Spirit Taming

’Ancient elemental gargoyle- legendary

The elemental energy of four different pure elemental gargoyles had been forced to reside within a single gargoyle. This was done to expand its life and break the wall to legendary status. The gargoyle had rested within its chambers for many years until it was able to find the proper being to present its knowledge. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

There is a great deal of elemental energy within its body to use as it desires. It only would interfere in the dungeon when it senses a proper individual. However, it has waited for one to find it.

there is nothing to be done to save it from imminent death. However, it is the perfect beast material for a gargoyle to achieve a proper mutation and break the line of growth for the entire beast species. It will be the seed that creates the stone flower bed needed to change all of the imps that will breed and grow from this point out.

There is..’

The multitude of information that was being transmitted to Clark was heavy. It could crush him if he had not experienced similar things before. This was another beast that had touched on a law of the world. A law of creation. A beast that was considered the top of the strength of its entire species. However, this beast was barely alive.

"Child of man, I have seen your kind. Fanatics, murderers, and even a young child like yourself that was worthy of raising my offspring. I have waited for a long time to be discovered." The rumbling voice made Clark’s heart beat faster. This gargoyle was powerful yet somehow gentle. It was a shock to see such a contrast.

"If you mean my mentor, he has grown up. He was testing me to be here and accept his four partner’s challenges. I managed to find these scriptures and noticed the pedestal was odd. It led me here. To you." Clark didn’t hide a single thing. He easily put the pieces together that the child the ancient gargoyle mentioned was Alexander. The one person that had a gargoyle as a beast partner.

"Ahh, how interesting. I wish to see him. I wish to see him with my own eyes but I lack them now." The ancient gargoyle moved and pieces of his stone body fell away revealing that he had lost much of his body to time.

The flesh of the gargoyle had corroded the same way as stone does anywhere else. But the bones revealed were covered in intense elemental energy. " Since you are here, you may take my test in his stead. Your mentor will be judged based on what you show me here." The entire basement rumbled. Clark was barely able to remain standing as multiple statues broke in to pieces and took form in front of him.

The being that had once been partially constructed and falling apart, the ancient gargoyle, was not much larger. There was stones wielding elemental energies all around it. Flames coated an arm while water coated another. The earth and wind wrapped its legs. Thai skill was the remaining energy that it had to test Clark to a full combat ability. But Clark could only feel the pressure weighing on him.

"I know I can’t defeat you at all. That’s not what I am capable of, yet, but I can show you what I can do." Clark’s body had been through too much. It was already well past its limits after being forcefully tempered by the energies from his partners. However, He had to push through this fight. He had a quest to do, a mentor to impress, and so much more that would help him in his future if he was able to pass this simple hidden test.

"Withstand my force and you shall be allowed to free my chains. I have waited too long!" The entire basement became a mess of elemental energies. The flame claws tore through the air toward Clark who could only use the black lightning spear to slash at it.

The broken pieces of statues had become moving limbs that attacked here and there. It was not a new form that the ancient gargoyle had created but instead, it was a controlling ability of the statues it had created. That rang home in Clark’s mind making him realize that the gargoyle before him could not actually move without breaking. It could only control the statues to attack him.

"Crimson. Devil. Destroy every piece of every statue you see. Then we will take what we have earned." Allowing the flames of determination to burn even further within him let Clark force his body to move.

The black lightning spear had been gaining energy from all around Clark constantly. It had been doing so since Clark had laid a hand on it when he drew it from the system lottery. Now that Clark could wield it with all his might, the energy had a path to travel. It had the energy to release the black lighting skill that it had been waiting on.

Crim and Devi could feel that Clark had made his decision. That Clark was not going to stand down no matter what. They felt the same as him. This was a test of their bodies as well. They came here to radically test themselves and grow. How could they grow if they remained within the same mold that they were born in? They had to break free. Change, grow, and adapt during a truly terrifying battle.

Without any hesitation, Crim sucked in a large breath before releasing the strongest flames he could muster. The heat that radiated around snuffed out the flaming claw strikes of the argyle statues controlled by the ancient gargoyle. This made the water statue’s legs lashed out trying to cut through them.

However, there was nothing that they could do in the face of Crim’s intense dragon energy. He had mustered his core strength in this one attack so that Clark could have a chance at displaying everything he had at his disposal.

Not to be outdone, Devi used his spirit drive skill and allowed his body to change freely. The claws that he had used to sheer through opponents met the legs and claws of earth and wind. They were pushed back over and over before Devi opened his mouth wide while sending spine shivering laughter in to the air.

The single massive bite showed off the deep flames that burned in Devi’s eyes. The deep darkness that seemed to go on forever within him. The energies in the statue’s limbs he bit were stolen away and used for Devi to continue slashing with his ghostly claws. Nothing would stand in his way, even if he used every bit of energy left within him.

The path of broken statue parts and uncontrolled energy gave Clark a single space to travel. A single space to display his last burst of ghostly steps new level of understanding. In the instant that an opening revealed itself, Clark had used the falling moon pierce to put the black lightning spear at the center of the ancient gargoyle’s chest.

Not a scratch was left but it managed to rest there just before the energy in the spear released itself. The black lightning that emanated from it was enough to tear away the statue armor and energies that the ancient gargoyle had brought around it.

"Finally I may rest. Bring that little one the final scripture of this church. Bring him what he needs to return my offspring to the light they deserve." pieces of the statues fell all around Clark as he gasped for air. The black lightning made the spear impossible to touch. Even with the fact that Crim had grown somewhat resistant to lightning and passed that to Clark, it was too tough to hold at the moment.

The sun had opened up the sky of the living stone dungeon. The rain had become faded and the church seemed to show its true glory. Clark could sense it and see the light from the basement. It showed the true state of things around him.

The walls of the basement were covered in carvings of a race cutting the stone and moving it for moles. Of being weak, perishing, and leaving behind a dungeon of their beasts’ eggs. Of their attempt to bring their beasts beyond their limits.

The single pedestal against the far wall that the ancient gargoyle had guarded held a single scroll.

’Scripture of stone breaking- mythical

This is the final study to bring the gargoyle beast race to intelligence that can bring them beyond the legendary ranks. This shares the way to purify elemental energy and join it within their living stone bodies. The force needed is intense but those that consume the stone flowers may break this barrier.’

As Clark read the system analysis, the ground shook as the village and church became surrounded by stone sprouts. Little seedlings that were going to grow and bloom in to the stone flowers that would welcome in the gargoyle’s new growth potential.

Clark couldn’t do much though. He could barely stand. Devi and Crim had already fallen to the ground without energy. "Good job you two, my perfect partners." Clark closed his eyes to rest for the moment. He did not fear anything attacking him here.