Age of Beast Tamers and Exorcists

"What the..."

Silvan whispered, "Let's end this." He gripped the sword tighter, ensuring the Necrot remained in place. His tone dropped: "Crystal Projection...!"

Immediately, the air above seemed to freeze up. Frosty sensations travelled into the depths of the hair. As soon as the Necrot looked up, a rain of ice descended.

The shards cut through her skin deep into her bones. Meanwhile, ice clanged on Silvan's sabre. But his attack did not affect him, as he had placed a barrier atop. He held Nymera in place as she fell to her knees.

Suddenly, Pound! Silvan's eyes widened as something shook the ground. It sent him off his leg, his body plummeting backward through the air. Mid-air, black and silvery tendrils approached him head-on. It was as if time slowed down.

In that instant, Silvan saw a dark butterfly that was larger than usual. It hovered over Nymera, who was now on her feet. The tendrils from the butterfly hooked him in place.

They straightened his body mid-air, positioning his leg inches from the ground. Then, they wrapped around him, tightening his arms close to his sides.

Silvan felt a knot tighten in his abdomen. He tried to spread his arms and move his body to get free, but things proved pointless.

Looking forward, the Necrot was conjuring misty balls in her two palms! Silvan's heart pounded against his chest. Desperately, he squinted and shifted his body from side to side.

'Curse it...' Before he could take a second breath, a hammering feeling hit him straight in his abdomen. "Ahh!!!" he screamed.

At that moment, his body pulled upwards. The next second, a faint fiery light moved out of his body across the tendril. He felt weaker and weaker with every pull in his body.

And in the distance, Nymera had a broad smile. Silvan's body felt softer, unlike the moment he had awakened the Immortal Mage Body.

Nymera shut her eyes, facing up with a smile of pleasure. "Wow... what a refreshing kind of power."

"Re-freshing?" Silvan imagined with a loud expression; his jaw dropped. He glanced at the tendril, Nymera, then his body. His body was thrilling with a power he hadn't yet activated.

The answer was obvious, making his heart race faster, but this wasn't the time for such. Determined, he closed his eyes, calming his mind and exterior. However, the frequent pulls continued to confuse him.

'If I fail to stop her now, what would they think of me? My parents would feel ashamed of me after the promises I made to avenge their deaths.

The Pavilion headmaster would conclude I didn't listen to his advice to my death. And... and Lady Nadia would say our plans over the years have come to nothing. Crunches...'

At that moment, he heard Nymera's voice:

"Curse you! Get off me!"

In the next second, he heard a desperate and struggling one that screamed at him to take action. "Wake up, bastard! I can't hold her down for long!"

Silvan gasped out of confusion. Instinctively, he knew who that could be. He opened his stare, glancing forward.

He saw him; the guy he had abducted here was wrapping his arms around Nymera, holding her down. She felt outraged. And to his dismay, Silvan realised the pull had reduced to almost nothing.

"How did he figure... it out?"

Nymera jabbed her elbow against Zmey's head. But he squinted his eyelids and groaned without making a sound, although he didn't let go.

"Bastard! Don't you hear me?! We have scores to settle, but we at least should clear her off!" Zmey shouted amidst the pain shooting in his temples.

When he woke up, he had seen the entire thing that happened. The woman had a dark aura, and her reactions proved her maniacalness. Moreover, on top of everything, it seemed she was absorbing the bastard's power.

Like in the academy, he missed no detail. So, he noticed the wide butterfly followed the woman's every move. It would turn in whichever way she did. It couldn't laugh as she did. But it had some humor. It spread its wings with a menacing gesture.

One only had to disrupt her focus. That would break the butterfly too, Zmey deduced. Why was he helping his kidnapper? Honestly, he didn't grasp this, but he thought he had seen the guy do something to him back then.

When he had laid him on a piece of rock and probably widened his palm at him... he only saw it with one eye half-closed. He wasn't sure if his vision was clear.

But instead of a terrible change in himself when he woke, he felt faint shivers in his chest and around his nails. Thus, he should at least make sure this guy lives.

After all, he wants to inquire about many things. Also, he wants to get back at him for interfering with his ways without his approval.

Meanwhile, Silvan Ferox shifted his body as he had attempted recently. The tendrils sagged, and flames burst out from his body. Immediately, it inflamed the tendril, traveling across to the others.

The energy turned the butterfly into ashes and sent Zmey and Nymera flying in the air backward. Zmey's chest hit the hard ice surface. Pain shot through his abdomen, and he winced. Nymera skidded instead.

She clutched the ground till she stopped, then balanced herself. She straightened her back, her expression turning into something that resembled rage.

Zmey felt a chill on his cheeks, lying on the icy surface. Something like water yet like pure energy flowed beneath the surface. He pressed down on it, rising to his feet. Silvan Ferox, ahead, was now pure fire and strength.

Without hesitation, he strode towards Nymera, covering the six meters that separated them. He was half-naked under the blue gradient. His chiseled physique commanded attention. His muscular frame seemed carved from stone.

His broad shoulders tapered down to a powerful, defined torso. Flames traced every contour of his muscular body. His taut skin bore scars, a testament to countless battles fought.

Veins coursed along his forearms like rivers of raw strength. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm.

Zmey's eyes locked in on him. Briefly, they looked at each other. He didn't even know why, but he raised a punch, boosting his morale. He muttered a silent "You've got this."

Silvan smiled and then turned his glance towards Nymera.

In the distance, Nymera could see their exchange. It was a silent, mutual trade of understanding and collaboration. She knew even if Silvan wasn't strong enough to beat her, his confidence had soared with this guy's support.

But she felt confused. With a body that's not a Marked One, how could he still be on his feet earlier? Her power should have sent him off when he held her down.

However, she put that aside for later.

She smirked. "Silvan Ferox... seems I've got something for you."

"Try again to postpone your death in the afterlife," Silvan said, his voice a tight whisper. He didn't stop in his motion.

Nymera spread her arms to both sides with a mocking expression. "What an expression! Haha, you make it sound like you can kill me right away. Well, well... what a guy you are."

Silvan sighed. "Nice... I would like you to die an arrogant piece of trash then. Nice choice."

But in the next second, Silvan's confidence crumbled. Instantly, he froze in place. At the same time, Zmey's eyes widened too. Meanwhile, Nymera smiled, her confidence now surpassing Silvan's recent confidence. She pointed her hand up to the left.

Zmey yelled, "Why... why the hell is Aura in there!?"

Silvan clenched his sabre with a firm grip. He groaned, "What are you up to!?"

Nymera chuckled. "Something... interesting!"