Dominion of The Beast Masters

As they exited the mall, Crystal moved swiftly through the crowds, her gaze locked on Mercury, who was walking a few paces ahead.

Mercury blended into the crowd, but Crystal's eyes never left her. She had been tailing her for quite some time, determined to figure out if her fear was justified.

Crystal's mind raced with thoughts, a mix of frustration and anger building inside her.

If Mercury was going to meet Eratz now, everything she had worked for would fall apart. She couldn't let that happen.

Mercury was becoming a threat to her carefully laid plans, and she had to act before it was too late.

Just as Crystal turned a corner, she bumped into someone, hard. She stumbled back slightly, irritation flashing across her face.

"What the..." she muttered, looking up only to see Kenny standing there, his face twisted in confusion.

"Kenny?" Crystal spat his name with disdain. "What are you doing here?"

Kenny, still catching his breath from his frantic searching, looked at her with a mix of anger and desperation.

"I could ask you the same thing! Why are you following Mercury?"

Crystal rolled her eyes, her patience already wearing thin.

"Shouldn't I be asking you the same thing? Instead of training, you're wasting time following me. That's exactly why you're a failure."

Her words hit Kenny like a slap to the face, and his fists clenched at his sides.

"Watch your mouth, you idiot!" he snapped, though the words felt hollow even to him.

Crystal laughed coldly.

"You are an idiot. Look at you. wasting time, chasing fantasies while your life falls apart. You're so obsessed with Mercury that you're blind to everything else, and in the meantime Eratz is about to have what you want... Pathetic."

Kenny's face reddened, and he ground his teeth in frustration.

"I told you to watch your mouth. What I'm doing is none of your business."

"Your business?" Crystal interrupted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You mean catching her before she meets Eratz? You think she's not already planning to see him? They're going to meet right now, Kenny. And guess what? It's not for a friendly chat."

Kenny's heart skipped a beat.

"What?... You're lying," he whispered, but there was a tremor of doubt in his voice.

Crystal leaned in closer, her eyes gleaming with malice.

"Am I? Think about it. Why else would she be sneaking off like this? She was so eager buying underwears, doesn't that look suspicious? She's going to meet Eratz to lay down with him. And you're here, chasing after shadows."

Kenny felt the ground drop from beneath him. The idea of Mercury and Eratz together, it was too much to bear.

"No," he mumbled, his voice barely audible, "that can't be true..."

Crystal smirked.

"Ah... Imagine, the girl you want, the object of your desire, drifting in the hand of your rival who beat you. What a tragedy."

The weight of her words crushed Kenny, and before he could respond, Crystal brushed past him, muttering,

"You will never have her."

Kenny stood there, frozen, his mind a chaotic whirl of emotions. Desperation gnawed at him, and before he knew it, he was following Crystal through the crowded streets.

Later, they both arrived at the edge of the city, watching Mercury as she stood at the entrance of the forest. Crystal and Kenny remained hidden behind a large tree, peeking out cautiously.

"She's really going to meet him," Kenny whispered, his voice shaky. "We need to stop her."

Crystal shot him a sharp look, annoyed by his naivety.

"Stop her? That won't work. She's determined to see him. Nothing you do will change that."

Kenny's anxiety surged.

"But they might be alone... what if they..."

Crystal cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"They will. I know what I've seen. The more important thing is what happens after."

Kenny's chest tightened, his heart pounding painfully.

"You... you don't understand. She's everything to me!"

Crystal's eyes narrowed.

"Who cares? You're lucky she's poison for me," she muttered under her breath. "This is ruining everything. If this is getting dangerous I'll interrupt them,"

Suddenly, a bright flash lit up the sky, followed by a deafening crack of thunder. Both Crystal and Kenny shielded their eyes, startled by the sudden burst of lightning. When the light faded, they saw Eratz, standing at the forest entrance.

Mercury's face lit up as she walked toward Eratz.

She stepped up onto his back without hesitation, her weight barely registering as she gave him a playful shove, grinning down at him.

"Well, look who finally decided to show up, it's been a while, hasn't it?"

Eratz let out a low chuckle. His eyes sparkled with amusement as he tilted his head slightly to catch her gaze.

"A while? It's only been a week. Or did you miss me that much?" he shot back.

Mercury leaned forward, her hands finding his shoulders as she began to massage them gently.

She smirked as she felt the muscles beneath her fingers tense slightly.

"Mm, I'm just worried for you," she said, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. "You know, the forest is dangerous today. There aren't any kids around to save you this time."

Eratz chuckled, his deep voice vibrating under her hands.

"You'll regret saying that, you know," he warned, his voice carrying a playful edge. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Mercury raised an eyebrow and slid off his back, landing smoothly on the ground beside him.

She stepped in front of him, meeting his gaze, their eyes locked in that familiar competitive spark.

"Oh really? Prove it," she taunted, stepping closer until their faces were only inches apart. "Let's see if your acts match your words."

Eratz smirked, leaning in just enough to bridge the small gap between them without touching, the playful tension crackling in the air.

They moved together with an effortless synchronicity, each one knowing the other's next move without needing to speak.

Together, they turned toward the entrance of the forest, the dense canopy ahead casting shadows.

Their banter continued as they moved deeper into the forest, their steps in perfect harmony, each one pushing the other just a little more with every word.

From their hidden spot, Crystal clenched her teeth, her jaw tight with frustration.

"Damn it," she muttered. "This is worse than I thought. She's really going to do it, she will ruin everything."

Beside her, Kenny stood in stunned silence, his chest tightening painfully. They're really together, alone.

His mind raced, filling with images he couldn't shake. They were going to be alone in the forest, who knew what could happen between them? Was Crystal's suppositions accurate?

His heart pounded, and the realization hit him like a sledgehammer: they might actually do it. They might actually cross the forbidden line.

Despair bite him hard, his breaths coming in short, ragged gasps.

Inside the forest, Mercury and Eratz walked side by side, the thick canopy above them casting cool shadows over the path.

The atmosphere was calm, serene, but beneath the surface, there was an unmistakable tension between them.

"So," Eratz began, his tone casual, "I've been looking at new houses lately. Got a few spots in mind, but it's going to take at least a month to save up for one."

Mercury glanced at him, a little smile tugging at her lips.

"Maybe it's time for us to buy a separate house..." she murmured, her voice low enough that Eratz didn't quite catch it.

"Hm?" Eratz asked, tilting his head toward her.

Mercury smiled but didn't repeat herself. Instead, she took a step back and stretched.

"Enough talking. We've got one last training session before the qualifications."

Mercury's face lit up as she walked toward Eratz with an easy grace, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

"It's been a while," she said, her voice playful as she stepped onto his back, giving him a playful shove. She smirked, leaning into him as she began to massage his shoulders with just enough pressure to make him feel her strength. "You know, the forest is dangerous today. No kids around to save you."

Eratz chuckled, tilting his head to the side as he let her work on his shoulders, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"You'll regret saying that," he teased back, the warmth in his voice hiding the competitive edge they both knew so well.

Their connection was unmistakable, a rhythm only they understood, each motion, each word dripping with a familiarity that went beyond mere friendship. They moved in sync, their bodies and minds aligned as they exchanged easy banter. It was clear that the distance of the past few days hadn't dulled the intensity of their bond—if anything, it had only sharpened it.

Mercury suddenly pulled back, her smirk widening.

"Alright, enough talk. Time to see if you can keep up."

Without another word, she leaped into the air with an effortless grace, her form cutting through the sky like a dancer in motion. The mist swirling below her thickened for a brief moment, before parting as **Zephyraquiel**, her massive rainbird, emerged with a majestic roar.

The bird's vast wings stretched out, catching the wind with ease, each feather glistening with droplets of water that reflected the sunlight in dazzling hues.

The sight was breathtaking. Zephyraquiel's wings shimmered with a soft, iridescent glow, the mist swirling around its body like a storm cloud contained within its form. Its beak curved sharply, giving it a regal presence, and its talons sliced through the air as it ascended higher into the sky.

Mercury landed gracefully on Zephyraquiel's back, her posture confident, poised, as she turned and called down to Eratz with a teasing grin.

"Come on, catch me if you can!"

Eratz watched her soar above him, shaking his head in amusement.

"You don't even realize who you're dealing with," he muttered under his breath.

He took a single step forward, and without warning, lightning struck him again, and before Kenny and Crystal's wide-eyed gaze, Eratz disappeared, already in the sky on Raijinara's back.

Kenny stood frozen in place, staring up at them as they disappeared into the sky.

"They're… they're gone," he whispered, his voice hollow.

Crystal clicked her tongue in frustration, her nails digging into her palm.

"Of course they're gone. They've both got these damn monsters. There's no way we can follow them now!"

Kenny's panic spiked, his desperation reaching a fever pitch.

"We have to do something! We can't just leave them alone!"

Crystal shot him a cold glare.

"There's nothing we can do! You think you can follow them into the sky? You're useless here like always! All we'd do is get lost!"

Kenny's voice cracked as he pleaded.

"But what if they... what if they...?"

Crystal's eyes darkened, her patience wearing thin.

"I don't care anymore. Everything is ruined. Everything! And it's your fault." She stepped closer, her voice dripping with venom.

"No, in fact, I can still play something out, but you, you're really finished! If you don't figure out how to get her off him, I'll leave you behind too. And believe me, I won't hesitate."

With that, she turned on her heel and stormed off, leaving Kenny standing alone in the clearing, his heart heavy with despair.

As he stood there, staring in the direction they had disappeared, memories of the past came flooding back. Eratz. The name echoed in his mind, haunting him.

He remembered the academy, always being second to Eratz, always living in his shadow.

No matter how hard Kenny had tried, no matter how much he had pushed himself, Eratz was always one step ahead. Everyone talked about him. Everyone admired him. It was infuriating.

Then came the moment when Kenny had seen his chance. Lisa had stolen the Karinite 4, and Eratz had confided in Kenny, asking him to distract Rowan so he could put it back.

Kenny had seen the perfect opportunity to get rid of him, to rise above him at last.

He had thought he had won. He had believed that he had finally bested Eratz. But now, as he stood there, the truth was painfully clear: he hadn't won anything. He had lost everything, but how? How??

And now, Mercury, the one person he desired more than anything, was slipping through his fingers too, and it was Eratz who would have her.

Kenny's knees buckled, and tears streamed down his face as the full weight of his failure crashed down on him. Eratz had taken everything, his success, his fame, and now, his fantasis.

Deeper in the forest, Mercury and Eratz finally stopped at a secluded clearing. The air was thick with tension, the anticipation between them almost tangible

Mercury's eyes sparkled with excitement as she stretched her limbs.

"You know, it's nice to be alone for once," she teased, her voice carrying a playful edge.

Eratz raised an eyebrow, catching the mischievous glint in her eye.

"What are you up to now? That thing we talked about?" he asked, already guessing where this was headed.

Mercury grinned and stepped closer to him.

"No, that would be too easy. Let's make this training a bit more interesting. Every time one of us loses a challenge, they lose a piece of clothing."

Eratz's eyes widened slightly, caught off guard.

"You're really on something."

They launched into their training, each taking turns in different challenges, from feats of strength to agility tests.

The intensity between them grew with each round, their movements becoming faster, more deliberate.

Each time one of them lost, they would shed a layer, the tension between them building with each discarded piece of clothing.

Soon, the training had turned into something else entirely. Mercury, now in sport bra and shirt, smirked as she let herself lose on purpose, eagerly discarding another piece of clothing.

Her movements were slower now, more calculated, as if she was savoring each moment, each glance.

Eratz, catching on to the game, narrowed his eyes.

The game was over, now there was no more hesitation.

He proposed another trial, only to lose intentionally. He shrugged off another layer, his gaze never leaving hers.

Their challenge became more physical, every touch lingering longer, each brush of their skin sending sparks through their bodies.

The tension was palpable, an undercurrent of something deeper, something more primal, that neither of them could ignore.

They circled each other during their final sparring session, their eyes locked, every movement charged with an intensity that had long since gone beyond training.

Every step, every glance, every breath felt heavier. When their bodies collided, it was no longer just a spar.

Their breaths mingled as they pressed closer, their skin igniting with every graze, every accidental touch that now seemed all too intentional.

Mercury moved with purpose, her body instinctively leaning into Eratz's strength, each touch fanning the flame that had been smoldering between them for weeks.

At last, after a flurry of movements, Mercury straddled Eratz, her hands pinning his on the green grass.

Her short, stylish blue hair framing her face and catching the sunlight, beads of sweat glistened on her tanned skin, highlighting the beauty marks under her right eye, beneath her lips, and just above her chest and dropping on Eratz.

Her gaze was soft yet intense, her full lips parted as she breathed heavily.

With only her underwear on, everything was visible.

Her alluring body pressing against him, her curves captivating. The delicate sheen of sweat accentuated the shape of her breasts as they rose and fell with each breath.

Her thin torso emphasized her sensual form, every movement drawing them closer.

Eratz felt the softness of her thighs against his sides, her legs strong yet elegant.

Mercury kept her hands on him, as if to keep him from moving.

The warmth of their bodies and the sun made the heat between them almost overwhelming.

For a long moment, the world around them faded away.

There was only them, their heavy breathing, and the electric energy pulsing between them.

Mercury's chest heaved as she fought to contain herself. A soft, breathless word escaped her lips.

"... Ah... Damn."

It was barely more than a whisper, filled with a mix of longing and surrender, she couldn't hold back any longer.

She leaned down, her lips hovering just above his. He could feel her warm breath on his skin, her proximity making his heart race.

There was a pause, a heartbeat where time seemed to stop. Their faces were inches apart, the air thick with anticipation.

Then, with a gentle exhale, Mercury closed the distance. She pressed her lips to his in a kiss that released everything they had been holding back.