"Please do not fondle the staff, it may ignite unexpectedly."

"I know what I'm doing!" Theesa protested. "Besides, you let Zade play with it!"

"Zade is a professional."

"I can be a professional!"

"I rather doubt that," said December.

"Hmph."

Theesa placed Faction's staff back into her pocket and sat back against the wall with her arms folded across her chest. Faction's gem... now HER gem... rested on her chest, where it continued to protect her from December's icy aura. It was now quite comfortable sitting next to him.

She looked across the carriage at Zade, who hadn't said anything since they'd left Carrington. Actually, "Gimme the staff" and "Leave me alone, don't talk to me" was pretty much the sum and total of her conversion since New Venyce. That and a few mumbled phrases that Theesa didn't care to repeat, even in her mind. And December hadn't been much better.

After the debacle that was their 'vacation,' the last thing that Theesa expected was to end up riding back to Montfort in yet another carriage. When Lovvorn, Eric Hood, J'Hasp, and several large, nasty-looking armed men appeared out of a portal, December promptly sent them all back to Montfort, saying that he needed some time to 'consider things,' before getting back to business as usual. He told them that he'd summon them when he wanted to return. So, after Lovvorn dropped off clothes and money to replace what had been lost in the flood, the 'rescue party' went back where to they'd come from... minus the people they'd come to rescue.

Theesa didn't like it. As much as she liked the idea, it was very unlike December.

And it wasn't as if he was very good company anyway. Even when lost in thought, December would usually reply when spoken to. But now he ignored almost everything that was said to him. He just stared off into space, lost in his own deep thoughts... not saying a word. Unless, of course, Theesa was threatening to set the carriage on fire with an enchanted staff. THEN he spoke.

Then there was Zade. December's bodyguard was as lost in her own emotions as December was in his own thoughts. The woman wouldn't speak. She wouldn't even look at Theesa, and when she glanced at December, the look in her eyes was almost frightening. There were obviously some things that needed to be said between them, but Zade wasn't in the mood to say them and December wasn't in the mood to hear them. And so they'd ridden in silence for the past few days.

For Theesa it was like riding in a carriage with two total strangers.

Mostly, she just looked out of the window and watched the land go by. She had no idea where they were... halfway between two cities she'd never heard of, most likely. She didn't even know if they were going in the DIRECTION of Montfort. Or if December or Zade would care if they weren't.

Right now, there was nothing outside but trees. She'd seen enough trees in the past day and a half, so she pulled the curtain closed and decided to try... once again... to talk to December.

"Was it that bad?" she said. "What Verraque showed you?

"You tell me," he said without looking at her.

Theesa knew that it was. She remembered how she felt when he'd come out of the mansion... how she felt intimidated just LOOKING at him. The power commanded respect and fear even without having to ASK for it.

"I do not want you to fear me," said December.

"But this isn't about me," Theesa replied. "It's about you."

December said nothing.

"I thought you hated gods. Or at least disliked them very, very much."

"I do. Even more so now."

"Then don't become one."

"The very concept is absurd. And yet, the power... it is tempting."

"You don't want that much power. I know you. You don't want it."

"That was true before New Venyce. But now that I have seen it. Now that I have touched it..."

"You think you... want to be..."

"A part of me does. Now I must wrestle with that part... weigh its arguments, consider its viewpoints. And finally decide what it is that I want. I must do that now, before the desire festers and turns into something that undermines all that I have created for myself. I cannot be what I am when a part of me aspires to... divinity."

"I heard a philosopher say that all men aspire to divinity."

"Not like this," said December.

"Well," said Theesa. "I know you didn't ask, but... the man I love is just that: a man. Not a god."

"And so I hope to remain. But now that is not as certain as it was."

Theesa decided not to ask any more questions. Suddenly, silence seemed preferable to the conversation she'd had so far. They rode for a while, each wrestling with their own thoughts. The enjoyable carriage ride through the country had become more like a funeral procession.

Then it began to rain.

Large, heavy drops battered the roof of the carriage in continuous sheets. The downpour was incredible.

Theesa opened the curtain and looked out. She couldn't even see the trees anymore... all she saw was rain.

"That's funny," she said. "There wasn't a cloud in the sky a minute ago-"

"DRIVER!" December shouted. "STOP THE CARRIAGE!"

The gentle motion of the carriage came to an abrupt halt.

"Wait here," said December. He opened the carriage door and got out.

"Where are you-"

December slammed the door shut.

Then the rain stopped.

Or rather, it moved. Theesa could see it... a small dark cloud had parked itself over the carriage, and once December got out, the cloud moved away into the forest. December followed it.


---

The rain moved in a straight line, traveling against the wind and heading into the woods. December followed behind it, stepping through the underbrush and forging a path where there had been none. After a few minutes, he came to a clearing.

It was raining in the clearing... but everything surrounding it was perfectly dry.

The miniature deluge concentrated itself in the center of the clearing, where the flow of rain slowly took on a familiar form. The rain-god paced angrily back and forth in the clearing... his arms clasped tightly behind his back and his face turned towards the sky.

"I thought we had an understanding," said December. "That you would not return-"

"THEY ARE DEAD!" Verraque growled. Actually is was more of an angry hiss. "The Great Cathedral lies in RUINS! Abzec-Syr, my father.... my brothers... my MOTHER! DEAD! ALL DEAD!"

December folded his arms across his massive chest and waited for the rain-god to start making sense.

"SLAUGHTERED! The holiest of sanctums is now host to DEMONS and FILTH! The great sky-globe is SHATTERED... and all that remains are these FRAGMENTS!"

Verraque held out his hand. Since his hand was made of water, the shards of glass on Verraque's palm were difficult to see... but they were there.

"WHO HAS DONE THIS!!!" the god howled. It was a shout of rage and sadness that shook the trees around them. But the trees could offer him no answers, nor could the sky or the ground, or the mortal who stood before him. Verraque lowered his head and covered his face. The rain that composed his body changed.. transforming from large angry drops to something that looked almost like tears.

"I am unimpressed," said December. "Why are you here?"

"She is dead," said Verraque. "The Mother of the Sky... She Who Sees what is Yet To Come... she is dead. My mother. Dead."

"My condolences."

"You do not understand," said Verraque. "It is SHE who told my father to send me way. It is SHE who sent me into Drya's clutches... so that I may be imprisoned on the mortal realm. SHE is responsible! And do you know WHY, godling?"

"When your mind approaches anything that resembles a point... please make it."

"She did it to SAVE ME! To PROTECT me! SHE KNEW! SHE KNEW WHAT WAS COMING and she sent me away so that I could LIVE!"

"You play games with me, rain-god. A deity cannot die unless they wish it to be so."

"If you had SEEN! If you had SEEN it with your OWN EYES..." Verraque extended his hand. "Come! I will TAKE you!"

"Is that why you came here? To involve me in the games of the gods? Is that the price of that which you showed me?"

Verraque lowered his hand and tried to regain his composure.

"No," he said. "There is... a message. And a gift."

"A message. From whom?"

"From the Mother of the Sky. It is the Prophecy... told to me and only me, before my banishment, and then hidden from my mind until such time as the Prophecy be made true."

"And you expect me to believe you?"

"Believe me or not, I am here to serve warning to the one who gave me my freedom. I am in your debt-"

"You owe me nothing, rain-god."

"I owe you this warning: For it will come to pass that the Great Destruction will be upon Creation. Gods will be cast down, and the mortals of the realm must stand against what comes. There will be giants that awaken among men. And there shall also be men who wield the powers of gods. They will prove themselves in trial by battle and blood... a war among themselves and against the Lesser Evil that precedes the Great Destruction. The strong will be made stronger, and the weak will be cut away. Those that remain will stand against the Great Destruction in defense of All That Is."

"Poetry," said December. "And rather poor poetry, at that. I take it that you propose this has something to do with me?"

"You wield the power of a goddess, December... whether you wish it or not."

"I am a jewel merchant, not a god. I do not fight wars or battles... and I know nothing of this Great Destruction."

"You have seen the Lesser Evil with your own eyes. You wrestled with him before he came to power. You will likely do so again."

"Your prophecy has nothing to do with me. It is merely a string of words that can be made to mean whatever you wish it to mean... for that is the nature of prophecy."

"You speak truth," Verraque sighed. "I know nothing of your place in these things, December... but I do know this: Your choice is not yet been made. The crossroads has not yet been reached. When you arrive, you will find not two roads... but THREE. You may choose what you ONCE WERE. You may chose what you ARE NOW. And you may choose what you CAN BE. You must chose wisely, godling... for there is blood and sacrifice ahead. You will wage war with your own past. Already, it reaches out for you... it nips at your heels even now. Soon it will rise up and smite you."

"Again, you speak meaningless nonsense."

"All will be made clear," said Verraque. "I can spare no more time. I must go to seek my vengeance... but first..."

Verraque walked to a nearby tree and knelt down. He retrieved a small bundle wrapped in a wet cloth, which he handed to December.

"A gift," he said. "Tread wisely, godling. And with luck, we may one day stand together as equals."

"Doubtful," said December. He looked at the package he held. It was small, but heavy. He unwrapped it and saw the single object that it contained. Then he wrapped it back up again. Meanwhile, the rain that was Verraque began to fade. Just before it was gone completely, the rain-god said one final thing...

---

Theesa watched December vanish into the trees, leaving her alone with Zade. They sat in silence for a while, then Theesa spoke.

"Thank you," she said.

Zade looked over at her and frowned.

"For what?" she replied.

"It just occurred to me that you saved our lives in New Venyce... and no one had thanked you for it yet."

"It's what I'm paid for. Maybe if somebody were paying me to pull children out of the water then I'd have gotten THAT ONE right, too."

"Oh," said Theesa. "He... he told me about that. About Thorne."

"Did he tell you that he sicced me on Brinks like a pet hound? Did he tell you THAT?"

"Well..."

"I didn't think so."

"Actually he did tell me. What I was going to say was... was maybe you did what you did because you WANTED to. December just...helped."

"I won't be mad at you for saying something so stupid. I know you can't help it."

"There was a man in New Venyce. A bad man. He tried to kill December and me, and he did kill a lot of innocent people. He's dead now. Now, I'm not happy about the fact that there's a man dead because of what December and I did... but I know that if we hadn't, then even if we'd gotten away... Faction would still be out there. Just as evil and dangerous."

"December is evil and dangerous. That doesn't bother you?"

"Yes."

"I thought so."

"But because December is who he is, there are lot of WORSE people who aren't going to be hurting anyone any more."

"You don't honestly believe that, do you?"

"You don't honestly NOT believe it, do you?"

"You've never met N'Doki. Or spent any serious time with Eric Hood. If you had, you wouldn't be sitting there trying to make December out to be the good guy in this."

"But who does Eric Hood take his orders from? If this N'Doki person is so bad, then why isn't he out trying to take over the world or some nonsense like that?"

"There aren't any heroes on this team," said Zade. "Least of all, me. Saving people just isn't... it's just not what I DO. I'M the one that people need to be saved FROM. And December...what HE did-"

"What YOU did, is what you needed to do. I won't pretend to understand this thing you do with the... you know..."

"Lycanthropy."

"...but I DO know you, Zade."

"You don't know anything about me."

"I know the type of person you are. I know you'd have rather died than let Brinks get away with what he did. But you weren't going to do a thing about it until December-"

"There were OTHER ways!"

"I won't argue with you there. But I know that December did what he did... and he did it the WAY he did... for a reason. Maybe you should ASK him about it rather than sitting there brooding."

Zade didn't say anything for a while. She just sat there brooding.

"My question is," she said finally. "Brinks is dead... so why don't I feel any better?"

"Because you're not finished."

"What now? I gotta get N'Doki to bring him back to life so I can kill him a few more times?"

"He can do that?"

"Probably."

"Well... that's not what I meant. There's only one December, and just because he isn't here doesn't mean you have to fill in for him. The boy died, Zade."

"He didn't just DIE! I LET him die!"

"You know that's not true, no matter WHAT December said to you."

"Maybe it is."

"No it isn't."

"It is TO! Don't you GET it! He SAVED OUR LIVES! He... he picked up the boat and he... he threw it and... and then... he was gone. I couldn't save him..." Zade turned away from Theesa and hid her face. "I couldn't save him..."

Theesa got up and sat down next to Zade. She put her arm around the woman as she cried.

"..he's dead because of me."

"No, he's just in a better place now. No matter what he did before, I think he earned it in the end."

"But he was just a child... he saved us and I couldn't... couldn't do the same for him..."

"He didn't do it so that you could rescue him. He did it because he wasn't like his father. The good in that boy was strong enough to survive all that his father did to him. Strong enough to save that boat. It was a gift, Zade. Don't argue with it. Just accept it."

Theesa held Zade as Zade's sobs filled the carriage. Once loosened, the tears came unabated, almost like a welcome, cleansing rain. Zade cried until the dark clouds were empty, and that was about the time that slow, steady footsteps announced December's return.

Theesa moved back to where she'd been sitting. She handed Zade a scarf to dry her eyes.

"If you tell anyone-"

"You'll kill me; I know," said Theesa.

December shouted something to the driver, and then the carriage door opened. Theesa's scarf disappeared underneath Zade's seat as December entered. He was carrying a package of some kind. As soon as he sat down, the carriage began to move once more.

"Trouble?" said Theesa.

"Nothing you need be concerned with," December replied. "Merely a message. And a gift."

"Oh? What is it?"

"It is... not for me."

December handed the bundle to Zade. She removed the cloth slowly, revealing the gleam of polished metal. It was a golden helmet. Thorne's helmet. Zade ran her fingers across it and was glad that she didn't have any more tears left in her.

"The rain-god wished to tell you," said December "That he now knows the meaning of sacrifice."

Zade rested the helmet in her lap, where it remained for the rest of the trip home.

[The End]