Penchant: CH 16: Demonic Dealings
#18 of Penchant, Predilection
The action filled completion to Ike's adventure, will he be able to protect everyone or will he fall to the powers of darkness?
I had recovered quickly from my power usage, my memories had left yet again but the shackle was producing more than enough energy to keep me from the coma like state that had happened during my first transformation. I was still tired though and decided that one day of rest in the Crystal Kingdom couldn't hurt.
How wrong I was... Well, it probably would have happened regardless.
The dark whisperings, of fear, of danger, of chaos had returned. No longer could the powers of Luna keep them from my dreams.
And tonight I was visited in my slumber.
"Little Ike, so powerless against his own end. It's closing in, can you feel it?"
"Who are you? How and what do you know?"
"You need not ask questions. I come simply to discuss an offer."
"Speak quickly then. So I can return to my dreams."
"So quick to scorn, in time you would learn to enjoy my presence. You have a power deep inside, one that will eventually destroy you. I simply offer a method to take it away."
"That easy? I am not naive, I know nothing comes so cheaply."
"You are wiser than most of your kind, human. I will allow you the truth. There are three other bands of power besides yours, two of those are currently in use."
"How? They destroy whoever wears them!"
"The Alicorn sisters, Luna and Celestia. Their forms allow them to withstand the power, even to live with it indefinitely. The bands of power have been in their possession for over one thousand years."
"So you are saying that they inflicted me with this burden while they themselves sit in near immortality from the same power?"
"There are portions of your memory you are missing, let me unlock some of it."
-
I watched my own suppressed memories float by... The shackle was lowered to my arm. The vision cut to the Alicorn sisters leaving me there in agony as the power seared through my body...
-
"Luna said it was necessary."
"I do not claim to know their purpose, but they knew that it would eventually destroy you."
-
Another part of my memory flashed up. "He is not Alicorn, the power will destroy him!"
-
"Rather than save you, they found it suitable to prolong your death!"
My anger, fueled by this dark being, rose inside of me. They could have done something! Damn the timeline. They left me to face the hydra. And they had given me a death sentence...
"What is it that you desire?" I asked the foul presence, ready to hear its offer."
"It is simple, join with me... And we shall slay them, together. We will destroy the bands of power for good. When your end of the deal is complete I will make sure you are freed from the shackle's power."
"You're a demon aren't you?"
"Yes my child, I am." A dark visage floated across my vision, the grinning face sent chills down my spine.
"This deal, this revenge... I'll go to Canterlot, join with me when I reach the throne room... No one else needs to be harmed."
"Until then, Ike. You would make a good demon-kin, so willing to turn against your friends."
"If this goes right they won't have to know..." I muttered as I drifted back into slumber.
~
Shining Armor waved me off at the station, assuming that after my training and the slightly awkward tension I was finally returning to Ponyville...
He was wrong. My heart was heavy, was it really worth it? Should I be going through with this?
~~
When the Train arrived at Ponyville I didn't depart. Instead I sat there, silent and unmoving as a stone. The train continued its journey, drawing me ever closer to the end.
I had gained the trust of Cadence and Shining. And through them Celestia and Luna. I would be allowed to simply walk right into Canterlot when I arrived.
~~
As the magnificent city, propped up on the mountainside appeared I could feel the dark presence of the Demon circling. I pushed it away. The joining had to take place at the last possible moment; any sooner would give away the plan.
~~
The grand doors to throne room were opened for me by the unsuspecting guards. Celestia and Luna stood on either side of the throne looking upon my entrance.
As the doors closed behind me I could feel the cloying presence of the Demon as it tried to enter me.
I allowed it.
Luna, with a sad expression looked to me. "Ike. It didn't have to be this way..."
I locked eyes with her across the room, my counter betrayal becoming quickly evident. "Yes it did, the demon is trapped inside of me. If you kill me now it dies too."
The demon flew into a rage at my words. I had tricked it, sending a letter by Pegasus to warn the Alicorn sisters. The demon began to fight me internally, attempting to seize my body for its own use.
"Hurry! Before it takes control! You have only one chance to rid this world of its greatest evil. If you had this creature in your head... You would know of the atrocities it has caused."
I doubled over, crying out, as the vile creature found the center of my magic power, the shackle of dawn, activating it. Every nerve in my body felt like it had been exposed to a burning flame.
My form shifted and I regained all the memories I had lost. My spectral wings re-emerged and my hooves lit with a subtle flame that spread slowly across my body in silvery blue hues. The only difference from last time was the vision, influenced by the demon, Red.
Twilight emerged from behind a pillar in the room and my eyes welled up. Why did she have to be here? I didn't want her to see me die.
"Ike, the demon wanted you to kill Luna and Celestia. Why? It's the bands of power, the only force that can truly destroy it!" Twilight opened an ornate case containing the Dusk Armlet, and put out her leg for it to latch on. She doubled over in pain momentarily as its power joined to hers.
"I will control him and his power soon enough." The demon spoke using my voice. I felt like it was trying to push me aside in my own body.
"That's what we're here for." Applejack spoke from behind me. The demon turned my body around to look at the five girls who had just entered behind me.
"You leave our colt alone!" Rainbow Dash blurted.
I wrestled back control of my voice momentarily "Girls, get to safety!"
"We won't ever leave you alone again silly, you get into too much trouble without us." Pinkie stated taking a brave step forward.
A tear fell from my eye; the demon had broken some barrier inside of me, allowing the full energy of the band of power to flow through me... Soon there would be no containing the force, this day would be my last.
"Now girls!" Twilight yelled, getting over the shock and pain of her own transformation from putting on the Dusk Armlet. Twilight had become just as tall as Luna and had taken on a similar appearance, her wings had become larger and more majestic and her horn had become slightly longer and a bit pointier.
Each element the girls wore sparked to life, shooting bright rays of light that intersected in the air. As Twilight added to the mix it arced downwards towards me. I held my body in place with all my might, keeping the demon from dodging away.
The power hit me like a crashing wave, but instead of stopping on impact it tore through me. It felt like I was being torn to pieces from within. I held on with all my might as the demonic essence was torn from my body, nearly loosing control of the energies that the demon had activated.
The demonic influence completely left me and I gasped in a large breath. I took a step towards one of the stained glass windows; my leg burning like it was on fire. I took another step, shakier than the first as the pain began to spread through me. He had done it... he had opened the floodgate of my power and it was building up inside of me rapidly. I had to get out... They might be able to face the demon without me... But destroying everypony wasn't what I wanted.
I leapt into the air and spread my wings, diving towards the fragile glass. It was a picture of a unicorn aflame facing down a hydra...
Just as I was about to strike the window a blurred darkness smashed into me from the side, forcing me back to the ground.
"Going somewhere?" The form on top of me taunted.
The dark pony that had tackled me had a curved black and red horn and wore an ornate cape and crown. His eyes glowed with a malevolent energy as he looked down upon me.
"Sombra?" Luna cried out, a scared look upon her face.
Sombra dissipated into a dark shadow and swiftly glided to the middle of the room.
"In the flesh! It seems the demon has reinstated the deal we once had, on the condition that you all die." His honeyed voice echoed through the chamber, seemingly coming from everywhere.
Sombra gave off a powerful malevolent aura, it seemed that the demon had fused with him after being forced from me. The elements wouldn't work on a fully willing host.
Celestia addressed the girls. " I am sorry to ask it but please stand aside, you're dealing with powers far beyond you now."
My jaw had locked from the pain, I couldn't even shout for them to leave... If I could just hold on...
In a flash Celestia and Luna outfitted themselves with shining plate mail, Luna's sliver and Celestia's gold. Twilight rushed to my side, skirting around the dark essence of Sombra.
She looked so beautiful standing there, aglow with newfound power.
"Ike are you alright?"
The pain on my face gave the answer.
"This is the end, isn't it?
I gave a short nod.
Tears had formed in her eyes but she blinked them away.
"It looks like we'll just have to win this one for you."
Sombra had taken back a physical form and rolled his eyes. "Are you two finished yet? I have a quite a few events to plan, being that this land will soon be mine."
"Why don't ya just shove it Sombra!" Applejack shouted from the entrance of the room.
At Sombra's glance a blast of power pushed the five girls out of the room. The grand doors slammed shut in front of them and became sealed with a dark magic.
"Your peon friends are annoying... The demon wants you to know that they will suffer greatly." Sombra's expression was a devious grin, his serpentine tongue licked over his fangs
The muffled sound of Rarity in a condescending tone came through the door. "You will open this door right now!"
I gave a short pained exhalation of a laugh at her indignant shout.
Sombra decided to not waste any more time and charged forward in a cloud of darkness towards the two sisters. As the shadowy cloud zipped across the room the two split up, dodging out of the way. The throne between them burst into splinters as Sombra struck it.
"I have defeated you before Sombra, I will do so again!" Luna cried out.
"My powers were not at their fullest, and you forget it was not your accomplishment alone."
Luna directed her attention to Celestia.
"Sister, now!"
The sisters simultaneously released a large flash of light causing the darkness around Sombra to dissipate. He stood there with a smirk on his face. "Are a few parlor tricks supposed to amuse me?"
Sombra's eyes bled out purple and green energies as he began a true assault. A black crystal shard shot out of the floor underneath Celestia who jumped out of the way. The shard shattered as she purified it with her magic.
Luna took to the air as a similar shard shot up near her. Sombra launched a wave of energy towards Celestia who was shoved away as he erected a dark crystal wall behind her. Celestia struck the wall with a solid thud, her head striking against the crystal. Sombra then focused on Luna who had begun a dive towards him.
A javelin of crystal was adeptly launched in her direction. Luna dodged just barely but as she did a pillar of crystal erupted from the floor, smashing into her.
Luna shakily landed near her sister and they both shook off their injuries, preparing for more. Celestia looked dazed from her head injury and Luna's wing looked like it was injured as well. Twilight looked away from me for a moment to survey the situation.
"I have to help them, hold on."
To help her be brave I gave a short nod, locking eyes briefly before she turned to face the fight.
Twilight launched a beam of magic at Sombra, who was facing away. A shield around him shimmered as the energy quickly faded.
"Twilight, I'll deal with you later. It's because of your mongrel pet dragon that my return was not sooner."
Sombra stood there as the two Alicorn sisters recovered, calling upon his magic, "Luna, I believe there is a long lost friend of yours you need to meet again."
A second dark form began to coalesce in the room. It took on an appearance similar to Luna; in fact it looked almost exactly like her. The biggest difference was the black coloration of her coat and bluish purple armor.
"N..Nightmare Moon?" Luna started.
Nightmare smirked " Yes Luna, it seems after my banishment I have been granted a new body, finally one of my own.
Now it was Luna's turn to smirk, her intimate knowledge of Nightmare Moon coming into play. One of Nightmares biggest flaws was her lack of loyalty to those who felt they could command her...
"I know how you despise being controlled. Why work for Sombra?" Luna reasoned with her.
"He merely summoned me here, thinking I would do his will... What is it that you propose Luna?"
"Simply help to defeat him and we will make no attempts at banishing you again."
"Stop making plans!!!" Sombra shouted at the two. " I brought you back Nightmare! You will serve me by killing them!"
Nightmare moon put her back towards the Alicorn sisters, trusting them to not attack. "I fight with you now, but all deals are off after the battle."
Sombra growled out in anger rushing the betrayer. As he neared his eyes went aflame with power once again, a dark array of crystal shards forming around him.
Wisps of energy flared up around Nightmare Moon as she counter charged.
The room went pitch black, like all the lights had been extinguished; even the windows did not let anything in. Shouts of anger and rage could be heard as the two forces of darkness clashed.
Occasionally I could feel a crystal shard whip past my prone form, or a wisp of darkness splash against the floor nearby. Grunts of concealed pain could be heard as the two dealt unknown injuries upon each other.
After several minutes the light was slowly restored, Twilight and the Alicorn sisters forcing back the darkness.
As light returned to all but the center of the room a gasp rang out and the last of the darkness instantly faded.
Nightmare Moon for a moment stood over Sombra, but stumbled off collapsing to her side. A dagger sized crystal shard was stabbed through her chest armor; the ragged wound dripped a black ichor.
"This body was never mine to have, be safe sister of light..." She addressed Luna
"Moon! No!"
Sombra got back to his feet. Shaking off a light coating of dust. Dark energies swirled around him as every cut, scrape or otherwise, mended seamlessly.
Nightmare Moon continued, "It is fine Luna, as long as you remember me, as long as there is a night... I will live on in some way. My only regret is that I did not repent sooner."
"Despite your origins of darkness I am glad to call you sister. Farewell Moon." Luna spoke as a tear fell from her eye.
Nightmare Moon dissipated into a vaporous cloud, a contented smile upon her face as she faded from sight. The dark crystal shard embedded in her had purified itself, a testament to her change. As she disappeared entirely it clattered to the ground, emitting a soft and glowing light.
There was silence in the room; even the group on the other side of the door seemed to know something had happened.
I struggled through the pain to my feet. Luna seemed shattered by the destruction of Nightmare Moon. They had shared banishment for over one thousand years together, in the same body... It was reasonable to assume they had become close, despite their opposing natures.
I shuffled over to Sombra who looked on me with disdain. I reared up and swung a hoof towards him. "Bastard!" I yelled angrily.
The blow hit home and I fell back on my haunches, Sombra easily shook it off. I closed my eyes and got my anger under control, holding back the forces inside of me.
"Are you ready to die yet?" He tauntingly asked.
I gave no response except opening my eyes for an angry glare, refusing to break eye contact.
"No?" Sombra broke my gaze and turned away. After his turn I saw him buck his legs, a powerful kick sent me flying across the room. Celestia reacted speedily and moved the tattered throne cushion underneath me to soften my fall.
I groaned and turned to see the action transpiring. I was steadily learning to live with this throbbing world of pain.
Twilight looked genuinely angry and attempted again to fire a bolt of energy towards Sombra, this one far more powerful than the last as Twilight began to get a hold of her new strength.
This time Sombra's magic shield was not there to protect him, his energy lower than before. From the wounds he had healed after his fight with Nightmare Moon it was obvious he had taken real blows. He was weakening.
Twilight's blast knocked Sombra to the side as it impacted; a portion of Sombra's royal red cape became singed.
Before he could hit the ground he evaporated into a dark cloud and reformed back on his feet.
"Please. You are going to have to send more at me than that if you want to cause any real harm."
Three portions of Sombra's shadow slipped away on the floor, silently slipping their way towards the three Alicorn. I tried to say something but my jaw had locked up again with the pain.
Twilight angrily shot another bolt of energy towards Sombra who didn't even bother to dodge. It passed straight through the illusion; his actual form the shadows trailing around the room.
All at once the shadows shot up and Luna, Celestia and Twilight became enveloped. When the darkness had passed all of them seemed frozen in place. Not a single movement or breath was to be heard. Sombra was truly powerful, and the Demonic power he wielded gave a good explanation as to how he conquered the Crystal Kingdom so long ago.
Sombra reformed a few steps from me, his shadows flocking back. "And now I leave you to your demise. Have fun destroying all of your friends."
Sombra turned to leave but paused as he heard a single word escape my lips "No."
"What?"
If my end is inevitable... Then yours is too!" I forced myself to my feet and took a step forward, the stone beneath my hooves cracked with each step.
Sombra scoffed and turned to walk away. "You are just a simple unicorn wielding a power that is too great for you. There is nothing you can do to stop me."
"You're wrong. I am more than just a pony. I was chosen by fate, I cannot..." I paused to amend my statement. "I Will Not accept your victory as a possibility."
"Fate?" Sombra laughed aloud and turned around, coming back to me. "The fate of everyone ends in death. That is why these Alicorn and power bands must be cleansed, they defy fate, and they defy death."
"The only two dying today will be us!" I found the strength to lunge at Sombra, catching him off guard. My hoof connected with his jaw and his circlet crown flew off, clattering to the ground.
Sombra took a step back and spat out a little blood. "I don't have time for this."
A dark shadow separated from him, covering my form entirely. It urged me to sleep, to become dormant...
I couldn't... I had too much left to do. Too much energy inside of me. I exerted my power and the darkness shattered away, Sombra recollected himself, panting.
"How?" He asked incredulously.
I grinned as I accessed the power inside of me, it no longer felt so daunting. I sped forward, my limbs forgetting the painful ache.
I took another powerful swing at him but he dodged away, giving me time to talk.
"I just had to remember something. A promise I made... I promised to keep this land safe, for the sake of my friends, for the sake of those I love! "
I launched a powerful array of magical blasts in his direction several of which struck directly. His armor became scorched and weakened at the points of impact.
I needed more power... Like cracking open a door with light on the other side I allowed a slightly larger stream of energy through. Every nerve in my body felt like it was on fire, the sheer power stored inside me unimaginable...
My eyes glowed under the magical strain as I rushed Sombra again.
He took each one of my blows, dodging only to preserve his face. I put all of my physical strength into each hit along with magic to add some kick. Sombra fought back, unable to land a single blow as my training took over.
His leg armor shattered away under my assault and his metal chest guard caved under the pressure, yet he took each hit, attempting to wear me down.
Fine, if this still wasn't enough I would risk more...
I allowed even more power to flow through me. As I did so something inside of me changed. My hooves glowed with an intense energy as my next blow completely phased through Sombra, shattering away his chest armor. His dark form shimmered and wavered a little as it recovered.
From what I could see he looked uninjured, but the wince of pain said otherwise.
Sombra fell back a step and disintegrated into shadow, his dark essence meeting mine. I could feel the taint of the demon, and I could feel Sombra himself as we battled invisibly.
His essence, surrounding me entirely, fought against my own. I was almost more of a mental battle than a physical one at this point... One that two dark minds could easily win...
But I had a card up my sleeve yet.
I reached out and pulled his essence inward, wrapping it around myself like a cocoon.
"You only bring about your defeat quicker this way." Sombra scoffed.
"Are you so sure?" I replied releasing all hold on the power building up inside of me. I wouldn't be able to save everyone, and Equestria would be shattered by the loss, but if I could just take him with me there would still be hope... Hope, the most powerful force of all.
Sombra wailed in agony as he was forced to absorb the destructive energies. I pushed out the power with all my might, waiting for the moment where my world would go black.
Fire tore at Sombra, and lightning ripped through his very being. Wind whipped through his essence and ice encrusted his soul.
A power surged inside of me as I tore through the boundaries of existence, entering the very realm where the demon resided. My death grip on Sombra continued, destructive energies ripping through his form. But the Demon was the true threat, the one supplying Sombra with his power.
My mind drifted in the empty colorless void, a direct link to the demonic presence. The demon seemed shocked, no one had ever been able to challenge it before, most were never even aware of its presence.
It quickly recovered from the initial shock of my direct visit and shifted forms. It took the form of a young girl, a human. My little sister...
The demonic voice echoed from her lips "You wouldn't want to see her die again, would you?"
"You bastard! Get out of my memories!"
"You couldn't possibly strike me down." The abomination wearing my sister's face grinned.
"I'm sorry I couldn't save you sister. I... I'll be coming to see you soon." A tear fell from my eye and I wiped it away with a hoof. "This is for Equestria, this is for my friends. This is for the memories of those I hold dear..." I looked at the demon, seeing past the illusion. His grin quickly fell. "Die!"
Pure light emitted from me and enveloped the dark being, tearing it into shreds and destroying each individually. The demon sat there in silence as I eliminated its existence, glaring at me hatefully.
As the last remnants disappeared I pulled back my power, sealing it back inside of me.
Back in the real world the loss of the demon's power forced Sombra to release me entirely, my power there also stopping just in time to avoid the building's destruction.
Sombra tried to flee in his dark cloud, knowing that I now held more power than him. Despite the veil of darkness I could see a pinpoint of energy within, glowing out with magic.
My eyes flicked over to the very crystal shard used to kill the physical representation of Nightmare Moon. I lifted it with magic, the light within glowing brightly at my interaction. "Thank you Nightmare." The words slipped from my lips as I launched the crystalline spike at Sombra.
It struck directly at the center of energy, pinning it against the wall. Sombra reformed around the crystal, letting out a cough. Blood spattered his lips as he looked down to see the damage. The crystal spike, pulsing with energy was plunged straight through his heart.
"Defeated again? How pathetic..." He coughed out as his eyes shuddered closed, his physical form breaking apart into motes of shadow and dust that disjointedly blew away.
Free from Sombra's control the doors to the room burst open. Luna, Celestia and Twilight also shook off the paralysis he had caused. The powers I had unleashed had done more than harm Sombra, they had harmed me as well. My vision was spotted, one eye slowly giving out. I could sense even greater damage to my internal organs, a majority of them failing. My breathing was labored as one of my lungs seemed to refuse air. I could only imagine how beaten and torn I looked physically.
My steps were heavy as I walked towards the stained glass window I had tried to escape from earlier. Despite my victory it seemed my end was still coming, the Shackle's power had gone past any containable level...
I looked behind me to the group watching... "Stay safe, ok?"
I shot a quick magical blast at the glass, shattering the image of my fight with the hydra. I unfurled my spectral wings and forced myself off the ground. With labored flaps of my wings I pushed myself away from the castle, away from where I could do any harm.
I looked back to Twilight who was holding back Rainbow Dash, preventing her from flying after me.
I heard the voice of Fluttershy drift over the breeze, silent but audible. "I never could build up the courage to say so... But I loved you too Ike."
Applejack pulled off her hat and hugged it close to her heart.
Rarity and Pinkie Pie stood side by side, both tearing up.
With a simple teleportation spell I brought myself miles away into the empty sky. Far enough away that everyone would be safe. "Goodbye..." I whispered, closing my eyes and taking one last deep and calm breath.
Power seared through my body as the sky became a canvas of fire. A pain greater than any I had felt before ripped through me. My maw opened in a silent scream before my world plunged into darkness...
~Fin
or is it?
Falling, falling, falling. I fell through the darkness, wind rushing by me as I plummeted.
Was this what death was like? Darkness?
"Ike! Open your eyes!" A familiar voice rang in my mind.
I pried my eyes open to a view of a cloudy but still sunlit sky. This wasn't too bad. I could get used to this.
"You aren't dead, snap out of it!" Luna's voice cried in my head.
I turned in my fall to see the rapidly approaching ground, my heart spiked violently inside my chest. I flailed my limbs as I fell, my spectral wings having left me.
"Calm yourself, just pretend they are still there."
I did as commanded and suddenly my decent slowed with an uncomfortable tug at my... Wings? I looked over to see my actual wings, wings that matched the dark blue of my coat.
Wait... I didn't know how to fly... My wings locked up and I went into an awkward tumble of a descent yet again.
"Just relax, you have flown before."
I took a deep breath and adjusted my wings to stop my tumble, pulling into a glide. I slowly glided around and checked my surroundings, banking lightly to see all around. High up on the mountain sat a large city, Canterlot... I flapped my wings to regain all the altitude I had lost.
~~
Luna spoke to all the assembled girls, a happy tear falling from her eye. "He should be back shortly, and you might be surprised by his new form."
"It worked?" Celestia asked, receiving a nod from Luna
The girls had seen the tremendous explosion of power. They looked at Luna incredulously, but with a tiny glimmer of hope in each of their hearts.
~~
I could see the opening in the wall where I had shattered the window... It all seemed so unreal to me. How had I survived?
I flew in with the rays of sunlight beaming through the window, landing quietly in the presence of the eight girls. They all seemed to go though stages of disbelief and shock before rushing towards me, Luna and Celestia standing back.
As Celestia spoke I was smothered by a huge collective hug.
"It seems, through all his ordeals, he has been found worthy. Worthy of becoming reborn as an Alicorn." A smile crossed her lips as she looked over to Luna, they both shortly joined the massive group hug. "Equestria is safe once more."
~~~
Epilogue
"Discord has given us the location of the distortion in space time. Now is the time for decision... It cannot remain open, one great evil has phased into our world through the void because of it already." Celestia spoke to Dr. Whooves and Ike.
"Ike, if you return to your world the tear will repair itself... But if you desire to stay Dr. Whooves here can close it instead. Just know, whatever your decision it is final, if you stay or if you leave you will never be able to see the other world again."
"If you wouldn't mind, I think I'll stick around."
Discord appeared in the room, putting an arm around me.
"All's well that ends well?"
Celestia's horn glowed as her pleasant demeanor fell away, Discord's eyes widened.
"We still haven't discussed the repercussions of lying to me, Discord." Celestia paused, looking at the others in the room. "Luna, would you please show Ike out. Princess Twilight wanted a word with him."
~
After the strange noise of the Tardis departing finished echoing through the hall I could hear what was occurring as Luna swiftly escorted me away, a massive blush on her face.
Discord's voice could be heard through the door, "Oh yes!!! Harder!" as Celestia doled out a royal spanking. From the evident sounds it seemed he was enjoying it a lot more than he should...
~FIN
Author's Note:
I hope you enjoyed the story of Ike: Champion of the Dawn.
Feel free to pester me with comments, questions, and otherwise :)
(yes this will eventually get a sequel)
Thanks for sticking with me as I self edited all of these chapters.
~
Andrew James ??????? (The first time I have given any real information about myself on my writing.) You won't find me without the last name though. ;)