Because another lion finally entered the midst. Simba came like a loose cannon. His roar was extremely loud and shattering. His ears had become flat and his eyes only spoke of rage.
It was rage from seeing the state his brother was in.
The hyenas that got in his way were thrown aside or stomped on. Simba made his way to the coalition in a way fitting of one who shared blood with a monster.
Baraka stepped forward, being the largest. He was trying to tank the blow but how could he? Even if he was fully in his prime state, he wouldn't be able to stop Simba.
And in his current state, he was folded like a piece of rag.
The impact resounded. So violent was it that every animal dispersed. Simba rolled away with Baraka.
And Simba was only the start.
More lions came, Zael, Zafar and the two other lions.
4 lions against 7.
In that moment, the hyenas moved away to give space to the lions. Fights between animals were chaotic and they didn't want to bite the wrong lion. It was easy to tell apart hyenas from lions but lion and lion looked similar to them.
The hyenas could probably finish them off, but that would cause many deaths so it was the better option to leave the rest to the lions.
Zael and King Sumu were caught in a clash. No, calling it a clash would be too much. Zael ragdolled the tired and injured lion.
Another lion quickly joined in the fight but Zael was confident in taking two of them. He was not a stranger to battles like this either, he had experience from the Pridelands.
Zafar and his sons fought together, taking on all the remaining lions along with Scarface. It was 5 against 3.
But among all these different match-ups, the fight between Simba and Baraka was the wildest. They were around equal in size, and Simba's enraged violence was matched by Baraka who was a beast cornered.
The sound they made was truly unique, no one, not even a lion expert, would be able to tell that it was a fight between two lions. Baraka's sound was different because of his broken jaw and blood-clotted throat and Simba was different because he didn't grow up with lions. The sound he made when he fought sounded more like a tiger's instead.
Zael made quick work of one of the lions. He sunk his jaw into the neck of the lion. The lion struggled fiercely but soon, he was at death's door. The moment he was pinned still, the hyenas came in to attack as well.
Zael released his bite, leaving the corpse and turned towards Scarface.
"We haven't met," Zael said.
The reason why he talked was because he didn't want to be the one to kill Scarface. That should be the privilege of Leo.
"I'm Zael, king of the southern corridor," he said.
"Is it to your interest to know the name of the dead?" Scarface asked, not trying to initiate a fight either in his state.
"Well, I do want to know the name of the lion who could push my father to that state. Numbers or not, you did everything in your power and managed to push him unlike any being has done before," he said.
"Scarface," he said his name in the end, "Although seeing the current state, I guess my attempt wasn't worth much."
Scarface looked around at the dust-filled ground. His coalition was dying off one by one. The battle between Zafar and the remaining lions was also coming to an end. Simba could be seen dealing a finishing blow to Baraka.
"Even if Leo had not formed a coalition of his own, you would've never succeeded in this battle," Zael said.
And that was clear. Leo never really needed to call upon Zael, Simba or the other lions for this battle.
But what he needed them for was the aftermath. Leo would be dead or at death's door if he took this fight by himself. And after the battle, he would be too weak to defend his pride. A rogue lion could come and finish him off in the months that followed.
Or maybe the hyenas that were under him would strike at his moment of weakness.
In that way, the coalition of Leo was an assurance for after the battle. They were not really needed for the battle but instead, they were vital for what came after. And that included the sort of empire he was trying to build.
Zael was also mindful to reserve his strength. With the state Leo was in, he would be weak for a long time after this. During that time, the coalition or the alliance would need to protect and cover for him.
Half an hour later, the battlefield was silent.
All members of the coalition, except for Scarface, were dead. They were not only dead but they were being eaten. The sound of battle was replaced by the sound of munching and tearing flesh.
Vultures no longer flew in the sky but stayed on the ground, feeding on the corpses of the battle.
And finally, Leo made his move once more.
Leo got up from between the rhinos and slowly made his way towards Scarface. He was laying on the ground, completely exhausted after the adrenaline wore off.
When Leo reached him, he stood over him and pinned his head down by pressing his paw against the neck.
There were no words.
Leo's eyes were not filled with anger or bitterness. Instead, the light in his eyes showed gratitude for the lesson Scarface had taught him.
Slowly, Leo bent down. He bit at the mane near the neck and pulled the hairs away. Then he bent down again and pulled off the mane once more.
For a long time, Leo did that. He pulled off every bit of fur on Scarface's head. It was akin to a king being stripped of his crown and dignity.
All the animals stopped and watched the scene for a while.
And when Scarface was fully bald, Leo bent down and finally caught the neck between his jaws.
"Long live the king," were Scarface's last words.
And Leo killed him.
That put an end to the storm.
Incomplete kings found their completion in death.
And the other lions that remained were now true kings.
Leo stood on top of Scarface with his front legs.
And pulling all his last remaining strength.
He released a roar that could be heard for miles.
Every other sound was silenced as the roar echoed through the Serengeti.
The king of kings.
Not just a lion king.
The lion king.
..
..