192 CHPT 192: The Lioness.

The light tapping of numerous pairs of feet against the cobblestone path was all that was heard for a long stretch of moments after Isaac casually told them a groundbreaking fact about himself and his lineage as if it were as trivial as discussing the weather. The response cast the majority of them into a shocked silence.

Isaac continued to spearhead the line closer and closer to the beautiful mansion. Behind him, Warren looked at Isaac like he just declared his godhood while Maris emotionlessly scrutinized the noble structure with the curious eyes of a young child. Next to Claude and Frosty at the back, Ursula looked as cool as the ice she summoned in battle— hinting at what things she was used to seeing in her own home life.

Claude seemed to be the only person not looking ahead at the beautiful piece of architecture they were entering. Instead he looked at the closely packed clean stones beneath him while his mind raced with excitement. Not about the building, but who he'd possibly see inside. His excitement was obviously stunted in comparison to what it'd usually be after their encounter with Ronin. But as an avid reader of all things Heroes, Animals and Monsters, he couldn't tame the rapid heightening of his pulse.

Eventually the silence was broken by Maris asking the volley of questions any curious person interested in the subject of all things Heroes would ask. Consisting of questions such as, "Who are the Roaring Lions?", "Why did they choose such a name?" Or even ones as simple as, "What is a Guild?"

They all took part in answering each of her questions which in turn brought a level of ease back to the group— who'd all been scarred by their first encounter with a high level Hero only a matter of days ago. But, they found themselves back to a state of silence as the group made their way up a set of matching gray shaded cobblestone steps. Once at the top, they were at their destination.

They all silently faced the 8ft tall oak wood door while Isaac reached up and used the door knocker to announce their presence.

Knock!…..Knock!

Claude listened to a lightweight set of footsteps slowly approach as he eyed the expertly crafted Lion's head door knocker made of what looked to be a sort of gold combined with shining ruby eyes. He could almost feel the pulse of Magic radiating from the object, leading him to believe it was a sort of home defense.

"[A Wolf would've been much more dazzling— but that's just my opinion.]" Arne commented as Claude watched Isaac's hand fall from the metal ring held within the Lion headed knocker.

"Yep. Your totally fair and unbiased opinion." Claude jabbed in a sarcastic joking manner as the door opened silently on well greased hinges.

The man who welcomed them was slender in build and features with long limbs that matched his long polite looking face. His intelligent brown eyes that matched the tone of his skin looked over the group with surprise that was quickly stifled and replaced by professional kindness.

"Welcome home young master, Aslan." The slender suited man said before placing his hand over the insignia on his chest and lowering his head.

Isaac stiffened for a moment before relaxing and shaking his head with a smile, "Come on Wilfred! You're gonna make me look pretentious if you keep addressing me like that in front of people. Please just call me Isaac, man." He said while placing his hand on the dark skinned man's shoulder the way old friends do.

"Of course. I shall do my best correcting that….and directly going against what the Lioness desires." Wilfred said ominously while his facial expression robotically switched from kind to ghastly.

For a moment everyone behind Isaac froze at the man's odd response and the silence between the two that followed.

Then, Isaac turned around followed by Wilfred peeking out from behind him to inspect their scared and confused faces. It only took a matter of seconds for Wilfred and Isaac to break out into a synchronized chorus of laughter in response to everyones— mostly Warren's, terrified faces.

"Oh dear….erhm. Excuse me. How was my acting?" Wilfred asked after his laughing fit with Isaac concluded while he adjusted his tie.

Isaac turned and looked the group over once more, "Good. Very good, Wilfred." He replied followed by the man bowing again.

"So. Might these be the group of young Heroes in training you've spoken about so frequently?" Wilfred asked while looking over the group, eyes staying focused on Claude's face for a moment longer than the rest.

The question got a rise out of the previously very uncomfortable group. Ursula bumped shoulders with Claude, causing him to look down at her and see the bright smile plastered across her freckled face at the mention of being frequently talked about as someone's friend. She wasn't alone in this feeling since Warren also looked elated to hear Wilfred's question.

Isaac nodded at the front in response, "Yes. These are my guys….and girls." He announced before stepping aside to allow the man a better look at them.

He brought a slender fingered hand the color of mahogany to his chin and began looking them over as if he was incredibly deep in thought.

Ursula leaned over and stood on her tip toes to whisper in Claude's ear as the man stared, "What the hell is he going?"

"I have no idea. But it's making me uncomfortable…" Claude answered truthfully, getting a lighthearted laugh out of Ursula in response.

"You…." Wilfred suddenly said from behind Isaac who leaned against the door frame while the man pointed at her.

"Me..?" The Berserker replied in confusion.

"You must be…the thick skinned Berserker. W-what is your name again, miss?" He asked politely.

"Ursula." She answered with a respectful bow of her head causing her long rich brown colored ponytail to fall over her shoulders.

Wilfred nodded, "How unique. Come on in, Ursula of the Berserkers." He said theatrically before stepping aside to let her in.

Isaac followed her in after.

Maris suddenly stepped forward after deciding patience wasn't in her nature. "What has the Knight told you about me?"

Wilfred smiled as if he immediately understood who she was after speaking, "He's told me enough to know that you're the blunt…yet sharp Swordsman and wielder of Water, Maris. What a fitting name."

Maris turned her head in curiosity, "Blunt…..yet sharp. What do you mean when you say that?"

Wilfred shrugged and smiled, showing a perfect row of shining white teeth that threatened to make anyone self conscious. "That is for you to figure out, Maris." He replied before stepping aside.

She looked at him as if she was unsatisfied with his answer and spoke once more before entering the home, "Your mysteries are not beyond me. I'll figure out your word schemes soon."

Warren looked more than ready to receive his title and stepped forward with barely contained excitement lining his movements at the idea of somehow feeling famous by the charismatic man remembering him.

Much to his disappointment, the man's skeletal-like index finger shot towards Claude while his PitWolf's nose went straight to the sky, sniffing at Wilfred's finger with interest in whether it needed to be licked or bitten off. Along with his face.

"You are the easiest one to guess here, young man." Wilfred pointed out with a knowing smile as if he was enjoying putting faces to the names he's heard Isaac speak of.

"Makes sense." Claude replied with a nod.

"The angry ruffian and his giant Wolf." Wilfred said, receiving a laugh from Warren.

"[You do need a haircut…maybe a proper bath….and new clo—]"

"Thanks." Claude interrupted.

"Claude! Yes that's what it is. Claude….a man of the animals, and the wild itself. It's nice to finally meet you. Welcome to the Aslan Estate." Wilfred said, motioning Claude inside.

"Thank you for having us all on such short notice, Sir." Claude said before being ushered inside.

Behind him, he heard Warren jump to face the man, "Save the best for last huh, Wilfred? I get, it I get it."

Wilfred was silent for a long moment while Claude listened and entered the Estate.

"Young man, who are you?"

"WHA—"

***

After a few seconds, Warren joined the rest of the group in the entry hall with a sour face that was quickly extinguished by the sight of the interior of the Estate.

They stood on a spotless polished wooden floor. At the far end of each wall, a shimmering red carpet ran across the wooden floor and up the two pairs of stairs that led to an upper level where Claude assumed it would lead you to individual rooms or possibly even another open space such as the one they stood in now. The entire area was bathed in a warm golden glow by the flaming lights on each side of the walls.

Below the upper deck that was reached by taking the stairs, his nose told him a sort of kitchen was further ahead. He could smell meats, veggies, broths and even hear the faint sounds of knives lightly tapping against cutting boards as they cleaved through wet crunching vegetables cleanly.

The calming scents and sounds were interrupted by the metallic clang of boots and the scents of all things unsettling.

Frosty caught the scent as well and began leaning forwards while his wet black nose twitched intensely.

Blood, old fear and an incredibly potent burning scent that was getting stronger with every clang of each individual metal boot hitting the wooden floor ahead.

"Isaac? Is that you coming home this late?" A woman from somewhere deeper inside the two way hallway ahead of them yelled with a strong dose of maternal concern lining her dominant voice.

"Yea, it's me mom. The Tangent was really far away from the University so it took us a while to get back. Also….would you be mad if I brought company?" Isaac replied before sheepishly asking the question.

"Company?…." She said, sounding much closer than before. "It depends on what type of company." The woman said before emerging from the hall and being stopped by a well built young man in clothing that matched Wilfred's. The two whispered between each other over a seemingly important topic as everyone behind Isaac watched the woman.

"The Lioness of New Gloria…" Claude murmured, gaining a confused look from Ursula.

Isaac's mother, or the woman that stood in front of them, must've just finished a Tangent based on her appearance. Despite the roughness added to someone's features after fighting for hours— or even days, the woman had a fierce beauty to her that was exactly how Claude remembered the Hero being described when he read about her. What he read described her perfectly, it was like his imagination brought to life right in front of him.

She stood at around 6'1– even though that's not the tallest, the width of her shoulders and thickness of her legs made her feel much larger as she stood in the distance conversing with the man.

Her attire was as expected. In one hand she held a fishnet carrying her well crafted magically empowered Knights armor— covered in deep gashes and the blood of whatever Monsters she burnt to crisps only hours before. In her other hand he quickly noticed she was missing a finger as she held her trademarked helmet. A lion's head, molded into a fearsome snarl with her face being seen through the opened jaws of it. The mane— that looked incredibly real in person, was caked with blood and dirt that smelled weeks past freshness.

With her armor removed, she wore a dark style of under armor made to be flexible yet warming. A safety precaution he assumed all Heroes had to take just in case they stepped into a world like a desert, or a tundra.

Looking away from her armor, his eyes naturally rose to her face.

With skin the color of almonds and her long hair being braided into cornrows ending in a thick braid that pulled any wrinkles into non existence, she looked surprisingly young. The only signs of battle being shown in a pink old scar on her cheek and above her collar bone where it look like she was sliced by a sword at least the size of Maris.

In spite of all the scarring, he was sure if she wasn't over 6ft tall and packed with muscle— she'd be getting cat called relentlessly. Her strong yet smooth jaw complimented her matching features with full lips and a borderline masculine nose that stood out to him after he realized how much Isaac looked like her. Not in the way Ronin looked like a darker, more emancipated or haunted version of his sons, but instead a simple set of features the Knight seemed to share with his mother.

"[Your jaw hasn't returned from the floor in quite a while. Who is this?]" Arne asked in the midst of Claude's slow motion—esque study of the Hero.

"This…..this is the Lioness of New Gloria. One of two parts that created the Roaring Lions Guild. Originally it was an unnamed noble family of Heroes in the Sunlands— Old World Africa, that was known for having incredibly powerful Lion based spells that they used to rise in power and notoriety. That family is where The Lion of this generation— or Isaac's father, comes from. Apparently he met Bellona "Bell" Aslan here after hearing of her feats in New Gloria." Claude thought in reply.

"[For someone's actions to cross distances that far….that's positively stunning.]" Arne pointed out.

"It had to happen. From what I read it's said that the Lion's duty other than being a symbolic Hero in the Sunlands is to search for more power and spells associated with the name. Isaac's mother made her Heroic debut with such a spell. Called (Panthera's Roar). Apparently she used it in a rush to stop a Tangent from breaking within the walls of a city."

"[That doesn't sound all that….fantastic to be quite honest.]" Arne said, sounding disappointed.

"Not at face value. But the Tangent was meant for Gold Ranked Heroes. Apparently all she had was Silvers."

"[So the spell's a buff. A buff strong enough to rise a Hero up a full tank. That's unheard of….]" Arne commented as Isaac's mother finished speaking with the man in a voice too quiet for him to hear and talk to Arne over.

She faced them for a moment, studying the group just as he previously studied her.

"Dammit!…Dammit!" She said while lowering her head with a disappointed shake— matching Isaac's own mannerisms.

"Oh no.." Warren muttered.

Isaac sighed, "Sorry mom, I assumed it would be al—"

"If only your father was here!" Bell said with a stomp and metallic shake of her armor.

The group looked between each other in confusion at her odd reaction.

"Mom….I-I don't follow." It seemed Isaac was just as lost.

"What is not to follow? These are your friends, aren't they?!" She questioned with a radiant smile while Wilfred nodded behind them in utmost support.

"Oh. Yes these are the ones I've told you about. They needed a place to stay for the weekend if that's alright?" Isaac said.

Bell nodded at her son, "Well— yea, they're already here aren't they." She said, gaining a nod from Isaac. "Any friends of Isaac are always welcomed to the Estate. But right now, I've gotta go clean up. Afterwards, I'd like to get to know you all over dinner later and assign some faces to names I've heard."

The group nodded before Bell gave them all a kind smile and headed up the stairs closest to Claude.

Their eyes fell on her again as she turned around, seemingly remembering a question she had earlier. "Everything's ok with you all, right? I just hope your sudden appearance isn't a bad thing."

The group all found themselves unable to keep eye contact as Isaac replied.

"Nope. We're just doing some….homework."