You Promise Me
It was somewhat the answer he'd expected, so Rune nodded.
[Then, as long as there's a trace of the power, you can find it. That shouldn't be hard.]
Rune slowly gathered his front paws.
The power of Lize that he'd received before.
A mint-green wind hidden in the darkness swirled round and lingered.
[We just need to find the original owner of this power.]
—Oho! Such pure power…
The Tooth Fairy's eyes fixed on the wind gathered in Rune's paw.
A breathtaking breeze blowing through the deep darkness—one thread of forest wind.
It was the power of the Green Dragon clan.
The Tooth Fairy cast a puzzled glance for a moment.
'How a Darkness hatchling can wield this power, I haven't a clue…'
As the Tooth Fairy reached out, the wind touched his fingertip.
Whoosh!
Fresh air tickled his nostrils.
A moment later.
The old fairy's power touched the edge of Lize's.
—Th-there! Found it!
The fairy burst out in exclamation, his eyes flying wide.
Rune spoke.
[Then make a Fairy's Path leading there.]
The Tooth Fairy's face twisted into the look of someone staring at a half-mad fool.
—You know of the Fairy's Path…?
[I've seen another fairy use it before.]
At Rune's casual reply, the Tooth Fairy's jaw dropped.
Fear mingled with sheer astonishment at how this was possible.
This young hatchling had not only met demons face-to-face but knew of fairies too.
'What in the world is this hatchling's true nature?'
But he lacked the courage to ask outright.
Even for a dragon, using the Fairy's Path without a fairy was impossible.
The Tooth Fairy chewed his lip and subtly probed.
—If I make the Fairy's Path all the way to the power's owner… what then wilt thou do?
Rune countered with meaningful intent.
[Use the path, of course?]
—…
The hatchling's arrogant words left the Tooth Fairy speechless.
For this wretch to tread a path meant only for fairies. There were limits to hubris.
Though fury boiled within, he couldn't voice the retort rising in his mind.
Rune eyed the silent Tooth Fairy and continued indifferently.
[Just make the path. I'll handle the rest.]
At the absurd remark, the fairy began crafting the path with his power.
All the while thinking to himself.
'Insolent brat. So that's it—you threaten and exploit me to use my path for free?'
Even after vanishing and returning, the old fairy hadn't come to his senses.
Instead, rage festered as he bided his time to unleash his true nature.
'Yes! If the fool wants to use my path, he'll need my permission. He can't shake my mind like before.'
His dark eyes gleamed with malice at the thought of denying passage.
'At the very least, I'll claim a toll—that arrogant Darkness clan's tooth!'
To the Tooth Fairy, teeth from powerful, rare races were treasures in themselves.
Proof of his greatest boast and prowess.
'The paths open and close at my will. He mustn't harm me recklessly!'
With that mindset, opportunity dawned.
But Rune saw through the fairy's schemes completely.
Pitying the pathetic old creature inwardly, Rune thought.
'No remorse is one thing, but chasing pipe dreams is just sad. Well… it makes this easier.'
Rune inspected the body he'd swapped in during the five minutes the Tooth Fairy had been consumed by darkness.
'Perfect timing—I wanted to test it anyway.'
In a way, the fairy's ignorance of Rune was his own misfortune.
A moment's wait, and the Tooth Fairy turned back.
—The path is complete. Anchored firmly too.
[Good. Well done.]
Putting on an innocent face, Rune added.
[But… I can't quite trust this leads to Lize. Got any proof worth vouching for it?]
At Rune's feigned ignorance, greed flickered in the Tooth Fairy's eyes.
And the fairy spoke first.
—Then I've a fine solution.
[A solution?]
To the quizzical Rune, the Tooth Fairy grinned broadly.
—How about a promise with me?
Rune paused in thought, then spoke as if piecing it together.
[You mean the Word Magic adults use?]
Rune's voice carried the innocence of a child.
—Thou knowest it well! Indeed. For dragons, a promise carries a touch of compulsion. So we bind ourselves with words we cannot break.
Rune feigned ignorance and reluctance.
[I'm still too young—my name isn't complete. I can't cast proper Word Magic like the grown-ups.]
The Tooth Fairy proposed.
—Hrm! There's a way. Make the penalty for breaking the promise severe enough.
[Penalty?]
—For instance… I grant thee use of this path, and thou givest me a tooth. Breach it, and lose thy body.
[…]
Seeing the hatchling frown in distaste, the Tooth Fairy quickly soothed him.
—See here. We're hardly trustworthy folk, so we set ironclad terms neither dares defy. Keep the promise, and no harm comes!
[…]
Rune fell silent, seemingly pondering.
As the Tooth Fairy waited impatiently, Rune glanced sideways at him.
[True, if we don't plan to break it, it's a solid method. Fine. Let's do that.]
—!
The fairy twitched his nose in delight at the desired reply.
—Well done! Now thou speakest sense!
Rune nodded curtly.
[Then you stake your body on the promise too.]
This was his chance!
The Tooth Fairy barely suppressed a smirk.
'A promise holds strong compulsion, if not quite dragon Word Magic.'
'No matter how clever he seems, he's still just a whelp!'
He could hardly contain his glee.
He'd heard plainly: take the tooth, and the demon would claim this Darkness hatchling's soul.
Did the Tooth Fairy care what became of the whelp's soul?
Better if it vanished.
Whether to a demon or oblivion.
As long as he got his tooth to sate his collection lust, it was the old fairy's perfect win.
'Heh heh, once he's gone, no more Darkness clan teeth to dilute my collection!'
Boosting his prizes' rarity was worth shoving this brat off a cliff.
As ecstasy made him tremble, Rune tossed out words.
[Staking your body doesn't sit well, huh? Forget it then?]
Mistaking the shivers for doubt, the Tooth Fairy waved it off.
—Nonsense! Aye, let's do it!
Rune, hiding his own thoughts, nodded quietly.
[I'll go first then.]
One by one, Rune voiced his needed terms.
[Not just the path to Lize—all paths you can access. Transfer the power. Breach it, and your body vanishes.]
—No, thou impudent whelp—trying to pull a fast one!
At the outrageous demand, the Tooth Fairy erupted.
—What nonsense is this! Thou wanted but this one path!
Rune fixed him with a steady gaze.
Those fathomless red eyes betrayed no thoughts.
Rune spoke.
[Might as well go all in—other paths could prove useful. In exchange for the tooth, I promise no harm to you. My body on the line too.]
The Tooth Fairy gaped like a fish.
'What manner of devious hatchling is this!'
It was absurd.
The deal was meant to vouch for one path in trade for a tooth.
Now this brazen whelp demanded all paths, wagering the fairy's safety as collateral.
Arms crossed, Rune pressed on.
[Your path-making power's more vital than rotting here, right?]
—…!
The Tooth Fairy bit his lip, clutching his nape.
It was infuriating.
'Just snag the tooth, and the hatchling dies.'
But promises demanded truth, so the old fairy replied.
—Paths I've made thus far, I can control. Even granting new path-making power, thou couldn't wield it. Only qualified fairies can!
Yet Rune remained unfazed.
[So you can grant it.]
The Tooth Fairy stared at him like a madman.
But reconsidering, it mattered not what terms the hatchling set.
'Forgot I said the demon takes his soul once I claim the tooth?'
No, the Tooth Fairy reconsidered.
'Youth's folly—he hasn't grasped it fully!'
Swallowing anger, he proposed to Rune.
—Then add this: if thou can't wield the paths, I reclaim the power and paths.
[Got it.]
Perfect.
His livelihood, the Fairy's Path.
Even if taken, once the black hatchling lost his soul to the demon, control would slip.
Then he could reclaim it.
'Thought him clever, but what a fool!'
Assuming the child hadn't fathomed the words' weight, the Tooth Fairy softened his tone generously.
—Ahem…! I grew heated. Never met a hatchling—er, one proposing such terms.
Watching him, Rune thought.
'Hard to play along with a fool like this.'
It was the fairy hoisted by his own petard.
To the straining actor, Rune said.
[No more words? Then let's promise.]
—'Tis a losing deal for me. Bah, so be it!
Feigning magnanimity, the old fairy reiterated the terms.
—I grant the paths; thou releasest me unharmed and givest all thy teeth. Breach it, lose thy body! Not a syllable amiss.
Rune nodded.
[Just to be sure—you won't regret this?]
The probing question came.
The Tooth Fairy narrowed his eyes.
'Trying to back out now?'
He'd staked his body too, a burden indeed.
But flinching now might breed suspicion.
The aged fairy blustered instead.
—Thou'rt no full adult, so Word Magic lacks full compulsion, aye? Such penalties make it believable for me!
His words rang true on the surface.
Silence lingered a moment.
Then Rune agreed readily.
[Fine. I'll promise.]
Power infused words spread through the air.