Merry Christmas to all my patient reviewers.

For those of you expecting a massive expedition dump, sorry, but that isn't my jam.

Most of it happened off-screen, you should've been here, it was epic.


Fake x Life Nineteen: War Veteran.

If asked to describe Toujou Koneko and Gasper Vladi, those who only knew them by sight would probably use the words 'absolutely adorable', those who had the privilege of interacting with them in any capacity would have likely added 'completely taciturn' and 'a trap is fine too'.

Those who knew them well would likely compare them to a wary cat and timid mouse, though this usually only became apparent whenever the Rook saw fit to tease the cross-dressing Dhampire Bishop.

Indeed, with the exception of the recently recruited Issei, Koneko was probably one of the few members of the Gremory Peerage that Gasper was comfortable around for extended periods of time aside from Rias herself. While Kiba had shown the younger boy nothing but kindness, they truly didn't have much in common, and the less said about how…unnerving...Akeno could be the better.

No, seriously, Rias had learnt early on that leaving Gasper alone in a room with Akeno was a comedy of errors that should never be repeated, no matter how much her Queen assured her she would control herself.

Say what you liked about Koneko's kitten-like teasing of the boy, there was just something about the Hikikomori Dhampire Trap that brought out all of her Queen's more, shall we say, M-Rated tendencies to the surface.

It was only after the one time he'd been babysat by Akeno that Gasper started hiding inside cardboard boxes, though admittedly that one Tactical Espionage Game might have had something to do with it, something about 'finding inner peace' or what have you.

In any case, whenever she wasn't feeling particularly playful, Koneko was typically the best bet to keep Gasper company now that the seal on his room had been released. And truth be told the Rook would much rather sit with the timid Bishop eating sweets and playing video-games than be forced to stand around watching the Leaders of the Four Factions argue politics.

Make no mistake, she was hoping for the best possible outcome, and from what Shirou and Xenovia claimed Azazel shared Sirzechs' desire for peace, so the only real sticking point was whether or not Heaven could set aside their grievances to agree to a proper treaty instead of this ongoing Cold War, but as the old saying said, if you hoped for peace, prepare for war.

"I…I'm worried…" Gasper stammered, his shoulders trembling as he continued to power through the PSP games Issei had lent him, smashing the Perverted Pawn's records by a wide margin "I hope everyone's okay…What if the summit turns chaotic and another war breaks out?" He fretted, pulling a paper bag over his head "Oh I can't stand thinking about it!"

"Calm down." Koneko urged the hyperventilating Dhampire between mouthfuls of sweets, more than used to the timid Bishop's antics by this point. Before she could put his mind at ease, however, she felt the hackles on the back of her neck stand on end, the wards over the Occult Research Clubroom having alerted her to several unfamiliar presences teleporting onto the premises.

To make matters worse, they had apparently done something to keep the wards from alerting Rias, as her King would normally have teleported right over the second they were triggered, she was simply that protective. "Koneko-chan?" Gasper whimpered, having likewise sensed the wards going off, the timid Bishop removing his paper-bag to glance up at the Rook as she rose to her feet.

"Don't move, Gya-kun." She urged as she stepped forward, putting herself between Gasper and the door to the room, which she knew for a fact Rias had placed a protective seal over, fists clenched and ready to take on whoever managed to make it past her King's protective measures.

In hindsight, she really should have expected them simply blowing the door off it's hinges. After all, unlike Sirzechs' seal that had sealed off Gasper's entire room, Rias' was only designed to keep the door from being opened without her permission.

"Humans?" the Rook wondered aloud, her eyes narrowing at the hooded women that hovered into the room, their features, except for their lower faces, and for some reason their breasts, concealed by their heavy black robes.

"Indeed, we are human." The apparent leader of the robed females confessed, her tone insufferably smug for someone purposefully trespassing on the territory of a member of the Seventy-Two Pillars "But we're somewhat different in that we use Magic by rebuilding the structure of Devil Magic."

"Magicians…" Koneko growled, her firsts clenching as the woman confirmed her suspicion. While they were nowhere near as dangerous as Kokabiel had been, a skilled Magician was considered at least on-par with Mid-Level Devils, and judging by how easily they'd bypassed Rias' wards, it was clear these women knew what they were doing.

"I see you're aware of us." the apparent leader of the group noted smugly as her fellows levitated around the room, surrounding the pair "In that case, I sure you're aware that it's in your best interests to do as you're told and give us the Dhampire."

Koneko scowled, keeping her features neutral as she tried to avoid glancing at the cardboard box which contained the cowering form of Gasper behind her "What Dhampire?"

"Don't try and play dumb." The woman mocked even as her comrades began chanting, magical seals appearing in the air before them "We've already confirmed that he's here-!"

Koneko didn't bother waiting for the woman to finish. With a burst of speed that the women clearly weren't expecting, she lashed out with her foot, sending the table crashing into the woman's midriff, startling her companions just long enough to grab Gasper's box and make a break for it, scarcely managing to clear the room before it was destroyed by their magic.

"W-What's going on?" Gasper whimpered, sticking his head out of the box as Koneko carried it down the hall, his features paling as he glanced out a nearby window, only to see a horde of identically robed women looming overhead.

"There's nowhere for you to run…" a mocking voice called out, Koneko's eyes widening as more robed women teleported into the hallway, forcing her to change tactics, hurling Gasper's box over the banister before leaping down the stairs, the action startling the Magicians just as much as it did the Bishop, just long enough for her to catch him and make a break for his old room, slamming the door shut just as a series of magical blasts impacted against Sirzechs' seal.

"We should be able to hold them off for now…" she mused, more for Gasper's benefit than anything else, as she knew for a fact that the seal wouldn't last forever now that Rias had released it. Still, while most of its power had dissipated in the days following Gasper's release, it was still powered by the current Lucifer, so it'd take more than a few mid-ranked Magicians to make a dent in it "Don't worry, Buchou and the others will certainly-!"

"KONEKO!" Gasper wailed, looking on in horror as his friend was shot in the back, his eyes widening in terror as a robed figure materialised out of thin air, having apparently been lurking inside the room this entire time "No…!"

"I knew waiting for you here would prove fruitful…" the magician purred mockingly, as she loomed over the shivering Bishop "Now then…time to collect what we came for…"


Kuoh Academy Meeting Room...

Shirou had never been particularly good at talking about himself, though whether this was from being 'broken', as Rin so delicately put it, or simply because he didn't see the point when there were more important things he could be doing with his time he'd never been able to tell.

Fortunately, explaining how he came to be in this world didn't require an in-depth psyche evaluation, so all he really had to do was recount the condensed history of the Holy Grail Wars, what little he'd manage to piece together thanks to Rin, Saber, Kotomine and Illyasviel, plus some supplementary 'memories' from his alternate selves.

Thankfully, none of those in attendance spoke up or interrupted him during his explanation, most likely waiting for him to finish so they could ask him to elaborate on any outstanding issues, though from time to time he swore he heard the odd gasp from his classmates and, surprisingly, Gabriel, particularly whenever he described some of the injuries he'd received over the course of the Grail War.

"-the last thing I remember before waking up in hospital was throwing myself at Gilgamesh." He finished off at last, grimacing slightly at his dry throat "Azazel took me in shortly after that and…well, you've already heard Sona-Kaichou's report."

"Indeed, we did." Azazel mused, the only Faction-Leader who seemed outwardly unphased by Shirou's revelation, though Shirou could tell from experience with Kiritsugu that the man was just as unsettled by what he'd heard as Sirzechs and Michael, whose features had run a gamut of emotions over the course of his tale from intrigued to shocked, angered and even pitying over the course of his story.

As for the women in attendance, Gabriel was clearly the most affected by his revelation, the female Seraph standing with her hands covering her mouth, her eyes shining with unshod tears as she gazed at him forlornly, a stark contrast to her self-proclaimed rival, Serafall, who while by no means less shaken seemed more furious than anything after hearing how casually Gilgamesh had slain Illyasviel.

As for the younger attendants, Rias and Sona were gaping at him in horrified disbelief. At any other time the sight of the normally unflappable Sitri heiress gaping like a fish might have garnered a chuckle from the more 'Archer-like' part of his mind, but the effect was rather ruined by the trembling form of Asia Argento, the teary-eyed Bishop mirroring Gabriel's stance, though she lacked the mental fortitude to keep her tears from running down her cheeks.

Among the males, Issei was looking decidedly pale, gaping at the redhead as if seeing him for the first time, a sentiment apparently shared by Vali, though unlike his rival the White Dragon Emperor seemed more impressed than anything else.

Interestingly enough, the most surprising reactions belonged to Kiba, Grayfia and Akeno, the Gremory Knight standing solemnly, a look of understanding and respect on his face, which was understandable considering his own background.

While Grayfia's stern expression hadn't changed that much, Shirou's experience with Saber allowed him to notice how her eyes had softened, almost imperceptibly, around the edges, the barely contained hostility in her gaze replaced with what appeared to be a glimmer of respect, offering the Faker the briefest of nods when their eyes met.

And as for Akeno…for some reason Rias' Queen seemed oddly flushed, one hand clutched over her heart, which only served to draw attention to her bust as she gazed at the Faker with an expression that was both concerning and…oddly thrilling?

"I gotta say Shirou," Azazel spoke up, thankfully distracting the redhead from his thoughts "I always knew you had one hell of a tale to tell but damn…you really don't do things by degrees, do you?"

"I've been told that." Shirou admitted with a casual shrug, having honestly heard worse descriptions of his situation from others, before turning back to the room "Is there anything you'd like me to elaborate on?"

"Elabo-how the hell are you so calm?!" Issei exclaimed, the Red Dragon Emperor gaping at the redheaded Faker in disbelief "After everything you went through…how the hell are you even sane?!"

"Issei-kun!" Kiba hissed, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder in an attempt to calm him down "Sorry about that, Emiya-kun, but you have to admit your story is a little…graphic, to say the least."

"Graphic nothing!" Issei exclaimed "It's like he hit every death-flag on the bad-end route of a Gen Urobuchi Eroge designed by those assholes at From Soft!"

"Wouldn't go that far." Azazel chuckled, though he couldn't help wincing at the analogy, being one of the major backers of said company, among countless others. Hey, how do you think he got all his games before anyone else? "Though I will admit it, I have to agree with the Red Dragon Emperor, how the hell are you not in an asylum right now?"

"I knew from the moment I decided to become a Magus that it wouldn't be easy." Shirou admitted with a shrug "Kiritsugu always told me that to be a Magus was to Walk with Death. While it's true I never really understood what he meant until the Grail War, I've long since grown used to that concept." He smiled offhandedly "Besides, if I kept worrying about how I might die, someone else could have died in my place."

A choked sob was all the warning the Faker got before he was suddenly enveloped in a hug so strong that were it not for the soft mounds pressing against his face he probably would've been crushed, though his relief was soon turned to panic when it became painfully clear said mounds were also preventing him from breathing.

"Lady Gabriel!" Xenovia, Asia and Irina cried out in shock, looking scandalized by the actions of Heaven's Diva, whereas Akeno seemed more disappointed at having missed the opportunity to do so herself.

"You poor thing…" the Seraph wept, clutching the stunned Faker to her considerable bosom, gazing down at him with a look of heartfelt concern that event if Shirou weren't currently struggling to breath, would have rendered him breathless "You've suffered so much…"

"Sister, please, restrain yourself." Michael sighed, though there was a hint of fondness in his tone as he regarded the female Seraph "While your compassion for his situation is admirable, I don't believe Emiya Shirou desires to suffocate."

"Lucky bastard…" Azazel and Issei grumbled in tandem as Gabriel hurriedly released a gasping Shirou from her Heavenly Valley, the tense atmosphere of the room shattering in an instant as they were dully reprimanded, Michael frowning pointedly at Azazel while a pouting Asia and Rias pinched Issei's cheeks.

"As for your earlier question, Shirou-kun." Michael continued once Gabriel had resumed her place by his side "Just to be clear, this 'Holy Grail' that you and the other Masters fought over was not, in actuality, the true San Graal that held the blood of Christ?"

"From what I understood they only started calling it that when the Church got involved." Shirou recounted, flushing slightly from his recent encounter "Prior to that it was still known as the Heaven's Feel Ritual, it was only after the 2nd attempt that they started calling it the Holy Grail War, though from what I understood the church had already discerned it wasn't a Divine Relic by the 3rd War but couldn't afford to let the ritual run unchecked by that point."

"The more things change the more they stay the same, eh Michael?" Azazel quipped, earning a meaningful pout from the Seraph "Though I suppose we really aren't in any position to be talking, considering we're still having trouble tracking down our own San Graal ever since Galahad passed away."

"Sir Galahad was the last known bearer of the Sephiroth Graal." Michael explained at Shirou's confused expression "Indeed, much like how Arthur was the first bearer of the Boosted Gear, most of the Knights of the Round Table were chosen by Father to be the first Sacred Gear Bearers."

"Though only Arthur and Galahad were deemed 'worthy' enough of being entrusted with a Longinus." Azazel mused, chuckling at the looks of shock on the faces of the Gremory Peerage, who clearly weren't aware of Issei's predecessors "Well if there's no other questions I think we can move on-!"

"Emiya." Vali cut in, earning a frown from Azazel that he pointedly ignored, his blue eyes locked onto the faker's ochre with an intensity that reminded him far-too-much of Lancer "You said you fought against these 'Servants', right?" At Shirou's nod he smirked "Are they strong?"

"Yes." Shirou replied without hesitation, ignoring Azazel's groan of exasperation, having expected such a question from the White Dragon Emperor ever since he revealed his past "Even the weakest Heroic Spirit far outstrips a normal person. I'd wager there are a few out there who could even give Sirzechs-san a run for his money."

"Now Shirou, no need to go exaggerating for Vali's sake." Azazel chuckled, only for the smile on his face to vanish, replaced with wariness as Shirou held out his hand, the assembled dignitaries reeling back from the blood-lust radiating off the ominous crimson spear he created "The hell-?!"

"This is Gáe Bolg." Shirou explained, his eyes never leaving Vali's "It was the weapon used by the Lancer I faced during the Grail War: Cu Chulainn, the Hound of Ulster."

He ignored the gasps of recognition from several members of the group, though he could understand their reasons for doing so. After all, it's not that often that one comes across the weapon of a Legendary Hero, and while he wasn't as well renowned outside his native Ireland, Cu Chulainn was to the Celts what Herakles was to the Greeks.

"It's a rare Noble Phantasm whose category changes depending on how the wielder uses it." He continued after they'd calmed down "Normally it's used as an Anti-Army weapon designed to take down numerous foes with a single throw, but it's most devastating ability is when used to strike down a single target."

"What the hell could be more powerful than wiping out an army?" Issei demanded of Kiba, who merely urged the Pawn to be silent, though in truth he found himself agreeing with him. If the Spear possessed such a powerful ability, why would Lancer even bother limiting it to a single foe? Had he been taking the collateral damage into concern?

"Like most Noble Phantasms, its effect is only activated whenever its name is called out with the intent to use it." Shirou continued calmly "The moment the Spear is activated, it reverses the nature of causality, essentially making it so the target's heart is pierced before the spear has even been thrust."

That, more than its Anti-Army form, was the true terror that was Gáe Bolg. While the Anti-Army attack could be defended against, as evidenced by Archer at a cost, it was next to impossible to deflect an attack on destiny itself. Indeed, the act of thrusting the spear was merely a formality, the moment Lancer spoke his weapon's True Name, his opponent's heart had already been pierced.

Looking back on it now, he could finally understand why the Hound of Ulster had been so enraged that Saber had survived his killing strike, as well as why Kotomine had ordered the Servant to flee if anyone survived it. Even Berserker, for all his insane might, could not have dodged the Spear of Impaling Barbed Death without losing a few lives before the Spear was rendered useless by God Hand.

"And you wan't to hear the best part?" Shirou asked, unable to help the smile that adorned his features as he matched gazes with Vali "For all it's power, Gáe Bolg isn't the most Powerful Noble Phantasm I've seen, nor is it the deadliest." He dismissed the spear with a shrug "At the end of the day, it's only a B Rank."

"B…Rank…?" Issei stammered, the perverted pawn gaping at the Faker in disbelief, a sentiment shared by most of the room, though the adults hid it well "You have a weapon that essentially lets you hack reality and it's only a B-Rank?!"

"Technically the one I have is a rank lower, due to the imperfections of my Magecraft." Shirou admitted with a shrug, unnerving Issei further with his casualness "The important thing isn't the Rank of the Weapon, but the power behind its legend. To put things in perspective, both Durandal and Caliburn are classed as A+ Rank Noble Phantasms, but even with all their power the most their wielders could hope for would be mutually assured destruction if Lancer activated his spear."

"What about Excalibur." Kiba asked suddenly, only to flush as Shirou turned to him "Ah, sorry, it's just…considering how passionate you are about it…I have to confess I'm curious to see how it measures up."

"Yuuto…" Rias murmured, eyeing her knight in concern, knowing full well that while he had buried most of his demons along with Valper Galilei, the wounds the Holy Sword Project left on his heart had only recently begun to heal.

"I must confess, I share young Isiah, sorry, Kiba Yuuto's curiosity." Michael admitted, directing a kind smile towards the Gremory Knight "Father always spoke highly of the Sword, I would know how it measures up to those forged from Caliburn's remains."

"…there are no words to describe that sword." Shirou admitted with a solemn reverence that surprised the group, considering how passionately he'd denied Valper Galilei's masterpiece "To even think of comparing it to any other sword is impossible, there will never be another Sword that matches it."

"And here I thought Vali's battle boners were awkward." Azazel scoffed, earning a pointed glare from the White Dragon Emperor that he ignored with the ease of long practice "So what is it S-Class?"

"If we're counting just the sword itself, it classifies as an A++ Rank Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm." Shirou admitted solemnly, ignoring Issei as he began frothing at the mouth "However, since its full power is sealed by the 'Restrictions of the Round Table', it's true state would be EX-Rank, the same as its Sheath."

"Wait, the sheath counts as a separate Noble Phantasm?" Irina wondered, the Protestant Exorcist tilting her head as she blinked in confusion "Wouldn't they technically count as one?"

"Normally they would, but a Servant's legend can affect their Noble Phantasms as well." Shirou admitted with a shrug "You've heard of how Morgan Le Fay stole Excalibur's sheath, right? Well that's part of the reason it counts as a separate Noble Phantasm."

"I remember." Kiba acknowledged with a nod of understanding "She stole the sheath because without it, Arthur was vulnerable…I'm guessing it had some sort of protective spell?"

"Let's just say there was a reason Merlin chastised Arthur for favoring the Sword over the Sheath." Azazel quipped with a smirk "Seriously, you think the Sword was hot shit? That Sheath had to be the most broken thing of all time. Didn't matter what you threw at Arthur, so long as he had the sheath at his side, nothing could touch him."

"So, to answer your question, Vali: Yes, Servants are strong." Shirou finished off, turning back to the silver-haired teen solemnly "They are Legends made Flesh, those whose names were recorded in the Throne of Heroes for all time, those whose actions, for good or for ill, shook the world and left their mark on time itself. Anything else you'd like clarified?"

"Just one." Vali admitted with a grin so feral that Shirou couldn't help kicking himself for his little rant. After all, given how similar the teen was to Lancer, should he really have expected exalting the abilities of Servants to calm him down? "Can you summon them?"

"No…" Shirou began, only to pause, a frown marring his features as he thought his answer over.

While he'd never actually summoned Saber himself, Lancer having unwittingly activated the summoning circle Kiritsugu left in his shed when he spilt the Faker's blood, there were countless alternate Emiya Shirou's who had learnt how to perform the Ritual both prior to and after their respective Grail Wars.

Indeed, the only recurring factor of any of these alternate Grail Wars was that, regardless of her class, his servant would always be Arturia Pendragon, just as Rin's would always be an Archer, even if it weren't the Counter Guardian EMIYA.

"Actually, I don't know." He admitted at length "I know how to perform the ritual, sure, but given the differences between this world and my own, there's no telling if the Throne of Heroes even exists here."

"Something to look into, for certain." Azazel mused, waving a hand dismissively "For now, I think it's time we moved away from the subject of conflict and got to the crux of this meeting, namely signing the peace treaty."

"Indeed, as interesting as this tale has been, I believe we have all had our fill of conflict for the foreseeable future." Michael concurred, either missing or politely ignoring Vali's derisive scoff "Shall we start with discussing terms?"

"Personally, I don't want anything." Azazel confessed, raising both hands as the dubious expressions being leveled his way by virtually everyone "Alright, nothing that I can't get by my own means, but if I had to demand anything, it's that Kuoh Academy be declared Accorded Neutral Territory."

He smirked at the assembled teens looks of shock "Don't look so surprised kids. All the action seems to be happening around you whether you like it or not, and if this peace does come through you might be getting a few new classmates down the line, so it'd only make sense to ensure no 'misunderstandings' arise."

"I second the motion, though I fear it is unlikely we will be among those to add to the student roster." Michael concurred, his smile carrying a hint of sadness at the reminder of the Angels' plight "However, we would be more than willing to provide a security detail and staff."


As the discussion resumes...

'I think that went rather well…' Shirou noted with a sigh as the adults began to discuss the terms for the treaty, Grayfia coming forward with the box of treats and a steaming teapot she'd apparently summoned out of thin air 'With any luck we can get this wrapped up before the shops close…there was a special on beef and I need something for tomorrow's lunch.'

Leaning his back against the wall, the Faker did his best to ignore the looks he was receiving from his peers. It wasn't that he wasn't used to being pitied, if anything he'd long grown used to people looking at him in such a way whenever they learnt about the Fuyuki Fire or Kiritsugu's death.

It wasn't even the disturbed look in their eyes at how cavalier he was about his experiences, having gotten more than his fair share of odd looks over the years. He just didn't see the point of it all.

Yes, what happened to him was monstrous, inhuman, he would never deny that. But he was still alive, despite everything life, the world and All The World's Evils had thrown at him, Emiya Shirou had not only survived, but had helped others to survive as well, even if he'd had to cast aside his ideals to so.

Except he hadn't, not truly anyway. While there were countless Emiya Shirou who had stayed firm to their ideals even in death, or had rejected them outright to the point they became a Heartless Executioner rather than a Hero of Justice, Shirou liked to think he'd reached something of a middle-ground since coming under Azazel's wing.

He would never stop trying to save people. It was physically impossible for Emiya Shirou to do anything less that try to save people. However, he could at least acknowledge now what his younger, more ignorant self, had refused to consider: Not everyone could be saved.

But rather than kill himself worrying about it, Shirou would devote himself to saving all those he could, one life at a time, and the best way to get started with that goal was to ensure the peace treaty between the Three Factions was a success.

After all, while he no intention of disregarding the number of Devils, Angels or Fallen that had lost their lives as a result of the feud, they still paled in comparison to the number of human dead.

And that was just the Abrahamic Factions. There were countless other Pantheons out there, and every time they decided to lock horns, humanity always paid the price in blood.

The Kuoh Treaty would be the first step to ensuring that such senseless loss of life was kept to a minimum, as he was not foolish enough to believe it would prevent all bloodshed overnight.

"Things should be wrapping up soon." Xenovia opined, the former-exorcist coming to stand at his side, her features a mask of calm that hid her true emotions "I must confess, this has gone better than I could ever have dreamed."

"It was certainly good of Michael to allow Asia to pray again." Shirou concurred, nodding towards the Gremory Bishop, who was currently doing just that, her head bowed as she knelt in prayer alongside Irina, Xenovia's former partner having decided to extend an olive branch as a sign of support "Why don't you join them?"

"I wanted to check on you." Xenovia replied, only to avert her gaze awkwardly in the face of Shirou's ochre stare "Irina and I…parted on bad terms." She confessed "Things were said that…I'm finding a hard time forgetting, despite understanding her reasons for saying them."

She smiled reassuringly at the redhead's frown "Do not worry, I have already forgiven her…it will simply take some time for us to bridge that gap, but thanks to the treaty, I don't think that will be an issue."

"True enough." Shirou conceded with a relieved smile, as ever since she'd joined the Grigori it was clear the wielder of Durandal had regretted how things had turned out between the two of them.

Now they had the chance to make amends, provided one of them was brave enough to take the first step "Don't keep her waiting too long…you know how easily distracted she is."

"True." Xenovia scoffed, smiling fondly at the pigtailed exorcist, who, as if sensing her gaze, turned to blink at her former partner in confusion, before offering a shy, almost hesitant smile "Shirou…I just wanted to say-Are you alright?!"

"What?" Shirou blinked, the Faker staring in confusion at Xenovia's sudden change in tone, wondering when on earth she'd summoned Durandal, only to stiffen as he took in the subtle changes of the room, most notably the chilling silence and the fact the dignitaries were eyeing their surroundings warily "What happened?"

"Yo, welcome back to the party, Shirou." Azazel greeted cavalierly from his chair, his casual, laid-back air belying the sharpness of his eyes as he took in his surroundings, like a predator surrounded on all sides, just waiting for the first attack "Seems we got some party crashers."


And we'll just leave off there for now.

I'll try to get another chapter up for New Years, but no promises.

In the meantime, Merry Christmas to all you happy reviewers out there, and a Happy New Year.