It is the River Fluvius that is our freedom. It is here that the Gar’shan can be baptized into freedom, and it is here where we offer sacrifices to God. Let the River be the second most sacred land to our people. – The Torment Chapter 18, Verses 5-8

The crab-bear monstrosity was massive. I looked at it closely for a second. It skittered unnaturally from side to side, as if it were showing off. Its claws snapping at the air in quick and precise motions. The thing’s head roared a challenge. We started to back away, hoping it would think we were scared off.

You have gained the skill Analyze!

Small Bear Crab

Brachyursus Minora

XP total: 900

Status: Hostile

This thing was small? Panic started forming in my heart, but I pushed it down. I could not die permanently, and I had to protect the others that could. I shielded Cas, Shalin and myself, using 3 out of my 7 zeal.

‘Tal’Lat, preserve us. Watch over us.” I prayed quickly and knew we would be fighting this thing when the bear crab came forward. It snapped at Shalin, who dodged barely in time.

“Form a Triangle. Shalin, you go towards its back. I will try to stay at its front… Cas go it its side. Aim for the bear, the crab’s exoskeleton will be too hard to penetrate.” I yelled this, suddenly becoming the leader of the group. We all split up, though I tried to grab the attention of the massive thing.

I looked at its claws, they were razor sharp and deadly. One successful attack from the claw and I would be dead, split in two. I gulped down the panic that made its reappearance. This is what teachers are for, I told myself. And you are a teacher, so stand up and kill the bear crab!

I couldn’t damage it, not with my little dagger. But I could distract it. I yelled at the crab and picked up a stone and threw it at it. It stopped looking at Shalin and swiveled to attack me. I should have learned the sword, I chastised myself and Kingsley, who let me walk around with nothing but a dagger. I dodged the attack as I was still far enough away from the monster, just out of its reach.

I didn’t have any of Kingsley’s or Grimshaw’s amazing powers. I couldn’t make copies of myself or taunt the monstrosity, all the while gaining massive attack benefits and blessings. We were utterly alone out here, only armed with my shield and my ability to use my expendables.

I noticed Cas came in and got an attack on the beast. It was good damage, and Cas’ strength and recent training really helped. Just as Cas got a slash in, so too did Shalin. Shalin did not do much damage. Her face was warped into a grimace of rage and anger, her face a dark red and she was screaming obscenities at it. I understood her rage and hoped that it helped fuel her attacks.

It started to turn around, to attack Cas. I couldn’t keep the attention of the bear crab, as I was doing no damage to it. I tried picking up another stone and throwing it at the bear portion of the monster. It hit, but not awfully hard and the animal ignored it.

I drew on as much courage as I could. I would force the crab to pay attention to me. I couldn’t let Cas or Shalin die. With a small prayer, I ran at the beast as fast as I could and leaped as high as I could. I got past the crab legs and used both of my hands to sink the dagger into the side of the bear. My weight caused the dagger to slide down the side with me, and what was a minor stab became a serious gash.

You deal .75 damage to the Bear Crab!

The monstrosity let out a roar of pain and the bear head swiveled and bit me.

You received 3.1 damage from the Bear Crab. 2 damage was soaked by your revelation.

The bear’s bite was painful. Like a dog it, it kept its bite down and started shaking me like a child’s toy.

You gain a concussion. For 1 minute, it will be hard to focus on attacking, though defensive measures will not be penalized.

It threw me and I went sailing away.

You receive .5 damage from falling.

I slowly got to my feet and was a little dizzy. My whole body ached, though the bear bite hurt the most. I recast my revelation. I was down to 3 zeal. I should have spent a willpower when I attacked the bear. Lessons learned, I guess.

I focused back on the bear and heard a scream. It looked like it had snapped at Cas, the revelation shield soaked some of the damage, but not all of it. It lifted Cas and put it into the bear’s mouth. Before it could bite down, I cast another revelation shield on him. The bite broke through the shield but once more the shield soaked most of the damage. The bear did not like the hardness of the shield and was annoyed as Shalin attacked it again.

It was showing wounds, and it looked to be halfway dead… but it was still alive and kicking and not slowing down. Tal’Lat, give me strength and guide my blade. I prayed. Right then I had another revelation.

Tal’Lat is not just a protector, He is also a guide. He will show you the way to move forward the best. By looking at an enemy you will be told its weaknesses. At first, it will show physical weaknesses. At higher levels, it might show mental, spiritual or social weaknesses. Any attack with the weaknesses exposed will do critical damage but also gain a +.3 damage boost to your damage if you still have the revelation active. The Tal’Lat Revelation: Guide cost is 1 zeal and lasts 30 seconds.

I looked at my concussion, I had thirty seconds left. I debated on using the zeal now or saving it to shield if needed. If I could find the weaknesses, however, we could get this fight over with. Cas went sailing as the bear threw it like it threw me. I assumed he got the concussion like I did, as he was acting woozy and unsure of himself.

Shalin was smart and ran away from the monster. She did not want to get attacked like we had. She let the crab on a merry chase for around a minute as Cas and I got back to our senses. Cas looked hurt, but not nearly as bad as he would be if I hadn’t had him soak a full 4 damage. He looked like he could still fight.

Finally, our concussions wore off, and I gambled by using zeal. I saw immediately the creatures weaknesses. Its legs could be used against it. The peripheral vision of the bear is weak, and it is extremely short-sighted. The area where the flesh met the shell was also vulnerable. I yelled this out and Cas and Shalin both acknowledged it.

We went back to attacking it, this time by running around the crab and getting small attacks in from the side where the beast was not looking. I helped too, and when I attacked where the flesh and the shell met, it did significant damage- up to ,6 health! I spent a willpower and did even more damage for 5 seconds. This fight had to end soon. We were all getting tired and slow in our reaction speed.

We continued harassing the creature, and attacking the weakness made our strategy worth it. Only when it was near death, did it score a success against us. Cas was darting in and out, when the monster made a last ditch effort attack. It used its claws to deal a wicked wound to Cas, nearly slicing him in two. It died right after from my attack.

This blow will kill a Bear Crab. Do you want to continue?

I very much wanted it to die, so I gave it one final attack. The monster died.

You have killed a Bear Crab. You receive 30 XP.

I ran over to Cas. His wound looked mortal, and he was bleeding out. Shalin cried out in anguish and held his head. There was no fixing him. With shock, I realized I still had 1 zeal… I could have shielded him and saved his life, but I didn’t. I was so lost in the fight, that I didn’t use my expendables correctly. I was the cause of Cas’ death. Before he died, he looked at me, his eyes pleading. He couldn’t talk, but I knew what he was saying. He was asking me to protect Shalin. I promised him I would, and Shalin started keening. Her wail was loud and painful to hear, so much sorrow. I hung my head in shame.

We sat there, with the bear crab’s corpse and Cas’ cold, dead body. I comforted Shalin the best that I could, but I knew I was little comfort. I grew even more angry at the Taurons whose evil ways forced us into danger. I grew angry with Kingsley and Grimshaw for not giving me a better weapon and not bringing Grimshaw over on the first raft ride instead of me. But most of all, I grew angry with myself for not protecting Cas to the best of my abilities.

We sat that way for two hours when the raft landed, and they came to us. Grimshaw looked at the scene while Kingsley patrolled the area, fearing that all the blood would draw more predators. Hector let out a cry of his own when he saw his best friend dead.

I went to Grimshaw and started crying. I confessed that I had 1 zeal left to shield Cas, only to forget in the heat of the battle. Grimshaw comforted me as best as he was able to, but I knew I was at fault. I had learned a lesson in the blood to never make a similar mistake again, though I knew that would never help Cas.

When we had finished the first, most painful stage of grieving, Teacher Grimshaw said a few prayers for the dead. There was hurt my heart and it was beating with pain. We carried the body to the Fluvius River and let the river take him. The river was a symbol to our people of freedom. Cas had died a free man, and that was amazing and tragic at the same time. Hector held Shalin in his arms and she softly cried into his shoulders.

I took Cas’ sword, planning on training with that from now on. I will never be caught short handed again, I said to myself.

We ate in silence that night. It was exhaustion and grief that made the meal quiet. I stared into the campfire, making promises to myself, to Shalin and to the world. I would get stronger. I would fight better. I would protect Shalin. I would get revenge on the Taurons. I might be weak and pathetic now, I thought, but I will grow to be as fearsome as a lion. And the world would shake in fear. I would find the young Immortal and together, we would bring an end to The Torment.

As I meditated that night to get back zeal and to think of Tal’Lat, I wanted to yell at God again. I wanted to scream in pain and anguish. But first, I started with a reluctant praising of God’s name.

As I went to sleep, I looked over my character sheet. I had 35 points to spend. I noticed that during the fight, I gained a point of agility. I immediately spent 10 XP to raise it to a 1. Then I spent 25 XP to raise my strength form a -1 to 1. This raised my health from 4 to 6 and improved my average in Brawns to a solid 1. I would not be caught weak ever again.