[Zade]
Dressed in her best leather armor, Zade stood outside the two-story brick building and took a deep breath. She took a moment to examine herself... her form-fitting leather armor hugged her ample bosom, revealing more than a little of her shapely curves. Her injuries from the fire had healed almost perfectly, and leaving not a single scar on her flawless brown skin. Zade tightened her bodice and adjusted the leather whip that hung at her side.

Well, she thought. Let's get this over with...

The wooden door before her was closed, and beside it was a gold-colored plate imbedded in the bricks. The plaque, which looked more and more like REAL gold the longer Zade looked at it, read:

**********************************************
The House of December

Public Hours:
10:00am - 3:00pm

Private Appointments available.
Special Shows held weekly
by invitation only.

Rigid and Discrete Security-
(Come and shop in peace.)

The House of December
specializes in

LARGE Diamonds
and
VERY Rare Gems

Enchantments applied and removed-
Let my mage enchant your
jewels to guard against theft.
***********************************************

On both sides of the door were a large display windows where all manner of glimmering jewels sat sparkling in the noon-day sun. The majority of them were large loose stones, mostly diamonds, but a few finished pieces caught Zade's eye. There was a gold necklace that contained eight coin-sized diamonds surrounding an even larger center-stone. Zade thought the piece was gaudy, yet it certainly drew her attention. She had to tear her eyes away from it.

She placed her hand on the door and pushed. The door swung open, and an arctic blast of crisp, cold air rushed out, washing over her. The skin on her exposed arms drew up into goosebumps.

As Zade stepped over the threshold, her black boots sank into a plush, immaculately clean, white carpet. The pile had to have been an inch deep.

White Carpet? she thought. What's this guy trying to prove?

Though she had just walked in off of the street, the soles of her boots left no marks on the carpet as she entered. She walked toward the center of the room and stopped. Her mouth hung open in disbelief.

Zade had never in her life encountered a more beautiful place. She was completely surrounded by glass, gold and diamonds. Long display cases lined the walls, and vertical displays were strategically place throughout the room, positioned to present the visitor with visions of rare beauty no matter which way they happened to be facing. Every case was literally packed with polished gems. Rubies. Emeralds. Sapphires. Opals. Gems of every conceivable cut and color. And, of course, diamonds. December had the largest diamonds that Zade had ever seen. One was the size of her fist... and another display held a single specimen that was almost as large as her head.

"By the gods..." she mumbled under her breath.

If December has THIS much money, then why-

"May I help you?"

Zade spun around and faced the short, squat man that emerge from the back room. He was dressed in a yellow and pink mage's robe that clashed horribly with everything in the room... including itself.

Upon seeing Zade, Lovvorn stopped cold and blinked several times.

Zade watched as Lovvorn ogled her. His eyes traveled up her long, shapely legs and took a lengthy pause once they reached her chest. His gaze never made it any higher. Lovvorn licked his lips and cleared his throat again.

"May I help you?" he repeated, speaking directly into Zade's breasts.

Zade noticed that the mage's voice had dropped two full octaves from the first time he spoke.

Lovvorn approached her, squeezing himself between two display cases and walking towards her with a slow, exaggerated swagger.

"December," said Zade.

"Oh, I'm sure I can help you with any of your needs. Allow me to introduce myself-"

"December."

"-My name is Lovvorn. Mage extraordinaire-"

"December."

"-although certain female acquaintances call me-"

"DECEMBER!"

"No... they don't call me 'December'..."

"Look," Zade grabbed Lovvorn by the front of his robe and lifted him up onto his toes. "Either you get 'old Frosty' out here now, or I start breaking things. Starting with you."

"That is not an advisable course of action." December's deep voice reverberated through the room as he emerged from the same doorway Lovvorn had used. The huge man wore light brown pants and a loose-fitting white tunic. Instead of approaching, he stepped behind one of the long, glass display cases and fixed his blue eyes on Zade.

"What can I do for you, Zade?"

"Oh!" said Lovvorn as Zade released him. He looked from December to Zade and back again. "You two know each other? Is she...ahhh...I mean...uhhh...are you and her...I mean... Hey boss, I thought you told me that you didn't-"

"Go Away." Both December and Zade said simultaneously.

"Okay. I think I hear a beer somewhere calling my name. Have fun, you two." Lovvorn walked quickly out of the shop. "...just wait until I tell Eric..." he said just before the door swung closed.

"Now... what brings you to my humble shop?"

"Humble? THIS place?"

"Not up to my usual standards quite yet. I am still shipping some of my larger pieces. Would you like to make a purchase?"

"You know why I'm here."

"Ahhh... you have reconsidered my offer, no doubt."

"Not that I have a choice."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Damion hasn't been seen in weeks. Which probably means that you've got him locked up somewhere or you've killed him. Either way, my contract with him is over, which leaves me in a tight situation."

"I am sure there are ample opportunities in Montfort for a woman of your skill."

"So was I, until recently. Now, word on the street is that I'm damaged goods."

"Really?" December smiled. "How so?"

"People know what went down with you and Damion. They also know that I was on the wrong side of that little fiasco. Rumors started spreading that I was bad news...marked for death. Now no one wants anything to do with me."

"Marked for death? By whom?"

"By you."

"I assure you that if I wanted you dead we would not be standing here having this conversation."

"I know that and you know that... but rumors are hard to stop once they get started."

"How very true."

"Then there's the fact that you saved my life twice that night. I figure I owe you."

"Twice?" December raised an eyebrow.

"Once... outside when we killed the drake. The before that when you sent your...whatever... into the building after me."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You didn't send..."

December shook his head slowly.

"Then why-"

"When not carrying out my orders, J'Hasp does whatever he pleases. If he helped you, then he did so for his own reasons. Perhaps likes you."

"Uggh... I think I'd rather have Lovvorn."

"That can be arranged. Quite readily, I imagine"

"No, thanks." Zade looked around and noticed J'Hasp's absence. That made sense... this was a legitimate business and December certainly didn't want that thing around scaring away his patrons.

But where is it? she thought.

"So... does your offer still stand? Did I pass your little 'test'?"

"You performed well. Your survival is proof of that."

"Wasn't much of a challenge if you ask me."

"I did not ask. And it was more of a challenge than you know."

"Whatever. We need to talk money."

"Return here after closing. We will discuss our business then."

"Fine."

Zade turned and walked toward the door. She paused as she reached it and looked over her shoulder.

"So where IS Damion, anyway?

"He managed to escape the city while we were entertaining his pet."
"Escaped to where?"

"Back to his pitiful little kingdom, I imagine."

"Still alive, then."

"For now. But believe me when I say that there is no place on Ifreann that is beyond my reach. He can run, but he cannot hide from me."

"But it's over. What more could you want?"

December stared at her with a cold look in his eyes.

"I see." Zade nodded and left. The door swung shut gently behind her.

...

Outside, Zade made her way across town. She hadn't gone more than a few blocks when her sensitive ears detected a second set of footsteps beside her. Soft boots. Something ruffling in the slight breeze. They were faint, but still sounded close-by.

"What do you want, Blaymore?" she said.

The hooded, blue-cloaked assassin appeared on her left. One moment there was nothing, and an instant later, Blaymore popped into existence. He walked along side her, his long blue cloak flapping lightly in the wind.

"That's the second time you've done that." he said.

"I could hear you." Replied Zade without looking at him. "You're loosing your touch."

"No. You can't hear me."

"Yes I can. I see you made it out of the fire okay."

"A collapsing building is just a minor inconvenience to a man who can walk through walls."

"So, what do you want?"

"I came to ask you the same thing. Looking to buy some jewels, are you?"

"Gotta make a living somehow."

"Not like that."

"I've done worse. A LOT worse. Not that you were around to care."

"But I'm here now."

"Too late. You had your chance."

"I warned you, Zade. I told you to stay away from him. There's more going on here than you know. December has enemies... both old AND new, with more showing up every day. I'm hearing things on the streets, Zade, and they aren't good. The Tower Guard will be the LEAST of your worries if you work for that bastard. There are people... forces... in this city that wield power on such levels that you aren't even aware of it. . They're not going to just sit back and let December have his way... Have you ever heard of a group called the Cult of P-"

"Blaymore... I'm having a reasonably good day here. Don't screw it up."

"Fine," Blaymore began to fade from view. "But I'll be watching."
Blaymore was gone.

"And I'll be listening." said Zade. She turned a corner and continued on her way.

"One thing I could always count on," said Blaymore's voice a few minutes after Zade was gone, "is Zade doing the exact OPPOSITE of whatever I say. This is going almost better than I planned..."

---

[Damion]
Damion's return to Castle VonSinterbourne had been less than illustrious. Word of his deeds over the past years had reached his family, and, even if his father KNEW of his return, which was doubtful, the old man probably wouldn't lift a finger to help a son that had brought so much disgrace to the family name. So here he was, locked away in a filthy cell while his younger brother took his sweet time deciding what to do with him. He couldn't even call for help. December's frigid touch had permanently damaged his vocal cords, making it impossible to speak or utter a sound above a whisper.
The cell was dark, damp and moldy. Very moldy. The room's only light came from a smoking torch in the hallway, which flickered through the small barred window in the cell's metal door. With no sunlight and feedings that were at the random mercy of the guards, Damion was left with no idea how long his brother had kept him imprisoned. He supposed he should feel fortunate that he wasn't thrown to the animals.

Animals, he thought as he lay on the damp floor with his eyes closed. That would be ironic, wouldn't it.

For perhaps the hundredth time, Damion wondered where Zade was. Did she make it out of the building? Was she dead? He remembered seeing her trapped under the burning debris in the hallway just before he made his escape. She had saved his life, but he had neglected to return the favor. But that wasn't his job... SHE was the bodyguard, not him. There was no way she could have survived... but if she had, would she help him? Would she get him out of here? He halfway expected her to suddenly kick the door down and rescue him as she had done so many times before. But deep inside he knew that wasn't going to happen. Zade was most likely dead. And if not, she didn't even know where he was. And if she did, not even Zade could get past the royal guards. Could she?

A sound grabbed Damion's attention. He opened his eyes. It was a metallic, scraping sound... like metal on stone. Then it was gone.
Damion sat up and looked around. There wasn't much in the cell, and there CERTAINLY wasn't anything metal lying around. Except one thing.
There was a small, three-inch metal grate in the center of the floor. Supposedly it was there for the prisoner's bodily functions, although it's more likely purpose was to provide a direct path for the ripe sewer-odor to waft up into the cell.

Damion held his breath and crawled over to it. There were marks in the slimy dirt... the grate had been moved and replaced. Damion ran his hand across the wet stone floor and his fingers touched something. It was a folded-up piece of paper.

Message from Zade! thought Damion. I'm FREE!! He snatched up the paper and unfolded it. There was indeed a message:

****************************************
SINTY-BOY,

HAD A BLAST AT YOUR LAST PARTY;
THOUGHT I WOULD RETURN THE FAVOR.

LOVE,
LOVVORN.
*****************************************

Below the text was a large, red rune that had begun to pulse ominously as soon as the paper was unfolded.

Damion swallowed. The paper trembled in his hands.

Oh, shi-

[The End]