[Location: Inside the Temple of the Lion]
[Time: 18:00 PM]
The air inside the temple was heavy, smelling of damp stone and ozone. It was an ancient ruin, the architecture distinctively Mondstadtian but twisted by the Abyss's influence.
"So," Lisa said, her heels clicking echoing loudly in the empty hall. "This temple was once used to train the Knights of Favonius. Now, it's just a nest for monsters."
She raised her hand, a purple lantern glowing in her palm. "You mentioned you wanted to learn, little dragon. Lesson one: Electro is quite... clingy."
A group of Hydro Slimes bounced around the corner, chirping aggressively.
"Water slimes," I observed. "Simple."
"Watch," Lisa commanded.
She flicked her wrist. A bolt of violet lightning arched from her lantern, hitting the lead slime.
ZAAAP!
The electricity didn't stop there. It jumped. From one wet slime to the next, arcing in a chain reaction of sizzling damage. The slimes shook violently, trapped in a paralysis loop, before popping into puddles of water.
"Electro-Charged," Lisa explained with a satisfied smile. "When electricity meets water, it flows through everything connected. It's efficient. Elegant."
[Great Sage]
I nodded (or bobbed my head).
"Efficient. I like efficient. My turn."
We moved deeper. The next room was guarded by a large group of Hilichurls standing in a pool of water. They spotted us and charged.
"Lesson Two," I broadcasted. "Brute force is also elegant if you do it right."
I didn't use fire this time. I used [Shadow Motion].
I sank into my own shadow, vanishing from sight. The Hilichurls stopped, confused, looking around.
Zip.
I burst out of the shadow directly behind the archers in the back. Before they could nock an arrow, I spun my tail.
[Skill: Steel Strength] applied.
CRACK.
My tail hit them with the force of a wrecking ball, sending three Hilichurls flying into the wall with bone-shattering force.
"My, my," Lisa hummed, leaning against a pillar. "Shadow magic? That's not very 'Anemo' of you."
"I'm a mixed bag," I replied, shaking the dust off my scales.
We reached the central chamber. Floating in the center was the objective: a pulsating, corrupted Anemo crystal—a "tear" of Stormterror.
But guarding it was a floating creature in blue robes, chanting in a strange language.
A Hydro Abyss Mage.
"Kehehe! The Knights! And... a lizard?" The Mage cackled, waving its wand. A bubble of pressurized water formed around it—an elemental shield.
"How troublesome," Lisa sighed, electricity dancing around her fingers. "Those shields are a pain to break through with just raw magic."
"Is that so?" I stepped forward. "You zap him. I'll handle the shield."
"Are you sure? Touching that shield will get you wet, and then I'll shock you."
"Just do it!"
Lisa shrugged and unleashed a massive bolt of lightning, [Violet Arc]. It struck the shield, causing the Abyss Mage to shriek as the Electro-Charged reaction ticked away at his defenses. But the shield held.
While the Mage was distracted by the pain, I lunged.
[Unique Skill: Predator] – Target: Hydro Construct.
I didn't claw the shield. I bit it.
My jaws clamped onto the magical bubble. The Abyss Mage stopped laughing. "What?! You can't—!"
"Slurp."
I activated the suction force of my stomach. The Hydro energy wasn't broken; it was drained. I drank the shield like a juice box. In two seconds, the protective bubble collapsed into motes of light, sucked down my throat.
The Abyss Mage fell to the ground, naked and vulnerable.
"Impossible! My barrier!"
"Your barrier tasted like stagnant pond water," I growled, pinning him down with a claw. "Any last words?"
" The Princess... will... avenge..."
Crunch.
I didn't let him finish. I bit down.
[Great Sage]
Acquired Skill: [Water Bubble Trap].
Acquired Element: [Hydro Affinity] (Low).
Mana Reserves: Restored.>
Lisa walked over, kicking the Mage's empty robe aside. She looked at the corrupted crystal, then at me.
"You eat magic," she stated. It wasn't a question. "Shields, elements, monsters. You just... metabolize it."
"I'm a growing boy," I said, walking over to the crystal. "Do we break this?"
"Yes," Lisa said softly. She watched me shatter the crystal with a tail whip, the wind in the temple calming down instantly.
"Raiden," she said suddenly.
I turned. She wasn't smiling. Her expression was serious, her eyes searching mine.
"You mentioned my 'clock' earlier. Back in the office."
"I did."
"How much do you know?"
I sat down, wrapping my tail around my paws. The "Big Brother" instinct flared up. She put up a front of being lazy and flirtatious, but she was terrified of the inevitable.
"I know you touched a magic book you shouldn't have," I said gently. "I know it gave you immense power and knowledge in exchange for your life force. You're burning the candle at both ends, Lisa."
She looked away, clutching her arm. "A fair trade for wisdom. Or so I thought."
I stood up and walked over to her. I was small, only coming up to her waist on all fours, but I nudged her hand with my snout.
"It doesn't have to be a trade."
I activated [Unique Skill: Lust].
Not the drain. The other half.
[Kiss of Love] (Minor Output).
I licked the back of her hand.
A soft, golden glow enveloped her hand. It wasn't just healing magic; it was vitality. It was pure life energy. The fatigue that constantly weighed on her shoulders lifted for a brief second. The static noise in her nerves—the side effect of the curse—quieted.
Lisa gasped, pulling her hand back as if burned. She stared at it. The skin looked smoother, the tremors gone.
"What... what was that?" she whispered, eyes wide.
"A sample," I said. "I can't break your curse yet. I'm not strong enough. But my power... it governs Life and Vitality. I can give time back."
I looked up at her silver eyes.
"Stick with me, Librarian. Help me understand this world. And in return... I promise I won't let your sand run out."
Lisa stared at me for a long time. The silence stretched. Then, slowly, a genuine smile broke across her face—not the mask she wore for others, but something real. Vulnerable.
She reached down and scratched behind my horns.
"You really are a dangerous little thing," she murmured softy. "Making a lady indebted to you like that. Fine. It's a deal, Raiden Ragnvaldr."
She straightened up, adjusting her hat, the playful mask sliding back into place.
"But if you want to be my savior, you'll have to carry me back to the city. Walking is so tiring, you know."
I rolled my eyes, but I lowered my shoulder.
"Get on. But if you pull my tail, I'm dropping you."