The Lion Guard: King of Outremer

Chapter 12: Kion's Trial

The King of Outremer shivered as he lay almost naked in the cold, damp cell within Shetani's fortress. Kion wore only a pair of under trousers and clutched the worn blanket as his sole source of warmth. Every so often, Kion heard the scampering of rats nearby, but he never saw them in the darkness.

Kion sat alone, with his only company being the occasional Sonn guard who passed by. However, these brutes either ignored him or shouted insults that he couldn't understand. Kion paid them no heed and tried to occupy his mind with more productive things, like prayer.

He'd said the Lord's Prayer and Hail Mary more times than he could count, but every time the pain and anguish from Kopa's death and uncertainty of the fate of his Lion Guard wouldn't let him stop. That was until he heard the distinct sound of platter set down.

Kion glanced at the plate holding a small loaf of bread, some cheese, and an orange. For all the harshness of his confinement, Kion didn't suffer malnutrition. Though he knew this wasn't out of the kindness of Shetani's heart, he had to ensure Kion didn't die from disease, or he'd suffer a fate worse than death from Radcliffe for losing their prize.

Kion reached for the plate and slowly began eating. However, it wasn't long after he finished that the King realized someone was standing over him.

"Enjoy your meal, frank?" Shetani grinned with immense satisfaction on his face. Kion didn't respond, and two Sonn opened his cell before kicking his side. The King grunted as sharp pain racked his body.

"Ignoring your host isn't very kingly. No matter, you'll learn proper manners soon enough." Shetani knelt down and moved his head directly over Kion's.

"Now then, onto business. My King has charged me with a very important task, one that I'm very excited to see through. But that's beside the point. I've never failed him with something serious, and I have no intention of starting now. So, very soon, you will deny your God before me."

Kion hardened his gaze and looked back at Shetani with defiance.

"Never." Shetani grabbed Kion by the chin and squeezed as quick as a flash. He didn't look angry, quite the opposite. The Sonn Emir's eyes shimmered with excitement.

"Good, now I get to have some real fun."

Kion wailed in horrific agony as the spiked ends of three whips raked across his chest and back over and over again. Kion almost dangled from a wooden post in the fortress's courtyard while dozens of Sonn warriors laughed.

Shetani sat comfortably in a furnished chair opposite Kion, sipping on wine and eating an apple. Blood dripped down from Kion's muscular body to the ground, but he resisted it.

"That's enough!" Shetani roared. His men stopped, and the Emir slowly approached Kion before grabbing him by the chin again.

"Tell me frank, who do you worship?" Kion raised his head to meet Shetani's eyes.

"God, the Father almighty, his only begotten son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, one God in three persons."

Shetani narrowed his eyes but didn't lose his enthusiasm.

"Well then, it seems you tore him up nicely boys, we'd better make sure those cuts don't get infected." Shetani gestured one of the men to come over, and Kion felt his heart race faster when he saw and heard more snickering from the Sonn.

"Here you go!" A sadistic smile grew on the dismounted horse-archers face as he poured an urn over Kion and relished the horrendous wails as Kion realized it was vinegar. His countless lacerations screamed with a stinging sensation like a thousand hornet stings.