"You can go home now. I will register your task as complete." Just outside, Alexander had shown himself. He quickly sent the student guiding Clark away.
"So you were watching the entire time." For a moment, Clark feared that his new mentor had seen what Clark had been doing. He feared that Alexander knew what Clark was able to do with his system's help.
"I was. You are taking a gamble. A dangerous one." Clark handed the card to the outstretched hand of his mentor. He knew that this was one reason why Alexander was there. "Now tell me, why."
The curiosity that bloomed on Alexander's face was the same anyone had when about to receive an answer to a mystery. This was what finally put Clark at ease. His mind was racing, he needed an explanation. One that would appease his mentor along with explaining what he knew.
"I remembered something. It might have just been a fairytale I heard from a traveling spirit tamer when I was little, but I remembered it. Can you see the color here on the side of the egg? It's not the same as others."
Alexander looked closely and saw the light striations. Striations he did realize were familiar. "Less like a shell, more like…bones." The look of understanding was all Clark needed to continue.
"Some beasts aren't born naturally. Some are born through strange ways. The only one I ever heard of that was born in bones is a slime. A dragon slime." Clark forced a wide smile knowing that it would make his act convincing.
Clark couldn't stop now though. He had to play his act more, show excitement. "If I can get dragon blood I can hatch it and have a beast that can rival the one I have now. I can more than stand on top of my class. It would bring a great deal of respect to my mentor." The last sentence played directly to Alexander's pride. It was perfect.
"I see what you are doing. Only one or two people in this academy could get the headmaster to give you such a thing. Not a single person could hatch such an egg. A sneaky student. But I like that. That girl only knew how to train herself to the top. You might have a brain in your head. Follow me."
The haughty attitude that Alexander showed off as he waltzed across campus was mesmerizing. Professors and students alike parted ways for him. He had an air of power that seemed to fall off of him in waves. It was a wonder since he didn't show a single bit of it consciously. "We are going to the rewards vault in the headmaster's office. I still have a key."
Feeling that this would be more interesting than anything he had expected, Clark took a deep breath while following Alexander in to the main building. Many professors were around speaking to each other about lesson plans along with outings. The task hall was here so many students held pieces of paper that contained their tasks. It was most likely the busiest place on the entire Nova academy campus.
Not a soul dared to stop them when Alexander began to climb the stairs toward the offices. They could see the matching patterns on Alexander and Clark's uniforms. This was an added benefit of being able to say he was a personal student of Alexander. Clark was sure to remember this.
"Sir the head master is busy-"
"I know, I am not here to see him. I will be doing something else." The secretary outside the headmaster's office felt as if she was nothing. Alexander had waved her off like there was no reason for her to be there.
"Again you barge in to my office. You are not the one in charge any longer old man!"
"Speaking with such anger in front of my new student. I try to teach you to have manners but you lack them still. Clark, this is the head of the academy. Markus Rain. He will award you the prizes when you take first in your class's end of your tournament." Clark realized that his words had a greater effect than he meant earlier. Alexander now expected him to win his class's end of your tournament no matter what. It was the cost of the dragon blood.
"I will be taking a few drops of dragon blood from the safe. You will be able to watch the reason. I can do that much for you." Alexander smirked while fiddling with a bookshelf in the large office.
The man that had been shown as the academy head master stood after hearing what Alexander said. He had on a pure white uniform with multiple gold symbols on hit that would set him aside from any other professor. "As this old man said, I am Markus Rain. I expect great things from you if HE, is bragging so much." The rivalry between the two was very clear.
"I will live up to and beyond the goals set for me. I have my reasons to pursue them even if death is the price I will pay." Clark spoke without holding back. He didn't want to sound soft, nor did he want to show that he was afraid to push himself to his limits.
"I certainly saw that. You found the biggest brat during the exam and ensured they would fail. A small beast gnawed on his arm while he was unconscious. He will never be able to fight again. Those two lackeys of his ran right in to traps. Some children have no hope." Alexander shook his head.
"I also saw your actions. They are dangerous. I recommend you think more before you act." Clark drew a sharp breath. He had unknowingly established a very poor image of himself. If only he had remembered that the professors watched every movement of the test.
"But as a spirit tamer, you must be brutal. So I can not fault you for eliminating those that will cause you trouble." Markus stood with knowing eyes. It was something many spirit tamer's learned the hard way. Seeing that Clark had already understood the darkness that hid around the corner made him expectant. Clark had a single step ahead of many of the tamers currently enrolled within Nova academy.
"Tell him what you told me. He will want to know the why and how." Alexander clicked a key in to a hidden space of the bookshelf causing many mechanisms to move the entire bookshelf. The secret room revealed had many high ranking materials perfectly stored within.
"Do not even think of going in there. You lack the standing to even look at them. You can instead do what your mentor has instructed." There was a slight pressure on Clark's shoulder. He knew that Markus was not lying. Clark should feel honored to see the contents of the safe. There were the academy's prized treasures.
"I was lucky enough to hear a story about dragons. Specifically dead dragons and how they could form a dragon slime egg. When I was looking at the eggs, including the mystery eggs, I remembered. The way they look and how the traveling spirit tamer said they were identified. So I took a gamble." Clark pulled the egg from his spatial ring and placed it upon the desk.
"Do not touch the egg Markus! You can not hide your desire from me. My student found that fairly with his wits. Besides, you have that lizard of yours already." Clark had trouble breathing before the pressure subsided.
"I will take you both to my personal training chamber. You will bond with this egg and hatch it in front of me. If you fail in any way, I will hold you personally responsible." The weight of what Clark had found and was doing truly hit him at this moment. He was side by side with two monsters well above his strength. And they were watching him carefully.