The core watched as the adventurers headed towards the blood lions territory. The lioness hoped the human would die soon. It was unpleasant that he was even here. She watched viciously as an Umbra Sanguinous Leo stalked the group. The lioness, one of the few who had evolved since Bellator had been Named, was one of the stealthiest. She was a clever beast, more than capable of killing her prey. She only waited for a more opportune moment. The lioness was easily better at hiding than the filthy human, especially when they would reach her chosen territory. She smiled, her lips pulling up to show her vicious fangs.

.....................................

Athena felt uneasy. It was as if they were being watched. She shook her head, focusing on what was ahead. They had crossed into the red part of the forest. The plants looked like they had been soaked in blood, and the trunks of the trees were an ominous gray.

Then she spotted movement out of the corner of her eye. “To the right!” She shouted, pivoting towards the movement. Her eyes widened as a giant lion jumped out of the foliage, leaping for her throat. She shifted into her beast form, her sword disappearing, and rolled out of the way, reacting to the creature instinctively.

She leaped towards it, clawing at its back and side, as it floundered as a result of her shifting. She grabbed its neck with her powerful jaw, and it snapped. She shifted out of beast form, her sword materializing in her hand, and leaped into the fray, once again a whirlwind of death.

Suddenly, her sword clanged against a lion’s shield-like claw, she narrowed her eyes, managing to [Identify] it before the lion pushed her back.

Grade F [Sanguinous Scutum Leo]

"They're Grade F!"

She shouted at her party members. She was starting to get tired. The fight would have to end soon.

With a furious yell, she threw herself at the lion in a feint, before diving under it as she shifted. She threw herself against the lion's side, forcing it to fall in a tangle of limbs. She roared, knowing that Aeli would understand it. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the elf leap out of a tree, twisting the limbs of her bow apart. Then she disappeared. She knew what the elf would do next, and twisted around to expose the lion's throat, shoving its head up. Suddenly a bloody cut appeared across its windpipe, and it began to wheeze, unable to breathe. She shifted back into a human and slashed down, severing its head from its body.

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As she turned to seek another member of her party to help, she found only bodies. Her party stood in various states of disarray, panting heavily. “We should hea—” She began, when another of the lions appeared out of nowhere, its furious eyes fixed on Tharin. It charged straight for the rogue. Suddenly, it froze, as it impaled itself on one of Aeli's twin swords and a blast of ice shot out of Kael's hand, hitting the beast. As its jaws parted in a final roar of fury, it died. Its roar echoed through the cavernous floor.

Then a chorus of answering roars came from the direction of the silver tree, one louder than the rest. Thudding pawsteps began to sound after a moment of silence. The party froze, then as if in agreement, broke into a run. Athena shifted into her beast form, slowing momentarily for Draven to pull himself onto her back, and continued running. Then, ahead of them, a single giant lion appeared from the trees. He was a silver color, with a mane made of blue, green, and purple leaves around his neck. A crown of silver adorned his head and his eyes were a deep, mesmerizing, purple.

Athena skidded to a stop, glancing behind them revealing a pride of similarly colored lions. She shook the dwarf off her back, shifting into her humanoid form.

Her blade appeared readily in her hand. A glance at her party revealed much the same, readying themselves reluctantly for a battle they could not win. She used [Identify] on the lion in front of him, revealing what she had feared.

Bellator [King Of The Verdant Throne]

“He is Named.” She said shakily to her party. Named beasts were always stronger. His purple eyes glanced at them, before fixating on Tharin. The rogue had joined their party recently, and had proven skilled at his job. The lion huffed.

Then he spoke. “I am Bellator, King of the Verdant Throne, Guardian of the First.” He spoke with a deep tone, his voice thrumming through her bones. “The human will die. All humans shall die who enter the dungeon.” He roared, echoed by the pride behind them. Tharin broke into a run, and the lion charged after him, followed quickly by the pride.

Athena took the chance, shifting into her panther form. Draven jumped onto her back, and the four remaining members of the party began to run for the entrance, trying to escape. As they finally broke out of the dungeon and into the forest above, they collapsed, panting from exertion.

“Well, I certainly wasn’t expecting that.” Kael said, breaking the silence. The others nodded in unanimous agreement. “We should report back to the Guild Master now.” Athena said. “She will want to hear about this.”