Gather round the fire, joyous carolers! You must be tired, from all the singing of day, and I have just the story to put you to bed on a warm winter’s night.

Twas the night before Christmas, and all throughout Liberty City not a heroine was stirring, not even a sidekick. But, joyous caroler, one little mouse did scurry through the streets! His hair in disarray and his hat askew, despite all this the little man raced through the streets aimed true. Wringing his hands and agonizing over presents, he mumbled to himself, “I’ll get that gold and the girl too! With power like mine, she’ll stand naught a chance.” Then, feeling delightful, he started to dance.

Collecting himself, he said one more time, “Got to be careful! Can’t forget the time.”

He glanced behind, one look to the tower, whereupon the great clock of Liberty City struck the hour. The bells ringing out, and Christmas coming soon, he chuckled and walked into a bank like a loon. Laughing most hysterical, he threw out his hand and turned the door to an icicle!

Then with a crack, he broke open the door, and made way to the vault searching for more. Cash, bullion, scratch, and even good ole Ben, all these things the thief stole and then-

Come closer, joyous caroler! We’ve all night for a story and the fire is warm. If you’ve no place to go then you can certainly stay here. And with another one joining our merry band, we ought continue to tale! Now, where was I? Ah, yes…

And then with a clatter the icy doors did shatter as the police converged on his location. With shouts and shots, they surged through the door—and into his icy ministration. A mere minute passed before he left the bank completely trashed and with a tidy sum of cash in his pocket too. Waltzing out to the street, he twirled and twisted, contorting into wicked little shapes. But little did he know, across the street his enemy, a heroine, traipsed!

Caught by the sight of such a strange little man, Eldritch Maiden stood with her dagger in hand. Crying aloud she warned the villain, “I know your plot! Now just the details need filling in. Did you think I’d be away? I understand the thought; after all it is almost Christmas day.”

“Nope!” chattered the thief, “I’d held out hope for the exact opposite in fact!” He said with a grin, much to her chagrin, “I wanted to know how you’d react. I wasn’t wrong, you came straight along, and now I think I should get gone.”

“Not a chance in-”

“The bell!” interrupted the man, leaping into the air. Then with a snap of his fingers, he vanished, giving Eldritch quite the scare.

“What?” Eldritch asked, searching for answers in the empty street. Confused, it took her a few moments to realize she’d been beat.

Shaking her head and speaking to no one, she asked the night, “Oh great, now this ought to be fun. Tell me Bel, we can track him right?”

Then stomping her foot to the ground in a pout, she cried out, “Well if we can’t track him, and you’re sure beyond a shadow of doubt, then his plan—we’d better figure it out!”

And so the snow fell, all white and cold, covering Liberty City as the day grew old. By the eve of Santa’s arrival, the poor girl was sick. She said to her companion, “I’ll never be home in time for Saint Nick! We’ve been searching and searching for hours and hours. When I’m done with this villain, he’ll be pushing up flowers!”

Just then, as if to reward her diligent search, a pitter-patter arose from a nearby church. It came from the bell tower, where a voice rang out full of power, “Eldritch Maiden you’ve met your match! Come find me up here, just climb up through the hatch. No need to worry, I’ve left it unlatched.”

With a wag of his finger, the mousey man shouted. “And don’t think about floating, I’ve got a spell coating the outside the building,” he said while gloating.

Gritting her teeth and walking up to the church door, Eldritch pushed aside the wreath and grabbed the handle then entered the main floor. Gasping with surprise, she almost fainted at the sight. For in front of her eyes were icicles glimmering with light. Underneath the frost and rime, the source was clearly gleaming from the bank’s former dime. Piles and piles of gold sat and glittered, all trapped underneath and icy miter. Seeing the sight Eldritch made her way up, finding her path to the church steeple clear as water in a cup.

Standing opposite her enemy it came to her mind, she didn’t hear a name, not once this whole time. So she asked him straight away, “What do they call you? Tell me, or I won’t know what to say.”

With a whirl of his cloak, he said in a voice of mystery, “I am the great king of frost, Lord Wintery!”

“Wintery?” Eldritch said with wonder in her tone, “that’s just absurd, it sounds like the name of a boy, hardly grown.”

“Tis mighty and mysterious, and magical too! For once a maid hears it she’ll fall in love, just like you.” His hand outstretched, he stepped forth, and said, “Take my hand, darling, and know that I love you too of course.”

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Shaking her head Eldritch replied with a frown, “But that’s no good, I’ve got a boyfriend waiting around. I think he likes me, for more than my looks. So I won’t just leave him, after all he even cooks!”

But her heart so askew, she knew what she wanted to do, and so found herself stepping forward and almost promising Wintery she’d always be true.

Then with a snap of her fingers she asked, “Hey, wait a minute. Why am I talking in rhymes?”

Glancing down at his wrist, bare as a cupboard, Wintery said, “Hey! Would ya look at the time? S-”

“Oh no you don’t!” interjected Eldritch in fury. “What did you do!”

With a smile oh so slick, the trickster said with a tick, “Ah, why nothing at all. It’s just a simple spell after all. Now don’t look so pall, I’ll end it once we return from the ball.”

Blinking, Eldritch asked, “The ball?”

“The ball!”

“The ball?”

“Why of course,” said the Lord with a tall grin, “you didn’t think I’d take you somewhere as crass as the mall?”

“What ball?”

Just then, the two heard the sound of someone call-

Ah, welcome, welcome! I see a few more joyous carolers have wandered into our midst. How delightful! Now we were just getting to the crux of the story, weren’t we?

Someone calling out, “Is she coming or not? I tire of this wait. If I do any more then I’ll certainly be late.”

“No, no, no, no, no!” said Eldritch, shaking her head. “Stop! Just stop with the rhyming already! It’s getting on my last nerve.”

Out of the night burst a sleigh with reindeer careening so quickly they started to swerve-”

“No!” interrupted Eldritch. “What did I just say? Now stop that right away! Especially if you want to see the light of day!” Then she threw up her hands and groaned loud, “Just make it stop or I’ll say only the word ‘orange’ aloud!”

Lord Wintery glanced at his new companion askance. Then with a wave of his hand, he ended the curse.

“Sorry about that,” he said contritely, “you see it’s just how it goes tonight-ly.”

Annoyed, Lord Wintery waved his hand again, this time fully ending the spell. “I’m not a huge fan of the rhymes either, but it’s the thing when you’re working with Christmas.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, Eldritch replied, “What do you mean?”

“Well,” Wintery said, glancing at the new arrival. “Maybe he could explain better?”

Leaping off from the carriage came a tall, handsome man with the haughty visage and bearing of a prince. Sweeping down into a low bow before the heroine he said, “Madam, it is truly an honor to make your acquaintance.”

“Thanks?” replied Eldritch, confused.

“Not you,” clarified the man, nodding toward her dagger.

“Bel?” Eldritch blurt out in surprise.

“I speak, of course, of the wondrous Lady Belinda,” answered the haughty man with a sniff, “I would never dream of insulting such an august personage by referring to her with anything other than her title and full name.”

“Right,” cut in Lord Wintery before Eldritch could reply. “Perhaps I should explain. Tonight’s the night of the Christmastime Ball and the time when we,” he motioned to himself and his companion, “spirits get to cross over searching for lucky mortals to share a night of dancing and celebration with. It’s a great honor to be chosen.”

“So why us?” asked a suspicious Eldritch.

Glancing at one another the two men replied after hesitating for a second or two, “We heard about this new trend amongst the mortals, a double date. It seemed like fun, so we picked you two!”

“And how long does this,” Eldritch put up her hands and made air quotes, “ball, last?”

“In the realm of spirits, time moves differently. We can have you gone and back as if you’d never left!” replied Lord Wintery.

Gesturing down, Eldritch asked, “So why all the gold and cash? You stole from the bank and hurt the cops. Those aren’t the actions of a good date.”

Looking a bit embarrassed, Lord Wintery answered, “Well, not really? You see, I am a master of illusions. I wanted to get your attention the proper way so I cast a spell.”

“The rhyming?”

Grimacing, Lord Wintery nodded and continued, “Well, yes. I didn’t expect that bit, I think that was just the Christmastime magic messing with things. All I wanted was to get you two out here, and to impress you with a few spells of course.”

Tapping her cheek, Eldritch replied, “Well, consider me dubiously impressed. I didn’t even notice the rhymes for half the night; let alone the fake cops and money.” Then she turned to Wintery’s companion and asked, “So do you have a name?”

“Baron Frost, at your service milady,” replied the lord with a bow.

“Mine,” Eldritch asked, watching as her dagger transformed into the shape of an equally regal looking woman, “or hers?”

Baron Frost’s eyes lit up as he replied reverently, “Hers, I assure you.”

“And what shall I do for a body, then?” asked an irritated Belinda. “Am I to hang off your belt the entire night?”

“No, dear lady,” replied the Baron with a bow. “Bodies have no meaning in the spirit world, and in any case I’ve no interest in having you hang off me. A man’s place is at a woman’s side yes, but she is far more than his possession.”

“Slick,” murmured Eldritch, stepping away from the conversation between her weapon and the baron. Turning to a nervous looking Lord Wintery, she asked, “So you chose me, huh? Can I ask why?”

“Well,” Lord Wintery began, rubbing his neck, “Would you accept it if I said that I owe the Baron and that he really is besotted by Lady Belinda?”

“No,” answered Eldritch, shaking her head. “You went too far too much trouble for this to be just a curtesy date. So spill or I’ll say no and Bel will stay with me and you’ll have to deal with an irritated baron.”

Sighing, Lord Wintery glanced out across the city and sat contemplatively. Finally, he said, “I know why you’re out here, on Christmas Eve, and not at home with your family.”

“Oh,” Eldritch replied in a small voice.

Suddenly speaking quickly he added, “Spirits are flighty too, and sometimes my own parents were more interested in finding someone to spend the ball with than me. I think you and I are,” searching for words, Wintery hesitated for a second before smiling and saying in an amused voice, “We’re kindred spirits I suppose.”

Watching Belinda and Frost circle one another, trading verbally, Eldritch thought. Then, after what seemed like hours to Lord Wintery, she said, “If you could bring me back, after the ball, to my bed tomorrow morning? And if you agree to respect that I already have a boyfriend. Then,” Eldritch hesitated, thinking of what to say, “then I would be honored to attend the ball as your guest.”

And more words were exchanged, joyous caroler, but our time here is over. After all, you’ve no invitation to the ball and I’ve got to get going if I’m to be away in time to greet the incoming guests! Don’t worry, I’ll keep the fire going all night long, a beacon for everyone who draws near. But if one of you lucky fellows is looking to go with me, and to attend the Christmastime Ball of the spirits… well then you’ll simply have to wait till next year!