The land of Sanitatum is said to be filled with magic, but it is also plagued by a contagious curse that threatens humanity's survival. It is the purpose of the heir to the throne, Simba Adofo, to inherit his father's crown and find a way to vanquis...
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As he rode towards the Inner City walls, Simba could see the Adofo castle spires loom, piercing the very sky above his Kingdom's people. The monumental stone wall that encased the Inner City still showed its wounds from the invasion, nicks and burns flecked its skin like battle scars. It was adorned with three guarded gates with huge doors; a fortress in its own right. The wall's defense made storming the castle and the Inner City during the War of birds and Lions difficult, and delayed the War's end by several years. The wall itself was a trophy to display the King's power over the land he conquered.
Simba was entering the lion's den he had once called home, but no longer. What was erected before him was just a pretty assortment of stone. He started journeying back to the castle several days ago, and he constructed a plan to confront his father as the days passed by. A home doesn't require a strategy to return to.
Only war does.
The goal of this war was no mystery. Simba had several days to reflect on that day he arrived at the forest, and try to unravel his father's plans.
From what Simba knew to be true, the King was refusing the traditional abdication of the throne for succession. Simba couldn't ascertain exactly why, but power was a lust of which many in history followed to their deaths, taking armies to their graves with them.
But that's where Kasim was cunning; this move for power was disguised to the public as a story; like a play being performed to entertain an audience. In this play, a Prince went on a mission to save a Princess in a bewitched forest to prove himself worthy. Everyone loves a good fairytale.
Simba's traditional coronation was a perfect stage. Attended by commoners and oligarchs of the Kingdom alike, the opening act was sure to be talk of the town. An old saying could surmise nicely: rumors are more contagious than the curse itself. Everyone would know of the mission by the time the Prince returned for his mission. Rumor mongers would make it so. That was by design.
Kasim had lent his most trusted men to ensure Simba arrived at the supposedly bewitched forest to find the "Princess". Curiously, Nathair and his crew were the ones to inform Simba that Hari was afflicted. Simba never asked how they knew; it was the gloves Hari adorned that was enough proof at the time. Yet, Simba himself wore gloves to prevent infection. So did the rest of his Kingdom. No one could possibly know of Hari's affliction simply from his apparel. In a moment of panic, Simba trusted his squadron. He had no reason to distrust them at the time. That was by design too.
However, employing a variable character Kasim couldn't control in this ploy was overzealous; if not a sign of desperation. Hari was the only thing Kasim could not make bend the knee to his whim in the entire land; what was a King to a boy who didn't even know kings existed?
By Hari's quick tongue, Kasim's plan was exposed. Nathair was originally instructed to keep both boys alive. Hari and Simba couldn't play their parts if they were dead; unless the script was altered.
