"I think I've done it. I spend long hours with students in the graduate college, parsing through arcane lore and problems of scintillating complexity. I have to bring others in to help. I can't see the full scope of the problem. I can not allow myself to even subconsciously think of how to solve it. They are hesitant at first but quickly grow excited. We work long hours before finally creating the perfect question. That question is:"

"Define the scattering matrix of a particle traversing a portal constructed by Arcane magic. Account for varying mana levels in the background metric tensor from the vacuum state to overcritical. Use perturbation theory to calculate the portal lifetime while under a divination attempt. You have 60 minutes."

I sit down to complete the question. Every ounce of math and magic is pulled out of me, every inch of learning bends towards completing the goal. Finally, as I write down the last equation on the fifth page of writing, I hear it. The familiar 'ding' of gaining a skill. My elation quickly turns to despair.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"

--Steven Stusen, Mathemagician. From: "15 Years a Student: How I gained the skill [Abacus]." AC 1213

Todd's not going to know what hit him.

Turns out I'm wrong. Very wrong in this case as, for the third time today, I'm dodging a wall of spikes. Even with [Cutting Mask] and [Coast] working together I can't get close enough to engage...

But that's okay.

It's okay, because now I can apply enough pressure to the urchin. We fight, day after day, honing our skills and teamwork in simulated combat. Finally, after a week of training... Luna and I manage to hit him.

[LEG SUBSTITUTION]

[LEG BOMB]

*BANG*

Todd rocks back from Luna's strike. She had pulled off a risky manuever there. The last couple of exchanges she established a pattern of behavior, diving in and out in a specific rhythm. When it was time for her to move away, she moved forward instead, taking the hit and powering through to land a blow. Meanwhile, I copied a page from Todd's play book, throwing up a wave of sand to blur his senses. We collapse in exhaustion as the battle ends.

'ding.

Tired, I pull up the summary of this weeks training. It's certainly been of use.

Congratulations!

Through pushing your physical limits you have improved your physical capability!

+2 DEX

+2 STR

You have gained a level!

You are now level 11!

[Coast III] - 5 is now level 7!

[Slice III] - 4 is now level 6!

[Cutting Mask II] - 1 is now level 3!

[Mana Manipulation II] - 8 is now level 10!

[Mana Manipulation II] is now [Mana Manipulation III]!

[Earth Manipulation II] - 8 is now level 10!

[Earth Manipulation II] is now [Earth Manipulation III]!

[Water Manipulation II] - 6 is now [Water Manipulation II] - 8!

[Mana Sense II] - 2 is now level 4!

In the last week, almost all of my skills have leveled up twice, and I even gained a class level. When I think back to my early days in the dungeon, hovering a rock around a room, I realize that the [system] must consider simulated combat the best method. That's the only thing I can come up with considering the huge gains I've made fighting against Todd.

We break for dinner and sit down at the table to eat. As we're eating, I notice Luna start to bite faster, almost tearing into the crab meat in front of her. I reach out a claw to see if she's okay and as I do so, she suddenly stops moving, freezing in place. Fear quietly growing I say, "Luna? Are... are you okay?"

She doesn't respond and I lean forward, trying to provide a comforting claw. She suddenly snaps back, clutching the meat in her arms as she yells, "MINE!!"

I stop, fear rushing through my shell, my blood pounding in my carapace. We sit there, in a terse standoff until Luna gradually relaxes, slumping as tension seems to leave her body. She speaks to me, voice tearful and her arms shaking as she says, "I'm, I'm sorry. I... I don't know what came over me there. I... I didn't mean to yell."

Hearing her familiar voice, I continue my movement and place a claw on her shoulder. "Shh... you're okay. We've just had a stressful week is all." As subtly as I can, I examine the puncture wound she received from Octo. The black ring has grown in size, and I can see tendrils starting to snake out from the wound.

In a quiet tone she says, "How bad is it?"

I try to brush it off. "Don't worry about it okay? It's worse but it doesn't look that bad. Just... I think we'll call it quits for now with the training alright? We'll get you to the dungeon core and you'll be as right as rain."

I shower empty platitudes at her and we slowly turn to happier topics. My rest was fitful that night, consumed with dreams of Luna tearing my shell apart.

The next day comes and we gather together, Luna taking my arm as she says, "Level 6 - [Recall]."

And we're back to the fire.

In our absence, the level appeared to have rese; the platforms no longer in view. I turn around and head to the wall behind me, raising a claw to engage the activation lever. As the unseen gears activate Luna climbs onto my back and we wait in companionable silence. It takes several long minutes for each of us to acclimate to the temperature and the presence of air. As the platforms start to cool off from their lava immersion, I move to the edge... ready to tackle this level.

I whisper to Luna, "Alright, here we go. Remember the plan."

A single tap on my shell is her only response as the first platform reaches the starting ledge.

"SIR CRABBY!!! HOOOOOO!"

'ding'

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

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

**Effect: 2 minutes, 45 seconds remaining**

I take a leap, and land on the first platform. As it moves ahead, I see the other platform descending to match our elevation. I activate [Cutting Mask] as it lowers. When it's three fourths of the way down I begin my sprint. I time my approach better this time and I clear the gap without hanging precariously over the edge. I take a moment to relish in the feel of that jump. As I flew through the air, I could feel the wind gently part before my shell... my skill making the motion smooth and without care.

The platform rises and reaches the apex of its height. A crisp jump to the third is flawlessly completed. My hackles raise as I go on guard. This is where I was attacked and fell last time. In our second visit here I've been scanning the walls, releasing mana pings periodically to try to detect the shrimp. I've yet to see it. Still, I maintain my alert status until a flicker of motion draws my attention. THERE!

I don't utter a word, simply launching into motion, grabbing Luna from the top of my shell and spinning as I throw her towards the wall. She flies through the air, rising to attack the exposed shrimp as it lifts its claw. It seems to hesitate, then decides retreat is the better part of valor as it scurries to hide itself.

But not fast enough.

[LEG SUBSTITUTION]

[LEG BOMB]

*BOOM*

Luna jumps in front of the hole, thrusting a limb into it and detonating her attack. She hangs there on the side for a second before substituting away once more, returning to her place on my shell.

"Did you get it?" I ask, worried that the creature may have escaped.

"Yep! Combat logs show it's dead."

I nod and refocus on the platform coming up. In the course of Luna's escapade we had already moved back and forth twice from the starting to the ending position. This will be a difficult jump, the approaching platform approaches at an angle and I'll need to convert my forward sprint to sideways motion. As I had practiced, I raise a small pillar of stone at the end of the platform, anchoring it to the floor. I time the line up... and NOW!

I begin sprinting, rushing head on towards the pillar, the platform beginning to slow before its return. I reach the pillar and spring towards it, my legs cushioning the impact of my landing as I launch at an angle towards the next one. As I'm soaring through the air, the wind blowing in my face a strange feeling rises and I yell at the top of my gills.

"PARKOUR!!!"

And we land on the fourth platform safely. I take a minute to catch my breath, the hot air searing my gills as I struggle to recover. Luna asks, "What was that word?"

Once I've recovered, I tell her, "I don't know. It felt like a good word to use." She giggles and taps my shell. "You're a weird crab you know that? Good, but weird."

"And you know many crabs do you?" I respond, already eyeing the next leap. Luna says, "I've met a fair share before. But I think you're one of a kind Crabby."

I can feel my insides heating up from the rush of blood through my system. Blushing, I shove the flattered thoughts aside and focus on the next platform. Two more to go Crabby!

The next platform is an ascending and descending one as well. Except this time, the platform doesn't ascend enough to match the elevation of the platform I'm on. I'm going to need to jump into mid air and make a leap of faith, trusting my aim is true. As we move, I line it up and begin running. The gap is smaller this time so I don't put as much force into the motion. As I land on the platform, I heave a quick *sigh* of relief. I've landed towards one of the edges.

That relief is crushed as the moving platform begins to tilt. I scramble, digging my claws into the ground as I run towards the other side. I pass the midway point and continue running. As I pass, the tilt stops and begins to go the other way. As it almost reaches equilibrium I jump to the middle, holding fast and stabilizing the structure.

"That.... that one was scary." Luna says in a quiet voice.

I nod, breath reserved as I gather myself. The final platform appears to be an easy jump, nothing awkward about the angles or speed. But after the one we just landed on? I eye it warily.

"Alright, when I go for it, I'm going to aim directly for the middle. If that one tilts as well, it shouldn't be so bad."

Luna taps my shell to acknowledge.

My platform approaches the other and I begin to sprint. As I reach the crest of my leap I hear a...

'ding'

**Warning**

**Sir Crabby's Music: 17 seconds remaining.**

I land in the middle, not too concerned. The platform appears to be stable so I should be okay. If need be, I can recover before making the final jump to refuge. That idea is shattered as Luna yells, "Crabby! Look!" Her arms points to the side and my gaze widens in horror as I see the edges of the platform crumbling. It's progressing quickly, earth falling away into the lava below. There's no time to recover, no time to think before making this final leap.

I run, sprinting as fast as my body can go, using [Coast] to speed my legs and [Cutting Mask] to pierce the air. Every inch of me is straining, trying to reach the other side so I can make the jump. I touch the crumbling edge and throw myself into the air, striving to reach the other side. As I reach the crest of the leap, I begin to move downwards. My stalks eye the safety of the ridge and I know... I'm not going to be able to make it.

Luna throws her upper body back and launches one of her arms ahead. It flies in front of us, pinning into the rock. Her lower body grips my shell and I'm disjointed as we suddenly jerk forward. The edge is closer... closer... YES!

We crash into the final area; collapsing in heat and pain and exhaustion from our struggle.

Minutes pass as I recover my stamina and mana. Finally, I get back to my feet and Luna climbs onto my shell. I prepare for combat, eyes and senses wary of the next room. This is supposed to be a puzzle floor, but I'm not letting my guard down. I've been attacked before on these.

I cross over to the wall and pull the lever. A portion of the wall descends, revealing a light less room, shrouded in shadows. I'm already pinging mana into the room, trying to gain a clearer picture. I'm recieving something... something is lying on the floor. I remember finding Octo and ready myself to call out. Luna seems to come to the same conclusion as she says,

"Hello? Anyone there?"

My pings reveal slight movement, and the quiet sounds of something scraping against the floor. A weak voice responds,

"Luna? Is... is that you lassie? Ai' you, you stay back now. Just... just stay there. Dinnae, dinnae come closer."

I can feel Luna tightening on my shell as she calls back. "It's me Angus! I'm here with Crabby. Are you okay? Can we help?"

A tired old voice calls back, "Crab... crabby? He a new un', eh? Yeah, yeah he can help. Send 'im in then. Just, you stay back girl. I dinnae want ya ta see me like this."

As he speaks I've been constantly pinging mana into the room, trying to receive a clearer view. It takes me a while to interpret what I'm sensing and as I do, I pale in horror. I don't think Luna has figured it out yet as I lower her to the floor beside me. She's already struggling against my claws trying to go towards the room.

"NO! Let me go! He sounds hurt! He's my friend!"

I try to calm her. "Just... he asked for me Luna. Trust me okay? Just stay here. Let me see if I can help him."

She gives a brief struggle once more before collapsing. Her quiet sobs echo in the chamber. I pat her once before straightening up, walking into the room leading to the next floor.

As I enter, details become clearer and I can see the stairwell descending to my right. In front of me is a crab. Or what looks to be most of a crab. He's laying there motionless, dark slashes hewn through his shell. Black blood leaks from holes in his carapace and he only has a single claw. The other, and all of his legs, lie in a pile around him... oozing corruption onto the floor. I try to view it dispassionately, but a quiet voice screams in my mind. It looks like he removed all of his legs himself, stranding his mind in a rotting prison.

I move quietly towards him as he coughs, "Ergh... *hack* I'm... I'm not too prettae to look at I know. The... *cough* the rot gotten in mae real bad now. An I... and I dinnae want to risk, risk hurtin' others."

I keep my voice low, hoping against hope that Luna doesn't hear us. "And [Recall]? Why didn't you go back to the [safe zone]?"

"Dinnae work. After too long, well..." he gestures at the leaking fluids, "things just stop workin'. Its... it won't be too long now laddie. I need ya to... to end this for me clean. I don't want, I don't want Luna to see me like this. She's a good gal she is."

I nod, and cross the intervening distance. I maintain my silence against my roiling emotions, the sheer injustice I'm forced to administer. I raise my claw high, and as I do, the crab lunges towards me. His one remaining broken claw clasps my own. He clenches and pulls me close, blood leaking from his mouth as he quietly whispers.

"Don't go below. The [dungeon]... there's nae more levels. It's just the others. The others and the core. It's taken them too."

He collapses once more and I'm left shaking, shivering from hurt and fear and crying within my mind. I stay there, my claw raised high as I struggle to do what must be done. I'm shocked into motion as he yells,

"DO IT LADDIE!!!"

My claw falls, and [slice] ends his pain.

'ding'

You have defeated [Half-Undead Dungeness Crab] - Angus.

You have gained a level!

You have gained a level!

You are now level 13!

You gain +4 to all stats from the level up.

As Angus melts into the floor, only my quiet retching fills the room.

When he's completely gone I project my voice out of the room. I call Luna in and she rushes as fast as she can, trying to see her old friend.

The black puddle is all that remains.

I encompass her in a hug as she cries and shakes, doing my best to comfort her. Time passes and she eventually grows quiet. I remember the crab's final words. He said there are no more levels. It's just the core and the others. The ones who have been taken. My mind races as I wonder how deep the [CORRUPTION] has gone. Will even touching the core let us escape? Will it fix Luna and prevent her from becoming a monster? Finally, we break from our hug and I tell her.

"Take us back to the [Safe Zone]. We need to get Todd and get the hell out of here."