"Okay young human. The Elders have convened, and agreed upon a plan."

"Uh-huh."

"You will go on foot from here, venturing through the blighted wastes of Algranak. Passing through the Haunted Vale, you will descend into the Caverns of Despair, thereby passing the Cursed Plains of Hunger. After ascending from the cavern, you will move stealthily through enemy territory until reaching the open lava pits of Fiergana. There, you will cast the Amulet of Tearful Somnolence into the fire, thereby defeating the Dreaded Lord of Kyrthia."

"What kind of enemies will I face?"

"Many an evil race befalls that land. Shades, spiders, orcs and trolls are the main constituents of the Dark Lord's Army.

"But nothing that flies?"

"...No."

"Okay, instead of all that, how about I just grab a wyvern and drop the amulet on a flyby? Don't even have to stop, we can have this done by dinner time."

...

"Like I said, the plan is for you to go on foot from here..."

--Quest Interview, [Hero] and [Elders]. From, "The Five P's, Or: Why [Wisdom] ≠ [Intelligence]." AC 1537.

Here we go Crabby! Time to fight the boss!

I extend a claw to the door leading out of the cat lady's area. As I touch it, the door recedes into the floor, offering a glimpse into a wall of water.

"Cool!"

It hangs there, suspended without flowing into the room I'm standing in.

"Neat."

I see there's sand in the room in front of me, so I activate [Earth Manipulation], pulling it through the door to cover my form.

"Tank mode, activate!"

Girded in my sandy armor, I walk into the next room; submerging myself back in an aquatic environment. The dungeon room is nondescript and mirrors what I had seen before. Bleak grey stone walls comprise a rounded room, curving up into a general dome shape above. The grey color is mirrored on the floor, a pit of sand with a color indistinguishable from the walls.

I move slowly, stalks scanning the walls and ceiling, looking for any presence of the enemy. As seconds turn to a minute, my nerves relax a bit, nothing appears to be present.

"Maybe he went out to lunch?"

I lower my claws, looking for the next door and as I do...

"WHOA!"

A giant claw erupts beside me.

I activate [coast], trying to skate away from the creature now pulling itself from the ground. As I move to the other side of the room, the giant crab is halfway out of the floor. A quick look at the combat logs show me,

**********************************

You are in combat!

[Dungeness crab - Big Momma] attacks you for -20 HP!

[Dungeness crab - Big Momma] misses!

**********************************

20 HP! Even with my armor protecting me I'll take 12 HP damage per attack! That's assuming the armor would even protect me fully. Those claws are about the same size I am! That means... I could, at most, take four hits from it. As it finishes pulling itself out of the ground, I finally get a look at the thing.

It stands five Crabby's tall and about seven wide, huge pincers snapping menacingly in the water. It's dirty brown colors are speckled with grey, sand clinging to it's chitin as it crawls from the ground below. It's eyes, twice the size of mine, stare into my soul and I could almost see the effervescent rage simmering below the surface.

*gulp*

Alright Crabby! You got this!

"Deploying Anchors!"

My armor fuses into the ground and I bury my legs as I hold myself steady with [Earth Manipulation]. The boss begins it's forward rush, mimicking it's smaller brethren. I lift my claws as it arrives, moving to intercept it's downward striking arm. My claws cross in an X, catching it's claw with my own as it's rushes into me.

*crunch*

My armor holds as my strength fails, the strike forcing my arms close to my body as I feel the chitin in my claws crack.

**********************************

[Dungeness crab - Big Momma] attacks you for -20 HP!

Improvised Armor (sand) takes (8 HP) damage!

You have taken -12 HP damage!

[Sir Crabby] 38/50 HP

**********************************

A wave of pain ripples through my consciousness. It's strong! Far too strong for me as I am. It looks like I'll have to do it. It'll be a short fight, one way or another but I won't last otherwise.

"Sir."

"Sir."

"Sir."

"Sir CRABBY! HOOOOOO!!"

'ding'

**********************************

**Sir Crabby's Music has been applied.**

**Effect: +30% increase to STR, DEX.**

**Effect: 48 seconds remaining**

**********************************

We're locked into place, each struggling to gain more leverage over the other. As such, I almost didn't notice the effect of my music.

48 Seconds!?!

But then I realize; it runs off of my mana and stamina. If those values start lower due to the fighting and [Earth Manipulation] well... this will be a shorter fight than I thought. The wave of strength from my skill takes effect, and I'm able to move the crab backwards, shoving hard against the ground to gain leverage. We're still locked in place, our claws in a struggle for strength. All the music is doing is allowing me to match the larger crab.

But I can't win like this, not by just matching what the other is doing. As I consider my options, a faint glimmer of motion catches my attention. I can barely see it, the patterns on it's skin letting it blend in almost perfectly with the surrounding water. It's descending from the roof above, moving slowly and unseen above us. Is it another crab? Reinforcements for the boss? I can barely deal with the one I'm fighting much less another!

As our claws remain locked in place, muscles straining to gain advantage, I see the trajectory of the object drift over to the crab's legs. As it slowly lands next to the boss I hear a young female voice rapidly say...

[LEG BOMB]!

[LEG SUBSTITUTION]!

Several things quickly occur. A small explosion rocks the enemy crab, it collapses to the side in pain from it's now severed leg. I stagger forward, the lapse in my attention causing me to disengage the anchors holding me to the ground. The crab boss recoils from the pain, it's leg floating in the water.

And a small starfish just *pops* out of thin air, landing on top of my carapace. I can see it's missing two of it's twelve legs, but any other thoughts quickly vanish as she yells,

"Quick! Disengage! It's about to [Rage]!"

I start to [coast] backwards, the increased weight from the starfish slowing me down. As I'm looking at the boss, I can see what she means. It has already almost recovered from the hit, it's side leaking ichor into the water. It's shell is rapidly darkening from brown to a deep red, and it seems to be shaking its body in anger.

As I'm [coast]'ing backwards she says,

"Okay! When it attacks again, you need to catch it like before. The incoming strike will let me move to it's side and I'll do the same thing I just did."

I nod, my legs already digging into the floor to anchor myself as I say,

"Hi! I'm Sir Crabby! What..."

"No time to talk! Fight now, talk later!"

I banish thoughts of talk from my mind as I dig myself into the floor. I can see the crab is already recovering and beginning it's rush towards me. I lift my claws to catch it's strike and as the claw descends she says,

[LEG SUBSTITUTION]!

*pop*

And she's gone again! How does she do that?

My arms catch the descending claw and attempt to hold. Yet, they're forced back to my body, it's strength surpressing me once more. Meanwhile, I see the starfish *pop* into place right next to the crab, next to the previous leg that had already been blown off. She yells,

[LEG BOMB]!

[LEG SUBSTITUTION]!

And I see as two of her arms detach, both floating in the water. One is blinking red, flashing faster and faster before...

*BOOM*

*pop*

And she's back on top of my shell.

Once more the enemy staggers, missing another one of it's legs on that side. This time, I am ready for the decrease in resistance and actively push ahead, shoving the giant crab away from me. The water is growing murky, our struggles sending waves of sand into the surroundings. The crab's fluid stains the water, leaking from the two holes in it's chitin.

"I can only... *pant* do that... *pant* once more!"

I nod, assessing the reeling crab. Two legs were gone on it's right side, one more and it wouldn't be able to stand any longer.

"Okay! We can do this! One more hit and I'll take it from there!"

The crab regains it's feet, slower this time, movements plainly dull from pain. Our actions repeat as before, except this time, as I shove it away from me, I disengage my anchors and begin to attack. Even staggered, listing to one side and no longer able to stand, it puts up a fight. As my third strike comes in, blocked by a large claw I hear,

"Go to the side! Attack it's weak spot!"

I nod, [coast]'ing back and to the right as I begin to attack the side of it's body. My regular attacks, even [slice], aren't getting through! It's shell is too... dang... hard!

*grrrr*

'ding'

**********************************

**Warning**

**Sir Crabby's Music: 26 seconds remaining.**

**Effect: +30% increase to STR, DEX.**

**********************************

I gotta get through! I don't know what will happen if it's not dead before the buff runs out! Could it recover? The starfish said she couldn't attack anymore.

"Break!"

*slam*

"You stupid!"

*slam*

"Shell!"

*slam*

'ding'

**********************************

**Warning**

**Sir Crabby's Music: 18 seconds remaining.**

**Effect: +30% increase to STR, DEX.**

**********************************

This isn't working! I gotta do something different! My mind races, picking up and discarding plan after plan. As my anger rises at my inability, the music plays...

♫♫♫"Sir Crabby is loose!"♫♫♫

I don't need to be loose! I need to be stronger!

As if in response to my thoughts, the music begins to slow and flashes of memory begin to arise. It's not only music which I had gained insight into... it was the [Lore] of the story.

There was... "YES! I GOT IT!"

I move my claw in front of my face, my eyes and claw beginning to glow in unison. I channel my will as I roar,

"GIVE ME CRAB BEYOND CRAB!!!!!!"

'ding'

**********************************

**Warning**

**Sir Crabby's Music: Overload Activated**

**Effect: +30% increase to STR, DEX.**

**New Effect**

**Effect: +50% increase to STR.**

**Sir Crabby's Music: 3 seconds remaining.**

**********************************

I lift my claw up high; activate [slice], and bring it down. The strength of my strike tears into the monster as it falls.

'ding'

**********************************

Your party has defeated level 7 [Dungeness Crab - Big Momma]!

Experience is awarded for your actions.

[Coast II] - 9 is now level 10!

[Coast II] is now [Coast III] - 1!

[Slice II] - 6 is now level 8!

[Earth Manipulation II] - 3 is now level 5.

You have leveled up!

You have leveled up!

You are now level 5.

You gain +2 to all stats from the level up.

You gain +2 to all stats from the level up.

**********************************

As the rush of combat fades, a flicker of motion brings my attention to the impromptu party member. I turn to see the starfish slowly crawling towards me, it's normal twelve legs rendered to eight from the battle. A gush of emotions rush through me as I see her and begin to ramble,

"Hi! I'm Sir Crabby! Thanks for the help! That was so cool! You were like *BOOM* and then *POP* and then you did the *BOOM* again! That was awesome! How did you do that? Is it your race or class? Oh! I'm an elemental crab! What are you? What's your name?"

The starfish pulls herself up to head height, slowly extending a leg to meet my extended claw. As we shake, she speaks proudly and with a hauteur tone as she says,

"My name is Luna. Greetings and well met Sir Crabby. As for my attacks? Well... that's because I'm a...."

...

......

[Ninja]Star!!!!

In the Divine Realm:

Lira spits out her drink, surprise causing her to choke on the Styx Slushie.

"Really Toriana? What is a starfish doing with a humanoid class under the ocean?" Aethir says.

Toriana replies cheerfully, "I have no idea what you're talking about!"

Lira cleans up her mess with a wave of her claw. She turns to Toriana and says,

"I just told the Ice Giants to attack Muspelheim."

"What! Why?" Toriana whines.

"You know what you did."