Knowing that it was futile, but nevertheless going through the motions, the diminutive aerian bent over and felt for a pulse. He sighed and sank down next to the dead archer, slumping wearily on the chill ground. Only moments later his companions caught up with him. Corinne reached him first, her long legs letting her outrun her shorter companion.

“Aidan! Are you all right?”

Aidan Rhiannon, aerian vampire, ex-thief and occasional savior of the world sighed wearily. “Yes Corinne, I’m fine.”

“But your arm…”

Aidan looked down at where the arrow stood out of his upper arm. He pulled it out and tossed it to the ground. “It’s fine. You should know something like that can’t really hurt me.”

“What about him?” Corinne pointed to the sprawled human.

Aidan sighed. “He’s dead.”

“What of?”

“Poison, I guess. He took something. All these guys are crazy. I wish they’d leave me alone. They never really hurt me, but I’m getting tired of killing them.”

“You didn’t kill him, he killed himself.”

“I might as well have killed him. If not for me he’d be alive. But never mind that. We should go.” He sent a significant glance in the direction of the girl, who had slowed to a walk and was now only a few yards away. Corinne nodded as Aidan got to his feet. “Hey Spark,” he said.

“Dad, it’s Ariana now,” said the girl with a smile. Then she looked over toward the shadowed graveyard wall. “What about that guy? Is he dead?”

“Yeah, and you don’t need to go over there. We should be going.”

Ariana nodded and the three of them made their way out of the cemetery and down the streets of Snowcap Village toward Corinne’s house. When they arrived, there was an envelope pinned to the door with a dagger. Aidan cautiously took it down.

“What is it?” asked Corinne.

“I don’t know. But I doubt it’s anything good.”

The door swung open and Flame Song, Aidan’s wife, stuck her head out. “What’s going on?”

“Dad just got attacked by one of those demon servants earlier,” said Ariana. “And when we got here this note was pinned to the door.”

“What does it say?”

“I’m not sure I want to open it,” said Aidan with a grimace, “but I guess I have to. Here goes.” He opened the envelope and took out a single sheet of parchment.

Aidan,
Perhaps you grow weary of being bothered by my friends. If you would like to settle our dispute once and for all follow the directions below.

A sketched map and a few lines of written directions were below, and the signature at the bottom of the page read “Asmodeus.”

“That has ‘trap’ written all over it,” said Corinne.

“I know,” said Aidan quietly. He ran his fingers through his hair again tiredly. “But… if there’s a way to settle things once and for all, maybe I should go.”

“Aidan…” said Flame Song with worry in her eyes. “You can’t just walk into a trap. Asmodeus knows you too well this time. He won’t make the same mistake he did before. He’ll kill you for real.”

Aidan sighed. “Maybe so. I… I don’t know.” He went inside and sat down on the couch, feeling tired and confused. Flame Song sat down behind him and took his hand in hers.

“I don’t think you should go, but you’re the only one who can decide that. Oh, oh,” she added as a crash echoed through the house. “I had better go see what Dart is up to,” and she hurried off, Corinne close behind.

Ariana gave her father a hug. “It’s all right Dad, you’ll figure out the right thing to do.”

“I sure hope so, Spark.”