Dominion of The Beast Masters

Chapter 267: Gold and Lightning



The energy in the arena exploded as the scoreboard updated.

Mercury's name blazed brightly, her victory sealed. A wave of deafening cheers erupted, spreading like wildfire through the stadium and beyond into the city.

Fans leaped from their seats, waving banners, shouting until their voices cracked. The air was thick with joy, disbelief, and awe, a collective realization that this single win might seal the course of the final.

Cassie and Roger stood, their faces red with emotion. Roger, normally so calm and composed, broke into a rare, joyous laugh as Cassie threw her arms around him as she whispered.

"They're really going to do it, Roger. They're going to win."

Roger hugged her tightly, his voice trembling as he replied.

"They are incredible. Absolutely incredible."

Victoria grabbed Zara in a display of unbridled emotion, lifting her slightly off the ground in an exuberant hug. Zara let out a startled laugh, her arms wrapping around Victoria's shoulders.

"I can't believe it!" Zara exclaimed, her voice breaking. "We can do it, we can win!" she said. Far away in Lugina, the Golden Cosmos' center was a cacophony of celebration. Staff and fighters cheered, shouted, hugged, and danced as the images of Mercury's win spread.

In her home, Lisa sat on the edge of her bed, her hands gripping the edge tightly her eyes were glued to the screen.

For a moment, she was utterly still, her mouth slightly open. Then, slowly, she began to clap. But as the waves of celebration reached their peak, a different atmosphere settled elsewhere. In a dimly lit room, Crystal sat alone, the glow of the screen illuminating her face. Her disheveled hair framed eyes bloodshot from months of sleepless nights and mounting frustration.

She stared at Mercury's triumph, her teeth grinding audibly. Each cheer from the crowd outside felt like a dagger as she watched the woman who had solidified her inability to reclaim Eratz basking in glory, with a superstar as boyfriend while she was dating a boy whose potential had evaporated under the bright lights of national competition.

On Infinite Twilight's side, the silence was suffocating. Eliza sat frozen, her lips trembling as she stared at the screen. Her usually confident demeanor was gone, replaced with wide, disbelieving eyes.

Leonidas gripped the arms of his chair, his knuckles shaking as rage boiled beneath the surface. His eyes darted back and forth as if searching for an escape from the scene unfolding before him.

Finally, he could hold it no longer. He shot to his feet, his voice a thunderous roar.

"Rex! Do something!" he bellowed.

But his rage faltered as his gaze shifted to Kallistra, or rather where she should be.

In the audience, Braun leaned back in his seat, unimpressed.

"Why is everyone so fired up?" he asked lazily. "It's just child's play."

Arvad, seated nearby with a mask too, glanced at Braun.

"It won't be child's play in three years," he said evenly. "The most important, at least, is that it makes our loss... tolerable."

Moses, sitting next to them, groaned in frustration.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"No loss is acceptable," he muttered. His gaze shifted to the side. "What do you think, ma'am?" he asked, but his words hung in the air.

Confused, Moses turned his head and froze.

Tamara was gone.

The atmosphere around the ruined castle was hauntingly oppressive. Thunder rolled across the darkened sky, its deep rumble reverberating through the hollow remains of the ancient

structure.

Jagged flashes of lightning illuminated the jagged edges of the castle's spires, casting fleeting shadows that danced ominously on the cracked stone walls.

The only missing guest was probably a deluge dropping from the heavy, charcoal clouds above.

At the entrance of the castle, Eratz stood motionless, his silhouette consumed by the encroaching darkness. Only his red eyes glowed with an intense, almost unnatural light, piercing through the gloom like embers in the void.

Across from him, Rex stood near the remnants of a shattered wall, his face briefly illuminated by a sudden crack of lightning. His expression was one of contemplation, his eyes gazing at the distant horizon before returning to Eratz.

Eratz's voice broke through the silence, deep and steady.

"Now's the time," he said. "There's nothing you can do. If you try to go to your teammates, I'll do the same. There's only one clever solution to this equation: eliminate me now."

Rex's gaze lowered, his fists tightening slightly at his sides. The realization of being outmaneuvered settled over him like the weight of the storm clouds above.

"You really outsmarted me," he admitted quietly.

Eratz watched him, then quipped.

"... Not very hard."

Silence lingered between them, broken only by the distant sound of thunder. Rex closed his eyes, his mind racing through every possible scenario. After a moment, he exhaled deeply and spoke, his tone quieter but resolute.

"Tell me honestly, not as an opponent but as someone I might respect. Is this really the only way out?"

Eratz hesitated for a fraction of a second, his glowing eyes softening as a faint, sad smile crossed his lips.

"Bad timing to ask that, you expect me to give you a easy solution?" he said, almost regretfully. "But I'll admit it, the only counter to my strategy now, the only hope for you, is for you to defeat me here and now."

A bitter smile formed on Rex's face. He looked at Eratz with an almost reluctant admiration, the tension between them momentarily replaced by a quiet understanding.

For a fleeting moment, the storm med to still, as if acknowledging the weight of this particular battle. Neither moved, their eyes locked. No hate, no frustration, only an acknowledgment of the gravity of this pivotal moment.

Rex finally took a deep breath, his chest rising as he steadied himself.

"I understand," he said, his voice firm. "I understand everything clearly now." He paused, gathering his thoughts before continuing. "You're different from me, Eratz. Very different. You act recklessly, you don't care about risks or dangers because..." He stopped, his gaze meeting Eratz's unwavering red eyes. "Because you never fail. You know exactly what you're doing, and you're confident in yourself. You trust your strength, the strength of your friends, and you have a heart cold enough to stay calm even when your teammates are in danger."

Eratz's smile returned.

"Half correct," he said. "They're not in danger. They're the danger. I trust the people I've surrounded myself with and their ability to fight and succeed. No risk, no magic trick, no luck, just this." He gestured subtly with a finger to his temple. "And now, it's paying off."

Rex's smile grew wry.

"Um, you're really dangerous, aren't you? So, does that mean I've already lost?"

Eratz's smile faded slightly, his expression growing serious.

"You see a loss; I see a B plan."

Rex straightened his posture, his confidence seemingly restored. He spread his arms wide, yellow sparks of energy beginning to form and float around him. His voice carried a renewed

determination.

"In that case... I'll force you to find that B plan."

Eratz's glowing eyes narrowed.

"That's the spirit."

Under the stormy sky, the world held its breath. The ruined castle loomed, its spires briefly illuminated by flashes of lightning, a solemn witness to the impending clash.

The air vibrated with tension, heavy and electric, setting nerves on edge. This was it, the

decisive moment.

Everywhere, eyes were glued to screens. In the arena, the roaring crowd had fallen eerily silent, their cheers replaced by an awed hush.

In Lugina, Golden Cosmos staff and supporters huddled together, faces painted with hope and

anxiety.

Lisa sat in her room, hands clasped tightly, her gaze unwavering. Rowan leaned forward on

his chair.

Even Crystal, gaunt with frustration, couldn't tear her eyes away from the screen, while

Adrian and Kenny watched almost in despair.

Leonidas's fist shook violently against his chair.

Two superpredators stood at the storm's heart, their opposing energies rippling through the

air like a brewing tempest.

Their postures mirrored each other, bodies tense and ready.

The storm intensified, thunder echoing their silent challenge. Eratz's aura began to swell,

black and white energy crackling in chaotic harmony.

Opposite him, Rex's aura radiated pure, dazzling light.

Words were unnecessary, their eyes spoke volumes.

As if on cue, their auras erupted.

Eratz's black and white energy surged outward, intertwining in a dance of light and shadow.

Rex's radiant aura exploded, blinding and fierce.

The ground cracked and trembled under the weight of their unleashed power. Their energies collided violently, the force swallowing the castle's entrance in an instant.

The forest quaked; trees were uprooted and hurled like twigs. The earth split, fissures

spreading outward as their clash shook the landscape.

The air ignited, crackling with energy as neither gave an inch.

Lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the battlefield in bursts of silver light. The

heavens roared as if spectators to their epic duel.

Around the world, viewers stared in awe and terror.

No one could speak. No one could move. The world had frozen, entranced by the spectacle of

two titans.