Chapter Fifty-Three

"Can you please refrain from using that annoying skill? It's embarrassing." Rose begged, looking ready to bolt at any second.

Harmony guessed the princess drew the short straw among those willing to approach her while she practiced [Shadowed Graves]. That, or her family pressured her again as after only two days [Shadowed Graves] was highly unpopular across the city. It was also why she was forced to practice at the guild training grounds.

Annoying and embarrassing, that summed up [Shadowed Graves]. Yet under the cloying shadows stretching across the sky and ground, Harmony marveled at its scope, ideas on what she might be able to use it for noted and filed away for further experimentation.

"Have I eclipsed my allotted time, guild mistress Thorne?"

"No. Keep it up, Lady White, that's an order! I've sent out criers and leaflets informing them when the next blackout will occur after lunch. I expect you to be here training then too." She bellowed.

The orders were a political necessity arranged after the first time Harmony activated the skill at the Dragonfly Inn practice yards causing the sky and ground to turn black with shadows. With it came a feeling like dread. People reported different aspects to that effect. Some froze up a little. Others wanted to run or scoot away. A few in the yard tried to angrily confront her before the bodyguards put a stop to that. Even fewer seemed to enjoy it. All that distracted her initially from seeing how far the dark spread. "Burn me. There is no sky."

There was a sky, but the effect was extensively large. A field effect. Some people can make it rain, others can make it snow, or maybe make crops grow slightly quicker. Battlefield effects that granted light inspiration or some other boon or like in this case a fear effect over a wide area. Not that there were any big battles. Negative field influences were always things that were weak, and easy to shrug off. The kind of things others consider a waste of a choice.

The energy to keep it up flagged while Harmony used [Dust] under [Shadowed Graves] effects to create a mound of dirt. "Bloody half useful." She muttered at that result. Necromancer skills were more efficient and had a longer range under the effect, but not her maid or stone-acquired skills. Testing synergies would be next.

Dropping the skill caused a loud sigh of relief among the collected adventurers at the guild. They'd suffered the worst emotional effects under the shadow. While the darkness spread out far Harmony learned the fear-like effect spread out from her position, from a minor hair tingling back of your neck at the edge to a constant oh-curse-me level nearby.

[Fear] was considered a good skill in comparison. That skill sent anyone targeted by it running away in a frantic state until it ended. [Shadowed Gaves] was as Rose described it, annoying and anyone with enough willpower could push through it. A terrible skill if all you could do was Thibodeux's method of using the base activation. Not that the skill was making it easy, being so wide and diffuse it would take effort and a better understanding of the skill to be flexible. With [Final Silence], the deadening of sound in an area felt like a natural deviation, so that modification had come easily.

Theoretically, she figured she could focus the fear more narrowly and stronger, even if there was no automatic fleeing. Maybe even selectively assign targets. Combos and synergies also had potential, but there were kinks to work out.

"Great Practice!" Adric yelled from the side of the yard, clapping in the face of everyone else's dislike and relief of the effect being over. "Are you ready to try it out in Nae's Garden?"

Where the failure to be able to use [Manipulate Dead] on Adric's hair had presented a worrying mystery of his post-dead state. [Shadowed Graves] added another. He thrived under the effect. Said it felt "amazing." Got boosted more under the effects than her necromancy skills. What is he?

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"Lady White, I was told I could find you here." The interruption came from Madam Peartree of the Grave Society.

Harmony twisted [Poise and Bearing] to put on a reserved yet disappointed look on her face as she turned to face the woman, walking towards her location.

"Ah, Madam Peatree, a pleasant surprise. But yes, I've been forced to come here to train my latest choice. Since Thorne is managing our kingdom's entrants, she's insisting we train every skill we have. The guild also has allowances for field-level skill training in their charter. It was an unexpected happenstance, but I took a gamble on [Shadowed Graves] over my other options."

The look Peartree returned was that of a disappointed teacher. "This is why you need to join us at the Grave Society. I know field skills are rare, but they're almost always too weak to be of use. We could have taught you how most grave skills had such effects. [Bloodied Graves] caused a rain of blood. [Grave of the Fireflies] made some lights and everyone very very sad. Why would anyone want a skill that causes depression?"

"I…" The woman had a point. While Harmony wasn't disappointed in the skill, nor was she interested in following any of the Society's recommendations, information was important and there was one more choice to make and skill stone to fill before she was ready for evolution. As well as the choice after evolution. "I apologize for my lack of reaching out to your organization. I honestly felt like I had time before I was to level and forced to make my choice. I'd be honored to get whatever information you might have to help me, and in return, I'm happy to speak and visit with your organization soon."

Pure shock coated the necrowitch's face. "This is wonderful news, Lady White. The truth is I thought of how we'd failed you, allowing you to choose a field skill. I'd known you were from Hazeldown but hadn't looked into the complete lack of support you've had growing up. You joining our ranks will be wonderful."

Woah. Woah. Woah. [Poise and Bearing] flickered on. "I have so many commitments. I'm happy to discuss and learn from and about your organization. Joining the Grave Society, well, that is something I'll have to consider in the future."

"Oh, me. Sorry, I got ahead of myself. I promise that we'll win you over. Do have your staff let us know when your tour will be." Peartree answered with a smile. "I'd better run. So many things to arrange."

Adric appeared by Harmony's shoulder as soon as Madam Peartree was away. "I don't like that woman."

Harmony gave him a light slug in the shoulder. "Why are you telling me this now?"

"I didn't think you'd actually go and visit her Society. It didn't seem like you liked her that much."

The smell of rotting vegetables was finally clearing out. A scent Harmony knew was in her head. "I don't. But she's right that I need more information. It would have been nice to know that you had an issue with her too. You want to come with me on my visit and keep me safe?"

"Always." He answered with a certainty that warmed Harmony's heart.

The distractions for the morning were not done. Len ran up. "Harm, I got the bond!"

There was a dungeon to try, and this time that chicken of a bird was cooked. But the wizard looked so eager. Harmony needed time away as internally the extra pool created by mana rotation was only starting to curl. Starting [Shadowed Graves] took a lot out of it and then it slowly drained her. If she hadn't had a mana skill she might have shared the disappointment others showed her when they learned about the skill. "Show me."

They walked to the area for training ranged attacks. Stationary dummies sat staggered for people to use skills and weapons on. They chose a spot that had an immobile target a hundred paces away. Len aimed his palm, curing his hand towards the target. His arm kicked back, a white paste dripping off his hand. There was nothing to see with the invisible gas until his fireball went off. Harmony had seen the spell during the run on Old Bones, this one was four times bigger and shot out faster toward the target. As it cleared the area where the metarine gas was it shrunk a little but not much. The target didn't survive. "Woo!" the wizard yelled

"Impressive." Again she felt a flash of jealousy at her bonds being filled up.

"We coated my hand with a viscoelastic fluid so it would solidify, both protecting me and allowing me to shape the blast from the decompressing gas. You were right about it! Thank you so much."

Flecks of wood from the dummy continued to rain down with trails of smoke. "I think people need to start considering you winning the Ascendant Games." She told him.

"Really?" He asked eagerly.

Nothing Harmony had was so visibly destructive. "Absolutely. Now Wish me luck in Nae's Garden. I have to be back after lunch or Thorne will have my hide."

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