Legends of Amacia Return of the Beowulf

After having breakfast in the kitchen with Rachel, Enoch, and the rest of the family, Hannibal assisted with Selina and Rachel’s swim therapies. Selina wore her silver and black tiger-striped swimsuit with its halter-top, high-cut legs, and low-cut back. Rachel sported a standard black swimsuit with silver trim, a circular cut on the chest, low cut back, and moderately high-cut legs. Both swimsuits fit like gloves. Selina and Rachel also sported skirts matching their swimwear. Hannibal, on the other hand, wore knee-length swim trunks, t-shirt, and sandals. Since they’d arrived before the official daily opening of the pool area, only Elle and Kida were present. Elle wore a single-piece shiny jade swimsuit with a low circular cut on the chest and high-cut legs. Kida, on the other hand, had on a single-piece shiny metallic blue swimsuit with high-cut legs and a moderately low circular cut on the chest. People began to filter in as Selina and Rachel finished their therapy sessions. Elle was fascinated by Rachel’s miracle hand, tailoring Rachel’s physical therapy to include it.

Sitting at the edge of the pool watching the newcomers come in, Hannibal asked, “Have you been outside yet, Selina?”

“Yeah, but I haven’t really had time to see what’s out there,” Selina replied. “I’m really curious as to what’s out there. There’s only so much that can be seen from the windows and the front door.”

“You haven’t been to the roof yet?” Hannibal inquired.

“No,” Selina insisted. “I bet the view is fantastic.”

“It is,” Elle declared. “You really should go see it now that you’re on the mend, Selina.”

“I think I will,” Selina answered, “Can you take us to the roof, Hannibal? I think it’s time I expanded my horizons.”

“That’s just what I was thinking,” Hannibal crowed, kissing Selina on the cheek as she leaned against the side of the pool. “How about you, Rachel; you want to see what’s beyond these walls?”

“Yeah, dad,” Rachel replied, sitting on the pool deck next to Selina. “I haven’t seen the sky in so long I’ve forgotten what it looks like.”

“Oh, that will not do,” Hannibal replied. “Come on; let’s go look at the island from the roof. Would you like to come along, Kida?”

“No,” Kida replied. “I should really stay and help with the swim therapies now that the people are coming in.”

“Go with them,” Elle insisted. “I can manage. My helpers should be along any time now. They’re very punctual. In fact, there they are now.” Elle pointed to a small crowd heading their way consisting of a mix of men and women from Arionath, Cushar, Cimmeria, and the Black Fortress. “Hi, guys!” she called out amiably to the crowd as they headed towards the changing rooms. They responded warmly, waving. “See, I have plenty of help,” Elle chimed. “So you don’t need to hang around here, mom. I can handle things here.”

Kida patted Elle on the cheek with her hand, smiling. “Okay, Elle,” Kida chimed. “I just didn’t want to leave you in a lurch.”

“Go,” Elle insisted. “I have this covered.”

“Come on, Kida,” Selina purred. “We want you to come.”

“That we do,” Hannibal agreed, “It’s always nice to share great views with friends and family.”

“Then let’s go,” Kida replied. “But first, I want to change.”

“So do we,” Selina purred. “We’ll meet you on the roof in a half hour, okay? That should give us enough time to change. Come on, Hannibal; let’s get out of the pool.”

“Right, princess,” he said, picking Selina up and sitting her on the pool’s deck before jumping out himself. In seconds, he’d sat Selina in her wheelchair while Kida jumped out of the pool, picking up Rachel in the process.

Sitting Rachel in Selina’s lap, Kida smiled sweetly at Rachel and Selina. “I’ll see you in a little bit,” she said, trotting away.

“Okay, aunt Kida,” Rachel chimed, waving with her new hand.

“We’ll see you later, Elle,” Hannibal stated as he picked up his t-shirt and donned his sandals. “Come get us if you get into a bind.”

“Okay,” Elle replied. “Now go get some fresh air. It’ll do you good after being cooped up in this place so long.”

“That’s the plan,” Selina stated pleasantly as Hannibal pushed her and Rachel away.

Elle sighed, smiling warmly. “Have fun,” she murmured watching them leave as her group of helpers approached the pool in their swimwear ready to go to work.

A half hour later, Hannibal, Selina, Rachel, and Kida emerged onto the roof of the Red Tower. Hannibal wore a tan t-shirt, khaki trousers, and boots. Selina sported a warm blue sleeveless halter-top sundress with a belt and sandals. Sitting in her lap, Rachel wore a smaller version of Selina’s sundress that had a jungle-print on it. Kida walked along with them wearing a warm gray blouse and trouser combination with a belt around her waist and sandals on her feet. Selina and Rachel gazed at the giant spires all around them as Hannibal pushed them to the east side of the tower with Kida. He stopped about six feet from the edge of the tower. A light wind blew in out of the southeast perfumed with the salty smell of sea air. They looked out in awe over the sea, seeing all manner of flying reptiles and birds fishing in the sea, including a flock of giant caronadons. The dizzying height they were at didn’t set too well with Rachel. She clung to Selina tightly, but looked on with as much fascination as she did fear of the height.

Selina looked at Hannibal as he held on to the chair, saying, “This is incredible! You can see for miles. It’s gorgeous and there’s so much life here. Are those caronadons out there?”

“Yes,” Hannibal chimed. “I also see pteronadons, pterodactyls, and other smaller birds I’m not familiar with. They’re most likely indigenous to this island.”

“That they are,” Kida stated. “We call the smaller birds Razorclaws. They’re scavengers, though they do hunt fish and other sea life smaller than they are. Razorclaws tend to be a bit aggressive when on the hunt, fighting over food. Fortunately, they’re not fond of human flesh. Not once have we ever seen them attack living people, but they will scavenge a dead body without hesitation. That’s why Enoch insists on the dead being stored in the morgue until we can give them a proper burial or cremation.”

“That’s good to know,” Selina replied. “At least we don’t have to worry about them attacking while we’re not looking.” She paused and added, “This view is magnificent. It puts my mind and heart at peace.”

“True,” Hannibal agreed, smiling as he turned her chair, pushing her and Rachel to the west side of the tower. “That it does. I thought you would like the view. It beats being cooped up inside all the time.”

“I agree,” Selina replied as she smiled at Rachel, asking, “What do you think, Rachel? Is it pretty?”

Rachel nodded with a worried smile. “Yes,” she admitted. “It’s the prettiest thing I’ve seen since I first saw you, momma.”

Selina smiled, squeezing her slightly, saying, “Thank you, Rachel.”

“But I’m scared being this high though,” Rachel declared. “I had no idea we were so high when we were inside.”

“The Tower’s size is a bit deceptive when you’re inside,” Kida commented, touching Rachel on her shoulder while walking alongside her. “But it does provide a beautiful view, don’t you think, Rachel?”

“It does,” Rachel agreed. “It’s very pretty, like you aunt Kida.”

“Thank you, sweetie,” Kida purred.

“Well, if you think that view is something, let’s take a look from this side,” Hannibal said as he pushed them to within four feet of the edge.

Rachel’s fear rose as she thought they were going over the edge, so she called out urgently, “Dad, Dad, that’s close enough.”

Hannibal smiled at Rachel, saying, “Don’t worry. I won’t let you fall. Now take a look at the island. It’s truly breathtaking.” They all looked out over the island of Antilla. From the top of the tower, they could see the whole island. The volcano stood near the ruins of Antillia with a pronounced column of stream rising from its crater. They saw the lush forest and plains along with herds of mastodons and bison off in the distance. Near the tower within a two-mile radius of the tower they saw all the peoples that they had rescued: the people of Arionath, the Cimmerians, the people from Cushar, the hybrids from Acheron, and the prisoners of Amacia that were well enough to move around. It was almost ten thousand of them. They looked like ants from the prodigious height atop of the tower. Off in the distance, they saw giant birds and flying reptiles, including some of the drakens rescued from the depths of Acheron. The flyers intrigued Rachel.

Selina looked out over the paradise of Antilla and breathed, “You were right. This place is a paradise. It’s like Eden, almost.”

Hannibal touched her on the shoulder, saying, “That it is, princess.”

“What are those, dad?” Rachel asked, pointing out to the flyers that glided in the distance.

“What are what, Rachel?” Hannibal asked and she pointed to one of the drakens circling over the city of Antillia. He followed her hand and saw what she was looking at, and said, “That, my dear, is a draken.”

Rachel’s eyes lit up. “A draken?” she asked. “Wow! I’ve never seen a draken. Are they dangerous?”

Hannibal patted her on the shoulder, saying, “Not to us. They are my friends. I found them in a city far from here called Acheron. They were prisoners like you. I set them free and because of that, they became my friends. Having a draken as a friend is one of the greatest honors I’ve ever had.”

“I sure would like to see one,” Rachel said. Just then, they heard the flapping of wings and a large shadow passed over them. Her curiosity suddenly changed to fear as the shadow moved by. “I changed my mind,” she said fearfully. “I don’t think I want to see them.”

Hannibal looked up and saw Argus flying just over the spires. He had seen them and circled out over the water to come in for a landing. “It’s all right, Rachel. It’s just Argus. He won’t hurt you,” Hannibal grabbed onto the chair and pushed them away from the edge as they heard and felt a thud behind the center spire. They moved in three hundred feet from the edge and stopped as Argus slowly lumbered around the center spire. The moment Rachel saw Argus she froze in panic. She was small, just a mouthful for such a large beast and she knew it so she clamped on to Selina, trembling with fear.

“Relax, sweetie,” Selina purred. “He won’t hurt you; watch.”

As she spoke to Rachel, Hannibal walked boldly up to and greeted Argus, saying, “Argus, my old friend. How are you this fine day?”

Argus looked over at Selina, Rachel, and Kida and smiled. “Good,” he replied. “I’ve been busy teaching the younger drakens how to blow ice as well as fire. And you? I see that you’re finally restored to your proper station and are back together with Selina. How are you, Selina? Good, I hope.”

Hannibal patted Argus on the shoulder, saying as he turned back to Selina, Rachel, and Kida, “I’m pretty good, though it’s been a rather strange morning. The Almighty used me as a conduit to restore little Rachel’s hand.”

Argus’ immediately eyed Rachel’s new hand and raised the scales where his eyebrow would have been. “She had no hands left, am I correct?” he asked, very intrigued with the development.

“That’s right,” Hannibal replied. “I’ve never done such a thing before. It’s very humbling, but it’s apparently what Rachel needed to get her to believe.”

“I see,” Argus replied with a rumble, seeing Rachel in a terrified state clinging to Selina. “This is a good thing to see someone so mangled have at least one of their limbs restored. I’m happy for you, little one. I heard what happened to you and am very happy that you’ve found a new family with Hannibal and Selina. They will always look out for you and protect you.”

“That we will,” Hannibal agreed.

“What about you, Selina; are you doing okay?” Argus asked directly. “We all heard about the shebats mistress Josephine removed from you and Hanna before her mutation reversal. That was a very precarious time for you both.”

“It was,” Selina agreed. “But I’m pretty much over it, thanks to Josephine and Nemesis. I’m even starting to get some feeling back into my legs now.”

“That’s excellent,” Argus chimed. “Your days in that chair are number now. I look forward to the day to see you walking around again.”

“So do I,” Selina replied warmly. “I really appreciate all the help and support you’ve given us, Argus. It didn’t go unnoticed.”

“I know it didn’t,” Argus stated. “And what about you, Kida, are things going well with you?”

“Yes, Argus,” Kida replied. “I’m good too. There is so much more to do with all these extra people around here that we hardly know where to start. It seems there just isn’t enough time in the day to do what needs to be done.”

Argus chuckled as did Hannibal. “I can relate,” Argus replied, turning his attention to Rachel. “And what about you, little one; how are you doing today?” Rachel froze in panic. Argus was so big and intimidating and she was so small.

“Kida, could you bring them here?” Hannibal called out as he stepped forward. Argus followed beside Hannibal as Kida rolled Selina and Rachel up to Argus. Hannibal saw the raw fear on Rachel’s face as he approached with Argus. Selina had been trying to calm her to no avail. “You’ve never seen a draken before, have you?” Hannibal asked; squatting down in front of her while Argus stayed back a few steps. Rachel slowly shook her head. “Look at him, Rachel. He is gentle as a lamb. He is our friend,” Hannibal said gently as Argus laid down on his belly, resting his head on the floor so as to be as unintimidating as possible.

“I will not hurt you, child,” Argus reassured her. “I see you have had much hurt, but know that I will not hurt you. You are Hannibal’s child. I would never hurt any of his family. In fact, he has made me part of his family.”

Rachel’s fear turned to astonished fear. “Y...you are part of his family? How?” she stammered.

“The same way that you are,” Hannibal said, holding her hand. “I adopted him. This magnificent draken save Selina and me from certain doom so we adopted him because we thought he was the last of his kind. Little did I know that there was more of his kind imprisoned in Acheron. He is my friend. Watch.” Hannibal rose and went to Argus, just ten feet away, touching him on the head, stroking it as if Argus were a cat. “You see, there is nothing to fear,” he stated. “Come over and feel his skin. It’s the weirdest thing you’ll ever feel.”

Rachel was extremely fearful as she looked into Selina’s face, saying “Momma? Do I have to?”

Selina sighed, saying, “Honey. You can’t let fear rule you. Remember what we did for you this morning. Trust me. I have touched Argus as well. He is like a big scaly teddy bear. He is gentle as a kitten. I want to touch him. I have missed his gentle mind. I promise you that if you touch him with me, you will never fear him again. He has this way of chasing your fears away. He did when Hannibal and I first met him. Kida, push us over to him.”

Kida slowly pushed them over and Rachel began shaking her head, saying, “No momma. I’m scared. I don’t want to!”

“Trust us,” Hannibal said as Kida rolled them up within arm’s reach of Argus. He laid still for Rachel. She was in a panic of fear, scared witless by the draken. Selina grabbed on to her wrist and purred for her as she said, “Come on, sweetie. You can do this. You conquered your fear of Nemesis. Surely, you can do the same here. We’ll touch him together.”

Rachel tried to hold her hand back, but wasn’t able to resist Selina’s push. Selina’s arm and right hand was stronger than Rachel’s arm. Selina kept cooing in her ear that it was all right and Hannibal was urging her on as well, telling her that Argus would not hurt her. She struggled and Hannibal added his hand to Selina’s, bringing Rachel’s hand forward. She was crying hysterically in fear. “No! Don’t! I...,” she cried out as they pushed her hand in contact with Argus’ snout. Instantly, Argus invaded the little girl’s mind, showing her his gentleness and friendliness. She suddenly stopped crying as the fear she was experiencing was chased away by Argus. She felt the draken scale and his breath on them. Looking at Hannibal in complete astonishment, she breathed, “Dad.”

Hannibal smiled at her, saying, “Yes, Rachel. He is gentle as a lamb.” Selina reached out and touched Argus with her right hand after letting go of Rachel’s arm.

Rachel was feeling his snout in amazement. “Dad, you’re right,” she admitted. “This is the weirdest thing I’ve ever felt.”

Argus rumbled a little again as Selina touched him. “I had almost forgotten what you felt like, Argus. It is a refreshing distraction,” Selina said pleasantly as Rachel leaned back in her lap.

Looking into Selina’s eyes, Rachel said, “Momma. He’s really neat.”

Argus raised his head up a little so he could look them in the face. “So little one, are you frightened of me anymore?” he asked.

Rachel looked Argus in the face and said, “No. I’ve never seen or touched something like you before. The closest thing to you I remember seeing are those monsters that the dark ones ride on.”

Argus’ face rose with some interest, asking, “You’ve seen the Dark Riders and their flyers?”

Rachel shuddered for a moment and Selina pulled her close, knowing that the very mention of the Dark Riders could trigger some other memory that may have been buried. “Yes,” Rachel said, shaking. “I’ve seen them. They are like ghosts. They are always watching, waiting for someone to say something bad about the Emperor. You can’t say anything bad about him or even think anything bad because they are always watching and listening. They are the ghost eyes and ears of the Emperor.”

“That’s enough about them, Rachel. You don’t have to worry about them here,” Hannibal said softly. “Just be happy you are not there anymore.”

Rachel looked at him, saying, “I am, dad. I am. Are you the only draken?”

Argus smiled, replying, “No, little one. I’m not. There are twenty five more, two of which are as big as me.”

“Do you breathe fire?” Rachel asked.

Argus nodded, saying, “Yes, I can. It tends to be very useful in certain cases. I can also breathe ice too, but it’s a bit more difficult than breathing fire.”

Just then, there were two more large shadows passing over their position. Argus looked up as did Kida, Selina, Rachel, and Hannibal. “Oh, this is good,” Hannibal chuckled. “It’s Aeolus and Tethys.”

“Is that who I think it is?” Selina asked as there were a couple more thuds behind Argus near the center pillar.

Kida pulled Rachel and Selina back from Argus as Hannibal replied, “Yes. Selina...say hello to the guardians of Amacia.” As he spoke, Aeolus and Tethys lumbered up to the right of Argus. Hannibal walked over to them. “It’s good to see you both,” he called out.

Aeolus grinned, showing some of his teeth. Rachel was taken aback by the new drakens and a small amount of fear rose in her heart when she saw Aeolus’ enormous teeth. “Beowulf; it’s good to see you too. And I see that you have your bride with you.” Aeolus moved forward a couple of steps toward Selina, looking at her in the wheel chair with Rachel sitting in her lap. “Heaven have mercy. You are the spitting image of Ariel. It is an honor to finally meet you, Selina,” Aeolus said nobly. Selina was astonished at the size of Aeolus, being more than twice the size of Argus.

“You knew them?” Selina asked in awe of the ancient draken. Rachel looked on in awe and some fear. But the fear didn’t take her like it did before. She knew that she was safe in Selina’s arms. Furthermore, with Hannibal and Kida right there, Rachel knew nothing was going to happen to her.

“That I did, milady,” Aeolus said, bowing his head to her in submission. “I knew them both. They were my friends and I theirs. I see Ariel’s spirit in your face, Selina. She was just like you: kind, gentle, yet disciplined and tough. She was so playful, and loved to jump and swing through the trees. She was also highly intelligent and so inquisitive, always searching for the truth. And most importantly, she was very loyal and loving to all her friends and subjects. She was always looking out for them. She was especially close to Thoth. They were linked telepathically the same way you and Beowulf are. It’s such an honor to finally meet you in person.” Selina sat there dumbfounded for a moment. Hannibal was silenced too by the words of Aeolus, who had known their ancestors intimately.

“I see you are wearing the Ariel’s locket around your neck.” Aeolus stated pleasantly. “It was a special gift from Thoth to her on the anniversary of their marriage. I remember the day he gave it to her. It was such a happy day. She gave him a special ring in return.”

Hannibal suddenly looked at the ring on his finger and showed it to Aeolus. “Is this the ring?” he asked.

Aeolus shook his head, saying, “No. That is the Caverias signet, meant for the heir to the throne. The ring she gave Thoth was a ring specially forged by the Ilmarinen. She wanted it to be special so they made a special ring just for him. There wasn’t another ring like that ever made again.”

“What did it look like?” Kida asked.

“It was made of the ancient alloys of the Ilmarinen,” Aeolus reported. “It was a special alloy that was very rare and beautiful. It was encrusted with rare and precious stones and was one of a kind. What happened to it I know not because Tethys and I were the first victims of the coup. We were captured and imprisoned in the citadel of Acheron, condemned to an eternity of darkness, to be consumed by the Devourers.”

By now, Rachel was losing her fear of Aeolus. “Maybe one day the ring will be found and we can repeat history in a good way,” Selina said softly.

“Only time will tell, milady,” Aeolus replied. “I just want you to know that we are at your command...Tethys, I, and our brood. I just hope we can be of more service than we were to Thoth and Ariel.”

Selina smiled warmly at the giant draken, saying, “You already have, ancient one. Just to know what kind of person Ariel was is a great service. And what about you over there who are so quiet? What say you?”

Tethys moved forward and stopped beside Aeolus. “There isn’t much to say that Aeolus hasn’t already said,” she declared softly. “I’m just content to stay in my place. But I am delighted to see you, and even more thrilled that you chose to speak to me. I didn’t want to get out of line.”

“What is your name?” Selina asked.

“Tethys,” Tethys replied. “I spent much time with Ariel. We were very close.”

Selina wanted to touch her so she said, “Kida, push me over to them.” Kida moved her and Rachel over within arm’s reach of both Tethys and Aeolus. “May I touch you?” Selina asked Tethys. “Show me Ariel.”

Tethys dropped her head down to look Selina and Rachel in the face, saying, “Of course, milady.” Selina touched Tethys on the side of her face and Tethys opened her mind to Selina, showing her what Ariel was like. She saw the nobility and gentleness of Ariel and marveled how much like Ariel she was. She closed her eyes as she sifted the memories and tears began to stream out of them.

After a couple of minutes, Selina let go, saying in a soft choked tone, “Thank you, Tethys. You have answered a nagging question that has lingered since we first saw their picture in the teaching machine in the Archive of Kaal Bek. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, milady. I hope that we may be able to get to know each other like I knew Ariel,” Tethys replied softly, looking into Selina’s eyes as tears streamed out of them.

“What the matter, momma? Why are you crying?” Rachel asked, concerned because Selina was crying softly.

“It’s all right, Rachel,” Selina whimpered. “I just found some answers I have looked for a long time. I’m crying because I’m happy.”

Rachel was mystified and said, “I don’t understand, momma.”

Selina hugged her, saying, “One day you will.”

Tethys smiled softly at Rachel. “She is right, little one,” she told Rachel. “One day you will understand. But know that she loves you very much.”

Rachel reached out and touched Tethys on the nose saying, “I know. I love her too. You feel like Argus and look kind of like him.”

“I’m his sister,” Tethys replied. “We were born in the same nest.”

Hannibal moved over to them when he heard her remark. “So you lay eggs then,” he surmised.

Turning to Hannibal, Tethys nodded. “Yes,” she replied. “Our race does.”

Hannibal looked at Aeolus and moved in close, asking softly, “Do you fertilize the eggs before or after they are laid?”

Aeolus smiled, saying, “Before. That way every egg is live. The females guard the nest and watch over the little ones until they are big enough to leave the nest.”

Hannibal nodded knowingly, saying, “Well, I just learned something new today. You’re like the owl of the desert when it comes to procreation. The male owl does the same thing. Tethys, how many eggs can you lay at a time?”

“I can lay upwards of a dozen at a time, but I rarely have laid that many,” Tethys replied. “While we were imprisoned, we had to limit ourselves because of the limited resources we had.”

Selina looked at her and said, “I can see the logic in that. But there is something that puzzles me. What do you mean that your race lays eggs? Are you saying that there were other breeds of drakens that roamed the face of the Earth at one time?”

Aeolus chose to field that question. “Yes, milady,” he stated. “There were several breeds as you call them. The breeds are like the races of men. We are all drakens, but there are differences. Take Argus and me for instance. You can see the obvious differences in us, right?”

Hannibal nodded, saying, “Yes. You are different from Argus and Tethys just as the Cimmerians are different from the Cushites and those who make up the peoples of Arionath. On the surface, there are many races, of all sizes, shapes, and colors. Our God is a wonderful God. He creates wondrous diversity.”

“So true,” Aeolus stated as Argus moved around behind Hannibal, Selina, Rachel and Kida. “There were several races of Drakens that the great Ancient of Days created. My race and Argus’ race were given the task to guard humanity. But there were other races that were not friendly to man. They were malevolent and dangerous to the whole world. The Dark Gods corrupted their seed, and they became marauders and killers. In the days of the Kragonar, they were allied with the Emperor and helped him with his goal of universal domination. There were three races of them. Two of them bore live young one at a time like your kind do generally. As a result, there were not too many of them. Still, they numbered in the thousands at that time. But there was one other race that was different from the other two. They did not reproduce in that manner. They were more like us, laying clutches of eggs, one, two dozen at a time. But unlike us, who mate for life, they were beasts and act as such, mating with whomever they could find among their kind. They were predominately female with a handful of males fertilizing thousands of eggs after they were laid, like fish. They were a plague on the world at the time of the Kragonar. They would burn everything and consume the ashes for survival. But on many occasion, they devoured live prey, many of whom were human.” Hannibal listened to the description of the third race of drakens and his belly soured dramatically. His countenance fell somewhat and everyone noticed it, even Rachel, who was fascinated by Aeolus speaking of his own kind in the past.

“This third race, what did they look like?” Hannibal asked seriously with some concern on his face. “How big did they get?”

Aeolus saw what Hannibal wanted and declared, “The males can be big as or bigger than me. The females, when full grown, are nearly as large as I am, but most tended to range between Argus’ size and my size. They all tended to have a wing structure like the Devourers with the wings being integrated into their front limbs, like that of the Pteronadons. They also tended to have somewhat long necks and powerful back legs and claws with a long tail that is as long as their body and neck combined. Their heads are wider and longer than mine with ten inch teeth and a crest of horns.”

“What color were they?” Hannibal asked as his spirit began to sink in him as Aeolus was describing these malevolent beasts.

“A scarlet red,” Aeolus replied darkly, “With a wingspan larger than mine for the males. They were by far the most dangerous of the draken species, physically and mentally quite different from the others. Wherever they came from, these red drakens were in a constant war with us.”

Hannibal literally staggered at the last words. Aeolus had given him the exact description of the red drakens he’d seen in the dream. “God help us,” he whispered.

“What do you mean?” Argus asked. “Those drakens were wiped out by the Kragonar. I have not seen one of them since this place was buried in this grave.”

Selina felt Hannibal’s distress and said, “Tell them the dream, Hannibal. You must share it if you wish to come to terms with it.”

Hannibal had to lean on Kida because of what Aeolus had said. Rachel was becoming concerned about Hannibal. “Are you all right, dad?” she asked with some concern.

“I will be, sweetie,” Hannibal replied, standing back on his own. He promptly squatted down, looking at the ground in front of him, saying, “And you’re right, Selina. Telling it is the only recourse I have.” He paused, mustering his courage; something everyone saw. “I saw them, the Red Drakens, in a dream just last night and believe you me, I was scared witless,” he reported softly. At that, he told everyone the dream. He left nothing out...from the fortress to the stone giants fighting the avatars of Dezarcus and the Prince of the North, to the sandstorm and his rescue from the sands by Muriel and Selina with the same tattoo that Ariel had, to his vision of the Black Fortress with the Army pouring out of it, the Rakshasar flying around on the weracks, the Black Prince rising behind the fortress with the Red Drakens and the Prince reaching out in an effort to capture him. He told them as the Black Prince tried to grab him he was pulled back to the fortress where the angel Caverias uttered those cryptic remarks.

After telling the dream, Hannibal stood up with a deeply worried look. “That is why I was out here last night when the storm and quake hit,” he admitted. “The dream troubled me so much that I couldn’t go back to sleep at the time. Then I was hit by something I can’t explain at the height of the storm. It felt like that day in Bolivia where I got my missing time. I felt like I was being dragged down a hole into that storm. My body felt like it was being torn apart from the inside out. After it passed, I started bleeding from my eyes, nose, and ears. Nemesis showed up and said I’d been injured by whatever it was. That’s why I ended up in the Healer. But that’s not the worst part of it. In the middle of that chaos, I felt Grimm’s presence. It was just for a moment, but I can’t deny what I felt. I sensed an incredibly ancient malice, hatred, and rage older than anything I’d ever sensed before. Nemesis said he monitored massive electromagnetic, temporal, and gravitational anomalies in the storm coming together just before whatever hit me happened. I think Grimm is trying to break into our reality from the Abyss. Thank God, he wasn’t able to get through. Why did I sense Grimm in that storm? It feels exactly like what I remember from that day in Bolivia...the deep alien terror it gives me. Something big is going on here. I know it.”

Aeolus sighed with an ominous rumble. “That explains why you were out here in the middle of the night at such a dangerous time. I too felt the gravity wave, though my structure is much more resilient to its effects.”

“You mean what I felt was a gravity wave?” Hannibal asked in astonishment. “I didn’t think gravity waves could do that.”

“They can if they’re strong enough and you’re close enough to the singularity event that spawned it,” Aeolus reported. “I suspect the wave we felt was from an unstable warp that tried to open out over the sea. In the 1st Age, unstable warps constantly popped up and collapsed, causing all manner of disruptions. The fact you sensed Grimm this time truly worries me since I sensed his vile presence as well for just a moment. We must beware and make preparations to deal with him. I believe it’s no accident you came across Grimm’s Bane, the Hellion, and now Grimm’s Mask when you did. Your destiny is coming into focus. We must prepare for Grimm’s eventual return. Ragnar Caverias prophesied Grimm would return, and now we have the first evidences of that happening.”

“But how?” Hannibal asked, becoming flustered. “I can’t fight the Emperor, FATE, and Grimm at the same time! I don’t have the power or backup to handle a creature of Grimm’s stature.”

“Yes, you do,” Tethys insisted, “You’re the Last Caverias. This is your destiny. You mustn’t shy away from it. Besides, you will not be doing this alone. Trust your friends and us. We will help you stand up to these dark forces.”

“True,” Argus agreed, “But you seem to be forgetting an essential point.”

“What’s that?” Hannibal asked.

“Grimm has not broken through into our reality yet,” Argus pointed out. “All you did was sense his presence as a warp tried to form during the storm. The warp collapsed before it could make contact with Grimm in his infernal dimension. That means we still have time. All Aeolus is saying is that we need to keep alert since we now know that Grimm is actively seeking reentry into our dimension. Believe me, when Grimm finally breaks through into this dimension, every living thing in this universe will know it. At least that’s what I was told. I was not alive when Grimm last plagued this planet during Ragnar’s reign. Aeolus could tell you more about that than I can.”

“It’s true,” Aeolus admitted. “But I was just a youngling when Grimm ravaged this planet with his dark cohorts. The point is we now know Grimm is stirring, trying to get back into our reality. Just keep that in mind as we deal with the Emperor. Between this and Hannibal’s dream about the Red Drakens, I’d say this is a very ill omen. Presently, I’m more concerned about the dream of the Red Drakens than Grimm. If the Emperor has managed to keep some of them alive, the world is in much greater peril than anyone knew.”

At that, Selina spoke up, saying, “Hannibal’s dreams, especially when they involve the Black Prince and the Emperor, have always been shadows of things to come. On several occasion, we have shared dreams where the Prince was involved and been serious injured as a result. And ninety-five percent of the time after he has a dream like that, the elements turn out to be for real.”

“This is not good,” Argus stated flatly. “I vaguely remember the Red Ones. I was very small when I saw them. They were ruthless, devouring and incinerating everything in their path.”

Rachel began to fear the Red Drakens they were speaking of and asked a simple question. “What are they called?” she asked.

“They are the Azhidakar, little one,” Aeolus replied, “...the destroyers of worlds. They existed only to plague the living and destroy all things of intelligent design, much like the Grimm.”

“You said that the Dark Gods corrupted three of the races,” Kida stated, breaking her silence. “How was this done, especially with the Azhidakar as you call them?”

Aeolus sighed as he searched his memory, trying to remember how that came about so long ago. “The Azhidakar were different from the rest in many ways. The other two races that were allied with the Emperor were taken control of by the Emperor’s sorcerers, in essence enslaved. Some of them managed to stay hidden and out of his sight. But most were captured and enslaved by sorcery and the Emperor’s dark technology. They really didn’t have a say about what they were doing. But the Azhidakar were different, not only in bodily structure, but in mindset as well. They tended to be violent against all things, especially man and his works. No one seems to know where these drakens came from. They just suddenly appeared one day shortly before the coup, which leads me to believe that these beasts may be engineered somehow or may even be from another world. Rumors about the Azhidakar being of alien origin even reached those of us imprisoned in Acheron. I tend to believe there may be something to it since the Emperor did have contact with at least two alien races that were malevolent toward men: the Draconians and the Ruticulians.”

“Now there’s a thought that didn’t occur to me,” Hannibal said, “These Azhidakar being either genetic engineering, or of alien origin, or both. As a matter of fact, that’s not the first time I heard those alien races mentioned. When I was in deep with the Masters of the Universe on the surface, I knew that they were making deals with the Draconians and Ruticulians. The deals involved the exchange of technology for raw materials, including people. It’s been going on for decades, maybe longer. I know now that those people I was involved with had direct ties and links to the Emperor. They were working for him, preparing the world for his return. I even saw those names in the teaching machine at Tiamat, but it didn’t really register on me the significance of it until now. I found two other names in the Tiamat Archive alongside the Draconians and Ruticulians: the Alkadians and the Cythians. Those two I have no idea who they are. Do those names mean anything to you?”

Aeolus reacted to the names visibly with surprise. “Yes, they do,” Aeolus replied. “Those are names I haven’t heard since my capture. The Alkadians and Cythians are indeed alien species not of this world. But they were allied not with the Emperor and his minions. They chose to back Thoth and Tsang Chi of Atlantis. I don’t know what happened to them after the coup but before the coup, they were trading and keeping aggressor species like the Draconians from overrunning the planet. I know that the Draconians constantly tried to move in to strip the planet of its resources. The Alkadians on the other hand were helping to make a better world by providing better technology and ways of doing things that would benefit all. Thoth considered them friends as did he the Cythians. They had a mutually beneficial situation set up until the Emperor blindsided everyone by seizing power with the help of the Dark Gods, the Draconians, and their minions.”

“You are just full of useful information,” Hannibal said to Aeolus with a smile. “I have wondered about those guys ever since I heard about them from the Archive at Tiamat. But let’s leave them alone for now. Let’s get back to the Azhidakar. You say they showed up just before the coup?”

“Yes, they did. They came from the west and descended on the lands like locusts,” Aeolus stated. “In the chaos that they brought about, the Emperor took the throne. We lost many in the war that followed. The Azhidakar were ruthless, seemingly bent on the utter annihilation of not just man, but the other races of drakens. They would go out of their way to destroy our kind.”

Hannibal sighed, saying, “I really hope that dream doesn’t come true because in it I saw dozens of them. Can they hibernate when there is no food?”

Aeolus shook his head. “I do not know,” he admitted. “Not much was known about them except that they were ruthless against everyone. They even destroyed the two races that the Cadre controlled with their sorcery and dark technology. The only ones they didn’t turn on were the Emperor and his allies. But I’d bet that if the Kragonar hadn’t occurred, they would have even turned on them. Survival was their ultimate goal. They always had the need to feed.”

“Survival of the fittest,” Hannibal hissed. “That’s just like the Black Prince to use creatures like that to do his dirty work. For a moment, I was tempted to blame the Almighty for allowing such a beast to live. But I remember in His word where he says, ‘I am the Lord, and besides me is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.’ If these Azhidakar are real, He did it. He created them just as He created the Emperor and all his minions. He did it for His purpose and glory, so that His power may be known. If these Azhidakar are real, then He will provide us the means to deal with them. I hear that Argus is teaching the young ones the fine arts of blowing ice as well as fire. Can they do that too?”

Aeolus shook his head, saying, “No. We have that capability. The Azhidakar that I remember never had the ice breath. They apparently were not equipped physically to do so.”

“Ah, so we have an advantage then,” Hannibal said with more confidence than he had shown earlier when he first heard about the Azhidakar.

“I guess we do,” Aeolus replied, smiling. “But be sure of this: if the Emperor does have a brood of them, every last one of them must be exterminated otherwise they will destroy the world with their fires. They reproduce very quickly and can overrun the planet in a matter of months. They will destroy every living thing if given a chance.”

“Then we must not let them do so,” Hannibal said plainly. “We must talk with someone who has been in the depths of the Emperor’s secret projects. We must speak with both Nemesis and Horace, and maybe even Josephine. They may know more details about these creatures.”

Rachel had been listening to the whole thing and was afraid because of what was being discussed. Selina held her close, purring for her to keep her calm and rational. “That sounds like a good idea,” Selina said. “Intelligence on that threat may be very useful.”

Hannibal looked at Selina and Rachel, seeing Rachel had that look of fear in her eye again. He squatted down in front of her and Selina, saying, “Does this frighten you, Rachel?” She nodded without saying anything. “Don’t worry,” he assured her. “We still don’t know whether these things are real or just a dream. So don’t let our talk of what-ifs shake you. I would never let anything happen to you, nor would Selina, Kida, or any of the drakens you see here. Are you afraid of them?”

Rachel shook her head, saying, “No, not them. But those red ones you were talking about, yes. They sound so much like the beasts the dark ones ride in the city, though those ones aren’t nearly as big as you say these others are.”

Hannibal reached out and touched her hand, saying, “Those red ones won’t hurt you. I promise. I won’t let them.” A thought suddenly hit him that made him smile. “Would you like to take a ride with me, Rachel?” he asked.