VG: Mystery of the Outlands - PART 2
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That afternoon, Vitani and Jasiri stood in the mouth of the lion-shaped den as they looked at the paintings that were scattered all around the unusual rock formation. Paintings that Jasiri could’ve sworn weren’t there the last time she had patrolled the area. At least, no pictures this clean. They spent hours making out what the paintings could possibly symbolize. The next group of pictures Jasiri set her eyes on had sparked curiosity.
“What is that?” the hyena tilted her head.
Vitani looked too. What the two saw was many paintings of groups of animals facing off against each other within what resembled the inside of the den. Next to that was paintings of faces of various animals, columns that each had two different types of animals, with one animal in every row with their face crossed off.
There was a pattern; some of the rows were the same animals that were pitted against each other in the other paintings of them facing off inside of the den, as if there were winners and losers of battles taking place within. At the top of the battle pictures were dark lions with red eyes, each sporting unique scratches across their faces, as if they’d spectated these battles.
“Jasiri, I have a feeling this place might have been some kind of arena.”
Vitani looked out to the open, circular space within the den.
“And those lions, they look a lot like the ancient ones who sported the Mark of Evil.” she continued, making a gesture over her eye with a claw.
“You mean… this Mark of Evil?” Jasiri asked, pointing to a black and yellow symbol.
“Exactly.” Vitani said, astonished, “That’s the symbol I saw in the Lion Guard Lair.”
“Who’s that?” Jasiri pointed to a nearby painting, “It almost looks like Kion with a full mane.”
The image showed a red-maned lion roaring atop a jagged, steep crevasse, one that was definitely nowhere near the Pridelands or its neighboring territories. Light blue animals, representing their spirits in the clouds, floated above the roaring lion.
“That would have to be Askari. First ever Leader of the Lion Guard.” the lioness sat beside the hyena, “Must be when he discovered the Roar at the Tree of Life. Like how Kion learned all those fancy moves before coming back home.”
Jasiri remembered the day Kion’s Roar changed. He learned to balance it, using what was needed to carefully move what other animals couldn’t move, and to make it across canyons and crevasses no way any other animal could. She’d left for the Tree of Life in the first place to warn Kion of the rising threat of Zira’s pride, and today, she sat next to the daughter of her enemy, naturally bonding with her.
Vitani continued to look at the painting of Askari with the lions in the clouds, her gaze becoming more and more longing, and regretful.
“But… I’m not like Kion, or Askari, or any of the other leaders. I’ve never been able to hear the Great Lions of the Past.”
“Really?”
“It’s weird. I figure it’s because I’m not related to them, or something. Sometimes, it makes me feel like I don’t even deserve the Roar, or to lead the Guard.”
“Of course you deserve the role.” Jasiri reassured, “You broke the mold, becoming the first non-royal leader.”
“I suppose…” Vitani’s voice trailed off slightly, remembering something, “Even though I can’t hear the Lions of the Past, and I don’t really use the Roar, much, I learned a couple of things on my own, too. Things I’ve never seen even Kion do.”
“Really? Like what?”
“Can you keep a secret? Kinda don’t want this getting out to any animals who want in on this ability.”
“Of course.”
“Well… one day, at the Elephant Graveyard, I roared so hard that I’d managed to summon the spirit of my brother in fire. Just… not sure how…” Vitani turned, “You remember Nuka, right?”
“Hard to forget the time he kept trying to kick me out of the Watering Hole.”
“Heh, yeah. He would always try so hard for everyone. It’s what got him in the end…”
Jasiri could see Vitani’s gaze deepen. She would offer supportive words, but she could see that Vitani wasn’t one to want to hear it.
Though Nuka’s spirit was awakened, it didn’t take back that fateful day, and the unfair twisting of what actually happened on top of the pain of losing him.
“Anyway…” the lioness cleared her throat, “Over time, we learned to bind our spirits together, and I was soon able to control fire with my Roar.”
“Does that… hurt?”
“Oh, yeah. Feels awful after a while. Can’t use it too much.”
“Guess that’s the Great Lions telling you to keep your power in moderation.” the hyena chuckled with a toothy grin.
Vitani softly chuckled, “Yeah. Uh, maybe, I guess.”
“Even if you can’t hear them, Vitani, they still look out for you. They do that for us all. Whether they’re your ancestors or not.”
Unexpectedly, Vitani’s heart swelled a bit. She could see why Jasiri and Kiara bonded so well. Both had a knack for seeing beyond one’s surface. Cut from the same cloth, the two of them.
The lioness considered bringing up another ability she discovered. She knew the Roar she made towards that cloud caused a monsoon that had apparently affected the Outlands as much as the Pridelands, but it was something else that she could’ve sworn happened as a result. She’d remembered her encounter with what she could’ve sworn was her mother’s spirit, but she’d never seen it, since. It felt too crazy to bring up.
Vitani idly glanced up at other faded paintings, “Wish I could tell Kion about it. What it all might mean. What he doesn’t yet know the Roar can do…”
_________
Kiara stopped at the edge of the Pridelands, just before the river that bordered the neighboring Outlands.
Zira’s spirit within the future Queen remembered this river, looking beyond it as she continued her plan: She wanted to see just how far her living, earth-dwelling disguise could get her without any suspicion. She would feign a visit to the land of her and Kion’s little hyena friend… What was her name?
“Kiara!” called a male voice.
Zira knew that voice all too well. Barely hiding her annoyed scowl, she made Kiara’s head turn to the noise.
It was Kovu, her living son. The one that turned on her.
“Kiara, where are you going?”
“The Outlands.”
“But, your parent –”
“I’m a grown lioness. Can’t a Future Queen visit her friend?”
Kiara’s tone was uncharacteristic, and oddly familiar to Kovu. The exact inflection sounded like something that followed his brother Nuka saying something stupid.
“Look, I’d be happy to escort you, if it’s possible.” he said awkwardly, feeling himself getting figuratively smaller.
“I’ll be fine, Kovu. If they ask, tell them I’m not far.”
She stepped forward to continue her trek, but not before stealing one last bitter scowl.
“Weeeiird…” Kovu drawled to himself, out of earshot of his fiancee.
Kovu didn’t know what he did, but the look she gave him felt personal. He didn’t understand Kiara’s new attitude. He had to wonder if it was a lioness thing…
_________
Later, at Udaka Caverns…
“...And here we have ancient lions performing some kind of ritual with these snakes. These lions gave themselves marks over their eyes, a lot like the one your leader gave me.” Kiume smirked, “Guess her little overreaction had some kinda spiritual meaning in the end, heh…”
Shabaha and Tazama seemed intrigued enough, but Kasi and Imara seemed less than impressed, just about having it with Kiume’s know-nothing-know-it-all narration regarding these paintings scattered across the walls.
“Had no idea any of this was here…” Tazama muttered, “Never seen this in any of my reconnaissance missions.”
Kiume scoffed, “You seriously haven’t been to this part of the Outlands? You guys grew up in the Outlands, right?”
“Not us, personally. No.” Tazama answered, “Zira never really let anyone go beyond the Termite Mounds. Vitani might have, though…”
“Yeah,” Shabaha added, “she was with Zira when the pride tried to take over some watering hole the hyenas were taking up. The four of us didn’t show up until a little after.”
“Ever since that plan failed, she didn’t want us to blow the pride’s cover. Had to lie low until Kovu was ready.” said Kasi, allowing herself to add onto the conversation.
“Ready for what?” asked the maneless lion, almost in a scoffing manner.
“To take his place as King of the Pridelands.” Imara bluntly added. She’d hesitated to chime in for much of the time, uncomfortable with sharing so much with a lion who’d just been broken out of prison.
“Not in the way you think, though…” Shabaha clarified, “We all tried to overthrow Simba and his family. Kiiiinda like you tried to. Funny how things just come full circle, huh?”
The rest of the Guard frowned, not ready for Shabaha to skip so far ahead and say something borderline controversial. However, they still faulted their own selves for even starting to tell Kiume anything.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” the male nodded, “Guess we have a bit in common, the lot of us.”
The Guard collectively sucked in air through their teeth, feeling unfavorably compared with their most recent sworn enemy.
“What I mean is that… I wanna get better. Like you guys.”
“Yeah, right.” Shabaha rolled her eyes.
“No, really. After getting to know you guys, I haven’t really felt the need to put up so many walls.” the male nodded to himself, “I wanna do what I can to make up with the Royal Family.
“That had better be the reason you’re doing all this,” Imara grunted, “and you’re sure you’re taking us to the right place?”
“Absolutely.” his voice echoed a bit. “I know this part of the Outlands very well. Guiding you all through the Outlands is my way of showing gratitude, which is the first step to making up for my actions towards the rest of the pride.”
The Guard exchanged looks, unable to make out what exactly they found baffling about what Kiume had just said. It’s like he’d made up his own rules of how to be good right on the spot. Their already low confidence in him guiding them through Udaka Caverns was declining. The looks they’d given each other were a silent agreement to stay wary of the male lion.
Pretty soon, all the lions found themselves making an abrupt halt, with the maneless lion gesturing left to a dark, twisted cave. They followed him through the confusing maze. Pretty soon, the light at the end was illuminated by natural blue light, and the orange glow of lava.
“Our next stop.” Kiume smiled. “We’re close to Vitani, I bet.”
The Guard looked deep into the cave that Kiume pointed to with his head. They all promptly exchanged looks of awe at what was inside.
What stood before them was bizarre, to say the least. A large formation had stuck out among the thousands of stalactites and stalagmites that spiked the entrance. Three large lumps of an unknown substance were the centerpiece of the cave.
The maneless lion puffed out his chest, “Passers-by call this section of Udaka Caverns, ‘The Cave of Eternal Roars’.”
“Yeah, that sounds like a good place to be.” Shabaha quipped.
Kasi scoffed, “What animal is passing by here?”
“Maybe bats?” the Keenest of Sight guessed, “Usiku’s colony lives in these Caverns. But… I don’t think I’ve heard him mention it.”
Imara hunched slightly to whisper in Tazama’s ear, “I think Kiume just came up with it to be cool. I wouldn’t be too sure about everything he’s saying.”
Kiume cocked an eyebrow, overhearing the Strongest. His expression became blank and disinterested. He watched as the Lion Guard inched closer to the three large lumps.
Kasi tilted her head, “Y’know, these look a lot like the Termite Mounds we had at our old home.”
“Mm-hmm.” Kiume hummed, less than enthused.
“Can’t be,” Tazama inspected, “couldn’t survive being housed with constant lavaflow.”
“Would have to be igneous rock, then.” Imara said, gently taking a claw to the cave walls she figured were the same substance, “Would explain the perforated surface.”
“If it sticks to my tongue, then it’s definitely igneous rock.” Shabaha piped.
“You just want to lick just about every new thing you see, huh?” Kasi muttered.
Kiume chuckled, mostly under his breath. The ladies were funny, and he was admittedly remorseful to not see that before.
He ducked as he turned for another cave, scouting for the next turn. Unnoticed by the Guard, he disappeared into the pitch blackness.
Once Shabaha was closer, she began to notice more and more details. This thing definitely had a mouth, and eyes, and what looked like a large mane.
“Hey, these look a lot like lions!”
The rest of the Guard got closer, too.
Imara squinted, “These formations can’t be natural. It’s too uncanny.”
“Yeah…” Kasi rubbed her shoulder nervously, “uncanny…”
“Could they be sculptures?” Imara wondered.
“Like, sculpted by a Royal Mjuzi? Guess one of the Mjuzis from the past got sick of the whole painting tradition.” Kasi quipped.
Mjuzi… Tazama remembered that Kiume had been showing them paintings all throughout the caverns. Her eyes focused on the walls for any paintings that could explain what they were seeing.
“Hiyo Kali!” she exclaimed, “I think this is our answer!”
Kasi and Imara turned their attention to the Keenest of Sight. She stood at a rather faded painting on an adjacent wall to the cave entrance. It showed a red-maned lion roaring towards a volcano with animals running away from it. Next to that were three dark brown lions with red eyes falling into a crevasse.
“Is that Askari?” Kasi’s brows furrowed.
“Who are those guys?” Imara asked.
“I wish I knew. If I’m not mistaken, that yellow splotch up there would be the Mark of Evil, but I’m not sure…” said the Keenest of Sight.
Hearing the Bravest chuckle behind her, Imara glanced back at Shabaha.
“Hey, don’t lick that.”
“I wasn’t!” Shabaha put her tongue away, “I was just gonna give him a boop. Boop!”
Shabaha promptly poked the largest lion figure on the nose. Just then, the delicate surface began to crack. Pretty soon, a good chunk of it had crumbled away, revealing the very recognizable skull of a lion. As the natural casting of the lion’s fossils broke away, the well-preserved bones began to fall to the ground.
“OOOOKAY –” Shabaha yelped before leaping back, horrified.
The rest of the Lion Guard had also begun to freak out.
“Hell, no!” Imara bellowed.
“What the –?” Kasi looked back at the wall and saw a third painting.
The three lions were pictured surrounded by a radiant shape, one that looked much like the mouth of the cave they were at. Above the three lions was what looked like an illustration of orange liquid flowing over them.
“Lava…” Tazama figured.
“Kiume, are these the Evil Lions of the Past?” Kasi turned to where she last saw him, “Kiume…?”
Just then, a large boulder dropped into the lavabank in front of them. They leapt back before droplets could hit them. They all looked up at the source.
“They are, indeed.” said a male voice.
Above them stood Kiume, who sat just outside the natural skylight that illuminated the cave. His paw rested on another boulder.
“Though, ‘evil’ is a little extreme of a word for those lions. They were just doing their jobs as lions, but… you and all the Lion Guards that came during and after Askari’s time didn’t like the order of things. So, Askari murdered them in the most gruesome way possible. Like what’s happening to you. Funny how things just come full circle, huh?”
Shabaha scowled as her own words were thrown back at her, but no one scowled with as much sheer fury as Imara had.
“I knew it!” the Strongest roared.
“Kiume! What have you done?!” Kasi yelled upwards.
“I’ve done the Pridelands justice!” he roared, “I’m taking it over, with or without my boys! And I’m not worried about your little Leader, even if she did find you, she’ll be too devastated and powerless without you to go after me.”
“Look out!” shouted Tazama.
The other boulder made its way down. This time, closing off the cave entrance. The lionesses all noticed the pool’s levels beginning to rise. Their eyes traced the flow back to fresh magma that poured from holes in the walls, in which said walls were now perforated from the violent vibrations of the boulder’s impact. They backed away from the lavabank to the coolest part of the stone surface they stood on.
Looking up, they saw the maneless lion push the largest boulder above ground to close off the skylight.
They were completely trapped.
Kiume rose above the surface in hopes of seeing Pride Rock, only to instead find the forepaws of a lioness standing at the edge he used as leverage. Glancing up, he realized he had a rather unexpected guest.
“Kiara,” he smirked, “What a surprise to see you out here. With no escorts, for once, I might add. Quite the achievement. Out here, all alone, defenseless. It’s perfect. Simba will have to trade his leadership to me if I got you as a bargaining chip.”
“We’re truly alone?” Kiara glanced around to make sure, “Perfect, indeed.”
Just as Kiume went to grab Kiara’s shoulder, something felt odd. He felt a pulling sensation in his paw. He looked up at Kiara to see what was going on, only to see her eyes glowing a ghastly cyan.
He heard the Princess make a cackle unlike any laugh she’d ever made just before grabbing his muzzle.
Pretty soon, the rest of his body felt weaker, and like it had been emptying. Rapidly.
The maneless lion tried to scream, but his mouth was covered with a clamped paw.
Pretty soon, his attempts to scream were replaced with a dry groan.
A loud thud echoed across the empty valley.
Vitani and Jasiri finally walked out of the arena. Muttering amongst themselves the revelations they had about their newly-made discoveries of the Outlands’ history.
Despite the two each spending their earliest years growing up in the land, neither knew that it was once a functioning society with its own system. A rather corrupt one, but Jasiri had learned that she had not been the only animal to have become the Outlands’ official leader.
“Jasiri! Jasiri!!” a voice yelled.
“Janja!” the Prime Minister responded, “What’s going on?!”
“Some kinda jailbreak is what’s goin’ on.” he said, “Kiume’s been freed!”
“What?!” Jasiri threw her head back.
“Yeah, and we was attacked by her Lion Guard!” he glared at Vitani. The rest of the clan growled at the lioness.
“What?” Vitani was appalled, “They would never do that…”
“Vitani…” Jasiri turned to her new friend, “I thought you were starting to trust us…”
“I…” the Fiercest tried to speak.
“I think they’re the ones who broke Kiume out of his cell, too!” Janja snorted.
“Could they have followed him?” Jasiri wondered.
“Followed him?” Vitani balked, “Are they out of their minds?!”
Suddenly, the Fiercest could hear voices from inside the caverns she and the hyenas stood just outside of. The voices were shouting, struggling, and arguing, all in a way only Vitani would recognize.
She booked it. Whether the hyenas were to follow along or not, it didn’t matter to her. She didn’t care what they thought of her, anymore. She just needed to find her friends.
Pretty soon, by Jasiri’s lead, the hyenas did follow suit. All except one.
The Prime Minister noticed Janja wasn’t running with her. She slowed down and looked back.
"You were right, Jasiri. We are all the same. The same, no-good, evil hyenas. That's all everyone thinks we are..."
“Janja…” Jasiri sighed, “It was a misunderstanding. It… It has to be.”
“They’d rather follow a bad lion than let a hyena even breathe in their direction! If anyone’s ‘misunderstanding’, it’s me with whatever’s goin’ on, here.”
“I’ve been with Vitani long enough to get a good read on what kind of lion she is, and what I see is someone who wants to change, along with her friends. Like a certain hyena I know.”
“Whuh? Who?”
She rolled her eyes, still loving Janja’s clueless side.
“I’ll be with you the whole time.”
“Hnnggh, alright...” he groaned, cracking the slightest smile.
_________
In the cave, the Guard continued tirelessly to look for an escape to no avail. Imara tried to push the large boulder on the ground away, Kasi tried to climb out with her nimble skills, and all even tried to assemble steps with the hope of escaping through the ceiling, but the effort to remove the boulder above them would prove to be dangerous, if not null due to its impossible heaviness. Nothing would make the lava stop rising.
They all stopped in their tracks to look at each other for the longest time, finding themselves sobbing. They approached each other, nuzzling and embracing tightly, not knowing what else to do.
They all started to recall their days as cubs. Meeting each other on the way to the paradise animals called the ‘Pridelands’, bantering and playing as they aged following the recommended path from the Namib Desert to the Serengeti. Just before they could reach the land, however, Zira intercepted them in the Outlands as they’d passed by, and told them her twisted narrative she’d dedicated years to crafting.
Growing up, the four believed Zira was the rightful Queen consort, Kovu was Scar’s heir as King, and Vitani, Kovu’s protector and enforcer – whom the Guard took a particular interest in as their friend and leader for most of their lives – were wrongfully ousted from their kingdom, and needed as much help as possible from the army of Outsiders that grew over time, including them and their unique strengths.
Then they found their place in the Pridelands, once lost and without purpose until Vitani showed them the way. That day, they formed their own Lion Guard, a Lion Guard who was now about to perish looking for their leader and best friend…
“...Guys?” said a familiar voice behind a wall.
Their hearts dropped as they turned to the wall they heard the voice from. Could it be…?
“Vitani!” Shabaha shouted.
“Guys!” Vitani shouted back, “Shabaha! Is that you?!”
“Yeah!” the Bravest cackled in shock and disbelief.
“Vitani?” the rest of the Guard each said, astonished.
“I can move this wall with my Roar.”
“No,” Kasi said from the wall, “you can’t. Lava will pour out!”
“The only way out is up.” Imara added, “There’s a boulder on top of the cave. You gotta wedge it out.”
“Got it. Hold on!” Vitani turned to the hyenas, “Everyone, follow me. You don’t want to be caught up in a lava wave.”
The hyenas followed Vitani out of Udaka Caverns, racing to the top.
“...’Everyone?’” Kasi asked the rest of the Guard.
Just then, a rumble could be heard from the cave. Vitani used the Roar to carefully lift the large boulder that acted as a lid. Janja and his hyenas instinctually ducked and held unto the ground for dear life, remembering their fair share of being Roared at. The Fiercest peeked down below, horrified at the peril her friends were in.
The Guard stared back up at Vitani, noticing she was surrounded by hyenas.
“Oh, I see.” the Fastest muttered.
“I don’t think I know how to lift animals like Kion can, yet.” the Fiercest said to Jasiri with growing panic.
As Vitani and Jasiri tried to devise a plan, Janja stared into the cave below as it rapidly filled with lava. Scowling at the Guard for their unfair treatment of hyenas. Every swipe and kick he received from them came back to him as he looked them all in the eyes.
He’d remembered the day he trapped Jasiri and two very young cubs from her clan in a large geyser. He’d been completely under Scar’s control around that time, believing he needed to eliminate any force that had a hold on him that wasn’t Scar. He would either confess his feelings to Jasiri and join her side, or she would never be an obstacle in his life again.
But… he was a good hyena, now, and knew that he would have deeply regretted seeing what would have come with winning his fight with Jasiri that day, if it wouldn’t have rendered him into a cold and heartless killer.
He resented the actions of Vitani’s Lion Guard that occurred earlier today, but he was not about to let another animal suffer the terror of impending death by molten lava. He reached down and held out a paw for any of the four lionesses to grab.
“Come on boys! Let’s help ‘em up!” he grunted.
The ragtag team of male hyenas followed his order. Groups of two or three hyenas each made an effort to pull the lionesses to safety.
Vitani stared wide-eyed at the hyenas, impressed. “That’ll work.”
She and Jasiri promptly helped the rest carry the Guard out.
Once above ground, all of the lionesses pressed against each other in relief. Happy to see each other again. The affectionate gesture was very uncharacteristic and rare, but very much needed.
“I don’t see Kiume with you.” Vitani looked around.
“No,” Kasi said, “he’s the one who trapped us down there.”
“The bastard!” Vitani hissed, “Could be anywhere, by now.”
Suddenly, they all heard a rumble below. The section of the cavern began to close in on itself. They all leapt out of the way before the ground gave way.
Udaka Caverns permanently changed that day. Half of its ceiling was gone, with its debris dropping into the lava below, cutting off its flow.
Lucky for them, for what was also underground was very unexpected. In another section that could be seen overhead were Rafiki and Makini, who sat by a painting on the wall. The conversations that the two mandrills nonchalantly had while not noticing the commotion around them had finally been disrupted.
Both parties stared awkwardly for a long time, still reeling from the near-death experience. Soon, the two mandrills released themselves from the embrace they made to shield each other from debris.
“Lion Guard! No way!” Makini beamed, “Come look at these paintings! We wanted to tell you about them all day!”
“Umm… One second.” Vitani quickly turned to her Lion Guard and the hyenas, “Kiume… He’s on the loose.”
“Don’t sweat it, Vitani.” Janja said, “We’ll take it from here!”
“Please, Janja, at least let my Guard and I repay your clan by helping you.”
“Nah, you go on.” he insisted, “Sounds pretty important if Rafiki’s callin’ you. Come on, boys!”
The hyenas bolted out of the cavern, ready to pursue the runaway convict.
Unbeknownst to them, they’d dashed past Kiara, who had been hiding under the shade of a rocky protrusion. As they left her sight for Insika Canyon, she slid out from her hiding place, heading towards somewhere to listen in on the Lion Guard.
“Did… you two make all the paintings we’ve been looking at all day?” Vitani asked.
“Us?” Makini chuckled, “Oh, no. We’re restoring them!”
“Yes.” said Rafiki, “We are restoring them to how they looked before they were weathered by generations of the Outlands’ elements. The paintings you see in the Outlands were all originally made by past Mjuzis. Most were made by the Mjuzi of Askari’s day, except for the ones on this wall.”
The Lion Guard and Jasiri all turned to the series of images. There were many small paintings of a particular lion in different stages of his life, showing significant events: One was of a much younger him in a hunched and saddened position, the other with him receiving bite from a cobra, and one with him turned away from Pride Rock. What stood out the most, however, was a large effigy of him sitting under the Mark of Evil symbol, holding a bluish-black cobra, and looming over an emphasized depiction of a cub with a familiar head stripe.
“When Makini showed me a painting Vitani had made of her visions last night, I recognized the lion with a red mane and a Mark of Evil over his right eye.
“Recently, I felt a spiritual connection draw me towards the Outlands, and I had found these paintings as a result. I found myself dearly missing my mentor – the one who created the paintings of this lion, here. She called him: Nyoka…
“Nyoka was a despicable lion who had been banished before Mufasa and Scar were ever born, as he gave into the venom that controlled his mind, much like the evil lions from Askari’s time. He resided right here, in this very part of the Outlands, where my mentor would see sightings of him while she studied older paintings in her free time.
“He is the lion responsible for giving Scar his very own Mark of Evil.”
“What…?” a few members of the Guard muttered.
Watching them from above, Zira’s spirit, still taking over Kiara, was also shocked.
‘What?’ she thought, ‘But, Scar told me his father gave it to him! That mandrill couldn’t possibly be telling the truth!’
“Hold on,” Shabaha interjected, “who’s that cub under him? It looks like Zira.”
“Correct.” Rafiki confirmed, “Nyoka is Zira’s father.”
Vitani’s jaw dropped. Her grandfather… She saw her grandfather in her vision of the past…
Mother never spoke of him, and yet Vitani got to see him for herself. The old mandrill then continued.
“After receiving his Mark of Evil, Zira’s father tried to finish what his ancestors started. His first step was to contact them, but my mentor would not let him have her Staff. He instead entrusted his daughter to help him form a new plan…”
Vitani began to feel numb, Rafiki’s voice becoming incoherent muffling. She stepped closer to the wall, and began to mindlessly run a paw down it, realizing the family resemblance, which became clearer and clearer.
Her mother’s prejudice towards hyenas, her supremacist teachings, and her love for Scar and desire to rule the Pridelands all made sense, now.
“I’m… a descendant of the Evil Lions of the Past…”
The Lion Guard, Jasiri, and Makini all gasped, having not thought of it that way before, now that Vitani had put it that way.
The Fiercest growled, “That’s why I can’t hear the Great Lions of the Past, because I descend from the other side of the conflict with Askari – the wrong side! I can never escape my destiny.”
“Vitani,” Jasiri placed a paw on Vitani’s shoulder, “you are so much more than your ancestors. You gave hyenas a chance on your own. And before you say anything about it – Yes, you have the Roar for a reason. You saved your friends with it. You’ve saved many animals with it. You’re a hero of the Pridelands and the Outlands.”
Vitani eased her tense body, “I guess so. Thank you, Jasiri. You’ve been nothing but supportive today, and… I appreciate it.”
‘So… my own daughter thinks I’m evil…’ Zira thought, ‘And here we have that little hyena softening her up and reinforcing why I’m the bad guy. Vitani wants to see ‘evil’? I’ll show her ‘evil’... I’ll show them ALL!’
She quickly disguised her fury with a cold, calculative attitude, carefully slinking away from the open ceiling of the caverns, slipping into the shadows, unseen by any creature of the Outlands as she made her return to Pride Rock.
_________
Later That Evening…
After hours of sharing stories and showing each other the paintings that were scattered across the Arena to Udaka Caverns, the Lion Guard, Jasiri, and two mandrills ascended to the ground. They were heading home, prepared to share their newfound knowledge of the Outlands’ history. History that changed the way they viewed the land, forever. A place filled with centuries-old mysteries of the desolation of the land, and the morbid deaths that had taken place, giving the place a reputation as a curse-riddled wasteland.
They were now in Insika Canyons, which had a thick fog uncharacteristic of the region. They looked around, all mutually unsettled by their surroundings.
“Do you think the hyenas found Kiume, yet?” Kasi wondered.
“Yeah,” Imara agreed, “you’d think we might’ve heard something –”
Just then, the entire group heard a garbled noise nearby. The fog cleared a bit, revealing something that lay on the ground. Vitani, who’d approached first, was horrified at what she saw.
It was her old enemy, for sure. But he’d been almost half the size he was, horribly gaunt with a severely cracked nose and lips. He looked like he had the life sucked out of him with how dehydrated he looked.
“Kiume…?” the Firecest said, stopped in her tracks, “What happened to you? Who did this?”
The maneless lion slowly turned his head, spending nearly all of his energy making the slightest move.
“The P-Princess… Sh-She…” he groaned dryly.
“She what?” Vitani was urgent, “Is she okay?”
He tried to speak once more, but could only manage a few squeaks before his head abruptly dropped back to the ground, his face fixed in a permanent expression.
Vitani stepped back a bit, looking back at everyone standing behind her.
Kiume was dead.
“The Princess?” Kasi balked, “What did Kiara have to do with this?”
“Even in death he’s blaming lionesses for his problems…” Shabaha shook her head.
Vitani wanted to silence Shabaha’s remark, but felt herself starting to see the lack of logic. No way the King and Queen would have let Kiara get this far out here.
“Still, we have to go.” the Fiercest turned back to the lion’s corpse, “What are we gonna do about – ?”
“Don’t worry, Vitani.” Jasiri sighed with a heavy heart and head, “The Outlanders will take care of it. You should just worry about heading home.”
“Thank you, Jasiri.” Vitani gave a nod, “For everything…”
The Guard, Rafiki, and Makini watched as vultures circled above where Kiume stood. The rest of the hyenas gathered by Jasiri, discussing the issue. The group hurried the direction of Pride Rock.
_________
By nightfall, the King and Queen were told everything; the Outlands’ literal unearthed history, and of Kiume’s sudden, unexplained death, and what was to be done about the latter.
Kiara had already been checked on by the Guard. She had appeared to be peacefully sleeping, making the Guard deem it unlikely that she had interacted at all with Kiume, today.
Vitani listened to Rafiki, Simba, and Nala discuss amongst themselves from outside Pride Rock. She sat at the edge, disturbed by the day’s events.
Vitani felt an ache in her chest. Aside from Kiume’s disturbing death, her mind kept repeating the revelations she’d had about her family today.
The Mark of Evil was the cause of a chain of events: From her deranged ancestors to her grandfather, who, outside of Scar, made her mother the way she was, and all of that being why she involved her children in a needless war between prides and species. It seemed that every generation of her family was cursed by the actions of her ancestors, and that she and her brothers had been shaped up to carry on that legacy.
And poor Nuka… she now knew why his spirit was made of fire. The Great Lions spoke to him, but, he never joined them. She wondered if Nuka would ever belong anywhere.
The old mandrill, having finished his conversation with Simba and Nala, hobbled out of Pride Rock, noticing the Leader of the Lion Guard in deep thought. He sat beside her.
“Rafiki…” the lioness turned to him, “is there a way I could put an end to this family curse? Being unable to talk to the Great Lions, your brother being a fire spirit like Scar and other Evil Lions. I wanted to have a purpose as a Pridelander, and I thought I found it, but I really don’t know what I’m doing.”
The mention of Nuka’s spirit had reminded the mandrill of something.
He held out his hands, “Sometimes, sacrifices must be made in order to do good…”
One year ago, at the Elephant Graveyard…
The old mandrill sat on a high ledge as he watched the Leader of the Lion Guard pant heavily – her claws gripping the ground tightly with rage and heartache. In order to keep up with her, the mandrill had swiftly and diligently bounded after her, but with an alternate path to keep from being noticed.
He could hear Vitani’s cries for her older brother, among her grievances regarding everything else that had gone wrong and out of her control. His brows furrowed just before he closed his eyes.
It was time…
Rafiki gripped his Bakora Staff tightly one last time, gently pressing his forehead to it affectionately, silently thanking it for its many years of a very special and one-of-a-kind connection to the Lions of the Past. Even the memories of its more mundane uses, and the instantly recognizable rattling of its gourds had tugged at his heart.
With a careful and quiet hand, he dropped the sacred tool into a large geyser. The Staff caught fire as it sank into the molten liquid inside.
The now former Mjuzi leapt off the ledge and out of Vitani’s sight, just before she unleashed the powerful Roar that sent every geyser around her gushing with glowing steam, which would end up being the final step to summoning her brother, who to this day had manifested in flames upon being summoned.
Although he could no longer connect to the Lions of the Past any longer, Rafiki still remained spiritual.
“When I saw you in need of spiritual guidance, I had to help you summon the one relative I knew that you knew.” he said.
“Well, it just figures that Nuka is made of fire.” Vitani scoffed, “He’s also a descendant of Askari’s enemies.”
“Nuka is in limbo.” Rafiki corrected her, “He is pulled between two forces. He takes on the form of what he’s been summoned in, and he hears the voices of not only the Great Lions, but, if he’s not careful, he could hear the Evil Lions, too. But, he has you keeping him on the right path.”
“He needs to be freed from that tug...” Vitani muttered. She stiffened, suddenly getting an idea.
She realized what she must do: She must stop the cycle with a sacrifice of her very own. She was ready to relinquish her Fire Roar, and to free Nuka’s spirit with forgiveness from herself and Kovu, like Kion with Scar’s spirit.
She could see that she was holding onto Nuka for far too long, and that keeping his spirit tied down where there was nonstop rain was making him suffer.
She would head to bed with countless thoughts of enlightenment racing in her head, preparing for tomorrow morning when she would catch Kovu and finally show him what she had been hiding from the Royal family all this time.
To Be Continued…
_________
Author's Notes:
The petrified Evil Lions of the Past and the Cave of Eternal Roars is based on the plaster castings of the citizens of Pompeii, as well as the terracotta army found in Emperor Qin's underground tomb, respectively paralleling the result of a volcanic disaster as well as serving the purpose of freezing the feared army of a powerful emperor in time. I've always been fascinated by both historical sites due to their perfect preservation, and the rollercoaster of implications and historical context that can clearly be told by looking at them.
Udaka Caverns is what I call the location that the Lions Over All musical number took place in TLG. "Udaka" is Zulu for "lava"/"mud"/"muck").
Insika Canyon is what I call the region of Janja's clan's old home. I noticed their home was comprised of pillar-like earth structures, which are called hoodoos. "Insika" is Zulu for "pillar".
Zira's confusion over Scar's origin story is a jab at multiple sources, be it Disney, licensed by Disney, or long-established fanon, which all tell incredibly different storie on how he got his scar.
In older drafts of Mystery of the Outlands, the original plot was to be that Vitani and the Guard would be called to the Outlands by Janja and Jasiri, who need help finding Wema and Tunu, who at some point trap the Lion Guard in the cave as they still feel residual distrust for lions. Once I started thinking about bringing Kiume back into VG, I started running out of room and interest for the Wema and Tunu plot. I also thought it was just a little extreme for Wema and Tunu to be like that. I instead relegated their appearances in the form of a cameo.
Artist Notes:
Kiume's ear tufts in the first thumbnail are deliberately curved inwards to resemble devil horns, showing his true nature.
The composition of the cave painting of Nyoka (AKA Strange Lion), Zira, and the Evil Lions of the Past is kind of my twisted take on icon wall paintings found in churches. Figured the parodied art form would be fitting for someone with a divine complex like Nyoka.
The last image in Rafiki's flashback sequence is mostly comprised of reused assets from the file I used for Episode 5: The Summoning, not only to make drawing a lot easier, but to illustrate just when the flashback takes place. I had backgrounds and props that I'd already painted almost three years ago. I had to reinstall GIMP on my new laptop just to get access to my XCF files and move the images to Photoshop (what I use now).
The amount of illustrations/chapter thumbnails made within a short time are a new record: Only 8 days to create all of them, completed on March 24th. The main cause for delay was the writing and trying to make sense of the story with as much detail as possible with the hope of preventing any possible plotholes.
