Eleven hours later Archimedes and Circe were watching in a sort of tired shock as the actions of the Guardsman were becoming increasingly outlandish.
At this time he was cleaning the entire cave they were temporarily hanging around before he was to be deployed, the Guardsman had already begun preparing dinner in the adjourning cave, and before long with his powers of a Pyre Lord, this cave now resembled a clean but rustic palace, because as Circe had found out, this Guardsman was a Master Artisan, and he was carving an entire house inside the cave.
"Did you need to tell him to make himself useful?" Circe snapped at the Lightning Kirin.
Archimedes did not reply for a while, still staring in shock at the Guardsman before retorting, "How was I to know the effect of your Rune would be so… comprehensive? I thought he would be by the side twiddling his thumbs, but it seems he really wants to be useful."
Circe sighed, "How could you not believe me? If the fact that I enslaved him in less than eight seconds was not unbelievable to you, I also told you the mastermind who set it up!"
The Lightning Kirin looked away sheepishly, "How could I believe you when I can't see him like you can, you could have been pulling my legs."
"Really Archie? I would be pulling your legs at a time like this?"
But I believe you now," Archimedes shivered and patted Circe on the arm as she observed the action of the enslaved Guardsman.
"I don't believe even an Earth god would be able to break free of this Mind Suppression Rune, if this can even be regarded as a Suppression Rune any longer, as far as I can tell this Guardsman is perfectly willing to serve you with all his heart, how can something like this be possible? This is not enslavement, this is pure love and adoration, we could as well be his god. Can you do this with a simple Rune?"
Circe smirked and observed the flustered Kirin, "Wanna know how he did it? I can try it out on you."
"haha… very funny Circe, fuck you by the way. You and your magical love beam."
"It's not a love beam… it's a love and adoration beam, please know the difference. Now I think it's time to send him to the stronghold. He is a great house help, but I require a spy, not a maid."
Archimedes was beginning to groom her fur when she paused and regarded Circe with a confused gaze, "Why would you need to do that? I thought you said your search would be useless, the location of your Nana and that fucker Rico could not be found in that stronghold."
Circe looked away stubbornly, "This is the closest clue we have gotten after all these years, I don't want to give it up until I'm sure that there is nothing there. I won't be able to sleep until I'm sure."
Archimedes walked away while muttering in anger, "Stubborn…"
The voice of Rowan laughed aloud and Circe winced,
"I like this Lightning Kirin. Reminds me a bit about Lost."
"Who is Lost?"
"He is one of my children. Hmm, I'm sure he would like you, but you would need to endure his endless questions."
Circe nodded, "Yeah, one of your children? Sure, why not, it's not the strangest thing you have revealed to me recently. You know I never asked, why can't she see you?"
"Oh it's because my state of existence is very delicate right now, the only way I can explain it to you in a manner you would be able to grasp is that I am here but I'm also not fully here, because if I'm fully present, you would not be able to bear my weight, and I will crush you and everyone in this continent if I fully reveal myself. This can be considered as the least of the dangers that would happen to you and everyone else."
Circe shivered at this thought, "Am I at risk of dying."
"No, the you in a future that will never happen have already paid the price of holding me. Your other you is the one bearing the weight of my body for a large part, and you are barely holding the smallest fraction of my body"
"I don't… understand."
"Don't try to, just trust me that you are safe."
"Do I have a choice?"
Rowan did not reply, he did not need to.
He needed the presence of Circe, but that was before he entered Trion and needed a way to fool the gods, and now although she would be his primary vessel, the Enslaving Rune he made her create served more than one single purpose, and he had already begun dropping seeds of potential along the way.
If for any reason Circe's body was to be destroyed, he would be able to resurrect her using those seeds, after all, he had a firm grasp of her soul, and making a new body for her was easy for him.
There was no way Rowan would leave himself with only one option, yet he did not tell her this. Let her believe that she was the only one who could be his vessel since Rowan was not fond of discarding a tool that would be able to serve his purpose.
Circe did not understand that her life and death were no longer in her hands.
In order to maintain a perfect vessel for his stay in Trion so he could stay under the radar of the gods and be able to create the changes he needed, he would need a stronger vessel. Circe would barely serve.
He had told her the truth previously when he said he was barely here in this body. The body of Circe was too weak to carry him, and so he had to make her an Earth god at the least in a very short time, or else in a few weeks, Circe's body would be destroyed and no matter how many times he resurrected her, it would not last long before she would be destroyed again.
Even her soul would not last under this strain for long. So Circe would have to be an Earth god at the least, and more preferable a goddess with an Immortal Soul.
