Spirit Taming

Chapter 655: Broken Academy

Reaching the Nova Academy gates did not take long. No one had the courage to cause the group any trouble. Especially with the Mane family guards being the escorts for them. Not to mention, the group was not looking normal.

Most of the academy students that roamed around were from prominent families. They had their own guards. This was enough to deter those who wanted to take a chance to deal a heavy blow to that family or take the academy student as one of their own powers to raise. That was not an unheard of thing.

Yet. when people saw the group, something would flicker in their minds. An idea that simply did not fit them. That student was not the right word for what the group was individually.

Those with trained eyes like the older guards and the other tamers that had been out in the wilderness had seen more. They noticed how the group constantly shifted their gaze to take in the surroundings. How the group adjusted itself to be able to cover their weaknesses along with bolstering their strengths.

Even without weapons in their hands, the group was letting off a generally intimidating atmosphere. The moment that the group made it to the gates of Nova Academy, this was all that much more evident.

"You must present your identification. Only students and professors are allowed inside or out. If you do not have these, you will be unable to enter." the guards at the gate had a clearly tired expression, but their duties were from. Their reason to be there had to remain as such.

When it came to the family battle shere, these guards were the only ones that had managed to remain. They were the most loyal to the academy and were strong enough to enter the majority of minions sent from large families. While they would crumble against those with real power, these guards knew that they must act stronger regardless.

When they saw the group though, they instinctively clenched their hands on their own weapons. They also focused with narrow eyes that showed how much more awake they had become upon noticing the group of so called students.

"We are returning from our travels after winning the tournaments for the academy. I can see that you have a gargoyle pin. You must follow my mentor." Clark spotted the gray gargoyle pin. The same as patterns on his student robes that had been given to him by Alexander to help keep some foolish people from bothering him.

"We do follow Sir Alexander. You have a good eye. We will allow you all to enter." it wasn't that they believed Clark's words, but they sensed the dragon energies radiating from Clark. They knew well that Clark had multiple beasts, one a dragon slime that had made many rumors circulate. It was rare enough to act as identity alone.

"Thank you for the hard work. We will try and make things easier within the week." Clark did not even take a moment to look at them after this. He knew that these guards were here for one reason only. They had not rested for that reason. They deserved words that were not followed by a smile that would never be backed up. He had to push ahead to ensure they would happen.

While many of the things on the way to the academy building appeared to be the same, there were signs that people had fought here. The woods made for students to go through a test to enter and become first years was nearly barren. Many trees shattered or burned. Even some places where ice had been melting in to puddles.

This evidence was her because some people had clearly fought before to take away students in to their families. It was even scarier to imagine that there would be professors that had fought one another based on who had corrupted them. Who they had pledged loyalty to that was not the students that should be their first priority at all times.

"I hate this. The entire place feels like it was just put through a war." Isa grimaced the more that she felt this place had fallen apart. She wished to see this place full of life and potential, not what it was now.

"It's good that it is broken. Do you think that it could be built again properly if it wasn't torn down first?" Jerolds' words made it sound like he was happy to see the academy broken. Even Clark looked at him with concern.

"What? How else will we help it rebuild in to a place that accepts everyone instead of testing people and completely eliminating them from ever learning more about being a tamer? We should have all the subjects expanded and rely less on battle prowess as a whole." Jerold' views made a lot more sense. Especially to Ralph.

"I wouldn't mind seeing fewer kids on the streets. They could come learn something here that would give them money or food." he wondered what would have happened if he had that chance instead of needing to struggle and luck out in a chance to get in to the academy. If he had not had that lucky break, he would have remained on the streets. Potentially dying there.

"So we can push them to use this land for something better. I like that. Maybe a course on surviving and hunting for herbs in a safer wilderness area. Plenty of people want to travel and see the world. It will only be more so when there are students that are closer to people from other cities." Isa saw a chance to expand the merchant empire in her dreams. It made sense to hear her talk like this.

"Look at you. A sight for these old eyes. Well, eye now." The laugh was a little rough. The guardian of the gates that Clark had only met twice before but had made a deep impression with his unknown and mysterious strength stood before them.

The main gate had cracked stones and the guardian had lost an eye along with gaining some new scars. However, he looked well for what must have been some hard battles.

His beast, though, was nowhere to be seen. But a bundle of fabric nearby made Clark understand that the mimic was harmed. It couldn't take the little black cat form that it had used before. It must be resting there while the guardian of the gates had stood guard, waiting for another enemy to come by.

"We have come back. I should hope to help you as well. But I have a feeling you are about to tell us to go somewhere first?" Clark saw a small smirk on the older man's face. He looked at all of them with a clear expectation and also an air of pride. He had seen many students.

This man had been here for longer than a lot of the professors. It was even easier to say that he was the oldest member of the academy. A true blooded family of the academy as a whole. He had seen those who rose to greatness, fell to corruption, and worse off, perished to never come back. He had seen something in this group though.

Now he was certain, he would finish this year out and finally be able to retire.

"Yes yes, head to the main open square. Things should be clear there. An old man like myself is about to take control of the academy. He might need a few more spry kids like you to help him end this foolish fight." as if it was timed, the entire group heard a familiar roar. Well, it was only familiar to Clark who had met the beasts that made them before.

"Those would be the four elemental gargoyles that Alexander has as his beasts. We should head there. I have a feeling that they are about to fight." Clark felt that their timing had been good but also bad. They were jumping right in to the flames of battle.

"We expected this though, there was going to be some sort of fight and if they already have a start on the academy, we can make better time." Grace's positive attempt made the group feel slightly better. But as they began to move faster, they spotted a group of students with a few professors and even some guards.

The sight would have been fine if they were not the ones appearing to be the ones to start this. But the ones on the opposing side of things were just as similar in stature and state. Bruised and clearly not ready to keep fighting now that a loud set of beast roars had come out of nowhere.

Standing tall in the middle with four elemental gargoyles around him, was Alexander. Behind him, a group of Mane family guards and another familiar face. They had just managed to stop the fighting going on, but things were not even close to finished.