Deep in the bowels of darkness, the realm of the horrors, an uneasy feeling could be gauged from one corner to the other. Indeed, any time a new Makai Knight stepped forward to bear the mantle of the light, it caused a great deal of dismay and fear through the ranks of the horrors. Very few would now be willing to step into the world of the living, for what would probably be a good while.
In one particular corner of this barren underworld, a figure sat in a chair. He was a lion once, but now had been given a humanoid form. Years ago, for his evil deeds, he had been cast into the pit of lost souls, to be eaten by young horrors not yet strong enough to the leave the realm. However, he had been able to survive the siege for a very long time, and by his resistance, the dark lords of the realm saw great strength to used for their cause.
He was offered the chance to join the ranks of a special fighting force known as The Foresaken...creatures that had once been proud, honorable hunters of the earth, but had now turned their backs on the light that sustained it, and fought only for their own glory, which in turn fed the dark lords with the fear and sadness of those who knew of them on earth.
The former lion sipped an unspeakable liquid slowly from a bronze chalice, and set it down, closing his darkened eyes, as he felt the presence of another being, which revealed itself to him only in shadow at present.
"Eligos..." the being spoke to him in a feminine sounding voice, using the name he had taken when left the pit.
"You needn't bother telling me what has happened..." Eligos spoke in his deep, growling voice. "I can feel it all through these bloody halls."
"Then you know why I have come to you?" The being whispered to him.
"I suppose you want me to do something about this new Makai knight..." Eligos took another sip from his chalice. "But why so soon? Should we not test his abilities with the horrors first, before we take the fight to him?"
"You know how exceptional Kiume has proven to be, since he started down the path as the Silver knight..." the being told him, as Eligos reminisced over some old battle scars on his body. "Do you really think it wise that we let a student of his start down the same path, and continue unabated?"
"Kiume WILL die by my hand...and so will his student." Eligos set down his chalice, and turned to look at the shadow. "When the time is right to strike."
It was then that the shadow figure crept closer to Eligos, reaching out with a hand to stroke his. Eligos felt a shiver of pleasure rush through his fur, as he shuddered just a little. The shadow's hand then stroked his face.
"You yearn to be closer to me...I can feel it deep within your being..." The shadow spoke softly. "You wish to know what can be done to bring me into your arms..."
"Yes..." Eligos spoke with a shudder in his voice. "tell me...tell me now...I want you..."
"He must die..." The shadow told him to his face. "The new silver knight must be killed, as soon as possible...he must not be allowed to succeed his teacher, and become the new golden knight. Such a thing would be...unpleasant to me...me and the others who guard this realm."
"You have my word..." Eligos responded, under the wiles of the shadow now. "Before I return to this place...the one called Nuka will be little more than a memory..."
With that, he rose from the table, fastening the pieces of his handmade armor to his body, off to fight without a helmet, as usual, as he lifted his broadsword, and sheathed it into his back, walking away towards a portal to the earth realm...
Nuka strolled along the grass as the light of the moon shone on the savannah. It was the first time he'd been this close to pride rock in what seemed like ages to him.
Indeed he looked quite different now as well. So different, that he now adopted the name of Kouga whenever he left the sanctuary of the fates. He wanted to distance himself from his past life as much as possible, and besides, a name like Nuka didn't quite have the effect on the horrors that he had wanted.
He heard some chanting in the distance, and cocked his head, walking over to investigate with a curious look in his eyes. It sounded...odd, but rather joyful as well.
He then saw a face that looked vaguely familiar to him. A Baboon, old but very wise, looking out into the night sky with his arms outstretched, a staff in his right hand. He stopped his chanting as he sensed the lion's presence, and turned to meet him with a smile.
"Ah...I've been waiting for you, mystic one!" Rafiki proclaimed, joyfully.
"Come again?" Kouga furrowed his brow.
Rafiki laughed. "Oh, you don't know yet...the songs of the three fates travels to more places than you may know, young lion...lately, the songs of a visitor to Pride Rock. One who carries the powers the Makai."
"Wait..." Kouga's mouth opened in disbelief. "You know about the fates, and the Makai knights?"
"Of course I do!" Rafiki walked around him a little, his staff rattling. "You don't become as smart as I by keeping yourself limited to one area of this world, you know!"
"OK..." Kouga nodded slowly. "Then, you must know why I've come..."
"Oh yes..." Rafiki's eyes narrowed as he looked around. "Terrible things happening in the night...animals disappearing...turning up savaged by a beast unknown to the others...unknown to all but me..."
"The Horrors..." Kouga responded coldly.
"Yes..." Rafiki almost hissed in his response. "I can feel them...inescapable darkness...unimaginable anger and rage...for years I have kept them at bay, but now they are stronger...they are coming through into Pride Rock."
"All the more reason for me to hurry..." Kouga nodded.
"Ah yes." Rafiki grinned. "Such impetuousness...but now...now such vitality I feel from you, young lion. Much better than you used to be, eh?"
Kouga stiffened for a moment. "Uhhhhh, what are you talking about?"
"Come, come, come now." Rafiki wagged a finger. "You think you can hide yourself from me, young Nuka?"
"Hey!" Kouga blushed. "Don't call me that around here!"
"Ohhhhh, troubled by the past, I see." Rafiki took a slightly more serious look. "Much like another I once knew...the fates may have taught you to fight such troubles, my boy, to put them behind you...but the day shall come when you must face them...face them in a way you have not yet imagined."
"What do you mean by that?" Kouga asked, curiously.
"One step at a time, young lion." Rafiki responded as he waked away. "That is the best way to proceed on your path. Best not to get far ahead of one's self."
Kouga just watched as Rafiki strolled away, and shook his head slowly. "Funny old mystic..." he muttered as he walked further into the boundaries of Pride Rock.
In the dark, starless night sky over Pride Rock, two lionesses prowled the land slowly. This didn't usually happen this late at night, but given the circumstances, a nighttime patrol was called for.
There had been reports involving animals being stolen in the night, with their unpleasant remains often found in the morning. Kiara, the queen, now had a young cub of her own, and Kovu, her mate and the current king, was understandably concerned for the safety of his family, and others. He suggested this night patrol routine, and his sister, loyal as ever, volunteered to be among the first to carry out this duty.
This was why Vitani was now out there in the dark at this moment, and not alone. Another lioness joined her side. She had witnessed much of what had occurred in the past to leave Pride Rock the way it was now, and she was eager to join one of the legends associated with it.
"Kaoru!" Vitani called to her partner. "Try to keep up with me, would you?"
"Oh, sorry!" Kaoru had been staring up at the sky for a moment, but soon snapped out of it as she ran a bit to stay next to her partner.
"I know you're fascinated by the lack of stars tonight, like everyone else..." The lioness spoke in a slightly scolding manner. "But that's no reason to become lax in your duties. Not with everything that's transpired as of late."
"Yes...sorry, sir."
"And stop calling me that..." Vitani stayed firm, but her tone softened a little now. "I'm aware everyone knows of my exploits, but I am just a comrade, like all the other lionesses you work with. Understand?"
"Yes...Yes Vitani." Kaoru nodded as she walked next to her. She looked to her left and right, before switching to a similar subject. "Has anyone figured out what it is yet?"
"No..." Vitani shook her head. "I even saw the remains of the zebra that was taken last night...those marks...it didn't look any creature I've encountered before."
"Maybe...maybe that baboon knows something..." Kaoru suggested.
"Rafiki..." Vitani sighed as she walked. "Kovu has spoken with him, and even old Simba came out of his cave to have words...they both say he might know something, but he's not saying anything."
"Why not?" Kaoru looked surprised. "I mean, he's always helped the kings in the past...why wouldn't he do it now?"
"I have no clue...Though, they said he wasn't completely uncooperative...I talked to Kiara, and Kovu told her that it was if Rafiki was...waiting for something to happen."
Kaoru shuddered for a moment. "That's kinda creepy...I'd hate to know what he might be waiting for..."
A few moments later, they heard something...something that made both their ears perk right up...it sounded like a whisper, far in the distance.
"What was THAT?" Kaoru whispered, intensely.
"Wait here..." Vitani simply responded. She thought she knew where the whisper was coming from, as she then heard another. She lowered her head, and slowly crawled into the tall grass nearby, making it move only slightly as she went on the prowl.
Of course, the whispering sent chills up her spine, just as it was with Kaoru...but Vitani was more experienced, and better at hiding this sort of nervousness. She continued to move slowly, shifting the grass in front of her ever so slightly, as she moved to the source of the whispers in the darkness.
It was then she heard something...a slight rustling in the grass. She tightened, and turned, quickly darting her eyes in its direction. She then heard more rustling, in another area, as she quickly turned, and frowned...whatever this thing was, it was toying with her...she didn't like being taken so lightly like this. She growled just a little.
She then got a jolt, as the creature growled right back at her. It was a deep, fearsome growl, unlike any she had heard before. Before she could react to it, she saw a pair of eyes, blood red, flashing at her, with a grotesque smile underneath them.
"Kaoru! Run!" She quickly shouted to her partner before she took off. The horror soon revealed itself, its black, bony form leaping from the grass with its long arms outstretched.
"Vitani?" Kaoru shouted back. "What's going on?"
She then saw her partner burst from the grass, running like she never had been before, as the horror came out right behind her, crying out for her blood with its fearsome screeching.
"No!" Kaoru's instincts to protect the one she admired took hold, as she pounced the creature, only to be knocked away with a backhand from the horror's large, impressive wrist, and long bony fingers. She fell back, and rolled to a stop several feet away, unconscious as she landed.
"You impulsive idiot!" Vitani thought to herself, as she ran back to her unconscious partner. She never saw herself as the type who would leave a comrade behind, and thus stood in front of her, growling and snarling at the demon beast, which now got up on its long legs and screeched at her once again, stretching out its wings as it's horned head gazed down upon the warm, vital flesh of the lionesses, eager for a meal.
The horrors had changed their tactics as of late. They seemed hungrier than ever, and no longer wanted to take the time to possess and deceive the other animals. This new, younger crop of demons wanted blood as quickly as possible now, and were willing to come right out and take it.
The beast in front of Vitani now certainly proved this point. On its teeth still were the remains of a recently eaten antelope, some of which were even hanging off the black jaw of the monster. It opened its grim, gaping maw slowly, revealing its rows of jagged teeth, as it then bent over, ready to take a bite.
It was then that an object flew in from out of nowhere, and cut the beast on its left arm. Black blood sprayed for a moment, as the demon howled in pain, and turned to face its new aggressor...as did Vitani, also surprised by the attack.
What they saw was a sword, one of two blades, flying back into the hands of its master, a figure clad in shimmering silver. He smoothly caught the blade, and twirled the two swords flawlessly, showing the beast what it was facing, as it then crossed the swords, and slowly revealed its snarling, masked, silver face.
The two swords then spread apart, revealing the form of the silver knight, Zero!
"What in the world..." Vitani whispered to herself through wide eyes, as Kaoru slowly awoke, jumping at what she saw as well, right onto her feet.
Zero slowly pointed his right sword at the horror. "Demon...you are a blight on this world...return to the darkness you came from, or I will slaughter you..."
The horror, of course, would do nothing of the sort, as it then charged at the young knight. He quickly responded, bringing up his knee at just the right moment, and smashing it into the jaw of the creature.
The creature withdrew, some of its teeth now knocked out, as it hissed, and charged at him again, grabbing both of his arms before he could wield his swords. The knight felt the crushing grip of the monster's hands on his wrists, pressure building with every second as he yelled out in pain.
The demon growled victoriously, ready to tear off the arms of its aggressor, before Zero suddenly got his feet up, and kicked them both on the chest of the beast, springing off of it and back-flipping in the air with his now freed arms, before landing on his feet, his swords ready to strike.
Before the horror could pull of its next move, he charged in, flashing his swords, as one sliced through the chest of the monster, and the other through its leg, tearing through a muscle. It screeched in pain, falling down on one knee, before the knight showed his true ferociousness.
He sliced with his swords again, cutting through the arms and chest of the beast, before his arm landed unwittingly into the creature's jaw, which it bit down on. He again felt the pressure on his limb, but his energy was flowing, and he would not be denied victory. He headbutted the monster, the sheer force of his helmet making it release its jaw, as he then brought up both of his swords, and jammed them into its chest.
The creature squealed out in pain one last time, black blood spraying the armor of the silver knight, before it soon went limp, and collapsed onto the ground.
Kouga breathed heavily under his armor, as he then pulled the twin blades from the rapidly dissolving body of the beast...only to sense another presence soon after...not that of a horror...but definitely from the same darkness.
"It's good to see that the knights have not lost their own thirst for bloodshed..." A voice spoke to him. He turned with his swords at the ready, and looked around in the darkness, along with the two stunned lionesses.
"Oh, don't tell me there's another one of these things..." Kaoru groaned.
"Who are you?" Zero called out in his echoing voice. "Face me!"
"You do not make demands of the darkness, young knight..." The voice spoke again. "Especially not in its own territory..."
Before he could say anything, he felt something rush in, and suddenly ram into him with its shoulder. He was knocked back quite a few feet, before he now faced the form of Eligos, who had now crossed over into the realm of the living.
Eligos stared down his opponent, eyes narrowed as he withdrew his broadsword. "Such a pitiful creature...trying to fight what it cannot escape..."
Zero growled under his helmet, as he then rushed the knight, ready to strike once more. Eligos simply stepped back, and swung his larger sword, instantly smashing it into both his hands, and making both swords fly away. He then growled and punched Zero across the face with a free hand, before using the same hand to grab him behind the head. He then smashed him again in the face with the hilt of his sword, and kicked him away, letting him roll onto his belly.
Zero was able to grab one of his swords as he got onto one knee, defending himself as Eligos brought down his sword, crashing it onto Zero's as the two clashed for a moment. But Eligos was playing around now, and simply used the weight of his sword to counter Zero's, making him fall face-first to the ground. He then walked over, and stomped on the small of Zero's back with a powerful, booted foot.
"Gaaaaahhhhh!" Zero yelled out under his helmet, as Eligos ground his foot into him a little.
"I can see this student didn't pay much attention in class..." Eligos mused, before taking his foot off the knight, and walked over to his head, ready to drive his sword into it. Zero was able to reach into his gauntlet, however, and pull out a hidden dagger, an invention of his own. He quickly plunged it into Eligos' foot, before he could make the killing blow.
Eligos shouted out in pain as a combination of black and red blood shot out of his foot, allowing Zero to roll away and retrieve both swords. Eligos reached down in annoyance, and withdrew the dagger, the wound quickly healing as he faced down his opponent once more.
Zero, now more prepared for this fight, jumped in, and let Eligos have it, with a flurry of slashes from his blade, which Eligos quickly tried to block with his broadsword. Zero then swiped down, and tripped him onto his back with one sword, before he came over and tried to plunge both swords down into his opponent. Eligos blocked the attack with the sword, as the two clashed for another moment, looking at each other, before Eligos used some of his powers to vomit blood onto the masked face of Zero, stunning him, before he kicked the silver knight away.
Zero once more landed onto his back, rolling onto his side, as Eligos rose, and brought his sword high into the air, ready to cleave him in two...until a figure in gold rushed in and smashed into him with his own sword.
Eligos fell back and rolled backwards, up onto his feet, as he now faced down two knights. Kiume had come by to check on the progress of his protege, an felt that now was the best time to get involved.
"Ah...the golden knight has finally found the nerve to appear before me!" Eligos grinned, slamming his sword into the earth and facing him down.
"Eligos!" Garo growled in his own echoing voice. "What brings you out from your accursed realm?"
Eligos laughed. "You really think I'm going to tell you? I'm not a foolish grunt, like the horrors, remember. I'm not easily swayed by the threats of a knight."
"If you're challenging me, Eligos, I'd be more than happy to accept..." Garo motioned to Zero. "Do you think you can defeat both of us at once?
Eligos smiled as he withdrew his sword, and sheathed it. "No...perhaps not..maybe later, when I have the chance to even the odds just a little. Then, I'll be happy to send both of you to the pit, so that I can personally watch your souls be turned to bloody shreds. adieu!"
"Come back here!" Zero started after Eligos as he walked off, but was soon stopped by Garo's hand.
"No..." Garo spoke calmly. "We'll have our chance to defeat him later...for now, we must concentrate on Pride Rock."
With that, The two knights quickly changed back to Kouga and Kiume, right in front of the two dumbfounded lionesses.
"Is he one of the ones you told me of? The Foresaken?" Kouga asked. Since becoming a knight, Kiume had elaborated to his student on the complexities of the dark world they were fighting, the world beyond that of just the horrors.
"Yes..." Kiume nodded slowly. "He was once a proud and brave lion as we were, but through his selfishness and lust for power, he was lost, and is now merely a servant of the pit's dark priestess..."
"Meshiah..." Kouga nodded slowly, remembering the name.
"Excuse me..." Vitani's voice was soon heard. She walked closer to the two males, while Kaoru, too nervous to see them up close, stayed behind. She did not recognize her brother, as his appearance had changed greatly, and the aura of a knight had changed his scent as well.
"Yes?" Kiume answered, in a friendly manner. "How can we help you?"
"Well, for starters, What was that thing that just attacked us? What was it doing here in Pride Rock? And how were you able to do...that thing you just did to fight all of it?" Vitani was completely confused.
"Madam..." Kiume laughed a bit. "I can see you have many questions, for how could you not after witnessing such a thing? Just know this...whatever problems you may have had in the past are now over. My partner and I will make sure of that, yes Kouga?"
Kouga smiled and nodded. "Oh yes. We can't really explain what we do, at least not too well...but rest assured, you and the others of Pride Rock can sleep peacefully now."
With that, the two lions turned and began to walk off, before Kaoru suddenly spoke up.
"Wait...how do we contact you, if we need help again?"
Kiume then turned and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry...we'll know...and we'll come...always. Good night now..."
The two lionesses stared and watched them walk off, and just stood there for a moment. Kaoru then broke the silence, and laughed, the stress of the situation wearing off.
"Oh wow, I hope I'm not dreaming all of this...what a story I'm gonna have to tell when we get back to the others..."
It was then that she noticed the look on Vitani's face had changed...as if she was lost, deep in thought.
"Hey...are you OK?"
Vitani spoke to herself. "No...no it can't be...he's dead..."
"Vitani?"
The Lioness quickly snapped out of it. "What?...oh yes, yes...what a story we've got...Kovu's never gonna believe this...let's head back..."
Kaoru nodded, leading the way this time, as Vitani turned her head back, looking at where the two lions had walked off, before returning to the side of her partner.