Spirit Taming

"Clark...Clarrkkkk....Clark, you need to wake up." Clark grumbled a little. He had left Ralph to stretch out his body after a short conversation and somehow managed to fall asleep sitting at a work table with the notes he had taken while asking Ralph about his body and bonds with his beast.

"I’m awake! I have the notes right here." He looked up at Maria who was holding back a smirk. It seemed that he had been the only one asleep still and everyone was more or less cleaned up and waiting for him.

"Good, you are awake. I was informed by your second mentor that you all were here. He had an assistant sent over. Due to the recent events, I will be taking all of you to our tournament host a few days in advance. We are leaving within three hours. Please prepare. I will wait here." Clark’s suspicion was proven correct as Professor Wright sat down with Doc who had already prepared tea and a few of the growth plans to show off. He was beaming with pride while he prepared to share them.

"Rules first." Isa stopped everyone.

Professor Wright smiled softly. She was very glad that Isa was ahead of the others. "All of you will move in pairs. Ella will be leaving with us because I notified her professor. He and I are close and he had no qualms. He believed it better for older students to be with younger students to guide them in their learning. I support that as well. However, not always."

"Then girls will go to our rooms while boys to the other. Larger groups." Isa also jumped back in to name the group. Maria, Ella, Isa, and Grace walked out the door first leaving Ralph, Clark, Jerold, and Reese to head off together.

"Ralph, while we walk, let’s go over what we talked about again." Clark had to ensure that Ralph could even make the long journey to the north. The city was not close by any means and the gear they would be buying was going to fight off the elements they would face. The environment was cold and taxing on the body in the north.

"I can tough it out. But whatever floats your boat." Ralph had a clear goal in the future. He had accepted the help from Clark and it softened how he spoke to him. It was a sign of true respect. Much more than had been there before. It was a respect that Ralph would take to the grave if he had to.

"You don’t have any strange hot flashes? Swelling? Or mental pain?" Ralph shook his head. Your taming space absorbed the lava rocks and fire crystals without issue and is still doing so?"

"Yes, it seems like it is doing so even better than you said it would. It’s pretty fast. I can feel the changes too. I can’t see much when I look within myself but that’s whatever. I am getting stronger. Soon I will kick your butt." The grin Ralph had shown he was full of energy

"Your molten boar is resting still? It did not face any negative pressure when it tried to enter the taming space upon awakening?" Reese and Jerold walked silently. They knew that Ralph and Clark were the powerful two between the four of them. But Reese was silent because he knew he could learn a thing or two. The more observant he was of his spectral sword, the better he could learn from it.

"It’s pretty happy. It doesn’t feel any pain. Although it does seem like it’s itchy. But you already said that’s the usual for it. The whole melting steel hair and whatnot." The metal hair forming and melting on the molten boar was going to be annoying as it adjusted. The molten boar would need a few days to properly stabilize its new energy. Not to mention eating more metals so that it can get accustomed to the changes in its digestive system.

"Good. then I think you are actually ahead of this. I had a theory when I asked you before I fell asleep but now I think it’s even more clear. You have a unique body. You might be better suited to fire and metal dual elemental type beasts than you ever knew. The metal from your boar before was resonating with you but now that fire is involved, you are better at processing energy while also healing. It’s too much to be a coincidence."

"So you’re saying that I have an advantage over you? Good, you can use it as an excuse when I beat you." Ralph continued to think about how he might be able to get a step up on everyone using his natural talent. Meanwhile, Jerold was using his mind’s eye to examine his strengthened bond with his chameleon.

The difference after meditating and having his partner rest on the herb bath for hours was incredible. Not only did the rainbow chameleons seem more powerful, its skin had a bright luster of rainbow colors when it was not blending in to Jerold’s clothing.

Along with this, Jerold wasn’t feeling tired or even a little winded while walking toward their dormitory. He was actually feeling full of energy. It was a feeling he had missed for a long time but never really realized he was missing so much in his daily life. Every time he realized this, he silently thanked Clark for giving him a chance. Even if he lost in the tournament, he would be able to help in some way to show another competitor’s weakness.

"I am on the first floor. Coincidentally. Jerold and I are just down the hall from one another. We will wait for you at the front of the building." Reese was sure that Clark didn’t have much to pack. From the way it appeared, Clark was ready to leave at the drop of a hat. Something that only older students learned to do when it came to intense training sessions and surprise wilderness classes.

"Ralph, how much do you need to get? Do you have winter clothing ready? It might not be storm season in the north but it will still be freezing cold." Clark received an eye roll from Ralph immediately.

"Do you think I have money to throw around like that? I was just going to see if the academy had a set for us. Odds are they do and will give them to us before we leave." Clark just shook his head.

"We are buying you a personalized set. The academy uniforms are great but it will be better to look like a caravan than academy students with the situation we are in. you already know the danger." Clark thought that Ralph would argue. He would say something about the scorpion poison not working now that he had a molten boar.

Yet, these words did not come. Instead, Ralph became quiet and started to look around a little panicked. "I have plenty of gold you can borrow. Just help me when we are in the tournament. If you are going to lose, promise me one thing. You will show off your opponent’s skills as best as you can so I can break them after you."

"That Isa Rolly is rubbing off on you. Extorting my services even though you know I have no choice. Fine, that’s a deal." Ralph seemed annoyed but Clark felt a slight hint of warmth around. Something told him that Ralph was actually very thankful for this offer.

As the boys got their items, the girls did so as well. Clark and Maria narrowly missed each other since they lived close to one another. But their rooms were still not close enough to actually pass one another again.

"Grace, you really have a wind whistler that will become a frost finch? I have an ice maiden. I am sure we can work together in the wild well." Isa had already seen the benefits of what she and Grace could be capable of.

"If you are willing to let my frost finch learn from you, I would be honored." The proper and pristine act made Maria stop Grace in her tracks.

"I understand that we are in the elite class and that is a higher ranking than you. But we are all on the same team. All of us. So don’t worry about anything. We have your back." Maria’s reassurance helped Grace relax.

"Wait, all of us are a team. That means you are all missing someone. That boy, Brad was not with the boys when we left."

Ella had realized this. Somehow he had slipped by her sight. While this all occurred, a sleepy snore was coming from underneath a table in the lab. Both Doc and Professor Wright heard it after the other had left the room. They soon found that Brad was wearing the possessed help and sleeping without a care in the world. "I feel like we would have less trouble if they were all like him." Doc sighed softly while professor Wright could only nod along.