Spirit Taming

Chapter 302: Getting Colder

"No, you are still wrong. The difference between the flame rune and the heat rune is the amount of energy. They all fit within the fire rune category. But they are different. The heat rune will bring in just enough fire energy from the surroundings to be able to help warm something.

The flame rune will create a rune that requires your personal energy to condense some fire energies to make a small flame. It can be altered to even coat something in flames."

The speed that Ella had been absorbing the information that Clark had found was astounding. He was quickly seeing the difference between genius and average. Especially since he was trying his best to read the same books as her and keep up.

Ralph was the one currently being lectured. Ried to learn the runes as well since he would have to make things that worked with them. The forging knowledge that he was after would need to be a perfect pair with every rune that was used. Ella and Clark would be the ones engraving, but that didn't mean that Ralph could skip learning about runes.

The scary part was, that Ralph had caught on that he might be able to carve some runes himself. That would make him a monster. A triple threat that could forge, carve runes, and battle with the best. None of these things could be done by the average person. His views were too small and he was just now realizing it.

"Grace, aren't you getting cold?" Maria and Reese were the two complaining about the cold the most. Isa had already handed out some extra coats that she had been smart enough to purchase when she had the chance at the last dungeon. But Grace seemed to be unaffected by the cold at all.

"No, it's actually very nice out. I feel like this is just a cool fall breeze." Grace's smile was growing by the day. She had branched out a lot since she had met the others, the main reason being the support that he had received and the fact that she was constantly improving in every aspect of her life.

"You all need to realize that she also has a beast very close to completing a major change in its energies." Professor Wright had spoken less and less over the last few days. It appeared that she was letting them learn freely without her guiding them. Naturally, this had led to debates about runes, plans to grow more, and even Calrk showing off some herbs that they had passed by.

He had been using his analysis ability a lot.

"Oh, since Grace will have an ice type beast too, that means she will resist the cold like I do!" Isa was happy to have someone else that could wear a thin jacket and play in the snow. Over the last few days, the nights had brought frost with them while the sky had become gray.

The reason being simple, they were on the borders to the northern territories. This was enough for them to see the changes in environment. The snow had not been seen much yet but they were all certain that they would be seeing it within the hour. Luckily, they would be stopping right before they would have to deal with that.

"So that's the place?" Brad had been tired the last few days of travel. He had been doing extra work outs as they walked. Reese had actually been joining him as well. The two had mock battles that required them to move and also remain close to the group. It was a strange training method that would prepare them for moving around safely in dungeons while being chased by beasts.

"That is the white rabbit dungeon. You can all enter as you see fit. No one will come and bother you since it is a small dungeon and there are many more like it. The largest one is owned by a tamer group with merchant ties. This one was perfect since it is not seen as worth hunting at all due to the smaller size." Professor Wright set to making a fire immediately.

She was ready for a rest and something warm.

"Grace, do you know why this place will be the best for your wind whistler?" Clark glanced at Grace who seemed about ready to rush in to the dungeon alone.

"Because of the ice energy there. It should help my partner make a more solid body of ice?" The excitement bled through in to every single word that Grace said. She was practically bouncing in place.

"Yes and no. It is perfect because the environment is ideal. But it is also a place with plenty of related materials that many people won't have touched. The older the ice crystals there the better." Clark's idea was that this dungeon would have things that many tamers had not bothered with.

The rabbits there would be less wary of humans. That meant that the white rabbits could be easily caught for their furs. Then there were the naturally appearing materials, whether they were crystals, herbs, or other materials, they were all perfect. The less they had been touched the better the qualities would be of all the materials that they harvested.

"The white rabbits have strong icy nails and their teeth are sharp as well. But they are ice type beasts. Remember that they will be able to shoot small ice shards at you using their skills." Ella was certain that they would encounter these dangers.

"With me around we will be fine. My shield will block weak ice attacks while you do what you need to do."

"You say that as if you will block them. I will cut them apart with my partner first." Reese and Brad had started up an odd rivalry. Brad was normally uninterested in these things. But when he had been training with the ever diligent Reese, he had lit a small fire within him. He had someone to compete with to be stronger.

And naturally, Brad wanted his black iron shield and sword to beat Reese's abyssal sword. Not that they could ever beat a real beast once the abyssal sword grew enough. But no one said that.

"Let's not start with that. We will go in together but we will be able to fight alone once we get inside. The white rabbits are fast but very weak. Defeat however many you can so that we can take them with us. Remember not to take the roots of ice type herbs. They have a tough time growing back if you do.

And if you happen to see a white rabbit with blue eyes instead of red eyes, retreat. It is a white rabbit alpha and it is most likely able to create spears instead of shards of ice. They are tougher to block."

Between what Ella knew and what Clark knew of white rabbits, everyone had a good understanding of the dangers. But what they should have realized was the cold they would face. Just the entrance of the small cave was sending out cold breezes.

Unlike the other dungeons, this one had absolutely no camps or signs that people had been there. The reason it never broke and many beasts left it was simple, the rabbits like the dungeon. The cold inside was perfect for them to leave. If they left they would be in a palace with predators and warmer temperatures. It was like asking them to their death.

Other white rabbit dungeons were in deeper territory of the north. That meant that the white rabbits could easily leave and live in the wilderness. Not that they got far when the tamers were always nearby hunting them.

Clark took the lead before anyone else did. Grace carried the box where her wind whistler had been sealed for days and days with her. She could feel the cold starting to bite at her but she also felt fairly at home. This was the feeling that her partner was sending her as it felt the growing ice type energy in the air.

The wind and the ice would be working well together. The wind could cause ice to grow due to the changes in temperatures that the wind could cause. That was why no one was surprised when they were suddenly in a frozen and open field.

Small bushes popped up here and there but from what they could see this was a word of white. Snow could fall but the sky was bright and blue. Clear of any clouds at all. The ice was here and there creating wind swept shapes between the snow that built up in drifting dunes.

There was only the sound of peaceful winds other than their breathing. The cold seemed to eat in to them as they stood feeling the soft breeze on their bodies. Isa quickly pulled out more warm clothing from her spatial ring. She had underestimated the temperature a little too much but was glad to have the extras just in case.

"Now, get to it. Grace, stay with Ella and I. we will start the process of your wind whistler's final growth." Clark was ready to do this. They just needed to follow what his analysis had told him.