War wondered why it was taking Death so long to talk to Samael, and after a moments deliberation, decided to go investigate. Just in case the negotiations had fallen through and Death needed assistance.

War entered the demon realm, and obliterated any demon foolish enough to get in his way until he reached a door of a sprawling castle. From behind those closed doors, War could hear the furious roar from the demon Death had gone to speak to. War shouldered the door open immediately, not content to wait should Death actually be in trouble. War charged into the large room, Chaoseater at the ready, when he came to an stumbling, abrupt halt, battle cry dying in his throat as he took in the curious scene he had walked (read: charged) in on.

Death was seated on a chair in front of a large table upon which lay a chess set. Death looked calm and unconcerned as Samael paced about the large room, aura flashing bits of fire here and there, tail lashing in obvious agitation.

With a wide stretch of wings, Samael was suddenly at the table once more, all but leaning over to look Death in the eyes, teeth gnashing as he gritted out, "You are cheating, Nephilim. Somehow, you are getting the pieces to do what no one should be able to do."

Had Death's brow been visible, a eyebrow surely would have risen up at the statement, "The chess pieces are not the dead, therefore I cannot manipulate them with my necromancy. And when you refer to the pieces doing 'what no one should be able to,' are you referring to the fact that you are in danger of losing the game?"

A inarticulate growl sounded from Samael, and War was perplexed by this behavior from the demon.

Death calmly ignored the hot breath in his face of a too close for comfort, unhappy demon, and spoke quietly, "Make a move, Samael, lest I fall asleep from boredom, so we can get around to business."

Samael narrowed his eyes at Death, but backed out of the Pale Rider's breathing space, and reached over to move one of his pieces on the chessboard.

Death, after only a moments hesitation of scrutinizing the board, moved one of his pieces and spoke softly, "Checkmate."

This single word set off another long chain of indecipherable language (at least to War), though Death apparently understood the language, as once Samael had finished his tirade, Death responded in a mellow, albeit slightly sarcastic tone in the same foreign tongue.

Samael grumbled something back, before disappearing via a teleportation ability. Death decided that it was a dismissal and completion of what he had come there for, so he rose wordlessly from the chair he was seated in. Death made for the door, and with a brief look War's way, the two left the demon realm in silence.

Once the two were on their way back in the direction of the Charred Council, War finally decided to break the silence.

"Why in all of Creation were you playing a game of chess with Samael? It sounded like the two of you had fallen into combat."

Death shrugged, and then said dryly, "Samael only agreed to part with some information if I won some game against him." Death raised a hand to stop War from asking another question, "I do not recall exactly how chess was chosen, but it seemed better than the two of us injuring one another when all the council had asked was to gather information."

War thought on this silently, and Death didn't seem inclined to speak further. There was another long stretch of silence as War recalled how some of the chess pieces had been slightly off, when he had been watching Samael rage. War stared hard at the back of Death's head, "You cheated, didn't you?"

Death's low laughter was all the answer War received, and War wasn't sure whether to be amused or exasperated by Death sneakily moving chess pieces when Samael wasn't looking.

X-x-x-x-x-x

This chapter is probably a bit ooc but I like that in the game that not only did Samael not hand over the key easily, he preceded to fling Death's sarcastic ass across the room pre battle. I do, however, like to think that they argued over petty things in the past and that Death would use his sarcasm to irritate Samael.

I have about three more of these chapters, and after that I'll wait for inspiration to strike as I work on chapters for other stories.