Legends of Amacia Rise of the Caverias
Chapter 16: Ghosts of the Past realized

Suddenly, Hanna was aware they weren’t alone. Argus and Nathanael sensed it at the same time. Hanna propped herself up on one arm and looked to the right as Argus and Nathanael did the same. At first, there was nothing. Then a hooded giant ten feet in height seemed to appear out of nowhere from behind one of the spires. Hanna pushed herself to a sitting position and clamped her hand around the ancient blade of Ezra Karac. Argus watched the figure closely as it approached, being protective of those in his care. The hooded giant slowly walked over as Nathanael rose, taking up a defensive position between the giant and Hanna. His hand weighed heavily upon his executioner’s blade. The giant walked to within ten feet of them and stopped, observing how Nathanael was being protective of Hanna. He turned his head toward Argus and spoke.

“It has been a very long time since you have graced our shores, guardian of Arionath,” the hooded giant said in a somewhat pleasant manner. “And you have brought us the infamous mutated Beowulf and her friend.”

Argus nodded and said, “They insisted on coming and begged my help. I couldn’t refuse them knowing the Emperor is on his last culling.”

“I know,” the hooded giant replied evenly. “I called them, but where are my manners. We seldom have guests in this place. Please, allow me to introduce myself.” He pulled his hood back and Nathanael was flabbergasted. Before him stood a giant version of Hannibal with long snow-white hair and a beard. “I am Enoch Caverias. Welcome to Antilla, Nathanael Milineus of Kaitia,” Enoch declared, extending his hand to Nathanael, who hesitated.

Hanna sat in an ecstasy of vindication: the dreams were real. Furthermore, upon seeing Enoch in person, she knew he was no threat to her or Nathanael. When she saw the hesitation on Nathanael’s part, Hanna said, “Go on, Nathanael; this is no dream. This is the real thing. Enoch is for real and a friend.”

Nathanael slowly reached out and shook Enoch’s hands. Enoch smiled knowingly, saying, “At last I finally get to meet you. I have heard so much about you.”

This comment puzzled Nathanael and he asked, “Who told you about me?”

“No questions now, my friend,” Enoch replied pleasantly. “All questions will be answered later. But first, let’s see to our little sister, Hanna.” Hanna clenched the ancient blade in her fist as Enoch squatted down in front of her. He looked Hanna over intensely. “Finally we meet in the flesh, little sister,” he said sincerely, squatting down and stretching out his giant hand to Hanna. “I noticed that you still don’t have use of your legs.”

Hanna reached out and grasped Enoch’s hand firmly, saying, “It was a very long flight and I haven’t been well recently, as you well know. The Emperor mutated and nearly killed me. I don’t know how long I will remain crippled, but it doesn’t matter. Nathanael will be my legs until I heal enough to regain my feet.”

Enoch smiled pleasantly as his piercing gaze fell upon the sword in Hanna’s hand and his expression rose dramatically. “Where did you get that blade?” he asked.

Hanna looked at the sword, and then into Enoch’s face, saying, “With Nathanael’s help, I retrieved it from the hand of Ezra Karac himself at his watchtower in the Dune Sea. Argus set us down for the night there last night.”

Enoch then noticed the scepter lying at Hanna’s side and a wry smile crossed his face. “I haven’t seen that staff in an age,” he said referring to the scepter. “Where did you get that?”

Hanna looked at the scepter as Enoch pointed to it and replied, “A strange tale it is. I found it in the throne room of Shadizar Kahn before being captured and mutated by the Emperor. I was drawn to it, and seemed to know everything about it. I’m still not sure what possessed me to bring it.”

Enoch smiled broadly, saying to Nathanael, “Could you gather Hanna’s things so we can go inside?” Nathanael came forward and retrieved the ancient sword of Ezra Karac and the scepter. Enoch then knelt down and picked Hanna up like a child.

“What’re you doing?” Hanna asked as Enoch picked her up.

“Why, didn’t you hear me, little sister? We’re going inside. Since your legs are incapable of holding you up, I’ll carry you if that is all right...unless you want to drag yourself in.”

Hanna laughed as Enoch stood up with her in his arms. “No, I don’t believe dragging myself in would be wise at this moment. Besides, I don’t believe I have the strength to do that either. What about Argus; he is our friend and part of my family,” she said plainly.

Enoch’s eyebrow rose slightly, saying, “You can come in too, Argus. You’re welcome in my house, guardian of Arionath.” Argus rose and followed Enoch, Hannibal, and Nathanael over to the central pillar where there was a giant opening in the base of the pillar big enough for Argus to enter.

“Follow me, my friends,” Enoch ordered Nathanael and Argus as they went in the tower. Both Hanna and Nathanael drank in their surroundings as Enoch led them into a large passage. As soon as they entered the passage, a massive door sealed the entrance behind them, causing just a little concern to Nathanael. Hanna looked all around, feeling completely safe and at ease in the arms of Enoch. Moreover, the sensation of having finally come home tripled, causing Hanna to wonder why she was truly there. A few minutes later, they entered a large domed chamber that was circular with several smaller exits beside the main one they came in. The room was lit in a soft light that was a bit relaxing. Hanna looked around at the room and saw that it was furnished modestly with a large table with a dozen chairs around it. The table sat in the very middle of the room and was six feet wide and fourteen feet long. Out away from the table, arranged in a circular fashion were three couches and half dozen chairs with a smaller table in the middle that resembled a coffee table. Enoch went to one of the couches and sat Hanna down on it, taking a seat in the chair next to the end where Hanna sat. “Have a seat, Nathanael,” he said after setting Hanna down. “Relax for a while; you too, Argus.”

“Thank you, Enoch,” Argus replied, settling down behind the couch Hanna was sitting on.

Nathanael set their pack down beside the couch and laid the ancient sword of Ezra Karac on the coffee table along with the Scepter of Shadizar Kahn. He then sat his executioner’s blade down next to the chair on the opposite end of the couch Hannibal was sitting on. “Thank you,” Nathanael replied graciously as he took the other chair nearest the couch. “Where are we?” he asked. “What is this place?”

Enoch smiled and asked, “Are you comfortable, little sister?”

Hanna nodded as she looked around, saying, “This room wasn’t in the dreams.”

Enoch leaned back in the chair, saying, “This is where we eat and congregate. We have quarters elsewhere just out those doors.” He said pointing to the smaller doors as he spoke.

Hanna looked around at everything. “There is tremendous power here. I can feel it,” she commented.

Enoch smiled, saying, “You get used to it after a while.”

“What is this place?” Nathanael asked again.

Enoch’s piecing gaze fell on Nathanael as he answered, “Are you sure you want to know?”

Hanna spoke up, saying, “Yes, we want to know. In all of our travels, this place is unique. There isn’t a place like this anywhere else on the face of the Earth and I suspect the galaxy for that matter.”

Enoch sighed, nodding as he said, “Very well, little sister. You have come for answers to your questions. The least I can do is oblige you with an answer. You are in the Red Tower of Tsang Chi, king of the Kingdom of Antilla and Atlantis: ally of our ancestor Thoth Caverias. Together they stood against the Emperor in the coup and subsequent war that destroyed the world as you knew it.”

“What?” Hanna blurted out. “You mean Atlantis was real too?”

“Of course,” Enoch stated. “It was a vast empire far to the north who sided with Thoth in the war against the Emperor. It was lost along with everything else in the Kragonar. This island is all that is left of that great kingdom.”

“That means the other mythic lands must be real too,” Hanna surmised.

“What lands?” Enoch asked.

“Places like Lemuria, Mu, Hyperborea, and Thule are myth on the surface,” Hanna stated. “I came to suspect that they were real too when we found out Amelia Singh was a princess of Hyperborea.”

“You broke the Cadre’s lock on Amelia Singh’s identity?” Enoch asked, surprised by the news.

“Yes,” Hanna replied, “But I didn’t do it alone. Selina and I had help, among them Nathanael and Argus. We did it before we were captured in Cush while I was still a man.”

“Is this true?” Enoch asked Argus.

“It’s true,” Argus stated, “At Hannibal’s request, we freed Amelia’s mind from the prison the Cadre had built around her. It was the first real telepathic assault Hannibal had ever engaged in. Selina had to teach him how to operate, but he proved to be the key to breeching the barrier the Cadre had sealed her mind in.”

“Impressive,” Enoch chimed. “I didn’t think you had progressed telepathically to that point. I’m very impressed.”

“It was nothing. I was just a conduit for the Lord’s power,” Hanna admitted. “I’m still learning how to deal with this telepathic power Selina has awakened in me.”

“Still, it’s impressive,” Enoch stated. “Directly attacking the Cadre’s work telepathically is a bold move, which obviously must have gotten the Emperor’s attention.”

“That’s an understatement,” Hanna answered glumly. “And look at what it’s done to me. I’m literally no longer who I was. I’m a mutant woman now because of it.”

“But you’re still alive and still you deep inside,” Nathanael pointed out. “You haven’t let that change destroy you. You’ve taken the evil the Emperor did to you and made something good out of it.”

“I guess I did,” Hanna admitted, pausing for a moment as she felt an eerie energy pulsing through her.

Enoch noticed her pause as she looked all around at the room. “What is wrong, little sister?” he asked.

“This place is a machine, isn’t it?” Hanna asked pointedly. “I feel a weird energy about this place.”

Enoch nodded, replying, “Yes and more. We know little about the machines here. But before I get too far ahead of myself, I have someone I’d like you to meet.”

“Who?” Nathanael asked. Just then, everyone heard a little cough and looked toward the smaller doors.

Hanna smiled knowingly and Enoch rose, saying, “Patience, my Kaitian friend, Patience. All will be answered forthwith. Come on in, honey. Our friends have finally arrived.” For several moments, no one responded to Enoch’s call to the dimly lit doorway. “She’s a bit shy,” Enoch apologized as he went to the door. He stopped outside the door and looked into the darkness. “Come on, don’t be shy,” he said as he stepped into the darkness. Hanna managed to turn herself so she could look toward the door. Nathanael sat on the edge of his seat and Argus watched with a telltale smirk on his draken face. “Come on. It’s okay,” Enoch urged and he emerged from the darkness of the passage with an eight-foot Lynxian woman with fiery reddish brown hair, piercing bluish-green eyes, and silvery fur that made her look like she could have passed for Selina’s twin. Moreover, with tall Lynxian walked another more elderly-looking Lynxian woman that stood nearly seven feet with deep bluish-green eyes and snow-white hair with silvery gray fur. They were both dressed in plain woolen dresses as Enoch had them by the hands, pulling them forward. When they emerged from the darkened corridor into the light, Nathanael rose to his feet in shock. He rubbed his eyes with his hands and looked again. Argus grinned and Hanna looked on in wonder at the other, more elderly woman whom she hadn’t seen in her dream. She had to smile because with Nathanael’s reaction to the women’s presence, she knew who they were.

Nathanael’s telepathic abilities were overwhelmed as his mind linked up with both of the Lynxian women’s minds; long dormant telepathic channels of blood and family reopening by their physical presence. Enoch led them forward as Nathanael looked on with his mouth hanging open and his mind reeling from the revelation. The two women had the same reaction as Nathanael and Enoch noticed it. “You made a fine choice in your companion, Hanna,” Argus whispered to Hanna as Enoch and the two Lynxian women reached the circle of chairs.

“You are so right,” Hanna murmured, staring in wonder at Electra.

Enoch stepped back as the two women slowly stepped forward, totally ignoring Hanna and looking at Nathanael in shock.

The two women looked at each other, and then at Nathanael. Finally, the eight-foot woman spoke. “Dad?” she asked in astonishment with tears welling up in her eyes.

Then the other spoke too. “Nathanael?” the elderly Lynxian asked in absolute shock.

Nathanael’s heart utterly melted as he answered the eight-foot Lynxian, saying, “Kida? Is that you?” He looked at the elderly Lynxian and asked, “Electra?” They rushed forward and he broke into sobs as they hugged each other. “Oh, my precious daughter and my wife in one place alive!” he sobbed joyously as he hugged them tightly. He kissed them repeatedly.

Enoch looked on with great satisfaction. Hanna could feel both Electra and Kida with her gift. Electra enthralled her. Her telepathic mind was very strong and highly disciplined, like a steel trap. On the other hand, Kida was strong and rash, impulsive, lacking some discipline.

“This is truly a wonder of wonders,” Argus declared. “The Ancient of Days surely does know how to make miracles happen.”

“That is so true,” Hanna agreed as Nathanael stopped hugging and kissing his wife and daughter.

Nathanael stepped back and looked at Kida, at how tall and beautiful she was. “My you have grown into such a beautiful woman,” he said, giving her a hug again.

“Thank you, dad,” Kida replied as she wiped the tears from her eyes. “There hasn’t been a day that we have thought about you.”

“That’s true, beloved,” Electra replied, wrapping her arms around Nathanael and embracing him fondly. “We thought you and Selina dead. Now, by some miracle we are reunited.”

Enoch finally spoke up, saying, “Hanna, meet Kida Caverias and her mother Electra.”

Hanna nodded with a broad smile on her face. “The pleasure is all mine,” she replied while sitting there. They approached Hanna and she added, “I can see where Selina gets her good looks from now.”

Kida sat on one side of Hanna and Electra on the other while Nathanael sat down in his chair at the end of the couch. Enoch sat in his chair as Kida and Electra touched Hanna to see if she were real. Hanna touched Kida and Electra to verify for herself that this wasn’t a dream. “Oh, my goodness,” Hanna murmured, feeling the flesh and bones of Kida and Electra, “You’re actually real. I’ve finally come home.” She reached out and embraced the mother and daughter simultaneously. “I have a real family again.”

“Yes,” Electra replied, “You’re not alone any longer. You brought Nathanael back to me and Kida and that makes you one of us.”

“Indeed,” Kida agreed, “But your present form isn’t your true form, is it Hanna?”

Hanna smiled at them with a troubled smile. “You see through the veil to the truth, Kida,” Hanna said softly, “Let me share a precious truth with you.” She initiated telepathic contact with them, showing them her fusion with Selina.

Electra’s face lit up, as did Kida’s face. “My sister lives?” Kida asked.

Hanna nodded as Electra smiled, putting her hand on Hanna’s knee. “Where is my precious Selina?” Electra asked.

Both Hanna and Nathanael’s faces fell, as did their attitudes. Hanna looked at Electra and Kida, saying in the most serious of tones, “She’s captive of the Emperor. We were captured while rescuing the people of Cushar from the Seventh Division of the Emperor’s army. I was tortured, mutated, and condemned to the Arena for execution, but managed to escape with the help of some most unlikely allies and some very strange abilities that seem to be awakening in me. But Selina remains in captivity in the Emperor’s Harem.” Hanna began to grieve as she wept, “The Emperor intends to make her his queen.”

Kida gasped in horror and Electra looked down in dismay. She could feel Hanna’s agony and grief about Selina’s predicament. “She’s your wife now?” Electra asked.

“Yes,” Hanna said softly. “We were mated by the Almighty himself and married by the prophet of the most High God before the misfortune of my mutation occurred.” She began to sob softly, “How can I be her husband now? Look at me! I’m one of you now thanks to that goddamned Emperor. I can never be the man she married like this!” Hanna covered her face with her hands, sobbing deeply, “I love her and now the Emperor has robbed me of the one thing I could give her: myself!”

Electra put an arm around Hanna as a comfort and purred for her. Kida put her arm around Hanna too in a show of solidarity. “Do not cry, Hanna,” Electra cooed. “Selina will still love you, no matter what sex you are now. Does she know about this mutation?”

Hanna looked up into Electra’s kind loving eyes and felt her empathy. “Unfortunately, yes,” Hanna replied, “...and in a way that is so disgustingly perverted that I cringe every time I think about it. Selina should have never been exposed to the depravity of that magnitude. You’re telepathic?” Electra nodded, and Hanna whimpered, “Let me show you what I mean. I don’t want to speak of it and of the tortures I endured at the hands of the Emperor aloud. I lose it every time I do.” Hanna reached up and touched Electra on the temple. The telepathic contact startled Electra because she didn’t think Hanna could make full contact. Her face fell as horror crossed her face. When Hanna broke contact, she said, “Now you know my pain and see why I don’t want to speak of it.”

“By the Elder gods of old,” Electra breathed, pulling Hanna into a caring embrace, “What a heinously depraved thing to do to you both. No one should ever be mistreated like that. The Emperor will pay for this abomination he committed against you and my precious Selina. Nathanael, did you know what she endured?”

“I do,” Nathanael replied with a grim face, “I helped treat her wounds, which still plague her even now. And when she finally woke out of that two week coma, she told me everything that happened that she could remember. I swear by the Almighty that I will rip the Emperor’s spine out for what he did to Hanna and my daughter.”

Kida looked down into Hanna’s face and said, “You don’t have to say a thing, Hanna. Remember, you told Enoch and me about it when we contacted you psychically. There’s no need to dredge up the pain again.”

“But she cannot keep it suppressed,” Electra warned, “To do so would cause her even more grief and pain. At some point, you need to share it with everyone and release the pain. But only when you’re ready should you attempt to do this, Hanna.”

“I know,” Hanna said softly, feeling Electra’s calming purr sooth her shattered nerves. “I must not only do that, I must return to Amacia and face the demon that did this to me. Only then will I have peace.”

“But you’re in no condition to go back,” Enoch observed. “You must be at the top of your game when you face that demon again, otherwise you will fall prey to it again.”

“So true,” Hanna stated as her emotions calmed. Changing the subject, she looked up at Electra and said, “I can see where Selina got her gift of the calming purr now. Your sweet purr has calmed my raging emotions just as Selina would do. God, I miss her.”

Electra smiled, giving Hanna a loving gentle squeeze. “I know you do,” Electra replied, “Seems we have much to discuss.”

Nathanael reached out and touched his long lost wife’s arm, saying, “That we do.”

Electra withdrew from Hanna and went to Nathanael, sitting in his lap and putting her arms around him. “That we do, my long lost lover,” Electra declared, “For one thing, how did you and Selina get here? What news of Kaitia?”

Hanna looked at her and Kida and asked, “You don’t know?”

Kida touch Hanna on the hand, asking, “Know what?”

At this point, Enoch jumped in the middle of this strange conversation, saying, “I think we need to tell them how you got here first.”

Electra nodded after kissing Nathanael. “Do you remember the last time we saw each other?” she asked.

Nathanael gave her a gentle squeeze and said, “How could I forget it? It was the worst day of my life.”

Electra stroked the side of Nathanael’s face, saying, “Well, as you remember Kida and I went to work that day in the palace museum warehouse. We were down in the back area with George, Fred, and Ben cataloging and storing the new replaces in the vaults. I don’t remember what time it was when it happened, but there was this terrible explosion in the building. I don’t recall where it was, but the blast caught all of us off guard. I heard the explosion and shielded Kida with my body as the blast overtook us. All of us were serious hurt in the explosion and it sealed us in the vault, pinning us under the debris. The only one who was relatively unhurt was Kida. I recollect smoke and seeing fire coming toward us, though we were unable to do anything about it. Then something bizarre happened for which I have no explanation. I vaguely remember seeing a flash of light near the back of the vault and I saw figures. Then all was dark. Kida had passed out in the fumes long before I did. The next thing I remember was seeing Enoch’s face staring down at me along with several others. We were not in the vault but here.”

Hanna’s spirit burned in her at the testimony. Nathanael devoured every word. The answers he had wanted for so long had finally come to him. “Later, I found out that Kida, George, Fred, and Ben were rescued as well from that inferno” Electra explained, “Unfortunately, Fred succumbed to his injuries shortly after our extraction from the vault.”

Nathanael caressed his wife’s face with his hand, asking, “What of George and Ben?”

Electra clasped his hand to her cheek and said, “They’re still alive and with us here.”

“Why didn’t you come back?” Nathanael asked.

“Maybe I can answer that,” Enoch replied. “You see, it was over two hundred and fifty cycles ago of this planet that the rescue took place. It was done by my father and his friends. The machine they used to retrieve them was damaged in an earthquake shortly after they arrived and they weren’t able to get it to function properly. It was dangerous to use the machine anyway but when it was damaged, we lost its targeting ability so we were unable to return her, your daughter, and your friends. In essence, they were marooned here with us. We have treated them justly and fairly while they have been here. Kida and I even fell in love and were married.” Nathanael pulled Electra close as he considered the problem.

“You have a portal generator, don’t you?” Hanna asked plainly.

Enoch looked at her with a strange look. “How did you know?” he asked.

Hanna put her hand on top of Kida’s hand, saying as she looked her in the eye, “It’s the only way you could reach Kaitia, which lies on the far side of the galaxy from here. That’s how Nathanael and Selina are here.” Electra, Kida, and Enoch gave Hanna their full attention. “Enoch...do you know of the Temple of Tiamat?” she asked.

Enoch nodded and said, “Yes. Tiamat was home to one of the most powerful generators on the planet and a place of untold wonders and terrors. Legends say it was the home of an ancient darkness far older and fouler than the Emperor.”

Hanna nodded, saying, “That is so true. All my life I have searched for Amacia and in my searching, I found the long lost primary Temple of Tiamat. I found it on the surface in a place called Sumatra. I found it, explored it, and tamed it. We drove the darkness from it in our explorations, though we have yet to discover its true extent. Tiamat is now my base of operations on the surface. We found the core of the Temple and used it to shield the Temple. We found the ancient alien machinery, including a portal generator that can open a door to just about anywhere in the universe except for inside this great underground or anywhere else inside the Temple. There’s a dead zone around the mountain that sits over our heads that the portal can’t penetrate.”

Enoch nodded knowingly, saying, “The dead zone is a magnetic phenomenon that’s keeping most of this machinery from operating. That however is changing. The magnetic seal over the caverns is breaking down and the machines are reviving.”

“So I’ve noticed,” Hanna said. “Once we found the scepter in Arionath, we used it to replace the Archives, where we found out about the machines in Kaal Bek. There was a portal generator in the courtyard square of the main fortress.”

Enoch’s eyebrows rose with interest. “You found the Archive?” he queried.

Hanna nodded and said, “Yes. With our unique abilities because of our telepathic fusion, Selina and I were able to access the Teaching Machine buried in the heart of the fortress without it damaging us like it did with our first encounter with the Teaching Machine in Tiamat.” Enoch nodded and Hanna continued, “We found the machines in Kaal Bek and how to use them. We also encountered some thing we didn’t expect: our first glimpse of Thoth and Ariel.”

Enoch smiled, saying, “Please continue.”

“Well, anyway I used the scepter, which lies on the table in front of us, to activate the portal at Kaal Bek for the rescue of Corso’s people. That’s when we were captured.”

Enoch’s gazed narrowed as he asked, “What has become of the generator at Kaal Bek? We know the Emperor overran the valley and city.”

“The portal, Archive, and city were destroyed so the Emperor couldn’t have access to them,” Nathanael declared. “We feared what the Emperor would be capable of if he managed to take possession of it. I destroyed it myself with carite explosives that we confiscated from the traitors we found.”

Enoch looked to Argus and he said, “Tis true. I provided air cover when the Emperor’s forces attacked the city and spirited Nathanael and Doug away just as those forces overran fortress. Nathanael set off the demolitions and gave the Emperor a very large bloody nose. They attacked with at least one hundred thousand and the explosion took nearly half of them.”

Enoch smiled at Nathanael. “You surprise me, Nathanael. That was very good tactical thinking,” he commended. “Had the Emperor managed to seize the portal generator, he could have wreaked untold havoc. But let’s get back to the story of how you arrived here, my Kaitian friend.”

Nathanael nodded and Hanna continued, saying, “Well, we found the portal generator in the Temple and one day after discovering how to operate it, I was just scanning at random when I happened to open a door to a starship. It was in the Kaitian system.”

Hanna didn’t want to tell them what had happened. Electra and Kida knew it, especially when Hanna paused. “Go on, tell us. What happened then?” Electra said softly as she sat in Nathanael’s lap looking at Hanna sitting in Kida’s sisterly embrace.

Hanna sighed and continued, saying, “I know now it was no accident that I opened that door when I did. The Lord had his hands all over that incident. I opened the door onto a starship that was adrift and heavily damaged. When I saw bodies everywhere, I ventured onto the ship to see if there were any survivors. There were only two on the bridge of the ship: Selina with a concussion and a broken arm and Nathanael, who was out cold with a broken leg.”

Electra and Kida listened intensely to the account. “By some strange quirk of fate or divine providence as I believe, Lynxians speak English so when I spoke to Selina, we understood each other. I asked what happened and she pointed to the view screen that by some miracle was still working. It showed your blue sun swelling and flashing,” Hanna said softly. She shook her head and said, “I don’t know how to tell you but I’m the first human in history to see a supernova up close as it happened. The sun went supernova while I watched. I watched your beautiful planet disintegrate in the blast. I literally dragged Selina and Nathanael off the ship just as the blast incinerated the ship. Kaitia is gone, nothing but cosmic dust now.” Hanna looked down grimly, saying with grief on her voice, “It’s all gone.”

Electra looked at Nathanael in amazement, as did Kida. “Is this true?” Electra asked Nathanael.

Nathanael, with a solemn look nodded, saying, “Yes. I’m afraid it is. Our home is no more. The blue sun went without warning. Only a small fraction of those on Kaitia escaped. Hanna here was our salvation. At the time, she was still the man Hannibal. He adopted us into his family after the rescue and now, it’s no longer an adoption because he married Selina. He’s part of our family. It’s still a bit confusing to talk about his past as a man with him being a mutated woman now. Regardless, Hanna is still Hannibal and she is part of our family for real. When Kaitia was destroyed, all hope of ever replaceing out what happened to you was gone until a few days ago when Hanna told me her dream of this place. When she began describing you, Kida, I didn’t want to believe it, but when she asked me to come with him to this place, I had to come. Besides, she needed me to be her legs and bodyguard while on this trip.”

Kida and Electra sat stunned by the news that Kaitia was no more. “When did this happen?” Electra asked.

“Almost two years or cycles as you call years here, ago,” Hanna replied softly. “Everything about it I believe was God-incident.”

Kida looked at Electra and asked, “Are you all right, momma?”

Electra was silent as the news sank in on her. She then realized what a true miracle their reunion was. “Yes, Kida, I’m all right,” Electra replied softly. She got up out of Nathanael’s lap and sat next to Hanna, asking, “May I see your thoughts and memories like before, but only those memories you speak of concerning Kaitia?”

Hanna looked at her and loved her as a mother, saying, “Yes, you may, but be careful. As you have already seen, I have many dark and bloody memories from both recent time and my early life that haunt me continually. You may not like what you see.”

Electra nodded and put her hands on either side of Hanna’s head as she looked into her eyes. “All I want to see is the rescue you speak of,” she said gently. “I must see for myself.”

Hanna smiled and grabbed her hands with hers, holding them to the sides of her head. “I shall help you then,” Hanna replied.

For several moments, they looked at each other, and then Electra began to react to what she saw in his memories. Tears began to stream down her face and after nearly two minutes, she broke contact, weeping and sobbing softly. “Tis true! It’s gone! Kaitia is gone: sucked into the black hole created by the blue sun’s supernova!”

Hanna put her hand on Electra’s shoulder, saying, “I did what I could under the circumstances. I couldn’t let them die when I had the power to save them.”

Electra threw her arms around Hanna’s neck and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you for saving them,” she replied gratefully.

Hanna patted her on the back and said, “It was my pleasure. Besides, it was meant to be. The Lord willed it, just like me getting caught, and mutated. It’s like me coming here in my present state with Nathanael. I had no idea that you were here. All I knew was that Kida and Enoch were here and I had to get to them. They had answers I desperately needed.”

“Which brings us to the purpose for your visit,” Argus stated. “This reunion is good to see and a pleasant happenstance, but we have greater problems that must be addressed.”

Hanna glanced over at Argus, saying, “You’re so right, my draken friend. We indeed do have bigger problems, and as always, I seem to be at the center of it.”

Enoch looked at him and said, “I know. Ahriaman and the Emperor are moving in concert against Acheron. Moreover, Selina is in terrible peril. All of these things will be addressed, but first, we’ll set some food out for you. I know you’re hungry and weary with your long flight. A full belly and rest makes for a sound mind. Kida, Electra, how long before dinner?”

“It should be ready shortly,” Electra replied, “Let me go and check with the others. You surely will be staying the night?”

Hanna nodded and said, “I guess we will. But don’t fuss over us. We came prepared.”

“Nonsense,” Enoch replied. “Rooms have already been prepared for you.”

Hanna nodded as Kida and Electra rose. “We’ll be back in a few minutes,” Kida said as she passed by Enoch, touching him on the hand.

Enoch smiled and said, “Don’t be long. I know our guests are hungry.”

Electra nodded and she and Kida left the room. Nathanael watched them walk away. His happiness shined in his face. He looked at Hanna with the utmost of respect and gratitude. “Our God surely is good,” Nathanael declared, “First, He has you snatch Selina and I from the jaws of Oblivion. Then He makes you and your people a replacement family for the one I lost on Kaitia. Now, He returns my wife and daughter to me alive and intact. I’m without words as to how happy I am. Thank you, my friend, for all that you have done for us, and all praise to be to our God who drives your steps and path.”

Hanna shuffled to the end of the couch where Nathanael was sitting in the chair and said, “That He is and you are most welcome. I just hope and pray that there will be a happy ending for me and Selina. I am lost without her.”

“Great is your faith, little sister,” Enoch stated as he rose from his chair. He moved and sat down next to Hanna. “The Ancient of Days has not abandoned you and He hasn’t abandoned Selina to become the Emperor’s queen. He brought you here. Now, you will have your answers.”

Just then, a man about Nathanael’s height came in and announced, “Dinner will be ready in an hour.”

Enoch turned to the man and said, “Very good, Elias. Thank you.” Elias turned and left as Enoch turned back to Hanna, saying, “You asked if this place were a machine? The answer is yes. In fact, it’s a replica of one of the four great machines on the face of the Earth that control the very planet itself. Your Temple of Tiamat is another.”

Hanna looked at Enoch with great interest, asking “What’re you saying; that this place is like Tiamat with its power plant?”

Enoch looked into Hanna’s eyes and said, “It’s better that you see it. Do you feel up to a short tour?”

Hanna nodded, saying, “Absolutely, if Nathanael is willing to be my legs again.”

“Of course I’ll be your legs, Hanna,” Nathanael chided. “You shouldn’t even have to ask that.”

Enoch turned to Argus and Argus nodded. Enoch nodded back and he rose, walking over to Hanna as Nathanael rose. When he saw Nathanael starting to pick up Hanna, Enoch intruded. “Please, my Kaitia prince, allow me to carry our little sister.”

“Suit yourself,” Nathanael replied, stepping back.

“Are you ready to see the wonders of this Tower, little sister?” Enoch asked.

“More than ready,” Hanna declared.

Enoch scooped up Hanna as if she were a child, cradling her in his massive arms. “Then let’s begin the tour of my humble abode,” Enoch declared, walking toward the doorway that Kida and Electra had not entered. Nathanael walked beside Enoch, keeping a close eye on Hanna as they disappeared into the other corridor.