“There is no greater love than a soldier willing to lay down his life for his friends.”

--Sermon, Lenorian Interfaith Church. AC 1224.

"Go, you have to escape."

She stares at me with despair.

"I can't. The kelp drained me of mana. I can hardly move."

As Luna tells me her situation, I struggle to respond. The enemy is floating all around us and I look to my resources. I pull up a small part of my status to check. My health is still stable, but my mana and stamina are low. I’m not sure why I’m looking, there's no way I can fight through this many monsters, no matter how lucky I am. I look at my dearest friend, held in my arms. I feel the pain in my mind space, where [Crabby's Story] was last used...

And I make my choice.

I gently lay Luna down on the ground and my voice turns whimsical, reminiscing,

"We had a good run huh?"

Light sniffles sound in the water, and she manages a quiet,

"Yeah. At least the others are away.... they should be able to get word out."

I nod and as the corrupted inch closer I tell her,

"There will be a break in a moment. You need to promise me you'll go."

She looks at me suspiciously,

"What?"

I give her a friendly pat on her armor, like so many I've done before. I manage a Crabby smile and my voice quiets,

"You're my dearest friend Luna. Remember that."

"What are you doing?"

I don't reply, already diving into my mind space.

I float, amorphous clouds roiling around me, the Akasha within claw distance. I rush through, returning to where I faced the corruption once before, at the edges of my mind. There, I see the remnants of where I just used [Crabby's Story]. That location had already been burned at the bottom of the Deepwater Dungeon. With a discerning eye, I could see where it had started to heal before I ignored the sea hags’ warnings and used the skill too soon.

But no matter.

I plunge right into the firebreak, shuddering in pain from traveling a scorched path. I continue down, down far below, plunging through torched stories, searching for the shining sea once more. A second passes, a minute, an hour. Time here seems to stretch and compact in myriad ways, and as I travel, I find it hard to hold my thoughts together. I finally break through the simmering clouds of the Akasha and gaze once more on the divine sea below.

It roils, turbulent, as if in anger. An ocean of knowledge at my claw-tips. Power that was not meant for mortal kin. Before, I had barely touched the surface, and the strength it gave me was enough to destroy the shadow of corruption in my mind. Now? Now, I needed to go much further. From somewhere inside me comes a certainty. To bring this power to the waking world will require a greater price.

I hover above the surface, dodging the errant waves that threaten to strike. I remember the sea hag, the fey when I was recovering. She spoke of the power of will, of magic before the system arrived. I remember hearing of the dragon king, and how incursion city venerated Todd for being living proof of that first story. I remember Drill Sergeant Lee and being crushed under the strength of his domain. I strengthen my resolve and look across the infinite sea.

For Luna.

For Arthos.

To Adventure.

And I dive into the depths.

****

A second prior,

"You're my dearest friend Luna. Remember that."

"What are you doing?"

Luna's thoughts whirl in panic. If the situation wasn't so dire, she would expect that he's doing something silly again. He was always doing something like that, coming up with ridiculous stories and songs. It might be one of the reasons she liked him. Luna checked her mana once more. She almost had enough for a single teleport but based on the enemies arrayed against them it was hardly enough. They would face this challenge... their last challenge... together. She eyed one of her skills, a new ability she received from her last advancement.

***

[Final Flash].

Effects: Explode, becoming a radiant star.

Cost: Uses all health, mana, stamina. Results in death.

Lore: “From Moon to Sun, let your light be seen.” - [REDACTED].

***

She closes the window and looks away, that skill will come in handy soon enough. A snapping turtle dives forward, the first to attack them. A mere probing strike. As she raises her tattered limbs she cries,

"Quick! Throw me!"

Maybe her [Final Flash] will give Crabby enough time to escape. The turtle is within striking distance now and as she glances back, he stands motionless in the water. She yells,

"What are you...?"

But doesn't manage to finish.

A burning fire erupts in golden radiance, pulsing out into the depths of the hall. The light blinds her senses and the corrupted recoil in pain. As the enemy recoils, Luna fights through, moving to Crabby, but a shockwave pushes her away. As the weight of the water rushes in, the fire slowly dies, and she's distracted by a rumbling noise. She soon realizes what it is...

The enemy is laughing.

"THE FOOL DID IT AGAIN! REACHING FOR POWER BEYOND HIM. LOOKS LIKE HE RECEIVED HIS JUST REWARDS."

Luna moves forward tentatively, an arm extended in fear.

"Crabby?"

Crabby is gone, and there are ashes floating gently in the water. The golden fire dies further down, until a single flame remains, burning on a piece of shell. Despair and sorrow swell in her heart as she crawls forward. She tenderly picks up his remnants, able to recognize him by his distinctive coloration. The light from the flame darkens further, threatening to go out as she holds a piece of his claw. Tears swell in her voice, and she cries,

"You... you idiot!"

She shakes her body, denying the reality of what she is holding. As the flame flickers further she whispers,

"I love you Crabby."

The sole flame wavers, the golden light shifting in hue. It turns blue, slowly dying down. And then, as she huddles over the piece of his shell, she hears something. It's a whisper at first, and her thoughts roil in confusion. She raises her body, looking around. The enemy is moving closer now, surrounding her on all sides. The sound grows, and as she strains her senses, she can finally make it out...

The rhythmic sound of clapping.

Moments prior,

I'm dying.

I thought that journeying through the wasteland of my burned soul was terrible. But this? This is worse. Rushing currents of power continually strike me, and every moment I remain, another piece of me breaks away. The power burns as though it were acid, etching furrows into my shell. I try to stabilize, try to get my bearings, to no avail. Surrendering control, I summon my will to bear, using [Eyes of Intent] to submit my plea.

The currents slow and then become smooth, almost gentle. I'm still melting, but the power isn't actively attempting to destroy me. From all around, from the divine knowledge held in this pool, from the intersection between knowledge and lore, I feel an emotion welling.

Sadness and Pride.

I draw on that pride. Draw on the stories of every hero before me as the divine power melts me down to nothing. I start to lose grasp on my sense of self. As I dissolve, I extend my will to the ocean and speak,

“I, Crabby McCrabbington the First, Squire of the Coast, Protector of Arthos and Lucky Crab, do hereby invoke a [Sacrificial Rite]. I give myself for this world. I give myself as the price.”

‘ding

**Are you sure you want to invoke a [Sacrificial Rite]?**

**Warning: This is a time delimited request.**

**Warning: [System] Advancement choices will be automatically optimized.**

**Warning: Soul Damage, Low Mana, Low Stamina, Low Level detected. You possess limited resources.**

**Warning: You will perish. Do you wish to Activate?**

“ACTIVATE.”

Now.

The clapping grows louder, a rhythmic tapping that Luna has never heard before. The flame she holds pulses, and in front of her the water begins to churn. A shadow in the water begins to grow solid, and her attention is drawn to it as it begins to solidify. Her senses struggle to identify what emerges as the creature grows solid.

Long legs ramp up to a black body, glistening hair falling from its mane. It stares at her, the eyes burning with a cold light as it *huffs* into the water. Where she expects to see two legs at the end of it, only a fish’s tail coils and moves, almost serpent like in its resemblance. A flicker of lore circulates, and she can finally identify the creature.

A kelpie.

And there, on its back is a crab unlike any she's seen before.

It shimmers, spectral like, and she has trouble keeping her eyes upon it. As she gazes, the colors meld and then resolve, burning black and silver into the water. She looks to his eyes, and a burning blue fire returns her gaze. The crab opens his mandibles, and her heart soars as she hears his voice. Her confession is returned by a single phrase,

"I Know."