Beast Tamer

A Dangerous Spell

The corrupted spirits moved with unnatural speed, their shadowy forms shifting through the trees like a dark wind. Ethan barely had time to react as one of them lunged toward him, its hollow eyes glowing with a malevolent light. He raised his sword instinctively, but the blade passed through the creature as though it was made of smoke. His heart pounded in his chest.

“Your sword won’t help you here,” Caldris growled, his voice low and steady. He stepped forward, raising his glowing amulet. “Spirits like these require a different kind of force.”

With a flick of his wrist, Caldris muttered something under his breath, and the amulet around his neck blazed with green light. A pulse of energy shot out from the amulet, striking the spirit that had attacked Ethan. The creature let out a high-pitched wail as it was thrown back, dissolving into wisps of smoke before disappearing entirely.

Ethan stood frozen for a moment, his breath coming in shallow gasps. He had faced physical threats before, but this—this was something entirely different. These spirits didn’t obey the same rules as the living. They weren’t bound by flesh and blood.

Caldris didn’t waste time. Another spirit lunged toward him, its claws outstretched, but Caldris spun gracefully, his amulet glowing brighter. A wave of green light enveloped the spirit, forcing it to dissolve into nothingness.

“Stay close to me!” Caldris barked as more spirits emerged from the shadows, their twisted forms writhing in the dim light. “I’ll deal with them, but you need to be ready. Whoever summoned these things may be nearby.”

Ethan gripped his sword tightly, even though it felt useless against these creatures. His eyes darted around the clearing, searching for any sign of the summoner. His thoughts raced back to what Orion had told him—someone within the Academy was behind these disturbances. If they were here, then they were the real threat, not the spirits.

Suddenly, a figure stepped out from the shadows at the edge of the clearing. It was cloaked in black, its face hidden beneath a hood. Ethan’s heart skipped a beat. Could this be the one responsible?

Caldris noticed the figure too, his eyes narrowing. “There!” he hissed. “That’s the summoner!”

Without warning, the cloaked figure raised a hand, and a new wave of energy rippled through the air. The spirits around them howled in response, their forms solidifying as they grew stronger, more tangible. Ethan could feel the difference immediately—these spirits were no longer just smoke and shadow. They were becoming real.

“We need to stop them!” Ethan shouted, his voice rising in panic. “They’re getting stronger!”

Caldris nodded, his expression grim. “I can take care of the spirits, but you need to deal with the summoner. If we don’t stop them now, they’ll tear a hole in the veil between worlds.”

Ethan swallowed hard, the weight of the responsibility crashing down on him. He wasn’t ready for this. He was barely managing to keep up with the spirits, let alone take on a powerful summoner. But there was no time to hesitate.

“I’ll do it,” Ethan said, his voice steadier than he felt inside. He didn’t have a choice.

Caldris gave him a sharp nod. “Go. I’ll keep them off you.”

With that, Ethan took a deep breath and charged toward the cloaked figure, his heart pounding in his chest. The figure stood perfectly still, watching his approach with eerie calmness. Ethan didn’t know what kind of magic they were using, but he had to stop it before it was too late.

As he neared, the figure raised their hand again, and a dark mist began to swirl around them. Ethan could feel the magic pulsing in the air, thick and suffocating. His instincts screamed at him to stop, but he pushed forward, determined to reach the summoner.

Just as Ethan was about to strike, the figure spoke a single word—a word that carried the weight of a thousand curses. Ethan felt the force of it hit him like a wave, knocking him off his feet. He landed hard on the ground, gasping for breath as the world around him spun.

The summoner began chanting in a low, guttural language, their hands weaving intricate patterns in the air. Ethan could feel the magic growing stronger, darker. The spirits around him responded, their forms becoming more solid, more dangerous with each passing second.

“I can’t let this happen,” Ethan muttered to himself, forcing himself to stand. He didn’t understand what kind of magic the summoner was using, but he knew he had to stop it. He couldn’t let the spirits break free.

Summoning all his strength, Ethan raised his sword and charged again. This time, he didn’t hesitate. As he neared the summoner, he swung his blade, aiming not for the figure itself but for the dark mist swirling around them.

The blade cut through the mist, and for a brief moment, Ethan felt resistance. The air crackled with energy as the mist dispersed, and the summoner’s chant faltered. They stumbled back, their concentration broken.

Caldris, seeing the opportunity, acted quickly. He raised his amulet and unleashed a torrent of green light, driving back the remaining spirits. One by one, they dissolved into nothingness, their howls fading into the night.

The summoner hissed in frustration, their hood falling back to reveal a pale, gaunt face twisted in anger. Their eyes burned with dark magic, but Ethan saw something else in them too—fear.

“Who are you?” Ethan demanded, keeping his sword raised.

The summoner sneered, their voice dripping with malice. “You don’t even know, do you? You’re just a pawn in a much larger game, boy.”

Ethan’s grip tightened on his sword. “Answer me!”

The summoner laughed, a cold, hollow sound. “You’ll find out soon enough. The Shadow King’s reach is far greater than you could ever imagine. And you—”

Before they could finish, Caldris stepped forward, his amulet glowing with an intense light. “Enough,” he said, his voice like steel. “You’re coming with us.”

But the summoner wasn’t finished. With a sudden burst of energy, they threw up their hands and chanted another spell. The air around them shimmered, and before Ethan or Caldris could react, the summoner vanished into thin air, leaving behind only the lingering trace of dark magic.

For a moment, there was only silence. Ethan stared at the spot where the summoner had stood, his mind racing. The threat wasn’t over—far from it.

Caldris cursed under his breath. “They’re gone. But they won’t get far.”

Ethan sheathed his sword, his body trembling from the intensity of the fight. “What now?”

Caldris turned to him, his eyes dark. “Now, we hunt.”