The Fate of the Stone Lion

Chapter 7: Zeane

There Shadow stood, looking down at the body of Seph. The claw marks imbedded on his chest were deep. Even if Stone had managed to see reason, there would have been no saving him. It took everything for Shadow to hold himself together.

After Seph was killed, Stone returned to the clearing. The King had him follow him back to the kingdom. Shadow knew the odds of seeing his son again were close to none, but he would wait. He would never give up hope.

Stone sat next to the King who was sitting in his throne. The King was gently petting the top of his head and Stone was looking over the throne room. Something about this place felt evil, but he didn't really understand why.

The King stood and walked through a curtain behind the throne, which Stone knew went to the King's bedroom. Although Stone was the Kings favorite creature, even he was not aloud to enter. It occasionally made Stone upset, but he instead laid on a pillow and laid his head down, getting ready to sleep.

Stone awoke to find fog around him, looking as though it were starting to clear away. He sat there, waiting. He saw a figure walking towards him. Watching him.

“Who are you?” Stone shouted.

The figure stayed silent, but continued to walk towards him. All the sudden, the fog cleared entirely and Stone saw him surrounded by the clearing he had been in before he had gone mad and killed Seph. His eyes scanned over the figure and widened. It had a human-like body, but its head was that of an eagle. Stone looked at the creature in shock.

“I am Zeane, the messenger for the God of the Underworld, Hades.” The thing spoke.

Stone watched it before taking a fighting stance. “Why are you here?” Stone growled.

Zeane chuckled. “You think you can hurt me. How foolish.” Stone let a low growl loose from his throat. “I am here to inform you that you must fight.”

“Fight what?” Stone asked, letting his fighting stance wear off.

“Yourself.” He said simply. Stone looked at him, obviously confused. “You have killed your best friend. You have an uncomfortable feeling every time you come in contact with the King. You must fight this.”

Stone watched him, weighing what he had said. Part of him was happy that he had killed Seph, but there was a small part that was screaming in agony. How could he want something, yet not? What if what he was saying was true?

Stone's eyes turned from the red, back to there golden yellow. Zeane watched him carefully for a moment, before Stone started to feel immense pain. His eyes turned back to the red they were before.

Zeane watched him for a moment before the fog started to come back. Stone kept his eyes on Zeane as he seemed to walk backwards, away from him.

Shadow looked up from his spot sitting in the clearing and noticed footsteps. He stood up, immediately alert. He saw the a white tiger calmly step out of the trees, followed by the King. Behind the King was Stone, who was walking proudly.

“Stone.” Shadow whispered.

Stone looked at Shadow and snorted. “Shadow.” he said in reply, his voice firm.

The King watched the exchange with amusement before looking at Stone and nodding. Shadow looked at the exchange between the two and realized what was happening. The King wanted Stone to challenge him to a fight.

Stone walked past the King and the white tiger and stood in front of Shadow. A grin formed on his face, excited for what was about to happen.

“Shadow, great black lion, I challenge you.” Stone said, is voice devilishly low.

Shadow watched him for a second, trying to see if there was any hope of talking him down. His body language showed how proud we was.

“I accept.” Shadow growled.

Both lions let loose breathtakingly loud roar and got into a fighting stance. This is it. The fight is on.