Spirit Taming

Leaving Terra City for the second time made everyone feel odd. They had no idea how to understand the events that had led them to the path they were about to walk. Not many people would have expected to see two cities fall in their lifetime. Let alone be right there when it happened.

Now, they were leaving the Terra City territory. Clark had gotten everyone to leave very early in the morning so that they could make good progress in the day. He had carefully mapped out the route with the help of Isa and Ella.

The route would avoid Nova city as they passed by, skirting the wilderness territory managed by it. Then they would push into the forest through lesser traveled paths. These trails were often used by merchants until recently when new pathways were carved that were larger to be able to allow larger carts or multiple carts.

This was all to avoid any human enemies that the group had. While they had gathered some allies, the corrupted forces and the blood moon cult were two very real groups. Not that the corrupted forces could easily be called a group. This was just how they had begun to reference the Mourne family and their lackeys. Especially the ones from other cities that had bent to their money or power.

These things were important factors to avoid while they were focused on growth. Yes, the group could easily start to cause trouble for both the enemies they saw in their world. The blood moon cult had plenty of plans that could be ruined just b y figuring them out or by catching them in the act and calling for more powerful tamers.

But the Mourne family was tougher. They were some of the toughest tamers and had bonds with a few of the toughest tamers to fight. Therefore, they would definitely be some of the people called to handle the blood moon cult. They would also not shy away from killing some competition while they dealt with the problems.

These two issues were a massive risk to any growth that the group wanted to do. Every single one of them understood this. They had thought about it alone and even had conversations about it. That was why it was so important that they left letters so that their allies would understand. They would be able to return at full strength to handle the issues that their homes faced.

What really struck Clark though, was that this situation was straight out of a movie. In his past life, he could vividly remember the cliche stories or movies he heard of. For whatever reason, he felt like he was running through them time and time again. Not that it was an issue. Cliches came from reality. It just became a cliche because everyone used them in stories as well as happening in real life.

"We are really going to cut through that battle ground?" Isa knew of some off limits areas that no merchant traveled. One being a previous battle ground that had been between a dungeon break and a tamer known for using fire.

"It’s the only place we can go that will let us deal with the challenges of such a place. It was burned up almost a year ago now, but the land hasn’t recovered yet. So there are smaller bushes and trees growing there that we can gather as herbs or materials. But also fewer powerful beasts that will get in the way." Ella held the logic behind the choice that had been made about traveling through this path.

"And that is all good and well, but it’s why we might run in to rogue tamers. You know, bandits?" this was a worry that every merchant had. But the reason for it was simple.

Many people were criminals in life. Every society had those that did not want to adhere to the laws or rules for some reason. Some because they had fallen on poor circumstances or those that were just born evil.

These people naturally were caught and jailed if they were within a city. They would escape the walls and try to find themselves a safe place. In the wilderness, they needed numbers to survive. Therefore, bandit groups would form. This wasn’t the first time that the group had faced such a threat, but Isa still didn’t see the point of taking the risk at all. It was just a dumb idea.

"I want us to face that though. We are going to have to be better at facing and discerning threats like that. Therefore, we can help every city by dealing with them if we find them. But we can also make sure that we are training ourselves against human foes." It was a more logical reason when it came to Clark’s perspective.

"This cuts three days off our travel time to. It’s a clearer space with fewer beasts to fight. Even if we face rogue tamers, they won’t be able to counter us as well as a group of beasts might. Humans might have items to help them, but they will easily underestimate us. Beasts have instincts to tell that we are stronger now." Maria’s focus was on the dragon energy that Clark could use to chase away weaker beasts.

"Three days less walking is better in my opinion."

"Three more days would be good for your legs though. You should train those more." Brad immediately countered Ralph who was fine with shorter travel. The two immediately started to bicker back and forth as Clark opened the map and took another look.

The burned forest section had been extinguished by the existing beasts and a few tamers in the area. But it had left an ashy scar on the forest edge that was ideal for cutting through the first section that the group would otherwise need to travel through.

The ash had brought many unique plants to the area. These were plants that only grew after such a wilder fire happened. The same was with the smaller beasts that came to eat those plants. But what really drew the group were the herbs that could grow there until the trees were tall enough to block the sun that the plants needed in the area.

"Shouldn’t we be looking for some of the burnt wood? I heard that it is good for forging sometimes." Grace had other questions for Ralph that snapped him out of his arguments with Brad.

"We can find some moss wood. That burns the moss that grows on it leaving a solid and dense pieces of wood that can burn hot and slow for hours. It is useful for starting a long fire and even stays lit through the rain. Not many people gather it though because of the weight." This seemed to made Brad interested too. The others just nodded along with the information.

"Regardless, we are on the way. Just focus on the changes in the environment. Many beasts might start pushing in to the human trails and routes made by merchants because fewer are traveling now. The worries about the blood moon cult and possible city wars will put them off." This warning was exactly what Isa had been saying for days and days.

This was very true though. Beasts would notice that the unsafe areas full of tamers and merchants traveling would suddenly be devoid of the threats they knew. This would make them both curious and want to expand their territories. A dangerous proposition on either side.

A curious beasts could be scared away, but a beast that was curious then found a chance to take over more territory to impress others of their kind of just to hunt more would be a danger. Some beasts would become much more violent when they saw another being pushing in to their newer territory.

This was something that a lot of bear like or pack beasts would be accused of. A moss wolf could gather ten of its pack members to harshly patrol an area that they just expanded to. Normally, the moss wolves would run around their territory’s borders to ensure that no other beast was pushing in.

Clark had known that these sorts of problems would be more evident the farther they got from controlled wilderness. That Was why he was carefully following the map. There were plenty of known beast territories that were a threat to certain strengths of tamers. Following the strength scales though would be foolish. Clark knew that usi groups as well beyond what normal strength scales there were in life.

It was better to appear weaker because of their age though. They always had the advantage of surprise when it came to strength that they did not appear to have. Clark’s group had proven that over and over with their wide variety of skills, knowledge, and training.

"Let’s move forward. We should be at the first part of the burnt forest by the end of the day. I expect that we won’t see many beasts due to the higher patrols on the outskirts of the Terra City wilderness. We should see more in a few hours though." Clark gave a warning and a bit of a push as he saw Jrold take a scouting lead on the group.