章節 25: Chapter 25: We Were Conquerors

"It is a shame that we do not know ourselves well enough to have confidence in what we do as a race."

A male lion the size of a buffalo with golden fur opened his mouth to speak. He sat on the edge of a cliff while overlooking countless lions and lionesses.

His voice spread far and wide, ensuring that all heard him.

Among the receivers of his speech were lion prides of different kinds. Most were prides where the males led and the females were the consorts, while very few had larger females as the leaders with males as the consorts.

"You all possess a power within you that comes from your heart. Yet you know nothing of it." The golden lion continued.

"My predecessors left your ancestors, their responsibility to their whims, and they failed in every aspect apart from reproduction.

No lion among you lives beyond the age of one hundred and fifty years. Long ago, this wasn't even considered middle-aged.

No lion or lionesses among you can bring down a tier 1 mammoth on your own. Long ago, this would be considered a right of passage for the young.

None of you have territories that span across continents. We were once conquerors…"

Reaching this point, the golden lion's voice broke up, as if he was holding himself back from crying.

The listening lions could almost taste the disappointment and sorrow in the atmosphere. Their ears dropped and their heads lowered.

On a normal day, none of the prides would ever think of being together in the same place at the same time and be so peaceful. But today, they had gathered because of the special lion on the short cliff edge.

"We used to have entire realms as vassals to our kingdom. Every lion was considered a noble. I always wonder what exactly happened to cause our downfall.

Our kind has declined so much that we now have to chase our food as though we beg for our subjects to feed us.

SINCE WHEN DID KINGS BEG FOR FOOD!" The lion shouted angrily as he stomped his paws on the ground, causing cracks to spread all the way to the bottom of the cliff.

He wasn't angry at the lions before, he was angry at those that came before him. His rage flowed to the audience, filling their eyes with the same anger and making their blood boil.

"Crocodiles snap at us when we drink water, Elephants stomp their feet to warn us, Even the hyenas dare to steal from us.

Oh, great lions, the legendary conquerors of worlds. How far have we fallen. There was a time when our roars commanded all of creation and evolved to bow at our feets."

The audience had long entered a dreamy state. They imagined themselves in that era where they didn't have to face the humiliation they faced now.

Each one of them felt like a noble who had lost their nobility. It was sickening, it was a feeling that came straight from their very essence.

"But those days can be renewed, my kinsmen. There is no rule that says we can't achieve the heights we once reached. We could even go beyond.

I, Noel, am ready to take you all to such heights. Even if it comes at the cost of my life. I cannot bear one more day of watching ourselves settle for less."

*BAM!*

As he spoke, Noel's chest erupted in a golden bright light. A fan-shaped wave swept out of his body to the lions.

As soon as the light touched them, the lions began to feel their heartbeat change rhythm. A feeling of satisfaction overcame them as their eyes began to express new things.

"For the sake of futures, I compel the Primordial laws to awaken your lionheart. No price to be paid, all I ask is that you join me on our journey to restore the lion race to the top of the world."

*BADUMP

BADUMP

…

The sound of all hearts having a synchronized beat affected the very reality around them. A concentrated invisible sound wave spread out for kilometers, following the rhythm of the heartbeats.

Some lions could not control themselves any longer and let out terrifying roars. Their roars shook the earth and parted the clouds.

Noel pranced around the edge of the cliff, "YES! Claim it for yourself.

The Flaming Lionheart, those of you with this lionheart shall bring a raging inferno to wherever you go. You shall burn the worlds that don't submit.

Wind Lionheart bearers, the creatures of the deep can no longer rejoice for they are now on our menu. We shall chase them down to the deepest of trenches.

Sky lions, spread your wings and dominate the skies. Let the clouds be with you.

Earth lions, bless your ways with the power of stone. Your roars shall cause earthquakes and your territory you be plentiful.

The Fortune Lionhearts bring luck and wittiness to whichever lion possesses it. Use it for the greater good of our kind.

Veggie Lions, your kind may be misunderstood but you bring life and serenity to lions as a whole. Your value is endless.

Those of you who would wield the power of the frost, show no mercy to your enemies. Let your enemies know what it's like when hell gets cold.

The berserkers among you, the world breakers, no words are needed. Be wild and savage.

And you who have discovered your access to the power of the mind. I support your deceitful nature, I support your untrustworthiness, I support the delirium.

…"

Noel went on the address all fourteen groups of lions, making sure that none of the wielders of these powers felt left out.

He set his burning gaze filled with determination on his kinsmen. He saw the fiery eagerness to make history in their eyes and this satisfied him.

He turned around on the cliff to look at an old feeble lion behind him. Even though this lion was old, his aura was stronger than all the other lions combined.

His fur was faded and his mane a greyish color. There was a golden crown mark on his forehead that flashed and disappeared in an instant.

At the end of this lion's tail was not a tuft of hair like other lions had. Instead, the tail ended in a ball of glowing multicolored light.

The old lion nodded to Noel and Noel returned with a nod of his own to his mentor.

Noel looked at the audience which was getting rowdy with the changes that they were experiencing.

"LET THE CONQUERING BEGIN!"