Undead Beast Master: Living Solely for My Desires

Zaroth's eyes were wide open, taking in the vast expanse before him.

Ahead, behind, and to either side—nothing but water. Water that rose and fell in rhythmic motions before crashing against the ragged form of the serpent. The impact split the waves apart, sending sea spray scattering in every direction.

Sitting on his bottom, he let out a long sigh, the exhausting, frustrating and fear leaving his body thanks to the peace he was feeling at the moment.

Eventually, his lips parted.

"I am bored."

An unfair feeling for Zaroth. In a way, he had never really stood in one place for too much time, and even if he had, he would have been busy fighting, or training.

His mind was always overstimulated—never given a moment's rest. It seemed he had grown so used to the chaos, the constant threat snapping at his heels, that now, in its absence, the silence felt wrong.

Vera approached and sat next to him, letting out a soft chuckle. "Already? It hasn't even been a day since we departed into the ocean. One would think that the Mythical Beast Master had more patience than most, not the other way around."

Zaroth tried to ignore her, shifting his gaze to his shadow.

A second later, a towering figure stepped out, his black ancient armor testifying to how old it had been; the same could be said about his swords.

"Eldros!" A smile appeared on Zaroth's face. This was the first time he would have a conversation or at least try to have one with his now undead friend.

Eldros scanned the surroundings, checking for threats, then sat beside his master without a word.

"So… what do we do?" Eldros would have said, if his head had still been attached.

Zaroth scratched the back of his head. "We could train... though considering the way the waves break instead of flowing smoothly, there's not much point," he trailed off.

A second later, his eyes began to sparkle as he summoned Nightshade.

A grin spread across his face as he sent the panther a mental command.

Entering her shadow, she made the titanium bed she had snatched from his room before appear on the ragged, uneven surface of the serpent's back.

There was no need to see if her master was satisfied—his expression gave that enough. She let out a low, amused growl in response.

"My precious!" Zaroth exclaimed, jumping up on its surface. His mood instantly got boosted, the way his body sunk deep in the bed, the soft fabric caressing his skin. And the pillow that his head was resting upon was basically the perfect support anyone could hope for—not too high or low.

"I can stay here forever!" he yawned, eyes beginning to close.

"Is this really the same man? The myth that went against two empires? The one that has Mythical beasts under his command?" Vera asked, tilting her head to the side, observing Zaroth with curiosity and amusement.

"What? Can't a man enjoy himself for a few seconds?" he spat, irritated, getting off from the bed.

Vera chuckled. "It's just rare for me to learn something new I didn't already know," she exclaimed.

Zaroth raised an eyebrow. "Really now? Then if you are so knowledgeable, what was going to happen if I went to the Elven Continents without you?"

Putting a hand over her chin, Vera proceeded humming sounds for several seconds. She was no doubt wracking her brain what would have happened if fate had been changed to such degree.

"You would have died a tragic death," she spoke calmly, not as if she was stating a mere theory but a fact instead. "At the end, there wasn't anybody that you could count upon for the job, leading you to do it yourself and die in the process, close before achieving your goal."

For some reason, his lips became dry. He didn't know if the woman was telling him the truth or if she was messing with him.

"Then what about now, that you are here?" he asked, forcing himself to make his voice not sound strained. The last thing he needed was for her to know that he was concerned about her visions.

"It's hard to say honestly…" she shrugged her shoulders. "I am not omnipotent, there is a limit to even my knowledge. I will not always have the answers to your questions," she reasoned.

With a frown he countered, "Still, can't you see anything? If you can't, then you can't claim your presence has changed the future."

"But it has," she replied, her tone suddenly firmer.

A slight feeling of irritation came over Zaroth. "I am telling you to tell me—stop beating around the bush."

Letting out a sigh, she parted her lips. The playful nature of her voice seemingly disappearing without a trace. "You are still going to die… Just many more times."

The silence that followed was broken only by the waves caressing against the serpent and the occasional bird that passed over them.

"What?" he finally spat. "I'll die—many times?! How is that any better?"

Vera laughed softly and began walking to the end of the serpent, waving a hand dismissively behind her. "This is the path you chose, Zaroth. I can save you from many things—but not from yourself."

"Come bac—" he began to shout but was stopped mid-sentence.

'Master,' the low, tight male voice—it was simply unmistakable. It was the Mythical Serpent.

'Enemies ahead.'

Letting out a curse, Zaroth left the conversation for later. Sparks appeared next to him, as Luna materialized.

"This was funny," she laughed.

"What is?!" he snapped.

"You not knowing what she was talking about, leading you to overthink every single thing. Classic."

He felt a strong urge to smack himself over the head for surrounding himself with women like this, but he managed to keep his emotions in check.

"At least Eldros is here," he sighed, moving to the head of the serpent, surveying the waters below, ears keen for the enemy.

He squinted his eyes, in an attempt to look past the waters, but to no avail. For some reason, even Darkgaze was unable to look past the darkness below.

Apparently, the darkness of the night and the darkness caused by the impossibly deep water were two different things and he was only just now learning that.

"Are you sure there is something there?" he asked. He had certainly begun to grow stronger these past few weeks, causing him to have better senses than most and pick up on most dangers—yet there was nothing on his radar that spelled danger.

His companions' reactions were enough. Eldros stood next to him, blades in each hand, ready for the fight to the end.

Luna wasn't much different—her eyes had become harder, more menacing. She was ready to transform at a moment's notice.

Not really familiar with water fights—and considering that he didn't even know how to swim, which was pretty stupid considering that he was now in the middle of the ocean—meant he would be mostly a nuisance to his allies, leading him to take a step back.

The wind around them died down, the clouds dispersed for a moment's notice.

And then—

The ocean below them lit up in an unreal, eerie purple light that seemed to stretch for hundreds of meters.