Age of Beast Tamers and Exorcists-Chapter 65: Humanized

Through his peripheral vision, Zmey saw the man’s dead body emit dark motes. When he first saw it, he wasn’t that concerned. But he realised that each mote formed decreased the body’s size and disfigured its shape. So he turned to the body. Even so, he only looked. Looked at how the body and the neck deteriorated. Nothing to do, though. Even if there was... He caught a shadow loom beside him. He raised his stare, only to meet the frank face of Aura. Before he could speak, she pointed her dagger at him with a firm grip. Uninterested in this, Zmey rose to his feet. She still pointed the dagger at him, her shoulders squared with confidence. "I warned you not to kill him. I did," Aura said, her tone bold and a little bit forced out of emotion. "You’re a dragon! You’re one of us, a beast! How could you go against the universal rule of not killing a Necrot!? You..." Zmey cut in. "Why?" Words stuck in Aura’s throat. Zmey turned away from her, without a care for the world. His head vibrated as he gained more and more insight about this. No one knew the cause. But every beast awoke to learn that they couldn’t kill a Necrot. Both types were on the same side, which was also vague. If a beast was a Transformer or a violent, inhumane reptilian, everyone had such a memory. It sounded both a warning and guidance. One could call it an essential memory for all beasts in every beast realm. If a monster violates this, it will face the cost of getting cursed with danger all around. A beast like that sometimes encounters strong exorcists or tamers if it escapes one. Wrath follows it, and it would never have peace of mind until it meets its death. But even recalling all this, Zmey said nothing more than... "I don’t care. So be it... if I have to face wrath while I continue to live." .... Zmey didn’t have any idea of how to get out of the dense mountains. Yes, it was like being in a multi-directional abyss in front of him. He didn’t want to ask either. But, moving like a ghost, Aura wrapped her arm around his. Before he could completely shift his glance at her, they were already somewhere else. He gave up on looking at her anyway. Examining his surroundings instead, he saw the two-storey building with the iron door. The shrubs around and the stone pathway told him he was back at the man’s house. The scent of oil from the royal army’s weapons was still concentrated in the air. "What are you going to do with his son?" Aura asked him. This question made him ask himself if that was supposed to be his worry. He still had many more questions too... But Zmey had no reason to stay for long here. The thoughts of it all made him lament more on how far he had taken things only to realise he was after the wrong person. He walked past her. Aura turned around. And said right away, "It’s me! I was the one who shot the arrow at the lynx last time." Zmey paused. "... I was also the one who shot at the guy, which you stood in the way of. I have got dying to ask you why you did that." Zmey creased his brows. But for no reason did he turn around to look at her. Aura said with gentleness, "You’ve changed, my lord." She paused, trying to see his face, very careful of what she was saying. "I fear staying long here has humanised you. Not even in a slight manner. Maybe it’s time for you to take a break from..." Zmey cut in, his voice deep, "... Good for you... able to break through the barrier of those strong magicians. And get yourself involved in the assessment. Must feel great to be that powerful. Means you have no idea how it feels when you’re weak and vulnerable. If you did, you wouldn’t ask me to leave the sanctuary." Aura squared her shoulders, holding her breath. She frowned, clenching her jaw. "What, then? You will take the risk of losing your grace and becoming human?" Zmey paused for a few moments. He then replied, his tone low, "Yes, if that’s what it takes for me to get out of the weak zone... I will become a human then." He then strode towards the entrance to the compound. He heard Aura say... "Listen up, Zmey Ashbane!" she said in a raging, yet disrespectful manner. "You’re no longer as all-powerful and knowing of all as you always have been! There’s no point in acting tough at this moment. You have...." But Zmey had already exited the compound, continuing his gentle stride without no care for the world... Aura clenched her fist. She muttered, "Is he even listening?" Having walked to the top of an uphill slope, Zmey halted at that point. He contemplated something for a while. Until he turned and said out loud, "You have the power to wake the dead. Be like a human and take care of the boy. The dead know how to appreciate too; I suppose you know." His voice echoed. And with that, he cut to the left. *** In no time, Zmey got to the heart of the capital. He had to watch each side for any presence of the armies around. He knew they saw him as a criminal now, even as he disappeared with the Necrot. Well, he found it mysterious what happened seconds before Aura took them out of the scene. And also, he pondered on her own reason for doing so when she wouldn’t have let him kill the Necrot. Didn’t she know who he was? And... how did she know that he was targeting him? ’She must have been stalking me all this while,’ he thought as he passed by the front of a rice cake seller. Surprising him, some people bowed to him as he moved through the crowd. This must be because of his red jacket, marking him as someone who belongs to the Magic Sanctuary. ’It’s the market all over again...’ Yet, he knew it was inevitable. It seemed to be the only important place in Eldengrove closest to the Magic Sanctuary. When you’re at the market, you’re not that far from the cultivation school. In a few more minutes, Zmey finally reached. The grey rock gate of the Sanctuary stared like a predator as he paused some metres away. He sighed, hoping that was enough to push uneasiness away from his heart. But as he moved towards the gate, he couldn’t help but ponder what lay behind the gate. Everyone would be awaiting his return. Not only here, but at the palace. Perhaps the commander and his soldiers were in the Sanctuary too. Only God knows. He got to the front of the two watchmen at the gate. One of them walked to his front immediately, his spear securing his right side. "State your name, please," the man asked, his tone serious. Zmey swallowed. "Zmey Ashbane," he replied. The men shared glances. The other one checked a white paper in his hand. Then, later, he nodded to the other one. "Your presence has been requested. Please follow me," the man said, gesturing towards the open door. Zmey sighed. ’I knew it... Damn it.’