You enter the front room and look around. Several pieces of furniture include a couch and a small table were knocked over - the latter spilling a fortunately-unbroken lamp onto the floor - there are small burn marks scattered all over the place, and the corpses of many nasty little Things are strewn about in pieces and gooey smears. Being summoned, the dead Things are at least showing the decency to clean up after themselves, dissipating into the ether from whence they came, although one that looks like a cross between a bat, a scorpion, and a frog is not being quite so considerate. It's fading away, sure enough, but it's leaving a foul stench and stain in the process.

"Oh, gag," Briar moans.

You silently agree, and shuffle away from the disgusting thing to right the couch, which you then sit on, waiting silently while Lu-sensei completes his post-fight cooldown exercises. It takes maybe five minutes, after which the old man disappears into the kitchen for a time; half-expecting him to come back out with tea and rice cakes, you are a little taken aback by the sound of the coffee machine rumbling to life, the toaster being fired up, and - a moment later - the splat and sizzle of frying things.

Maybe fifteen minutes later, Lu-sensei emerges from the kitchen, carrying a tray with two servings of omelettes, bacon, and toast, as well as a glass of apple juice, another glass of milk, and a mug of steaming hot coffee. He sets it all down on the living room table, takes a seat across from you, and begins to eat in silence. After a pause, you do so as well.

"So," the old man says, just as you're in the middle of swallowing a fork-load of egg, cheese, greeny things, and ketchup. "Magic."

You lower your fork. "Yes, sensei."

"How long?"

You think on it. "Since I was four, or so."

"Hmmm. And your teacher?"

You hesitate.