Flame Song looked at her husband. His expression was grim. He’d known this was coming, but now he was faced with a difficult choice. To give this demon the torc would doubtless cause chaos and death on a great scale. A demon that could command all other demons could wage a war on Mysteria such as had never been waged before. Thousands might die. And yet… this was his daughter, his own flesh and blood. How could he allow her to be killed for the sake of strangers, people he hadn’t even met? There had to be another way.

“If I agree to give you the torc, what will you do?” he asked, trying to buy some time to think.

“Well, much as I would enjoy killing you slowly, I can’t afford to give you a chance to get the torc back, so the first thing I will do once it is off your neck is release a handy death-spell I have ready. It will instantly stop your heart. Then once you are gone, ah…” he sighed with twisted pleasure at the thought. “Then I will have a marvelous time trying out my new powers. You do not know even the tiniest faction of what that collar can do. Perhaps I shall hunt down your wife and daughter, just for fun.”

A shiver went up Aidan’s spine at those words, but something else the demon had said just before had caught his attention. He had the faintest glimmer of an idea, but he needed more time to think. “Why should I give you the collar then if you’re going to kill them both anyway?”

“Because now you know for certain this little one will die if you do not. If you do give it to me, at least she will have a chance of escape.” A malicious light gleamed in the demon’s red eyes. He was enjoying himself, certain he would win. Very well, thought Aidan, his plan crystallizing in his mind, let him think he’s won. But I think I can have the last laugh.

“How can I trust that you’ll let them go? If I give you the collar first, what’s to stop you from breaking your word? I can’t trust a demon. And how can you trust that I’ll really take off the torc?”

The demon laughed. “No worries there, my friend. I told you, you do not know more than a fraction of the collar’s powers. An oath sworn on it is binding, unbreakable. If you will swear by that stone to take off the collar once I have given you back the child then you must comply, even if you would rather not. So will you swear?”

Aidan looked at his wife. “Flame Song, when he lets Littlespark go, take her and run. Don’t stop, and don’t look back. I’ll catch up with you if I can, but if I don’t, go to Coppertop, warn the dwarves.”

“Aidan…”

“Don’t worry about me, just get Littlespark out safely. I can take care of myself.” Flame looked concerned, but she nodded in agreement.

Aidan turned his attention back to the demon. He raised his hand and rested it on the red stone that was set in the center of the torc. “I swear by this stone, that after Littlespark had been released and is outside this room I will take off this collar. Will that do?” he asked the demon.

The demon eyes lit up in triumph, literally. “Yes, that will do nicely.”

“Then let her go,” said Aidan.

The demon put the little half-breed girl down on the floor of the room. She was still unconscious. Flame Song shifted quickly into human form and scooped her daughter up. “Is she all right?” asked Aidan.

“She seems to be,” said Flame.

“Then run,” said Aidan, intensely. “Go!”

Flame Song turned and ran, Littlespark held close in her arms. She resisted the urge to look back. She could only hope that Aidan had some plan. And indeed he did. As soon as Flame left the room with Littlespark he felt an odd compulsion. He didn’t resist it, but sheathed his daggers and lifted his hand to the spot on the back of the torc that released it. With a click it came off in his hand. The demon, triumph written plainly on his face, spoke a word that seemed to hang pulsing in the air. Aidan felt a strange chilly sensation in his chest. It was quite unpleasant, but did him no harm. After a brief moment he took the torc and put it back around his neck. The demon stared at Aidan, incredulous. “How…? You’re supposed to be dead!”

Now it was Aidan’s turn to laugh. “You can’t kill somebody who’s dead already. You should have done a little more research.” He grinned then, showing off his sharply pointed eyeteeth.

The demon’s eyes narrowed in cold rage. “So… a vampire. I would not have expected that of such a ‘goodly’ person. You will pay dearly for this!”

Aidan laughed again. “Tell me how? You can’t hurt me while I wear this.” He tapped the collar.

“No, but I can still hurt your family.”

Now it was Aidan’s eyes that narrowed. “No, I don’t think so.” He drew his daggers again and dropped into a fighting crouch. He advanced on the demon, who backed up warily, suddenly uncertain. Aidan launched himself at the demon with drawn daggers leading the way. The battle was brief. The demon was forced on the defensive, unable to directly harm Aidan. Aidan was an expert knife fighter, and it wasn’t long before he got in a solid blow. His left-hand dagger sunk into the demon’s chest. The creature howled in pain and collapsed to the floor. Aidan advanced on him to finish him off. The demon snarled at him again and said, “If I die, you can die with me!” Then he raised his hand to the ceiling, power gathering around it in a visible glow. Aidan realized what was coming and spun around and ran. His speed was faster than human, he could only hope it would be fast enough.

Behind him a roar filled the tiny room and spilled down the tunnel. He didn’t turn back, but he knew that the tunnel was collapsing. Earth began to rain down around him. He ran faster, but the rain of falling dirt and rocks was gaining on him. A stone narrowly missed hitting his head. He tripped over another one, and didn’t quite get up in time. Before he knew it he was buried in rocks and dirt. The roaring faded, leaving him in complete silence and darkness.