Ava seemed glad not to have to reveal that secret. No one else even knew. Not even the twins, who she was close to. Whatever it was though, it had to have been pretty bad for things to have escalated with Toji the way they had. Something Finn still marveled at was the close bond the entire family shared. They may fight and argue sometimes, but they genuinely cared for and stuck up for one another. Years ago, he had felt like an outsider, but they quickly accepted him as one of their own. It didn’t matter that he was a demon. 

“I heard you were training with Toji and Ynda the day of the award ceremony,” Ava said, tactfully changing the subject. “That’s why they were late.”

Finn winced. He could still feel the ache from his one-on-one with his father. Nox didn’t abuse him, he forced him into a fight, making Finn fight back to prove his strength. That was after the earful he got from his mother, who grounded him from working for the First Realm’s King as an executioner for six months, which sucked because Lucifer really liked him.

“Yeah, at the borderline, too, which was stupid.” He ran a hand through his blonde hair. There were two accepted borderlines in the entire Veil; one with the Fifth Realm of Hell, Nox and Charlotte’s realm, and the First Realm of Heaven, where the High Divine, God, ruled. “I know I shouldn’t have but they insisted. Demons aren’t allowed to train anyone in the Veil.”

Ava shook her head. “Dumb rule if you ask me.”

“Think so?”

“If angels and gods train in the Veil, why can’t demons?”

Finn shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine, princess,” he sighed. “I know that’s not a rule set down by the Helmans, given Hawk’s history. I’m sure whoever decided it had a good reason.”

“They did not,” Ynda and Chloe said in unison, both of them raising one finger. Everyone shifted their attention to the topic as easily as they did any other. 

“From what I understand, it was done out of prejudice and fear,” Havik said.

“Good job, buddy, you know another big word,” Toji said. Havik flipped him off. Natsu coughed to cover up a snort of surprise. 

“Was it one of the gods that did it?” Noah asked.

“Don’t know,” Kayla said. “I heard the same thing, though. It was either a lesser god or an angel.”

“It may also be because of what happened over a thousand years ago,” Ynda said. 

“What, the Battle of the Veil?” Ava asked.

A lot of heads nodded. “Because of that and the destruction the Blood King wrought, so many laws were set down on both sides,” Toji said. “No fighting, no battles, nothing violent of any kind. If there was going to be a huge disagreement over something between the two sides, it had to be handled elsewhere.”

“So why bar demons from training there when the Light Divine can do whatever they want?” Finn asked.

“Just like Vik said, prejudice,” Toji said. “Angels and gods are just as dangerous and vicious, but demons are considered evil and manipulative.”

“They’re not called the Dark Divine by the human scholars for no reason,” Lukas said. “Remember, you’re the only ones that eat people, and you’re not picky about it either.”

“That is true,” Finn agreed. “And it’s also true that our powers are a lot darker and terrifying.” He glanced at Ava. “Unless I’m mistaken, we’re the only ones that can invade the mind.”

She nodded. “Uncle Hero, too. Gods and angels can manipulate souls but not minds or bodies. At least, not that we know of. It would be pretty terrible if an angel had that sort of power.”

“It would definitely be pretty scary,” Kayla said, shivering. 

“Something a lot of us don’t ever think about,” Natsu said, “or even want to believe, is just how dangerous all of the Divine are. That includes the magical beings. Angels look and are said to be innocent and kind, but they deal out some of the most devastating ‘judgements’ on us than demons do.”

Peter nodded. “Demons are after one person at a time. Angels and gods go for the collective.” He looked at Finn. “Am I right about that?”

Finn nodded. “Exactly right. Only in rare cases do we attack large groups. There’d be no real point as far as we’re concerned. Righteous judgment isn’t our bag.”

“And you don’t buy souls?” Natsu asked, only half-joking.

“No point in buying what we already get for free,” Finn laughed. “It’s the same for the Light Divine.”

Everyone nodded again. “No one has a quota to fill,” Noah said.

“Souls may get separated at death, but they ultimately end up right back in the Soul Garden,” Arla added.

“Unless the soul is completely corrupted,” Finn pointed out. “In which case, they get turned into demons.”

“Is that how you were made?” Ava asked.

Finn looked into the fire, being sure to pick his words carefully. “We call them foundations,” he said. “What we’re built on, basically. We don’t have their memories or no sense of what they did before they died. All we know is that whatever it was, it was too fucked to go back. I was made as an infant and grew normally like the rest of you, which isn’t unusual. The demon that raised me was an architect, so he expected me to become one as well. Unfortunately, he was killed in some stupid fight and I was left orphaned, which is not a very good thing in any realm of Hell. When I was seven or eight, I got caught stealing from a mid-rank demon and was exiled. One of the social workers who helped the exiles, took me to Helman Hall and,” he held his hands out to the side. “The rest is history. King Nox and Queen Charlotte adopted me when my time was served. I may be a brutal killer now, but it really has no basis on the foundation I was made from.”

“You say that like you’re a manager at a grocery store,” Peter said, shaking his head.

Finn and a few others chuckled. “It’s just a fact. I’m no danger to anyone here, and I don’t kill indiscriminately.”

“Finn is an executioner for the Fifth Realm,” Lukas explained. “He only kills those he’s ordered to kill, and only after they’ve been sentenced to death.”

“Or mutilation,” Finn added. “Some of the more misshapen or twisted looking lower demons look that way because of what we do.”

Even Natsu had to shiver at that one, and he had known Finn as long as he had known the rest of them. Toji leaned back, one of his arms going behind Natsu. It was subtle, but Natsu leaned a little closer to him before leaning back. Unless they were paying attention, no one saw it for what it was; Toji offering reassurance and comfort to his boyfriend.

“So when you’re training anyone,” Peter asked, “where are you supposed to do it?”

“Hell,” they all replied. 

“Ah,” Peter nodded. “Well, that would make the most sense, wouldn’t it.”

There was a smattering of gentle chuckles before the twins yawned and stretched. That was everyone’s cue to begin packing it up to head back. Natsu helped Ynda and Chloe put out the fire while everyone else took one last look out at the vista over the cliffside. 

Off to the side, where the remains of the pool used to be, Toji stood behind Natsu and leaned over to whisper in his ear, “The sun sets there,” he pointed to the left and then swept to the right. “And rises from over there. It’s pretty incredible to see.”

“How come you haven’t shown me yet?” Natsu whispered back.

“I haven’t had the opportunity to. But I will someday, promise.” He smiled. “The first night my parents hung out together, they talked until the sun rose. Pater had made the same promise to Dad that same night, actually.”

Natsu couldn’t help but grin, dipping his head to the side, the side of his head barely brushing Toji’s chin. “Then let’s stay.”

Toji sighed. “I wish…” He stood up straight, glancing at everyone milling about, paying them absolutely no attention. Keeping his eyes on the group, he planted the tiniest of kisses on Natsu’s temple. “Someday.” He squeezed his hand and the two joined the rest as they herded toward the vehicles. 

Havik was on the phone with Joseph, letting him know they were ready to head back. 

“Want us to wait with you?” Ynda asked.

The twins and Havik shook their heads. Even Kayla asked if she could stay behind. Ynda looked at Lukas who shrugged.

“They’ll be fine. If we head out now, we’ll be off the mountain before Joseph hits the road here.” He looked at Kayla. “You’re responsible for them, understand?”

“We’re older!” Arla and Noah said.

“She’s more mature,” Chloe said, ruffling both their heads.

They smacked her away and stuck their tongues out. 

Everyone got into the same vehicles they arrived in. Before Toji drove away, he sent a quick text before tossing his phone under the center console. Lukas glanced at it then up at Toji.

“What?”

“Flirting with someone?”

“Fuck’s sake, bro.” Toji shook his head as he pulled out of the drive.

Behind his own driver’s wheel, Natsu checked his messages and smiled. He didn’t have to reply; it was already agreed.

Three am. 

-*-