“I’m going to go to Granny Smith’s place down the road for some apples. Do you need anything?”

“Why are you going there, it's dangerous.”

“What do you mean dangerous? She’s just a nice old lady.”

“She’s a witch boyo. Catch her on a bad day and you’ll get an apple you don’t wake up from.”

“But she’s always been nice to me.”

“Hmm… in that case, get me two of whatever you’re having.”

“You sure?”

“Worst case scenario I hopefully get to level up my poison resistance.”

“Bold move sir, let’s hope it pays off.”

“Quite.”

Overheard conversation on the streets of Lenoria, AC 1438.

I wake up to discover that about an hour has passed. We have moved another ten meters or so and my mana has recovered enough to help everyone. My splitting headache has receded to a dull reminder and I’m up and ready to go!

I look to the others and see that they’re even more covered in dirt and grime than before. Luna’s chainmail is almost completely caked on and every shift in her body causes more flakes to disburse into the water. The others are in similar straits and as I get to my feet I wave to get their attention. As they turn to me, I say

“Everyone stand still for a moment.”

I activate [Earth Manipulation] and [Water Manipulation], pulling the sand and dirt engrained on their bodies to the floor. As I do, I also focus on the particulates in the water around me, grasping onto them with my mana and sending it to the floor. A single pulse and the ground underneath us is now compacted clay, strong enough to help mitigate the crowded work area. I hear the familiar

*DING*

And pull up the notifications I’ve put aside up to this point. A wall of text inundates me, and with a mental prod I get it to summarize the increases.

Congratulations!

[Earth Manipulation] III has increased in level!

It is now level 5

[Water Manipulation] III has increased in level!

It is now level 4

[Mana Manipulation] III has increased in level!

It is now level 4

Looking at my gains, I see that the last few weeks of training and my efforts against the forest have paid off. Especially that last fight. I shudder thinking about the massive leafy fist descending, reaching towards the fragile dome I had constructed. Putting it aside I tell the others to rest. Just as I’m about to activate my manipulation skills to start moving earth, a singular notification still remains, blinking in the corner. Curious, I reach out a mental claw to see what it says.

Congratulations!

Through immense efforts against a superior foe, you have widened your mana channels! This allows for variable mana costs for skills involving mana.

Huh.

I remember using three skills at once, the strain involved and the fervent desire to push mana through to get a larger effect. Seems as though my efforts paid off. Curious, I retreat into my inner landscape, quickly going through the initial motions that Toriana had taught me so long ago to unlock [Eyes of Intent]. Touching base with my mana core, I follow the threads of power I had previously created. The system is right. I can feel that the channels have widened considerably.

I take a moment to consider what the old hag said, about how magic used to work before system activation. I remember Toriana telling me that sometimes, “the old ways are best.” And that [Eyes of Intent] has powerful interactive system effects. Hmm. There might be more to unpack there, but I’ll set it aside for now. There’s bigger fish to fry. As the other members of the team sit down and start to rest, I raise my claws dramatically and declare,

“IT’S DIGGING TIME!!”

*silence*

Only blank stares return my proclamation. Tough crowd. Ah well, in their defense it’s been digging time for them for a while now. I activate my manipulation skills and in conjunction with my claws I begin to tear at the wall in front of me.

The work goes quickly, the strength of my pincers easily breaking the earth and my manipulation skills moving it away and compacting against the wall at the far end. It’s repetitive work, but it’s almost soothing in a way. As I fall into an trance, a dim thought reaches from below. I remember the last time I did something like this. And you know what made that work even better?

A song.

♫♫ “I like to DIG, DIG, DIG, holes in the WALLS!!!” ♫♫

That song lasts me a good hour before I feel a light tapping on my carapace. I break out of my work fugue to find Mina looking at me with a pained face. Is she okay? What happened?

I look at the others and see the Bill brothers covered in earth. I can only see tiny holes where the light of their eyes is peaking through. Wilhelm and Luna have created a small earthen embankment as well, trying to dig into the earth I’ve so meticulously moved behind me. I’m not sure what the exact reason for their actions are, especially after I cleaned all the dirt off of them. Discarding the thought, I ask Mina what’s wrong.

“Uhm… great job so far Crabby. But uhm… can you perhaps sing a different song? Or better yet, I can sing some songs. You know… if you have a limited repertoire or something like that. I know almost all of Pinniped’s music by heart.”

That’s nice of Mina to offer, but I’m more concerned with why everyone appears to be hiding. I turn a critical eye towards the ceiling. I’ve made sure to reinforce the ceiling as I go, so the risk of a cave-in appears to be minimal. Regardless of the reason, they’ve been working hard so they deserve some rest. I decide to let Mina down gently.

“Thanks for the offer, Mina. I do have some other songs though. No worries!”

I turn back to the wall in front of me as she swims over to the others. I can’t use Sir Crabby’s story right now, and I feel a pang of loss at the memory. That being said… I don’t need the skill to sing.

♫♫” Sir Crabby is on the Move, Sir Crabby is loose!” ♫♫

Twenty minutes go by, and another tap pulls my attention away. What is it now?

Mina is floating there once more. Her pained face has distorted into a grimace. Did she eat something bad? I’m going to have to check my rations to make sure they’re still good.

“Yes?”

“Again, great job Crabby. You’ve been able to do almost as much as all of us in this short time. But really… I think… uhm…”

She appears to have trouble finding the words to say, then I can almost see her expression clear up as she figures it out.

“Ah! Yes, you see I have a problem with my class. As a bard, I can only hear music for a couple of times in a row before it gets painful. It’s a bit of a detrimental effect. If it gets too bad, I might even suffer a debuff.”

Oh wow. That sounds terrible. I had no idea. I hurry to reassure her.

“Oh no! In that case, don’t worry. I’ll come up with something else. Just rest and let me think on it.”

She sags in relief and moves towards the others. Looking at them, I can see even further layers of earth bundled up in protective layers. I can hear Mina whispering and I strain my hearing to catch what she’s saying.

“…he said he’ll come up with something else”

“Oh, thank Wisdom.”

“By the gears that grind.”

“The rage was imminent.”

Wow, it sounds like everyone was really worried about Mina. I wish she had told me earlier. It’s a minor thing to worry about, but it’s good to have a better grasp on your teammate’s capabilities. As I start to brainstorm new songs, I run into the same problem I had back in the dungeon. Making up songs is incredibly difficult.

I wonder…

I retreat into my inner landscape once more. The rolling shadow clouds of the Akasha surrounding me. My mana core is off in the distance, and I had ventured there but minutes prior. This time though, I’m going to try to suss out the damage from when I used my skill against the corruption.

I’m not sure how I can tell, there’s no markers or geographical landmarks in this mental zone. Yet somehow, I manage to navigate to where I was when the corruption attacked my mind. I’ve avoided this area until now, the thought of facing the memories a painful one.

Now that I’m here, I’m shocked by what I find.

It’s as if the Akasha is burnt in this area, but instead of leaving a black soot on the shadow clouds, tinges of yellow and gold have been left behind. I’m able to look outward from the site of the battle and can trace the residue into the distance. I have the feeling that if I follow it, it’d lead me all the way back to that golden sea. The divine power that I borrowed and hurt me so. I reach out a claw to touch the residue and a twinge of pain shakes my core.

Okay, I’ll leave this alone for now.

I venture back to my starting point and consider. The hag told me to try the skill out now and then. Maybe I can do it in baby crab steps? I let myself drift into the undamaged clouds around me and slowly reach out. I’m not trying to reach for power, not trying to force my will into this amorphous space. Just letting my mind receive sensations and hopefully inspiration. Snatches and catches of songs, ideas, music, stories float by, and I sense that one has a thread of what I’m looking for. I latch on, and follow it to another cloud, refining my desires along the way as I get closer to the inspiration I’m seeking. A whisper of a song reaches me and as I hear it, I leave my mental space.

Only a moment has passed, but I have it.

I look down at my claw and start to open and close it as though it is a mouth that’s speaking. I use a high-pitched voice to go along with the movement.

“Gee, Crabby, what do you want to do today?”

I respond to my claw in a menacing tone,

“The same thing we do every day, Claw. Try to get back to the coast!”

I slam my pincer into the earth in front of me and rip out a chunk of dirt. The hag told me to try out the skill right? And I can use variable costs for skills now? I feed a single point of mana to [Sir Crabby’s Story]. I feel the skill wanting more, trying to fulfil its effects but I hold steady. I feel a tiny burning sensation, almost as if a sore muscle is being used after a long time at rest. I’m able to push through it though as a familiar window appears.

‘ding

***

Sir Crabby’s Music has been applied

Effect: +1% increase to STR, INT

Effect: 1 minute remaining

***

YES!

The music wells up within me and I see that this particular tune helps with strength and intelligence. Exactly what I need. The dirt begins to fly as I sing,

“They’re Crabby and The Claw!”

“Yes, Crabby and The Claw!”

“One is fearless!”

“The other will hit your jaw!”

“They’re an undefeatable foe!”

“Face them at your woe!”

“They’re Crabby.”

“They’re Crabby and The Claw, Claw, Claw, Claw, Claw, Claw, Claw, Claw, Claw!”

I’m able to feel that there’s barely any aid from the skill’s effects. One percent isn’t much after all. But even more importantly, my spirits are raised. I can heal, get the skill back. I rip another chunk out of the wall. This isn’t the end, no. Not for Crabby. *snip, snip*… And not for the claw!!

“Before each strike is done!”

“Their plan will be revealed!”

“By your low health we won.”

“We'll die before we yield!”

“They’re Crabby and The Claw!”

“Yes, Crabby and The Claw!”

“One is fearless!”

“The other will hit your jaw!”

“They’re an undefeatable foe!”

“Face them at your woe!”

“They’re Crabby.”

“They’re Crabby and The Claw, Claw, Claw, Claw, Claw, Claw, Claw, Claw, Claw!”

Meanwhile, at the other side of the room.

Mina whispers, “Uh, Luna… is Crabby okay?”

“I’m pretty sure he is. At least I think so. He get’s like this sometimes. Just be happy he’s come up with another song.”

Wilhelm grumbles, “He’s really shredding that dirt isn’t he?”

Bill replies, “The efficiency is astounding.”