AN: Things are getting terribly serious. I think it won't be long now before we get some answers. Is this going to be the lucky 13?
TMNTTLK lover – Kion's no weakling, that's for sure. Kovu will have a hard time defeating him now.
T3ddyBearL0ve – interesting comparison. Yet, at some point, there must be a break in this relay race of generations. That is the whole point, actually.
comfortablefox – oh, you really think so? Interesting. What about Kion, then? Well, we've got about 1 or 2 chapters for things to clear off.
Willian – I think that, at this point, even the Great Kings are confused about what the heck is going on.
Jzak98 – aaand… he killed his parents just because he's 'misguided'? That indeed sounds crazy. You wanna get nuts? Let's get nuts.
Hvedrungsson – I guess Kion underestimated Vitani. He thought that she wouldn't dare use the Roar and that, with Jasiri's clan on his side, he would be able to overpower both the Guard and Kovu since he had them outnumbered with the help of the hyenas. I mean, can you really blame him? He would not stand a chance with Imara alone. But now Kovu is hurt, so perhaps the hyenas' sacrifice was actually an advantage for Kion.
ExGeneration35 – so is all of this merely a huge misunderstanding? Seems a bit unlikely…
Chapter 13 – Three Scars
Once again he went to that dreadful place. Or rather, dragged himself there. In mind-numbing pain and earth-shattering rage, no longer able to scour the land for the one whom he hated beyond imagining, he sought for answers at the fiery halls of his stepfather.
Yet when Kovu, limping and swaying as he walked, stood at the edge of the crater of the Outlands volcano, lowering his tired eyes at the flaming abyss below, he failed to see the one whom he was searching for. The surface of the lava, cool and stagnant, reflected the mark of the scarred eye, yet the spirit was nowhere to be found.
Breathing out the fury he drew from the dark recesses of his mind, Kovu groaned in dismay. The time was short, and his bloodlust great.
-Scar… - a whisper sprung out of his parched throat, which quickly turned into a scream. – Scar! Where are you? I need you to tell me… Tell me where he is! That filthy bag… of rotten meat! SCAR!
His angry voice boomed within the fuming volcano. An answer came almost immediately, but it was not the one whom Kovu summoned.
-That filthy bag of rotten meat is right behind you – the voice spoke with venomous disdain.
Kovu turned on the heel, nearly tripping, noticing Kion merely a few yards behind his back. He must have been followed by the Pridelander, yet failed to notice him. But that didn't matter now. Kovu intended to throw some biting insult at the proud golden redhead who stood before him as the flames reflected from his marvelous coat, yet Kion was faster.
-Traitor! – snarled the Nightprider, exposing his sharp fangs. Until now, Kion had been acting cynically and cryptically, but presently it seemed like he would start foaming at the mouth. With each step his anger grew, rivaling the blazing blasts of the fire below. The dark lion, his rival, understood why Kion's attitude changed. After all, he had caught Kovu red-handed.
-You dare accuse me of treason? Yet here you are, in the volcano, calling upon the name of Scar! What lies did that old ghost plant in your tiny, gullible little brain?!
Kovu, though exhausted, maintained his militant stance.
-You… killed your parents. You're even worse than him! And I know you don't possess the Roar anymore. I don't care about what you think. Get ready… to die.
He took a clumsy step forward, what only enraged Kion even more.
-Argh! Kovu, you idiot! I refuse to fight you in this state. Go on, call that dear, bloodthirsty sister of yours. I'm sure she's lurking here somewhere. You can't possibly win this alone!
As soon as he said those words, however, the ground underneath their paws shook. Kovu collapsed to the floor at once, whereas Kion was barely able to maintain his balance. The Nightprider's eyes grew wide when he noticed the source of the earthquake. It was what he had feared… but never imagined that it could still be possible.
Behind Kovu's back, as a grim mirage made of smoke and sparks, there arose the gruesome image Kion had not seen in years. The image he thought he had rid himself of, but which continued to haunt his mind even at the distant Tree of Life. A nightmare made flesh before his very eyes, which caused him to nearly stumble.
Scar's face appeared with a booming wave of laughter. Constricted by sheer terror, Kion's throat allowed him to issue a mere, pathetic whimper.
-Impossible… You're dead… I've defeated you!
Scar looked down upon his grandnephew with a grotesque smile. He acted as if he was truly glad to see him.
-Well well, little Kion! You've grown significantly since I saw you last. A spitting image of your tragically deceased father… wouldn't you agree? Have you forgotten that I died before you were even born? You cannot kill that which is already dead, my boy.
As Scar spoke, Kion's shock and rage continued to grow. In the meantime, Kovu lifted himself from the ground, and Kion now saw both of them, the usurper king and his heir, looking at him with their two scarred eyes.
Scar continued, this time addressing the lion who was on his side, deviousness dripping from his every word.
-Pay attention now, Kovu. I shall reveal to you a secret which only members of the Lion Guard are privy to. Do you know why Kion asked you to summon Vitani? It's because of his desire for power. He wants to take everything from you, and he knows that the only way in which he can reclaim the Roar of the Elders is to defeat in battle the one who presently possesses it.
Unable to stand the spirit's words, Kion reacted with rage.
-No, that's not true! Don't listen to his lies!
Who knows, perhaps Kovu would have believed him had things gone differently. But the events turned out in a way which only proved to Kovu once again that it was Kion who was the true traitor. He knew that at once, for as soon as the Nightprider finished his frantic apology, a lioness sprung from behind his back, roaring.
-Imara, now! – yelled Kion, urging his accomplice as she rushed in to deliver the killing blow to Kovu.
But Imara did not notice that she had also been watched. Kovu, though injured, was no fool, and Kion was right when he said that the king did not come here alone. The ambush was double, and the consequences would be terrible.
Vitani presently pounced from her hideout, knocking Imara to the ground before the lioness was able to reach her brother.
-'Tani! Use the Roar! Throw her into the volcano! – Kovu impelled the leader of the Lion Guard. But Vitani, just like Kion, was conscious that doing so within the volcano would bring catastrophic consequences to the whole kingdom. Instead, she and Imara clashed, vanishing from Kovu's sight.
The two kings were left facing one another within the volcano under the third, dead one's watchful eye. And it now seemed that Kion had changed his mind about confronting Kovu by himself.
-You're too dangerous to be left alive, Scar's heir – the Nightprider snarled, the flames emanating from the blazing specter reflecting in his disfigured dark-brown eye.
-I'm ready for you, traitor – the ruler of the Pridelands snapped back, clenching his teeth and ignoring the pain in his broken leg as the fire reflected in his own scarred eye, as green as his stepfather's.
The duel was about to begin, and Scar himself looked on with great anticipation.
Vitani pursued Imara into the very bowels of the earth. The winding, dark tunnels underneath the volcano which the rivers of lava had cut into solid stone led her far away from her brother, however, and she began to fall behind. Her steps slowed, and her heart was torn. On one hand, she felt that her duty was to deliver justice to Imara, but on the other, she did not want to leave the injured Kovu alone with Kion. Her rage urged her on, but her reason protested vehemently.
Stopping finally, the lioness growled, and decided to turn around. Yet as soon as she did that, a voice spoke to her from the darkness, making her stiffen.
-No! Kovu can handle himself. Move on, find the traitor!
As her heart pounded, Vitani's eyes darted to and fro in the cave illuminated by nothing but the fiery river. It sounded almost as if the flames themselves spoke to her… and they did so in Zira's voice.
-Mother…? – the fierce lioness asked with far more insecurity, fearing that someone may have been trying to deceive her. Yet the voice spoke again, just as recognizable and undeniable as when she had faced Zira in the volcano.
-Trust me, Vitani. You must beware. Imara has lured you here for a reason. The law of the Lion Guard says that if one wishes to seize the Roar from the Guard's leader, the only way for that to happen is to defeat the bearer of the Roar in honest combat. Scar had told me about this, and you mustn't let it happen! If Imara or Kion steal the power of the Roar from you… there will be nothing that can stop them from conquering the Pridelands.
She listened to her instructions just as she had done before, sharp and attentive, agreeing with every word. Zira was right. Kovu had to take care of Kion, while her mission was to stop Imara. Vitani was glad that she had reconciled with her mother. If it weren't for that, she may have made a terrible mistake. Now, she owed her mother her debt of gratitude- this is why she had to listen.
-What have I taught you, my daughter? – the dead lioness asked from among the shadows.
-We crush any resistance – came a swift response.
Vitani now took off with new vigor. Having lost trace of her treacherous ex-companion, she searched for Imara's scent mixed with the stink of sulfury fumes within the cave. But the tunnels went on and on for what seemed like hours, and finally, Vitani lost any trace of the other lioness.
As she walked from one identical tunnel entrance to the other, her nose picking up nothing but the smell of smoke, Vitani groaned in frustration. Once again she felt the strain of being under her mother's supervision, and failing at a task. The familiar feeling which used to rob even her of her inner peace.
Yet, this time, instead of rebuking her, Zira actually decided to offer a helping hand.
-On your left – Vitani heard a faint whisper which resounded as soon as it appeared.
Turning that way, the leader of the Lion Guard saw not the tracks in the volcanic ash she was expecting, but a line of tiny creatures walking forward in an unknown direction.
Termites.
Vitani understood that Zira wanted her to follow them. Keeping her eyes fixed on the ground, she observed the line of insects and walked on, discovering that it indeed led her upward, to a place where the air was cooler and much more fresh.
Vitani knew this place, and she was greatly surprised that Imara would be stupid enough to fight her in such a familiar environment. After all, this was once their home- the secluded rocky place in the Outlands known only as Zira's Den.
She exited the cave without hesitation, finding herself under the stone formation shaped like a lion's head. Imara's attack was foreseeable from a mile away. Vitani allowed her foe to think that she had ambushed her, remaining still as Kion's ally pounced at her from the top of the rock with a furious growl. But before Imara was able to sink her claws into Vitani's skin, the Guard's leader jumped away, making the other lioness collide heavily with the bottom of the cave entrance.
Imara groaned in exasperation, the dust she kicked up making her cough. She turned around in a flash, only to notice Vitani waiting for her patiently, confident that she did not need to use her advantage in order to win.
-Kion shouldn't have made you the leader of the Lion Guard! – Imara snapped at her, enraged by Vitani's cocky stance.
The lioness retorted with a smirk.
-Jealous? – she glared at her opponent's shoulder, which no longer bore the noble mark of a guardian. – Oh yeah, you'd like to have one of these, wouldn't you? You think your precious redhead should have chosen you over me, don't you!
-Damn right he should've! – Imara ground her fangs.
-Hmph! – Vitani snorted in her face. – Well, if you wanna fight over it, fine. Don't worry, I won't use the Roar against you again. You survived the last time, not like that stupid Jasiri and her stinking clan. Who knows, maybe the Old Kings favor you? Hah-hah!
Imara became visibly enraged by her former pridesister's sarcasm. Flexing her mighty muscles, she prepared herself for battle.
-That puts me in a better position than you, 'Tani. At least my allies aren't the ghosts of dead murderers!
-Oh, you really don't know much about Kion, do you? – Vitani taunted her one last time.
She crouched and lowered her head, preparing to pounce. Imara knew that move, so typical for her one-time leader. After all, both of them had undergone the same training under Zira. They fought in the same battles. In the Lion Guard, Imara was the strongest, whereas Vitani- the fiercest. This would be a clash of nearly unstoppable forces.
Imara rushed in with a swift attack, the noise of her roar reflecting from the walls of Zira's Den. Her opponent, still cocky and self-confident, dodged the powerful assault in the nick of time. However, recollecting herself, Imara found a foothold as she went past Vitani, colliding with her with all her remaining strength.
Vitani tripped, tumbled, and fell straight on a large termite mound, shattering it. The soft clay of the insect abode neutralized her fall, however, and to Imara's dismay, the lioness emerged from the wreckage, laughing.
-C'mon! – jeered Zira's daughter, combing the hair out of her eyes and knocking off termites from her dirty fur.
The fallen guardian had no need to be persuaded.
Imara ran up to her opponent, and the two lionesses exchanged blows. Unlike the males, their bodies were not covered with thick manes, and the Outlands' dry soil quickly began swallowing up first droplets of blood.
The duel, as fierce as a sandstorm, lasted for a long time, much longer than the stamina of any regular lioness would allow for. When they finally separated, Imara was beginning to feel the strain of battle, yet promised herself that she would outlast her challenger. After all, Vitani was tired. The slimmer female stood there with eyes blood-shot, part of her ear torn, deep claw marks disfiguring her sides as well as her snout. Her chest moved up and down, and Imara could almost see her heart pounding within her rib-cage.
She carried out what she thought would be her final, crushing blow. Yet her intention was not to kill Vitani, but merely to defeat her. Then the fallen leader of the Guard could stand trial before Kion's court. Who knows, perhaps with the power of the Roar, she would be able to convince the other guardians to join her on the Nightprider king's side, as well? Perhaps then order in the Pridelands could finally be restored.
Yet Imara had forgotten one thing. A very important lesson which Zira made sure to instill within her daughter. And that was that all war is based on deception.
After all, Zira had not given her daughter a name which meant 'demon of war' for nothing.
Astounded by the swiftness in which Vitani omitted her devastating attack, much greater than what her strength should have provided her with at this point, Imara turned with fright in order to defend herself. But it was already too late. First, the fallen guardian felt Vitani's clawed paw hitting her in the face, after which her eyes, severely wounded, were instantly flooded with blood.
It was a dirty move. But extremely effective.
Cliffs and rocks shook under the wave of Imara's agonized roar. She was not allowed a moment to breathe. New blows fell on her in her blinded darkness, breaking her teeth and knocking bones out of their sockets. The mighty lioness fell to the ground, and was instantly pinned down by the weight of her opponent.
The immobilized Imara writhed and yelped in pain, throwing her head violently until she was finally able to see anything with her only remaining eye. And what she saw, was the face of Vitani, twisted in anger and disgust.
Vitani had never seen Imara this afraid. But before her suffering could end, the traitor had to answer one more question.
-Why did you turn against us, you fool? Why did you abandon your own pride, and decide to join up with Kion?
Imara's lips began to shake, and Vitani understood that death was not the thing she was afraid of the most.
-I love him! – screamed the defeated lioness, and her one-time pridesister knew that she was saying the truth.
Which only made it the more idiotic.
-I don't give a damn about who you love! – Vitani snarled, tightening her grip, making Imara sob.
-You're just like Zira… - she lamented, understanding that she had realized this far too late.
Not a blink, not a scowl appeared on Vitani's face.
-No. I'm stronger.
After saying that, in a tone stone-cold and gruesome, she delivered her verdict.
-In the name of the Lion Guard, for the crime of treason, I sentence you to die.
Kovu was seriously wounded. He could barely stand. His dirty fur clung to his shaking muscles, and every movement caused him visible pain. The wretched spirit behind his back could no longer help him. Scar had always been useless without his minions.
These were the thoughts which echoed in Kion's mind as he approached the Prielands' impostor king. He would now have to take his place with a heavy heart, though he had never been destined to do so. But he would rule well, and he would cleanse the kingdom of every last bit of corruption.
His brown eyes shone bright, and even the scar on his face did not bother him. This was the time for action.
Kovu, cornered between his enemy and the center of the blazing crater, snarled like a dying beast, hunched over, using the remainder of its waning strength to claw at the air in desperate attempts to fend off the predator come to finish it off. He demonstrated a pathetic sight, almost making Kion sorry for what had to be done.
Nevertheless, the Nightprider showed no hesitation. Superior in speed, he landed a blow on Kovu's head, making him roll over. Drunk with pain, the dark lion attempted to kick him with his one good hind leg, but missed. Kion allowed him to pick himself up.
-C'mon! – snarled the flawed king, attempting to entice his foe to attack. – C'mon, murderer! Were you this slow when you slew your own father?
By now, Kion had had enough of Kovu saying that. And the only way he could be stopped, was to silence him permanently.
This was it. It seemed like the recreation of a battle from years ago, which took place atop Pride Rock, also among fire and smoke. With an angry growl, the majestic Nightprider executed a deadly pounce, emerging from behind a cloud of volcanic vapor, and Kovu saw him leaping at him with exposed claws.
It was perfect.
Instead of defending himself, Kovu rolled over on his back, finding himself directly under Kion. Now, using the small part of a second he had to do that, he wished to kick the traitor in the gut, and, ejecting him, throw him off the edge and straight into the lava below.
There were only two problems, however. One was that this was a very old trick. The other one was that Kion knew it.
Instead of allowing himself to be catapulted to his undisputed demise, with a strained groan, the Nightprider clutched at Kovu's mane, losing all momentum. Although he did get kicked in the stomach, instead of throwing him off the ledge, his foe merely managed to knock him off, inflicting almost no damage.
Snarling, Kovu picked himself up from the ground as fast as he could, swinging a paw in Kion's direction. But the other lion dodges even that blow, and merely took a step back.
They have switched sides now. Kovu stood with his back toward the entrance to the crater, whereas Kion had the glowing flames of the volcano behind him. The fire reflected in the eyes of Simba's son, burning bright and furious, ready to reduce everything that stood in their way to ash.
But along with the flame, there was also someone else right there, but a few steps away. Kion ignored him all this time, yet the silent specter continued to observe him closely. When he finally spoke, the Nightprider felt distracted, turning his head from the one who spoke to the one who stood before him, fearing that an attack might arrive from both sides.
-Heh-heh, little Kion… - laughed the ghost of Scar, drawing some twisted enjoyment from his grandnephew's confusion. – I've told you that the Roar was a curse which would ultimately destroy you.
Unwilling to listen to the dark spirit's poisonous words, Kion fixed his eyes at Kovu. Yet his opponent simply stood there, snarling, while the spirit went on with his grotesque monologue.
-Sisi ni sawa. We're all the same. Though you're made of flesh, and I'm made of flame. Sisi ni sawa. At the end of the day, both of us are fire and flame…
Scar spoke slowly, silently, yet the power of his voice seemed to change something within the volcano. It was as if its low rhythm set the rock underneath Kion's paws in motion. It made it vibrate, then shake, and then, finally, nearly shatter with some eerie, inner violence.
Kion observed as Kovu, fixing his scarred eye at him in disdain, began to walk away from the fire.
Then, he understood.
-No…! – a broken yelp sprung from the golden lion's throat as he felt the volcanic basalt crumbling under his feet. In desperation, he lunged himself forward, barely able to attach himself to the very edge of the ruptured crater. What was once the floor where he stood, fell down in huge chunks, and was devoured by the lava lake below.
His hind legs scratched the rock, but could find no stable grounding. His fear grew as he raised his shock-filled eyes at Kovu, towering over his head.
-Help me! – he cried out, panic taking hold of him.
But there was no response. No compassion. The only warmth that Kion felt now was the spirit of Scar, stooping down to whisper into his dangling grandnephew's ear as his flames burned the hair of his mane.
-You are just like me, little Kion. And I will treat you in exactly the same way you once treated me. I pardon you. It's the Old Kings who shall judge you.
Hanging between life and death, Kion felt tears streaming down his cheeks, and held his breath.
-Now come! Embrace your great uncle! – yelled Scar.
The crater shook in a violent earthquake, and the volcano echoed within it not just the furious noise of the earth, but also a frightened scream of the only son of Simba.