Beginner's Luck: Growth 4

Fluke watched the wounded Derboul with rapt curiousity. The beast was terrifying to behold, yet at the same time, it seemed to be a vegetarian. Even when they provided fish it seemed to eat it sparingly. The hulking mass of alien warrior screamed carnivore or predator, and yet here it was hungrily devouring anything plant based. Fluke looked up at his mentor, who was just staring at the outsider with arms crossed. His facial expression was hidden behind his mask, but no facial expression was needed: the intensity and rigid body language may as well have been the Librarian shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Do you think I am ready?" Fluke's heart began to pound as his gaze shifted back to the enemy before them.

"Your aur... I mean your resonance is far more developed than mine. His strength and prowess are still immense, but he has lost most of his power by not having his mask. Use your emblem and trust your instincts." The Librarian was tense and to the point.

"You didn't answer my question." Fluke was now starting to second guess himself.

"I think you won't die. How's that for an answer?" The Librarian uncrossed his arms and shook his head slightly.

"Q! I am going to try and spar with the Derboul! If he tries to run, catch him and bring him back!" Fluke stepped forward against his better judgement, all of his better judgement and survival instincts told him this was dangerous. The pain that was sure to come was going to be overwhelming. He swallowed, gritted his teeth and kept moving forward.

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Migoene pretended not to see the young human inching his way towards him. He kept two of his six eyes on him; the rest were focused on eating and drinking. Quickly he schemed a plan of escape: kill or incapacitate the boy so he can't give commands to the sentinel, then run to the forest and try and make it to the waters beyond the trees. He could use the tree branches and foliage to elevate himself out of their reach and maybe escape. Taking a moment, he began to focus what resonance he could to his legs and arms, he was fairly certain it wouldn't require much more to deal with the young sentient now coming closer.

It didn't matter if the rift boss moved quickly. It didn't matter if he didn't have the mask. It didn't matter that he was outmatched. He didn't need to win.

He just needed to escape.

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Fluke evenly spread his resonant energy and prepared for pain. He triggered his emblem and waited for the inevitable. With Insight now active, he watched the Derboul's energy begin to build for the attack. He watched the spread of energy go to three arms, down his core, and through his legs. The arm closest wasn't overly empowered which was odd. But then Fluke realized what was going on: the enemy had underestimated him.

The lightning quick jab came from that closest arm just as the Derboul was taking a long pull of water from the leather flask. Fluke could tell that he was aiming for his upper torso. He felt his hands react, moving to block the incoming attack. The claws and long arm lanced forward and at the very last second Fluke was able to divert most of the fatal blow to his left side of his neck. The sharp pain that came wasn't as bad as he thought, though he could feel himself start to bleed, which caused him to panic. Jumping back Fluke grabbed his neck and watched as the enemy sprang away towards the forest. Hot blood ran through his fingers, but he focused all of his resonant energy to his wound and even branded himself with good luck.

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The Librarian triggered his hourglass emblem and deftly intercepted the fleeing combatant. Gritting his teeth he felt his anger climb and he lost control for a moment. The force he exerted to slam the outsider down to the ground felt good, but he knew he had over done it. The sound of wind being knocked from his enemy and the crunch of bone told him just how much was too much. Calming himself briefly, the Librarian then drug the limp prisoner back to the waiting hands of the golem. Only then did he turn and hurry to check on Fluke.

To his surprise the boy was standing, the blood from his neck stained his shirt but the wound was already mostly healed. He called out to the boy.

"You alright?"

Fluke nodded, and his neck wound opened again and began to ooze blood slowly. Fluke applied pressure and responded.

"Yeah, I'll live."

The stood in silence for a moment. The older man felt angry at himself for allowing this recklessness.

The boy had almost died in front of him, and then what would've happened? You just buried two of your friends and not one day later you almost watched another one be murdered in front of you.

"This was stupid! I am stupid for letting this happen!" He felt himself ball both of his hands into fists, he felt the blood raging up his neck, and his jaw clenching his teeth.

"No it wasn't!" Fluke yelled back.

"YES IT WAS! DO YOU WANT ME TO BURY YOU TOO?!" The Librarian turned and felt his rage burn toward the injured warrior that was now dazed. The singular thought screamed through his mind:

I am going to kill it! NOW.

"Don't you dare kill it! STOP!" Fluke ran and grabbed the wrist of his mentor. Out of anger the Librarian felt himself throw the boy off him, and he began to see red. The only thing that stopped him was what Fluke managed to yell out, just as he reached down to beat the outsider to death with his bare hands.

"YOUR BLOODLUST IS WORSE THAN THEIRS!"

The words cut deep into the Librarian, feeling the searing hot rage deflate momentarily, it gave the older warrior pause. Looking at the monster in his hands that was dazed and confused, then back to the boy now getting up from the sand several meters away. Fluke was holding his wound on his neck again, and his mask was off revealing an angry defiant young man red in the face. The red in his vision began to recede, his hands began to shake, and his teeth began to protest being clenched so tight. Dropping the Derboul, he lifted his mask to look on it with his own eyes. He spat on the ground next to the beast and spoke in a low growl as he walked away.

"You are Lucky demon... If it were my will, you would be dead."