Ascension of the Primalist [A Tamer Class, LitRPG]

Seth remained concealed in the shadows, hidden by Illusionary Emptiness as he watched the carnage unfold. Driven into a suicidal frenzy by the fallen Seed, the Dark Elementals tore each other apart in a messy clash. Shadowy claws shredded incorporeal bodies left and right, while dark wisps of aether signaled each kill. Seth waited patiently even as his core awoke in his chest. The thing urged him to join the fray and prove who the true apex predator was in this dark cavern, yet he didn't yield.

'Do you think there will be only one standing at the end?' Nightmare asked from within the teardrop necklace.

'I don't know,' Seth answered, his eyes swiping over the brutal melee. 'But I hope so. It would make our job easier.'

'Why are they so mean to each other?' Colossus asked with innocent confusion. 'Aren't they a family?'

'This city is too big,' Nightmare replied. 'They are not a pack. They are more like a human society than a beast one.'

Seth grimaced; the direwolf wasn't wrong. This kind of ravenous greed was something humans excelled at.

Slowly, the battle wound down. The number of Elementals dwindled until only a handful of heavily wounded and exhausted survivors remained. For a moment, they simply hovered amid the carnage while looking around. Then their gazes met one another's. A silent understanding passed between them.

As one, the six Dark Elementals turned and began to glide toward the hut, their intent on sharing the drop obvious.

'That's our cue,' Seth thought before dashing forward while still invisible.

Nightmare materialized from the teardrop necklace and turned into a silent shadow when he immediately dissolved into Illusionary Emptiness by Seth's side. Colossus remained coiled within the teardrop pendant, ready to come out once they engaged.

The trio gave the exhausted elementals no time to react. Seth surged out of invisibility and cast Phantom Punch. Simultaneously, Nightmare lunged at the most isolated of the shadow creatures, his jaws wreathed with Shadow Bite. Before their targets could even turn, both attacks landed. Seth's spectral fist obliterated the first Elemental in a loud implosion of Dark aether, while Nightmare's fangs tore through his own target's neck. Two were dead before the others even knew they were under attack.

The moment the four remaining Elementals whirled to face them, claws igniting with dark aether, Colossus erupted from the necklace. He charged the group and cast Chitinous Taunt. The arcane screech boomed out from between his mandibles, but two of the elementals dissolved into streaks of ink to evade the spell. The other two, which had gotten caught, were forced to attack the massive scorpion. Quartz Armor and Desert Aegis flared to life around Colossus as the protective aura of the brown aether extended to shield Seth and Nightmare as well.