Spirit Taming

"I have no idea how they are moving so easily through the terrain. The beasts are avoiding them. Look at these tracks." Jerold pointed out tracks that stopped right before they would cross paths with the blood moon cultists.

"It’s simple, these beasts can sense the danger of the monsters. They are instincts that tell them to avoid everything that is dangerous." Grace had heard that Ralph mentioned how he was moving energies that he would sometimes just feel that he had to hit harder. Or that he would sense a slight change in temperature.

Part of that was just gaining experience as a blacksmith. But Grace chalked it up to natural instinct as well. They all used it but most people forgot to reference it since they were growing according to lesson plans or beast plans. But at the end of the day, it was instincts that allowed slight changes which would push someone to develop faster.

Beyond that, the beasts were always aware of their surroundings. They were territorial, but they would not fight those stronger than them if they realized it. The group would hide their strength so that they could move more easily. The monsters were not hiding anything.

As the blood moon cutlists moved, Clark could feel something playing at his senses. Right on the edge of what he could perceive, he was sensing an ominous energy that most people would not assume was anything but a general feeling of unease. But Clark knew better.

Since he had Crim, Shy, and Devi sharing their senses and energies, his body had grown immensely by comparison. He could fathom what these ominous feelings meant while moving head. Especially with the facts that he had trained himself to pay close attention to everything around him. Everyone in the group had done so with Jerold acting as the one hiding from them.

"What do you think is ahead?" Grace felt that Clark’s gaze had become harder. He was focusing on his senses more which meant that he was trying to figure something out. It was easier than ever to spot when he was thinking harder. The entire group had become acclimated to moments like this.

"Whatever is ahead, has webbed feet. But this dungeon has not shown any water yet. It’s supposed to have beasts that get larger the lower the floor. So, on the seventh floor, could there be water? Is that why there might be a monster that the leading cultist keeps around with webbed feet?" Clark’s theory made a lot of sense. But it also made Isa and Grace feel that they would be the ones fighting if that were the case.

Since they both had the ability to use ice, they could freeze any water that they encountered. "Grace and I will be taking the lead then." The stairs were right in front of them. Since these floors were all singular chambers or one massive chamber with smaller rooms off to the side, their speed getting through them was high.. Especially since Jerold was helping them track the cultists through this floor.

"Do it." Meria was the driving force again. She had a feeling that having Grace And Isa move ahead was the very best move. But Isa was on edge. She also called out the perfect crystal golem which has grown considerably. However, she didn’t let it lead for them. Instead, she fused with it right away.

She had rarely done so since she was less versed in earth energy, especially the unique earth energy that was crystals in perfect form like this golem. However, as she did, long crystals formed over her arms and the majority of her body. Clark could tell that her body had greatly strengthened its defenses. Shocking them though, the wind caterpillar which had long developed a cocoon appeared on her shoulder.

He looked at it expecting that something had gone horribly wrong with the growth toward a wind monarch butterfly. Instead, though, he found a secret that Isa had been holding. A new growth form that she and her partner had devised and was documenting alone.

’Greater wind caterpillar- ultra rare

By taking a longer stage of being a wind caterpillar, this wind caterpillar will follow a tertiary cocooning phase to grow its wind affinity to an even higher level. While this is not done in the wilderness due to the fact that they are hunted by other beasts, this has been the first time the option of safety and true growth impossible.

With this, the wind caterpillar has doubled its wind affinity and taken on the name, greater, causing it to also grow in to a deeper green coloration. As it uses wind energy, it is double as efficient and will pull less energy from its tamer. It will also be able to grow in to a true wind monarch if it is able to form a proper tertiary cocoon...’

"You keep some secrets too lately." Clark made a small comment but was not afraid of this. He knew that everyone in the group had done more than just train. They had all shared knowledge. They had all learned a great deal. The fact that Isa and her partner had communicated enough to grasp the changes on growth plans alone was astonishing. It was worthy of writing her own beast plan that could shake the foundation of everyone who thought wind caterpillars were weak!

"We have gone past that. Grace, hold my back while I take the front. I will be fighting like Ralph today." The wind caterpillar fused with her too. The tough defenses of crystal that boosted her body were suddenly changed in to a very deep emerald color. A slight breeze revolved around her as Isa bounced from foot to foot.

The wind was allowing her to move freely without the added weight of the perfect crystal golem slowing her. In a gust of wind, Isa was pushing ahead down the stairs while Grace was behind her. Clark could see the clan perfectly. Isa was the fighter while Grace would handle the water by freezing it.

This strategy was a drastic change to how Isa usually fought behind others. Using the fire or the ice to attack and defend. But using the crystal and the wind to fully take on a target fist to fist? That was a great way to change and push the limits of her unique abilities to fuse temporarily with her partners.

"We need to keep up!" Jerold and Maria darted forward with Clark covering their backs. Grace and her partner had shared wind energy to allow them to keep up with Isa.

As they set foot on the floor behind the pair, the three witnessed Isa slamming her hand forward covered in a dense crystal reminiscent of gauntlets. The beast she had struck, was not at all what any one of them had expected.

In front of her, was a tougher looking penguin.

’Iron flow penguin- ultra rare

This beast is extremely rare since it has developed in an area too close to the volcanic islands of the north. Due to this, it has adapted to the natural formations of water and exposed metal veins within the earth.

It shed away the general powerful water typing that would naturally progress towards ice. Instead, it took on metal and water balanced types which greatly boosted the defenses and its ability to shoot water and use it on its flippers to create water blades.

The metal beak is able to channel water around it. This causes the damage it can achieve to the shelled skier fish it enjoys as food to become major. A single speedy slash and it will have its prey. Defensively, it is also able to use its water encased beak to deflect dangerous attacks.

While it is not within its natural environment, this beast is easily able to adapt by using water within the air to allow it control of small streams. It can literally glide through the air on these small streams of water by using larger amounts of water energy. It is very deceptive....’

Clark saw that Isa had slammed her fist in to the beak of the iron flow penguin. The water cut away some of the crystal on her hands, but the penguin was still tossed back. Just because Isa didn’t feel the weight with the wind energy, did not mean that the weight was gone. The penguin didn’t have wind energy to help it resist the force behind Isa as she was now. Even with its very own metal typing.

"It’s going to come behind you!" Clark shouted the warning as the flying iron flow penguins suddenly took to the air. Dense streams of water condensing around it out of the air. It flew around and tried to hit Isa on the back. But when an arrow of ice stabbed in to the water flowing around it and froze solid, the iron flow penguin could only fall flat on the ground with its confusion growing.

That was until Isa leaped in to the air and slammed the crystal covered gauntlets on to the back of its head. "I have to say, I might need to fight like this more often." Isa was very fired up with this style of battle. She liked the change of pace from sitting behind everyone and being defended. Now she was the defender.