The next day they all sat inside the house. Don had set a number of traps for the bandits.

There were spikes and booby traps and bows set to release. But when the bandit with the shield and 19 unharmed men appeared on the edge of the forest, the last of Sparrow's hope disappeared.

'Traps and arrows set to a tripwire!?' The lead bandit called out, 'This isn't much of a welcome.'

Don stayed quiet, his knee bumped up and down and there was an arrow strung on his bow.

Sparrow and Maddie pointed their bows out the windows towards the bandits.

'So you don't want to play nice huh?' The lead bandit said, 'Well, neither do we. One of my main men Eletrne has had his eye on this property for a little while. He's quite relieved you're unable to pay.'

Don shot an arrow. It hit one of the bandits in the chest, then bounced off. The bandit gave a yell, 'Ouch. That really hurt.'

The leader laughed, ‘That's the best you can do? Piece of cake.’

Don got to his knees and started to weep, he held his hand in front of his head and cried out, ‘Kolja! Kolja! Save us! Kolja we are sorry for everything we’ve done.'

Sparrow raised an eyebrow. Maddie nodded to him and Sparrow tightened his belt, just a fraction.

****

Three men approach the hut from the right side.

They ran in a V formation with the leader in the middle dodging every few steps to throw off Don's aim. Fifty metres out from the hut he held up his hand and they all paused, gripping their axes and swords even tighter.

A whooshing sound came from above, the middle bandit had just enough time to give a shriek before he disappeared into the ground. The bandits either side of him were coated in a thin sheet of red blood.

There was a hole in the earth where the bandit had been standing. His two companions exchanged a look then carefully walked over.

A hole five metres deep had been punched straight into the ground. When the two men peered inside they saw a boy of about 10. He was holding a bloody skull.

‘Hey!’ One of the bandits called.

Sparrow raised his eyebrows, ‘Hey.’

He tossed the skull at the first bandit’s head and then leapt through the air after it.

The skull spun in front of him, then collided with the bandit’s head, knocking him onto his back. Sparrow twisted in the air, turning his foot to stone, then smashing into the stomach of the second bandit.

Sparrow’s momentum carried the pair of them into the air. The bandit was bent in half over Sparrow’s foot.

When gravity took hold of the bandit they were twenty metres in the air. Sparrow let the man drop, then followed him down, turning both feet to stone and standing on the man’s chest.

They hit the ground with a sickening crack. Sparrow’s feet went right through the man’s chest.

Sparrow grimaced, stepped out of the man’s chest and wiped his feet on the grass. The blood was sticky and took a while to get off.

‘Gross,’ he whispered.

There was a scream from the house. It was high pitched.

‘Maddie,’ Sparrow called out.

He started running, he ran faster than he’d ever run before and when he reached the house he leapt - activated stone skin and smashed right through the wooden wall.

Hans was on his knees. Maddie had a knife to her throat, and the leader of the bandits held the knife. While the other bandits had cowered as Sparrow broke through the wall. The lead bandit had stood his ground.

‘Sparrow,’ the bandit said, an easygoing grin spread across his face, ‘Maddie was just telling me all about you.’

Flames spread over Sparrow’s hands. Don turned away from him, wide-eyed and disgusted.

‘You leave,’ Sparrow said as he tossed two balls of flame on the floor, The fire spread across the floor, burning towards the bandits, ‘This is not an offer or a threat. This is me telling you that if you stay here you will be burnt to death.’

‘I see,’ the leader of the bandits said, his smile was gone. There was a crash as one of his men jumped out a window. The lead bandit glared at Sparrow, ‘You’re young boy.’

Sparrow shook his head, ‘I’ve lived through more than you’d ever guess.’

The flames had reached the lead bandit now. A tiny flicker attached itself to his pants and began burning up them. The bandit who had been holding Don shook his head and ran for the door.

‘You may have seen many things, but you still lack some basic wisdom,’ The lead bandit said, sweat rolled down his forehead, ‘You should never back a wild animal into a corner Sparrow. Never.’ The bandit tightened his grip on the knife, ‘They may be forced to do something they usually wouldn’t.’

The lead bandit’s knife slid across Maddie’s throat. Bright red blood spilled out and mixed with the tears that had been running down her cheeks.

Sparrow didn’t even notice the lead bandit jump through a window. He just stood, still as stone as he watched Maddie flop onto the floor and bleed out on the ground in front of him.

Don started screaming. He grabbed Maddie, cradled her in his arms as his hands turned red. The man’s screams broke Sparrow from his freeze. Sparrow held out his hands and the flames around them began to retreat. Sparrow started to weep as he crouched down beside Don. His hands touched Maddie’s hair. It was frizzy and burnt from the heat. The blood from Maddie’s throat stopped flowing as her heart gave out.

Tears followed the line of Sparrow’s nose.

‘I’m sorry,’ Sparrow said, ‘I’m sorry Maddie. I’m so…’

Don looked up, straight into Sparrow’s eyes. His teeth were clenched. His voice broke.

‘This was you.’

‘No.’ Sparrow shook his head, ‘I never meant for this to-’

‘-Your blackmagic,’ Don spat, ‘Your black magic killed my daughter.’ Snot bubbled from the man’s nose, and his hair was plastered against his head.

‘No.’ Sparrow shook, ‘I’m sorry, I’m so.’

Don carefully laid Maddie to the ground. He touched her forehead, then balled his fists up.

‘You!’ He shouted, “I never want to see you ever again.’

Sparrow shook his head, ‘Please. Don.’

Don ran forwards, his fist smashed into Sparrow’s nose sending him sprawling. The pain shot right through to Sparrow’s heart, ‘Don!’

Don reached for Sparrow’s chest and ripped off the acorn necklace that he and Maddie had given Sparrow.

‘Kill me!’ Don called to Sparrow, ‘You wanna stay? You gotta kill me.’

Don kicked Sparrow in the ribs, ‘You killed my daughter. Now kill me!’

Sparrow crawled to a hole in the house. Took one last look at Maddie’s face and slipped out onto the grass outside.