/:\ 7th dragon - Fight for salvation/:\

[/:\ Code - Deal /:\]

"...You can't be serious.." Alice chuckled, thoroughly confused.
"I'm serious.." Iod said with little to no emotion in their voice.
This was crazy.
Why was she even in this situation? Talking to some stranger who could teleport people and now wanted her to hunt dragons.
"No. No..no, absolutely not.." Alice waved her hand, beginning to walk away. "I mean, you..you're old! How the hell are you going to train me to kill those monsters! Go humor someone else because I'm not interested..."
Alice sighed, stretching her arms over her head, thinking that this was finally over.
Suddenly Iod came into existence right in front of Alice, cutting her off.
"I don't enjoy being underestimated.." Iod hissed lowly, jabbing Alice in the gut with they're wooden cane. "I have a low tolerance for insolent brats. So keep your tasteless comments to a minimum.."
Yikes.
Alice stared at Iod all courage fleeing her as a shiver went down her spine.
'Why does this guy scare me...' Alice thought. 'I feel as though they're hiding their true power from me..'
"I've seen your shapeshifting powers and I know that if I train you, you'll surely become a great dragonslayer.."
Alice didn't really know how to even respond.
"Look.." Iod sighed. "I just want to help..Becoming a dragonslayer can help with your public reception. Those people will look up to you as a hero instead of a monster.."
Alice shifted, that was something she desperately wanted.
Acceptance, belonging. Just being able to exist without being called a monster was Alice's dream no matter how much she tried to bury the desire.
Human nature to seek interaction rang true with Alice despite how much she despised it.
"I can also get you a house to stay in and some..halfway decent clothes..." Iod grounded out as though repulsed by the state of your clothing. "In return, you'll train to become a dragonslayer...Not a bad deal, no?"
Alice blinked. "If I refuse..?"
"Then you stay here.." Iod shrugged their shoulders. "You'll probably die because dragons are getting more bold. They're expanding outwards at a fast rate and they're very persistent when it comes to hunting humans.."
She gulped, the whole deal sounded a lot better.
"So I get shelter, clothes and training to defend myself?" Alice said, wanting to make sure she fully understood this deal before she did anything rash. "And all I have to do is hunt dragons for you?"
"That is what I said.."
"Okay, I accept your deal.." Alice sighed as wind rustled through the trees.
"No...Don't leave...Don't go.." The trees protested. "Strange being...Being dangerous...Bad idea.."
Alice tried to figure out what the trees were going on about. Sometimes they tended to call mundane things 'dangerous' (a prominent example was them calling a squirrel dangerous). Though she didn't have much of a choice to deny the deal.
"Very well.." Iod chuckled, waving for Alice to follow. "Come on..Let me show you the place you can stay."
Alice nervously glanced back, the tree's words had worried her quite a bit. She didn't even know who this 'Iod' guy was and she took a deal to help them hunt dragons.
The farther they went, the more she started to regret the decision. As they finally came up to a secluded, run down cabin.
"What happened to the owners..?" Alice asked, not exactly expecting an answer from the old guy.
"Dead probably.." Iod answered placidly, forcing open the old wood door.
This was all so strange...

Alice desperately hoped she made the right choice.

[600 Words]