Dominion of The Beast Masters

Chapter 76: Ripples of Tension



The cave was eerily quiet, the only sound the gentle drip of water echoing off the stone walls. Everyone settled in, their nerves frayed but subdued by the calm atmosphere. Mercury, as usual, took charge, her sharp eyes scanning the surroundings before she made her decision.

"We'll be here for hours, might as well make this place comfortable."

She raised her hands, and with a flick of her wrist, she used her water control to create a small, shimmering lake in the center of the cave. The water was clear, rippling softly under the low light. It looked inviting.

Milo, watching her with quiet admiration, suddenly felt a surge of inspiration. Without thinking it through, he stepped forward, his fairies fluttering around him. His hands lifted instinctively, and as he focused on the lake, a soft glow began to spread from his fairies' wings, dancing over the water.

He didn't know exactly what he was doing, just that he wanted to add something-something to help.

To his surprise, the water began to shimmer with a gentle, soothing energy, the surface now glowing faintly. It looked... different, more than just water now.

"There," Milo said, almost shyly. "I just thought it might make it... better?"

Mercury blinked, genuinely taken aback. She knelt by the lake, running her fingers through the water. The moment her hand touched it, she felt a wave of rejuvenation ripple through her.

"You..." she paused, staring at him, astonished. "What did you do?"

Milo blinked back at her, a bit sheepishly.

"I... I didn't mean to. I just thought it'd help."

Mercury blinked several time.

"Milo... this is... it feels really good. I feel healing in this, and... It's pure. Seriously, where did you learn that?"

She chuckled in surprise, her eyes shining with joy. The fact that he had done this, without even realizing it, impressed her more than she let on.

As she gazed into the glowing lake, she was completely lost in thought, focused only on the water. Her fingers absently ran over her clothes, her mind entirely on the idea of slipping into the soothing lake.

It wasn't a matter of cleaning, this water had a fairy power, she wanted to dive into it at all cost!

She didn't even consider the others in the cave, too used to being carefree around Eratz to notice. The boys, however, stood silent, eyes wide as they realized what might happen next. No one dared to speak, barely even breathing, trying to blend into the shadows, hoping she wouldn't notice them.

They exchanged nervous glances, hearts pounding, smiles drawing, until Eratz, stepped forward, positioning himself behind Mercury. His stare sent a clear message: don't even think about it.

The boys' eager glances quickly shifted away.

Mercury, sensing the change in atmosphere, looked over her shoulder and raised her eyebrows.

"Oh... Maybe we should take turns, girls first, then the boys."

Eratz gave her a flat look.

"That's impossible unless I knock everyone out."

She chuckled, her eyes drifting back to the lake.

"I really want to take a bath though..."

She though for a bit, and then, an idea formed in her mind. She turned to Eratz with a mischievous grin.

"What if you use Terrakrus' to separate the cave? Make it bigger, put a wall in the middle? Girls on one side, boys on the other."

Eratz blinked, surprised.

"You're serious? Just for a dip?"

She nodded.

"Completely. Come on, Eratz, it's not like we get a magic lake every day."

"... We literally could."

With a resigned sigh, Eratz called used the Terrakrus' power. The cave rumbled slightly as the earth responded to his command, expanding and creating a solid wall down the middle, dividing the cave in two. It was spacious now, with a clear division between the two sides.

Just as he finished, a student piped up nervously.

"I thought you said using too much power would make the cave collapse."

"The cave feels better," Eratz rolled his shoulders as he stepped back.

The cave now had ample space for everyone to relax.

"Well, that's done," Eratz muttered, pulling off his tank top without much thought.

The boys nearby stared at him, their mouths slightly open, while the girls were petrified. This was Eratz? Their Eratz?!

It only took a moment before he disappeared on the boys' side, but it was long enough to burn the image in everyone's mind.

Mercury, seeing how everyone was reacting, smirked.

"Alright, everyone, time to split."

Mercury headed to the girls' side with Colin, while Milo joined Eratz on the boys' side, the students watching in stunned silence.

Julian groaned.

"No wonder he knows Mercury so well..."

On the girls' side, Mercury and Colin had already slid into the lake. The water rippled gently as

it moved over their skin, soothing their muscles, the soft glow adding an esthetic quality to

the scene.

The other girls hesitated by the edge, watching as Mercury leaned back, completely at ease. Her wet hair clung to her shoulders, and the water accentuated her toned muscles and large

chest.

It made the other girls feel smaller, almost childlike, as they slipped in after her.

One of the girls, staring at Mercury's imposing figure, muttered under her breath,

"No wonder Eratz ditched Lisa..."

Lisa, who had been trying to keep to herself, overheard the comment adding salt to her wounds. Her face fell, and she shrunk further into the water, her crushed dignity sinking along

with her.

Clara, seeing her friend in pain, frowned. Her protective instincts flared, and she decided to take the lead in confronting Mercury.

"Mercury, what's your relationship with Eratz? You two seem... really close, but how is it in

reality?"

Mercury, eyes closed, smiled lightly, her body relaxed in the water.

"That's the second time you've asked me that, are you interested in him or something?"

Clara flinched, blushing immediately. She stammered, trying to cover her embarrassment.

"N-no! I just... I'm just curious, that's all. You didn't give a proper answer earlier. I just want

to know."

Mercury's smile widened, her eyes still closed.

"You sure? And what will you do if we're closer than you imagine? Or maybe you're waiting for a specific answer?" She let her words hang in the air before continuing. "Why not ben/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

honest for a second, Crystal?"

The tension in the air immediately shifted, the soft lapping of the water against their skin

now the only sound. Clara blinked, stunned.

"...Eh?" she stammered, unsure of how to respond.

Before Clara could speak further, Crystal stepped confidently into the water, her every

movement deliberate and graceful. The water shimmered around her as she joined the group,

the glowing surface reflecting off her skin.

"You're very fast, aren't you? Maybe too much," Crystal said, her smile sharp. "I'm Crystal, and it's nice to know Eratz has mentioned me."

Her entrance made waves, both literally and figuratively. The other girls watched, wide-eyed,

as she faced Mercury. The soft glow of the water accentuated the tension between them, like

two predators circling each other.

Crystal leaned back, letting the water slide over her shoulders and long black hair.

"It's better this way, really," she continued, her voice smooth. "If Eratz ignores me now, it's because he still feels something. Hatred and love, they're just two sides of the same coin."

Mercury opened her eyes fully, her gaze meeting Crystal's.

"You think ignoring you means he still thinks about you?"

Crystal's confident smile faltered slightly, but she quickly recovered. She wasn't backing

down.

"I've known Eratz long before you did, You don't understand him the way I do. If he talks about me, even to dismiss me, it means I still matter to him. You wouldn't understand that,

would you?"

Mercury leaned back against the edge of the lake, water running down her arms as she tilted her head slightly, regarding Crystal with a disinterested look. The soft glow of the water clung to her skin, adding to her aura of calm, unshakable power.

"No, I can't understand, I'm not a delusional bitch living in the past." Mercury said, her voice low and uninterested. "Eratz mentioned you once, and never mentioned your existence after. I kept you in mind, because I need to recognize the poison lurking to him. I'm more impressed that you think about that after what you did."

The tension rippled through the water, the girls caught in the silent battle between Mercury and Crystal. Crystal crossed her arms, eyes narrowing slightly as she pressed on.

"If you understand that, then you shouldn't underestimate me," she said quietly, her voice soft. "You think you've replaced something that deep? If he talks about me at all, even to insult me, it means I still have a place in his mind. And I saw something... Hm, might as well surprise you someday, right?"

Mercury's gaze didn't waver, her expression remaining calm, almost bored.

"Or maybe you're just delusional, You want to think you matter, but to him, you're just a

closed chapter. Someone can change one day to another and what mattered yesterday won't

matter tomorrow. To me, you're the one stuck in the past."

The water shimmered between them, the passive aggression palpable, like a snake coiling to strike against a crocodile that simply doesn't care.

Crystal, sensing the shift, tried to regain her footing.

"You don't know him like I do, Mercury. You might have his attention now because you're

both beast masters, but are you sure you know him like I do?"

Mercury sighed, her eyes glinting slightly.

"Delusion and stupidity are also two sides of the same coin and they shine a lot in you."

The exchange settled into silence, the other girls looking between Mercury and Crystal, unsure of who would strike next.

But Mercury, as usual, barely reacted, her calm demeanor never faltering. She didn't need to engage further, her confidence was enough, and this indifference somehow annoyed Crystal. Lisa, who had been sitting quietly in the background, suddenly spoke up, her voice trembling.

"You don't understand, Mercury. You can't understand what happened between Eratz and us... I... it was all an accident."

Mercury's eyes narrowed, her expression darkening. Slowly, she rose from the water, her massive frame towering over Lisa, casting a long shadow that seemed to swallow her whole.

The shimmering water rolled down her body, her shoulders and powerful arms glistening under the dim light. Her presence was overwhelming, almost suffocating.

She was easily the tallest among them, with Lisa barely reaching her throat level, her small stature a stark contrast to Mercury's intimidating form.

Lisa's breath hitched, her eyes widening as she craned her neck to look up. The size difference

made her seem insignificant, her body shrinking under the weight of Mercury's looming

figure.

Mercury's voice was low, almost a growl, as she spoke.

"You think I don't understand? You think you can hide behind excuses?"

Each word sent a shiver through the water, rippling out as if even the lake itself trembled

beneath her power. The other girls froze, their eyes wide with fear as they watched the scene unfold, suddenly aware of just how easily Mercury could crush them if she wanted. Lisa's hands trembled in the water, her mouth opening but no words coming out. She tried to defend herself, but the overwhelming pressure of Mercury's presence silenced her. "You know what you did," Mercury continued, her eyes piercing through Lisa, "No one forced

you, you chose to give yourself to someone who buried the one who fought for you. To me, the biggest sin is betrayal, so don't try to justify what you did."

Lisa's heart pounded, her breath coming in shallow gasps. She barely managed a whisper, her

voice shaking.

"I... I didn't mean for things to happen 1-like that. I... I was just... scared."

Mercury leaned down slightly, her face inches from Lisa's.

"Scared? You don't know what fear is, but if you play this game... you will find out why you're

right to be scared now."

The other girls were silent, too terrified to move, their eyes darting between Mercury and

Lisa, knowing that any wrong move could unleash Mercury's fury like Eratz did with Melcin. On the boys' side, Eratz sat quietly with Milo, the atmosphere much calmer. The boys, though

still tense, were beginning to relax. The water, infused with Milo's fairy magic, was warm and soothing. It was a strange contrast to the tension on the girls' side.

"You ever do this before?" Eratz asked Milo, noticing the effect the water was having.

Milo, more at ease now, nodded.

"Yeah, when you turn your back after giving me... when I sleep after dreaming I tricked your

rul.... I mean, I'm a smart boy... Y'know."

Eratz chuckled, thinking to himself.

"You're really smart, yeah. Maybe we're ready now."

Some of the boys, more relaxed now that the tension had eased, started talking quietly among

themselves. Their voices were hushed, but the topic of their conversation was clear.

"Do you think... we could sneak a peek at the girls' side?" one of them whispered, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. Another boy nudged him, his voice low but eager.

"You serious? If we could get a look at Mercury... man, she's something else."

The third boy, feeling bolder than the others, smirked.

"We could do it, you know. I could blast a little hole through the wall. Just enough to see,

nothing big." He began gathering fire energy in his hand, the faint glow of the flames illuminating his sly expression.

They exchanged a look, their excitement growing as they concocted a plan. "Yeah, we'll fake a fight," one of them suggested, trying to sound casual. "Get everyone's

attention, and then boom, a little hole in the wall."

They chuckled quietly, confident in their little scheme. The boy with the fire energy started pretending to shove one of the others, setting the scene for their distraction.

Before anything could happen, Eratz, eyes still closed, said calmly. "Quiet down."

The boys froze, fear gripping them. The fireball hit flew to the wall, without doing any

damage.

The boys froze, their hearts pounding. The tension in Eratz's voice was enough to drain the

color from their faces.

The boy who had let off the fireball stammered, his voice barely a whisper.

"I... I didn't mean to..."

Eratz opened one eye.

"You really think you could break through a wall I made?"

The boys gulped, their confidence shattered. One of them tried to muster the courage to joke.

"Come on, man, don't you want to see too? You're a boy like us."

Eratz sighed

"You can try again, and You'll wake up with Melcin."

That was enough. The boys quickly backed down, their earlier boldness replaced by a deep

fear of the man sitting calmly before them.

They slunk back to their spots, whispering apologies to each other, but no one dared look

toward the wall again.

Time passed, the cave falling into a strange calm.

Outside, the roars of the colossal birds grew fainter, a sign that the battle was nearing its end.

Eratz and Mercury, on opposite sides of the cave, rested quietly with Colin and Milo close by.

As the evening settled in, Eratz and Mercury looked up toward the ceiling.

It was almost time.

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