Beginner's Luck: Growth 10

"Have you looked at your mask yet?"

Fluke was confused at the question; he was still processing the impossible changes he was seeing before him. Fluke slowly reached up and pulled the mask off, looking at it for the first time with clear eyes. Across almost half the mask on the left was a green series of diamond shapes, which were checkered with the normal white. The green was the exact same green as the green aventurine the goddess had given him. The eye emblem still sat on the forehead, and the right side was still the pearl white. Fluke put the mask back on and checked his stats:

Mind: 1.35

Body: 1.35

Resonance: 1.99

Mask: 1.50- *New Status*

Usable Potential Energy Detected- Status: Unlocked

Use Potential Energy? Yes/No

Focusing on 'Yes' another window opened:

Potential Energy: 2040

Use all? Yes/No

Fluke thought about what the goddess had said to him. He thought about everything he had received from her. His mind wandered to Q, to his Divine blessings, to his Lucky Clothes, to the resonance shards, and finally to his mentor. Balance is key. A mental image began to form in his mind of where these abilities could take him. He had barely tapped into the potential of Q, and his body seemed to be rapidly progressing on its own as he did quests and trained. Despite using and growing his resonance, it had barely progressed. Which told Fluke that the closer it got to the second level, it became harder to grow. Insight not only revealed the secrets of the world, but it gave him the ability to rapidly grow these abilities. Thinking once again about all he had received from the goddess and everything around him that had helped him grow, the decision made sense. He once again used ALL of his potential energy and put it into... Resonance.

Mind: 1.35

Body: 1.35

Resonance: 2.19 - *New Status*

Mask: 1.50- *New Status*

Flooded with curiosity, Fluke focused on the 'New Status' near the resonance and more information populated.

Resonance: 2.19 - *New Status*

-Stable Resonant Energy: Your resonance is now a constant companion, and more intuitively reactive do your subconscious needs. Loss of resonance to the environment is reduced.

Crossing into the second level did yield results. And by the looks of it, his ability to use resonance would be much more efficient. Excitedly, Fluke focused on the 'New Status' near the mask and more information populated.

Mask: 1.50- *New Status*

-The Green Gambler: This mask has been permanently imbued with an enchanted stone. All harvests, productions, rewards, boons, and yields are doubled when used with a divine Talisman. Your mask now has 5 quick item slots for small item storage and usage.

+100% with successful Talisman use

-25% with a failed Talisman use

It appeared that once a focus area reached a halfway point between levels, there was a chance for new abilities to be unlocked. Looking at 'Mind' and 'Body' he wondered what abilities might be unlocked. Then he remembered what had happened when he had physically exerted himself, and how the stats had changed when he was exhausted.

Will I lose the new abilities if I am hurt or exhausted?

After placing the Talisman, Cobalt, Fuscia, Emerald, and Amber resonant shards into the quick item slots, he proceeded to focus on them one at a time, and then storing them one at a time. It took some getting used to, but he managed to understand the basic functionality of it quickly. Fluke proceeded to explain the vague memories he had from his dream world, and all of the new abilities that he had just read to the older warrior. But after recounting everything, he felt as if he was forgetting something... Something important.

The Librarian didn't speak for a while, he seemed deep in thought. Finally, he turned and closed the distance between them. The Librarian cocked an arm and swung at Fluke. The attack came without warning and was aimed straight at the boy's face. Fluke felt himself react out of shock, but with his resonance and both arms responding on instinct, the entire might of the warrior was stopped. Both of Fluke's arms hurt but... it wasn't going to do more than leave a bruise. Fluke grabbed the Librarian's arm and attempted to kick the man's leg at the knee joint. The Librarian flared his resonant energy and took the kick, only staggering slightly. Recovering instantly, the older man spun and kicked at the boy's stomach, Fluke jumped and blocked the kick with his other arm. Letting go of the wrist, Fluke used the energy from the kick to put some distance between the two fighters.

As quickly as the fight had started, it came to an abrupt end.

"Are you hurt?" Is all the Librarian asked as he changed his stance back to a neutral one. Fluke rubbed his arms and then his torso, slowly shaking his head.

"It hurts, but I am fine." Fluke was still on alert, but the Librarian nodded once and then motioned for the boy to follow him. As they walked a feeling of impending doom seem to grow in the back of Fluke's mind, but he could not remember what it was that he was forgetting.

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Migoene sat on the beach staring at the now barely visible gate. He cycled through each of his visions and settled on the heat signature. A new burning star on his horizon, calling him home. It was still a fair distance away, but now he did not need to swim across the channel to get back home. Hope grew precariously fast inside him, no longer resigned to a fate at the hands of the humans, his mind raced at the possibilities. Flexing his leg after removing the splint, he felt he still needed to heal. Replacing the splint to not draw suspicion and also to provide added stability, Migoene began to plot and prepare.

The world had rumbled in the night, shaking him from the deep meditation he performed every night to help accelerate his healing. But he hadn't thought then in the darkness to check if the world around him had changed. The golem still stood ever vigilant not too far away, so even if he had acted in the night, it would have been futile at best. The strange language of the humans suddenly cut through the ambient noise of the newly formed river.

Perhaps the odds are changing in my favor.

"Vigilance a skirmish." The golem suddenly spoke again in an antiquated dialect, but the one word that made sense was all that Migoene needed to understand: 'Skirmish.' Standing to his feet, Migoene turned and expected to face the final boss again, but instead the younger sentient boy stood before him now. The mask on his face was different, the resonant energy around him didn't broil or falter. The boy seemed more physically developed as well- maybe slightly taller, but more muscle across his body as well as confidence in his body language.

Without my mask I cannot escape this fight without injury.

"Initiate Skirmish!" The golem commanded again. Migoene put his top two hands together in a steeple and readied the bottom two in a fighting posture to exchange blows. Focusing his energy, he began swinging at the young warrior in front of him. The boy just one day ago had been nearly killed in a single blow, but today each of his empowered strikes were being blocked. Fear began to grow inside the Derboul, as he began striking faster, kicking harder.

Was it not two days ago that this neophyte had revealed himself? What infernal homunculus had the humans conjured up? The exponential progress this one novice warrior has shown is unimaginable!

Thinking quick on his feet, Migoene pivoted slowly, trying to appear as if he was vying for an advantage. Secretly, he hoped to create an opportunity to flee, all he needed now was an opening and a little Luck.

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Fluke was surprised by the natural reflexes and speed in which he was learning. To be certain he could train at even higher levels of difficulty, Fluke had commanded Q to record the fight. Pivoting with the Derboul, Fluke took the initiative and decided to try and strike back for the first time in the fight. Just as he landed the punch, the clouds darkened above them, the wind began to blow unnaturally, and a debilitating pain lanced down his arm and through his body. The arm he had used to strike, was the arm that carried the divine markings of misfortune.

A feeling of overwhelming despair and sudden realization crashed down on Fluke.

YOU NEVER OFFLOADED THE BAD LUCK

The thought screamed through his mind just as a lightning bolt crashed from the heavens and struck the sand between the two fighters. Appearing from the blast, there in the sand was the Derboul's mask.

Time seemed to slow, the bolt of lightning caused Q to momentarily shutdown and reboot. The Librarian had covered his face in the blast of sand and glass. Fluke found himself flying backwards with his hair and clothes blackened and burned. The Derboul was launching himself forward to grab his mask, which now bore a golden emblem. The moment he had it equipped, the Derboul ran unnaturally fast away from the fight, back towards the gate.

Fluke looked to his right as he still perceived time slowly. There in the sand was the goddess... no it wasn't Lady Luck. This woman could have been her twin, but her hair was black and in a tight bun, and her eyes glowing amber, and her skin pale white. She grinned at the boy showing her teeth. Her mouth was sporting a second set of canines making her smile feel dangerous and sinister. Her crimson lips a stark contrast to the rest of her skin. She was waving a finger of admonishment and shaking her head.

When Fluke landed and skidded to a stop in a pile of sand, he felt his muscles twitch and ache. The dark clouds began to slowly drop rain, which hit him in the face. Between blinks and agonizing pain, he heard an odd sound of 'flip-flop' as someone walked over to him. A moment later, the dark-haired woman was there standing over him. She kicked off her sandals and used her foot to pull his head to face her, giving him a soft smack on the cheek with her foot. She was wearing black form fitting leggings that ended mid lower leg, her shirt was short sleeved and had writing on it. 'Sad Face'. She put on a mocking pouting face and spoke in a belittling tone.

"You silly boy. Didn't you listen to my sister? Aww... Now you're stuck with me. Afterall..." her tone shifted to a more serious tone, "Good Luck isn't the only kind of Luck." She scrunched her face, giggled and then threw her head back to catch rain on her tongue.