Spirit Taming

While the group started to leave, there was a commotion coming from down the hall. Some guards rushed by yelling about people trying to leave early. At first, the four of them were worried that it was about them. However, they had already handed the attendant outside their door the gold necessary.

The pounding footsteps seemed to head down the stairs that the group was already heading down. "Devi, why do I have the feeling that you caused someone trouble?" Clark was glad he was in his disguise. He wanted to be sure that there was no trouble attached to them.

"What nerve there is for someone to disrespect this city and try to run from here!" The shout was from a deep male voice. "You outbid me just to show that you lack the gold? This is not some child’s game! This is a serious deal that could end you in prison for years!"

"What is going on?" Now there was worry in Maria’s tone as they followed the voice and started to get a look at the one reprimanding these people.

The tall and well dressed man had a half chewed cigar in his mouth. He had many attendants and multiple personal guards surrounding some familiar faces. "Cain family." Isa whispered to let Maria know because she was leading the way down the stairs. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"Let me handle this." Clark decided that it was best for him to take the lead in a disguise. He would let Maria, Isa, and Ella sneak by without worry. "Sir, I can’t help but hear that you happen to have been stressed out. What could these foolish looking children have done? Can I help at all?" The mask and matching outfit caught the man’s eye along with the Cain family that instantly glared after having more focus on them.

"I doubt you could. These children believed themselves funny when they placed a very inappropriate bet. I will have to press charges as an example!" The situation sounded dire.

"How tragic. Their family must never have taught them a lesson. This may be a good chance for them to learn one though. You appear to be a fairly upstanding citizen. Why not take the chance to do a good deed? I know I learned much when I was at a younger age because of such people." Clark’s idea made it sound that the man would be coming to the rescue.

"I do like the way you think. I have spent years building my reputation doing such things. They say great minds think alike." The man stood taller and looked down at the two Cain family members. "I will take the bid you fooled around with and stole from me. I will pay the price you owe. That is what an adult should do. But you will pay the price as an insult to this city." The attendants and guards all took position in a circle around them.

"You two are banned from Star city regardless of your familial standing and academic standing. By the name of Mayor Darious Deteric of Star city. Never show your faces to anyone near these walls or within this city!" the ruling fell heavily.

The two Cain family members felt a crushing blow had been dealt. When their older siblings and the more powerful members of their family heard of this, they would be punished harshly. Being banned from a city was a massive insult to the Cain family and even the Mourne family.

"Well done, I apologize for my interruption earlier. I just worried for them. But they truly sound as if they have done wrong." Clark was smiling under his mask as the two Cain family children were pulled from the auction hall and about to be thrown out of the city. Clark also knew that Doc would be unable to do anything. The two Cain family members would be surviving outside the walls until it was time for them to make the trip back home.

"I am surprised that you are the mayor! Let me pay my respects. My real name is wasted on you but I am called phantom. It is an honor to meet the man who could wow the audience with your wealth. I now understand how hard you worked to obtain it." Darious Deteric seemed to be a man easily swayed by compliments. Clark was using exactly what he needed.

"Well, It is a breath of fresh air to hear that. I did spend many years amassing such gold for the items I bid on today. I take it you had some items for sale tonight as well?" There was a curiosity in his answer.

"Of course I did. When my partners and I traveled here we bumped in to a small Nova academy carriage. They helped us with some fresh water and we were lucky enough to pay them back in procuring some sandworm eggs. Take my surprise when we discovered an ancient bloodline clutch of eggs. It shocked me to my humble core!"

Since Clark was leaning on this acting heavily, the mayor was falling for it hook line, and sinker. "You don’t say!? Do you have much experience identifying beasts? You do sound young yourself."

"I do not pretend to have the most experience. I do read very often. It is a passion of mine to travel the world and learn about beasts. I even help make growth plans if someone has an interesting beast." This little boast was more than that. It was bait.

"Then please, some outside ad tell me what you think of my beast. I would love to hear another opinion. My professional has lost their health lately and can’t seem to determine what I need right now." The force in the mayor’s voice said this was less of an asking and more of a challenge. But one that would be well worth it.

"How could I deny such a chance. I can’t imagine I would learn anything small from you. I have been learning a lot since I met the Rolly family’s young mistress. You know what they say about young minds?" Clark laughed while following the guards outside. The mayor was smiling and chewing the end of his cigar even more. His mood brightened more and more.

"Please stand back. My beast has grown fairly large." The feeling of water energies in the air was dense as a portal opened behind the mayor. The taming space released a massive red shelled lobster with a smooth shell devoid of any algae or barnacles that would find homes on them normally.

’Red jet lobster- rare

The red jet lobster lives in deep salt or fresh water. They often like to hunt in currents because of their powerful tail creating a jet of water behind them. They are able to crush tough prey easily with their large claws. They also have impeccable sense of water flow underneath the water.

They are weak to many attacks that involve heat and lightning. Their tough shell is their strong point allowing them to resist many attacks that would normally harm a weaker beast. At certain ages, the red jet lobster has even been known to take down fishing vessels. The best material for it to grow is called the drifting kelp core...’

Clark was rambling off these details seemingly aimlessly. The Mayor became more and more impressed as the details became clear along with Clark’s skills. Even when Clark reached the materials and paused, Clark looked up for approval to speak the name of the material he thought the red jet lobster needed.

With all the focus on him, Clark knew he had hooked the mayor completely. "I would say, the best way for you to improve this red jet lobster is to have it consume a drifting kelp core. It’s a unique material from the center of a living kelp beast." Clark waited for a moment before he turned again to speak more.

"The core has the energy that your best needs to change the structure of its shell when it molts. The old shell is tough, but it does not have any room for your beast to grow. The floating kelp core will provide that energy and give the shell added bonuses. In particular, it should make the claws serrated."

"Now that’s some good information. I doubted you for a while there. I will not lie, but here I have someone telling me perfect information above the heist appraiser I have paid. I did not know the outcome but the appraiser I paid said the same as you for the most part. You, Mr. Phantom, know your stuff. Invite that Rolly family friend of yours and her business partners to my mansion tomorrow night. If they can appraise beasts I have my body guards raising then I will reward them handsomely."

"I will do that. I may need to leave with my partner but trust me, the Rolly family has raised another genius above me." This made the mayor even more impressed as he left Clark behind. "Perfect perfect perfect." Clark slowly left behind the mayor finding his friends easily. Isa had found a place to change again in to the veiled cloak. All Clark had to do was tell them of their plans.