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“I warned you.”
The Soothsayer’s mockingly pitying voice echoed softly over the condemned pride, the final resistor jerking helplessly within their saviors jaws before she gave a final twitch and died, taking her unborn and the remainder of the Pride’s hope with her. Not even their Prince would be able to defeat his mighty father. He had always been a negotiator, terrible at fighting, although that had perfectly suited the pride who was tired of violence. He’d become best friends with several other unlikely predators, big and small, who were more than happy to help him defend his title against possible invaders. He was like a godsend. He was likely dead by now, killed by his father the Savior and the supposed “true evil” the Soothsayer spoke of.
“Oh dear Soothslayer. Don’t frighten my subjects that way.”
The soft, almost friendly voice startled all the lionesses stiff. He was alive? They looked up, frightened for him, about to beg him to run when they froze. The Prince, though undoubtedly still him, was someone else entirely. His eyes glowed a menacing yellow and black veins visibly traced along his body. He was stained with no blood, and was carrying the last remaining cub of the pride gently by the scruff. She was sleeping peacefully as if nothing was wrong. The pride held their breath. It appeared their beloved prince had also been possessed. But even so, the prince had always been smaller and weaker, so if need be perhaps they could at least take him down. But not as he carried the cub.
“Oh hi girls! Glad to see you all have survived this long. I don’t know what I’d have done if father killed ALL of you that quickly.” He laughed. His voice was the same as always. Like nothing was different. He put down the sleeping cub carefully. “Now then. Here’s how-“ he was cut off by vengeful roar as a weeping lioness lunged at his throat, determined to put the Prince out of his misery. Only for his best friends to intercept her mid way, pinning her at his feet. “Goodness mother. I’d rather not kill you, you know? You carrying my little siblings after all.” He licked his lips. “My subjects.” The primal holding her down chuckle goodheartedly. “Her punishment can be delayed my liege.” The pride stared in confusion. His friends seemed normal. The same as always, they weren’t possessed in the slightest! So why?
“Stupid lionesses. Look. They think the our Liege isn’t of his right mind. This is why I wish you have chosen to be born as a leopard my love.” The beautiful leopard sighed as she flopped down lazily. She had always been quite the flirt when the Prince was around, despite her species.
The serval, their prince’s Vassal, who had mysteriously appeared beside him practically the moment he had been born pressed against his chest playfully. The two were practically inseparable, the queen had even suckled them together when they couldn’t find the Serval’s mother. It was odd, but the queen simply had felt compelled to. “They never really got it. The Soothslayer told you, didn’t he? Evil was breaking through the seal. The seal was broken when the prince was conceived. Our liege had been born after you chased him out. He is, and always has been ‘The Evil’. He’s who he’s always been. His personality is the same and his goals. Just because you all fell for his ‘Kind Prince’ act doesn’t mean he’s possessed. He’s just letting his true form start to show. We are his servants. His demons. We came to his side to assist him in his goals. Not you. Want evidence? Look at your Savior” He sneered as he said the title mockingly.
They tore their eyes from the Prince to look at his father. He was groveling in the dirt before his son, trembling even. The Prince smiled in what seemed like a kind way. “Oh father. For a mortal you did a good job. You will be spared…but you will remain under the control of my generals. Your life as the Savior and as my ‘father’ ends today. That lion is dead. You are reborn. You are my servant. I spare you only because you are useful and because you did allow my coming to this realm.” He turned to his mother, his glowing yellow eyes now cold. “As for you, mother” he spat the word as if it sickened him. “You are useful only for the spawn you carry within you. But you will have no more use after that. Your second litter will be your last litter. That is the nature of devil spawn after all. Perhaps I might have allowed you to live as you too, helped bring me into this life. But the body you provided me is small and weak. This is on your side. This I blame you for. And now you tried to end the very life you helped create.” His mother’s sapphire blue eyes were wide with horror and grief. The primal’s front claws dug deeper into her neck and head as he continued. “…Your eyes will do for now. I always did love them. But you don’t deserve them. When my siblings are born you will meet your end at their fangs. But for now…” He nodded towards the massive tiger who slowly walked towards her pinned form, claws extended.
The Prince turned towards the rest of the pride, bright and cheery once more, despite his mothers guttural cries and screams as her eyes were cruelly taken. “And now. I take great pleasure from the thought of seeing you all bear my siblings. But there is one of you here who is too young to be expecting yet isn’t my sibling…” His eyes slowly cast downward at the sleeping cub he had brought to them. “Lion cubs. Truly disgusting.” He scoffed and suddenly swiped at the cub with his claws extended, sending her flying, a cry of pain forced from her tiny lungs. “This is just an example of what you all can expect should you fail to follow through on the Soothslayer’s prophecy. Though I suppose either way it won’t end well for you.” He hummed and let out a small whistling sound. The cub attempted to scramble away in confusion, only for large talons to dig into her scruff and yank her away from the ground and into the sky, letting her scream in terror.
Some lionesses tensed to lunge at the vulture only for the savior to step towards them threateningly. The Prince stepped towards them and his eyes suddenly flashed a deep orange. The earth behind them suddenly split with a violent rumbling, revealing a deep chasm which emitted a red glow. Screams and laughter could be heard. “Welcome home my dears. Welcome to your hell on earth...”
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