Spirit Taming

Chapter 512: Equal Trade

"Withered what now? That can't be… but I heard of something like this before. The labyrinth bull that can use golden flames, metal, and earth…" the merchant was rambling on about beasts that he had heard about and seen as a child. These things all seemed to coem together in his mind.

"Young customer, You have done more than what we agreed on. How about I throw in an additional item to match the price of your item?" The merchants' sudden change of tone made Clark wonder just how valuable the merchant saw this herb as. It was too specific for Clark to find value in it, but he was certain that it was rare and useful to certain people.

"The guards are keeping eyes on everyone entering the city. Even more closely than before. There are rumors that Lunar city is sending spies inside to take over our dungeons before taking over all of the city. It's not their usual act since they prefer to use their own territory. But apparently, six spies have already been caught.

They even claimed openly when they were that they were from Lunar academy."

"Really? No torture or anything? They just yelled it?" Isa opened her eyes wide. It was a clear pile of lies. How could anyone just give up their closest secret right before they were being captured. They could have at least tried to buy time.

And Lunar City was known to be smarter than that. This directly went against what they were just learning about the style of each city.

"Let me take a guess, those spies miraculously die of poison right after saying that. Like a declaration that war was coming without a single bit of proof. Just enough to put everyone on edge. Tighten security." Clark slowly spoke. Every word carrying more weight than it did before.

"I like a smart customer. Your intuition is exactly right. Now the guards are more focused on the city and the borders. Fewer are around the dungeons. The routes are being patrolled but the territory might be too large to keep up with. So take the routes I showed you and keep your eyes out for spies that don't make sense." the merchant ushered them out.

His attitude had dramatically improved.

Seeing that Isa and Clark were returning, the rest of the group gathered around them. "Professor Wright, I don't know what you will want to do, but I have a theory that will make a lot more sense with all the information we just learned. It will sound far fetched for now, but I think it's the most likely case after the other things we have seen lately."

With sharper eyes, Professor Wright looked at Clark. "I already heard the information you heard. I would not allow you to leave my sight without a guard. But I would like to hear you speak your theories out loud. Maybe not here though, too many little rats listening in on us." a sharp glance toward the other stalls made a few people that had been clearly listening glance away.

"Then we should just head outside now. There's no point in staying anywhere that the inn won't let us. We don't need too many materials from here that we can't get in the wilderness. Solar Academy would deny us entry anyways with the current events. So, we should just head out." Clark said this a little loudly making sure that everyone heard that they were giving up on staying around.

A few guards nearby appeared to nod.

It wasn't hard to guess that the guards nearby had been told to keep an eye on them. Clark had been nice to say that they were leaving out loud. It would keep the guards from needing to follow their group around. A small kindness for some guards forced to follow their group regardless of what they actually needed to do in the grand scheme of protecting their homes.

While most of the group understood that things would be better leaving, Ralph clearly was more annoyed since he had expected to be able to get to a forge. He hadn't been able to afford buying everything he wanted when it came to tools to forge in the wilderness. This left him at a standstill in a place known for manipulating fire and growing understanding of forge flames.

"Don't get all angry. You will learn more in the dungeon we are going to than anywhere else we could possibly go." Clark made sure that Ralph was somewhat appeased while they managed to return to the place they had entered. Even without the map, Clark had a good idea of where to go. But with the map, he was certain he could get them to a good camping place.

The same guards that had taken their identities when they arrived asked yet again. None of them flinched when they saw the group leaving. As if they were certain that the group would be pushed out faster than others. Yet, a few guards looked a little disappointed.

While it was true that Solar academy city was strict, they still needed people coming in and out to be able to maintain their home. The guards that blindly followed orders were glad to see travelers leave. Those that realized the need for new blood coming to their city looked a bit more worried. This was another lost chance for their home.

"We can't change Solar academy city, can we?" Grace asked Maria what she thought. It was an easily answered question right now.

"Not right now. We are too weak to even try and help our own. Maybe one day." Maria's mind was resting on the fact that if Solar and Lunar cities could stop fighting that they would be able to unite things better. Create better trade routes. Grow for the first time in too many generations. But that was all just a what if right now.

The others heard what Maria said, but between Jerold, Reese, and Brad, it was clear that neither of them agreed. They were sure that their group could do something. Between the three of them, they had been growing closer more and more lately. Especially after showing off their training results. They had let the actions so far of their group take root in them.

The desire to fix the problems within their home and even outside of their home had become very clear to their future goals.

The heat hit them all with what anyone would feel was vengeance for leaving it outside. Even though the sky had started to dim as night time came towards them, the group was left with a sense of awe as well. The magma and flowing lava left the entire lava fields bright and shifting.

This wilderness sight was one that made it appear that the entire dangerous wilderness was actually a beauty waiting to be taken in. Most people never considered the soft glow of magma to be beautiful, but in stark contrast to the starlit sky, the magma was its own unique light trying to reach up.

"I guess this place is nice to look at. Better than that city made of stupid lava rocks and judgy fools." Ralph's grumbling didn't stop as they left the walls and ignored the looks of guards from a distance.

"This should be far enough, so, what is the plan?" Ella pulled a journal out and showed that she had her full attention on Clark to record every single word.

"We are heading to a dungeon that Solar City is hiding because it connects to multiple worlds and is an independent space. It has extremely rare fire type materials and even has some beasts with dragon blood or dragon welps which are abandoned hatchlings. That means growth for Crim, the flame sprite, and even Ella's blue flame skeleton if need be."

Clark's pause made them all look at him wondering what he was trying to be dramatic. "But the fact that spies have been yelling they are from Lunar academy city before dying of poison within Solar City made me think of something worse."

"The storm from a beast that would normally not fight another beast and influence nature just happened to affect this entire area. Partially flooding and locking down Terra City. Causing dense mists and fogs for Lunar City. Then causing beasts to be unsettled all over Solar Academy city territories."

What organization would benefit from another city being in turmoil and causing trouble between them? What group would want to steal away a dungeon that has connections to whatever world is beyond the dungeons? A world that might have monstrous beasts that are worse than what we have here now."

"Your theory is that the blood moon cult is acting on their own and causing all of this. Inciting a beast fight between powerful beasts. Putting two cities on the brink of another all out war battle. And then stealing a dungeon to get at races that normally are nowhere near us or only interact with us when need be." Ella put out the summary while everyone, including Professor Wright, frowned deeply.

This sounded very plausible, but also very VERY very bad.