This was invariably the first time Asd got a chance to be fully shifted and be in control, it felt weird. Sure there was instant there to guide him, but acclimating to the sudden perception change of being two legged to four legged was a little jarring. His senses were sharper, most notable his sense of smell and hearing, everything seemed to be amplified by a hundred times if not more. All these new sensations gave him pause, just long enough for the giant Zaragite to barrel into his overwhelmed for and roughly thrown to the ground.
The subsequent bite was an extra wakeup call and the Zaragite Scrambled on top of his back and took a bit out of his haunches. Its muzzle and fangs stuck deep into his shoulder, trying to rip and tear away at the pound of flesh located there. For a moment white hot anger and fear lanced through Asd's frame as he worried whether he was going to die or not. But he was saved, and not any moment later.
The transformed werewolf, looking even bigger than Asd in his fully transformed state swiped a paw on the carapace of the monster, drawing sparks and a scream of rage as one of its massive wings was sheared off its back. This gave Asd the chance he needed to dislodge the monster from his back, and then turning to take one of its limbs in his mouth and ripping it out in an open display of animalistic rage and bloodlust. The Zaragite released a screech of pain that shook everyone to their core, but at the same time the werewolf and Asd responded with a primal declaration of their own.
"Awoooooooooo!"
"Rooooooaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrr!"
And then there was no need for any other effort as both Asd and the werewolf lunged for the beast. However, that was a mistake as they slammed into each other heading for the same target. They were thrown of target, which gave the Zaragite enough time to swipe a claw at Asd's face, causing the young lion to roar out in pain as this wound felt very different. It burned in a way that none of his previous wounds have ever hurt. The werewolf let out a barking growl at Asd, his intention clear and meaning nothing more than 'stay the fuck out of my way.'
But the Zaragite had achieved whatever it was that brought it and its now deceased ilk to this side of the black Mountain. The werewolf; Lucian. Couldn't keep up with the beast, and it was dark and extremely dangerous within the confines of these mines, it wasn't worth it chasing the escaped Zaragite. Asd on the other hand didn't think the conflict was over, call It intuition or the fact that the werewolf was now staring at him with even more animosity than the Zaragites and you would understand Asd's suspicion.
He took two steps back, using the retreating movement to reverse the transformation as fur gave way to skin and hind quarters back to legs a color of deep caramel brown. There were audible pops from his bones as his body got back into proper shape, with his face looking almost ethereal in the glow provided by Gaia as it hung around his head. Asd turned, keeping one eye on the werewolf as he observed his environment.
Apart from the scores of dead Zaragites on the ground there was almost a dozen dead Weres, and about twice as much of that injured. Roughly five, six if you include the werewolf had escaped from this skirmish roughly unscathed. And then the massive tree on a mound in the m idle of the cavern held Asd's target tightly bound to its trunk. This place was extremely peculiar, strange in the sense that Asd expects that there was probably a secret to this place that he doesn't understand yet, but be that as it may he was faced with a confrontation, and one that he would need to pay all of his attention to.
"Who are you?" a voice so thickly laden with animosity was sent towards Asd. For a moment he shivered as a cold draft rushed over his naked form, causing goosebumps to pop up all over his skin. There was an electricity in the air, it was animosity as well as it was challenge. A royal Werelion in the presence of an Alpha werewolf, even as Weres the age old bad blood between cats and dogs has never died down. The Canine and Feline Weres don't get along too well, even with the whole slavery scenario, it would take a lot of time for any member of both species to be able to relate with each other.
But Asd didn't care about all that, the bad blood between dogs and cats would not stand up to how monumental of an event and achievement it would be for the Weres of black mountain to gain their freedom. So in that regard he was more than willing to go with diplomacy as it would be the best thing for them all, Asd looked at the scraps left behind from his ripping his clothes to shift, he was a bit annoyed but such has always been the problem with Weres and their transformation, they tore through clothes and would need immediate replacement, which was also the reason why they don't wear armor. He picked up his sword and the mana pistol that was now working within this area and then faced the alpha.
Lucian was or rather is a handsome man. Silver hair that rushed to the middle of his back, faded at the sides and braided in the tribalistic manner that was synonymous to the Weres. His blue eyes seemed incredibly sharp and looked as if they could pierce through Asd to unveil all of his secrets. This werewolf was overflowing with charisma and power, a man who was used to getting his way and had no qualms walking allover Asd. He was an alpha after all and a royal, especially in the current era meant shit to him, those days where such status would be respected by all means was a bygone era, so Asd could not rely on his bloodline,
"I've come for the human…. And I have also come for all of you." He said, hoping to calm the werewolf to a point where a simple conversation would suffice and the way Weres tend to do things in order to get their points across.
"I asked who the fuck are you! And not what you're doing here Kitten!" Asd raised an eyebrow and looked around, noticing the feline Weres amongst his followers and then immediately noticing that most of the Weres that were dead or heavily injured were Caith-Siths, Were-Tigers, Were-Panthers and a Were-Leopard. The canines were mostly uninjured and seemed to escape without much damage. Asd scrunched his eyebrow in worry at the very obvious Xenophobia hanging in the air…. looks like this was going to be harder than he thought.
"The Empire have begun marching soldiers into the tunnel, they're coming for him dead or alive, and they're not talking any prisoners. At the moment more than half of the Beastmen population on the Black Mountain has been killed. All of those people chose to take a stand and they were killed like animals. The empire has taken children hostage and would be killing ten for every six hours the human is not in their presence. Dead or alive they don't care, they're just here to preserve their fucking reputation and would kill any and every one to do it.
I'm here as a messenger and a last resort to save you stupid dumb ass. Hand the human over to me so that I can return him, and the empire will get out of your hair. All this will come to an end and the rest of your people will be safe." Asd said as he raised his voice enough for the rest of Lucian's pack to hear.
"But what will happen to Lucian?" a Fox kin woman asked as she stepped forwards, looking back from her alpha and back to Asd.
"He will go to prison obviously, however they have guaranteed his life which is better than the alternative of you all dying without achieving anything and all those children dying out there!" Asd was lying through his teeth, there was a lot riding on this bluff and based on his interaction with Lucian, he didn't seem like the kind of person who would believe in the offer of the empire, heck even he didn't believe in it seeing as there was no official document to back it up like he had asked for, all he has right now was hope.
"Children? do I look like I care about some Werepeople that are not of my bloodline. I don't believe anything you say other than the obvious fact that you seem to be the Empire's bitch! Dead or alive I'm not given that bastard filth of a human back, and if they want him so badly they can come here and fight me for it, I'll show them just who the fuck they're messing with."
"But Lucian- "
"I AM THE ALPHA! MY WORD IS LAW!"
his eyes glowed golden as Asd felt a blanket of power wash all over him to envelope the werewolf that had just finished talking. The werewolf released a small pitched whine as he bowed his head down, incapable of meeting the gaze of his alpha or even matching up to a fraction of his power…. But Asd had no such Qualms.
"Lucian! I; Asd Elmalk Leo challenge for the Right of Rule and the Right of Blood. Do you accept my challenge…? Mutt!" Asd spoke channeling his inner lion as his voice held power not unlike what Lucian had just released, though quite a bit weaker. All the werewolf could do as he spoke was chuckle with mirth as he said to Asd.
"You have made a big mistake your majesty…. I will defeat you and make your power mine, and then I will you and make your bloodline mine! Prepare yourself."