The forest was quiet now, save for the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze and the occasional thud of the creature's massive feet. Aric glanced back at the enormous beast, still towering beside him. The crimson glow in its eyes had dimmed, its earlier aggression replaced with a calmness that Aric could feel in the air around them. It was an odd sense of peace, one he hadn't expected so quickly after their first encounter.
Aric couldn't help but marvel at the creature's power. It was a force of nature—wild and untamed, yet now somehow connected to him. He could feel the bond between them pulsing beneath his skin, a deep, resonant hum that made him aware of its every movement. It was like a part of him had awakened, a part that had been dormant for far too long.
But there was something else, something unsettling about the bond.
The forest around them had started to feel... different. The trees were taller, their branches twisting in unnatural angles. The air was thick with a strange, oppressive energy. Aric frowned and stopped walking, sensing something was wrong. The beast paused as well, its large head tilting in a way that mirrored Aric's confusion. It, too, felt the change.
"What's happening?" Aric muttered to himself, his eyes scanning the darkening landscape. The wind had shifted, and the scent of something foreign—something sinister—was in the air.
Before he could make sense of it, a voice rang out from behind them, cold and commanding.
"Well, well, well... what do we have here?"
Aric's hand instinctively went to his dagger, but he quickly stilled himself. The voice was too smooth, too controlled to be a random traveler. This was no chance encounter.
A figure emerged from the shadows, stepping into the faint light of the evening. Tall and cloaked in dark robes, the stranger's face was hidden beneath a hood, but his presence was undeniable—powerful and dangerous. At his side, a smaller, beastly creature with gleaming black eyes growled, its body coiled and ready to strik.
Another tamed beast.
"Who are you?" Aric demanded, his voice steady, though his pulse quickened. The beast beside him stirred restlessly, but it remained still for now, sensing that the stranger wasn't an immediate threat.
The cloaked figure smiled, though it was more of a sneer than a pleasant expression. "My name is Solis Nightshade. You may have heard of me... or perhaps, you will soon enough."
Aric's heart skipped a beat. The name was unfamiliar, but there was something in the way the man spoke, something about the confidence that unsettled him. Solis Nightshade. The name echoed in his mind like a warning.
"You're one of them," Aric said, realization dawning. "A Beastmaster of the Abyss."
Solis inclined his head, his smile never faltering. "Very perceptive. Yes, I am indeed part of the Abyss. But more importantly, I'm here for you, Aric Thornfield."
The way Solis said his name made Aric's blood run cold. The man didn't just know who he was—he knew what Aric was destined to become. Aric's fingers tightened around the hilt of his dagger, but he didn't draw it yet. The bond he had with the beast at his side still held strong, but this was a man who was accustomed to controlling powerful creatures. Aric knew better than to act rashly.
"I'm not interested in your Abyss," Aric said, his voice firm. "I'm not going to let you use me or my beast for your own purposes."
Solis's laughter echoed through the forest, cold and mirthless. "Oh, how naïve. You think you have a choice in this? That you can simply walk away and continue your little journey unscathed? No. You are part of something much bigger than you realize. And the sooner you accept that, the better."
The beast beside Solis growled, a deep, guttural sound that reverberated through the ground beneath them. Aric's beast tensed, responding with a low growl of its own, the two creatures eyeing each other warily. Aric could sense the underlying tension—the power struggle was already beginning, even before the real confrontation started.
Solis stepped forward, his boots crunching on the undergrowth. "You see, Aric, the bond you've forged with this creature is... impressive. But it's not enough. It will never be enough. The true power comes not from taming a beast, but from dominating it. Controlling its will. You've barely scratched the surface."
Aric's heart began to race as Solis's words sank in. He'd always known that there was something more to Beastmasters—something he wasn't yet capable of grasping. But he'd never considered that there might be others like Solis, who sought to bend the creatures to their will for darker purposes.
"You're wrong," Aric said, his voice firm despite the rising tension. "My bond with this beast isn't about domination. It's about understanding each other. We're partners, not master and slave."
Solis's eyes narrowed, the smile slipping from his face. For a moment, the air grew colder, the atmosphere charged with something dangerous. Aric felt the pull of the beast at his side, its instincts urging him to fight. But he knew this was not the right moment. Not yet.
"I'd suggest you reconsider your stance, Aric," Solis said, his voice turning ice-cold. "Because whether you like it or not, your destiny is already set. You will come to understand that soon enough."
With that, Solis turned, his beast following obediently at his side. But just before he disappeared into the shadows, he looked over his shoulder and spoke one final, chilling word.
"Enjoy your time in the forest, Aric. Because it won't last long."