"So, let's start over. The Tournament."

"But, Dad!"

"Hailee..."

His daughter sulked and Bernard squeezed her tighter in his arms, earning a cry in protest. She was almost twelve by now, in that awkward age when Dad's hugs where no longer cool.

"Ok, Ok... So, the almighty Father created Trudeau years and years ago, all the forests and the rivers and the mountains. He created humans too, in his own image. And then he let the Devil and two Angels to control those humans, to control the Holy and the Evil of the land."

"And what did the forces of Holy and Evil do instead?"

"They started fighting with one other for control over Trudeau, dragging people along with them. There was anarchy all around and a big part of the population died, so the almighty Father imposed a rule. The Tournament. Every fifty years, the Devil and the Angels must choose a number of competitors to represent them in a fight of life or death. The side of the ultimate champion wins the land... Or so they say."

Bernard raised his eyebrow and looked at Hailee amused. "What do you mean so they say?"

She bit her tongue and looked at him apologetically.

"Sorry dad, I just... we were talking with Brenda and Mike the other day, and well... no one really believes in the whole Angels, Devil, Tournament business anymore. Brenda's dad says this is all anachronistic crap to keep the population at bay."

Bernard's mouth fell open, but only for a mere second. Then he burst out into hysterical laughter, barely able to keep the tears streaming from his eyes.

"What's so funny?" Hailee shook her father, and he stopped laughing. The smile remained on his face, however.

"Well, I would really love to have this discussion with Brenda's dad, next time he comes around and asks me to bless his soil and cows. Maybe a curse will help him remember all these anachronistic crap."

"Dad! You are supposed to be a white Mage. You are suspiciously acting like a black one right now. And Brenda's dad never said that Magic doesn't exist. We all know that there are humans and in-humans, like you. He just has his doubts for this whole Tournament thing is all."

"What are you two still doing here?"

Martha was already walking towards him and her daughter. It was actually quite amazing how much Hailee looked like her, the same straight auburn hair, oval-shaped face and big eyes. The only thing different was their eye colour. Martha's was green, but Hailee's was deep purple. A reminder of her devil genes. A Devil she didn't even believe existed.

"It's lunch time. I don't appreciate you two being here when I have to spend two hours in the kitchen...."

Her speech was cut off by a sudden coughing outburst. She put her hand in front of her mouth, but the cough was enough for her to double in half from pain. Bernard put Hailee down from his lap to tend to his wife. He hugged her gently and put a hand in her stomach, in the height of her diaphragm. A soothing silver aura extended for his palm, stopping the cough and letting Martha stand on her feet again.

But Bernard wasn't a healer, and Martha's curse was not one that could be healed anyway. She was dying, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Thanks honey. I am alright now."

"No, you're not." Hailee's voice behind them, pissed. Sometimes Bernard thought his little girl was too smart for her own good.

"You've been coughing every day for the last few months. And it's getting worse. Why don't you go and see a doctor? Why are you both pretending Ma is not sick?"

"Hailee please, it's just a passing cold."

"Do you think I am stupid?"

She shouted the last part straight to their face, and Bernard lost the little patience he had left.

"This tone is unacceptable young lady. You go to your room at once and won't get out unless you are ready to speak to your mother in the respectable way she deserves."

Hailee's chin trembled from frustration and the tears that threatened to surface. She was too proud to let anyone see her sorrow, so she run towards her room without a word.

Martha started crying in his arms. "It's all my fault, Bernard. For being a stupid..."

She was interrupted again by a sudden fit and Bernard held her tight, kissing her forehead, barely noticing the blood trickling in the side of his shirt...

"Daaaaaaaaaadddy, wake uuuuuuuuup! Hailee is on the phone!"

Bernard opened his eyes, thankful for his son's disturbance. He didn't want to stay a second longer in the awful memory of Martha's slow, progressive death. He reached blindly and grabbed Shaun by his small waist, as he jumped up and down next to him. The toddler laughed hysterically, and Bernard kissed the top of his head. Both of his sons looked exactly like their mother, with wavy golden hair and blue eyes, a fact he was glad for.

"Dad! Dad! Hailee is on the phone!"

"I know Georgie, your brother already informed me. Tell her I'll be there in a second."

The twins run out of his bedroom, shouting happily. Bernard only needed a few minutes to clean his face and fix his hair, before descending their wooden stairs which lead straight to their living room.

Sheila was sitting on the couch, the digital screen on her lap, Shaun and George on either side of her.

"You know, I never got to see the sand-Dunes, not even once. I feel quite ashamed, really. I've seen the whole East by studying Healing in Wilmhelmin and never once travelled in the West."

Bernard heard his daughter's laughter through the phone, but it was a strained one. His guts gave a warning sign.

Something is wrong.

"Oh here is your father, honey. We'll give you some privacy. You two, kiss your sister good-bye."

"We love you, Hailee," screamed George over the phone.

"We miss you and hope you come back quickly." Shaun hugged the screen and blew her a huge kiss.

Sheila passed her arms around their waists, lifting them up in the air.

"Don't be too harsh on her, ok?" she whispered in Bernard's ear, as she made her way towards the kitchen.

He took her place in the couch and looked directly at the screen.

"I told them not to wake you up just for me. I am sorry, Dad."

Hailee tried her best to sound normal on the phone, but something was clearly bothering her. She was paler than usual, with black bags under her eyes.

"Something happened."

She was taken aback for a second, clearly surprised, but regained her resolve immediately.

"Nothing's happened. Everything is going according to the plan..."

"You should have reached the Dunes yesterday, according to the plan."

"What are you Dad, some obsessive-compulsive stalker or something? I had a stop at Lindor for a couple of drinks, and then decided to take the boat to the Dunes."

"The boat? And you're trying to tell me that everything is ok? Seriously?"

"Well the morning train was overbooked. And I do like the river..."

"You are getting nauseous with sudden gusts of wind, Hailee."

She sighted at his comment, suppressing a chuckle. At least now her face looked better than before.

"Anyway, I just want to try out a few new things, even if it takes me back on my schedule. Is that wrong?"

Her line hit Bernard straight in the feelings. This journey was possibly the last one his daughter was taking. She was allowed to do what she wanted, in the end. He tried to ignore his frantically beating heart and the lump nestling on his throat.

"Alright honey. I am sorry, I can't help myself but worry. Restless sleep."

"Having those dreams again?"

"No." It was his time to lie.

"Dad, please, everything is ok, really. You are going to make Sheila worry again with all the nightmares. Relax and try to get some sleep, alright?"

"Alright. And good luck out there. Don't forget to visit my friend Perth. He is certainly going to be happy to see you all grown-up."

"I am sure he will. Gotta go now. Love you."

"Love you too, sweetheart."

And with that he let his daughter go from the phone. Despite the warning signs his heart and mind gave him, there was nothing he could do. His daughter had chosen to play this game, therefore she had to endure until the end.

***

Hailee put down her phone and gave out a big, long sigh. At least this time she was able to shake her father off her trail of lies. She hated doing this to him, but there was no other way. He was the strongest mage in whole Trudeau, but still so innocent and naïve in so many ways.

A strong wave of wind and sand shook the phone booth and she disconnected her cell-phone from the amplifying machine. Cell-reception was a huge problem in the corners of Trudeau, so phone booths were more or less a necessity.

She got out of the glass doors and run straight towards the protective merchants' tents, especially laid out for the tourist crowd at the entrance of the Dune Villages.

Hailee still remembered the Dunes' story from her father's lessons. This part of the Trel desert were the beginning of life for Trudeau. The first evil presence being the Sand-Spirits, the first holy one the Sand-Warriors. With their three separate classes of healers, fighters and seekers, the Warriors strike the soul-eating spirits mercilessly, until the Tournament brought a frail order between the two clans.

The Sand-Warriors' village was still in the same spot were the used to, thousands of years ago. They were divided and categorized in three colours, one for each class. The enormous ceramic walls surrounding them ended in a gigantic clay-coloured door, with enough carved inscriptions and charms to keep every evil of Trudeau at bay.

The front of the entrance door was filled with kiosks, offering the unsuspecting tourists useless trinkets passed off as magic ones. Thousands of fake stones glowed in the sun, with the crowd awing and the merchants arguing or bargaining.

She found Theo at a tent to her left. His hand was full with a bunch of magic items from a certified "merchant/healer."

"That's a nice title you got there, buddy."

The merchant offered her the most kind of smiles.

"Well my sweet lady, there's not much profit to be had as a healer. So if it is for me to earn that extra buck, well I'll be damned if I don't sell one or two items, y'know?"

"Look, Hails, I already bought gifts for my family and me. And at some fair prices, too. Isn't it great?"

He opened his shirt and cocked his head, showing her a pearly white necklace.

"It nullifies every curse caused from the Sand-Spirits."

His excited puppy face made Hailee facepalm.

You are an Angel to the core, Theodor.

"Seriously now? You let that guy skin you for some stones?"

"You seem to doubt my wares, young lady. Buy anything you want, a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g. If it doesn't work, then I allow you to come back and punish me."

"Dude, I don't wanna p..."

"Oh, come on Hailee, the man practically begs for it. Take something. I am buying."

Her eyes went straight to purple, diamond-like amulet with black and green blotches on its smooth surface. It produced a hypnotic glow under the sunlight.

"What does this thing do, oh healer/merchant?"

The guy stared at Hailee with interest, her smile turning to a cunning one.

"This old amulet here? It enhances your magic power, young lady. But... it works better if you are sided with the Dark. And it can't be that such a nice girl like yourself has ties with the Devil, can it?"

More than you can imagine.

"I am taking that one."

As Theo was paying the dealer, Natalie came toward them with a victorious look on her face and a map on her hand.

"I got us a map of that place. Cool ha?"

"You mean sending Panda to steal it?" Hailee amused herself with the girl's frustrated look, as she pulled the map from her hand.

"I actually used my charm to extract it as a gift, but whatever. If you gave me one more day, I would..."

"You get no more day, Natalie. We are getting our cornerstones, now and then. Then we rest for a day or two, watching for any "interesting news." And then we part ways. Understood?"

"Of course, ma'm."

Theo moved swiftly behind her back, putting the newly purchased amulet around her neck, right next to her father's lucky charm.

"I think it looks nice on you."

"Thanks. But Theo... Never, ever approached me from the back again or you may end up being struggled, ok? I would hate to have to cut your body into million pieces and hide you."

Both Nat and Theo took a step back at her sudden aggression, but Hailee walked right passed them, pleased. She had enough of this shitty situation. She had tried to be sweet and compassionate with Nattie, and had been dead wrong. Theo was a sweet guy no doubt, but he had already proved that he would kill if he had to. And so was she. It was about time her partners started fearing her, about time she started to remember who she really was. The ultimate Evil was her father, and she had a fight to win.

She opened the map and focused on the layout. The villages on the left, the Sand Temple where the stones laid on their right. And between them, the last part of the Trel Desert, infested with evil spirits and souls. Her companions.

"Let's do this people. No more time to lose."