Dominion of The Beast Masters

(One year later)

The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft, golden glow across Colin's room. The warmth tickled her face, and she groaned softly, rolling onto her side.

Her eyelids fluttered open, and for a moment, she stared at the ceiling in a haze. Then it hit her.

She bolted upright.

"Oh no, I'm late!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in panic.

Throwing off her blankets, she leapt out of bed and dashed toward the bathroom, her feet thudding lightly against the cold floor. She quickly scrubbed her face and brushed her teeth, the cold water jolting her fully awake.

Without wasting a moment, she hopped into the bathtub, letting the warm water cascade over her.

She hurriedly washed, her mind racing, and by the time she stepped out, her cheeks were steamy and her hair damp.

Her white hair, now long and flowing, framed her face in soft waves that cascaded down her back. Colin grabbed a towel and dried her hair quickly before tying it into a long ponytail that swayed slightly as she moved.

Back in her room, she rummaged through her drawers, grabbing her uniform. At 14, Colin stood taller, her frame more athletic, and her stance carried a quiet confidence that hadn't been there years ago.

She slipped on her clothes: a white blouse with subtle lace trim along the sleeves and a tailored black skirt that fell just above her knees.

She completed the outfit with long black tights and polished black shoes.

She paused briefly in front of the mirror, adjusting her collar and giving herself a once-over.

The ponytail over her shoulder shimmered in the sunlight, accentuating the snowy white of her hair against her dark skin.

"Good enough," she mumbled before sprinting out of her room.

Entering the living room like a whirlwind, Colin skidded to a halt, her voice already raised.

"Mom! Why didn't you wake me up?"

Cassie, sitting on the couch with a mug of tea in her hands, raised an eyebrow. Roger, seated next to her with a game console in hand, lowered it slightly, his face equally surprised.

"I thought you'd skip school today," Cassie replied, her tone calm. "It's the big day, after all."

Colin's mouth dropped open in disbelief.

"Skip school? I can't skip school, especially today!"

Cassie scratched her cheek, glancing at Roger.

"This girl… She needs to know there are better things in life than school."

Roger smirked, resuming his game.

"I don't think you should tell that to a student."

Colin groaned, grabbing a piece of toast from the table and stuffing it into her mouth.

"Love you two!" she said, her words muffled as she dashed toward the door.

Cassie shook her head with a small smile.

"Geez, where does she get all that energy... Hey, I saw that. You've lost. My turn."

Roger gave her a pitying side-eye, trying to move the game console away.

"I was distracted…"

Outside, Colin paused, taking a deep breath. With a quick flick of her wrist, she summoned her beast: a magnificent fire bird resembling an eagle.

The creature appeared in a blaze of flames, its feathers glowing with a fiery aura.

"Alright, buddy. Let's go," she said, hopping onto its back.

With a powerful screech, the eagle took off, its wings cutting through the morning air. Colin leaned forward, the wind rushing past her face as they soared above the city.

Below, the streets bustled with life, but as she flew, Colin's attention was drawn to a massive screen on the side of a skyscraper.

The image showed Tamara, battered and bruised, raising Eratz's hand. The headline below it read: "The New King."

Colin observed it for a moment, her eyes brightening with pride before a wide grin spread across her face.

"Alright, speed up," she urged, patting the eagle's neck.

The eagle screeched, picking up speed as they raced toward her school.

In front of the middle school, a boy stood near the gates, a bag slung over his shoulder. His short, messy hair glinted under the sun, and his sharp eyes scanned the bustling crowd of students.

A few girls stood at a distance, whispering and giggling as they glanced his way.
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"Is he new?" one girl asked.

"He's kinda cute," another replied, tilting her head curiously.

The school bell rang, and the students began filing inside. But the boy remained where he was, unmoving, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"Hm, just in time," a voice called out behind him.

The boy turned to see Colin landing gracefully, her fire eagle dissipating into embers as her feet touched the ground. She dusted herself off, her hands on her hips as she looked at him.

"Uh? You?! Why are you still standing here? You're going to be late," she said, raising an eyebrow.

The boy's smile widened.

"But I'm new here, and you said you'd be my guide."

Colin rolled her eyes.

"Didn't you see I was late? You could go alone, are you a baby?"

"Please, I'll be 23 in nine years," Milo replied with a smirk.

Colin stared at him for a moment before breaking into a smile of her own.

"You're impossible. Come on, let's go."

The two walked toward the school building, their banter continuing as the morning sun climbed higher into the sky.

The day passed in a blur for Milo as he experienced the bustling life of middle school for the first time. The vibrant hallways, the chatter of students, and the sheer energy of the place overwhelmed him.

Within minutes of being introduced, Milo found himself surrounded by Colin's fan club and her lively group of friends.

Between people admiring him, or rivals because of his connection to Colin, Milo's head spun, but the more time passed, the more people seemed to gather.

His usual confidence wavered as he realized how hard it was to juggle so many new faces at once.

Colin, standing a few steps away, observed the chaos with a mischievous glint in her eye. She crossed her arms, watching Milo flounder with an amused smirk.

Later that afternoon, Colin and Milo soared through the skies on their flying beasts. Colin's fire eagle, its glowing feathers leaving a faint trail of embers, flew confidently alongside Milo's gliding griffin.

Milo slumped slightly on the back of his beast.

"You know, school isn't that great after all," he groaned . "Homeschool wasn't so bad. At least I didn't have to deal with…" He gestured vaguely. "… people."

Colin laughed, her voice ringing like a bell over the rushing wind.

"Oh, come on. You survived your first day, didn't you?"

"Not thanks to you, you traitor," Milo muttered, casting her a side-eye. "How did you even get a fan club?"

"Oh, don't blame me, it was so fun." Colin's smile widened. "maybe because I'm adorable?"

Milo groaned again, throwing his hands up.

"You're the worst... And you've been suspiciously energetic. What's going on with you?" He paused, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. Then realization dawned, and he snapped his fingers. "Oh, wait. Today is…"

"Yep," Colin said, her grin widening as she looked at him with excitement. "They should be home now."

Milo nodded, a small smile forming despite himself.

"Yeah, finally."

Colin's fiery energy flared even more. She sat upright, brushing her long white hair back over her shoulder.

"Hey, wanna race?" she asked. Trough every city in the region. We use our fastest beasts. The loser do the homework of the winner for one week."

Milo's competitive nature flared to life.

"I never back down from a challenge," he declared, sitting straighter on his griffin.

"Good," Colin said with a grin. She leaned forward slightly, the fire eagle beneath her tensing as it sensed her intent. "Oh, and by the way…" Her grin grew as the fire eagle launched forward. "3, 2, 1, go!!"

"Hey, cheater!" Milo yelled, urging his wind griffin to give chase. The griffin let out a sharp screech, its wings slicing through the air as it picked up speed.

The two soared high above the city, their beasts weaving effortlessly between the clouds. The world stretched out below them, a stunning patchwork of vibrant colors and bustling life.

Colin smiled and glanced back, her hair whipping in the wind.

"Catch up, slowpoke!" she called, her voice carried by the rushing air.

Milo grinned, the thrill of the race pushing his earlier exhaustion aside.

"Oh, you're going to eat those words," he muttered, leaning closer to his griffin.

The griffin's wings flapped powerfully, catching a swift current of air. It surged forward, narrowing the distance between them.

Colin's fire eagle screeched, sensing the competition, and dove lower, skimming the treetops before shooting back upward in a burst of flames.

The two soared high above the city, their beasts weaving effortlessly between the clouds.