“Hearken unto battle. Let his will suffuse you as you [Dodge] the enemy. Remember that a [Sneak Attack] in service to our lord is a noble endeavor. Let [Dexterity] be your guide as you [Move in Shadows].”

--Interfaith Church, Lenorian Army. Sermon on [Dexterity]. AC 1428.

Moments prior.

"ACTIVATE."

**System: Scanning. Evolutionary paths detected. Determining optimal route.**

**System: [Ghost Crab] evolution available. Lateral Progression and Elevation Possible.**

**System: [Ghost] -> [Wraith]. Requirements met. Accepting [Wraith Crab].**

'ding

Congratulations!

You are now a Wraith Crab.

Name: Wraith Crab

Feat: [Sapience], Mistaken for Undead by [Royal], [Sacrificial Rite]

Description: You are a Wraith Crab. You [Plane Shift] between real and unreal, ethereal claws clinging to life. Assume the [Undead] mantle as you [Drain Life] from your foes.

Effect: [Undead], [Wraith], [Drain Life], [Plane Shift]

Lore: "I have returned, from beyond the veil." – [REDACTED]

I still swim within the sea of power, but now, instead of melting, single tendrils attach to my shell. As I watch in horror, my claws blacken and then fall away, the proud reds and yellows of my shell shifting to a deep shade of black. As my form changes, with a remote part of my mind I'm aware of my body in the real world. It is burning, the sacrifice of my material body fuel to feed the transformation. I'm unable to muster a response though because the system continues its merciless advancement.

**System: You are level 44. Class advancement is level 50. Insufficient power for artificial promotion.**

**System: Scanning. Your soul is damaged. Further uncontrolled damage will result in immediate destruction.**

**System: Stabilizing Soul.**

As I watch in awe, the melting ceases and I've gained my new form. Black and silver striations pulse through my shell and deep within me, I feel something change. A dark coldness grows, and I struggle to maintain my perspective.

**System: Soul Stabilized. Activating [Sunder Soul].**

I barely have a change to read the message before a piercing pain ravages through me. Pieces of me flake off, falling away to places unknown. As I try to focus my thoughts the system continues.

**System: Sacrifice Sufficient. Artificially promoting to level 50.**

**System: [Knight of the Coast] is unavailable due to undead form. Lateral promotion available.**

'ding

Congratulations!

You are now a [Death Knight of the Coast]!

Name: Death Knight of the Coast Tier: II

Description: Ice and Water answer your call. The earth yearns to be your final resting place. From shadows you [Summon Steed]. Exert your will and cling to life as you strive to complete your mission.

Stats: +6 to All Stats Per Level

Req: Level 50

[Undead]

[Squire of the Coast]

The changes sweep through me, my mind shifting and turning in rapid succession. With a gentle push, I'm shoved out of the burning sea of power and float in the [Akasha]. I try to take stock of the changes but as I turn inward, all I feel is a cold fire inside me. A burning desire to complete my mission, to save someone in the world above. Blue fire erupts from my eyes, and I rocket upward. As I zoom through the [Akasha] I try to order my thoughts, but the spurious concerns are brushed aside. There is only the mission.

As I return to my normal mind space, I use my new skill and [Summon Steed].

A kelpie materializes from the use of my skill and as I climb aboard my mount, we somehow step... sideways. I don't know how to explain it, but there's a drawing sensation, as though something is beckoning me out of this place. As I follow the pull, [Plane Shift] activates and I am returned to the world once more. I’m not sure what the last words of the starfish in front of me spoke, but I can feel the outpouring of emotion. It sends me forward and as I reach for her, something inside moves to respond,

"I know."

Leaning forward, my spectral claw passes through her arm. Frowning, I pull on my new instincts and manage to make it corporeal just long enough to pull her beside me. The enemy is arrayed all around...

This will be a glorious battle.

A snapping turtle is the closest, and with a click of my mandibles the kelpie races forward. The crack of her tail against the water sends a thrill through my ghostly form and in a second, we're before it. My instincts rear once more, and I plunge a spectral claw into its chest. The cold fire within me churns, and races through my arm. In seconds, the corrupted is fully dead, the cold fire returning to my body. It plunges within me and as it does a window appears...

'ding

You have used [Drain Life] against the undead!

It's not very effective.

Added time on this plane: Five Minutes.

I feel a shiver behind me and the starfish whispers,

"Are.... are you okay Crabby?"

Crabby. Hmm. That is a good name. Faint memories raise from the depths, and I give her a comforting pat.

"Just fine."

As the turtle crumples, I can see a wave of anger racing through my enemies. My mission is clear. Get the starfish to safety.

A tug on the kelpie’s hair turns her aside, and a quick whip sends her rocketing forward. In a blink we're before the wall, and instead of reaching towards the earth, I grasp the water around me. The cold fire within courses through my claw and freezes the water, forming a lance in front. A grim smile graces the deep as I whisper,

"Charge."

The enemies are scrambling, trying to swamp me with numbers, the rare creature with some semblance of intelligence firing off skills that I dodge. The kelpie is too fast, her entire body streamlined for efficient movement. My ice lance pierces foes as I go by, each strike giving me more and more life to drain. After each attack, I let the fire recede, turning the ice to water, shaking off the enemy so that I can reform and pierce again.

The first line of enemies is breached.

And then the second.

The third has seemed to come up with a strategy, trying to block the kelpie with a wall of bodies. As we charge, Luna begins trying to get my attention.

"Crabby, the enemy is right there. Crabby... CRABBY!"

I look behind at where she’s clinging onto the kelpie and tell her,

"Teleport through."

Before stepping sideways once more. My mount shifts with me, and I feel as the plane bends towards the shadows. Everything is the same, and yet my mount and I have become immaterial, unable to be attacked by the physical realm. The momentum of the charge is sustained however, and as the enemy braces our ghosts fly through their body. My mount and I materialize once more on the other side, the kelpies tail cracking to gain speed. With a quiet *pop* the starfish materializes back on the horse as we streak through the water.

Minutes later we're back at the exit out of the hall, the starfish panting behind me. I relax an increment, fully aware of the enemy chasing us. We have but few moments, so I make sure the starfish is aware of the next steps.

"You have the geo-locator?"

"Wha... yes. But what happened to you?"

I growl, anger rippling through my shell.

"Focus. Take the geo-locator upward. It will serve as a relay as I hold the line."

"Hold the... you can't stop them all!"

I let a bit of the cold inside seep into the material world.

"I'll be fine."

She seems ready to fight me on this, but there's no time. I can feel myself shifting away, some dark force pulling me... elsewhere. I place a claw on her and as we take a moment, a strange fluttering happens within me. As I see her begin to protest, I say simply,

"Goodbye."

With that, I hop off the kelpie, and give it a quick smack. The starfish clings to the back as it rears up, neighing into the water and rocketing up into the passage. The skill should hold until she's able to catch up with the others. I pull up the system window dinging angrily at me...

'ding

You have Twenty-Seven Minutes Remaining on this Plane.

That should buy her some time.

Luna clings to the back of the horse as it rears, twirling and jerking in sinuous motion. She clutches the last piece of Crabby to her chest, the piece of his claw still remaining. It feels warm, unlike the... whatever he has become behind her. As she tries to marshal herself, she pulls the kelpies hair as she saw Crabby do. The horse ignores her, continuing to race upwards. A minute passes and her armor *clicks* letting her know she is within communication range of the squad. She pushes thoughts of Crabby aside for the moment, focusing on the mission at hand. Gather the squad and then report higher. As the water whips around the fast-moving mount she can only pray. Pray that help makes it in time.