t changed a bit from the last time we saw each other.

          He looked at me with the back hole-bags under his eyes and opened his mouth as if he had something to say.

          “Did the two, no, three of you have plans for this next couple of days?” Pelk helpfully chimed in, overriding whatever Tavy was going to say. Olven tensed, as if waiting for the worst.

          “Nothing especially, we planned on just enjoying the tournament.” Blackie finished off my queen, ending our game. He was winning by a slight margin, two or three…or twenty. It’s hard to keep track.

          All three of them paused, I could see the this wasn’t in the plan look the three shared. Aw, Tavy was making friends. And Blackie was right, this was pretty fun.

          “Vel-dear is still a child and we thought this would be a wonderful way to help him get some exposure. If you have ideas to help, or even provide a guide, we’d greatly appreciate it!” I smiled radiantly with the kind smile of a mother looking at the nervous group before us. Tavy grew paler, which I didn’t think was possible, and he looked in a certain direction in panic. I glanced and saw Lacie-boy admiring the sky from his post supervising security and keeping the contestants in line. Oddly, he wasn’t one of them, but I’m guessing they were sending out hot-blooded youths to fight for glory rather than actual “old” veterans.

          “Oh? They dragged that brat into this?” Blackie peered over at Lacie too, “I wonder if that means Quen is here.”

          “Duke Quenloc is in charge of security and has been working with General Lyciel.” Olven commented. His brother scowled and smacked him quietly.

          “As we want to put the war to rest, we’ve been working with the braindea- angels to make this a success.” Pelk spoke with such confidence that I also missed that he tried to call us braindead.

          “It has been a very… interesting experience for us all.” Tavy nodded wisely.     

          “What do you mean inter-” Pelk turned, hackles raised.

          “New and exciting indeed.” Olven nodded, a slight crinkle around his eyes that I since I was used to Blackie’s highly expressive face. He was getting better though, now that I think of it. Even Vel can tell when he’s smiling, which was a lot more often than when we first met.

          A demon waiter bounded over with a load of treats on four carefully balanced trays.

          “Here ya go, General, oops, former General! Congrats on your retirement!” The child grinned as she set them down on a separate table that a much more nervous demon which was hiding behind her set down near us.

          “Ah, Bargrl. How have you been?”

          “My dad still calls me Three when we’re working, can you beat him up for me?”

          “No.”

          “Worth a shot.” She muttered. She poked her head over at me. “Hello!”

          “Hello!!” I waved excitedly, sensing a kindred spirt.

          “Nope, none of that.” Blackie abruptly stuck his hand to block our gazes. “Kid, take this one and go play.” He grabbed Vel by the collar and threw him to her. “If he gets hurt I’ll skin you and that father of yours.”

          “Yes, sir!” She saluted, grabbed Vel, and ran.

          “Wait! No, I want to staywithyou- please!” Despite his struggles and his desperate, half legible sentence, he was gone in moments.

          We turned to the overworked, and as the tournament contestants were dragged to the stage, we asked the plastered smiles and bundles of nerves,

          “So, what went wrong?”