Harvest Dungeon 18 Chapter 18 - Runic Master

"Down boy, you can eat the pretty lady later." Zephirah said drawing me back into the now.

Vanessa was watching me with glittering eyes her face an attractive red as she blushed under my gaze. Feeling embarra.s.sed for my lack of control I avoided her gaze. However I made no move to push her off my lap, and she made no move to get off of me.

"A bit better, lets try and focus now." Zephirah commented. "Now did you say you were a rune master?" she asked.

I nodded which caused another round of giggles from Vanessa who stifled them quickly then apologized.

I sighed then rubbed the bridge of my nose in frustration. "Why does everyone react like that when I tell them my runic rank?" I asked looking to Zephirah.

"No idea." Zephirah said with a shrug. "I just know you believe it."

"Because it is impossible." Vanessa explained as she shifted to lean her head on my shoulder. "While it might seem like a game on your world, it isn't a game. It is a training system that is supposedly created by the same beings who created the dungeon cores, and this trial system."

"I admit that learning runic to advance in the game was a pain in the a.s.s, but how is it impossible?" I asked as I concentrated on the important information that applied to my situation while ignoring the implication.

"Firstly, your age. For a world like yours that has almost no mana, and has no history of using runic, it should take decades to understand runic on your own." Vanessa replied. "Secondly the system rewards accomplishments, every time you advance a rank the 'game' would infuse you with mana to make it easier to sense and use mana. Using your leveling as an example, runic shift would reward you for ranking up by increasing your intelligence, wisdom, and perception stats. The rewards from ranking up to master would give you an aura of power we would be able to discern. You give off the aura of a novice, not a rune master." Vanessa continued.

I stared at her puzzled, not because I thought she was lying, but wondering why I hadn't gained the strength she was describing.

"You have a point, but your point also proves his claim." Zephirah spoke up after a few moments.

"How so?" Vanessa asked looking away from me which gave me a chance to peak at her cleavage again, a temptation that was hard to resist as they were right there!

"Pay attention!" Zephirah yelled then sighed, "No better yet, get up, both of you. I might not be able to read your mind girly, but I doubt it is any better than his right now."

I froze hearing those words then tried to catch Vanessa's gaze to confirm what Zephirah was saying. However Vanessa avoided my gaze and pushed herself off my lap her face and neck a dark red from embarra.s.sment.

I was disappointed, but I knew now wasn't the time. Unfortunately that rationel didn't help me deal with my desires.

I stood up a moment later and faced Zephirah who had already continued. "The fact that he has a novice aura proves the fact. Look at that rune cage, that is hardly the work of a novice!" she announced proudly.

Reminded of the rune cage I wave my hand and canceled the spell.

Vanessa sighed. "The aura of a master is rhetorical, everyone can sense the strength of those around them unless they are deliberately hiding it, but it isn't exact. If he isn't a novice it isn't a big deal, but I am positive he isn't a master." she replied.

"No reason to argue, opening Runic Shift will show us his rank." the cobra said from its...o...b..I had left on the ground.

The girls froze then looked at the orb then too me. "Why didn't you think of that?" Zephirah complained.

"I don't have my phone." I replied.

Zephirah groaned while Vanessa smiled at me like I was being funny.

"Don't give me that look, Runic Shift was just an app on my phone an hour ago!" I protested angrily.

"He has a point." Zephirah muttered.

Vanessa shook her head but didn't say anything.

The pair of them stared at me for several moments before I realized they were expecting me to do something.

"What part of Runic Shift was an app on my phone did you not understand. If I can open the game here without my phone, I have no idea how." I told them irritably.

The girls exchanged a look, Vanessa was smirking but didn't say anything while Zephirah looked troubled.

"Do you remember the opening animation of the game? The ancient stone door and its keyhole?" Vanessa asked me.

I nodded, no idea why, it was a simple animation, but it had left a deep impression on me.

"That door is the entryway into the Runic Shift trainer, no matter where you are in this realm you can access Runic Shift by imagining that door. Imagine that door in your mind, then summon your mana as if you were going to draw a rune, but imagine yourself using your finger as a key to the door. The door will read your mana then open the trainer set to you." Vanessa instructed.

I looked to Zephirah to confirm but she just shrugged. "I am a dungeon sprite we are practically made of mana, I don't need runes to use mana." she told me.

I was a bit hesitant but no one put forth any other ways to access Runic Shift so I eventually closed my eyes and imagined the ancient stone door that dominated the opening scene of the game when I played it on my phone.

I had no idea what I was expecting to happen. It wasn't anything like what happened. I did as I was instructed, even though I felt stupid doing it. As I imagined the door in my mind, the large blue stone that looked large and intimidating covered in ancient runes spells so small and intricate that I couldn't make out the details of the spells, gems to fuel the spells, and a dark blue crystal set into the center of the door with a key hole cut into the center of the crystal. The door gave a sense of being ancient, but there was no point on the door or its frame that looked worn or aged. As soon as I had the image of the door in my mind I lost control of it. That was the only way I could describe the fact that the image in my mind expanded and shifted on its own accord. The door began to tower over me, at least twenty feet tall, the runes on it became clearer, which only revealed that the door wasn't as solid as it originally seemed as the runes were layered on top of each other, and the dark blue crystal that seemed to be the centerpiece shifted so that it was at the bottom of the door where I could easily reach it. A larger bright blue crystal took the place of the centerpiece where it glowed faintly.

I was completely consumed by the image that I didn't notice anything around me. Following Vanessa's instruction I channeled the mana into my finger as if I was going to draw a rune then pushed it into the keyhole. I was a bit wary, but as I had already come this far I decided not to chicken out. The dark blue crystal glowed as my finger full of mana entered the hole. Without much thought I twisted my wrist as if I was turning a key in the lock. There was a loud audible click then the dark blue crystal withdrew into the door then the area around the opening receded into the rest of the door until a human sized opening was visible. From the opening a small golden glow shot out of the door straight into my face.

"Get the h.e.l.l off my husband b.i.t.c.h!" Zephirah screamed out furiously.

The image shattered in my mind, only for me to realize that it wasn't a mental image anymore. The ancient door I had imagined had formed in reality, which is hard to say as the door already seemed to be fading from reality becoming transparent and then vanishing a second later. The only thing left was the golden light that had stuck itself to my left cheek.

I wondered why Zephirah was getting so angry when the light spot spoke. "Leave me alone, do you have any idea how long I was stuck in there!" a new feminine voice replied.

I immediately reached out and grabbed the golden light and pulled it away so I could see what in the h.e.l.l it was.

"OHH, such big strong hands!" the new voice giggled.

"Not another pervert." I groaned.

"I am not a pervert!" Zephirah and the new voice responded together.

In my hand I found a three inch tall woman wearing a silver dress. Like Zephirah when I first met her, she was beautiful despite her tiny size. This one had long platinum blonde hair that reached down to her toes, an explosive figure, angelic features, and bright amethyst colored eyes that shone like the gem they resembled. On her back were a pair of pure white, gossamer thin, b.u.t.terfly wings.

Zephirah appeared by my hand glaring at the new girl. "What the f.u.c.k?! Who are you and why are you clinging to my husband?!" she asked angrily.

"Calm down, this is why no one like sprites." the new girl complained from my hand then her white wings began to glow gold and she floated up off my palm. "Apologies for the late introduction master, mistress. I am Lilian, I shall be your rune trainer from this point on."

"What?!" Vanessa screamed from the side.

We all looked over at her in confusion. "A rune trainer? Do not lie! Runic Shift doesn't a.s.sign trainers!" she accused angrily.

"It does to those who are accomplished. Learning Runic to the level of master, on his own, with no help from a teacher, in only fourteen years, is certainly considered to be an accomplishment." Lilian responded.

"So he really is a Rune Master?" Vanessa asked her anger fading into shock.
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"Yes, he has surprised my superiors to no end." Lilian replied. "Though given the fact that he has finally gained access to mana, he will be a Rune Lord soon." she said excitedly.

"And you are here for what?" Zephirah asked obviously still irritated.

"I am here to initiate the transformation, then impart the knowledge he will need to know to decide his course as he advances in the n.o.ble ranks." Lilian replied.

"Doesn't he need to pa.s.s a test still?" Vanessa asked.

"Ignore her, what are you going to do after that?" Zephirah asked.

Lilian looked from Zephirah to Vanessa then back. "That would be up to master and mistress. If my presence is no longer desired I will return, if master and mistress would like, I can transfer my allegiance to mistress." she said calmly, but as she spoke I could see her cheek twitching as she said it. Obviously she didn't seem to like the idea. Then she turned to face me with a big smile.

Trouble, all I could see was trouble.

Lilian frowned as she looked up at me then looked to Zephirah. "What is wrong with him?" she asked.

I frowned.

"He is repressed." Zephirah replied irritably.

"Couldn't you have handled that? With your size you should be able to do it with your arms. He can't be any longer than you and a bath is hardly a bad price to pay for his comfort." Lilian asked.

"h.o.r.n.y Fairy." Zephirah cursed. "Though you should know I gained this size after devouring a wisp." she added with an evil smirk.

Lilian shuddered. "Barbaric!" she cursed at Zephirah then paled as she stared at Zephirah her pale skin turning white as a sheet.

"Now you get it. I am a dungeon sprite, I am not nearly as civilized as my runic brethren." Zephirah told her with an evil grin eyeing the fairy like she was a tasty meal.

"Done scaring her yet?" I asked Zephirah. "And what is this about me being repressed?" I asked.

"You should start that transformation now." Zephirah told Lilian. "We are in a bit of a time crunch."

"I see, prepare yourself master." Lilian told me flying up so she was even with my eyes.

"Why?" I asked suspiciously while I cursed Zephirah for her secrets.

"It's going to hurt." Liliamn replied