40th Day of Winter in the Year 518 AV
With day turning to night and The Gem closed for the evening, Duncan also began winding down for the night. As a part of this, he had a routine that he performed every night before he settled in for his own personal time. It was usually late enough that the others who lived at The Gem were either asleep, getting ready for bed or otherwise engaging in their various personal activities.
To start, he walked around the main shop checking that the windows were secure, the doors were locked and everything was in its place as it should be. Even though things were seldom, if ever out of place or of any real concern, Duncan did not let that lighten his focus on making sure everything was right.
When he was satisfied that everything was locked up and secure, he went upstairs and out onto the balcony. From there he walked out onto the balcony and down the stairs to the deck below. A patrol of the grounds around The Gem was one of the last official duties he performed before retiring to his own devices. Taking a deep breath of outdoor air, he started off on his way around the perimeter behind The Gem. He never brought a source of light with him; relying on his isurian eyes to see in even the darkest of nights. His reasoning was that if something or someone was lurking about, he could catch them before they saw him.
As he approached the beach side of the property, all seemed well. Turning to head back toward The Gem, Duncan saw something that peaked his attention. He saw something move near the rear corner of the building. It was quick and at first he thought he may have been imaging it until he saw it again.
As quietly and quickly as he could, he hurried his pace toward where he saw the movement. "Why am I hoping there is actually someone or something there?" Duncan thought to himself as he quickly approached the back corner of The Gem.
