22 Equus

"I am Valaine," she declared with a tone of authority.

Drakul, the dragon, regarded her with an indifference that bordered on disdain. 

"I don't recognize that name, I care not for the names of insects," he rumbled, his eyes still ablaze with the embers of his reborn fury.

His dismissive attitude stoked the flames of Valaine's frustration. 

"You should," she retorted, her patience wearing thin. "After all, it was my magic that brought you back to life."

At the mention of the word 'life' Drakul's ancient memory stirred, and his eyes flared with recognition. 

"Back to life, you say?" he growled, his gaze distant. "Ah… I remember now, So Queen Hippolyta did seal my fate."

"Queen Hippolyta?" Valaine mused, her curiosity piqued.

Drakul's lips curled into a snarl, "A queen who dared to challenge my might and succeeded," 

He growled. "Now, I shall exact my revenge upon her."

Drakul issued a stern command, his patience wearing thin, "Move. I have waited long enough. It's time to exact my revenge on her."

Valaine, however, was not one to be dismissed. Annoyance simmered beneath her skin, and she refused to yield until she received the recognition she felt she deserved. 

"Not until you show me the respect I deserve," she declared, her voice firm. "I demand your thanks."

The dragon's eyes narrowed, his patience running thin. "The only gratitude you will receive is that I won't burn you to ash where you stand."

Valaine's temper flared, her sense of pride wounded. "No," she retorted, her voice sharp with defiance. 

"I won't move until you acknowledge the debt you owe me. A life for a life, Drakul Karfang, and mine is not one to be taken lightly." 

Valaine stood her ground with an unyielding stare. 

The Drakul's eyes blazed with fury, and he bellowed, "So be it." 

He unleashed a torrent of searing flames that engulfed the entire cavern. The heat was intense, scorching the very walls and turning the very air into a furnace. 

For minutes, the onslaught continued until Drakul, satisfied with the havoc he had wreaked, finally ceased his assault. The cave, once rocky and natural, now bore the scars of his wrath, its rocky surfaces crystallized from the intense heat.

As the smoke began to dissipate, revealing the aftermath of destruction, a shimmering golden magical barrier emerged, encasing them within. 

It was Victoria who had raised the protective sphere, her hand held high. Valaine, standing nonchalantly within the safety of the barrier, cradled the human child in her arms, the infant unfazed by the chaos surrounding him.

Drakul, his massive form silhouetted against the golden barrier, was astonished. 

His nostrils flared as he regarded Victoria's magical prowess with a mix of surprise and grudging respect. 

"I gave you many chances to show gratitude," Valaine said, her words sharp as the edge of a sword. "I don't appreciate those who take without giving back."

In the echo of her words, the cave fell silent, save for the crackling remnants of the fading flames.

Victoria's sudden yell of concern cut through the aftermath, her eyes darting towards the cavern entrance. 

Valaine, in response, turned her gaze to the charred expanse that had once been the entrance, a smoldering hole that now allowed them a glimpse of the sky outside.

"The horse…" Victoria murmured, her voice tinged with sorrow. "It likely did not survive that attack."

Victoria turned to Valaine, her eyes searching for guidance. "What do we do now?" she asked, her voice filled with uncertainty. "Where can we find a new horse?"

Valaine, her eyes shifting to meet Drakul's, a spark of audacious idea in her gaze, replied with a plan that caught the dragon's attention. 

"Someone just volunteered," she said in a bold tone.

"Arrogant insect!" the audacity of her proposal drove Drakul to a fury

He unleashed another torrent of fire breath, imbued with rage. Yet, the magical barrier Victoria had conjured held strong, unyielding in the face of his destructive breath of Drakul Karfang.

Valaine smiled at Victoria and said calmly, "Watch over him."

She gently handed the child to Victoria, who opened her arms to receive the kid. 

As the kid nestled into Victoria's embrace, Valaine spoke, her voice laced with  confidence, "I'm going to try taming this overgrown lizard. I also want to test something."

Victoria chimed in, "The perfect steed for someone as grand as you master! Farewell, dear horse, you will be missed."

Victoria's words carried a touch of irony, embracing the absurdity of their situation even in the face of danger.

With a swift teleportation spell, Victoria vanished from the cave, taking the child with her, leaving Valaine to face the dragon alone.

Drakul's immense form loomed over Valaine, his eyes narrowed with a mix of curiosity and disdain. 

"Foolish to face me alone," he warned, his voice resonating with power. "Queen Hippolyta herself needed friends to defeat me."

Valaine, undeterred by his intimidation, retorted, "I don't know who this Queen Hippolyta is, but I alone can be more of a challenge than you think. You'll regret not showing me gratitude from the start."

Drakul scoffed, dismissing her words with a contemptuous snarl. "Your ignorance of Queen Hippolyta is precisely why you are nothing more than a nameless insect to me."

In a swift motion, he lunged at Valaine, his mouth agape with the intention to swallow Valaine whole, his clawed feet propelling him forward with astounding strength, propelling him out of the cave and into the open air.

However, as he exited the cave, he realized something was amiss. He felt nothing in his mouth, but a peculiar sensation gripped the top of his head. 

Valaine had evaded his attack and now stood defiantly on his head, a mocking glint in her eyes.

Valaine's back sprouted bat-like wings, and she leaped from Drakul's head with an unexpected burst of strength. 

Her agile form maneuvered gracefully in the air, pushing Drakul downwards toward the dense expanse of the mountain forest below. 

As she flew, she realized flying was a natural ability within her, a skill that felt inherently familiar.

Yet, her newfound freedom was short-lived. A sudden burst of intensified fire approached her, emanating from the spot where Drakul had landed. Valaine's acute senses detected the immense magical enhancement within the flames. 

In response, she muttered an incantation, "Black Amplification"

A black aura enveloped her body, surrounding her with a smoky darkness. The swirling black aura concentrated around her right hand, and with a precise finger gun gesture pointing at the projectile, she murmured,

"Dispel Magic: 8th"

In the blink of an eye, the projectile of fiery wrath hurtling toward her disappeared into thin air. A triumphant grin crept across Valaine's lips.

Valaine pulled Kirugetsu from her inventory, a sleek black dagger as long as her arm. She twirled it around effortlessly, switching it from hand to hand. 

The dagger felt like an extension of her body, her reflexes sharper than ever before, finely tuned as if the blade itself was a part of her.

Descending to where Drakul had landed, Valaine faced him with an air of confidence. 

Drakul regarded her with intense prejudice, his ancient eyes narrowing with suspicion. Before he could utter another attack, a sudden searing pain shot through him. 

He glanced down at his body, now marked with slashes bearing ominous black markings, smoke curling from the wounds. The assault had been swift and precise, so quick that Drakul barely had time to register the attack. 

He looked back at Valaine, who twirled the dagger mockingly, a glint of amusement in her eyes.

"Careful not to get carried away, insect" Drakul warned. 

His wounds began to stitch themselves, although they still bore the scars of her assault. Valaine, noting his regeneration but finding it lacking. 

She dismissed Kirugetsu and pulled another weapon from her personal inventory, a sword named Frostburn. Frostburn. It used to be dagger but her friend Amanomahitotsu reshaped it into a sword to her liking.

The sword emanated a frosty aura, chilling the air around it. 

Its tip hovered just above the ground, freezing the dirt beneath it. Drakul, observing the sword's power, became more cautious, the ability reminded him of the Frost King.

Drakul gathered every ounce of his power, his throat bellowing with extreme heat, a fiery glow emanating as if he was on the verge of explosion. 

He unleashed his attack, a scorching inferno hurtling towards Valaine with unbridled fury.

But Valaine was prepared. With a swift and precise downward swing of Frostburn, she countered Drakul's breath attack. 

Her lips moved in a whisper, "Release" 

And from her blade, blue flames surged, weaving together to create a towering iceberg, sharp as a spike, hurtling straight towards Drakul Karfang.

Their attacks clashed with a cataclysmic force. The impact was devastating, the ground beneath them trembled and shattered, creating a deep crater. 

The surrounding area was now a chaotic battleground, marked by smoldering dirt, regular fire, blue flames, and ice.

On Drakul's side of the battlefield, the heat caused the ice to melt, creating a sizzling zone, while on Valaine's side, the frozen ground and vibrant blue flames held their ground.

Drakul, feeling the weight of Valaine's power, acknowledged her strength with a reluctant respect. 

"You have earned my respect, Valaine," he conceded, his voice a low, rumbling growl. "But I won't submit to you. The only way to end this is for one of us to die."

Valaine had a different idea, "I disagree, you will replace the horse you killed. There must be recompense for your actions."

In a attempt to gain a vantage point, Drakul launched himself into the sky, soaring kilometers above the ground. 

He scanned the vast expanse, looking for an advantage, but his surprise knew no bounds when Valaine, seemingly out of nowhere, materialized right in front of him like a blur, her bat wings unfurled.

The speed at which she closed the distance left Drakul Karfang's eyes bulging in surprise.

Valaine wasted no time. With a swift and calculated motion, she used the hilt of Frostburn to deliver a powerful strike to Drakul's snout. 

The force behind the attack sent the dragon hurtling hundreds of meters away, disoriented but far from defeated.

Regaining his composure, Drakul retaliated by spewing a barrage of fireballs at Valaine. Yet, weaved effortlessly through the air, dodging each and every attack.

Deciding to discard her weapon, Valaine placed Frostburn back into her inventory and chose to engage Drakul in a fistfight. 

As Drakul prepared to release another fiery breath, Valaine struck first, her punch landing squarely on his throat, causing him to choke and sputter fire.

Valaine continued her assault. She followed up with a punch to his snout and a powerful kick to his head, sending the ancient dragon tumbling downwards. 

Valaine rapidly closed the gap, grabbing his right wing and swinging him skyward.

Her subsequent move broke sound barriers as she struck Drakul's belly with another powerful punch, shattering his crimson scales. 

The force behind the blow sent Drakul rocketing upwards once more. This time, Valaine merely floated in the air, observing the ancient dragon's struggle to regain his composure.

Valaine, muttered an incantation, "Widen Magic: True Strike Domain" 

In an instant, a perimeter with a radius of hundreds of meters formed around her, with Valaine at its center. 

The area crackled with red energy, creating a zone that granted her a 100% guaranteed hit chance.

Drakul felt a shiver of unease when her spell created a formidable perimeter around them. Drakul's draconian instincts, honed over centuries of existence, told him that this was a dangerous, unprecedented development.

Valaine's thoughts harked back to the fundamentals of magic. 

She is currently wearing her World Champion armor, though it was hidden under a transmogrification illusion, so it appears as a dress because it clashes with her aesthetic. 

She envisioned her World Champion armor as a medium, an ocean of power waiting to be harnessed. With her right hand outstretched and her left hand poised as if drawing an imaginary bow, she imagined a large bowl scooping up the ocean's vast body.

Drakul's eyes followed her as she outstretched her right hand while her left hand assumed the pose of drawing an invisible bow. The very air seemed to crackle with heat.

In Valaine's belief, she will manifest a fire, an element of immense power that could consume anything in its path.

Heat radiated from her right hand, forming a ball of flame that swiftly molded into an arrow. The fire arrow glowed with a brilliant, searing light, casting an intense, fiery glow. The presence alone felt like she was standing next to an open furnace.

She amplified the most basic fire arrow spell from Yggdrasill and added her armor's touch and the magical knowledge she just learned.

Valaine monologues with a note of satisfaction, "In honor of you, Drakul Karfang, my test subject."

Her voice held a touch of irony as she chanted, "Dragon-Fire Javelin"

With the force of a thunderbolt, the fire arrow propelled forward, breaking the air around Valaine. 

Thanks to the True Strike Domain, it acted like a homing missile, following Drakul relentlessly. 

Drakul, realizing the danger, attempted to flee, but the fiery projectile continued to chase him. It homed in on him, Drakul's heart pounded as he struggled to evade the relentless pursuit of the fiery projectile.

Finally, it struck him, and a colossal fire explosion engulfed him in a searing maelstrom. 

He fell to the ground, his form smoldering and battered. Drakul Karfang's thoughts were of defiance. He was bested by Valaine.

Amidst the aftermath of the explosive impact, Valaine's eyes are wide with awe and amazement at the potency of the spell she had just unleashed.

She let out a chuckle under her breath, "The book had a point. It's not just about the fancy words and gestures, it's about letting your imagination run wild."

She cast a glance at the dragon sprawled on the ground, a smirk playing on her lips. "They say the best spells come from creativity. Well, Drakul, I do appreciate your unwitting contribution to my magical experiment."

With a nonchalant shrug, she added, "Who knew a dragon could be such a valuable muse?"

Valaine descended gracefully to the charred ground, her gaze piercing as she looked down at the wounded Drakul. 

"Submit" she commanded, her voice firm.

Drakul, despite his battered state, met her gaze with unyielding defiance. "No," he rasped, his voice filled with unwavering determination. "I'd rather die."

A triumphant smirk curved Valaine's lips as she leaned closer, her eyes glinting with a cold resolve. 

"Die?" she mused, her tone chillingly calm. "Oh Drakul, death is not your concern. It's what happens after you're gone that should terrify you."

She leaned in closer, her voice barely a whisper, but each word laced with threat. 

"I now understand how your resurrection works," she said, her eyes narrowing. "Your body doesn't truly die unless it's utterly destroyed."

Drakul's eyes widened with realization, his ancient fear flickering in the depths of his gaze.

Valaine's threat hung heavy in the air. "I'll scatter your bones," she continued, her voice like ice creeping into his very soul.

"In the deepest oceans and the darkest caves, you'll never return back to life."

"Your revenge against Hippolyta dies with you," she declared coldly. "Your vengeance will never see the light of day again."

The centuries of bitterness, the desire for retribution against Queen Hippolyta, were now threatened with eternal silence. His dreams of vengeance, the burning need to settle the score.

Fear gnawed at him. The prospect of never fulfilling his vendetta, never seeing his sworn enemy fall before his might, struck a chord deep within him. 

The magnitude of her words made Drakul break into a cold sweat.

"Submit" Valaine commanded, her heel pressing down on his snout, her eyes boring into his. 

"The only words you're allowed to speak from now on are 'Yes, Master' or 'No, Master.'"

A moment of silence stretched between them, the weight of her demand settling like a tombstone on Drakul's pride. 

Finally, the words left his mouth, "Yes, Master"