Dominion of The Beast Masters

Chapter 147: A Gentle Storm



Mercury walked alongside Eratz, the two of them matching each other's pace easily. The warm breeze ruffled their hair as they strolled, a rare moment of calm between them.

"I've got a bit more free time now," Mercury mused, glancing sideways at him. "I was thinking of catching up with my friends. We haven't had time for just hanging out in ages."

Eratz nodded, smiling.

"Yeah, you should definitely do that. Spend some time with them, do what makes you happy. We've been grinding nonstop, sometimes it's good to step back and just live a little."

She paused for a moment, looking at him with a thoughtful gaze.

"But what about us?" she asked quietly. "We've barely had a chance to just... be together. It feels like everything's been moving so fast, and I don't want us to miss out on something." Eratz slowed down, and took her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Merc," he said softly. "You don't need to push yourself to make everything happen at once. We've got time, you've got time. I've got everything I want right here, with you and everyone, and I'm not going anywhere... I mean, I'll always come back, and you too."

She bit her lip, looking down for a second before meeting his eyes again, and seeing this, Eratz leaned in, gently bumping his forehead against hers in that familiar, affectionate way of his.

"I know what I want, and I'm learning what you like," he said quietly. "So as long as you're surrounded by your friends, I know you're good, then I'm good too. We'll have our moments, no rush. Let's just remember our family, we didn't bought a big house for three empty bedrooms."

Mercury's heart swelled as Eratz's words settled in, deeper and truer than she could have expected. She felt a rush of affection and awe, like she was seeing him anew, like he was standing there with an entire world of meaning behind him.

She felt the urge to tell him everything in that moment, how much he meant to her, how proud she was to have him by her side, but Eratz noticed the glimmer in her eyes too early. "Please, getting all sentimental on me?"

She laughed, trying to play it off but unable to hide her embarrassment.

"Oh, come on! Can you blame me? With a boyfriend like mine..."

Eratz raised an eyebrow, that teasing glint still there.

"Boyfriend?"

Mercury's cheeks flared an even deeper shade of red, but she tried to hold her ground.

"You heard me. And if my 'boyfriend' can keep being that cool, maybe I'll have to reward him sooner than he thinks."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Eratz's grin widened.

"Hm... fine, I'll go with boyfriend... for now," he said smoothly, catching her off guard.

After that sentence, something inside Mercury snapped. A wave of emotion crashed over her, affection, frustration, joy, all blending into one irresistible impulse.

Without a second thought, she closed the gap between them and threw her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug.

"Idiot," she whispered into his shoulder, her voice trembling with a mix of laughter and something deeper.

Eratz was momentarily taken aback, but his surprise melted into a soft smile. Gently, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her just as tightly.

"An idiot you'll miss a lot," he murmured, his tone tender.

They stood like that for a moment, the world around them fading away. Finally, with a reluctant sigh, Mercury loosened her grip.

"Safe travels," she whispered, her eyes never leaving his.

"Always," he replied softly.

Eratz took a step back, giving her a small salute and a wink.

"See you soon."

The sky above suddenly darkened, and without warning, a bolt of bright yellow lightning crashed down beside them.

The air crackled, the sheer force of it sending a shockwave that rustled the nearby trees.When the glow subsided, Eratz was no longer standing next to Mercury.

A brilliant streak of light shot across the sky, moving with impossible speed. Mercury watched as the luminous trail arced upwards, cutting through the clouds, her gaze intense, her breath catching as she bit her lip, with an unspoken longing in her eyes.

She murmured softly to herself, her cheeks flushed, as she turned around, a soft, pleased growl slipping from her lips.

The sudden crash of lightning had echoed across the quiet city streets. A few people nearby rushed toward the source of the sound, murmuring in confusion and awe. Some pointed up at the sky, where the last traces of a brilliant streak of light were fading away.

Mercury, however, left the scene with a light, playful step, her mood lifted like a blooming flower after rain. There was a gentle smile on her lips, her fingers brushing through her hair as she walked away. She was just about to pull out her phone to message her friends when a voice called out behind her.

"Hey, Mercury! Wait up!"

She turned to see Adrian hurrying over, his expression filled with concern. He glanced around, scanning the area.

"What was that? The lightning... Did it strike close by?"

Mercury, still wrapped in the warmth of her earlier moment with Eratz, gave him a soft,

almost dreamy smile.

"Oh, that? Nothing serious," she said with a casual wave of her hand. "Just a weather anomaly. You know, spontaneous thunderstorm. It happens when the heart's about to burst,

but the timing's a little off."

Adrian blinked, clearly taken aback by her lighthearted response.

"A... what?" he murmured, sounding confused.

Mercury nodded, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Yep, a totally unpredictable burst of many things," she said, a laugh bubbling up. "And you know, the calm before the storm is just a tease before a cataclysm, so the next wave will really break something." she added with a playful wink.

Adrian stared at her, completely thrown off. His mouth opened and closed several times,

struggling to form words.

He'd never seen Mercury so lighthearted, so happy. It was intoxicating, and a wild idea began forming in his mind.

He felt a rush of confidence, a boldness he hadn't dared to show before.

He smirked, taking a step closer, closing the distance between them.

"Wow, look at you today, all smiles," he teased. "I gotta say, I like this side of you. Maybe you've finally realized what you've been missing out on."

Mercury's laugh was light and genuine. She tilted her head, looking like a child with a silly

ideas.

"Oh, Adrian," she chuckled, rolling her eyes. "You're full of yourself, you know that?"

Adrian's smirk only grew wider. He could feel the electricity in the air, not from the lightning but from this moment. It felt like a chance he'd been waiting for.

"Come on, Merc," he said, lowering his voice to a suggestive whisper. "You've gotta admit, it feels pretty good today. Why don't we go celebrate? Just you and me. We could grab a drink, maybe get to know each other a little better... without all the noise."

Mercury's laughter only grew.

"You're dreaming, Adrian," she said, playfully pushing him away with a wave of her hand.

He didn't back down. Instead, he leaned in closer, his voice dropping even lower. "Am I, though? You know, we've always had a connection. Even back in the old days, you and I, we were good together. Admit it, you've thought about it too."

Mercury shook her head, still laughing.

"Oh, Adrian, you really don't know when to quit, do you?"

Taking her laughter as a good sign, Adrian reached out, attempting to drape his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. He could almost taste victory, his confidence peaking. "Come on, Mercury, let's play a real game. Bet you'll be addicted, I'm quite experienced. I'll

make it worth your while, I prom..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Mercury slapped his arm away with a quick, sharp motion,

and her voice dropped into a dangerously heavy tone.

"Oi," her eyes bored into his. "Don't touch me, you slimy little creep."