Legends of Amacia Return of the Beowulf

Four hours later, General Hadiff stirred as the Healer finished healing his burns and broken bones. A moan escaped his lips as the darkness swirling around his brain lightened. When the murmur of people talking reached his ears, he snapped awake, realizing his pain was gone. “Where am I?” he asked softly, seeing himself in a strange place with a gigantic crystalline machine surrounded by numerous tables around it, one of which he laid on. “Am I dead?”

“No, General,” Hannibal stated, standing next to the table the General lay on looking down at him. “You’re very much alive and well. The Healer has repaired the damage you took in the eruption.”

Hadiff instantly noticed Hannibal no longer wore his battle armor, but a plain white shirt, tan trousers, and boots with his long hair pulled back in a ponytail. The General also noticed Kusanagi, Nemesis, Enoch, Hunter, and Horace standing around him dressed casually in trousers, shirts, and shoes. Only Nemesis was dressed differently, having on only a pair of trousers. They all smiled warmly at him. He looked at his bare arms and chest, marveling when he saw only minor scarring from the burns he took at the Bastion. “I’m healed,” he breathed. “How did you accomplish such a feat? Not even the Emperor’s Cadre can heal on this level.”

“You are in one of the Red Tower’s many healing chambers,” Enoch stated. “These healing machines are 1st Age tech and can heal almost anything given enough time. It seems your wounds weren’t as bad as we initially thought. How do you feel?”

“Thirsty,” Hadiff admitted, “But without any kind of pain. Why are you showing such mercy to me? I was one of those in charge of wiping out the people of Cushar.” When he started to sit up, Hannibal lent a hand, helping him move to a sitting position.

“Because we know your heart wasn’t in it,” Hannibal stated, resting his hand on Hadiff’s shoulder, “And to show you that we’re nothing like the Emperor. We value life, even yours, don’t we, Master Kusanagi?”

“That we do, milord Beowulf,” Kusanagi stated. “You’re as much a victim of the Emperor as we are.”

Hadiff suddenly remember the conversation before passing out in the portal chamber. “You claimed my wife and son were here. Did you find them?” he asked.

Hannibal smiled warmly. “We most certainly did,” he chimed. “Yuki, Hiroshi; come over here please.”

The group parted, showing a middle-age woman with bronzed skin, long dark brown hair, and a build similar to Hadiff wearing a gray kimono tied up with a belt. Tears of joy dripped from her greenish-gray eyes as she covered her mouth with her hand. A teenage boy with short brown hair and greenish-gray eyes stood with her wearing a tan shirt, trousers, and sandals. A look of shock and delight filled his face. “Dad?” he asked, his lips trembling.

Hadiff stared for a few moments, stunned. Then a broad smile crossed his face as he recognized his family. “Yuki, son; I believed you dead!” he cried in relief as the woman and boy rushed to him, embracing him. Hadiff kissed them both repeatedly, so happy to see his wife and son alive. “How did you get away from the Emperor?” he asked them.

“Enoch and Magnus liberated us when they came to the Black Fortress,” Yuki replied. “They spirited us away like ghosts when Beowulf came for his bride, Selina. He was still a mutated woman when he did that. I’m so glad he chose to save you.”

Hadiff looked at Hannibal in utter astonishment. “It’s true,” Hannibal admitted. “I raided the Black Fortress to get my beloved Selina back from the Emperor while I was still a mutated woman. But Selina wasn’t the only one I wanted to free. I came back for all the prisoners since I was tortured as one of them. Your wife and son here were among those we released first, according to Magnus. So, here they are as I promised, alive and in one piece. Will you join us now and fight alongside us against the Emperor?”

“You should join him, my husband,” Yuki urged. “They’ve been so good to us since we were rescued, unlike what the Emperor did to us. Please, help these people take the Emperor down.”

“I agree, dad,” Hiroshi said emphatically. “I do not feel threatened by these people and want to make the Emperor pay for what he did to our family. I’ve already joined their warriors. We need you, dad, and your experience. You know how the Emperor conducts war. These people need your insight.”

“You know this is treason,” Hadiff said bluntly to both Yuki and Hiroshi. “The Emperor is not going to let us live when he finds out about this.”

“He wasn’t going to let us live anyway,” Yuki replied just as bluntly. “You know this. We know this. Even Arzas knows this. This is our only chance at living a full life.”

“Your wife and son are right,” Horace stated. “I was like you, General. When Nemesis saved my life after I reported the failure of the Acheron operation, I decided I no longer wanted anything to do with the Emperor. All the promises were lies. The power he promised was severely lacking and the power I did get came with incredible pain when I exercised them. This is your chance, General. Take the plunge as I did. I’d rather die fighting against the Emperor’s evil than be a victim of it. You will not regret it.”

“Did Arzas join you as well?” Hadiff asked bluntly.”

“He has,” Hannibal stated. “In fact, he’s the reason you’re here and not vaporized at the Bastion. He carried you unconscious all the way to the fourth gate of the Bastion where we confronted him. He did so without being armed and begged us to save you. He freely admitted he wanted no more to do with the Emperor. Furthermore, he reaffirmed that oath not a half hour ago when we talked to him in the barracks.”

A sigh escaped Hadiff’s lips. “I have nowhere else to go,” he declared. “The failure of the Cushar operation sealed my doom. If I go back to the Emperor, I’m dead. Furthermore, Arzas is right. Neither of us have had a stomach for this useless and pointless slaughter. It’s one thing to fight an enemy who’s comparable to your own forces. But it’s a completely different thing to go in and exterminate every living thing, especially when they have no way to fight back. It’s the height of dishonor. Even as an officer of the 7th Division, I’ve always tried to operate honorably, but recent events have made it impossible. I’ve dishonored my family, clan, even myself in participating in such exterminations. I must regain my honor. Lord Beowulf, I shall stand with you against the Emperor. I can only hope I can regain my honor by fighting against the Emperor.”

Hannibal extended his hand formally to Hadiff, who shook it. “I accept your friendship and help, General,” he stated. “And by standing with us against this unholy evil of the Emperor, you have started on the path that will allow you to regain your honor. I know you to be a man of honor. Together, we shall restore your honor and make the Emperor pay for his dishonorable and despicable actions. Welcome to the Alliance.”

“Thank you, milord,” Hadiff replied gratefully. “You have my experience and knowledge anytime you need it.”

“We can use all the help we can get,” Hannibal replied, smiling. “But for now, just enjoy your newfound freedom from the Emperor with your family. Let your family help you adjust to this new reality. Know that the Emperor cannot reach you here and that it’s safe to be yourself. We will call when we need you.”

“Okay, Lord Beowulf,” Hadiff answered. “You’ve given me a reason to live. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Hannibal said pleasantly. “But can I get you to do something for me?”

“Name it,” Hadiff stated.

“You don’t need to call me Lord Beowulf,” Hannibal stated. “Just call me Hannibal. It’s my birth name and I prefer it. All my friends call me Hannibal. I’m nothing special, just a man caught up in something much larger than he is. If you want to call me Beowulf, I’ll permit it, but you don’t need to call me Lord Beowulf. Can you do that for me?”

Hadiff nodded with a grunt. “I’ll try,” Hadiff stated. “I’ve always called my superiors lord or master and it may take some time for me to break that habit. Failure to address our superiors properly was punishable by thirty lashes. The Emperor does not tolerate insubordination.”

“He’s right,” Horace agreed. “One of the first things learned by those who enter the Emperor’s military is protocol of how to address their superiors. The penalty for not addressing your superiors properly is exceptionally brutal.”

Hannibal sighed. “I see,” he said softly, “I know about military protocol intimately, but didn’t realize it was ruthlessly prosecuted in the Emperor’s military. Never fear, General; you needn’t worry about being chastised for not addressing me properly. We’re all friends here. But I will understand and allow it if it sets your mind at ease. In time, you’ll learn to call me by my name.”

“I appreciate that, milord,” Hadiff answered in a relieved tone. “Besides, I feel I should earn the right to call you by your birth name. You’re the leader of these people and deserve the respect and honor of that title. It’s only right.” He suddenly straightened up with a look of shock on his face.

“What’s wrong, General?” Hannibal asked, seeing his agitation.

“Arzas and I have doomed you and not realized it,” Hadiff declared grimly. “All officers are implanted with tracking devices the moment we became officers. We’ve put all of you at risk. The Emperor will surely track us when he finds out what happened at the Bastion to make sure we pay for our failure.”

“Relax, General,” Hannibal stated firmly, putting his hand on Hadiff’s shoulder. “We knew about the tracking chips from Nemesis, Horace, and Marvin. The moment you and Col. Commora were brought here, Nemesis surgically removed and destroyed the chips. The Emperor cannot track you any longer. We’ve done the same for all who turned against the Emperor, whether they be soldiers, officers, or prisoners. All tracking chips have been dealt with.”

“Hannibal is correct,” Nemesis insisted. “I personally removed the chips when you and Col. Commora were brought here to the Healing Chamber. You have nothing to fear. The Emperor cannot track you any longer.”

Hadiff’s eyes grew wide with first surprise and then gratitude as he touched the base of his skull where the neck attached to it, feeling a scar there and no chip. “You got the tracker out of my skull!” he breathed. “I remember when they put it in. It hurt like a son of a bitch. It’s really gone. I’m really free! Thank you, milord!”

“You’re welcome,” Hannibal chimed, smiling broadly. “Breathe the free air, my friend. You deserve it.”

“Did you do the same for Arzas?” Hadiff asked.

“Sure did,” Hannibal answered. “Both of you are free from the Emperor. Now, we have to fight for our freedom to keep it.”

“I will stand with you,” Hadiff stated. “You’ve given me a second chance at life. I shall not throw it away. Just let me know when you’re ready to hit the Emperor and I’ll stand with you.”

“I know you will,” Hannibal chimed. “But for now, just relax and enjoy yourself. Make some new friends. You may be surprised at how many people are willing to give you a chance.”

“Okay,” Hadiff replied. “Is there anywhere I can get something to eat? I’m famished.”

“I’ll show you to our cafeteria after we show you to your quarters,” Enoch stated, offering his hand. “Welcome to the fold, General.”

Hadiff shook Enoch’s hand, marveling at how much alike he and Hannibal looked. “Thank you, Enoch is it?”

“It is,” Enoch said with a smile. “Come, let me show you around. Master Kusanagi, will you join us?”

“Of course,” Kusanagi chimed. “It’ll give me some time to get to know the General.”

“That’s good,” Enoch stated as Yuki and Hiroshi helped Hadiff to his feet. “It’s good when people can talk without wanting to kill each other.”

“Amen to that,” Hannibal stated. “There’s far too much killing in this world. We fight over the stupidest things when we don’t need to. It’s stupid for us to fight amongst ourselves when the true enemy lurks in the Darkness waiting for us to degrade into complete chaos so it can pounce. Our enemy is the Darkness that spawned the Emperor, not one another. Only when we can put our arrogance, greed, and hate aside will we be able to combat that Darkness properly. We must unite in the Light in order to stand against the Darkness.”

“Hmmm, I never thought about it like that,” Hadiff admitted. “You truly are a wise man to have come to such a conclusion about the world, milord. I’m honored you chose to share it with me.”

“We are all children of the Light,” Hannibal stated, “...even though some of us have been lost in the Darkness for most of our lives. But that doesn’t mean we can’t find our way home to the Light. I speak of this from brutal experience. It’s only the mercy of the Almighty that allows us to find our way home to the Light. I thank Him every chance I get for that. In time, you will too. Oh, well...I must be going now. I have other obligations I need to attend to, but I will see you around, General. If you need anything or need to talk to me, just let me or Enoch know. We’ll be sure you get what you need.”

“I appreciate that, milord,” Hadiff replied, offering his hand to Hannibal, who shook it firmly. “It’s been decades since anyone other than Yuki and Hiroshi have shown me any kindness or respect. I look forward to fighting alongside you against the Emperor. You’ve shown me there’s more to life than just death and destruction. I pray I can atone for all the lives I took fighting for the Emperor.”

“You will,” Hannibal declared. “I can see your repentance and desire to make things right. I felt the same way when I turned away from the Darkness. Trust me, you will get your chance sooner than you think, and you’ll be able to get some payback too. But you mustn’t let your desire for revenge burn too brightly for that will lead you back into the arms of the Emperor.”

“I don’t want payback or revenge, just justice,” Hadiff assured everyone. “I know how revenge can darken and snare a soul. I’ve seen it too many times. It’s a road I don’t want to tread again.”

Hannibal smiled warmly and patted Hadiff on the shoulder. “Good; good, that’s the proper attitude to have,” he chimed. “We can work with that. It shows you have been completely taken by the Darkness, very good indeed. We can talk more of these things later if you like. I really have to go now. I’m late as it is. See you later.” With that, Hannibal walked away.

“He’s such a strange man,” Hadiff commented. “He’s so passionate and full of life. I can work with a man like that.”

“That’s good,” Nemesis stated, “Because that man is the physical embodiment of the ancient prophecies. Hannibal is the Last Caverias, the prophesied heir of Thoth and Ariel Caverias who will make an end of the Emperor’s evil reign once and for all.”

“Does he really have a celestial mate as the prophecies say?” Hadiff asked.

“He does, husband,” Yuki declared. “I have seen her. She’s what they call a Lynxian...a cat woman of incredible beauty and intelligence from another world. She and Enoch’s wife are twin sisters with a mother of exceptional beauty and a father that’s extraordinarily handsome. In time, you will get to meet all of them. I’m honored to list them as my friends.”

“Me too,” Hiroshi agreed. “And they’re not just beautiful, but so smart, kind, gentle, and patient with us. Unlike the Emperor and his Cadre, they don’t force their will on anyone, even though they have the power to do so.”

“That’s true,” Enoch said, nodding his head. “That’s what sets us apart from the Emperor and the Cadre. We do not force our will on anyone. And your wife is right about the Lynxians being beautiful. I was snared by Kida’s savage beauty and gentle personality. She’s my feline angel whom I would die for.”

“I’d like to meet her,” Hadiff stated. “I’ve heard of Lynxians from the Cadre, but have never seen one in the flesh.”

“That can be arranged,” Enoch replied, smiling. “Are you hungry? We can go to the kitchen after I show you to your quarters. I’m sure both Kida and Electra are there fixing dinner for us.”

“I’d like that,” Hadiff answered pleasantly, suddenly feeling safe and at home with Enoch. “I am a bit hungry.”

“Come on, then,” Enoch stated, “Follow me. I’ll give you the nickel tour as Hannibal suggested. Just know there are a few rules and areas of the Tower that are off-limits for everyone’s safety.”

“Of course,” Hadiff answered. “I promised to behave, and I will. After all, I don’t want to get Beowulf, you, or Nemesis pissed at me for doing something I shouldn’t. Just tell me where not to go and I’ll stay away. I swear it.”

Enoch smiled warmly. “Don’t worry too much about it,” he stated. “The secure areas are under guard with security doors and locks. If you see an area under guard, just stay away and you’ll be okay.”

“I can do that,” Hadiff answered, following Enoch out of the Healing Chamber with Yuki, Hiroshi, Nemesis, and Horace.

“Our first stop will be your quarters in the barracks,” Enoch declared. “You’ll be staying with your wife and son, if that’s okay with you.”

“It’s more than okay,” Hadiff stated, walking hand in hand with Yuki following Enoch out of the Healing Chamber.