"...so, our longevity is because Arthos needs us to be powerful enough to create [Lore]?"

"Correct, and power takes time. Legends aren't told about Belinda the Dwarf baker. No... legends are told about us. Now, what does having [Lore] for a planet mean?"

"Umm... it means that [Lore] and [Knowledge] interact?"

"And...?"

"It forms the [AKASHA] that allows the [System] to implement... which protects the other races from [CORRUPTION]?"

"Very good son."

"Hey dad?"

"Yes son?"

"Before [Lore] is created, what protected the other races?"

"Well... that's another reason for our power."

--Apocryphal Fragment - BC, Men in Blue Archives. Recovered from Dragon Temple #██████

I'm shocked with what I see. There's.... there's alot here.

Name: Bridge Between Feat: Have [Knowledge] of the [COVENANT], Have [Triumvirate Unveiled], intuit existence of the [AKASHA] Effect: +5% to WIS, INT, CHA, [DEF-UP] against [CORRUPTION], + [Knowledge] to [System] interface. Knowledge:

ETERNITY guards the AETHERIC GATES

Mortals guard the MATERIAL PLANE

The [SYSTEM] is the bridge between

ETERNITY flows from the AETHERIC GATES, through the [SYSTEM] to reality. By their nature, mortals cannot withstand ETERNITY.

[Knowledge] is an ASPECT of ETERNITY. [Lore] is the mortal contribution to [Knowledge]. Where [Knowledge] & [Lore] meet, the [AKASHA] is formed. The [AKASHA] is the collective unconscious of mortality.The [AKASHA] is the first line of defense against [CORRUPTION].

Due to the unconventional nature of your awakening, you have more of a connection to the [AKASHA] than others. You know things you should not, and reference things you've never seen.

Lore: "Have the [Knowledge], Understand the [Lore], Power the Will, and Even the Score." - {REDACTED}

I try to understand what this means for me. I see that it says that [Knowledge] is an Aspect of Eternity. Thinking back on my trial, I nod; remembering that it's a past face of Lira, the current Wisdom. So, [Knowledge] exists as an Aspect; but it must always be expanding, mortals constantly contributing new things to know. It looks like, well it seems as if my connection to the [Akasha] isn't changing me. It's not changing who Sir Crabby is. It just let's me pull from the collective result of the meeting between [Lore], which is mortal discovery and creation, and the growing [Knowledge] of everything that has come before.

I slump with mental exhaustion, as a crushing worry is removed from the back of my mind. I had tried not to think about it, but the nagging concern had haunted me. That's all in the past though. It's decided then. I'll just be me.

I wear a Crabby grin, taking a small comfort in knowing that everything I know and learn and reference and create has all been shaped by an infinitude of life. It's not just I, Sir Crabby, a scared crab alone in a dungeon.

It's we, Sir Crabby, a result of everything that has come before. Everyone out there, be it Mortal or God... by our shared history we are bound together.

After all that hard thinking, I decide to take a nap. And when I wake up, I remember something I didn't consider at the time. Now that I know of the importance of [Lore], I notice that my old buddy [REDACTED] has shown up in the entry for the Bridge Between. This is the third time now and when read together it says,

Eyes of Intent: "My sight will end this age." - {REDACTED}

Triumvirate Unveiled: "I may be blind, yet still I see." - {REDACTED}

Bridge Between: "Have the [Knowledge], Understand the [Lore], Power the Will, and Even the Score." - {REDACTED}.

I feel like it's trying to tell me something. Nothing immediately comes to mind, but the wording for the Bridge Between has a nice rhyme to it. As I'm repeating it to myself, I dismiss it from my thoughts.

What was I doing before?

Ah! I was working on making better music than the, "Eat Crabby," song that Erica taught me. I try to come up with something fun and Crabby themed.

"I like my [Coast], [Coast], [Coast]..."

No, that's almost the same song.

"I like to [Slice], [Slice]..."

AH! Why is that melody stuck in my head? This shouldn't be that hard, I [Know] what music is after all.

Wait.

...

......

"It can't be that easy."

I warily look at the Bridge Between [Lore] entry once more. I [Know] what music is. I have a deeper connection to the [AKASHA], so that I may better understand [Lore]. I pull up my old speaking skill, [Eyes of Intent]. It's effects?

Manifest your Will.

Finally, I have [Mana Manipulation] for the power. Though I'm not sure what the "even the score," part is about. Dismissing it for now, a plan starts to form; and before I can scare myself out of it, I plop down on the ground to start. I let my awareness drift away, repeating the exercise that Toriana guided me through to unlock [Mana Manipulation] and [Eyes of Intent].

Once more, I find myself drifting in a mental void, only my thoughts as lonely companion. This time though, instead of focusing on venturing to the core of my mana, I take a moment to assess my surroundings. Amorphous darkness surrounds me, it's negative blankness shifting in the recesses of my mind.

I have the [Knowledge] of music. I just need to find the [Lore] in the [Akasha]. I activate [Eyes of Intent], and instead of forming a narrow bridge to send thoughts and speech, I aim to express the [Lore] I seek. I imagine myself, running and in combat, indiscernable music beating in the distance. The darkness shifts, and flashes of meaning pound into my head. The information is strange, foreign and unlike anything I've ever seen. Yet, it still captures the essence of what I'm looking for.

With all of my strength, I latch onto the [Lore] as it fights, buckling against my mental claws. I can't capture all of it, only flashes here and there filtered through my own life and experiences. Still holding on, I bring my awareness out of that dark location and back into reality. It begins to break away from my control as I activate [Mana Manipulation], seizing control of the mana around me and [Eyes of Intent], willing the music forth. Almost as if possessed, my claw moves outside my control, movements dictated by the [Lore] pouring from the [Akasha].

My claw moves to the left.

"Sir..."

My claw moves to the right.

"Sir..."

My claw thrusts ahead.

"Sir..."

My claw RAISES HIGH IN THE SKY!

"SIR CRABBY!!!! HOOOOO!!!"

I start running circles around the room, excitement and music and joy pouring out of every motion, moving faster and faster and faster as my mana, soul and Will sings...

"Sir Crabby is on the move!!"

"Sir Crabby is loose!!"

"Feel the magic!!"

"Fear the claws!!"

"Sir Crabby is loose!!"

"Sir, Sir, Sir, Sir Crabby!"

"Sir, Sir, Sir, Sir Crabby!"

I slide to a halt, panting from the power I've channeled. My body is sore and my mana and stamina are completely bottomed out. As I regain conscious control of my body. I hear a...

'ding'

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

Congratulations!

You have a new skill!

Skill: Sir Crabby's Story Effects: Channel the [AKASHA] to tell your story Current Bonus: Various, dependent on [Lore] Cost: Variable, user defined Lore: "It can't be that easy." - Sir Crabby McCrabbington I.

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

I bring up the logs of the last minute or so. They say,

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

**(undefined) effect has been applied.**

**(undefined) effect: +30% increase to STR, DEX.**

**(undefined) effect: 1 minute duration**

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

One minute of power in return for all of my mana and stamina? Oh yeah, this dungeon is going down.