Spirit Taming

Clark whispered in to his mind for the system to identify the spirit beast floating next to the girl that spotted him.

’Glow sting jellyfish

The glowing jellyfish is a forest dwelling beast. Often hunted and trapped to use as ingredients for medicines, the glow sting jellyfish has both healing and harming capabilities. While it boasts the production of healing slime, it also produces poisons. The tendrils are very fast even though the body moves slowly through the air. The secondary attribute of the glow sting jellyfish is spiritual so that it may bond with life to prevent death. It is extremely weak to fire based attacks while resistant to darkness and light based attacks. They have the potential to grow in to a grand crown jellyfish...’

Clark read through the description of the spirit beast. He felt that the girl was sensing Devi through her connection with the jellyfish. It was the only way that her gaze would be fixed on them. "Devi, avoid that girl. We don’t want to deal with her just yet. She might cause problems."

Knowing that someone might be able to sniff out Devi while he was invisible made Clark uncomfortable. His biggest trump card right now was the simple fact that he had a perfect surprise attack for when he was in battle.

"Look at these weaklings! They all think they have a chance to get in to the academy when only real spirit tamers have the chase." The mocking laughter was coming from a group that had arrived in a carriage shortly.

The blond boy speaking was wearing clothing that seemed to have never seen dirt. The white tailed fox next to him appeared to never have needed to worry about dirtying its fur. "And that one is the one we will go and talk to."

The gaze of the boy and his two buddies made Clark want to gag. These were scum, rich and abusive scum. But they were perfect for Clark to use to his advantage. "Your white tailed fox is incredible. I can tell that someone of your standing has dedicated a great deal of time caring for it." The act seemed to work perfectly.

"Of course. My family could do nothing but the best. You have a good eye. I am Randolf, these are my friends..." Randolph let his ego take over and began to brag right to Clark. But Clark was not listening to a single word.

"I hope you don’t mind, but I could use someone strong like you during the exam. You see, I only have a weak shadow beast as my tamed beast. It can’t even leave my shadow due to the time of day. But I can offer important information in trade. I studied many beasts just for this test." Clark was playing his cards to get the three boys dancing in his palm.

"Your friends have bulky toads. They can both grow and potentially evolve in to great clawed toads with the proper mud beads and silver flies. Then your elegant white tailed fox can become a split tailed fox if you feed it a rare moon stone that has been sitting in the moonlight for ten years." most wouldn’t know the materials used to properly evolve a tamed beast to its highest tier. This made Clark valuable.

"Oho? A studious fellow then. I can tell you will work well with us if you know where to stand." The words held more meaning than Randolf spoke. But it was as Clark wanted.

"I understand sir Randalf. I will stand right where you can hear me." Clark stood and bowed slightly. Randolph was very pleased to see that someone saw his greatness as it should be.

"Those who come to enter the nova academy. You are not to rest until you reach the gates. Prepare yourselves for the reading of the rules." The voice that echoed out was demanding. No one felt they could even try to speak over it. There was a profound weight repelling the very idea.

Silence overtook the chatting potential students and parents walked away. They knew they would not be allowed anywhere near the gate now that it was about to begin.

"Rule one, survive at any cost to climb to the academy entrance."

"Rule two, anything goes. Survival is not a game but a way of life that every being has pursued since creation."

Rule three, those who do not survive or do not make it within twenty four hours will fail forever losing their chance at entering Nova academy. Recommendation or not!"

The rules were simple. But they spoke volumes. Clark had a feeling that the test would be like this. Professors watching from unseen corners while everyone competed to get to the academy entrance. They all wanted a spot within those walls so why not give it all they have to obtain it.

"Come. No one will dare lay a finger on us with my family behind me." Randolph walked through the crowd of potential students with Clark and his two lackeys behind him. Clark was already starting to smirk.

The confused look of the girl with the jellyfish caught in Clark’s eye before he walked through the gate. There was something about the girl that screamed that Clark should deal with her. If she sensed Devi he might be better off getting rid of her. She could ruin his trump card. She could stop him from growing stronger and obtaining the justice his family deserves.

"See? None of those worthless trash thought they could follow. They knew that they were unworthy." Randolph inflated his ego with the help of his lackeys. But Clark was focused on what he saw ahead.

"Needle leg spider up ahead. Second branch on the right." Clark said this causing the three to look and make out the gray spider in the trees. It was waiting to jump down at them.

"You have a good eye. Well worth the protection we will give you." Randolph boasted his wise choice to allow Clark to move with them yet again. "Kill it."

Randolf’s white tailed fox spit out a breath of sharp wind slicing the spider in half. The attack was the only one that white tailed fox had for the time being. But it was deadly to weak prey like the needle legged spider.

"That was easier than making those weaklings give up on the way here boss." One of the lackeys started chuckling.

"Well, we couldn’t allow just anyone to walk in to this exam thinking they could take it. What if they got lucky and made it in to the academy. It would tarnish my good name." Randolph raised his head and patted his chest.

"The way they cried when you beat their spirit beasts to a pulp was too precious. I wish we could see it again." The other lackey joined in. Neither of them noticed Clark giving Devi silent instructions.

The only inkling they had that things were becoming odd was when they heard the start of the laughter. The soft sounds of giggling playing tricks on their minds. The growing baleful laughter at a higher and higher pitch. The tormenting laughter of a demon in the shadows.

"Kid, what is this. Where is the beast responsible. Find it so we can kill it!" Randolf ordered Clark around to do his dirty work. Unfortunately for Randolf, Clark had already pulled back his fist.