50: A Bloody Wine

A week had passed since Lycius sealed himself within the training chamber, leaving the world outside to continue moving without him.

High above the vast, mountainous terrain, a figure soared through the sky, her silhouette cutting through the open expanse like a shadow against the backdrop of twilight. Midnight violet eyes scanned the land beneath her with quiet intensity, seeking a creature of legend—a beast revered for its magical might.

Vynessa's lips curled into a faint smirk as she rode the wind, her long, flowing hair whipping wildly behind her. The crisp mountain air carried the scent of rain and ozone, a telltale sign that she was close to her target.

The King of the Jungle.

The Thunderous Lion.

A beast whispered to be among the few creatures blessed by the Goddess of Magic, the Dragon God herself.

Legends spoke of its power—how it could summon storms with a single growl, how its very presence commanded the heavens to weep thunder and hurl lightning upon those who dared to challenge it. A swipe of its paw could split the skies, raining destruction upon entire armies. Its roar, deep and resonant, was said to be the voice of the storm itself, shaking the earth with its might.

And Vynessa was here to find it.

Not for sport. Not for conquest.

This was part of her deal with Elizabeth.

If she wished for Elizabeth's aid in accelerating the maturation of her body, she would have to pay the price. No instant transformation like Lycius's miraculous growth—this method was a slow, grueling process that would take a full year to complete. But that didn't matter.

Because when she did return, she would no longer be the girl Lycius had left behind.

Her body would have transformed.

She would stand before him not as she was now, but as the woman she envisioned herself to be.

And for that…

She was willing to hunt a creature that even the strongest mages dared not face alone.

The winds howled around her as she swept lower, her eyes narrowing as she finally spotted something in the distance—an ethereal glow shimmering against the dusky horizon, pulsating like a beacon of power.

Excitement flared in her chest.

There it was.

The Thunderous Lion.

A colossal beast, standing atop a rocky outcrop as if surveying its kingdom.

Its thick, tawny coat glimmered like molten gold beneath the fading sunlight, each strand of fur alive with an eerie radiance. Its mane was wild, a tangled mass of black streaked with electric blue, flickering like living lightning, crackling with raw energy. Each time the wind shifted, arcs of electricity leaped between its strands, igniting the air with static.

Its eyes—two luminous orbs of burning amber—pierced the stormy twilight, filled with an ancient intelligence that sent shivers racing down her spine.

Beneath its skin, thick muscle rippled like rolling thunder, a testament to the sheer, untamed power contained within its massive frame.

And surrounding it…

An aurora of shimmering light, pulsing in sync with the distant rumbling of the skies.

The Aurora of the Storm—a phenomenon that could be seen for miles, striking fear into any who dared approach.

Vynessa exhaled, her breath coming out shaky despite her efforts to remain composed.

It was magnificent.

More beautiful than any description could have prepared her for.

Her heartbeat quickened, pounding against her ribs like war drums.

It was a feeling she hadn't experienced in days…

The thrill of a hunt. The raw, intoxicating desire to claim something powerful as her own.

Her fingers twitched as her tongue absently ran across her lips, an idle thought slipping into her mind before she could stop it.

"I wonder how its blood tastes…"

A slow, almost wicked grin spread across her face.

This was going to be fun.

Vynessa hovered in the air, her silver hair glimmering under the storm-filled sky as she locked eyes with the mighty Thunderous Lion.

Midnight purple irises shimmered with a mix of excitement and madness, her small frame seemingly fragile before the colossal beast, yet there was no fear—only twisted anticipation.

The Thunderous Lion roared, a deafening crack of thunder shaking the mountains. Sparks of blue lightning crackled along its golden mane, and the air itself vibrated with its overwhelming presence. It was truly a majestic sight, truly a creature favored by the Dragon God herself.

And yet, in Vynessa's mind, all she could think of was how exhilarating it would be to tear it apart.

"Let's see how much you can endure before breaking, dear Thunderous Lion." Her voice was sweet, almost innocent, yet dripping with malice.

The Lion didn't wait. With a swipe of its colossal paw, a massive arc of lightning surged toward her, illuminating the sky in a blinding flash.

But Vynessa merely smiled.

With a flick of her wrist, the lightning that should have torn through her instead spiraled around her body harmlessly. A trick she had learned from observing Elizabeth—lightning was unpredictable, chaotic, yet with enough understanding, it was nothing more than an amusing toy.

Her feet touched the ground as she stretched her hands forward.

"Glacial Ruination."

A deep chill spread through the air as an overwhelming wave of frost erupted from her fingertips. The temperature dropped instantly, frost forming on the rocks, ice creeping toward the Lion's paws.

The Thunderous Lion let out a furious roar, summoning another violent surge of electricity to counteract the freezing cold. The two forces clashed in a dazzling display of power, the air distorting with heat and frost.

Vynessa narrowed her eyes.

She was done playing with its defenses.

"Infernal Sunburst."

A miniature sun formed in the palm of her hand, golden flames swirling with intense heat. She launched it forward, and the explosion engulfed the beast in a violent storm of fire and destruction. The Lion roared in agony, its golden mane singing, its thick hide finally cracking under the relentless assault.

Yet, despite its suffering, the beast refused to kneel.

Vynessa licked her lips.

"Now, let's see how much you can truly take."

She lifted her hand, her fingers dancing through the air as glowing, ethereal chains materialized around her.

"Celestial Succubus's Second Spell—Bewitching Chains."

The shimmering chains shot forward, wrapping around the Thunderous Lion's body like living serpents. It struggled at first, letting out another ear-shattering roar, but Vynessa merely giggled.

"You poor thing," she whispered, her voice thick with amusement. "You still don't understand, do you? Resistance only makes it worse."

With a mere thought, she willed the chains to tighten.

The Lion convulsed violently, its muscles spasming as the Bewitching Chains did their cruel work.

But she wasn't done.

"Let's increase your sensitivity… ah, yes, pain should do nicely."

The moment she uttered those words, the Lion's entire body jerked. It let out a cry unlike anything she had ever heard before—raw, primal agony. Its claws tore into the ground, its majestic form now trembling, shuddering.

Vynessa let out a soft moan of delight as she watched the mighty creature writhe, completely helpless under her control.

"I wonder how your blood tastes."

She raised a hand, and with a flick of her fingers, a thin strand of blood lifted from the Lion's massive body, floating toward her.

The rich, dark crimson liquid hovered before her lips.

She took a slow sip.

Her eyes fluttered shut, and for a brief moment, she felt pure bliss.

It was intoxicating.

Powerful.

The blood of a creature blessed by the Dragon God herself… and now, it was hers.

She took another sip, then another, each drop sending shivers of pleasure down her spine. The Lion's once-mighty body quaked, its roars of fury replaced by pitiful whimpers.

The battle was no longer a fight—it was a cruel game of indulgence.

Minutes passed, the majestic beast growing weaker with every sip she took.

And yet, she did not stop.

Not until she felt its life force teetering on the edge of oblivion.

"Ahh, if only Lycius were here with me…"

Vynessa's midnight purple eyes gleamed with a maddening hunger as she licked the last traces of blood from her lips, savoring the lingering taste.

A shiver ran down her spine at the mere thought of sharing this moment with him—his golden eyes darkened with desire, his sharp tongue intertwining with hers as they indulged in the richness of the Thunderous Lion's rich wine.

A breathy sigh escaped her lips, her small fingers trembling as she wiped a stray drop from her chin.

A week. It had only been a week since Lycius had sealed himself away in that accursed training chamber, yet it felt like an eternity. A day without his presence was agonizing enough—but a year? A full year?

It was the cruelest torment. The kind of suffering that gnawed at her soul, that made her body ache with unbearable longing.

"This… This must be the worst pain imaginable."

The Thunderous Lion, barely clinging to life, its massive frame shuddering with every ragged breath, might have disagreed.

She gazed down at the Lion, now nothing more than a broken creature, its once-blazing eyes dimmed with defeat.

It no longer struggled.

It no longer resisted.

It simply followed, step after agonizing step, like a tamed beast awaiting its final fate.

Silently, it wished for death.

But like any other day, Vynessa wasn't feeling merciful.

"Come along now," she cooed, turning her back to the shattered creature. "Elizabeth is waiting."

The Lion let out one last, defeated breath before trailing behind her, resigned to its cruel fate.

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