Spirit Taming

Chapter 469: Plenty Of Time

While the enamor with the library took them a few hours, Clark eventually had to put his foot down. He had been able to copy what he needed to know down along with finding two more similar books. The tips, processes, and even references were all very welcome. He believed that many of the things he had just learned would be invaluable to him while creating his own moving meditation technique.

His studies seemed to have been the quickest. Isa was still sitting with a few books, but she also showed some signs of beginning to fall asleep. There was only so much knowledge that could be absorbed at once. Especially when numbers and math were concerned. That was the best way to slow anyones mind and make them that much closer to sleeping. Basically a hidden sleep skill!

The outstanding part of their studies that Isa and Clark found after he snapped her back to reality was Maria. Her book fort had been found by the bookkeeper worm and she had become its closest overserver. Every single time that Lit tried to take another book from the shelf it would stop her. The same with the midnight eel, but it was sneakier and tried to grab them from Maria's shadows.

"What did you manage to find?" Clark knew this was a harder question to answer but it made the most sense. Especially since Maria had been focused on alchemy and beasts that could help her.

"Too much! I have some things in books from the healers, I recorded various advanced techniques and herbs. But I can't write fast enough! I swear, there is so much more hidden here that I will never get to read. I need to get more." The slightly erratic look in her eyes was from someone who had clearly fallen down the rabbit hole. Maria had been trapped by her own focus.

Yet, when the two saw that Maria had managed to copy enough information to fill five of the thicker journals that Ella kept with her, it was stunning. She had been writing furiously to put down all of the most important information. "Oh, and you will have to look for a beasts for me. All the ones that I read about here are either fire related or earth related.

Apparently a spiritual type alchemy beast is too rare. What's that all about?"

Normally Maria held herself back a little. She had been more calm and silent since she had met Clark. It was simple though. She had adapted to think more before she spoke or acted because that was what she liked about Clark. He was always pondering things before acting.

It would be a little funny if she were to realize that it was hesitation to speak while he read an analysis or was trying to think about what he already knew to move forward. But mostly because of analysis.

"I think you might have overheated your brain. It's time we found Ella and started to train. We can also ask around about beasts that might be good for alchemy when training. You never know what you might find." Clark was nice but he saw that Maria was still unprepared to leave. A simple glance to Isa for help was all he needed.

"If we head out now, we can train until we pass out. Then we will be closer to the auction where beasts will be sold off for sure. We might see some inspiration or get to buy an egg right there." Isa's prodding was enough to get Maria out of her odd mindset and to let go of a book that was quickly put back on a shelf by the bookkeeper worm.

"Good. you are all here. I need help writing the beast plans we can sell all over again. If Isa is going to sell them, they need to be the very best. Then I will need help recording my personal plans and research again. After that, we can focus on the information I have gathered about all of our beasts and fighting styles.

From there we can-"

"We can go train and focus on this stuff later. The beast plans that we all worked on to be able to sell are perfect the way they are. When we get bigger and attract more clients that want in person beast planning, we can use the best journals. For general sale or auctions we can use the ones we have." Isa stopped Ella in her spot.

The rewriting that had begun after Ella was left alone to learn from notes could be put on pause.

"If we sell the better ones directly to in person clients they will recommend more people to us. They will also like the more personalized and higher quality treatment.' Isa's explanation made a lot of sense to everyone. But they all saw that it was a great way to get Ella up and moving too.

"Apparently the libraries we go to are dangerous. We could get stuck here for days if we aren't careful. We just wasted five hours here at least!" Clark finally grasped a rough amount of time they had been here. It was somewhat shocking since he had not expected to get so absorbed. Not that it was really a waste, it just felt like they could have done more things in such a long time.

"Well, we know where the others went, so let's just try and catch up." Isa shrugged a little knowing that the others would definitely be where they left them. The forge and the training area. If things went well enough, they would find that all of them had already trained to their limits which would be perfect for drinking a nutrient rich potion and having Lit heal them.

From there the next round of training would start.

Without much more pushing, Clark led the way toward the training area. The forge was their first stop though. The number of blacksmiths around seemed to be fairly condensed though. This sight didn't tell the group anything though. It made sense that the only forge the group had seen so far would be busy with blacksmith students learning things.

What they did not expect was that it was Ralph they were watching. "What's going on here?" Clark asked one of the students watching Ralph slam his hammer down on to a piece of oddly shaped red hot metal.

"So basically, this senior student was here and worked on an entire armor set carved with runes. It was amazing. But after some bastards tried to take his money, this Nova academy kid arrived and fixed it all. Then they actually worked together and now the kid has been forging bracelets. The crazy part is, he is carving runes while the metal is still soft and hit!

Apparently it's a technique that the senior student showed him that's perfect for bracelets. But this Nova kid is already doing it."

"The weirdest part is, he brought another student with him. That Girl is controlling the heat with a dual ice and wind type beast. It's not a normal forging process. All of us control the heat with fire type beasts. But that boar melts metals and adds materials while the ice bird controls temperature. It's so weird but it works so well!"

The student didn't even look away from Ralph forging while he spoke. Instead, he stared at the bracelet being shaped as Ralph switched tools and Grace used the ice energy from her frost finch to slightly cool the bracelet. The two were working with intense focus. The heat and heavy lifting of metals clearly taking their toll on the two.

Not only were Ralph and Grace fighting the heat and general environment of the forge, but they were using energy while working. Ralph had to carefully handle the metals with the fire and metal energies from his boar. That way he could shape it better. Grace had to carefully manipulate the wind and ice type energies of her frost finch to cool or allow the flames to grow. Mental and physically draining.

"What are they making?" The three girls had trouble seeing over everyone the same way that Clark did since he was taller than them. But Clark had already started to use the analysis on the bracelets that he could see where completed.

'Bright iron bracelet of recovery- uncommon

The bright iron alloy used to forge this bracelet was heated and cooled at the perfect temperatures to create a near perfect bright iron alloy. This is hard to do for many novice blacksmiths.

The uncomplicated and weak elemental energy runes carved around the bracelet while it was still at hgh temperatures allowed the energies to seep in and alter the bracelet's natural structure. Now each bracelet will attract energies from the very space around it to help the wearer recover energy. This allows the wearer to regain their strength at a slightly faster than normal rate.'

Clark didn't even need to guess why Ralph had begun to make these and why he had appeared so focused. Clark just wished he could have met the senior student that was now gone. It seemed thank yous were in need.