Xavier set a plate of food in front of Derek and me to eat. Derek, without hesitation, began eating his but I was a bit more hesitant on mine. Mostly because Xavier was still looking at me, waiting for me to take a bite. Once I did, he gave me a smile and walked back into the kitchen. I spat out my food onto a napkin and pushed the plate away from me.

‘He’s total still pissed at me,’ I thought to myself.

Derek did not take notice of the interaction between us just now and only kept on eating his food. I swore to myself there was nothing more in this world Derek like more than food. It was only after three-fourths of the way done that he finally looked up.

“What?” He asked confused

I shook my head and responded, “Nothing, just realizing how much you like food, that’s all.”

He shrugged his shoulders in agreement to what I just said and went back to eating. Xavier walked into the dining room and rose an eyebrow after seeing my plate.

“Not hungry?” He asked

I smile, sheepishly, “Nope.”

“Alright then,” Xavier waved his hand, and the plate disappeared.

“You must make a killing as a busboy,” I laugh.

He cracked a grin before doing the same to Derek’s empty plate.

“How did you think I managed to afford this house” Xavier joked “It was being a busboy.”

We all let out a heart filled laugh, forgetting everything that happened in the last two hours. An outside perspective coming into the scene would believe we have been friends forever.

“Hey Xavier, I never really introduced myself. My name is Derek,” Derek said with an outstretched hand.

“Pleasure to meet you’ He returned the gesture.

It was for a moment, but I swore the moment Xavier and Derek hands touched, Xavier showed a weird expression. I didn’t think too deeply about it and pointed the blame at paranoia.

“I hear you a Warlock?” Derek asked

Xavier gave him a reassuring nod “Yes if you want to put a label on it. My family has been practicing magic since for decades.”

Xavier’s expression went grim after mentioning his family. Derek eyes widen in realization as to why.

“Sorry man, I didn’t mean to.”

“it’s fine, don’t worry,” Xavier said, cutting Derek midsentence “What matters now is going after the Fallen.”

“The Fallen?” I asked confused

Xavier’s eyebrow rose up “Yes, that the name of Micheal’s group.”

“Oh, I didn’t know their name. Did you Derek?” I asked him

“Yup”

I gave him a death glare over him, never mentioning their name. I shook my head and looked back at Xavier.

“What now, are you going to tell me they aren’t demons either?” I said while laughing a bit

“They aren’t” Xavier looked even more confused “They are a race of shapeshifters or at least that is what it is currently made up of.”

“Emily, didn’t you use holy water on them?” Derek spoke up

Before I managed to respond a voice came from the doorway leading to the kitchen

“It’s not just blessed water, it made up of different components that burn monsters in general.”

We turned around to see Jessica leading against the doorway looking a bit exhausted, but otherwise well.

“Oh, you woke up? How are you feeling?” Xavier asked

“A lot better thanks to you guys.” she gave us a warm smile before sitting down at the table.

I knew better than the rest that she is still not a hundred percent. Whenever she uses her metal skin, Jessica becomes impregnable and stays like that until her magic runs out. She probably had burned through all her mana when the bullet went through.

“Food?” Xavier asked, “I made specially to help you recover from mana exhaustion.”

“I didn’t exhas…” Jessica was cut midsentence by Xavier

“Child, I have been dealing with magic for longer than you have been alive. I know mana exhaustion when I see it” Xavier sounded cocky with his response.

Jessica did not respond and instead simply nodded, accepting the meal offered by Xavier. He gladly brought it out to her and handed it to her with a genuine smile on his lips.

“I guess Francis never actually told you what we were going after,” Jessica said in between bite of food

“I guess you will?” I asked her

“Nope, that is a conversation the two of you need to have. Not me and you” She responded with an expression that I never saw before.

I was going to push the topic, but Xavier coughed to grab our attention.

“since only one of you know what is going on, let take this time to go over the details” Xavier rubbed his temple.

For the next hour, we heard Xavier explain who exactly the ‘Fallen’ was. Xavier clarified the Fallen are but a branch of the original of a larger organization. It explains why we only have seen shapeshifters since that is all Micheal accepted into the group. From what Xavier figured out, they are trying to take over take over the city. Instead, they are just trying to leave Hell and expand their reach and influence. The Fallen usually do not get involved in human’s matter, what is different this time, we do not know exactly.

But one thing is sure about all this, and that is one of the simplest ways to end this, regaining control of the portal or closing it in general. Xavier wasn’t necessarily happy about closing the gate because it has been under his family control for a few generations. He sees it as a failure to have it end with him.

“Okay, so where is the portal located?” Derek asked Xavier

Xavier let out a gasp of air and responded “It’s not far from my house since every one of you has mana inside your body, it will react with you.”

“How exactly will it react with us? I asked this time

“Usually the ambient mana with cause all your senses to go on high alert. At times people have unconsciousness cast chantless magic” Xavier said

I took a glance at Derek, and he held up his hand in defense.

“I will make sure not to use magic” Derek responded nervously.

“Well if you friend Jessica is all good, then we can set out and put an end to once and for all” Xavier said standing up and walking towards the hall

“Wait!” I stopped him abruptly “What if we can’t regain control, how will we close the portal?”

He didn’t turn around “Let me handle that part if it comes down to it.”