Chapter Twenty-Seven

That situation at their tribe's site settled into a routine. No one took the option to leave early and tasks got done without needing Adric to keep them on task too much. That allowed Harmony to work on crafting, skills, and planning future conflicts.

[Disintegrate] was her primary focus. The cleaning skill needed leveling. While [Manipulate Dead] was easier for the spider corpses she alternated skills trying to sync up the efficiency of destroying matter.

That only gave one point of reference, as the new skill worked on any material living and non-living to varying efficiency. The lack of samples to Test against was frustrating. Wood, rocks, and spider corpses with fish being delicate enough that she didn't need to use skills on them. Differentiation was a different problem, such as how to remove blood stains without ruining the material they were soaked into? Maybe eventually, the potential was there.

She gained three levels in the skill by working on exploring those aspects. [Keen Investigative Awareness] leveled despite the seal which was encouraging as she'd been worried about that. Progress could still be had, despite those and the natural restriction of her body adjusting to her new class and profession, as much as she wished to rush to see what new choices eraser and revivalist held.

"Sacred Valley is sealed off," Adric announced, popping his head into her space as she was surrounded by spider corpses and four new sets of armor to replace those people lost in the first round of competition.

"That's disappointing." She'd sent him to see if he could gather useful materials, like skeletons, metal, or anything other than spider bits for clothing.

"We're getting closer to the other camps. Spotted one of those purple lizards, but it seems like it would take more than a day to get to one and back. If we knew they'd be friendly it would be less of an issue."

That was one of the worst things about the attack on Kenny. It pointed out a political issue of a lack of accountability with the green tribe at the very least and an issue with people who would kill to win rather than enjoy the break from society and competitive play of the Games. "We'll try to establish rules and methods of communication during the next competition. Add it to the contribution board."

"The wild monsters are starting to get stronger, while they're not pushing shoreside, it might be wise to also add walls to the list as well."

Ashes. Maybe that was a direct result of time rather than her messing with the obelisk? Who was she fooling? Herself. "Make it so."

Harmony focused on finishing her crafting, otherwise, she'd distract herself away from leadership issues. It was time to be satisfied with the experimentation she had already achieved. The latest swords she worked on from the king spider Tyler had killed incorporated a new technique. She strengthened and shaped the leg into a blade, additionally, she created a layer of container mirroring the shape with a sharp edge working with [Manipulate Dead], [Mend], and [Cold Touch]. To slow degradation she sealed in a burst of [Renew Spirit] to feed into it. Not a living blade but an undead one.

Theoretically, it should help against spectral aspects like the arms of that ten-limbed land creature. Was it a weapon that could damage a person's soul and container? An undead one certainly, but living beings were always tougher, perhaps it would spiritually bruise up some living targets. How many contribution points would it take to convince someone to volunteer for testing?

Stolen story; please report.

Loap popped her head in carrying a bowl of soup. "It's ticking again. Tomorrow morning is my estimate, so get some sleep." Nighttime was clear behind the beast kin and the soup offered was cold. Maybe she'd gotten a little carried away. Harmony could taste the bitter spider chunks and soapy roots through a mask of weak cheese flavor. The mimic rewards were running low again. She forced herself to eat.

Meet at the Sacred Valley for the second competition!

The notification woke her up like she'd used [Cold Touch] on her own skull.

"The muddy fathoms!" someone cursed loudly.

At least she wasn't the only one. The sun outside was barely up. If the games were based around daylight hours then this might be a long competition.

The trek to the Sacred Valley started as soon as everyone was geared up. Contribution points were spent and gathered resources were distributed. Only those saving up for the half-step potion or a position in Harmony's nearly nonexistent royal household didn't spend theirs.

Atop the plateau, the valley had changed. The garbage was cleared away and three flags stood tall on large buildings in a valley now transformed into a flat stone ground. Those buildings were the only structures and their sight indicated that they needed to go to the building with the red flag. A new playing field every time. That ruined her plan of having Adric retrieve one of the skeletons she found during the last competition. What if they were holding things when they were teleported back to camp? "Let's see what this is about. I want us to reach our fort first in case there are bonus points to be earned."

The competitor with the giant bird was already being flown down to theirs. Why walk when a giant bird could simply fly you there? If Hyacinth had his shadow teleport she'd certainly be using it. The lack of notification when the woman reached the fort was a good sign. Harmony didn't discount the fact that maybe they needed their whole team there to get a bonus.

The flat stone made an easy-running surface once they made it down. The lack of obstacles was also a lack of cover. It was hard not to feel exposed.

Adric, who got there first with his speed, circled the building. "This is the only entrance."

Inside was empty except for a circle at the center she was signaled to wait on. The whole place was big enough to hold the camp ten times over. "Run back and haul the slow ones in. Go fetch." Harmony ordered her pet half jokingly

That had him bringing in Kenny who was still recovering from his injury. Placing the last red team competitor did have an effect. With a shake, the ground opened up, and stations of materials ascended. The spike of death had Harmony's eyes drawn to a pile of corpse limbs, bodies, torsos, and heads from men and monsters.

"A golem table." Eric gasped.

There were roughly two dozen stations each focused on creature creation.

Build your army. The war begins soon! The winner gains access to four choices from the armory. The losing tribe must vote off two members.

There went her opportunity to confront Felix and find Maxwell. "Everyone spread out to a station. Let's figure out what we have to work with."

Harmony fought the urge to run to the undead station forcing herself to the one furthest from it. This one was stocked with colored crystals in barrels each marked by a picture of a head, body, left arm, right arm, left leg, and right leg. A table sat in the middle with slots for each of the pieces. It was so easy an idiot could figure it out. Harmony went with crystals that were familiar from Nae's Garden. Blue with a hint of coolness She snapped them into place. The table had a leaver on it and Harmony pulled it.

Power flooded through the table. A container formed around the crystals, along with three lumps of similar materials pushed up from the table and into it, heavy twisted balls that harmony could feel a pattern embedded in but not see. The container was completed, and spiritual energy flooded it. Arcs of energy sparked across the table shocking and charging the freshly formed being. Visually you could only see the arcing quasi-electric energy striking the crystals. With a gush of water out of the table it swirled around enveloping them until a water-bodied elemental sat up on the table. "It's alive." Harmony gasped.

Around her Red tribe members were discovering the same thing with similar exclamations. "It's bloody alive!"

Now how do they decide what army they'd build?

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