Chapter 105: The Harvest Moon

The arena beneath them segmented into a vast field of trees, crops, and vineyards, dotted among a forest. A giant lunar sphere and a thin veil of fog fell over the scenery, tinting the world a haunting orange.

"What’s...happening?" Conner whispered, stepping away as Rachel’s mirth grew; this wasn’t a unique moon, but it certainly seemed like a rare event, stronger than a typical moon, at least.

The leaves started to color, the crops grew, vineyards became wild, and trees twisted. In the harrowing stillness of the stadium, Conner’s manic laugh came as a whisper when the stage name popped up in front of him, his eyes twitching. His god gave the explanation after watching his champion and her come together.

"A Greater Harvest Moon, when the terrors of the night twist the real into horror... Conner." Dionysus’ voice was low—without heat—as the vines and flowing wine settled; the legend’s face tightened as he looked at his god. "You’ve chosen your side."

"Which is life," Rachel chuckled, watching a low, howling wind pass over the grain and forest. "It’s the only option you gave him, genius. I don’t think you’ll last much longer as the Arbiter like this."

Insanity still swam in Dionysus’ eyes, but Rachel was already anticipating the surge of Halloween-charged energy this moon would fill her with, and Nia could store it. However, the lesser god’s rage had simmered into a cold smile that said when this was done, he would have her in the same position she’d snatched Nike out of.

Rachel’s gaze shot to the VIP area as Eostre was snatched by vines and dragged back into her seat, tightening around her frame and making her wince; he would be cutting off communication between them moving forward as he took away any advantages she’d manipulated out of him.

He pointed up at the clock as it ticked down. "You’ve been aiming at me this entire time. It’s never been between Conner and you, has it? All you’ve done is try to make a fool out of me...manipulating things with that sense of misfortune to distract me. Well, I hope you love Halloween because things do go bump in the night."

Nia’s smile widened, eyes narrowing as they challenged the Greek god. "And we’re about to join them."

"We shall see..." The screen of potential monsters centered on a pulsating black heart within an ancient tree, and the mist surrounding the forest thickened. "Creature: The Hateful Heartwood within The Creeping Forest. Enjoy your Hallow’s Eve."

Without blinking, the world melted away, leaving Nia and her on the haunted grounds; the hair on the back of Rachel’s neck prickled as the cursed land seeped into her, and the pulse of it lifted her lips into a toothy smile.

[Fright of the Greater Harvest Moon: Active]

[Horror Embodiment VI - Become the embodiment of horror, spreading the concept and conveyance of fear to those that see the user, warping their perception of who they face.]

[Fear-Dependent Immortality IV - The user cannot be harmed so long as the user’s prey fears them.]

[Hollow’s Eve Trail VI - Become one with the twisted Harvest, discovering paths unseen and enjoying the company of the cursed and damned.]

[Psychosis Inducement VI - Twist the minds of those you torment to join the Harvest, breaking their thoughts, inducing paranoia, and spreading terror whenever perceived by the user’s prey.]

[Cursed Frostfire VI - Frostfire that refuses to be extinguished, slowly burning its victims while tormenting and corrupting the victim’s mind. Deals frostfire damage.]

Nia mirrored her, running her fingers through her braid to unfasten it. Their ears, tail, and locks were dyed pumpkin-and-vermilion orange, cursed flames lighting their eclipse eyes and spreading across their hair. Hissing bled through the veil, and candles emerged from the mist, unseen spirits churning the tinted mist into a beautiful rhythm.

Instead of fright at the thought of something lurking behind the shadowed trees or creaking wood, things creeping through the whistling night, and whispering spirits, the bright orange celestial sphere gave her a sense of home. This wasn’t a fright-filled horrorfest of panicking humans but a battle of monsters.

Rachel walked through the gentle fall of discolored leaves, Nia walking beside her; the tension was like honey on her tongue, and she could hear the moving forest awakening around her. Soon, the trees would be on the move, communicating...hunting. Despite that, anticipation bloomed within her breast, and coral-cursed frostfire flames erupted along their free-swaying hair.

A joyful hum was in her voice as she spoke to Nia, their words vibrating the air in the oppressive night, and her body began to flicker, showing her angles that she could step through, taking her to new locations.

"Buy me time so I can go through my Feats and Stats. We’ll swap places after."

Nia gave her a two-fingered salute, skipping ahead and doing a slow spin to step through the twisting paths visible to the creatures of the Harvest Moon. "Catch you soon, Major."

"Happy hunting."

Rachel stepped behind a nearby tree, the scene changing to a tall wheat field that rustled with the threat of danger lurking just beyond sight, and the misty forest disappeared. Curiosity filled her as she watched the winding breeze pass through the grain; something in the air called to her, urging her to dance with the spirits.

The wheat only seemed to grow taller as she moved, yet the beams of the giant orange globe overhead reflected off the stalks, filling her with anticipation for the fight to come. It was a little bit heartbreaking that she was facing another denizen of the Harvest, but she was far from averse to the challenge of striking fear into another monster.

Her fingers passed over the bending wheat as she came upon a path, the stalks folded over to lead the unassuming prey of the night into a maze with only one way out. Regardless, she grinned as she followed misfortune to the best spot to meditate.

Nia engaged the creeping trees, swimming through the night in a blaze of coppery flames. The bunny soldier wouldn’t last long, even if they had an elemental advantage against the endless sea of branches and roots, but Rachel didn’t take her time.

She took twelve right turns, folding in an impossible angle as she delved deeper into the shimmering labyrinth. A single left brought her to a large brass bowl of orange fire—cursed frostfire. Rachel could have taken the unseen paths, yet that would have tipped off The Hateful Heartwood where she’d gone.

Sliding her finger around the bowl, she saw her creepy, fake smile reflecting off the polished metal. Anyone who saw her would perceive a terrifying visage of a monstrous hare, yet this was starkly different from the Black Moon; for one, it wasn’t nearly as powerful.