: Chapter 9:
Out of the past
Simba and LG Simba were searching near the gorge at the moment in the hopes of finding any sign where Kion would go, the gorge was known to be a place of privacy as few usually went there. LG Simba wondered what caused his son to run off true he lost but he lost before what was bothering him.
"No sign of him here either" Simba said.
"Anywhere else he would've gone then?" LG Simba asked.
Simba pondered the question when his thoughts were interrupted by the sudden arrival of his son, Kopa.
"Dad, I have to talk to you now it's urgent!" Kopa cried.
"Kopa how did you know we were here?" Simba asked.
"I'm a spirit dad I can almost track anyone instantly." Kopa told him.
"Could you track Kion?" LG Simba asked.
"He's fine, I saw him." Kopa answered.
Is that why you're here son?" Simba asked.
"No, we had all this wrong?" Kopa said.
"What are you talking about?" LG Simba questioned.
"The connection isn't Scar, it's Vitani!" Kopa said almost panicked.
What, how did that make any sense how did Vitani tie into this and if that was the connection why, what did the Dark King want? Simba looked at Kopa's worried features, he knew something in fact Simba was beginning to think Kopa always knew something.
"How would you know that?" Simba asked eying him curiously.
"It just makes sense." Kopa answered.
"Why's that?" LG Simba pondered.
"Yes Kopa, why is that?" Simba said though his didn't sound confused, he knew Kopa was hiding something, he was probably always hiding something.
Kopa was about to answer while a flow of purple energy flowed around him then a second later The Dark King appeared. Kopa attempted to swing his claws backwards but the Dark King grabbed his arm and slammed his face into the ground.
"Don't you love the irony, Kopa?" The Dark King said, "You lie to them all even though you are supposed to be the purest, a true irony indeed" The Dark King mocked.
Simba was at a loss how where on Earth did the Dark King come from and how did he know they were here? LG Simba charged at the Dark King only for him to unleash a roar that blasted him into a wall causing him to collapse to the ground, out cold. The Dark King then turned toward Simba he expected him to be smirking but instead all he saw on his expression was anger and hatred, why? Simba charged at the Dark King readying himself for the next attack. However The Dark King did not attack did not defend himself instead he merely raised his paw and Simba's body stopped. He struggled against it trying to move only to realize he couldn't. The Dark King growled in anger at him before lifting his paw which caused Simba's body to rise into the air, dangling like a puppet.
What are you doing?" Simba said trying not to sound afraid, it didn't work he was terrified.
The Dark King turned to him, "Finally how I have longed to punish the one who failed me, who could never see when I needed him." The Dark King said in complete fury.
Simba was at a loss what was the Dark King talking about, Simba never knew him how could he ever wrong him?
"What are you talking about, who are you?" Simba asked.
The Dark King growled again, "can't see me for what I am, you never could, you'll pay for that." The Dark King stated but something was happening his voice sounded much smaller similar to almost a cub, the darkness surrounding him was fading.
"You'll pay for the pain you caused me, and more than ever you'll pay for condemning my love to almost certain death!" The Dark King screamed though it wasn't his voice it was Kopa's!
Simba's eyes widened with Shock, it couldn't be but it was the darkness faded revealing the form of a cub, a shadow version of Kopa.
"Kopa?" It was all Simba could say.
"Hello dad, long time no see" Dark Kopa said coldly.
"What, what how?" Simba said in complete disbelief.
"How long was it, oh right when you let me die for you!" Dark Kopa said with venomous rage.
He then tightened his paw which began to crush Simba, Simba let out a pained coughed, the physical pain was nothing compared to the pain of his words.
"You let me sacrifice my life for you! You failed me! You always did!" Dark Kopa screamed slamming Simba to the ground.
"Kopa, you have to understand, I tried I wanted to" Simba began to say before Dark Kopa smashed his body into a wall.
"You tried, if you had truly cared about me, you would've saved me or at least you would have shown my love mercy, did you try to save her dad!?" Dark Kopa shouted with rage.
Simba tried to argue with him but realized there was nothing to say, he was right, Simba did fail him he always failed him, he did condemn Vitani to death, not only did he let his son die, he tainted his memory.
"Because of you I can never truly be with her, because of your failure I have to ask myself what it would be like every day, you condemned me to a hell without end." Dark Kopa said tears falling from his eyes.
Simba felt like he was dying, was this what Kopa felt, is this what he believed but he was just too kind to say it, did he condemn his son to hell?
"You're right Kopa, I did fail you, it was my fault I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Simba said feeling tears in his eyes.
"You once promised that you would die for me, now you're about to fulfill that promise, dad." Dark Kopa said seething.
"Don't do it, it won't take away your pain" Kopa begged him having woken up while his dark half ranted at his father.
"Pain, like the pain we felt everyday just because you wouldn't allow yourself to be happy." Dark Kopa stated in anger.
"There was more at stake than what I wanted, I never should've tried to take it all on by myself, but the happiness of others is why I live." Kopa told his dark half.
"Happiness of others, you're a liar, if that were true then tell me, why did you make us abandon her!?" Dark Kopa screamed while charging at Kopa.
Kopa tried to ready himself for his dark half's attack and prepared to catch him however Dark Kopa smashed right through his defense and tackled him to the ground. Kopa tried to struggle against him but Dark Kopa slammed him down he then began to pound on his face with his other paw.
"You always thought about anyone except those who truly needed us!" Dark Kopa roared while beating his head back and forth.
"You threw away everything we could have for simple strangers, you cost us everything!" Dark Kopa screamed while slamming his body into the hard stone repeatedly.
"How dare you, How dare you choose them over her! How dare you!" Dark Kopa shouted with venomous hatred while slamming Kopa again and again and smashing his paw into his skull repeatedly.
Simba was at a loss for words how on Earth was this rageful cub ever the cold and calculated Dark King? Simba had never seen rage like this in his entire life, even Zira had more self control, how could've those two had ever been the same individual?
Kopa tried to move but he couldn't he never imagined his darker half would be so powerful he couldn't fight back. Dark Kopa grabbed him around the neck dangling him over the gorge.
"Thank you for setting me free, I will not make the same mistakes you did" Dark Kopa stated.
He then pulled Simba towards them dangling both over the gorge and preparing to drop them.
"Kopa you're not a murderer this isn't you!" Simba pleaded.
"You don't know what I am, I am empty, I feel as if my very soul has been shattered. All I live for meaningless without purpose, until now." Dark Kopa said his voice was filled with deep pain and sadness.
"You have a place we all do." Simba tried to tell him.
"No there is only one reason I live to spent my life beside her, she is my life, my heart, my soul, everything I am is through her without her I am nothing. I am empty, I am alone, nothing, Kito." Dark Kopa said in sorrow he sounded like he was about to break down and cry.
"Kopa, please listen to me" Simba tried to say but was cut off.
"Don't call me that call me what I am Kito, because until I am with her that is all I will ever be." Kito said in despair.
"You can find whatever purpose you have from the stars beyond, this is for Vitani!" Kito declared.
Kito prepared to send them both plummeting down the gorge when Kion tackled him to the ground, giving Simba back control of his body. He caught Kopa's unconscious form before it fell into the gorge he wouldn't let it happen again. Kion grappled with Kito rolling him on the ground and slamming him down. Kito kicked Kion in the face causing him to stumble back, Kito pushed him against the wall. Kion struggled against him pulling him in and throwing him into the wall, Kito crashed into it but didn't seem to react to the physical pain in any way at all he grabbed Kion by the neck and lifted him up slamming him down.
Vitani watched as LG Nala rushed to LG Simba's unconscious form while Nala did the same with Simba. Vitani saw Kopa lying beaten on the ground. She rushed towards him and turned him over he was alive well his physical form was still in tact since he couldn't be alive. Vitani lifted her lover up gently and turned to see Kion struggling against The Dark King who had slammed him down and was now strangling him, but it wasn't the Dark King it was a shadow version of Kopa! What was going on?
Kito continued to strangle Kion who began digging his claws into Kito's paw. Kion shot his knee up into his stomach resulting in Kito growling in anger and throwing Kion across the grass. Kion pulled himself up. He noticed the guard sneaking past his enemy each of them getting to the two Simba's and Kopa they were getting them to the safety good Kion only needed to hold him off a little longer then they could take him. Kion prepared to unleash the roar before stopping himself that had not worked no he would need to try something else. Kion saw Kito coming right at him, Kion caught Kito and threw him to the ground Kion then plunged his claws at him but Kito blocked them with his own, they stood their ground each pushing against the other. Kion noticed the others had gotten their friends to safety time to end this. Kion noticed that Kito's paws were held back by his he would be unable to block the roar though unleashing it at this close of range could damage him too, Kion dismissed his thoughts, there were others at stake.
"You are growing tiresome" Kito growled.
"Agreed what do you say we finish this now!" Kion declared before unleashing the roar of the elders upon both of them.
It had never been unleashed at such a short range. Kion felt the force of it pushing him back not to mention crushing down on his legs, Kito on the other hand was blasted back several yards his body bouncing and tumbling across the grass before skidding to a stop. Kion felt exhausted he could barely stand but his opponent looked even more broken though to Kion's shock he forced himself to stand.
No matter he had to be weakened it was amazing that he was still alive at all. Kion extracted his claws and jumped at him preparing to drive them through him only for Kito to catch him in mid air, literally.
"Enough! I tire of you and the elders." Kito said in anger he then yanked Kion toward him.
Kion couldn't move what was he doing, "Let's see what kind of lion you really are." Kito said in a very dark tone.
Kito grabbed his jaw and pried it open, his arm glowed a dark purple he then shoved it in his mouth. Kion's whole body jerked and shook he tried to roar at him but he felt himself weakening. The clouds were trembling the Kion looked up and saw the image of the kings fading. Kion tried to scream but couldn't, he felt as if his very soul was being invaded which wasn't far from the truth. Kito yanked his paw out of his mouth a golden energy spirit shaped like a lion was forcibly pulled from Kion's mouth, nose and eyes which were glowing, Kion couldn't even scream or shake his body just went completely dead and fell to the floor, he then watched as the golden lion spirit faded into nothingness.
"You should've let me be, now you can live as Scar did, a broken shell of a lion." Kito told him before turning away he then disappeared in a flash of light.
Kion laid on the ground lifelessly, he felt dead no that wasn't right he felt worse than dead, completely lifeless as if his soul had been torn apart which in a way is exactly what just happened.
"Kion, Kion are you alright?" He heard Fuli calling out to him.
"What happened we weren't gone long?" Bunga said worried.
"Move, Kion, Kion can you hear me!?" LG Simba cried.
"What's wrong with him?" LG Nala said in fear.
Kopa approached Kion he placed his paw on his chest, no it was exactly as he feared.
"His link to the kings is gone." Kopa said regrettably.
Everyone looked in shock at what they just heard Kion's link to the great kings was gone.
"What do you mean, is he alright?" LG Simba said panicked.
"I don't know" Kopa said in a near whisper.
He then turned away and walked past everyone not even sparing them a glance. Vitani tried to follow him.
"Kopa wait, please" Vitani said but to her complete Shock he ignored her.
Vitani raced in front of Kopa standing in his path, Kopa brushed past her gently moving her aside.
"Look at me Kopa!" Vitani demanded.
Kopa spared her not a glance he just moved past her and walked away in complete shame and disgust.
Well the truth was revealed and what a truth it was The Dark King is a dark counterpart of Kopa how on Earth is that possible after all it's Kopa! So how many of you saw the identity of the Dark King coming did any of you guess it? For anyone confused Kito is Swahili for nothing which is what Dark Kopa called himself. So now that we know Kito's intentions how does this change the overall conflict is their still a conflict, how will Vitani's alternate counterpart change what is coming? Unfortunately those questions will have to wait as I'm afraid we'll have to stop here for now.
What are your thoughts on this story so far especially the revelation that it was actually a crossover with my LK saga and Lion Guard as well as some of the revelations regarding Janga and especially the Dark King. I hope you have enjoyed the story up to this point, I will be updating this one much faster than my previous as I will try to make waits no longer than a week. Thank you for your time until next time, see ya around :)