I sighed as I checked the location of my dungeon core, embedded within the wall behind the basic wooden throne I had placed at the far end of the room. I felt… exposed.
To say I was currently freaked out would be an understatement. If my core was destroyed, I would take Ravens place as a guide to whomever managed the task. They would unwittingly become the new dungeon master in my place, and Raven wasn’t sure what would happen to her if my core was ever destroyed. With the well-being of the fallen angel now my responsibility, my first priority would always be to defend the core. Not for my sake, but hers. Unfortunately I couldn’t just hide it away in the control room… not for lack of trying however. This… ‘system’ ensured I could only place it in such a way that it remained accessible to any and all challengers.
With the dungeon core and the loot chest now placed, I teleported myself to the dungeon control room that I had originally arrived in when I first started out my new life as dungeon master. I looked to the corners of the small room until spotting the growing point of darkness and awaited Ravens form to materialise. Admiring the sleek form of her body as snaking tendrils of black fog drew the shadows into a solid form I questioned her.
“Everything looks as ready as it is likely to get for the moment, so Raven, how do we create an access to the surface?”
I could hear the anticipation in her sultry voice as she replied “I have a little surprise for you in relation to that master.”
She inflected the word master in a manner that was intended to taunt me into punishing her again, my lips curled into a smile, she was beginning to treat ‘punishment’ as a reward. As much as I wanted to put her back in her place with the exact type of punishment we both thoroughly enjoyed… now was not the time. We were so close to finishing.
“Now is not the time for pushing buttons pet.” I deliberately did not use her name, it served as a gentle reminder of her status. Forcing my voice into the serious tones associated with my craft of domination I continued.
“Show me.”
“The mana and DMP I had you save for the creation of the entrance will allow you to build a structure on the surface.” The worlds spilled out quickly, nervousness and excitement at what I might do in her tone.
“And how am I to view the surface from within the dungeon?”
“Master, do you recall our previous discussions, when we discovered you gain influence on the surface of your dungeon?” With a brief nod of acknowledgment she continued.
“I have done some experimenting, that influence extends to fifty meters from the furthest edge of the structure that you have placed underground. Just as you are able to teleport around to the various areas of the dungeon, you are likewise able to move to the surface to better situate entrances.” She moved towards the manual system interface panel in the center of the room, I could imagine the happy grin forming on her face as she continued.
“However, I have designed something that I hope you will like. You simply need to approve it and it shall be created.”
I moved towards the interface, reaching out as I approached to gently tug on a feather of her right wing as if to pluck it. A small squeak escaped her lips as my pull forced her to turn with me due to the sensitive nature of her wings, and we now stood side by side observing the floating blue of the schematic she had called to the display. From the first floor of the dungeon there was now the outline of a rectangular shaft leading in a direct vertical line to the surface. At the end of the shaft, the proposed building widened to a tower approximately ten meters square. This continued directly up to a room that was placed on the top, overhanging the primary pillar, centrally creating a fifteen meter square room that overlooked the surrounding terrain. Unfortunately the nature of the surrounding terrain was not shown on the 3D map.
I was suitably impressed with the initiative displayed by Raven. “This looks good pet. I assume that’s the elevator shaft you wanted on the first floor?” She nodded looking at me sideways with a cute expression, it hadn’t slipped her notice I was yet to allow her a name, but she didn’t otherwise respond.
“Assuming that we can’t see the area outside of the dungeon to decide on an appropriate placement, I think we could go ahead…” I paused as a thought occurred to me.
“I didn’t create an elevator shaft in the final room, just the object itself. How will anyone be able to leave without back tracking?”
Raven placed her hands on her hips as she turned to face me, bouncing her armored breasts on my arm as she did so. With her head tilted to the side she responded.
“The elevator isn’t exactly an elevator, I just agreed with your description as it’s the simplest way to describe it. Basically the elevator is a portal… like how the games of your world create a loading screen between levels. The elevators don’t actually need to lead anywhere because we can dictate where they go in a similar way to a portal.”
I frowned slightly, thinking out loud.
“So the entry and exit points use the same shaft, even though they are nowhere near each other?” I was a little concerned, the only reference points or experience I had in relation to creating dungeons was via a creation kit for one of the post apocalypse games I loved to play in my down time. I really hated it when something was obviously out of place, like these elevators would be. Inconsistencies like these broke the immersive feeling of being in the game and didn’t sit well with me.
“Yes master.” Ravens head lowered, her shoulders and wings visibly sagged, I could hear the disappointment in her voice.
I reached into the blackness of her hood, pulling her chin up to look into where I assumed her eyes were. I held her gaze for a brief second before leaning in for a short kiss, to both remove her doubt and make her aware that I was not exactly displeased.
“Thank you Raven.” I smiled, adding to the uplifting effect by again granting her a name.
“I may want to eventually change the exit, but lets put your design into place and see if it’s really necessary before I go messing with your work.”
The desired effect took hold as Raven clasped her hands to her chest and bounced excitedly. It was a little out of place but she was always over exuberant when she new she had pleased me. As I reached over to approve the changes she had suggested, I teleported to the room at the top of the tower.
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i sighed contently after Master had teleported, showering in the dark ash that he had left behind. i am unable to remove the big stupid grin on my face. i’m constantly amazed and surprised at how he is able to fill me with so much confidence and a… giddy happiness, just by saying my name out loud. i thought back to my time in Croran, the home of the angels.
Thousands of years had been wasted, no angel had given a second thought to the strict rules that were harshly enforced and invaded every aspect of our daily lives. During the civil war things probably would have gone better for the arch angels that enforced the law if they had deigned to reward their angel charges. In their minds, simply performing the tasks assigned should have been reward enough, but in their single minded zealotry they only ever issued punishment to those that they alone decided had failed in their duties. i let out a short snort of laughter, wondering how different things would be in Croran if the arch angels had chosen to bend their charges over a handy piece of furniture as a reward in the way Master does… things would have been very different indeed.
Yes, Master occasionally punished me, the more he uses me, the more i wish to reward him for his treatment of me. He always knows how to use my body in the way i desire, so of course i’m more willing to submit myself to him, the more i submit myself, the more my Enthralled level rises. It’s a yummy circle, i wish i could lick it.
i don’t enjoy the punishment… although thinking about it now… i don’t exactly hate it either. i had never experienced the sin of the flesh before meeting my Master. Huh… i stopped my wandering thoughts short… marvelling at how my Master was able to both use punishment (because i definitely didn’t enjoy it), but at the same time pleasure me via the same method, i’m getting to the point where I sometimes crave it as a preferred reward… interesting.
…
With my initial train of thought now lost, i remembered when i had first met Master, i was completely unprepared for the ecstasy he seemed to so easily inflict upon my corporeal body. i was terrified at first, expecting my flesh to burn and melt away, similar to the only other time i had ever been physically touched by another in the thousands of years of my existence. That had been when i was expelled from Croran during the civil war, cast down by the horrible, angry visage of an arch angel.
my mood immediately darkened at the memory. A deep keening sadness and longing for home burst in my chest, Master, i need my Master. i teleported, forcing myself into his arms, diving into him, hugging him, forcing him to embrace me. i desperately need the comfort of his soothing touch, only he can love and protect me the way i need. Only he would understand… even though i have never told him.
With my head resting on his chest i nuzzled up into his neck, ignoring Masters wide eyed surprise at my sudden approach. He wasn’t really surprised though, he never was, he always caught me and he would never let me fall. He simply held me, exactly as i needed, exactly as i knew he would. With his chin lightly placed on my head and his warm breath enveloping me soothing my aching heart, i sighed contently.
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
Master is always able to read my mood, sometimes he pretends to not know so he can tease me, but i always know when he is pretending not to notice because of his special not a smile. i don’t think he even knows he does it.
When i’m sad like this he occasionally asks gentle questions, trying to discover the reason for my random bouts of depression, but he never ever pushes to get answers that i’m not ready to give. This time, just like the many others, he asked nothing of me, simply enfolding me in his comforting warmth. This… i happily told myself, is my new home, and i am very happy indeed. After a minute or two of silence in Masters arms, he began being naughty. i smiled dreamily at the tickling of his fingers tracing lazy circles on my ass, a slight involuntary emotive shiver of my wings dragged my mind into focus, breathing in his scent with a deep breath i kissed his neck and climbed down, breaking the embrace. i wanted to show off my creation for him.
“Have i pleased you Master?” i purred at him, he likes it when i use this tone of voice.
“I’m not sure. My sexy fallen angel decided to block my view with her wings” he replied laughing down at me, the joy in his voice reaching his eyes.
my heart beat faster, soaring at my Masters words ‘his sexy angel’, and i realised that yes, i would always be his. A warmth of serene contentment coursed through my body, the sensation similar to... but less intense. A new sense of purpose filling my being by submitting to him – body, mind, and soul.
Enthralled Level 3
In the process of willingly devoting your life to your Master’s every whim you have have gained a new perk.
Defender:
You are now able to enforce your Masters will, and defend by force of arms the surface area that is contained within your Masters area of influence.
Note: You are not able to use the skill ‘Masters Voice’, or apply force of arms in the underground sections of the dungeon instance.
Blinking away the notification with surprise i looked into the broad smile of my Master as he spoke. “Well, I think this calls for a double celebration, don’t you?”
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I blinked wearily, slowly drifting awake from my slumber. Being a dungeon I didn’t need to sleep, or eat, or even shit for that matter. However in the body of an avatar and after several long hours of showing Raven exactly how pleased I was with her contribution, sleep came easily. I lifted my hand and began to disentangle myself from Ravens sleeping from and turned my head just in time to receive a playful whack of bouncy breasts to the face as my fallen angel propped herself up onto an elbow to look down into my eyes.
“Good morning Master” Her drowsy voice cooed at me as she scratched at her eyelids.
Looking around the room she realised that at some point the sun had risen and her voice positively beamed at me in her excitement, sleep forgotten she leapt to her feet. “Oooo lets go look!”
She reached down to help haul me to my feet, and as soon as I held her hand the now familiar but brief flash of vertigo momentarily overwhelmed me, I flashed into existence looking across a manicured lawn.
Directly ahead, a concrete path some twenty meters long drove directly towards decorative cast iron gates that appeared to be wedged between two worn sandstone brick pillars. On the other side of the closed gates I spied a short section of footpath before a narrow bitumen road that extended beyond my view to either side. I let out a breath I hadn’t realised I’d been holding. At least there must be some sort of civilisation nearby, so things were looking up. Focussing on my immediate surroundings I spied a healthy dark green hedge some five meters high enveloping the sandstone pillars supporting the only entrance of the three meter high gates. I raised my elbow towards Raven, she didn’t hesitate to wrap her arm through mine.
“Shall we?” I asked.
As we walked the short distance to the iron gates Raven began explaining.
“Being bound to the dungeon I made sure to create the hedge walls at least twenty meters short from the dungeons influence, that way if we need to more easily see what is on the other side we may do so.”
My interest was peaked at the statement, as after spending so much time within the confining walls of the dungeon, I had no idea of what the surface of the world was now like.
“What happens if we move beyond the influence of the dungeon?”
Raven pet my hand in response.
“Don’t fear master!” she replied in an exaggerated tone and continued with a light laugh.
“For those bound to the dungeon it is like… an invisible wall. We will get a general sense of unease the closer we approach, however we are ultimately unable to pass.” she finished with a shrug.
“Okay… but anyone not bound to the dungeon may come and go as they please?”
“Not exactly. Now that I have the Defender perk, and seeing as I am not able to attack anyone within your dungeon anyway, I will act as gate keeper.” She paused waiting for any additional questions, seeing I was content with the response she continued.
“The hedges are magical in nature, any that choose to attempt entry by any means other than the gates will be… detained.”
“Oh?”
“Thorny vines will simply hold any intruders in place until you decide what to do with them.” Our walk had brought us to within a few meters of the gates, Raven halted and steered us back towards the way we had come.
I nodded in silent approval, taking in the relatively small area of my dungeons sphere of influence. Twenty meters to our front stood a dull white tower, at the base of the tower gleaming stainless steel elevator doors stood open, inviting any that dared to enter. The square tower continued up, centrally located between the hedge walls extending to a height of four stories, the angular dark tinted glass of the enclosed building at the top reminded me of an aircraft control tower. The manicured lawn stretched unbroken by anything save the concrete path on which we now stood, the lawn extended to the hedge walls twenty meters to either side of the tower, and continued behind another twenty meters, forming an area that in other circumstances might prompt people to picnic in the shade of the hedges.
With that thought a flash of memory from something Raven and just mentioned prompted me to ask.
“As gate keeper what exactly will you be doing?”
I was genuinely interested in how my fallen angel was planning to spend her time, as I would soon (presumably) be busy with my own tasks defending, expanding, and leveling the dungeon.
“Anything you wish of me Master. I was simply planning to stand by the gate, perhaps answering questions from those that wish to venture into your domain.”
“Yeah, okay.” I responded, entering the elevator in preparation to visit the tower, hopefully I would be able to establish how long we may have to wait for our first visitors. I looked for the expected panel of buttons and lifted my finger to press the round ‘1’ button, the only one there.
“No master.” Raven pulled me gently back, a mischievousness edged into her voice. At my questioning glance she continued.
“Wellll… I thought a good way to ensure that at least a couple of challengers would visit your dungeon was to make them think that the elevator would take them to the top of the tower.” A smug smirk rose to her face as I listened.
“You should have at least a few visitors before word spreads about my little trick.” Raven was positively beaming at her own deviousness.
“Very clever.” I squeezed her hand in response and teleported us to the room at the top of the tower.
Once in the tower I happily gazed through the tinted windows over the very familiar vista beyond the hedge wall. The dungeon had situated itself on what was (before the tower came into existence), a vacant area of land on the corner of Lovers Walk and Goodwood Road. Situated close to the outskirts of my home city, Bundaberg, Australia. Recalling my worry of the previous night at a lack of night lighting, I began searching the nearby streets and houses for any signs of life. Surprisingly there was absolutely no vehicular traffic on the typically busy main thorough fare of the nearby ring road.
My brow creased in confusion, given it was around mid morning the traffic should be absolutely bustling along. I did however notice a constant stream of people walking or riding bicycles along the road leading back toward the centre of town. The scene was surreal, not unlike a stream of refugees fleeing a war zone that might have appeared somewhere further towards the outskirts of the city. The thought of refugees was only enhanced as I looked closer and noticed many were weighed down with heavy back packs and other baggage, some even pushing shopping trolleys and baby prams over flowing with meager possessions. My mind raced in the confusion of what I was witnessing, trying to piece together exactly what the hell was going on. I mean sure… the world was probably put on its ass when system decided to inject itself into humanity, but surely wars and the like wouldn’t break out in the few short weeks since the planet was ‘brought online’? I glanced momentarily at Raven to determine if she had any information to offer, she wasn’t looking at me, my angel was also taking in the view, so I again turned to see if I could figure out what exactly was going on.
Looking closer I could see that these… refugees, they weren’t all human! I stared silently in wonder as I recalled the initial messages advising that some people would be forced to change their race. It would appear that the eclectic group of creatures now plodding down the road was probably the new normal.
“No one seems to even notice we are here.”
“No Master, there is a low level telepathic effect convincing those that pass that there is simply an empty field where we now stand.”
“Huh?”
“I was awaiting your final approval before allowing the sentients to see, and therefore access the dungeon.” Raven explained.
“So… we are invisible? That’s… handy.” I mumbled.
Another question occurred to me.
“Why are people streaming into the city? I mean, I guess its for protection or whatever, but didn’t all the changes happen weeks ago? Shouldn’t everyone already be where they want to be by now? And where are all the cars?”
In a patient, soothing tone Raven responded.
“System created a time dilation effect to ensure that all dungeons would be completed simultaneously in conjunction with any other changes to the inhabitants of Instance Earth. Only twenty four hours real time have actually passed. As for… cars… I’m not exactly sure what you mean, but I’m sure you will recall the notification where all manner of technological and mechanical objects would essentially be rendered useless until upgraded to the specifications of the current patch for Instance Earth.”
“Ah… yeaaah” I stared into space pondering the implications.
“Wait, you keep distracting me from the whole invisible thing, what gives.?”
A little embarrassment crept into the fallen angels voice.
“Well, that’s um… an angel thing. When we need to travel among the lesser races it makes it easier for us to get around.” she explained sheepishly.
I playfully pinched the strip of white skin poking from beneath the armour at her hip, recalling that goblins, imps and hobgoblins were amongst the races she had just referred to.
“Lesser races huh?”
“Oh! I didn’t mean you Master! You’re immortal now!”
“uh-huh” I grinned.
“You can pay for that particular slip up later, but in the mean time… let ’em see, I guess.”
There was a definite change of mood within the people walking the streets below. Some simply stopped and stared up at the tower, their mouths agape at the sight that had seemingly just appeared out of nowhere. Others simply dropped their shit and ran towards the small city screaming about whatever new horror had presented itself, as they ran they shouted into the faces of those they passed in warning.
I pulled Raven into my arms making sure not to crush her delicate wings between us. She dismissed them so I pulled her tighter and lowered my head to rest my chin on her shoulder. She leaned back into my embrace breathing a heavy sigh as I absently stroked her stomach, inching my finger tips down her flat stomach towards the upper edge of her leather skirt.
“I guess now we wait.” I whispered.
In the end we didn’t have that long to wait, maybe half an hour had passed.
Sighing at the unwelcomed interuption, she raised a hand pointing to the near distance, the pout obvious on her voice.
“Hmm Master, I think we may have company.”