Several hours later we got the all clear. The Descendants of Pitch had been pushed back, and the Nightmares had all been neutralised. From reports we'd been told that the Guardians, the Nightmare Hunters, Pitch, Jamie, Sophie and her fiancé, three kids and an unknown immortal had been fighting in the centre of Burgess.

We were still busy, leaving the Descendants in place in case something else happened, but that was unlikely. Tracey had gotten to us saying that she was no longer being attacked, we were working out future alliances with HNH and we had to sort out funerals.

Our losses had been large, nine Branches had been wiped out, each one with at least one Descendant of Jack Frost. We'd lost some members of Tracey's pack and that was about it for losses. Statues for the Cavern of the Dead were already underway.

As we had roughly one hundred Branches, losing nine was quite the loss.

During all this, my phone went off.

I went red as the other nine glared at me and checked the ID. It was Jamie.

"I need to take this." I said, standing up and leaving the room.

I sat down in the Main Cavern and picked up the call.

"Hey."

"Hey Jackie, sorry for earlier."

"It's fine, I'm just glad you're okay."

"How's things your end?"

"Not great I'll admit, getting better."

"Do I want to know?"

"No, you really don't."

"Okay, I just wanted to ask, will be free in two days time?"

"Why two days?"

"It's Christmas!"

I smacked my forehead with my hand. How could I have forgotten that? Not to mention I'd missed the annual meeting, I was surprised no one had got on my case about that.

"Ah, right. Sorry, being stuck underground isn't great for your internal clock."

"So, can you make it? I'm planning a party."

"Honestly, I don't know. We've got a lot to clean up and get sorted."

"Jack and the Guardians are coming." Jamie added in a slightly sing song voice.

"How the hell did you manage that?" My mind went back to the reports, and I realised why. "Scratch that, I can guess. How are you holding up after that?"

"Been better, but I'll live. You still haven't answered my question."

"I don't know Jamie, I'm sorry. I'd love to come, I really would. Tell you what, if I can't make it, you Chris, and anyone else you wants to come can come to my place and I'll so something. Alright?"

"You don't have to-"

"I want to. I could do with a party anyway."

"I never thought I'd hear you say that. Still on to train at some point?"

"Yeah, whenever we're both free." That wouldn't be a while. The Descendants of Pitch had killed whole Branches, war was in the air.

I looked over my shoulder at the double doors leading to Council Chamber. "I'd better go. Talk to you later?"

"Yeah, good luck."

"Thanks, Bye."

I hung up and went back in the Council Chamber, where I got back to talking about the various things that we needed to. After about an hour we got the shock of our lives.

There was a white glow by the head of the table, where no one was sitting. Lily and Claire were the closest, so noticed first, gasping and looking over. We all looked over and watched in confusion and a little awe as a figure formed.

Taboo growled a little uneasily as a rather portly man appeared, dressed in a crisp, white suit, with neatly styled white hair, silver eyes and silver staff topped with a ball of energy.

Lily, who was the newest member and taken the past two weeks harder than most, promptly fainted. The rest of us just stared in barely processed shock.

In front of us was The Man in the Moon.

The Man leaned over at Lily, concern on his face.

"Oh dear, I didn't know I would have that reaction." He said, his voice echoing through our minds instead of him actually speaking.

Taboo growled again and glared at her. Seriously Taboo?

"Forgive your friend Jacqueline, as I understand she is suspicious of any stranger."

My mouth was moving, but only a few strangled noises came out, which sounded a bit like. "Wha..."

The Man coughed and began talking, seeing that higher brain functions seemed to be failing everyone else in the room.

"I came to tell that a new Guardian has been chosen, and that she was only made a full immortal earlier today. I know that you have files on every immortal, so I'll ask her to come to one of you so you can conduct an interview."

I suppose that made sense, that was apparently more or less what he'd said to us last time he'd communicated with us. That brought the number of communications between us up to two, not counting when I went to the Pole when HOG had disappeared, again.

The Man turned his gaze to me and a small smile appeared on his face.

"She'll probably go to you, you knew her before she became immortal."

I blinked in surprise and my mouth began working again.

"Wha... Who is it?"

The grin widened and a mysterious gleam appeared his eye. "You'll see."

With that he disappeared.