Legends of Amacia Return of the Beowulf

Resurrection

Hannibal wasn’t prepared for what greeted him when he penetrated the crowd around the debris pile next to the step pyramid. Jacob lay on a pile of rubble in a contorted position that indicated severe back, neck, and head trauma. The back of his head was bloody. He lay partially buried under some rubble, which continued to be moved frantically by hand. Rebecca and Crystal lay on the ground nearby. Crystal was crying hysterically in pain as several people set her broken leg and arm. She was bruised badly. Rebecca was in deep shock, unable to move anything below her chest. Hannibal stopped and gawked at the scene as Enoch and Selina came up behind him. Enoch sat Selina on a boulder near the edge of the pyramid and sat with her. Just then, Amelia arrived with Arabella, Drew, Morrison, Xavier, Kahn, and Elle. Hunter and Andrew were present, removing the debris off Jacob alongside several others.

“Holy shit; what happened?” Hannibal asked as he went first to Rebecca. “What happened, Rebecca?” he asked, kneeling down beside her as a couple of women tended to her.

Rebecca moaned, seeing and hearing Hannibal. “Hannibal” she cried in agonizing pain. “Oh, thank the Almighty. I can’t feel my legs and my back is on fire.”

“What happened?” Hannibal asked again as Rebecca lapsed into unconsciousness.

“They were on the pyramid when the ground began to shake just before the eruption. The side gave way. I saw the whole thing,” one of the women tending to Rebecca replied. “The side of the pyramid crumbled and they came down. Jacob managed to push them beyond the debris as they fell. There was no warning. They didn’t have a chance.”

Hannibal looked at the woman, asking, “How far up were they and what were they doing up there to begin with?”

The woman pointed up at the side of the step pyramid above them some fifty feet where a gaping hole now sat. “I don’t know why they were up there,” the woman said plainly. “I guess they were exploring as a family. This place is new and wondrous to us all. I can’t blame them. Maybe they wanted a better view.”

As she spoke, Arabella knelt down beside Rebecca after one of the women tending to her moved aside. “What have we here?” she asked.

Hannibal felt a knife turn in his heart as he said, “She’s alive, but I think she may have a broken back. Just before passing out, she said she couldn’t feel her legs. What about the little girl?” Just then, Crystal screamed in pain again as Amelia touched her with her healing gift.

“She’s going to be all right; just some broken bones and lacerations,” Arabella said bluntly. “Amelia is using her touch on the little girl to stabilize her until we can get her to the healing machine in the Tower.”

Arabella poked and prodded Rebecca’s back by sliding her hand and arm under it. Rebecca flinched and came to with tears of pain. Her hand grabbed on to Hannibal as she asked intensely, “Jacob! What about Jacob?”

Hannibal grasped her hand, saying, “I’ll find out. But it doesn’t look good. He may have saved yours and Crystal’s life.”

Just then, Hunter approached with a grim expression and tears running down his cheeks. “Uncle, we tried, but it’s too late. We couldn’t save him. Jacob’s gone,” he told Hannibal in a very upset tone, grieved to the heart that they couldn’t save Jacob. Hunter put a hand on Hannibal’s shoulder, saying, “He never had a chance. The debris crushed him.”

Rebecca heard it and wailed. Hannibal shook his head, feeling guilt at once again seeming being unable to save his friends. Tears rose in his eyes as Andrew and Xavier brought Jacob’s body away from the debris pile and laid him near Rebecca. She managed to look, seeing Jacob’s broken body and sobbed hysterically, crying, “NO! NO! NO!” Her sobs and wails struck deep into Hannibal’s soul.

“Why do you grieve so for him?” the Almighty whispered in Hannibal’s ear, “Have you learned nothing? Am I not the God of both the living and the dead? Am I not He that killeth and maketh alive? Do you not remember Acheron? Do you not remember the hand I restored to Rachel? Is there nothing I cannot do?”

“Truth, Lord, truth,” Hannibal replied softly, tears flowing. Then speaking to Rebecca and those gathered around, Hannibal said softly with great emotion, “Do not cry. Our God is the god of Gods...the god of both the living and the dead. There’s nothing He cannot do, even raise the dead. Be still and see the power and salvation of our God.” No one understood what he was saying. Hannibal abruptly got up while wiping the tears away and went to Jacob. The crowd suddenly became quiet except for the sobs of grief and pain coming from Rebecca. Aeolus watched with great interest as Hannibal knelt down beside Jacob, instinctively knowing that something tremendous was going to happen. He noticed that both his arms and legs were broken with compound fractures. His head lay flopped on the side with a great gaping hole in the back of it where it had smashed on the rocks. Hannibal looked up at Andrew and Hunter, saying, “Set the bones, nephews.”

“But uncle,” Andrew protested, still upset at the loss. “He’s dead. What good is setting the bones going to do?”

Hannibal looked up at both of them with a look that burned through their souls, saying sternly with great authority, “Do as I tell you. Even in death is there hope. Now set the bones!” Hunter and Andrew were taken aback by his forcefulness as was everyone around him, including Selina. At this time, Amelia was laying hands on Rebecca and she cried out as the healing fires of Amelia’s touch stabilized her condition. Hannibal helped Hunter and Andrew set the broken bones, ending with the back and neck.

At that moment, Nemesis arrived. The news of the incident had reached him and he came as quickly as possible. Hannibal glanced at Nemesis as he walked up. Nemesis knelt down on the other side of Jacob’s body from Hannibal and saw the condition of the body. He grimaced, saying, “They said it was bad, but not this bad.”

“Could you scan him and tell me what has happened to him internally?” Hannibal asked Nemesis.

Nemesis opened his cybernetic eye, scanning in the x-ray spectrum and said, “I see a punctured and fractured skull with heavy trauma to the brain, neck broke in two places. His spine is broken in four places, eight ribs are shattered, the pelvis fractured and crushed, both legs crushed with six breaks on each. The left arm is broken in four places, right arm is broken in three, the hands are crushed, the spleen and kidneys ruptured, the intestines damaged severely, the lungs punctured, the liver bruised badly, and the heart bruised heavily. He’s been dead from what I can see here for a half hour to forty minutes. There is no hope here to save him.”

Hannibal looked at Nemesis and said softly, “Oh, you of little faith. Watch and learn. Nothing is impossible for our God.” Hannibal bowed his head and sobbed for a moment. The whole crowd became silent as a tomb as ash from the volcano began drifting on the site. Rebecca whimpered as she looked over at them with no hope. Shock was taking a toll on her, but Amelia’s touch had stabilized her somewhat. Hannibal laid his hands on the body of Jacob, looking into the face of gruesome death again. His demeanor suddenly changed as great anger rose in him. He raised his hands to the sky and shouted, “Who is like unto you, oh, Lord? Great and terrible in power and majesty, doing wonders...there is none that can deliver out of thy hand. For in thy hands alone is the power of life and death. It is by thy will alone that we live and die. Show thy power here oh, Lord, and let there not be any more unbelief amongst your people! Bare thy arm and raise this man from the death that has taken him!”

Hannibal suddenly laid hands on Jacob’s dead chest and focused, saying so that all could hear, “Father, breathe upon this man that he may live again! Restore life to him and heal his battered body! In the name of Jesus, your one and only son, raise this man up!” Just as he spoke, the ground trembled and rumbled for a second seemingly in response, and then dead quiet. A strange warm green aura suddenly swirled around Hannibal and Jacob for a few moments as Hannibal prayed. He could feel his elemental abilities activating in a way he’d never experienced before. It both excited and worried him to feel the warm energy moving out of his hands into Jacob’s lifeless body. Nemesis, Hunter, and Andrew were standing closest to Hannibal and Jacob. They saw the fire in his eyes as he cried to the Almighty, followed by the strange green aura. Suddenly, Jacob’s chest rose and filled with air as the green aura vanished. Nemesis watched in disbelief as Jacob’s chest moved. Andrew and Hunter gawked in astonishment as there was a gurgling sound from Jacob and he arched his back and spewed blood out of his mouth, and then drew another breath.

A moan escaped Jacob’s lips and his eyes opened. “What happened?” he asked weakly.

Cries of terrified astonishment rose from the crowd. Aeolus was absolutely awed by what he saw. Nemesis was the same way as were Hunter and Andrew. Hannibal looked up to the sky and shouted praises to the Lord of Heaven, the Almighty Ancient of Days. Jacob looked around in confusion, asking, “What’s going on, Hannibal? Why are you all staring? Why are my clothes all bloody and torn? What am I doing here? Why can’t I feel my legs?” Just then, a surge of pain filled his head and he cried out, “Oww.” He touched the back of his head and felt the place where the gaping hole was. It was gone. The scalp was still bloody and torn but the skull was miraculously healed. “Why is my head bloody?” he asked.

Hannibal looked around at the astonished faces before looking into Jacob’s eyes, saying, “You fell Jacob, you and your family from up there.” He pointed up at the gaping hole in the pyramid’s side, saying in a hushed and awed tone, “You fell in the quake and were crushed to death by the debris. But you managed to save the lives of Rebecca and Crystal in the fall by pushing them beyond the falling debris. Do you remember anything?”

Jacob shook his head, saying, “No. The last thing I remember is going up the pyramid with Rebecca and Crystal to get a better look at the city. Then there was that tremor, followed by nothing. I was dead?”

Hannibal sighed, wiping the tears of joy from his eyes. “I’m afraid so,” he admitted. “You’ve been dead for over forty minutes. You landed over there on that pile of rubble.” Jacob looked over at the pile and shuddered as he contemplated what had happened to him. “If I was dead, then why am I alive now?” he asked.

“It’s a miracle,” Hunter breathed as he knelt down beside them. Andrew did likewise.

“Hannibal brought you back. He raised you from the dead,” Andrew said softly as the word spread through the crowd like wildfire that Hannibal had raised Jacob from the dead.

“No, Andrew. I did not raise him from the dead. The Lord...the Almighty Ancient of Days did. I’m just doing what I’m told,” Hannibal said as he looked at Nemesis, whose mouth was hanging open in shock.

“Tell him what his injuries were,” Hannibal ordered Nemesis. Nemesis went through the list and Jacob was flabbergasted. “Now look at him again in the x-ray and tell us what is changed.” Hannibal ordered.

Nemesis opened his cyborg eye and looked in the x-ray spectrum, saying, “The skull is completely healed and your brain has almost completely healed with no swelling. The fractures and hole in the back of your head are gone. Your spine from your skull down to just above your hip is healed, and it looks like the break just above your hip is healing at a fantastic rate. Your ribs and pelvis look normal and the fractures in both your legs are almost healed up. Your spleen and kidneys have been regenerated and the bruised organs are healing so fast I can hardly believe it. Your lungs are completely healed and so are your arms. I have no explanation at all for this. This is far beyond even what the healing machines can do. I am officially impressed beyond all measure. Hannibal’s God must be God because only a God could do what I see here.”

“Well said,” Hannibal agreed. “Well said indeed. However, it grieves me to tell you that Rebecca and Crystal were injured seriously as well, but they will live. Nemesis, take a look at Rebecca and confirm that she has a severed spine.” Nemesis went to Rebecca, who was now sobbing joyously that Jacob had been brought back.

Nemesis scanned her and said, “You’re right. Her spine is severed six inches above the pelvis and the pelvis is fractured. Several of her ribs are broken too from the fall. She also bruised some of her internal organs, but it isn’t as bad as it could have been.” Nemesis moved on to Crystal and scanned her too, saying, “The little girl as a broken arm and leg and a mild concussion. But she too will be all right.”

Hannibal looked at Jacob, saying, “Your action by pushing them away from the debris when you fell saved their lives. You don’t remember it at all?”

Jacob shook his head, saying, “No. Man, my head and back hurts.” A groan escaped his lips as he laid down with Hannibal’s help.

“Just try to relax,” Hannibal ordered in a friendly tone. “We’ll get you and your family in the healing chamber in no time. Just as I told Selina and Rachel, you all will be walking again before you know it.”

Jacob finally grasped what happened and he reached out with his hand, saying, “Thank you, Hannibal. And thanks to your God. I owe both of you big time.”

“You’re welcome,” Hannibal replied soberly, taking his hand and shaking it. “Next time you want to see a view, be just a tad more careful, all right? And don’t go up on unstable pyramids while the ground is shaking.”

Jacob smiled wearily through the pain and said, “You can be sure that I will. I should’ve known better after all the tremors we’ve been having. It won’t happen again.”

Hannibal smiled, saying, “Good man.” He then looked at Andrew and asked, “Do you believe now in the resurrection?”

Andrew’s eyes lit up and said, “Yes, uncle. I do. This has to be the most amazing thing that any of us has ever seen. It’s even more amazing than our little sister getting her hand back and you getting your mutation reversed successfully. No one comes back from the dead like that; no one.”

Hannibal patted Andrew on the shoulder saying, “Our God is an awesome and powerful God, full of mercy. Take them to the healing chamber and then we’ll talk.” Hannibal rose to his feet and when he did, the crowd, which was now over fifty silenced and knelt before him in awe and adoration. Even Aeolus gave homage to him. Hannibal looked around and said to all, “Jacob lives by the power and mercy of the Almighty. Do not think it’s my power that raised him because it isn’t. It’s the awesome and merciful power of our God who raises and heals him so give God the glory, not me. I am just a servant and conduit. He deserves the honor and praise, not me.”

Selina had watched the whole incident with awe, eyes big as saucers. She had never seen the dead raised to life and neither had anyone else. But she understood his comments, so she called out, “Let’s give our God a mighty cheer for this mighty miracle!” Everyone within earshot suddenly exploded into a mighty cheer that rumbled across the island and was heard all the way to the Tower. It lasted for nearly five minutes, and it did Hannibal’s soul good to see them putting the worship where it belonged: with the Almighty.

Hannibal went to Rebecca as she was loaded on a stretcher and picked up. She looked him in the eye with tears of adoration and thanks, saying, “Thank you for saving him. Your God truly is the only God.”

Hannibal smiled at her, taking her by the hand, saying, “You’re welcome. I’m just glad that the Lord was merciful. Now you get better, all right?” She smiled as she was carried away. Hannibal then went to Crystal, who was on a stretcher, fixing to be carried away too. “How are you feeling, Crystal?” he asked her.

Mild shock had set in as Crystal replied, “My head hurts. My arms and legs hurt too.”

Hannibal touched her on the shoulder, saying, “It won’t hurt much longer. You’ll be up and playing again before you know it. Now just relax. We’re going to take care of you.”

Crystal managed a smile, saying, “I know. Where is dad?”

Hannibal got in close and said while pointing, “He’s right over there and he’s alive.”

The shock now had Crystal firmly. She smiled dreamily as she said, “I’m tired.”

“I know, Crystal. Just relax. Sleep, little one. Sleep,” Hannibal cooed in her ear, waving his hand over her eyes. He did it three times and with the third time, she was out. He stood back as she was carried away with Jacob followed on his own stretcher, heading back to the Tower. The majority of the crowd followed Jacob, Rebecca and Crystal back to the Tower, leaving a handful of people there at the site. Hannibal walked slowly back to Aeolus, Enoch and Selina. His face was weary and drained, but had a smile on it. Standing there with Enoch, Selina, and Aeolus was Amelia, Xavier, and Nemesis. They all looked at him with wondrous awe. “Can there be any doubt left that you are the Last Caverias: the one the prophecies foretold?” Enoch said. “Only the hand of the Almighty Ancient of Days can raise the dead.”

Aeolus looked at Hannibal, truly awed by the power that he demonstrated, saying, “In all my long life, throughout the long countless centuries of my existence, I have never seen a man crushed to death raised to life. I am supremely impressed and awed by the power of your God. After what I just saw, it leaves no doubt in my mind that your God is the one and only God. I believe and know you’re the One: without a doubt the Last Caverias.”

Amelia chimed in, saying, “That goes for me too. I’m a believer now. That man was gone, his body destroyed. What I just saw is a miracle of miracles. I want to know your God the way you know Him.”

“Me too,” Xavier agreed. “I’ve known of him. After what I just saw, I want to know him like you do.” Everyone had the same thought. They were now believers in Hannibal’s God. They wanted to know him personally the way Hannibal knew him.

Hannibal smiled wearily, saying, “Good. Very good, for it’s our God that is going to fight this last battle. We have to be united in faith and belief, otherwise we will perish. Oh, before I forget. Enoch, Xavier, Amelia: could you spread the word that the ruins are very dangerous because of the tremors.” As he spoke, the island trembled and rumbled again for a moment. Hannibal looked instinctively toward the volcano and saw another small plume of ash rising out of the crater along with the steam. “The Rising is closing in on us faster than I anticipated. We are running out of time. The planetary alignments are tugging on this volcano, causing these tremors and this eruption. Tell the people that if they do come in here, don’t come alone, and not to go in any of the buildings or climb on any of the structures. This one incident shows how unstable this whole place is. I’d rather not have a repeat of this. The Lord raised Jacob. He, in his sovereignty, may not raise another. If you can keep the people out of here all together, that would be even better.”

Enoch nodded, saying, “I don’t think that is going to be a problem after what just happened. But I will inform them to stay out of the city unless they get permission from us.”

“Good,” Hannibal said, pleased with Enoch words. “That will do, though I don’t think it will be a problem because of this incident. They’ve seen first-hand how dangerous the ruins are now.”

“That they have,” Enoch stated. “I feel a bit responsible for this though. I should have warned the people after that last big tremor that the city wasn’t safe. It should have never happened.”

“I’m sure you had pressing matters that distracted you,” Selina commented. “It’s really no one’s fault. I’m just happy things turned out the way they did. We got to see our God move in a truly awesome fashion through my prince.”

“That we did,” Enoch agreed. “I’m still awestruck by it. By the way, did any of you see that strange green light swirling around Hannibal when he revived Jacob? It was truly strange.”

“Everyone did,” Nemesis stated. “It’s like the strange auras that come over him in battle, but this one didn’t seem battle-oriented. I tried to analyze it while it was happening, but couldn’t. The energy signature of the aura is something unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. It couldn’t be measured. Aeolus, do you know what that was?”

“I do,” Aeolus rumbled. “It seems to me what we saw is the tell-tale aura of a drakenite Healing Element being engaged when Master Hannibal resurrected that man. It seems you have found your Healing Element, my friend. Now, you have an element that you can use for creation and not destruction.”

“Whoa,” Hannibal breathed. “I didn’t realize I had a healing element, though I did feel a rather strong response from my elemental power that made me feel warm and good. Are you sure it was a healing element?”

“I’m sure of it,” Aeolus declared. “No question in my mind about that. Your elemental power is expanding into the creation side now. What puzzles me is how well you can control these elemental powers. Only Thoth’s son, Beowulf, ever gained a full mastery of the Elemental Earth as taught in the Drakenite schools of Drakonia. Yet, you know and use them by instinct with great precision as if you were born to them. It’s strange, even unnatural, but in your case, a good thing. You shouldn’t let my musings about your elemental abilities worry you. It’s obvious the Almighty wants you to have use of these powers and is showing you how to access them safely.”

“I agree,” Nemesis concurred. “And it seems you’ve unlocked a new element with this event: the healing element as Aeolus calls it. This gives you added ability to preserve life. I’m curious if it’s similar to Amelia’s healing gift.”

“Possibly,” Xavier stated. “On rare occasions, I’ve seen a strange green light around Amelia and her patient when she uses her gift. But it was nowhere near as bright and warm as what we just saw. You should feel honored to be among the healing class now, Hannibal.”

“I am,” Hannibal replied softly as the fine ash continued to fall on them. “I’ve bemoaned my elemental powers because they’ve always been destructive. But now, it seems I’ve been granted the ability to heal using these powers. I know I felt energy moving from me into Jacob as the Almighty raised him. Am I just a conduit or do I really have this healing power? Can I call it out at will, or will it be by instinct like the other powers I have? I must find out. Having the ability to heal will make these other powers more bearable. But how do I find out? I know nothing about how to activate it. All I did was pray and lay hands on Jacob as the Almighty ordered me. He did the rest. Of this I’m certain.”

“Don’t fret about it, my friend,” Aeolus cooed. “Now that you realize you have this healing ability...this healing element, I’m sure the Almighty will teach you how to access it. Just be content in the fact you have this rare ability. A healing element is exceptionally rare. They’re much more difficult to access than the destructive elements like your fire and earth elements. It’s a great honor to be granted the healing element. Only a handful of drakens and drakenites ever mastered it. Beowulf was among that select few.”

“I see,” Hannibal replied, humbled by Aeolus’ words. “I am truly humbled the Lord our God decided to give me this new gift of healing. I’ve always been a destroyer, but now, I don’t have to be a destroyer. I can be a healer, which suits me so much better. Thank you for pointing that out to me. I will meditate and pray about this new ability so I may understand it better.”

“Spoken like a true king,” Enoch chimed, patting Hannibal on the shoulder. “I’m sure you will come to understand not just this new ability, but also your other powers when the time is right. Until then, I strongly suggest we leave the city and this ash fall. It’s not healthy to be out in the ash like this.”

“You’re right,” Hannibal agreed. “We should go back to the Tower. What happened to the other people who were injured out here during the quake? I know I saw nearly twenty people injured when we landed.”

“They were taken to the Tower for treatment while you dealt with Jacob,” Amelia reported. “Most of those injuries were not as severe as what happened to Jacob and Rebecca; mainly bumps and bruises with a few broken arms and legs from the falling debris. There was nothing life-threatening like what happened to Jacob and Rebecca. They’ll be okay.”

“That’s good,” Hannibal replied with obvious relief. Another explosion from the volcano caused everyone to look towards it. The ground trembled as the ash column from the crater pulsed into a mushroom cloud as it rose into the sky. Fortunately, the wind picked up from the southeast, blowing most of the ash towards the western side of the island. “Enoch, I’d tell the people to avoid the city all together at this point, just to be safe,” Hannibal urged. “That volcano is fixing to get really ugly. It could blow big at any time. If it blows in this direction, it’ll bury this place and kill anything in its way. I don’t want anyone in here if that happens.”

“Seeing this new level of activity, I must agree with you,” Enoch concurred. “I’ll let everyone know the city is off-limits now because of the volcano and the quakes. We don’t want a repeat of this morning.”

“I couldn’t say that better myself,” Hannibal said emphatically. “Let’s not temp Fate or our God.”

“That’s a wise decision,” Aeolus stated. “I’ll let my brood know to keep a safe distance from the volcano while we monitor it. We’ll also make sure the people stay clear of the city.”

“Thank you,” Hannibal replied. “That will make things easier. If you or any of your family notices trouble with the volcano, please let us know immediately. A catastrophic eruption of that cone could be disastrous for us if we’re caught unawares.”

“We will watch it closely and inform you of anything that may be dangerous to the people,” Aeolus insisted. “Now, I suggest we retreat from this area before the ash fall causes us trouble. Do you wish to fly back to the Tower?”

“No,” Hannibal replied. “We’ll walk back. Selina and I need to be among the people a bit. We haven’t had much to do with them since the raid. It’s time to remedy that.”

Aeolus nodded, saying, “Very well. If you need me, just call.” He then turned and lumbered away, leaving them there. Hannibal walked over to Selina and sat down beside her and Enoch.

“Are you all right?” Amelia asked with some concern, seeing Hannibal’s weary and drained look.

Hannibal nodded. “I will be,” he answered softly. “As much as I love the Lord when I get to be in His presence, when He chooses to operate through me like He just did, it drains me physically. His holiness and power always overwhelm me. My mind and spirit glory in Him when He works as He just did, but this old flesh just can’t take it. It makes me so much more eager to be free of this flesh and its hindrances. One of these days, he will grant me that desire. We shall rule and reign with him a thousand years without this flesh holding us back. The Black Prince, the Emperor, all the Dark Gods, Lucifer, and all his minions will be imprisoned and we will be free to serve our God as we ought to. Man I can’t wait.”

“Do you know how crazy that sounds?” Xavier asked.

“Yes,” Hannibal returned with a smile. “Only a fool would talk like that. So, I’m a fool for my God, for Jesus. Whose fool are you? For a true fool says in his heart, ‘No God.’”

Xavier patted Hannibal on the shoulder, saying, “I’m a fool for your God, of course. I don’t quite understand why you talk like that, but I hope to learn. After all, we are brothers, are we not?”

Hannibal smiled, saying, “That we are. Come, we have much to do, the least of which is getting out of this ash.” Hannibal rose and picked up Selina. Together, they all walked back to the Tower, mingling amongst the people. Half a mile outside the edge of the ruined city, the ash fall ceased. In forty minutes, they approached entered the two-mile perimeter around the Tower where the people had set up their makeshift city. As they walked, the people pointed and waved. Some bowed; some knelt as they went by. Most marveled at the man who raised another from a crushing death under the stones.

On the way there, they encountered the craftsman Tal, who was exceptional in his skills. Hannibal remembered him as the man who helped Elias take the pictures of the Resistance while he was still Hanna. Tal had made a special wheel chair just for Selina, thinking to make it a gift to her. It, unlike the one that she had been using, could easily move over rough terrain. He showed it to them when they stopped to rest at his little makeshift shop. Hannibal immediately noticed the potential of the man and thanked him for the chair, telling him that he may have a use for his skills later on. The news thrilled Tal. Therefore, after their brief visit with Tal, Hannibal was pushing Selina in the new wheelchair instead of carrying her. They moved among the people, stopping every so often to talk with them. With each stop, Enoch, Nemesis, and Hannibal informed the people about the unstable nature of the ruined city. They told them to avoid it, and to spread the word that the ruins were dangerous because of the volcano and the increasingly violent quakes caused by it. The people understood and swore to spread the word about the ruins.

In the process of talking to the people on the way to the Tower, Hannibal found out quickly the people were indeed getting along very well with one another. The Cimmerians, the people of Arionath, Corso’s people from Cushar...including those recently rescued from Hreidmar’s Bastion, the hybrids from the citadel in Acheron, and the prisoners from the Black Fortress were working together, helping each other in all kinds of ways. Their collective hatred of the Emperor and belief in Hannibal as their leader united them under his rule. They also had accepted that Enoch and his family were part of that hierarchy. The people considered them the royal family.

Even Magnus and Nemesis were fitting in with the people. The people looked at the Xenian prototypes as not just friends and allies, but something equivalent to the Captain of the Guards for Hannibal. He even heard the people speaking of Josephine in very positive terms and part of the royal family. This information pleased Hannibal tremendously.