Dominion of The Beast Masters

A girl stood no more than a few feet away, waist-deep in the water.

The girl had fair olive tan skin, her dark blue eyes intense and sharp beneath her short, shoulder-length blue hair that flared out at the bottom.

Her bangs were cut very short, exposing most of her forehead, with a split near the corner where several tiny curls rested, framing her face.

One larger curl stood out, giving her an almost carefree, messy look. Her toned body showed the result of constant training, lean muscle in her arms and legs.

Her arms snapped up, crossing over her chest in a flustered attempt to shield herself. Her eyes blazed, furious and wide.

"You…! What the hell are you doing here?!" she shouted, her voice sharp, cheeks turning red as she glared at him.

Eratz barely glanced at her. He ran a hand through his hair, gripping his head as frustration surged through him.

"This can't be happening... Oh no... OH NO!" he muttered, ignoring her completely.

His mind was consumed by the dragon he'd just lost, something far more valuable than the current situation.

The girl's face flushed deeper. "You... who even are you? What are you doing here?!" she asked again, splashing water at him. "You're just gonna stand there like it's no big deal? Look away!

Idiot!"

Eratz, only half hearing her, sighed and turned around, his eyes scanning the trees as if hoping to spot some sign of the dragon.

"I'm not interested in this... Where am I? How did I lose him? Damn it…"

"Not interested?!" Her voice cracked with both fury and disbelief. "Who do you think you are?! Acting all high and mighty!" She splashed to the shore, hurriedly grabbing her towel. "You walk in on a girl, can't even apologize, and now you're just muttering nonsense? Where do you even come from?"

Eratz muttered something under his breath, still distracted.

"I'm more worried about something else right now..."

She scowled, wrapping the towel around herself, still dripping wet. "Yeah, sure. But you're out in the middle of nowhere, and it's dangerous here. You don't just wander this deep into the forest like a clueless idiot unless you're looking for trouble."

"I'm just passing through," Eratz said vaguely, already stepping toward the trees.

"Oh, really?" she snapped, her hands on her hips as she marched toward him. "Passing through? You think this is some stroll in the park? You're either completely clueless or you've got a death wish. What are you really doing here?"

Eratz closed his eyes briefly, clearly losing patience.

"It's none of your business. I've got things to do. Just leave me alone."

She stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

"Like hell it's none of my business. If you're screwing around in this part of the forest, it is my business. I'm not about to let you get yourself killed playing the warrior."

His red eyes flicked to her, a sharp glare in them. He didn't want to deal with this, he had a more important thing to worry about.

"I'm not looking for a fight," he muttered, stepping to the side to go around her.

"Good. Because you'd lose," she shot back. "But seriously, what's your deal? No one just 'passes through' here without a reason. Are you some kind of beast tamer? Explorer?"

Eratz paused, staring off into the distance, the memory of the cave's location burning in his mind.

"I'm a tamer and there's something I need to take care of."

Her eyes narrowed, a mix of curiosity and suspicion creeping into her voice. "Something? Like what? You're not hunting a beast, are you?"

Eratz didn't bother to answer. The dragon was his only concern.

"It's nothing you need to worry about," he finally muttered, pushing past her and disappearing into the trees.

She stood there, fists clenched, watching him walk away.

"Fine! Go ahead, be all mysterious and secretive! But don't blame anyone when you get yourself killed!"

Eratz didn't look back, his mind already on the dragon.

She glared at the spot where he vanished, shaking her head.

"What an idiot..." she muttered under her breath.

Eratz moved through the forest swiftly. He was deep in though , when a sudden wind made him flinch. A feeling awakening the burning moment he lost the dragon, a familiar energy coming from an object on himself.

The little white creature, the one he had found earlier under the leaf, was poking its head out from the fold of his cloak, its bowl-cut fur wet from the splash of the stream.

"What…?"

Eratz stared at the creature in surprise, realizing something significant.

This little thing, this tiny, cute monster was the thing that had teleported him away from the collapsing cave.

He crouched down, gently patting its head, watching as the creature looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes.

"Wait…" he muttered, connecting the dots. "You… teleported us, didn't you?"

The creature squeaked in response, its tiny body bouncing slightly as it seemed to nod.

Eratz's heart raced as he realized what this meant. This wasn't just any cute forest creature; it was powerful. Rare, maybe even rarer than he thought.

"What are you?" Eratz whispered, his voice full of wonder. The little creature tilted its head, its round eyes shining as if it understood his question.

Eratz slowly reached out with his spiritual pressure, gently, not wanting to scare it off. The connection between them deepened instantly, surprising him with how natural it felt.

"You're special," he murmured to it.

The creature squeaked again, this time more enthusiastically, and Eratz felt a soft, warm connection blossom between them.

He could feel the telekinetic power pulsing from the creature, like a wave of potential waiting to be harnessed.

As he watched it explore, Eratz closed his eyes, reaching out with his spiritual pressure. He could feel a connection to the creature, something deep, something ancient. He couldn't resolve himself to attack it, but he wanted to tame it.

His spiritual pressure surrounded the creature, the monster paused in its movements, tilting its head to look at him.

Eratz knew he was supposed to fight it to tame it, but something in him just couldn't. It was just a baby, innocent and harmless.

"I can't do this," he muttered, feeling conflicted.

Every other time, taming meant battle, showing dominance. But this... it felt different.

Sparks of light began to appear around them. Eratz watched in awe as the creature started to fade, not into the usual black mist like the others, but into glowing sparks.

They floated around him, lighting up the air in a soft, warm glow.

"What the... He's getting tamed?!"

His pressure wrapped around the creature and to his surprise, the baby didn't resist or run away. It stood there, calm, as if waiting for something.

Eratz blinked, unsure of what was happening. His energy, instead of forcing the creature to submit, seemed to be pulling it closer, not with power, but with a quiet connection. He could feel it, his heartbeat syncing with the creature's.

"I don't have to fight him?" Eratz whispered, more to himself.

The baby chirped softly and took a step closer. It wasn't scared. It didn't need to be forced. He was willingly getting absorbed.

Eratz felt a shift inside. The bond forming between them wasn't through dominance. His heart raced, and in that moment, he realized something: he could tame a beast without fighting, without hurting it.

"This is different..."

The creature had accepted him completely, without any need for a fight. The bond was strong, stronger than any he had felt before. He smiled as the last of the sparks settled around him, feeling the baby's presence in his heart.

"I can tame without fighting." he said quietly, amazed.

The creature had shown him a new way. He didn't have to fight to earn a bond. Sometimes, trust was enough.

As he stood, the warm feeling stayed with him. His gaze shifted toward the distance. If he could connect with this small creature without fighting, maybe... maybe he could do the same with the dragon.

"I'll find you." he whispered.

The baby had changed everything for him. And now, with a new way of taming, he was ready to face his biggest obsession.