Beginner's Luck: Critical Mass 4

"Imbue on mask? Yes/No"

Fluke placed his eyes on the word "Yes", and it blinked for a moment. The gem disappeared with a flash, and new options appeared before him:

Mind: 1

Body: 1

Resonance: 1

Usable Potential Energy Detected- Status: Locked

Mask Tier: 1

Emblem: Insight

Fluke didn't understand what any of this meant. Seeking answers he asked the Librarian, "My Emblem is called 'Insight'. It lists my mask, mind, body and... resonance? all at a 1. Do you know what this means?"

The Librarian shook his head slowly. "I have no such things in my mask. My mask only guides my emblem usage nothing more. I do know that every emblem is unique. Deciphering its utility and power is part of the journey that lays before you... Are you okay?" The old man's voice was filled with concern and curiosity.

Fluke nodded still trying to process everything, his body felt invigorated after getting the mask, but his soul felt exhausted. The conflicting emotions gave him a headache. Looking back at the unconscious enemy in the fishing net Fluke asked the only thing that came to mind.

"What do we do with the other Outsider?" He felt dread that he might have to kill again so soon. He felt worried that if the enemy escaped that all of their lives were in danger. Was there no other way forward but more death?

"What do you want to do?" The Librarian said this question as if it were a test. Fluke considered all of his options. Then an idea occurred to him.

"Keep an eye on him. I'll be right back." Fluke turned and jogged up to the location where the training golem was recording. When he reached the training golem, he reached out his hand and touched the floating torso, that's when something new happened, a voice that sounded half magical and half synthetic spoke.

"Recording Stopped... Processing... Combat Analysis complete. New menu options available. " Fluke pressed the torso and cycled through his options. and stopped on the only option that made sense. "Protect". A light blue light scanned his face from top to bottom and left to right, then the machine spoke again.

"Facial scan complete. You are the now marked as the sole authorized user and primary operator of this training golem. It will protect you from all perceived threats." The golem rose up to full height, and the head did a quick scan of the area. A different deeper metallic voice spoke.

"Area clear of known threats. I am programmed to follow you until otherwise commanded." Fluke smiled and turned without saying a word, and sure enough the soft thud of the golem's footsteps sounded from behind him. Fluke and his new bodyguard reached the Librarian who was now standing over the still unconscious Outsider.

"How long do we have before more of them will arrive?" Fluke looked up at the mask man, and the boy realized something had changed in his perception of him. He had rapidly gone from stranger, to protector, to mentor, to... an unknown quantity.

"It isn't certain but... my mentor had told me that one time they had evaded the Outsiders for three weeks. Eventually the Outsiders caught and killed enough of them and left the realm. However, no additional enemies joined the hunt. He believed that they couldn't send more in, but he never could confirm it. We have never been able to catch one in all of my time here. So, at the very least we have weeks, but only time will tell." The Librarian shrugged and then winced as he had reaggravated his broken ribs. Fluke reached forward but the older man just shook his head and waved him off.

"I want to heal him." The Librarian stiffened at the suggestion.

"You.... What?" The older man's whole-body language changed. Fluke just lifted his hands and hurriedly said, "Just hear me out."

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Migoene couldn't understand what the humans were speaking about. Without his mask he was both too weak to break his bonds and left without a translator. So, he just laid there pretending to be unconscious, and he attempted to sort through his emotions. Myene was dead. He knew it. It was his fault. He failed her. He knew he would soon join her in the great unknown. His heart was heavy at the loss of his companion. He was angry with himself, for his failures. He was thinking about everything he had done wrong and found himself spiraling deeper into depression and self-doubt. He laid there for hours it felt like, waiting for death to take him. All of his self-pity, doubt, anger and rage came to a screeching halt when he suddenly was being lifted in the air by his broken leg.

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Fluke and the Librarian instinctually jumped back at the shattering of their calm conversation. The golem had grabbed the Outsider roughly hauling him up by his broken ankle, the feral agonizing shriek of a scream that came out of the outsider followed by what must have been all the obscenities of their alien tongue broke the calm of the early afternoon.

"This Derboul is faking. He is an enemy. Shall I neutralize the threat?" The golem turned his head waiting for permission to strike. Fluke began waving his hands frantically, "No! Drop him!" The golem released his grip and with a crash and fresh round of generational curses the Outsider returned to the ground. The Librarian stifled a laugh, and Fluke spoke to his bodyguard again.

"I appreciate your efforts. But he will serve a better purpose alive than dead.... Golem, do you have a name? If you are going to be my guardian, you need to have a name."

The automaton cocked his head sideways in a very human display of expression. "I am Automaton Sentinel model Q. I am preprogrammed to respond to any portion of that designation."

Fluke smiled up at the tall automaton and responded, "Alright then! I will call you 'Q' from now on." The robot cocked its head to the other side and responded.

"Parameters Accepted."