Kopa and Karimu continued to charge up the floral-bloomed path. The towering crystal ahead had hummed since they had begun their climb, shifting between shades of cyan and green. Their bodies trembled with the weight of fate, shuddering between triumphant pride and shadowing sorrow.
"Almost there! Keep up, Kopa!" Karimu pounced ahead. A deeply rooted sense of curiosity hummed deep in her heart, sensing the small balls of fluff embedded in the crystallised walls. Her cubs... Their cubs were here. She could sense them... Feel them.
"Wait up!" Kopa roared, halting as he reached the apex of the path. All that stood in their way was a large, shimmering crystal wall. Potea stood at its base, inhaling sharply before giving off a powerful, will-bending roar.
The wall did not budge...
The lioness collapsed to the floor, digging her claws into the fertile soil. Her teeth snarled as she regained strength. Kopa and Karimu rushed to her side, gently nudging the lioness to her feet. Potea nuzzled both, raising her sight to the heavens as the crystal gloomed a corrupt green once more.
"I... I can't..."
"It's okay, Potea!" Karimu hummed into the elder lioness' side, raising her body up to a standing stance. "You did your best." The lionesses shared a few more nuzzles before the Uasian Queen turned to her king, a flicker of hesitation in her eye. "Right Kopa?"
"Yeah, precisely." Kopa agreed, gently nodding his head before turning his attention to the glowing tower. His paw illuminated slightly as a stream of Uasian crystal pooled, running from the tower as it reached out into the fertile earth. "But maybe... together?" Karimu nodded back, slowly raising her head to the heavens. Potea's head remained lowered, rising sharply as she realised the Uasian royal's plan.
"Very well..." The first Royal Mlinzi inhaled, focusing her mind. Small shards of crystal fluttered at her feet, cascading around the lion trio. Ther hearts pulsed in unison as their fur began to glisten. An orchestra of roars blasted from their muzzles, blasting at the crystalised wall, breaking through.
The cracks deepened. The wall began to shift back to a cyan shade, growing across the breath of the structure until the cracks became too large. Their combined will broke through, blasting through the crystal as if it were ice, charged at by an elephant.
The three lions sharply broke free from their combined roar, panting heavily as their bodies recovered. A gaping hole remained before them, gleaming light into the tower's interior. Stepping forward, Kopa took the lead, his ears flickering up as he heard a familiar laugh.
"Well, well, well..." A lone figure sat in the centre of the large inner chamber, facing away from the lion trio. "Welcome, dear brother." Kopa's heart cooled. The voice hooked his attention, clawing at his chest as the realisation hit. The male lion turned, staring down his challenger with a sly grin. "It's been a while..."
"Nguvu?" The Uasian King queried, catching the corrupted eye of his brother. A flickering wickedness flamed in his pupil, causing Kopa to inhale sharply. Karimu nudged up to her mate's side as Potea carefully stalked alongside her former student. A nervous hum reverberated through her throat as the possessed lion turned, stepping closer to them with a sly grin.
"Yes and no." Nguvu's eyes glanced up, gleaming with greenish hue as the three glyph-infused crystals rumbled intensely. "In form, maybe. But please..." The ground erupted with paracausal energy, sending a sharp ember of fire beside the Uasian offenders.
"Call me Scar!" A crackle of lighting erupted high above the crystallised monument. The walls howled with the flash of nature's bolt, seeping into the ground like claws into the flesh of an antelope. The embers beside them erupted, cocooning Kopa, Karimu and Potea in a ball of fire. The whispers of the wisps seeped into their minds. The corrupted cackles of those fallen, reshaped in Scar's image.
All three felines held their ground, clenching their claws into the crystallised earth as the flames subsided. Nguvu stood strong, the air surrounding him reverberating with energy, corrupted and twisted. Karimu and Potea struggled to regain their composure, panting faintly beside their king and student. With a knowing grin, Nguvu, empowered by the glistening scar across his left eye, bellowed an unholy roar.
Kopa withheld the attack, digging his claws into the ground. Karimu and Potea weren't so lucky. Karima fell first, flying backwards in the air before tumbling through the emerging flames. Potea lasted a little longer, digging her claws in, but alas, her will was not strong enough to hold back Scar's wrath. She ended up tumbling backwards, scraping the ground, burnt by the malice embers of Scar's rage.
"Pathetic!" Nguvu roared triumphantly, flinging his head high. Scar's corruption stained his scarred eye, dripping from the schism adorning his face. Kopa's claws remained entrenched, his fur burning with pure power. He sensed his beloved fall, his master collapsing behind him. Their fall stung his heart, fuelling the fiery venom of rage in his chest. Clenching his eyes shut, the Uasian King let the energy flow through his body. The heart-breaking cries of his followers echoing in his head solidified his will, ushering an almighty roar from his lips.
It flung high into the sky, scraping by one of the glowing crystals in its wake. The ground shook, the earth and sky sliding against each other, the power of light and dark colliding in a sheer show of strength. The crystal's resonating didn't last long, cleansing its corruption as the quakes subsided. Nguvu regained his posture, reaffirming his dominant stance as Scar's power over him began to arise once more.
"Ha! Is that all you've got?!" The scarred lion's growl reverberated across the room followed closely by the scraping of his claws across the ground. We looked up, noticing the signature blue glow around the power crystal. A rage ensued.
"No!" The walls reverberated weakly. The eastern side of the tower had become ensued with a blue glow, sparking in conflict with its corrupted neighbouring sides. As Kopa recovered from his roar, two strands of Uasian crystal strung from the ceiling, unravelling two balls of fur towards the knackered comfort of Karimu. Kopa's heart raced, his eyes dilated. Nguvu stuttered. "H...How?"
"Love..." A familiar, booming voice hummed into being, illuminating the surrounding crystal like the sun piercing through calm waters. A heavenly light beamed from the power crystal, cascading down to Kopa's side. The figure of a lion, originally formed of light and soulfire, transcended down to match the Uasian King's appearance, apart from its scars glowed a deep crystal cyan. "Something you'll never understand, Scar!"
Kopa's future self stood beside him, his eyes locked on the tensed, growling form of his half-brother's possessed body. The conflicted and crystalised walls raged around them, Kopa's spiritual presence imploded as their conflict continued.
Nguvu unleashed a slew of roars, trying to target both Kopas, but failed to hit them even once. Both Kopa's leapt around the room, using every trick they had learnt to evade their unscrupulous foe. Passing Nguvu's roars, the duo unleashed their own, aiming past the scarred lion. The possessed male grinned, feeling his adversary's will blast against the far wall.
"Ha! You both missed!" He stood tall, puffing out his chest in victorious grandeur. His auburn eyes stared down his adversary, halted in place as Kopa landed back on the ground, closely followed by his godly self.
"Did we?" Both Kopa's grinned as their plan came to fruition. Nguvu raised his head, a sparkle of shock stinging his nervous system. A shimmer of blue light shone down upon the corrupted lion, replacing the soul-corrosive green he'd become so familiar with. Scar's spirit shrieked in his mind, desperately trying to force the young lion to step back.
But he was having none of it.
With a growling roar of agony, Nguvu tore away from Scar's influence, leaving behind a shadowed form. As soon as they separated, Nguvu collapsed, hitting the floor hard as the shadow arose. The manifestation of Scar grew, causing both Kopas to tense. Karimu held onto her cubs tightly, raising her head to stare down the vile demon with vengeful wrath. Even as her cubs nuzzled into the comfort of her warm, maternal fur, she couldn't forgive him, not now.
The shadow of Scar shaded the entire room, cascading its chilling hue across every surface. As its form twisted and contorted. Its large, cackling face turned down at the two Kopa's, curling a single, tree-sized claw down to them. "Well, well, well... If it isn't the 'lairlord'..." The demonic lion lowered his head, his fiery muzzle pointing down to the crystalised ground. "Did you really think you could defeat me with your pathetic little roars?" He began to chuckle, watching pleasingly as both Kopas took a step back.
The walls bloomed with a blinding crystallised light, appearing across its surface like ripples in a body of water. Scar swayed his head sideways, illuminating his face. Askari and Mgeni cowered in the corner, shaking in the presence of such power. Both Kopas began to smile, a roar hummed through one of the lights, then another. And another... Scar frowned, his eyes darting around at the empowered crystals.
"What?" His flaming eyes scorched the air. The symbols had changed. The original shock twisted to compliance before slipping into a state of acceptance. He lowered his head, letting his tone shallow. "Well done..." A small chuckle escaped his muzzle as the light enveloped the air around the gathered lions.
The walls around them splintered, flooding the room with light as Scar's spectral form became faint. The outside realm, once dark and gloomy, had become embalmed with life and light. Vast swaths of grassland expanded out to the horizon, where crystalised mountains arose from the newly reformed earth.
As Kopa arose, he realised where he was. The same realm he had first met his godly self, his realm. Karimu's conscious groan caught his attention. Both felines scurried to their paws, only halting as Scar's original form stood before them, smiling affectionately at them both.
"You finally did it." He arose, taking a small stroll around the two lions. "How fascinating!" Kopa kept his eyes locked on the ancient spirit, a rippling snarl spreading across his muzzle as Scar eyed them both up.
"Surrender now, Scar! You've caused enough suffering!" Kopa's eyes gleamed with a hint of blue as his muscles tensed. Karimu, still fairly in shock, glanced around. Where were her cubs? Where was everyone? Scar noticed this, tasking a set before the Uasian royals.
"Oh, I have no intention to fight anymore." He turned to Kairmu, raising a paw calmly. "Don't worry, fair goddess, your offspring are safe." Karimu held her ground, snarling at the demonic lion. How dare he talk to her like that! He raised a paw, a chilling blast of air cascading upon the gathered felines. "I wanted to talk to you, both of you."
The Uasian Queen stepped forward, digging her claws deep into the fertile soil. "You killed all those animals, caused all that destruction, just to talk to us?!" Her hazel eyes sharpened, piercing Scar's with a glance of anger. The god-like entity gulped, swaying his head forward to continue.
"Well, not quite..." He moved within breathing distance of the pair, lowering his tone to a whisper. "There are beings far beyond the limitations of your realm." He turned his attention skyward, a flash of concern rupturing across his muzzle. Only the sound of Kopa's paw stepping forward snapped him out of it, bringing his attention back to the Uasian King.
"Like who?" Kopa's voice bathed in curiosity. Scar simply sighed, shaking his head side to side.
"It wouldn't be wise for me to say." He returned to glancing into the sky, watching the many bright stars burst through the daylit sky. "They have eyes and ears everywhere and if-"
His voice was cut out by the sound of a gateway opening mere meters from the demonic lion's position. Kopa and Karimu shot into defensive poses, awaiting for anything to burst through. To their relief, an all too familiar trio of lions erupted from the gateway, standing proudly before the surprised trio. Scar immediately cowered, craning his neck down as one of the lions approached him.
"Majuto?" The first god stood firm, staring at his brother head-on. It had been oh so long since they had seen each other. A bulge of regret became lodged in his throat silencing him as Askari and Mufasa followed him through.
"Brother..." Majuto's voice roughened, grinding through the air like sand on a rock. His attitude was cut short, his mind returning to scan the skies once again.
They were watching...
"We haven't got time!" The old lion turned to his godly brother, a stern look adorning his eye. He marched forward, passing the slightly older male and his associates. Askari and Mufasa stepped aside, gifting the demonic lion a flash of disgust. A bitter taste stained Majuto's mouth. A taste he loved.
The taste of disdain.
Frowning away from the scarred demon, Mufasa approached Kopa and Karimu. Both Uasian monarchs had relaxed significantly, watching the arrival of the three gods with significant relief.
"Thank you... both of you." The old Pridelands' king sighed, his eyes flickering between the two. "Because of you, our brothers are safe."
"I don't understand!" Karimu hesitantly muttered. "Where are we? Where are the others?" Mufasa glanced at the sky, his mane gently ruffling in the chilling breeze. The lioness followed his action gazing up at the star-filled sky. She followed the constellations, admiring the invisible connections between them.
"They're still here." Kopa replied, placing a paw forward. He closed his eyes, the shallow breeze swaying through his mane. The shallow sounds of their cubs rested on the wind, swirling within their ears. Karimu tried to step forward, to reach out. Her maternal instincts kicked in, calling her into action. But Kopa halted her advance with a single raised paw.
The Uasian King focused his mind. The calls of his cubs clung to his ears. He focussed on them, inhaling gently as their voices cleared. For a moment, the entire realm fell into silence. With his mind focused, the Uasian King unleashed an earth-shattering roar.
The realm reacted. Patches of dirt and grass before him began to shudder in and out of existence. The fabric of the realm tore and resewed itself, bending to his will. He clenched his eyes shut, the sound of his cubs growling into this plane of existence.
"Daddy?" Kopa opened his eyes. The confused sighs of his friends and cubs ruffled through his fur. Karimu rushed past him, immediately checking up on Ulinzi and Amani, making sure they were safe and well. Ulinzi nuzzled up to her cheek while Amani, comforted by her mother's paw, glanced over at her father. Mufasa sat beside him, chuckling softly at the sight of the reunited family.
"It seems the majority of the scars are healed now." The old Pridelands' king glanced over at Majuto and Yeye. He watched as the two males consoled before the open gateway. The scarred lion noticed, giving Mufasa a slight smirk before turning to his brother once more.
"Not quite." Kopa replied. His gaze was also firmly locked on his adversary. He may have been captured but the Uasian King knew better than to truly trust him. He nodded his head up and down slowly, refocusing his mind to focus on the moment. Amani's soft, gentle hold around his leg reaffirmed his stance.
"How so?" Askari approached, stretching his neck out as he did. Glancing behind Kopa, he saw her. Potea, still slightly confused and shocked by the sudden change in location, quickly realised his presence. A tear welled up in the corners of their eyes.
"Father?" Both Askari and Potea froze, simply staring at each other. As their eyes watered, their hearts gave way. Before they knew it, their bodies had made contact, nuzzling and rubbing against each other. An elephant weight of relief finally departed their shoulders. Kopa, Mufasa, Karimu and the cubs watched on, their hearts warmed by the long-awaited reunion playing out before them. The cubs snuggled against their parents, refusing to let go.
"I'm sorry for abandoning you in there." Askari sighed, turning his eyes away from his daughter. Potea, shaken with an understandable smile, simply placed her paw under his chin, pulling his eyesight back to meet her own.
"It's okay, father." She stared him in the eyes, a pleasant warmth seeping between them. "There was no other way." As the pair shared one last nuzzle, Yeye and Majuto approached, the scarred lion taking the lead. He glanced at the cubs, who cowered in his presence. Kopa stepped forward, standing before the demonic lion.
"You have a lot to do before they arrive!" His eyes remained firmly stern, burning with hatred and disdain. "Their gateway in the Shores of Jela, their many hidden agents scattered through your realms..."
"Wait!" Surprisingly, 'Skari stepped forward, much to Mufasa's surprise. The once scarred lion glanced at Majuto, whose mind and soul had corrupted him for so long. He thought about the visions he'd experienced, the sights of a twisted, corrupted land, filled with the souls of the damned. "I...I think I've seen that..."
"Oh, I'm sure you have, little prince." Majuto smirked, placing a single paw forward." He turned back to Yeye, who frowned. "I made sure you'd find out even if you had killed me." His older brother seemed to accept his explanation, turning his head from its curious, hesitant tilt. 'Skari sighed, his eyes focussing on the earth beneath him. To his relief, Mgeni nuzzled up to his side, providing him with the emotional support to face his darkest nightmare.
His past.
"Good, you'll need that strength if you're gonna survive The Shores." Majuto whispered, encircling the huddled males. Mufasa clenched his teeth, sensing his brother's growing fear welling through his soul. Surprisingly though, it was Potea who stepped forward, snarling her teeth while Majuto retreated.
"Back off!" Her eyes became enflamed with a primal duty to protect, a beacon in which 'Skari's heart fluttered with hope. His love tried to comfort him still as the being that once corrupted him chuckled away. Yeye responded by swiping at his brother, growling ferociously as the younger male started to stroll off.
"Don't make us kill you, brother!" Yeye remained defensive, refusing to let his brother gain any power here. Kopa, frowning at the building tension, let his tail wave across the ground. The dirt and rock reacted to its touch, sending a small ripple across the land. This ripple caused the once demonic lion to halt, freezing in fear whilst glancing over at the Uasian King. Kopa just gave a firm, dominant grin, knowing deep down, somehow, that he was the only one here the lion feared.
"Perhaps we should take you away from here, somewhere we can converse privately, brother?" Yeye calmed, placing a paw forward to his brother. Majuto, still fearful of Kopa's gaze, nodded softly. Mufasa and Askari held their positions, giving Yeye an affirming nod also as he started to lead his corrupted once brother back to the gateway.
A sigh of relief shuddered through the gathered felines. Ulinzi huddled up to his mother, wiping his face into her warm chest fur. Karimu hummed at her son's presence, lowering her head to his to lick him affectionately. Askari, exhaling deeply, turned to his daughter, clenching her leg with his paw.
"Please Potea... You don't have to go!" The thought of letting his daughter enter a warzone once again drained the lion god's heart. Despite his authoritative position, he truly cared for her. The sleepless nights in his own realm had tormented him for far too long.
"It's okay, father." The soul-bound lioness smiled, a small chuckle escaping her lips. "I'll be careful, always am." She nuzzled into his mane, leaving a single lick on his cheek. "I'll be fine!"
The Lion god sighed. A burning regret enflamed his heart, but he knew he couldn't stop her. Potea had always been headstrong and resilient. With an affirming smile, he turned to 'Skari and Mgeni, who huddled together, their heads resting together as Potea approached.
"She'll be fine." Kopa's comforting tone rushed over Askari's body. The sensation of the Uasian King's paw resting on his shoulder. "Wouldn't be the toughest thing she's been through, huh." That was true. She had been through the worst. But a father's love was as strong as a hyena's jaw and just as likely to bite into you. Inhaling softly, Askari calmed, his mind cleared as Kopa raised his paw.
"Thank you, Kopa..." The ancient lion gave an affirming nod, which was mirrored by the younger male. With his mind at ease and hearing strings untightened, Askari turned to Mufasa, who had started off across the lush grassy fields. With a single nudge across the side, Askari was able to knock Mufasa out of his own deep thoughts.
"Ready to go?" The older male smiled, his warm brown eyes staring into Mufasa's. The old Pridelands' king glanced over at Kopa, who had just been pounced on by Amani and Ulinzi, their cubbish laughs filling the realm's skies with innocence. In the distance, Potea led 'Skari and Mgeni into a gateway, summoning it with a reality-defying roar. Before he entered, 'Skari glanced back at Mufasa, who simply nodded.
"Yeah... I think so..." The old Prideland's king shook his head, ruffling his mane before taking a few steps forward. Askari joined him, strolling at his side as the two made their way to the open gateway they had entered from. The two males shared a gentle nuzzling as they entered, cut off from Kopa's view as the gateway collapsed.
"Rawr!" The ferociously adorable sound of his daughter pouncing on his back caught Kopa off guard. Before he knew it, he lay on his side, his daughter clambering over his body to his chest. As he rolled to his back, Ulinzi joined her, giggling lovingly as he clambered onto his father's chest. Karimu watched on from the side, chuckling sweetly as her cubs wiggled and cuddled up to their father's belly fur.
"We really did it huh?" She lowered her head, nuzzling up to her mate's mane as the cubs began licking their father's chest fur. Kopa chuckled, raising his head to meet Karimu's gaze. As his body rolled, the cubs hopped off him, sitting gently beside him as he arose to sit beside them. Amani stayed sat, innocently staring up at her father, up until the point that her brother pounced on her. The cubs began to playfight, ignoring their parents in the thrill of the energised thrills of being so young.
Kopa smiled, truly smiled, for the first time in what felt like forever. "I guess we did!" His smile radiated across the horizon, casting a golden beam of sunlight among the small gathered pride. And yet, as the Uasian King studied his newly gifted realm, truth seeped into his mind.
"None of this should've happened..." Kopa's gaze never halted from the land, peaked by the crystalised mountains at its boundary. How many lives had been lost? How many were sacrificed to create this realm? "I don't want to become all-powerful, to be worshipped for creating all of this." He let a sigh escape him, halted as Karimu's loving head rested on his shoulder.
"You don't have to be." Her voice reverberated through his body, a calm soothing wave of comfort emanating from her light-weighted head. "You are everything you need to be." With a single stroke of her chin, Karimu launched off her mate, blinking momentarily until his eyes met hers. "A king... a mate..." She glanced down at their cubs. "A father."
As both the Uasian King and Queen glanced at their cubs, Ulinzi pounced on his sister, who immediately returned the favour by pushing him off her, pinning him in the process. Both cubs giggled, playfighting as any good, strong cubs should. It was only when they realised their parents chucking at them that they halted, their tail tufts resting on each other's foreheads.
"Hmm, I guess the gods can wait." Once again, Kopa smiled. He gave a final glance over his realm. A shallow breeze blew from behind him, ruffling through his mane. He barely noticed the gateway opening behind him, or who stepped through.
"Indeed they can." A calm, wise voice brushed through the air. Kopa's heart froze. Ulinzi and Amani froze, their faces shaken with a mixture of disbelief and relief as they recognised who stood behind their parents. As Kopa turned, a tear rolled down his cheek.
Before him stood Kwaheri, in the flesh. The primate smirked, resting his body on his staff.
"Took you long enough to get here, bro." Kopa barely could contain his heart. Karimu's smile grew as her mate slowly arose, stepping closer to his step brother. Raising a single paw, he lunged in for a hug, dragging the monkey into the warmth of his mane. Even Karimu started to shed a tear at the brother's reunion.
They had earned it.
After a few moments, The Uaisan King let his primate brother go. Kwaheri rested his staff to his side, pointing its illuminated crystallised tip at the gateway behind him. "your kingdom awaits, your majesty." He gave a gentle bow, placing his hand on his stomach. Kopa repaid the bow, closing his watery eyes tightly. As they both arose, Kopa peeked back at Karimu, who simply nodded, before calling their cubs over with a single swish of her tail.
"Don't worry about this place. I'll keep it nice and spotless." Kwaheri smirked, tapping his staff on the lush grass. A pulse of energy spread across the land in its wake, causing the crystalised mountains to gleam in the sunlight.
Kopa's throat choked up. "Th...Thank you Kwaheri.... For everything..."
"Always!" Kwaheri spread his arms out, his staff resting against his back. Kopa, now joined by Karimu and their cubs, stared into the gateway. It was a time for change, for a normal life. The realm before them would be healed but scarred, calm yet tense.
As Kopa led his small pride through the gateway, this thought bubbled in his mind. There was work to be done, sure. But he was free. The strings of fate that had bound him hung loose now, his path unlaid before him.
His fate, his life, was now finally his to control, to shape.
Without Hope...
Without Fear...
Without Consequences...
