Lana quickly opened the package and looked at the instructions. It didn't seem overly complicated. It was a series of mirrors in which one mirror near the initiating crystals channels the light to other mirrors and it eventually fills the space.
Lana went and got Almin to enlist his help. She saw a couple people enter the area and asked them to stay there and wait for a few moments. She took Almin outside the shelter to the first hole and showed him the instructions. She was tasking him to place the first mirrors in the holes using Max to keep himself safe. There would be windows in the top of the walls so the team couldn't go all the way to the top yet but it can be built up as high as possible for now. There would also be holes created in existing walls for the same purpose.
In fact, Almin had already decided to place the second mirror's wall mirror before placing the crystal mirror so that one can be completed. Doing it in secret because of the use of Max just meant he needed to be creative. They knew they could use an anchor system. Lana had purchased some but it meant having to put it up over each hole before going down. Using Max was faster. She summoned Max and told him to stay invisible and listen to Almin's instructions.
Back in the shelter, Lana told the trees to allow Almin to exit and enter as needed.
Everyone was gathering and Lana decided now was a good time for a safety briefing.
"There are many caverns below. Safeguarding the first two will be easy. It will get more difficult after that because the entrance needs to remain guarded. You'll understand when we get down there. I need 4 people to work with Dobin, the other 4 will be on crystal duty. Outside this shelter are holes in the ground. Some need to be filled with crystals to create light below so we can see. Almin is already working on installing a portion of this system. The crystal team will extract the crystal and fill the holes in as Almin directs."
"For the other team, Dobin has the lead. I wanted to include the hallway type space on the other side of the cavern. In the end, it will be less wall to fill in. When we go down, yes, I'm going with you for a short while so my energy can restore, you'll notice it has two openings. We go right and seal that first but I actually want to move down to the next opening as that next hole is going to be a source of light for us. These caverns are all directly below these houses which is why plumbing will be tricky. The other hallways will be sealed. I have also not gone all the way down in taking out the dumpers yet. I was thinking of only having 10 2-bedroom houses on the outside but when I did my planning, I realized I need 30 2-bedrooms in Row A. The column will have 38 2-bedroom houses. The middle will be varying sizes but the exterior will be measured by the 2-bedroom units. This means we will all be busy for a bit. We will probably seal in some threats but we will have to deal with that as time goes. We need to safeguard the entrance and the teams that are working."
"That being said, do not leave this shelter without me. Dumpers are nothing during dry conditions but deadly when rain is falling. Immediately around the shelter is okay but if you travel too far, you could end up falling 60 feet to our death."
"Any questions before we break into teams?" Lana asked
"Where do the protection teams hang out?"
"I'll discuss that below."
Since no one else seemed to have any, Lana went to head the way down when Shalt took the lead from her after Dobin opened the grate. Shalt could see in the dark and she had her light crystal as well as her aura vision. Caser was right behind her. The rest had light crystals somewhere on their body but Lana wanted to show her confidence.
She took out a chalk stick and drew a line where she wanted the wall and an X where the window needed to go. The carts were brought down with the team as well.
"I want Alto, Kattie, and Sam to protect our crystal extractors and the entrance," as she pointed to the opening on the left. "The rest follow me."
"For the cart people. I'll let you guys chose who is working crystal and who is working with Dobin. One cart fills one hole generally."
Lana led the teams out to the right and down that hallway to the room next to the one they came down in. They built the wall a bit down from that opening. Lana sat on the floor near where Dobin was to build the wall and entered a meditation pose. Her goal was to look through the eyes of Max and listen intently. Shalt stood over her facing the opening and Caser stayed in front of her. Everyone else got to work.
Lana looked at what Max was seeing and for a while it was quite boring. She gave Max an update there would be no wall put at the initial spot she mentioned but she thought the instructions suggest a window there for reflection purposes. She told Max to have Almin consult the directions one more time because she could be wrong.
Lana saw that Almin was finishing up with one then was taken to the next hole over, flown to the spot Lana had initially called out and he hung the window. Then he put the contraption in the next hole and he established his as his pattern. Lana had been correct but was second-guessing herself.
The wall was about 10 feet high and she heard a growl in the distance. Knowing the beast could come around from a different direction she decided to engage. She jumped up. Called to Caser and Shalt then went to the middle, ran then flipped and got enough air to jump over the wall. Caser didn't need as much room. Neither did Shalt so they beat her over. She landed on a beast which shocked them all. She had put her armor on while moving. She called for them to put up a spike and she threw a vine at it once it was there providing the team with a rope to join the fight.
It was the same type of beast that had attacked Dobin before.
"Shadow wolves!" she called out, "five of them! Keep working on that wall!" As she kicked the one she was standing in the neck with spiked extended from her foot and swept left ripping out the side of its neck. Caser was already using his roots to protect Shalt from the roots of the wolves. Nate was over the wall fast with Duff not far behind.
Shalt had both forearms transformed and used a similar technique to what he used before. He rammed the blade through an open mouth that was preparing to bite him and pushed it through the brain of the wolf in front of him. Nate kicked one in the head with his hardening covering himself, shattering the skull.
Caser finished off the one Lana was on by taking out the rest of the neck even though it was already dying. He looked around and realized his help was not needed so he ate while the other finished the fight.
Lana had already pulled out her whip and removed another head. The last one thought about running but Duff threw a sai at it and pinned it to a wall. He walked up and finished it off. Lana saw it and smirked.
"Those weapons suit you."
Duff beamed with pride. Then he collected his weapon and the crystals while Caser filled his belly.