Circe shrugged and pointed down at the Runes making them glow, "a normal Enslavement Rune on a Dominator of that level should take months, but after six years of tweaking these Runes, I have reduced the time to weeks and still ensured that the process was still efficient. Wait—"
Circe eyes shrunk in suspicion,
"—How do you know that number? You know what, forget I asked that question, you apparently have your ways.
"Although it would take me three weeks to enslave the Guardsman, we have already calculated all the time we need for this operation and no one would miss him during this week."
The voice of Rowan was patient as he replied to Circe, and the eye on her palm also turned to review the Rune she was pointing at,
"I know that fact well, and really, there is nothing wrong with your plan at all, it was meticulously made," the voice said, "but you see the problem is that your plan would fail—Oh, not you enslaving the Guardsman—you accomplished that feat with brilliant colors. No, the true purpose you are enslaving this Guardsman is to find Rico and your aunt, that mission will fail and you will not find the people you seek."
Circe paused in shock, the thought that the last few years of sacrifice would be leading to failure hurt, but she had to be sure, even if Rowan knew the truth, she would hate herself if she did not check it out for herself.
She began to breathe harshly as if she had just run a thousand miles race, she replied harshly, "So among your many godly powers, don't tell me you have the ability to see the future with one of them."
The voice of Rowan was calm, "Even better, I've lived it."
"You did what now? Hahaha, you are telling the truth are you not?… What sort of monster are you?"
The voice sighed, "There are some things that are impossible for you to understand even if I spend the next thousand years telling you about it, but I know your character Circe, you will not believe me until you see it with your own eyes. It is the reason I will be making your Enslaving Rune more efficient in order to be done with this affair and into something much more grand. I am not with you just to see the sights of Trion."
There was something in Rowan's regal voice that made Circe pause, her heart began to beat so fast it was hurting, she looked away from her palm and into the horizon where the dawn was just beginning to break, licking her lips that had gone dry, she asked,
"What could be considered grand for you Rowan?"
The eye was silent for a long while before replying, "War, Circe… a war to be fought from the highest heights of heaven to the foulest depths of hell. A war like this universe has never known before, and Trion is just the tinder."
Circe stayed silent for more than ten minutes before she sighed and weakly said, "Well, what do I need to do?"
®
Circe had been a bit skeptical about Rowan's claims of helping her truly improve her Rune Craft. If there was one thing she was especially proud of, it was her ability to create and manipulate Runes, that portion of her talent could not be stolen.
That feeling of skepticism slowly transitioned into one of dumbfoundedness, awe, and finally, numbness as time went on and Rowan's teachings grew deeper.
It would have been a simple thing if Rowan had presented a brand new Rune for her to utilize, but that was not the case, with precise instructions that she followed easily much to the delight of Rowan, he pointed out mistakes she were not aware of, made subtle arrangements to the borders and alignment of each Rune and with every change he made, Circe watched the power and efficacy of the Rune leap forward.
This change was so startling when you considered that Rowan was just using the Runes she had made and was not introducing any new ones or even taking away any Rune, it spoke to the magnitude of her ignorance about Rune Craft that Circe could not help but cry out,
"Are you doing this to spite me?"
"Hmm… whatever could you mean by that? I am just doing what I promised, or were you expecting something different?"
"You are clearly using only the Runes I made, you are not adding or subtracting from it. What would you have me believe of not spite? This is like looking at a house built with clay that should have lasted for a decade. To me, this house was perfect with the material I had in hand to build it. Yet you took that exact clay and without adding any more clay or removing any, you built a house that would last for centuries with it! You did not even bother to bring concrete or metal. Why are you so goooood!!!"
She rubbed her right hand to her forehead as the headache she had been feeling tripled, "I know… I know, I'm bitching, but this is something I should be the best at. Since I was a child even with a weak heart, no one could beat me at Rune Craft, even most of the elders.
"Archimedes is an Earth god that has lived for more than two million years, and she praises my talents for Rune Crafts, she says I'm the best, and yet here you, breaking everything I know and believe in so easily, and don't tell me you have studied Rune Craft, it's that easy for you isn't it? "
"Well, I wish I could tell you I know how you feel, but I would be lying. I can do this with no hands and with my eyes closed."
"Oh, fuck you Rowan."
"Good to know your head is back in the game, it was a little hard to hear you with that pity dick in your mouth."
She whispered, "I hate you."
"Now let's finish this quickly, there are places I need you to be."
