CROSSFIELD TRILOGY : Volume No. 01

Chp 9.5: Dragon Saliva

"Mark, can you hear me?"

Mark groaned as he felt a slight tingling sensation near his cranial cavity.

"Mark? Are you there?"
The voice had gotten a lot more louder now. Giving another groan, Mark opened his eyes. The  yellowish light of the chandelier hanging above, immediately blinded Mark and it was only after he had blinked and rubbed his eyes a few times, that he could adjust to the sudden amount of light.
"Are you okay?"
Mark got up and turned around. The director was near the table, pouring a gleaming yellow liquid from a bowl into a glass cannister.
"Yeah....I...think so." Mark said as he looked around. He was sitting on the carpet with the spirit candles being all shrunken and extinguished. The windows showed a clear night sky which was lit up by a cream white moon.

"You have been gone for almost an hour now, slightly over the regular time limit, that had me worried for a bit there. Well that and the colour of the Ace of Spades." Alphonse said.
Confused, Mark looked at his left hand.
The once shiny golden Ace of Spades now had wired black coloured markings and writings all over it. The symbol of the Ace of Spades had now completed erased from the card.
"What the-" Mark tried to bring the card closer to his face but felt a string of pain.
'How?' Mark gasped slowly as he looked at the palm of his left hand being partially burned.
"Don't worry" Alphonse said.
He walked towards Mark, with a glass cannister in his hand and a metal box in the other. "Here, do your hand in the glass cannister." The director handed him the liquid filled cylinder. "This was why I was a bit concerned with the contract signing. Thankfully I had the ingredients for this potions ready."

Mark dipped his hand into the cannister and instantly felt a cold and comforting feeling around the burned portions of his hand.
"What is this?" Mark asked.
"Its a mixture of Arcanum Dragon Saliva, turmeric, moonstone paste and lavender-bastil potion."
"So you mean, right now, I have my hand in Dragon saliva?" Mark asked in an apologetic tone.

Alphonse smiled. "Don't worry kid, Dragon saliva has a ton of healing properties that help in skin cell rebuilding. Two more days and your palm will be back to normal. Anyways, did you meet him then?"

Mark gulped. He had just been reminded of the chilling presence that he had felt a few minutes ago.
"Yeah, yeah I met him. Although, he wasn't anything like I had expected."

"Well, whatever he may be, there are two things that you have to always remember." The director said,"he is powerful. Really powerful. Second, he is a demon. Even though he has been binded down by the  laws and rules of the Card, that can't change what he truly is. Thus, it is your responsibility to be extra careful around him." The director said the latter sentence slowly as if he was trying to make it sound more impact full.

"Now, I want you to put your card in this box."

"What is this?"

"This is a trap hold. This box is connected to a small palladium battery that will provide it with necessary nutrients and chemicals to restore it back to its previous state. The process is long and it will take about 1 year. After the battery has run out if fuel ie. Palladium, we will remove it. This way, you don't have to carry it around with you at school. Plus, now that you have signed the contract, there is no reason for you to be in physical touch of the card in order to access its powers."

"So, I can use Wilvitnov's strength even though I'm away from the card?"
Mark asked, slightly puzzled.

"Yes. For spiritual energy to be transferred in such a form, a physical touch and distance between the card ruler and carrier has no effect whatsoever."

"But then, what about the card's safety?"

This time, Alphonse have a whole hearted laugh. "Mark, the card will be kept in my personal chambers. I know I might look old but I must warn you, I'm pretty capable and able bodied for defending the card should a threat arise."
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Mark walked out into the cold night air. The campus was now completely quiet except for the sound of dishes being washed in the pantry. 'Looks like very body has already left to the dormitories.' Mark thought to himself as he opened the map the director had handed him.
'This will help you locate the Imperium Clan House.' Mark remembered what Alphonse had told him.

His eyes skimming quickly through the hand drawn paper map, Mark found the Imperium Clan house rather easily. It was located behind the school, near the greenhouse directly in front of the St. Philips Lake.

                       _____________

Mark walked down the bricked lane, the map still clinging to his hand. He had just passed the greenhouse, and could already see the St Philips lake.
"The map shows that the house is in front of the lake so it should be somewhere... there it is."

Mark looked ahead at what seemed to be a fine outline of a building with light spots that Maek assumed were windows.
'Well, atleast they aren't asleep. Otherwise I would have to wake them all up.' Mark thought to himself as he felt a shiver of nervousness inside him. This was exactly how it had been on the  first day of his school in Christford.

The human nature was such that, it took a great deal of thought about how and what others would think of it. Mark being equally privy to this statement, couldn't help but take a long deep breath as his eyes scanned the giant villa in front of him.

In complete contrast to the old, Victorian Structure of the school building, the Imperium Clan house was a modern beige and off white coloured 2 story villa with a huge garden and a  fountain near the front.
On the main door, there was a bear embossed in the wood which was the house animal.

Mark wasn't sure but he could have swore that the bear had moved his paws as soon as it saw Mark approach the door. Taking a deep breath, Mark knocked twice sharply on the wood.

"State your name and purpose." A speaker in the upper left corner of the door sounded the recorded message
after about a minute.
"My name is Mark Jefferson and I'm a first year here. I've been allotted to the Imperium house."

Mark was about to give the details as to why he was late but the door had already opened. Curious, Mark entered into the house as he pushed the door.

"You're dead!"

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