Author: Daggermouth

Lion King 4
Chapter: IX – Touched by the Great Spirit.

Ominous clouds gather in the daylight sky around Priderock, sunlight was fading and Rafiki had retired to his Baobab tree which leaves' rustle in the blustering gusts of wind. Rafiki new dark times were coming he was trying desperate to meditate to have another vision with the mysterious shadow he keeps seeing. Tightly shutting his eyes and in complete silence Rafiki meditates alone for several hours. Where once again he finds himself drifting off into a strange induced vision, where the magic of the savannah truly shows, the clouds swirl around him before a large grey shadow appears, The shadow was huge in size standing tall above Rafiki and had the body of a large lioness and a bright white maine of an angel.

"The full circle has closed, the events have passed, I can feel a young lioness is gone from the world. Through her time she was filled with hatred but that only covered how truly hurt she was inside, and in her final moment she was repentant, she was sorry for her actions. Her death marks that trepidation strikes all the creatures of Africa for that dark day we all feared is here." The large silhouette of the lioness speaks with such grace and wisdom.

"Who are you?" Rafiki asks complete clueless as to the name of this shadow filled with wisdom beyond that of the living,
"You call me the Great Spirit" The shadow explains clearly. At first Rafiki is dazed by her words; millions of thoughts rush through his head. But she spoke the truth; the shadow was indeed the Great Spirit herself in all her wonder and beauty. She has presented herself to the worthy mandrill in hopes to give him the much needed help to save themselves. Rafiki immediately bows down before the creator of the Pridelands. Within the Great Spirit's golden eyes all the secrets of the savannah were locked inside she seemed so powerful but at the same time so compassionate, merciful and kind. Rafiki was speechless before her; he was sanctified and blessed with a chance to be spoken to such an otherworldly being.

"This is the final time we can speak like this…" She speaks again with an expressionless face.
"I still have so many questions;" Rafiki gets up and looks all around getting a good glance, is this the Great Beyond he now stands in, the place all spirits go after death? This place seemed so empty and awkwardly silent, something was not right...
"All your questions shall be answered shortly my child. This is Simba's final battle. You must all stand at arms or risk losing your world." The Great Spirit speaks calmly and only now does Rafiki detect the sadness in her voice.
"You said four will die and I think the next is Kopa; he got a Black Scarab which is the sign of death; do we lose the battle?" Rafiki replies but suddenly Rafiki is shown a hazy vision through the pupil of his eye: pictures flow through his eyes until his head clears and the mandrill gets a clear view of a Black Scarab stone breaking in half...

"It shall be a mournful ending" She replies calmy, those six words were the last words the Great Spirit ever spoke before she died in the heart of the savvanah. With a quick and sudden tug Rafiki awakes to find he was back in his Baobab tree. His whole body was numb, there was no telling how long he was in the trance for this time, but the clouds were darker than before and the wind seemed relentless. Rafiki needed more information; he needed to know more if he was going to do help the Pridelands, all this time he had being communicating with the Great Spirit. Rafiki knows deep inside why he can speak with her and have these vision, but for every year of his life he has kept this darkest secret of his hidden and one day the mandrill knew this terrible secret would have to be revealed. He wasn't gifted with second sight but he knew these dark clouds were an omen; the Great Spirit speaks only of the end of the world and that terrified Rafiki more than ever before.

On the southern end of the Pridelands...

Fleeing from her enemies Solta the grey furred lioness hurriedly dashes her way across a makeshift log bridge separating the Outland and the Prideland, the scented smell of fresh grass was almost familiar to Solta as smashes through a nearby rock with her paw breaking clean through it she was definitely in the Pridelands. Chasing her from behind Ni and Tojo along with his two most precious hawks which flew along the two lions who spared no time following the evil lioness across and into the Pridelands, their friends were disbanded and scattered after Solta collapsed Vulcan Rock, Solta flees in terror, she wasn't meant to get caught, she had no idea Tojo and his two hawks were so determined to get a duty completed.

"Stop here," Tojo says to his friend and glares out at the open areas of grassland around them, there was no scent, no trail to lead them to Solta, the lioness disappeared had disseapered, there was no place to hide, no rocks or trees open widespread fields now stretching all the way to Priderock, which the two friends decide to make Priderock their next route, even if it broke the earliest law what Mufasa created, there was no other alternative. Neither of them had Priderock in such a long time, both Tojo and Ni who fearlessly approach the monument. Simba see's the two figures of lions approaching Priderock with great haste and snarls when he gets closer look. Simba heads down to the lower ground to confront them.

"What are you doing here; you know full well the penalties for breaking the first law." Simba says addressing both of them.
"Simba, Vulcan Rock is destroyed; there was nowhere else for us to go, The Knights are either dead or scattered in the savannah. We think the same lioness that destroyed our home may be here in the Pridelands, she's extremely dangerous," Ni explains Tojo glares at the Lion King, once Simba and Tojo used to be old friends; Tojo was even there during the adventure of eight when the Daggermouth Gorge dam broke but now the two lions had a fierce burning rivalry and there old friendship seemed to of faded away as the two of them face off against eachother.

"Please Simba for once put your pride aside for the greater good!" Tojo says frustrated his voice was not that dissimilar to another familiar prince's tone of voice. Tojo even helped chase away the hyena's from the Elephant Graveyard after Scar was defeated, Tojo uses this to help perswuade Simba and trigger old memories inside the Lion King. Eventually Simba warms to his old friend as they speak of the good times they had together. Simba permits the two Knights of them search the Pridelands and roam freely, but it was a decision Simba wasn't so dismissive about, The Knights were always secretly working in the Pridelands behind everybody's backs sometimes they came here without being seen or even heard by any who reside here and not all the stories name them to be honourable. As the two visitors take off in opposite directions Simba once again stands proud on his throne of Priderock, looking out upon his recovering kingdom and up above at the rainstorm and thunderous clouds. Timon and Pumbaa the two inseparable best friends come marching up on foot to stand next to their friend, Simba turns and smiled to them but he could see the worry in their faces they didn't want another battle, everyone was sick of fighting and even when they won the battle it still felt like a loss.

"Hakuna Matata?" Simba says giving a nervous laugh, trying to lighten up the situation to the best to his ability.
"No Worries? Simba our lives are the only thing we doworry about!" Timon ever the dramatist replies failing his hands around,
"Simba I don't have a very good feeling about this," Pumbaa worries about the storm overhead and now about the vigilante who wonders the Pridelands as well as two unaccompanied Knights now roaming the Pridelands also. Everything seemed like such a mess ever since the war nothing was organized, Simba can't even remember the last he completed 'normal' king duties. These were surely dark times in the Pridelands.

Kovu was happily walking with his father Kivuli close to Five Stones just to the north of Priderock. Five Stones was a Stonehenge monument consisting of five seemingly large egg shaped stones dotted around in a circle. The location was old now and the rocks were crumbled and rotting away with age and growing fungus around the over many hundreds of years

"Five Stones was built by The Ancients. It is the perfect circle of the rocks represent a ring of power and in the centre of these stones the heart of all beautiful life. Who knows what mystifying purpose these rocks served, but their presence somehow make me feel; uneasy," Kivuli explains about the mysterious location to his son walking beside him. Kivuli was both old and wise, after recovering from the tragedy of before he was spending much more time with his son to compensate the loss of his mate. Of course everyone knew willingly entering the Shadowland meant certain death, although in his younger years Kivuli would roam the Shadowlands freely and without consequence and his fur which used to be reddish brown was now permanently tainted grey as was the curse of the shadowy Shadowland. While lying with his son Kovu whom he was extremely proud of a sinister figure stalks the two lions from behind one of the rocks, two red eyes gleam watching their every move, Solta knew this other grey lion; he was like herself only older, and Solta knew Kivuli used to be the mate to her sister Zira and for reason unknown even to her this infuriated Sola even more, she snarls lowly under her breathe totally hidden from site, breathing increasingly heavily dark thoughts slowly creep into her psyche driving her to suddenly charge at the old lion Kivuli, with a loud roar she pounces quickly, she was fast, and quickly grabs Kivuli's neck and drags him down the ground. Kovu suddenly shocked the with attack tries to help by diving in after her but by then Solta already had Kivuli by the neck, her oddly long claws jabbed dangerously into his neck, it was a tense standoff.

"Let him go!" Kovu growls slowly etching his war forward, but he made any sudden movements it would surely be the end for Kivuli, Solta had his father in such a position that with a quick forceful push of her paw would cause her claws to impale his father. Kovu slowly circled both of them, as he does he notices there similar grey fur. Kivuli gulps and doesn't struggle he groans slightly not making any sudden movements. The noisy growls and loud shouting of Kovu directs of attention of Tojo's hawks that with their attuned senses turn their heads and fly leading their bird keeper in the right direction. Tojo arrives as his two hawks perched themselves on two the egg shaped rocks ready to attack at the moment their master clicks his finger to command them. But Tojo stutters to see another lion with grey; usually these tainted lions were corrupt beyond repair and were deemed the sworn enemies and nemesis of The Knights. Solta was surrounded; she begins whispering something into her captive's ear, her soft words making Kivuli shed a final tear.

"I'm sorry," She concludes out loud before slashing her paw across the elder lions jaw,
"Nooooo!" Kovu roars so aggressively he voice shrills up. His father only grunts and collapses to the ground his face was badly wounded, Solta makes a mad dash turning around and running out into the open, while Tojo orders his birds to chase her while himself helping the prince mourn. Kovu goes to comfort his defeated father, Kivuli's vision was slowly going dark, he was an elder lion and this wound was too great for him to survive, he knew this was his time, he just knew it. He needed to plan his last words carefully for what the dark lioness Solta whispered in his ear could be the key between life, death and saving all the Pridelands...

"My son, I am more proud of you then any father, you bested the darkness and, I don't have much time, I brought you to these stones for a reason, Five Stones is special and you must learn about them, it is up to you now my son. He is coming to Priderock; he is the one who will make us suffer. You must travel to—!" The elder lion gasps, he can't finish his last words as he is shocked. The air grows cold around them, Kivuli looks up to see a single phantom fox dancing across the Pridelands. The sheer sight of the supernatural creature makes Kivuli shiver and grow cold, Kivuli understood what these phantoms are. Suddenly the fox turned its head to look right into the elder lion as if it was reading his very soul and even though the phantom has no eyes the elder lion could just tell it was looking right at him, its face was pointing right at the elder lion. The fox tilts its head quickly, it only moved in sudden movements,
"Kivuli... Kivuli..." The black spirit creepily whispers the elder lions name as if the fox knew everything about him. But as the dark spirit whispered his name, Kivuli's muscles went limb and all life from his face fades away before the lion drifts away into a sleep of peacefulness. The poor elder lions last thoughts were only regret and remourse for so much did Kivuli never tell his son. Within in the centre of Five Stones it came to pass that the elder lion Kivuli died from his wounds in the arms of his son.
"Kovu, your father was a great lion, he lived a good long life, but he was just too old to fight a grey." Tojo places his paw slowly on the prince's shoulder to comfort him and to hopefully reconsolidate Kovu whom he had not seen in a long time.
"I should be sad, but for some reason I'm not, I'm only angry, angry at the ones responsible." Kovu gives a look of hate.
"We will banish those who did this to him." Tojo had heard much about prince Kovu but heard he was rather unpredictable.
"No, we won't banish them, I will kill them! Mark my words." Kovu walks away saying nothing more there was nothing more they could accept wait for the Echoes Upon The Wind to come and deliver Kivuli safely to the Great Beyond as that was the name of the wind which spun around dead shells and collected most spirits of the savannah carrying them upwards. The wind would carry petals and over savannah leaves along them. But as the prince walked away it seemed that once again the darkness seems to threaten the young Kovu through the hate he carried.

When Simba and his daughter Kiara had heard the news and arrived at Five Stones it was already too late, the events had ended, Kovu was gone and all that remained of the drama was Tojo who was sitting and sighing in the centre of the stones. The air was cold; any creature could sense that death had passed here just moments before. Tojo glances upwards to see the Lion King the lions dazzling crystal eyes were saddened.

"This threat is far greater than anything we have faced before. The devourer of worlds is coming. And if we don't band together the darkness will claim us all. It is time to remove the first law. Let us protect you and your pride." Tojo says, before walking towards his old friend his hawks flying overhead, Tojo knew the Lion King needed more convincing.
"Don't see me as a Knight Simba; see past that, The Knights are just lions, same as you. I'm your friend Simba, I always was." Tojo finishes looking right into his eyes; it is only at this moment Simba understand the full severity of the problem and the ultimate threat facing his kingdom. Like Sarafina before him, Kivuli was gone now as well. Simba looks over at his loving daughter Kiara, if he didn't act now others might suffer and Simba wasn't going to let anyone else die but on the other hand the king knew the only reason he was the leader of The Knights is because Tojo murdered the previous leader, sighing deeply Simba decides Tojo's fate:

"So it shall be, the first law will be disbanded." Simba commands with a wave of his paw, Tojo breathes a sigh of relief, the leader of The Knights could of faced exile but thankfully his old friend showed mercy him.
"Where have you been all this time Tojo?" Simba asks, it had being many years since they last spoke or even saw eachother.
"I've been right here with you Simba the whole time, where ever you see blue birds, I was there, secretly protecting you." Tojo speaks with great wisdom explaining he was here the whole time, as they speak Tojo's blue hawks fly down to ground level and fluster their wings. Tojo had a way with blue birds they loved him like a mother ever since he was a little cub and his two largest blue hawks named Moyo and Kiwi are his oldest birds.

"The blue birds, how could I have forgotten them, we have all seen them." Simba says petting one of the small blue hawks.
"Daddy when you telling me: 'we are one' I saw blue birds fluttering around in a nest, were you watching over us?"
"Yes Kiara, I was there." Tojo had watched over them the whole time. But the lion knew there was no time for idle chatter.
"Simba my dear there is so much you don't understand we have to tell you everything" Tojo nods to his old friend and the Lion King walks with his old friend as Kiara runs off to find her mate Kovu whom she was extremely worried about, Simba and Tojo walk together with his hawks flying overhead.

"Found a mate yet Tojo?" Simba was glad he could finally talk with his friend who he previously mistreated.
"Ha, you know me Simba my dear, I'm too much of a flirt to ever really settle down, plus I'm dedicated to my birds, they do need a mother afterall." Tojo explains petting one of his hawks as Simba smiles. Feeling accepted once more the old friends head to Priderock where Simba marches upon the largest terrace of Priderock and roars loudly, his roar echoes across the savannah; he was calling his pride to gather at Priderock and then he would deliver a special message: One who had been touched by the Great Spirit herself has returned and the prophecy is coming true.

End of Episode IX.