Spirit Taming

Chapter 42: Ralph On Board

Glancing around, Clark found that he had been unlucky enough to end up in the very group he did not desire to be in. His classmates were Maira, Ralph, and another boy who seemed to already be under the influence of the Cain family.

Ralph had been punished by having to carry an additional backpack full of food and water. The added weight was enough to slow him down and make the entire trip harder. But it was a fitting punishment for not following what he had been told. He also matched a few other students that had failed to sneakily gather information.

The lesson had not only been to sharpen the way the students gathered information. It had also been a good way for them to learn that asking about certain things came with consequences. Nova academy would not fail to teach their students the value that came with teaching their students that the world was not always a positive and open place.

"Clark…?"

"I know. We have to deal with that blond idiot in charge of us with his four lackeys and the kid in our class that seems to be his pet." Clark was watching the six talk amongst themselves. They were already planning their trip with the map provided.

"Listen closely. Now that you are in groups, you will follow your team leader to go through pre-planned pathways. You are to watch and learn from the third year students. You will be expected to hand in a written report of this outing. Do not stray from your group under any circumstances!" Professor Wright and professor Brune relayed some other simple rules before they walked in to the dying forest.

They would be in hiding to watch the students. Clark was sure there were other professors around as well doing the same.

"This is dumb. I have a cheater and a weakling as partners. Then that kid who can only suck up to someone else." Ralph angrily grumbled while constantly adjusting the extra heavy bag he carried.

"Listen to me closely. Ignore whatever feelings you have of me or Maria. The real problem is that blond idiot who is out to get us. Do you think that smile on his face says he likes anyone?" Clark spoke with such steel that Ralph actually felt himself get colder.

"Whatever you say. But don't boss me around. I am stronger and tougher than everyone here.' The disdainful attitude hid the fact that Ralph actually had fear for the big families. Ralph was just lucky to get a powerful steel haired boar as a spirit beast.

If he had not gained this his family would not have been able to send him to the examination and make the proper payments to allow him to attend Nova academy.

"Maria, I would not normally say this. But stay close to me. They are already starting to target us to make a point." Clark braced himself as the young master of the Cain family approached.

"You will call me leader. You will follow my orders. You will not bring shame to myself or us hard working students. Understand?" Clark was still annoyed that the young master of the Cain family had not introduced himself properly. It was just too arrogant to keep up this facade that he was so much better than anyone else in the world.

"Sure thing, but when will I get to fight something? My partner and I will crush any-"

"Silence kid. Your pig can't handle a breeze compared to our beasts. You will follow and carry the supplies as you are told. Do not disobey young master Allen."The single punch one of the third year student delivered caused Ralph to nearly vomit. His boar was greeted with a swift kick from another of the third year lackeys causing equal pain.

"How sad, the first years have such little intelligence. I will have to teach you well as we travel. We are leaving now." The young master of the Cain family; Allen, started walking away. He didn't even bother to wait for Ralph to recover.

"Crim, help up the boar. I will get Ralph." Even though Clark was not a fan of Ralph's poor attitude, he did not fully hate him. He was clearly the victim here and Clark would not allow the Cain family to have any victory, no matter how small.

Maria was silent. She could feel the tension while they started to move. She wasn't even being looked at. She kept herself as silent as possible. One wrong move and she knew the worst could happen. She could more than lose the progress she had made to start her own path to obtain what had been taken from her.

"Listen to me, put your attitude in check. I am making a plan to deal with them. We will wait for the right opportunity and allow them to seal their own fate. Just trust me for this and watch what we can do when we work together. You're a hard headed jerk but you are not poisonous like them." Clark whispered to Ralph as he helped him up.

It was the most Clark had tried to convey in a single phrase to Ralph thus far. But it appeared to work.

"Just this once." The whispered growl of a response came as Ralph caught his breath. Ralph was not some rich child. being treated like worthless trash cut him deeply. it was as if his hard work had been fruitless.

Hearing the response, Clark decided to send Devi off ahead with a silent message. He was no longer planning to let Devi just run off to look for things to get stronger. Clark needed a good scout to find the right place. The right chance to clean this mess up. His eyes were fully turned on the Cain family young master and his lackeys.

Maria was taking quick glances at Clark. She had never seen him make the face he had at the moment. It was expressionless. Devoid of any emotion. The only thing she could see was a dead cold expression with perfect fixation on Allen walking ahead ordering his lackeys to prepare for the three goblins they had spotted ahead of them.

"Two red bobcat familiars, one earth hamster, and a rock lizard. All uncommon but having strong training bases. Exactly what they would have with the backing of a strong family. Weak beasts that can be strengthened to be ahead of their classmates at the same level.

This is how the Cain family sent in other students to Nova academy to follow Allen's orders." Clark made sure to speak just loud enough for Maria and Ralph to hear. He was frustrated, Allen had not revealed his tamed beast yet.

"Walking library. What do I need to beat first?" Ralph was annoyed that he could only identify the two of four monsters the lackeys had.

"Beat the earth hamster. It can make pits in the ground. It's small but the strongest here. They are actually carnivorous and eat the prey they trap underground. Crim will handle the two red bobcats. They are quick and have sharp claws but Crim will be fine against them.

Ignore the rock lizard. It will panic because our classmate has not trained it. Just strengthened it. It's a novice in a fight." Clark prepared Ralph and Crim while waiting for Devi. every step got them deeper in to the dying forest.