Dominion of The Beast Masters

Chapter 72: Fierce Hearts, Small Hands



The air inside the cave was damp and heavy, the tension thick among the students.

They slowly began to stir, waking up one by one, confusion and fear clouding their minds.

Melcin stood in the middle of the cave, his face pale, and the guide, just as shaken, stayed near him.

No one spoke at first, their eyes slowly adjusting to the dim light, trying to make sense of their surroundings.

The first thing they noticed was the massive creature lurking in the shadows.

The Terrakrus, its dark, scaled body coiled protectively behind two figures, let out a low growl.

Its glowing eyes scanned the cave as if warning them to stay back. The students froze, their breath catching in their throats.

It was the first time any of them had seen something so terrifying up close.

Julian whispered, his voice barely audible,

"What... what is that thing?"

Kenny, standing beside him, didn't answer. His eyes were wide, his mind still reeling from the battle they had just witnessed outside.

The two colossal birds were still fighting, their screeches echoing through the sky, but now, they were safe, cut off from the chaos for the moment.

Near the beast, lying motionless, were Eratz and Mercury.

Milo and Colin were by their side, both visibly distressed. Colin's hands glowed faintly, a soft warmth emanating from her, and her flames covered gently at Eratz's and Mercury's injuries.

The students began to murmur, their voices filled with a mix of awe and fear.

"Is... is that really Eratz?"

"What's happening? Are those kids... healing them?"

Melcin sneered, his eyes narrowing at the sight of Colin's power.

"This... this isn't natural. This Ishtarian, what is she doing?"

The guide, looking more cautious, stepped forward slightly.

"Those flames... What is she doing? It doesn't look like they're burning."

Lisa's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at Eratz.

She had been looking for him for so long, haunted by guilt and regret, and now he was right in front of her, injured, unconscious, and so vulnerable.

Without thinking, she rushed forward.

"Eratz!" she cried, desperation choking her voice.

She needed to make sure he was okay, needed to see him up close, to know he was still alive.

But before she could reach him, Milo stepped in front of her, his arms outstretched in a protective stance.

"No!" he shouted, his voice shaking. "Stay back!"

His voice cracked, the fear in his eyes betraying his brave front.

From their point of view, he was just a kid, desperate to protect his friend and the two people lying unconscious in front of them.

Lisa's heart raced as she saw Eratz lying there, so close, yet she couldn't get to him.

She took a step forward, her voice trembling with desperation.

"Please, let me see him! I need to help."

But Milo shook his head, his eyes fierce.

"No! You stay away!"

Lisa faltered, tears welling up in her eyes.

She had waited so long, searching for him, wanting to make things right, but now she was being blocked by a child.

"I... I just want to make sure he's okay," she whispered, her voice breaking.

Clara stepped forward, placing a hand on Lisa's shoulder.

"Let her through, she's just trying to help," she said, her voice soft but firm.

The students began to take sides, some agreeing with Clara, others unsure.

The guide, growing impatient, took a step forward.

"We need to do something! We can't just stand here..."

Before he could finish, a low, ominous growl echoed through the cave. Everyone froze, their eyes slowly turning toward the source of the sound.

The Terrakrus.

The massive black dragon stood in the shadows, its glowing red eyes watching over Eratz.

The sight of the beast sent a wave of fear through the students, the guide, and Melcin. No one dared to move.

No one dared move after that.

The guide took a step back, his face pale. "We... we'll wait."

The students, terrified and unsure of what to do, stood in stunned silence, watching as Colin continued her desperate attempt to heal Eratz and Mercury.

Milo remained by her side, his eyes darting between the group and the fallen warriors, ready

to fight at any moment.

Lisa's chest tightened, her hands trembling.

She could barely hold herself together.

The one person she had wanted to see for so long, the person she had been trying to reach,

was lying there, hurt, and she couldn't do anything to help.

Kenny stood quietly beside Julian, his fists clenched at his sides.

He had seen everything, Eratz standing strong in the storm, Mercury wielding her power with

ease.

He felt small, insignificant in comparison to what they had done. His obsession with Mercury, his hatred for Eratz, all of it seemed to dissolve in the face of their power.

"They... they're monsters," Julian muttered under his breath, unable to take his eyes off the

Terrakrus.

Minutes passed, the tension thick in the air.

Colin was exhausted, her small body trembling as she continued to channel her power, the flames barely flickering now.

Milo, seeing her struggle, summoned his fairy-type monsters. They fluttered around her, sending soft waves of energy into her, helping her maintain her healing.

Their small bodies trembled with fear and exhaustion.

Colin's hands hovered over Mercury and Eratz's chest, her flames glowing faintly as she tried

to heal them, her heart pounding in her chest.

She wasn't sure how she was doing it, but she kept going, determined to save them. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision, but she refused to stop.

Every second felt like an eternity, and after a while, Milo saw it first, Eratz stirred.

"... Eratz?" Milo whispered, his voice shaky.

Colin's breath hitched as Eratz's eyes fluttered open, his face twisted in pain.

He groaned softly, his body tense and aching, but he was awake.

"Eratz!" Milo cried, his voice cracking as tears immediately spilled from his eyes.

At the same time, Mercury's eyes flickered open, a low groan escaping her lips as she rubbed

her head.

Colin's heart leaped.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"M-Mercury...," she whispered, her voice trembling.

The sight of them waking up, after everything, was too much. Relief washed over her, and the

tears she had been holding back fell freely.

They were safe. They were going to be okay.

Milo's sobs grew louder as he threw himself onto Mercury, wrapping his arms around her

tightly.

"You're okay! You're okay!" Milo cried, his voice breaking with every word.

Colin followed, her body trembling as she clung to Eratz, her tears raining on his chest.

"I-I thought... I lost you!" she sobbed.

Eratz, still groaning from the pain, forced a small, pained smile as he pulled Colin into a weak

hug.

"Hey... ow...," he grunted, trying to play tough. "We're fine... just... a little burning... Piercing my skull like a pile-driver."

Mercury, rubbing her aching head, let out a breathless laugh, though the movement hurt.

"Ugh... It's ok... Don't be worried, we're fine... ow, ow."

But when they felt the kids sobbing louder against them, Eratz and Mercury exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with shared guilt.

They both shifted, wrapping their arms around Milo and Colin together, pulling the two kids

into a shared, protective embrace.

Milo, feeling the warmth of both Eratz and Mercury, sobbed harder, his small hands clutching

onto their bodies tightly as if afraid they might disappear if he let go.

"Hey... it's okay. We're okay. I'm sorry we scared you," Eratz whispered.

Mercury, despite the throbbing pain in her body, wrapped her arms around Colin, pulling her

close.

"Shh... It's alright. We're here, we're not going anywhere," she whispered, her fingers gently running through Colin's hair.

Milo and Colin sobbed harder, unable to hold back the flood of emotions.

They had been so scared, so sure that they would lose their big siblings, but now, feeling their

warmth, hearing their voices, they couldn't stop crying.

For a while, the cave was filled with the sounds of their sobs, the quiet reassurances from Eratz and Mercury, and the soft crackle of Colin's flames as they continued to heal.

Then, as Eratz held Milo, he glanced down at Colin and his breath was caught in his throat.

Her eyes had changed.

They were glowing red, just like his.

"Colin...," Eratz whispered, his voice filled with surprise, pride, and sorrow.

"You've awakened... you've grown so much."

Colin sniffled, looking up at him with wide, tear-filled eyes.

"I... I didn't want to lose you," she whispered, her voice small.

Eratz's chest tightened, and he hugged her close.

"Now I really feel bad," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion.

Mercury, glancing over at Eratz and Colin, smiled weakly.

"We were reckless," she admitted, her voice gentle as she held Colin close. "Too reckless...

We're sorry for making you worry."

Milo clung tighter to Eratz, his small body shaking with fear.

"You... you can't leave us..., never again!" he whispered through his tears.

Eratz and Mercury shared a smile.

From a distance, the students watched, too stunned to speak.

"Is that really Eratz...?" one student whispered.

"The guy who was expelled?"

"And... that's Mercury," another murmured. "Why are they together?"

"Who are those kids with them?"

someone else asked, their voice filled with curiosity.

No one had answers, and the black dragon motivated them to keep their distances.

They just stood there, watching the scene unfold in front of them, their eyes wide with

disbelief.

Eratz, still holding Colin, slowly looked up. His eyes scanned the group of students.

For a brief moment, it seemed like everything was normal again.

But then, his gaze landed on one person in particular.

Lisa.