[COMPLETE] African Pride

29. Strength Through Love

Scarlett hissed, her tongue flickering angrily in and out of her mouth. "I killed you once, and it'll be easy to do so again."

"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" I shot back.

The 'claws' on the energy being around me extended, a low growl rumbling in my chest. The fire of my gods blazed within me, and without hesitation, I lunged.

Scarlett whipped herself out of my way, my fist burying itself into the rocky caves, but I yanked it back, elbowing Scarlett in the back of her head. Her tail, that was wrapped around Victoria, Albert and Lei loosened, the three of them running to where my Father hid; crouched behind the altar.

"Shouldn't we help her?" Baba asked.

"Does she look like she needs help?" Lei remarked.

Scarlett slammed me into one of the walls, but I swung my foot around and kicked her in the gut.

"Nope," Albert answered.

"Kick her ass, Kara!" Lei cheered.

"Umm... snakes don't have asses," Albert pointed out.

"Then her tail! Kick her tail!" Lei yelled.

"Will you two, shut up and let me fight!?" I yelled at them.

From the chest of my spirit lion, I took a deep breath and roared with all my might. The force of the blast pushed Scarlett back, but she wrapped her tail around a stalagmite to steady herself.

"I... will... not... loose!" Scarlett shrieked.

The spirits began to retake their forms, the dark colors melting away and their brighter silhouettes revealing themselves again. They traveled to me, infusing themselves with my body while also increasing my power. Scarlett had disturbed this sacred location. She had tried to steal their magic. She had murdered an innocent cub in cold blood. All in the name of power.

A power she didn't deserve.

The spirits knew me, and I had served them faithfully and dutifully. In me, they would bless, in Scarlett they would curse.

I couldn't let her outside of the cave, who knew what type of destruction she could lay upon the human world. Scarlett whipped around, slamming her tail into my chest, sending me flying across the cave. My vision doubled, but I could see Scarlett's form slithering at me at a breakneck speed. She threw back her head, inhaling deeply before unleashing a column of venom that melted stone.

Gathering myself, I ran alongside the roof and sides of the cave, my clawed feet leaving footprints into the solid rock. My eyes shifted in all directions, making sure to meek myself one step ahead of her. We slammed into each other, the force of our blows making the cave shake and tremble, threatening to collapse.

Shoving Scarlett back, I dug my hands into the rock, igniting them in my palms and launching them as molten projectiles. Scarlett slapped one away with her tail, but couldn't dodge the other. Using this as a distraction, I slammed into Scarlett again, a clawed paw pressing against her throat as I panted, white light burning bright from my form.

"You have dishonored Our dwelling," I said, my voice sounding as if many inhabited my body. "You have no place here, or even among the living!"

With my other hand, I ripped through the air, tearing a hole through this world and the next. For a good-natured person, going into the spirit world would be a beautiful thing; but for one as wicked hearted as Scarlett...

"No!" she bellowed. "No! I will rule this world! I will have what's due to me! I will rule..."

"Rule this," I said, shoving Scarlett through the portal.