"Sly Foxx… wake up, we have reached Paradise Academy," said Dr. Jennings while gently shaking Sly awake so as not to startle him.
Unbelievable.
Sly had only intended to close his eyes for a few minutes.
Not knowing how much time had passed, Sly slowly yawned then stretched and wiped the matter from his eyes.
He was disappointed that he didn't get to see the active volcano and wasn't sure when or if another opportunity would next come his way.
It was a wonder Sly managed to get any rest as the pronghorn's body bounced on the uneven ground.
Even though his physical body was recovering at a fast rate mentally he was still exhausted.
Before Sly had drifted off to sleep he had searched through his bloodied cloth bag and saw that the family journal had disappeared.
It was really gone.
Mimosa was real and not a part of his vivid imagination.
Everything that had been considered sacred and treasured by his family and passed through the different generations was in that journal and now it rested inside of him.
He now carried the hope of all his ancestors and it was his responsibility or burden to pass on the legacy to future generations.
"Sly, if all goes well this will be your home for a few years. I won't mind acting as your guardian so don't hesitate to contact me for anything."
Sly simply nodded.
Dr. Jennings ruffled his thick black hair and beamed down at Sly with a smiling face and asked, "I know you've been home-schooled up to now. How do you feel about attending an academy and making new friends for the first time?"
Both of them got down from the back of the pronghorn and followed the path that led to a tall, majestic looking iron gate just a few feet away from them.
Sly didn't mind walking, he felt alert and it was good to move his legs and feel his blood circulating once more.
With an answering smile Sly replied, "I've never been around others my age. I'm just a little afraid that I won't be able to get along with the other students."
Dr. Jennings let out a loud laugh and heartily patted Sly's shoulder, grinning, "it's normal to feel this way when doing something new. Just don't overthink it."
By now they had reached the enormous metallic gate that seemed deserted but right at that moment, a loud shout made Sly jump.
"Halt! Do not come any closer. State your name and reason for coming to Paradise Academy."
Sly could hear the voice but could not tell which direction it was coming from until he saw Dr. Jennings raise his head to the sky.
"I am Dr. Peter Jennings and I'm here to accompany this young man Sly Foxx to Paradise Academy. I have a letter of recommendation from his father, the honourable commander Lord Sylvester Duncan."
Following Dr. Jennings, Sly also looked up at the clear sky.
At first he saw nothing.
Until something similar to fireworks exploded and out from the midst of it descended a beast master.
Riding the back of a fiery phoenix it landed a few feet away from the pair and they could feel the radiant heat from the burning phoenix feathers.
Sly had to shield and turn his eyes away from the noble but dazzling form of the elegant beast spirit.
Seeing that the other two were not of a high enough spirit stage to be unaffected by his spirit beast.
The guardian master told his golden phoenix to tone down his spirit essence and it complied.
After the burning flames from its feathers disappeared, the guardian master of the school approached the pair.
From head to toe he was fashionably dressed in gleaming white with nothing but the Paradise Academy logo that distinctively covered his left breast.
"Interesting, you do not have the magnificent beast aura like your father. I guess you take after your mother you poor thing."
Before Sly could respond what Mimosa warned him about actually happened and he was powerless to stop the intrusion!
The guardian master uninvited forced himself into Sly's spirit landscape.
Mimosa slowly opened an eye when someone was attempting to force their way into Sly's spirit landscape.
After analyzing the situation Mimosa closed his eyes.
Mimosa did not deem this insignificant guardian master a threat but he would continue to monitor the situation.
He set up a powerful illusion so that the guardian master would only see what Sly's spirit landscape looked like before Mimosa made some changes.
Sly needed to attend this school so that Mimosa could grow.
There was very little spirit essence here and there was no telling when Mimosa's wounds would heal if he allowed Sly to grow at his own pace.
It had taken Mimosa roughly 100,000 years serving the Foxx clan to grow into a formidable guardian deity and he felt saddened that the family was on the decline.
Mimosa did not regret his sacrifice on the grandparent's behalf.
That made him shrink down to infant size and if he had the chance to do it all over again.
He would seize it in a heartbeat.
Mimosa continued observing the guardian master's movements as he poked and prodded.
He was tempted to swat the man away with a few tentacles but managed to remain calm.
Surprisingly this stupid blockhead managed to find Mimosa's sleeping form, a cute little sensitive plant that drooped and wilted a few leaves while he toyed with it.
How dare this arrogant guardian master attempt to bully a defenseless plant spirit?
If it wasn't for the greater good, he would never have allowed such an idiot to get close to him in the past, how times have changed, Mimosa sighed to himself.
The guardian master was pleased with what he saw and felt that Sly had what it takes to walk through Paradise gates.
Such fertile soil had excellent potential for growth the guardian master thought to himself.
This boy had the potential to become a great healer with the right training.
On the battlefield healers were essential and very few with his potential were coming out of the military academies these days.
In the boy's spirit landscape, he felt rejuvenated and didn't want to leave.
The guardian master felt himself wanting to transform into a plant; put down roots in the soil of Sly's vast spirit landscape.
He wanted to relax and soak up the sun and rain in this peaceful spirit landscape.
Unfortunately, the guardian master did the opposite forcing himself to leave, although most reluctant.
"Thanks for accompanying Sly up to this point Dr. Jennings you may take your leave."
He watched as the pair said their goodbyes before Dr. Jennings left on the back of his white peregrine.
The enormous metallic school gates slowly opened and the guardian master indicated that Sly should enter.
After thanking the guardian master Sly did as he was told and walked through the gates with confidence.
Amused, the guardian master laughed at Sly's naivety.
If Sly could make it to the Paradise compound without dying, that was totally up to the youth.