"That's it for today everyone. For the remainder you the day I advice you all to get some rest and get some physical exercise." [Lucien]
The class quickly leave the room and each person went to do their own thing.
"Want to go have a drink?" [Lucien]
"Sure, I'm free." [Jester]
Recently Jester has been hanging around with me and Lucien. It's impressive how Lucien easily accepted someone as young as Jester.
"Sorry guys, I'm busy. Anderson told me to meet up at dorm after school. You go without me."
"Sage of Light right? Man introduce me to him sometime ok?" [Lucien]
"Yeah sure."
The Sage of Light has been training me along with the school, usually dropping by every 2 day. With his and Jester help my control practice has been going great.
Lucien told me he isn't good with control either so I'm glad I'm not the only one.
Arriving at the dorm I met up with Anderson who's been waiting outside my room.
"So how is school going?" [Anderson]
"Hmm... to be honest not so great. All we do is meditate.
Although it's great for absorbing and feeling out Karma but it's getting really boring."
"You are 2 weeks in now right? If that's the case your third week will be basic information learning, maybe that will be better?" [Anderson]
Just the sound of that makes me tired. I was never that fond of learning in school anyway. My attention span is just too short for a long lecture.
"Um... so why did you call me here? Usually you just grab me from wherever I was and start practicing."
"Well things came up and I'll be busy for a long time so I want to get you started on making your own vessel.
The temporary vessel is almost done and it's not that great for control learning anyway." [Anderson]
Creating a vessel, huh. About half my classes have already finished making a vessel by now. It seems like whatever that pill was it really helps out with the process.
Well whatever. The points are probably better. Although I'm not sure when to spend them...
"Lavender?" [Anderson]
"Oh I'm sorry. So how are we going to do it?"
"It'll be similar to absorb Karma except a lot more taxing. You'll have to compress and shape your Karma.
However you'll have to do this in a dream like state so I've prepared a pill for that. After that just grit your teeth and pull through. Let's go in, it'll take around a day." [Anderson]
It's easy to tell how nervous I am doing this. I've watched Shina going through the process before and it was quite hard to watch.
Lucien describes it as something similar to going through surgery without anesthesia, just less painful.
"Relax. It's easier to fail if you're stressed. Take the pill after you ready yourself and lay on the bed." [Anderson]
"Can't you comfort me like 'it's going to be painless' or something."
"I assure you it'll be painful. It'll go away in time." [Anderson]
I can't think of a way to reply and gave him a wry smile.
Anderson ignored it and patiently wait for me near the bed.
Phew... gulping down the pill my consciousness start slipping away. I got onto the bed half asleep.
Going into the 'river', everything was silent and calm. Although I can't think straight, I know that I can manipulate this place in my current state. I decided to round them up into a big ball and squeeze it in itself.
I didn't manage to squeeze it any smaller than the size of a big building until another energy spread out from me. It was Anderson's.
Suddenly I could feel my bones being crushed. Each time the ball get smaller another sharp pain assault me. The pain went from body aching to a rock being smashed into my head.
I couldn't hear it but I'm sure I'm screaming. The bones were broken, replaced and broken again. My body tempered like a blade, making itself sharper.
My mind however wasn't having a good time. The pain was not only unbearable but also suddenly. I fainted only to be awaken by a pain more powerful than the last.
The ball got smaller until it expanded again, returning to it's original size. And then the cycle repeats.
* * * * * * * *
Late night that day.
Jester returned back to his dorm for the day. Next to his bed was that guy bed who is still screaming loudly. It was a horrible scream and luckily each dorm room is sound-proof otherwise everyone near them would be awake at this rate.
Jester wasn't so lucky however as he sleep next to the guy. Another person was also there, the Sage of Light. He was also in deep concentration and isn't bothered at all by the noise.
'That guy... Dummy was his name. Many things changed thanks to him. Even the Sage of Light and Berserker is here now...'
Jester however put all those complicated problems in the back of his mind and go to sleep. It was his motto to takes thing slow and he wouldn't mind taking decades to start moving again. He has got plenty of time after all...
The scene was incredibly strange with a young man screaming, a person looking down at that young man and a sleeping child with a bone chilling scream as the background.
* * * * * * * *
The pain subdued.
After a long time, the ball finished condensing and was now my size.
The last thing I saw was a plushie sleeping inside the 'cocoon'. I hugged it and went to sleep, feeling refreshed.
* * * * * * * *
Waking up I felt no energy inside my body. I couldn't move a finger and was unable to look around.
"Hey he's awake." [Lucien]
I could hear Lucien voice and other as well. It seems like everyone I know here is present.
"You ok?" [Harold]
"Yeah. I can't move my body though."
"That's because your body is adapting to your vessel. You should be able to move in 2 more days." [Jester]
"Is that so. But why's everyone here?"
"You have fainted for a week you know?" [Shina]
What! A week? Wasn't this supposed to only take a day?!
"Sigh... I know you are confused so I'll explain it to you. Your vessel creation was a bit... special.
A vessel strength is usually dependent by its size. Your vessel is the same size as you which is average by all standards.
The strange thing is you have another vessel inside, one that is much smaller. The problem here is that it's hollow and it's sucking in the Karma of your big vessel causing the current situation.
It has stopped after an hour or so though. That's what the Sage told me." [Lucien]
"Oh... alright. Well can you bring me my cellphone? The one with a sticker on it's back."
"Right. Get some rest ok, we'll be filling you in on the lessons later." [Harold]
* * * * * * * *
After the first basic mission ended, I managed to complete a hidden task. The reward for that was the same chat system I used with the plushie from before.
Afterward I got 2 more basic missions, to make a vessel and learn how to control Karma. The rewards aren't specified and there isn't a time limit either.
[Dummy: hey Plush you there?]
[Plush: who's Plush]
[Dummy: your name. Easier to say than plushie]
[Plush: you know I'm not an actual plushie right?]
[Dummy: yeah whatever. What's wrong with my vessel? I know you have something to do with it]
[Plush: oh perfect. I'm going to tell you how to grow your abilities since you have adequate information already. As for your mission rewards they will be information too!]
More information reward? I would rather get something more beneficial for growth later on...
[Plush: I know you are complaining. Stop! Think about it, right now you don't have any danger so it's the best time to get these sort of rewards!]
[Dummy: right. So what's is it?]
[Plush: you already know about that extra vessel right? Well that's your skill vessel! To evolve it is simple: just add more Karma into it.]
[Dummy: that's it?]
[Plush: for now yes!]
[Dummy: what about the other reward?]
[Plush: It's only available after you do the 3rd basic missions!]
Of course it had to be like this. Disappointed, I close the chat window. Right now there isn't much for me to do beside laying down. A good opportunity to try growing my ability.
Closing my eye I now feel the vessels instead of that river from before. The vessel around me is warm and welcoming but there's another one, cold and empty.
Let's try slowly bringing Karma in...
I was dumb to forget that my control of Karma is still very unrefined. Once the Karma came into contact with the skill vessel, all the Karma around me was sucked in too.
Surprisingly it didn't have much of an impact on me, only giving a slight drowsy feeling.
Soon a bad premonition hits me. If I don't stop it then the new vessel is going to break!
I thought of ways to get out of this situation. I can knock myself out but whether that's going to stop it is unsure. Call for help? There isn't enough time.
Suddenly a crazy thought strike me. What if I use [King of luck] on itself to force it's growth. There's no restrictions on the ability beside rank and I feel like the skill vessel has gotten enough Karma.
Let's just do it! [King of luck]!
A surge of confusing images and thoughts hit me. In the midst of it I can hear a voice calling out from somewhere.
"Amusing"
Afterward I calmed down. My mind return to normal and on the phone a notification appeared.
[Congratulations! [King of luck(Rank 10)] has grown into [King of luck(Rank 9)]
[King of luck (Active): Can remove luck factor to directly get to your desired results, doesn't work if the target rank is higher than this. Cooldown: 2 month. (Rank 9) (Growth type)]
[Note: Cooldown will be reset when a skill grow.]
I did it! Nothing much has changed besides it's cooldown time. 2 months huh... Satisfied, I went to sleep.
* * * * * * * *
In an unknown land, a being was awoken. It looks around confused but soon stare in one direction. Something resemblances a smile appeared on it's 'face'
"Someone has gotten my skill?"
It's interest was piqued. Fate will arrange it's meeting with the successor and luck will pave the way.
It just has to stand still and they'll soon meet...