"Oh, the people are great," Zack laughed. "Which is good, since it usually takes everyone pulling together to drive off whatever it is that's trying to kill us from time to time."

He considered the man in the tree for a few moments more.

Considered his sword.

"Hey, I don't suppose you spar, do you? I know it's probably a pretty random question, but, uh, finding other people with swords that can even hold up to mine around here is... hard."

That was because your sword was basically a sharpened Buick, Zack.