Spirit Taming

Chapter 318: The Opening Ceremony

"What did you do to him?" Grace was showing a rare worried look when she glanced at Ralph and the fact that he seemed to be in another world rather than back in the inn with them. It had been an entire night of rest and Ralph was still stuck in his own mind even after replenishing the water that the forge had burned out.

"Well, even though he listened to me for once and drank water, he stayed up way too long studying forging and energy control. Even his molten boar was working all night in his taming space. If I hadn't been able to sleep with all the waves of energy they released…" Clark sent a small glare at Ralph, however, if anyone had paid enough attention they would see that he was very impressed.

"The energy that Ralph and his partner released made my partner very happy. While we meditated last night, Ralph was the main reason we were able to better connect with one another. It was a great chance!" Reese was at the drastic other side of the spectrum.

The energy that was released when the molten boar would purify and concentrate an ore in its body without digesting it was pure metal energy. It was what was left over when the ore was purified and the impurities started to get digested. This fueled the foundation that the abyssal sword had. Just looking at the edges proved that it had become sharper and more domineering.

"I'm glad that there are thick walls then. I needed to rest after planting that jade wind tree in my taming space. You didn't tell me that it would grow so much." Isa was the most happy with the developments after Clark had given her the tree leaves, seeds, and the wind elemental caterpillar egg. She was preparing to hatch it sooner than expected.

"I knew it would work well with your taming space. You didn't have wind energy to really even things out. Now you have all four elemental energies flowing perfectly in your taming space. I figure you will be more complete in the next few days." It was easy for Clark and everyone to guess that Isa would truly start to grow in to a monstrous figure.

"I wrote it all down with Isa so that Ella can read it too. It was a lot of work. My hands are still covered in coal and ink from the pencils and quills." Maria was a little unhappy. She had struggled to keep up with what Isa had said. So many things to document before the opening ceremonies. And so little time.

It was all worth it though.

"Good. I see that you all kept out of trouble. Even Jerold spent more time in his own room than out exploring." Professor Wright had Jerold with him when she came to pick the rest of her students up. She did feel a little sad that she didn't have Ella with them anymore but that was just how things went. She was older and was part of her own group now that she had real battle strength.

"Things went well?" Clark looked at Jerold with hard eyes. He was sure that Jerold had done exactly as he told him. The material he needed to return the true poisonous strength of the chameleon after growing in to an armor skin chameleon. It would keep many people on the edge of their seat when Jerold faced an enemy that he could not beat with force.

"Follow me. The northern streets are very busy and we will be getting to the grand arena constructed for this event as fast as we can." Professor Wright didn't want to be late. She knew that if they were even a step behind then she could cost everyone a loss.

True to her words, professor Wright led them all out to a very busy main road. The fires that kept the streets warmed seemed wasteful at the moment. So many people around made things warmer in general. It was a lucky clear sky helping the crowds remain warmed as well.

A few people from all walks of life moved here and there. The attires were more varied than any of the group had ever seen. "Those are outfits from the western deserts! And there are the tidal symbols of the ocean sailing clans! And that's the-"

"Isa, please stop telling everyone everything. They will get to learn later. For now, prepare a list of what they will need to know and share it later after the opening ceremony." This push from Professor Wright made them all move faster.

The crowds saw students being guided in matching attires and made way. It was a respectable action since they were there to watch them fight for their academies. Other student groups soon showed themselves all heading to the same destination. Clark's eyes tracked all of them trying to get a glance of beasts but was only able to see one or two.

Unfortunately, it appeared that they were newly contracted beasts. They were there to throw off others. A wise tactic.

The ice covered arena that presented itself had been enlarged greatly. It stood tall enough to host thousands of people. There were even different merchant sections that had been taken by the best of the best merchant families. Isa didn't hesitate to point out the small stalls her family had claimed. She didn't have the time to stop though. She would do that later.

There was so much to see that they went right by. Clark couldn't even keep up with the small rooms and the stands that he saw all around him. Now he found himself standing right in the center of the large arena. Instead of multiple arenas, it seemed that the massive arena had been enlarged so that every battle would host a different age group.

That meant that four age groups would fight at the same time.

Group after group appeared to stand in designated spaces while guards clad in ice like armor appeared to surround the entire arena. The crowds had gathered in the stands like a tide released from a dam. So many people shouted in a roar of excitement.

"Silence!" the single voice broke through all the sound. Believe it or not, the sound had come from a single woman standing on a platform of ice that was expanding to create a single chair well above everyone.

"Welcome to all the academies that have accepted the invitation of my great city. I Astrid Nebula have recently taken back the great family name that founded this city and have built this grand arena to showcase every battle that the academies had yearned to bring to you, the people of our great continent."

The grand standing of the woman with icy blue hair and pure white robes stunned everyone. She was a central point and boasted so much that others could not seem to comprehend. However, her claim to the Nebula family name was a very big deal. This family had been thought to be extinct which was why the north had so many battles over power.

Now that this woman stood here, it was a signal that the north had been stabilized fully under their founding bloodline.

"My Nebula academy welcomes all academies standing here today. NovaAcademy, Star academy, Terra Academy, Dipper academy, Celestial academy, Comet academy, Lunar academy, and Solar academy have all come from their respective cities. You have left your homes to challenge one another and gain great rewards."

"Fight as a team to represent your academy. All ages will have a chance at rewards. Not one, but a united team will win this year. It is foolish to boost a single student. I wish to see combined might in every battle. That is why eight students will fight for points to gain a true victory over one another.

A single genius may not change the entire battle!"

This brought another cheer. More battles meant a greater experience for the crowd. "The rewards will be eight hundred of every energy crystals we can possibly provide. The grand reward will be the chance to tame a single egg. The absolute when it comes to all ice type dragons, the ice age dragon!" Silence fell over everyone. Such a reward was insane.

It was too much. Too powerful.

Clark had not heard of such a powerful dragon. But others had. This reaction around him proved that it was a dragon with a powerful bloodline and definitely a chance to make anyone who tamed it a very powerful tamer.

"That is not all, the first place students will also gain a chance to enter the ice castle dungeon. That is where the best materials, the best beasts, and the best opportunities of the north are held. You should all rejoice! This is a tournament like no other!"

Cheering erupted from everyone. Even the surrounding students lost their minds over the grand rewards. The energy crystals alone would be a massive benefit to anyone. What wasn't used could be sold. What was used would greatly benefit a tamer.

The ice age dragon egg would go to a single person but the person that took it would be on the fast track to becoming a top power. The resources and opportunities in the northern ice castle dungeon would just add rewards upon rewards. As long as the risk was weighted properly, a student could come out three times or even five times as strong. It all depended on them.