Beginners Luck: Intro 4

The Librarian and Fluke were overwhelmed by the presence of the goddess. Everything about her begged them to give her their attention, but the sharpness of her teeth, and the fierce lines hidden behind the exterior beauty whispered warnings of consequence. The deity raised an eyebrow and relaxed her weight onto a hip, crossing one arm across her waist and placing her other hand across her mouth to stifle a laugh.

"Heh he. That bag is magical, and will organize anything you place into it. It does have a maximum capacity, but you will find for now that it will be hard to reach that limit." She winked at Fluke and walked closer to him, slowly she reached out and offered her hand. Fluke reach forward and placed his hand on hers, palm up. Lady Luck took her thumb and licked it, pressing the finger into the middle of his hand. A warmth traced the thin creases in his hand and then slowly curved up his arm, crossing his chest and back, then running like burning blood down his other arm. She then reached up and adjusted his shirt, and pulled on the straps of his bag to make sure they both set well on his body.

Fluke's heart began to race and he felt his face grow hot and his heart sang into his ears. "What was that?" He pulled his hand back and placed his fist on his chest trying to slow his breathing.

"You now carry my mark, and you can give some luck to anyone you see fit. I warn you though, don't let it build up, otherwise you will find luck- good or bad- pouring out of you and influencing things in unexpected ways. When you leave a mark in this world, objects will receive a permanent influence of luck. Living creatures branded by you however will eventually shed the brand you leave." She stood up and slowly raised her eyes to the older man behind Fluke.

"Our fates are woven together now... Between the two of you, there is but a chance for humans to find a place in the universe beyond this purgatory. Never had a species believed in me like humans... I long for the day when your kind adores me again. And to show some faith in you: I cannot leave this pocket world until your kind finds a way out... Call my name often, remind your people of me, and I will not forget you." She reached her hand out and lifted the mask with one finger pressed on the point of the chin. The mask lifted revealing the bearded face of a man in his fifth decade of life. His green eyes stared back into the goddesses face, his breathing was even and controlled, his jaw set with determinations. She came even closer to his face and her lips coming close to his cheek and she whispered.

"Even the gods are bound to slip..." The word 'slip' ended in such a way to suggest a profundity of meanings that only could be felt and hinted at. She leaned in closer and Fluke couldn't hear the rest of what she said. Pulling back after a moment, the goddess began to turn to dandelion seeds blowing on the wind. The snow white seeds started at the hem of her dress and feet, working slowly up in the breeze to whirl away in every direction. Her smile grew mischievous and said one parting message, "I hope, Librarian, that you are able to unlock your species ability to reproduce. All bets are off when that happens." With a wink she was gone.

Fluke looked up at the older man now beside him, and then looked to where the goddess had been a moment before. The older man reached up and pulled his mask back down his face, his thumb brushing his cheek where her secrets had been whispered. A tear raced down with it only visible for a moment, before being lost in his beard and then being concealed behind the enchanted mask. They stood there for a moment in silence, when suddenly a crack of lightning on the horizon broke the concentration, followed by the low growl of thunder rolling across the waves. The magic of the goddess, the beauty of the morning, the elegance of the idyllic superficial world all vanished at that moment. Fluke noticed a slight angle of determination in the eyes and mouth carved on the mask of the Librarian.

"The outsiders have come. Stay close to me Fluke, I will protect you if they make it to our island and past my lieutenants. Come we will meet them head on." His hands balled into fists, and he marched back down the hill. Fluke followed not saying a word, when they reached the village hidden in the behind the hills, the lights in the sky shifted, as if all the blue in the ripples were erased, leaving only yellow and red now remained. The Librarian stopped and looked up cursing.

"Oh gods damn it! They already killed the first of my lieutenants."

Fluke noticed the people he had seen earlier were not reacting to the changes in the environment. They continued about their tasks as if nothing was wrong. The Librarian marched forward again faster this time, following the trail out of the village and towards the sea. Along the trail just before the woods cleared out to a short plain of grass and the ocean shore, stood a hunters shack.

"Fluke, stay in here. Pretend that you are skinning a kill, or inspecting arrows. If the outsiders suspect you of being sentient, or awakened like me, they will not hesitate to kill you. Most of the time, they will not slaughter everyone.... instead they leave the semblance of a nascent village to exist. If I die, and they move towards the village with ill intent, I need you to run into the woods and hide. Understood?" The older man had rested a heavy hand on the boys shoulder looking into his eyes for understanding.

"Yes sir."