บท 20: Echoes Of The Spirit
Eratz stared down at the creature resting comfortably in his arms. Its small body hummed with a faint glow.
Its stats flashed before his eyes again, a showing more of the power that lay within this tiny form.
[Name: Aetheri
Affinity: Spirit
Rank: Rare
Ability: Empathic Veil
This wasn't just any beast. Eratz had tamed powerful monsters before, but Aetheri was different.
Its energy wasn't something he could feel in his muscles, but something that tugged at the edges of his mind.
He decided to try to connect with the beast, every step he took felt connected to the pulse of the world around him.
He could sense the creatures in the woods, their subtle emotions brushing against him through Aetheri's veil.
His usual training methods, focused on brute strength and endurance, wouldn't work here. Aetheri wasn't a monster that could be mastered through physical power alone.
"This is going to be interesting," Eratz muttered.
He set Aetheri down in the clearing, the Thunder Lycaon watching lazily from a distance. Aetheri's soft eyes blinked up at him, its presence growing clearer the more Eratz opened himself to the connection.
The training began, but it wasn't what Eratz was used to. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, he reached out to Aetheri with his mind, closing his eyes to shut out the physical world.
Immediately, he felt the pull. It wasn't a violent surge of energy like when he trained to master the lycaon's power, this was gentler, but no less powerful.
It felt like his mind was being drawn into a swirling vortex, the air around him growing thick, as if the limits between his thoughts and the world were dissolving.
Aetheri's power was subtle but vast. He could feel the emotions of the creatures in the forest, the tension of a predator hunting its prey, the quiet fear of a little monster hidden in the brush. Everything was connected, and Aetheri was the bridge that allowed Eratz to all.
And then the telekinesis hit him. It wasn't just a force; it was an extension of his will. As Aetheri's eyes glowed faintly, Eratz felt objects around him tremble.
Stones, leaves, even the air itself seemed to shift in response to the connection they shared.
It wasn't physically exhausting, but it was mentally overwhelming. Each time he tried to push harder, it felt like the swirling emotions of the world would consume him, like he was on the verge of being swallowed by the void.
Eratz struggled to stay grounded in his own mind. His spirit felt like it was being pulled in a thousand directions, each emotion, each thought pulling him further into the depths of this strange space Aetheri created.
The Thunder Lycaon glanced up, its fur bristling slightly, sensing the tension in the air. But Eratz ignored it, his mind wholly wrapped around Aetheri's energy.
He could feel it, the raw, untapped potential that came with this spirit-affinity beast. It wasn't just a cute ball of fur. Aetheri had power, unique power, the kind that could reshape battles in ways he hadn't imagined before.
Time seemed to slow as Eratz sank deeper into the spiritual connection. His senses expanded beyond the clearing, beyond the forest. He could feel the pulse of the land, the breath of life that existed all around him. And through Aetheri, he felt like he could influence it.
He tested his control, lifting a cluster of rocks into the air without even touching them. Aetheri's power flowed smoothly, but the mental strain was enormous.
His head felt heavy, as if each lift, each telekinetic push, was pulling at the essence of his being, yet, he couldn't deny how natural it felt at the same time, the connection with the monster was stronger than with any of his beasts.
"This baby is more amazing than I thought." Eratz breathed, more to himself than to Aetheri.
He could feel the intensity of the connection growing, a constant hum in his spirit that made his usual training feel almost primitive in comparison. No fire, no brute force, just raw, mental power.
He opened his eyes, snapping back to the physical world. The clearing looked the same, but he felt different.
Aetheri had barely broken a sweat, but Eratz was drained, not physically, but mentally. It was as if the air he was breathing was heavier, charged with the energy of the training.
His mind swirled, a lingering dizziness from the spirit connection, and yet, he was fascinated. There was something undeniably powerful in this kind of training, and he wanted more of it.
Aetheri floated back to his side, as innocent as ever, but Eratz could feel the weight of its potential. It wasn't just another beast to add to his ranks. It was special.
With Aetheri resting on his shoulder, Eratz headed back to the cave where the dragon had vanished.
The hunt wasn't over yet. The memory of the dragon's presence was fresh in his mind, and with Aetheri's telekinetic abilities, he had managed to locate the residue of its teleportation energy. The dragon had to be that way.
He reached the boulders that had collapsed over the entrance of the cave, signaling to Aetheri.
The small creature's eyes glowed once more, and the rocks lifted effortlessly into the air, clearing the path ahead. As they floated to the side, Eratz stepped into the cavern, the Thunder Lycaon following with a low growl.
Minutes passed, his eyes darting around the dark space, searching for any sign of the dragon.
The cavern stretched deeper than he remembered, and with each step, his frustration grew. He had lost track of it once; he couldn't afford to lose it again.
Aetheri's telekinetic influence was strong, but even with its help, the dragon's presence was nowhere to be found.
The deeper he ventured, the more desperate his search became. He focused his mind, trying to reach out through Aetheri's connection, hoping to sense the dragon's emotions or energy, but the cavern was silent.
"Damn it," Eratz muttered under his breath. Minutes turned to hours, and the sun outside had dipped low, casting long shadows over the entrance.
He paused, standing in the middle of the cavern, his mind racing. The dragon was of soil affinity, and that meant it might have burrowed deep into the ground.
He slammed his fist against the stone wall. He realized at the last moment that the dragon was doing a suicidal action simply because it wasn't suicidal for it. It was in it's element the whole time, and now it had escaped.
Eratz exhaled, turning toward the entrance. "It's gone," he said quietly, more to himself than anyone else.
His time in the forest had run out and he had to go back home now.
His day was supposed to be dedicated to hunting stronger monsters, but in the end he only added one interesting beast to his rooster and missed another one.
With a final glance back at the empty cavern, he made his decision. He had to return, the following day was important. Zara was expecting him, and looking for the dragon might make him miss his opportunity.
As he left the cavern, with Aetheri perched lightly on his shoulder and the Thunder Lycaon pacing beside him, he made a silent promise to himself. He would come back. The dragon wouldn't escape him a second time.
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