AN: First of all, I would like to welcome and thank all of my most faithful readers! XD *Bows profoundly*

The response I got from you to the first 'sample' chapter of this here sequel was really flattering and motivating me to go on. It's true that this might not be anything of an astonishingly new idea for a story, but still I'll try to make it as new and unique as possible. I'm not trying to copy anyone or re-write any of my former stories, even though some things might seem similar. I suppose this is probably going to be a longer version of my first story, 'The Darkness in Me' (so quite dark), but to tell you the truth, I still have to think on where to lead the plot. Should I really make Scar and Zira able to shatter the delicate ballance in the Pridelands and take their horrible revenge, or give them a hard time in hell while observing just how invulnerable Kovu and Vitani are to all of their efforts? That we shall see. For now, here's something to give this little tale a little bit more of a (hopefully) good start.

Chapter 2 – The Chosen One

Now there came a time when the Old Kings went to present themselves before Kwanza, and Scar came also among them.

The others looked upon him with disgust, yet as the Ancient One had personally summoned him from the abyss, they kept their abhorrence to themselves. Mufasa also stood in the line, and for some time it was hard for the murdered to stand the presence of the murderer, and also for the slayer to stand the presence of the one he'd slain. But then the bright spirit spoke to the dark one- not with anger and reproach, as those emotions, just as back when he was still alive, appeared inside him suddenly and brutally only to fade away as smoke on the wind, afterwards leaving a heavy heart and the weight of regret. This time, somewhat conciliatory, Mufasa asked his brother if he was still angry with him. The reprobate, surprised at first, responded baring a hellish smile. No, he said. He wasn't angry anymore. Even killing him did not have much to do with anger- Scar saw himself as far less impulsive than his older sibling. He committed the crime for which he was now being punished from nothing more than his sense of justice- in order to remove an obstacle that stood in the way of achieving what he rightfully deserved. Did he hate Mufasa? Well, he did hate what Mufasa had been made, and he loathed that with all his heart. But what were his feeling towards his brother now, in afterlife, when none of them was king of the Pridelands anymore? It was really hard to clearly recognize, but the feeling was not hate. With another sarcastic grin, Scar just told his sibling not to bother himself with it. After all, the story of their reign was far over- what was important now was what was going to happen with their living descendants. So the dark spirit wished the luminous one the best of luck in watching over his successors, also giving him a solemn promise that he would watch his.

Scar left Mufasa with the feeling of uncertainty. Surely, power was what he sought, even if he wasn't able to seize it himself. But that dead lion had not left the world without having an impact on a few others… And thus the game has begun. The battle for souls.

Kwanza, piercing Scar with that potent, omniscient stare of his, made him stand before him in respect even if not in fear. For the First King might have been the one who sentenced the former tyrant to a hellish penance for his fratricide, but he had no power to destroy him or even to render him incapacitated. And that was a fact of which the dark soul was conscious. Thus Kwanza said onto Scar- 'what are you planning'? Then Scar answered to Kwanza and said, 'have you considered Kovu, my heir and my stepson?' And Kwanza said to Scar- 'he is not much like you, a blameless and upright lion, turning away from evil and from the path of his ancestor.' Then Scar answered to Kwanza- 'he knows little of me, but have I not had enough time to plant my seed in his heart? Zira had failed to make it rise as the boy became blinded by the spell of romance and the visage of Simba's offspring. But he will yield to his fate, eventually. And to the plan his parents have for him- Kovu will take the crown from Simba's head and he will rule himself. I will look to it personally. Let me put my paw forth and touch him- he will surely listen to me to your deepest perturbation.' Kwanza responded- 'surely he will not, as the light shines in his heart and the good is stronger in him than the scar you left there. But behold- as restricted as you are in your present woeful state, Kovu is in your power, as well as anyone who you would wish to incline.'

Thus Scar departed from the presence of Kwanza.

He couldn't sleep. Even though his pride, both the old and the new part of it, was resting peacefully inside the cave at Pride Rock, the natural urge to retire after hours of strain during the midday hunt had left him, somehow. Instead, Kovu laid on top of the peak of his new hope, a splendid spot from which one could survey the Pridelands all around, gazing at the orange rays of the setting sun.

The sunset was one of a handful of thing that have stayed the same as they had been before. He remembered that it would look just as pretty when he watched it as a cub with his mother in the Outlands. The Outlands… The country of almost all of his former life now being just a distant, insignificant memory. Truly, a lot has changed… Once again he turned his head to observe the vast area of Simba's kingdom. Living here was no longer a battle for survival. A lion did not have to spend a whole day looking to feed on a measly mouse or digging in the dirt to find a few drops of water to extinguish his thirst. In comparison to the 'dry, pathetic, termite-infested Outlands', as Zira would often call them, the Pridelands were a true paradise. And Kovu was perfectly conscious of just how grateful and happy he should presently feel. He and the lionesses from his pride now had an abundance of food and water, but for the young lion that fact was not what caused him the greatest delight.

His reward was at the moment resting in her den along with her family. With a happy sigh, Kovu remembered his beautiful betrothal ceremony with princess Kiara- the lioness he truly loved. Back then he simply couldn't believe just how fortunate he was to finally gain king Simba's trust. Presently it was something obvious, something that brought a real, long-awaited peace between two parts of a once brutally shattered pride of lions.

Kovu considered himself a very lucky guy. But despite that he knew he should be happy for how things turned out, from time to time he couldn't fight a strange feeling that lurked somewhere in his heart like a hidden hunter awaiting his prey. A certain strange darkness or a shadow he thought he saw that disappeared as soon as he would catch up with it and notice it in the corner of his eye.

But most of the times, he would just try to shoo that thought away. It was irrational- what had he to fear in his present state? He had a home, a family, a beautiful mate… Yes, in order to achieve that much had to be sacrificed, including the lives of his mother and brother… but was there any of his own fault in the misfortune that had taken place?

No, there wasn't. There couldn't be. To that he would not agree.

Kovu sighed, lifting his paw from the ground in order to comb back the hair of his thick brown mane that almost covered his sight. But as he did that hastily and without consideration, he unintentionally touched the healing wound on his left eye. Feeling the pain, he frowned and groaned aloud.

-"Dah! That damned scar… When is it going to disappear?"

Having addressed the words to no one but himself, he flinched at hearing an answering voice.

-"I doubt that such a wound is ever going to fully heal!" – Zazu, Simba's hornbill assistant, said to him while soundlessly landing on the ground just beside. – "And furthermore, if you have any ambition at all to become a worthy member of the royal family, I advise you to watch your language!"

Not very pleased with the bird's lofty remarks, Kovu looked at him with consideration. Despite everything, the lion felt that this particular member of the king's entourage still wasn't exactly on his side.

-"Oh don't be so offended. I've done much worse things than swearing!" – Kovu laughed sarcastically, to what the bird responded with nothing but folding his wings and throwing at him a narrowed gaze.

-"I'll be keeping my eye on you" – Zazu said finally.

-"Ha! Really? And why is that?"

-"Well, isn't it obvious? You're an alien to this pride, quite an unpredictable specimen. And possibly quite a… dangerous one, too."

Kovu snorted, hearing such an outrageous opinion being said about him.

-"Puh! Dangerous? You're talking crazy, why would anyone still think of me like that? Didn't I prove my innocence and that I put behind with what I didn't even have nothing to do? Doesn't Kiara's word make you sure of that?"

Contrary to the lion's emotional tone, the hornbill kept his frigid calmness.

-"Oh you misunderstood me. I'm not accusing you of anything. It's not what you have done in your deplorable past that matters. It's what you'll do in the future. And just between the two of us- with all due respect, princess Kiara's just as predictable and trustworthy as you are."

Kovu couldn't believe his ears. He remembered that Zazu was always a royal sidekick and a keeper of all the old protocol, but he thought that after his admittance into Simba's pride the ignoble blood in his veins wouldn't matter anymore. Well, now it seemed that it indeed did matter. At least for the blue banana-beak majordomo.

-"So what is the problem with me?" – Kovu uttered with irritation, still not having a clue about the cause of Zazu's reserve. – "Why do you continue to be the only one in the Pridelands that treats me like some kind of a hidden threat or something?"

The bird raised an eyebrow.

-"The only one? Oh no, Kovu, I am not acting on my own behalf. After all, I am firstly a servant of the king. He himself ordered me to keep him well informed about your actions."

-"What? Simba? And he seemed so nice to me from the time of the betrothal! I can't believe he still doesn't trust me!"

-"Oh don't look so shocked. Judging from your background, I'm surprised the king ever let you become his daughter's mate!"

Old Zazu was being his typical self- honest in expressing his thoughts to the point where it hurt. Now Kovu really became troubled.

-"But… I don't get it. What's wrong with me? Was there really something I did that was so horrible?"

-"Uh, how I loathe having to state the clear and obvious…" – sighed the bird, rolling his eyes. – "Let me repeat, this is not a matter of what you have or have not done. You're Scar's heir, my friend! And Zira's son! That is about exactly what it takes to make you a suspicious individual."

Without further ado, Zazu flapped his wings and took off, leaving Kovu emerged deeply in his thoughts. After such a dialogue, there were many questions he would ask himself. Was he really flawed by his background and past? All he ever knew about Scar, the former evil king of the Pridelands and his step-father, were a little cub's misty memories and highly exaggerated descriptions his mother would later give him. So was he really bearing some dark legacy inside his heart?

All in all, even if to some extent he feared that this might be true, he considered that all he had to do now was to prove to everyone that his future would be a better one than his past.

AN: If anyone of you is wondering why does the first part of the chapter sound a little bit familiar, I'll reveal that I wrote it on the basis of the beginning of the biblical Book of Job. I suppose it describes well the situation of a person who is in the power of both good and evil spiritual beings in order to be tested to which side he will turn. Well guess what- Kovu's our Job. I wonder what's gonna happen next, don't you? XD