An unlikely partnership

3 people sat by the fire.

Each had differant expressions on their faces.

The elf boy with skin whiter then the snow that fell outside had his face distortied by anger.

The elf woman with brown skin and void like black eyes had disbelif on her face.

Lastly the man who sat on the other side of the fire had a cold and distant expression as if what he has said a second ago wasent the most blashphomos thing for an elf.

They sat in silance, not a sound coming from anyone for differant reasons.

The two elfs were trying to process what the man said while said man was waiting for their response.

The first to speak was the woman with the void like eyes.

"Why?" She asked, barely containing her anger.

"I already said why. I am hunted by humanity. And I deem it a fitting price."

Suprisingly instead of the woman the child behind her asked the second question.

"Fitting price?!"

The childs tone was hostile and reeked of arrogance.

While the elven people loved to send their criminals to Gaia, none ever set foot in to their world before.

The thought that a human, a race the elfs considered barbaric and below them in every way would set foot in to their holy realm was unacceptable.

And now a member of that race is asking to be taken there?

"You human filth should be honored that we allow you to help us, yet you ask to be taken back with us?!"

Dawn locked eyes with him.

His black eyes seemed to pierce him as the elf boy stepped back.

Noticing his instinctive action the boy became even more enraged.

"What do we care if you are hunted and will be killed?!"

The cursed woman quickly turned her head in the direction of the child with a stern face, trying to signal his brother to stop.

He didn't listen.

Wind began gathering around the white elf as he chaneled his mana.

His eyes began to glow with a faint green light.

Then suddenly he burst forward with wind gathering around his fist.

"KNOW YOUR PLACE YOU FILTHY HUM-"

But before he could finish or land a blow Dawn slapped him with the back of his hand.

The slap sent the spoiled brat flying out of the cave, crashing in to the white snow outside.

The cursed woman then sprung on to her feet and swiftly pulled out her sword and tried to swing it in his direction only to stop just before the blade made contact with Dawn.

She remembered how easily he handeled the two of them before and how mercilesly he killed those peasents.

All she could do was grit her theeth and swallow her rage.

"Impressive self control. I suggest you go and bring him back inside before he catches a cold or something."

With his permission the cursed woman rushed outside to check upon him.

When she left the cave she saw the child burried under a pile of snow.

With a concorned look she rushed and knelt next to him.

She pulled him out of the snow then checked his vitals.

It seemed he was fine.

The only injury on him was a red mark where Dawn's hand landed.

Hearing the snow crunch behind her she looked back to see Dawn with the same stern look on his face.

In turn the cursed woman looked at him with spite.

"As I said my price is coming with you and that is final. I will not negotiate on this." Said Dawn

The elf had a troubled face because she didn't know what to do.

She could either accept the man's offer and forsake her pride so they could go home or refuse it and take a gamble wether they could find another way to return.

"I understand if you need time to think about this, but time is not on our side. Tomorrow there might be even more men coming to take you away."

This was a lie.

He knew they will never try again.

Dawn slowely became impatent.

After all these years he might be able truely have peace.

He wouldn't need to make deals with scum to gurentee he will be left alone or leave once his enemies discover his location.

He didn't want to admit it, but he needed the two elfs for this journey.

"I cannot give you an answear without talking it over with my brother." Said the elf.

"The brat is blinded by pride and arrogance. I can tell you are not from the bottom of elf society. I can also see that you were raised differantly or just recognise the situation better then your brother." Said Dawn.

The elf didn't know what to do.

Her heart told her to wait until her brother woke up but her mind told her she needed to answear now.

She weighed the pros and cons and her experiences in this world.

She then looked up from her little brother and stared in to the man's cold black eyes.

"I- we accept your offer, but not until you vow to keep your end of the deal!" Said the elf

Dawn felt as if a boulder left his shoulders.

He didn't care what he had to do to get the elfs on his side.

He didnt need the kid but only the cursed one.

"I vow to-" But before he could finish the elf woman cut him off.

"Not in human language!

In elven!" Said the elf.

Dawn paused.

The elven languege holds power and what he knows of the language is probably considered old or even ancient.

If he were to take a vow he couldn't imagine what would happen if he broke it.

"I will do so only after you and the kid."

"Then the deal is off! Make the vow here and now!"

Dawn grit his teeth as veins popped up on his neck.

"Do you realize what you ask of me? You ask me to vow in the elven language which will bind me! If I make the vow, what gurentee do I have that you will do so aswell?!" Said Dawn

The elf then responded.

"You only have my word."

Hearing the elfs answear Dawn felt a familiar feeling.

He felt as if his stomach caught on fire and heat slowely rose up and spread throughout his body.

It was a feeling he knew far too well.

It was anger.

Dawn knew he needed the elfs and was willing to do many things to get on their good side, but he was no fool.

There was nothing that garenteed the elfs would keep their end of the deal.

The risk of becoming a puppet for them was high.

Then Dawn had an idea.

"Fine, I will make the vow." Said Dawn

He then began reaching in to the depths of his mind and started the vow in the elven language.

("I Luthor Dawn on this day vow to-

Then suddenly Dawn he dissapeared from the cursed elfs sight and appeared directly next to her.

Within a blink of an eye Dawn pulled out the runed sword on the cursed elfs hip and cut her on the shoulder and the white child on the cheeck with it.

Dawn then reappeared a few meters away from them and continued.

get the two elfs before me to the Magic Tower of Lazul by any means necessary and get them back home.")

As the final words left Dawn's mouth a mysterious blue energy began forming around him.

It danced around him becoming bigger and brighter.

Then the dance came to a halt as the energy began taking the form of crystal chains.

When they were fully formed they darted towards Dawn at high speeds.

The chains sank in to Dawn's flesh and slowely started making their way deeper in his body until they wrapped around his heart.

Dawn tried to endured the pain, but the chains didnt stop at his heart.

Suddenly Dawn screamed from the top of his lungs as he fell to his knees.

The pain was unlike anything he has ever experienced.

The chains didn't stop at his heart they also seemed to wrap around his very soul.

The process took only half a minute to be completed.

Sadly Dawn didn't know that this would be quite painful for him.

He then looked up and saw the shocked face of two elfs.

The child seems to have been woken up by Dawn's loud screams and the pain he felt from his cheeck.

The cursed woman was the first to speak up.

"What have you done!?" Screamed the horrofied elf.

In the midst of steadying his breath Dawn answeared.

"I made the vow as promised." Said Dawn

"That is not what I meant! Why did you cut us!?"

The elf was furious. Just as Dawn worried the cursed woman never meant to keep her end of the deal. She planned to use the man before her as a tool to get home, but now she panicked since she knew what the runes on the sword were for.

When the runes were activated the blade of the sword would began emmiting a deadly poison which could only be cured if the wielder wished so.

"It is a precaution. If you make your vow now I will dispell the poison in your bodies. However if you do not then I will let it kill you slowely and painfully." Said Dawn

The cursed elf grit her theeth in anger and looked at Dawn with a venomous gaze.

"You vowed to get us to that so called magic tower! If we die by your hands now you will face the consequences!" Said the elf

"I made the cut when the vow wasent activ. If you die from it I face no consequences"

Dawn's words held no sympathy.

"You need to choose now. Death or a partnership with me? What will it be?"

The cursed woman bit her lips in anger.

She then looked in the eyes of the white child.

She could tell he didn't want this, but now they did not have a choice.

Thus with regret and shame the two elfs began to make their vow in union as Dawn looked at them with a satisfied look.