These last 3 years have been spent on completing our assimilation, and I could feel that I was close to finishing. Today we take the final step to becoming a fully fledged beast tamer.
Aa I got ready to head out I heard Art scream.
So they're at it again?
Seriously find a different way to wake him up will ya? I wake up to his screams almost everyday. He's become like an alarm clock for me.
Sigh.
I head to the courtyard not wanting to hear their bickering.
"Morning" I greet Grandpa Virion as I reach the courtyard.
"Morning brat"
Arthur arrived a few minutes later.
"You're finally awake eh? How did your wife wake you up today? Haha!" Grandpa said to Art while sipping his tea.
"Wife? I didn't know you could marry demons. You've turned her into a monster Gramps." Came his sarcastic reply.
"Now come on Art don't insult the demons." That earned me an augmented pinch on my forearm.
"OwOwOw! Sorry princess." that just led her to pinch me harder.
"Tess, I mean Tess. Calm down it was only a joke!"
Damn that hurt more than I expected.
Looking to the side I see Arthur and gramps amused at my suffering.
Traitor.
"Haha! Are you ready, Art, Fay, today is the day you finally become beast tamers.
"Hell yeah!" I exclaim while Art just nods at him.
"Do you two remember the basic phases of beast tamers?"
Me and Art nod at each other before speaking.
"All beast tamers have a number of phases they can use depending on the strength of the beast whose will they possess." Art spoke first.
"The first phase is 'Acquire', in which the tamer can use a small portion of the beast. The second phase, 'Integrate' where the tamers body is completely infused with the beast will giving them much more control over the beasts abilities. This also leads to changes in physical appearance." I complete the explanation.
"Absolutely correct! The phases a beast tamer can use shows their mastery over their beast's will. The stronger the beast will, the harder it is to gain mastery over it. Only if the tamer gets insight can he advance past the first phase. However the Integrate phase is not necessarily stronger than the Acquire phase. In the acquire phase you tap into a specific ability of the beast while in the Integrate phase one gets a all-encompassing power-up by using their beast will." He explained, his face dead serious.
"What I didn't tell you earlier was how a beast's will is acquired. If a beast is killes with its core still intact with it's will, a mage can absorb it and gain insight. Such type of beast tamers are considered forged tamers. While this is an easier way to gain a beast will the chances of gaining insight is extremely rare and limited. This is one of the reasons it took me so long to achieve the Integrate phase is because I'm a forged tamer myself. But you Arthur , you and Fayden are extremely rare legacy trainers, where the beast willingly imparts its will to you."
"My first phase doesn't really do much, I become a bit faster and am able to erase a bit of my presence and blend into shadows. Neither of you have seen my 2nd phase right? So watch carefully what took me over 10 years to achieve."
As he said that a powerful surge of mana surrounded his body before being absorbed again.
His skin turned black with his sclera turning black and irises glowing yellow. He also formed two ear like projections on his head. His hair came untied and shone a black hue. Art shuddered and stepped back.
"This is my integrate phase. Now I'm going to sneak up behind you. Pay attention."
Really? Hes gonna sneak up on us after telling us. I almost facepalmed.
Glad I didn't.
Because holy shit! He completely vanished. I couldn't sense him at all, and when I turned behind his clawed finger was already at my jugular, ready to slit my throat open any second.
He was fast, extremely so. What was scarier was that I couldn't sense him at all. Seems like I have a long way to go before I become strong enough to keep my family safe. Atleast I'll have Arthur's help.
He deactivated his integrate phase, his face flushed from exhaustion.
Huh, so he has a short time limit.
I heard clapping from behind and saw Tessia clapping for Virion.
This is not some show Tess.
"Phew! It always takes a lot from me using that phase. Even after decades I'm only able to maintain it for a bit less than an hour. Unlike my Acquire phase where I channel a small portion of my beast will and borrow the speed and stealth of the Shadow Panther, the Integrate phase enhances my senses as well."
"I see." I mumble to myself.
"Good. Let us get on with the ceremony." He said while clasping his hands.
We stood an arms length apart, both facing Gramps. While Tess leaned forward in anticipation.
"Just let your mana come out freely and don't try to control it. It is crucial you stay in a relaxed state of mind so I'll restrain you if necessary."
We both nod in agreement. He then inserted mana into my core, flooding it with both of our mana.
It felt as if the temperature dropped a couple of degrees, my body felt like it would freeze, but that wasn't all. Along with the unexpected cold came emotions, negative ones. I felt anger, immense and uncontrollable anger compelling me to lash out and kill anyone in front of me, I felt the need to spill blood. I knew what it was, I've experienced it one too many times in my old life.
Bloodlust.
Thankfully the mental barriers I formed in my old life stayed intact when I was reincarnated, so I was abke to control it.
As soon as I did shadows exploded from me, consuming all the light from our surroundings. When I opened my eyes I was left confused. Its midnight already? How long did was I like that?
But upon closer inspection it became clear that it was not natural. Not a single star was visible in the onyx black sky, and neither was there a moon. The only source of light was a miniature sun beside me.
The light and shadows seemed to be fighting for dominance. The light kept destroying the shadows while the darkness kept consuming the light. This led to a stalemate and eventually both the light and the darkness seeped back into our bodies.
Tessia was looking at us in awe while Gramps had an expression of shock.
"I have to admit, I didn't expect something like that. I know you have a good reason for not telling me what kind of beast gave you its will but I'll ask one last time. What sort of beast did give you its will?"
"....using her own words it was what we call a dragon that passed me her will." Arthur decided to tell him.
His face was frozen in a strickened expression and he started mumbling to himself. The only words I could catch were 'impossible', 'Dragon', 'prophecy' and 'never happened'.
"D-ragon...." he wheezed out.
"Dear lord..... a Dragon Tamer. I never in my wildesr dreams thought I would witness the birth of a Dragon Tamer, much less the prophesied hero, and I was the one who tamed them Haha!"
Has this old man finally gone insane?
Tessia just looked at her grandfather confused.
He abruptly grabbed Art's shoulder and spoke, "You were right in keeping this a secret. Don't tell anyone about this. This needs to stay hidden until you are strong enough to protect yourself and people around you."
He then turned to me, "And that includes you brat. The shadow wolf-"
"Noctis, his name is Noctis." I interrupted him.
"Right, this Noctis was not a simple shadow wolf, from that display I can say with certainty that he was akin to being a God. I don't know how strong Dragon Tamers are supposed to be but the dragon which passed her will to you must be a God as well. So keep quiet in this, nobody can know about this untill you're both string enough. Although this means I won't be able to train you since your beast will's power far exceeds mine. But I do have a gift for you left behind by a similar God long ago."
Gods exist in this world?
This just got a whole lot complicated.