Tom entered the room. A throne made of a unknown dark wood was in front of him. A men was sitting on it. The apprentice knew that the smiling face was only his enemy's. Tom felt the fear inside of him. The Fiend did too, his smile became bigger. The future spook had to ignore it if he wanted his soul back. He would do the impossible for that...and the Devil was open to trade.
Now that they were in front of each other, Tom started to speak with a low and shaking voice. He said that his soul must be gave back to him and that he was ready to gave anything for it. The Devil didn't even seem to care about what was being said. He was loosing his time. Tom was really nervous because he knew that in eight hours, he would have to pay the bill. He would have to gave his soul willingly to his worse enemy so that he could torture it for his own fun. Alice helped him to reach contact with the Fiend and try a trade. Tom got an idea, maybe Alice was the key to everything?
-Would you accept someone else's soul?
The Devil looked at him. He was interested.
- It depends whom's.
- Give me back my soul and take Alice's instead.
The Fiend didn't respond back immediately. He took the time to think about the potential of the trade before smiling horribly.
- You cannot sell someone's soul Tom. It's forbidden.
Tom showed him the mark that Alice left on him.
- I can because of the witches's law. Alice is mine.
- Well, in that case, I accepts the trade. Bring me Alice alive before the sunrise or I'll have to take your soul too. If she fights, if she tries to run away, it will be the same for me as if you were late.
- Very well.
The Fiend showed him a paper. It was the contract.
- Now, sign this.
Tom did it. After, he broke the bottle that Alice made to keep them safe from the dark lord. He was free, his soul was his.
He headed back outside. Alice was waiting. She hugged him.
- Did he accepted to trade? He took the old Gregory's one instead of yours?
- Yes. But he wants to see you before he leaves.
- Why? 'Cause I'm his child?
- Alice, he doesn't care about that.
- Tom, whose soul did you trade?
Tom pushed her in the boat and left the place without looking back. His mother was right, he was the one supposed to save human kind of the Dark, not Alice. His sacrifice would help him achieve his destiny and save the world. What was love in front of the whole humanity? Nothing. It was like dust on the ground.
Alice was unconscious on the cold floor of the boat. The Fiend looked at her. She was his now. He would take great care of her like he intended in the beginning. If Lamia wouldn't had done what she done, his daughter would have grown under his survey and protection. Not with a stupid witch who threatened to kill her during his entire childhood.
When Alice woke up, she wasn't in her bed in Chipenden. She wasn't even in the forest. Even with multiple efforts, she couldn't clearly remember last night's event.
She was resting in a big room made of dark stones. The bed was made of a beautifully sculpted wood. Alice had no idea of were she was.
After she got out of the bedroom, she went walking around the house in attempt to understand where she was.
The house's wall were full of paintings that represented the biblical hell.
She entered the first room on her left. It was a living room. She headed to the fireplace, she was cold.
Alice was scared when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned back to face the stranger.
It was a men of maybe thirty five years. He had black hair and golden eyes. He was wearing an aristocratic black and white costume.
- You were cold?
- Who are you?
He stayed silent, ignoring his question. Alice asked an another one.
- Where am I?
He answered that one.
- You're in my kingdom, the Dark.