Legends of Amacia The Awakening

Hanna’s Confidence

A half hour after Selina left Hanna in their quarters she strolled confidently into the kitchen. Electra, Kida, Emma, Enoch, and Selina sat around the kitchen table talking. “Oh, hi Hanna,” Electra called out, seeing Hanna enter wearing a snug sleeveless halter-top tan bodysuit with tan thigh-length shorts, and matching leather knee-boots. Hanna also sported a short sleeve leather coat that left her midriff open. “You’re looking unusually focused this morning,” Electra observed. “How’re you feeling?”

“Hungry enough to eat a whole bison,” Hanna chimed. “Got anything to eat? I’m starved.”

“Sure do,” Kida answered, rising from the table as Hanna sat down next to Selina. “What would you like?”

“Some eggs and roast bison with some fried potatoes,” Hanna replied pleasantly. “And some fruit would be good too.”

Electra got up, saying, “You are hungry. It’ll take a few minutes to get it ready. What would you like to drink?”

“Some of that bison milk and honey would really hit the spot,” Hanna declared.

“How do you want your eggs?” Kida asked, setting the frying pan on the stove and cutting it on.

“Scrambled will be okay,” Hanna replied with a smile. “Sorry I’m so late coming down. I overslept.”

“It’s quite all right,” Electra answered, bringing a glass of bison milk and honey to Hanna. “Selina told us what happened last night with your dreams.”

Hanna glanced at Selina with a sour look. “Tattletale,” she chided in mock anger that everyone noticed.

“What did you expect?” Selina answered back sarcastically. “You’re not your usual grumpy, moody self this morning. I had to warn them.”

Hanna chuckled warmly. “Touché, princess,” she crowed. “You got me good. I knew you’d figure it out at some point. I’ll make a human of you yet.”

“I think not,” Selina purred, chuckling. “But I’ll make a Lynxian of you if it kills me. I know there’s a cat hiding inside there somewhere.”

“Meow,” Hanna replied with a smug expression. Everyone broke out laughing, even Enoch.

“You’re in a really good mood this morning,” Enoch observed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in this good a mood. I like this change in you. You’re so much more confident and at ease with yourself.”

“You think so?” Hanna asked with a raised eyebrow, taking a sip from her glass of milk.

“Absolutely,” Enoch insisted. “Your eyes are full of life and light, and you’re completely at ease with who you are. Your outfit attests to that. I’ve never seen you wear something so sexy. It’s so you.”

“Why thank you, Enoch,” Hanna chimed, pleased with Enoch’s praise. “That’s mighty nice of you to say so. But know that I’m wearing this not just to flaunt my assets, which it does quite nicely. I mean to do some serious training today and I thought this outfit would be the most useful. I don’t want anything to get in the way.”

“I’m sure you don’t,” Emma called out. “Whether you know it or not, I wear something similar when I want to practice. I’m surprised at how good you look sporting that outfit.”

“It is nice, isn’t it?” Hanna replied warmly. “I feel completely uninhibited wearing this. Enoch, does the Armory Arena have drone capabilities?”

“Yes,” Enoch stated, raising his eyebrow. “What do you have in mind?”

“I need to practice full bore,” Hanna stated. “But I don’t want to hurt anyone. If the arena has android drones that I can fight, then I can push myself without risking harm to any of you. Besides, I suspect when I push myself to the limit, I expect my elemental abilities will manifest again.”

“Ah, I see what you want,” Enoch chimed as Electra sat Hanna’s breakfast in front of her.

“Eat up,” Electra ordered. “You’re going to need a full tank if you mean to use the drones in your combat training.”

“That’s why I asked for it,” Hanna stated, immediately starting to eat.

“What threat level do you want?” Enoch asked.

“Pretty high,” Hanna replied after swallowing some of her eggs. “They have to be able to hurt me.”

“Okay,” Enoch murmured, rubbing his chin. “But I’ll need to be in the control room when you do this.”

“That’s fine,” Hanna said after swallowing some meat. “Besides, I want Selina there in case the Rage gets out of hand. She’s the only one who can reach me when I’m like that.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Kida stated, sitting down at the table. “Are you going to do empty hand or weapons in your training?”

“A bit of both I think,” Hanna answered after a sip of her milk. “In fact, before I go into the Arena, I want to look over the weapons in your armory. I have an idea you have some very interesting weapons lying around in there.”

“That we do,” Enoch declared. “In fact, some of the weapons there are 1st Age weapons our ancestors wielded, like the Thoth Caverias’ sword. Will you be bringing it?”

“Yes,” Hanna replied. “And my instinct is to have the Caverias Seal and the Griffin Seal of Khitia on me when I do this. I have to figure out how they work.”

“I see,” Enoch said thoughtfully. “This should be interesting considering your performance during the raid. Just let me know when you’re ready to start.”

“I will,” Hanna returned with a wry grin and a wink. “But first, I’m going to finish eating. I can’t practice on an empty stomach.”

“No, you can’t,” Enoch said with a smile as he rose from the table. “I’ll go check the controls in the Arena to make sure they’re ready for you.”

“You do that,” Hanna chimed, “I’ll be along in a little bit.”

Enoch nodded and left the room. As Hanna continued with her meal, Emma asked, “Why do you want to practice now, Hanna? I thought you freed Hannibal.”

“I did,” Hanna replied after washing down some meat with her milk. “But I still need to connect with him on a deeper level. Since he’s my warrior within, combat training is the logical way to do that. The closer I get to him now, the easier it will be for that final merger when Josephine reverses the mutation. Besides, I’m pretty much over my wounds from the raid and need to sharpen my combat skills anyway. I’ve become a bit lax in keeping my skills up.”

“Oh,” Emma murmured. “I understand now. It’s part of your healing process.”

“In a way, yes,” Hanna stated after taking a large swallow of the milk. “It’s something I must do in order to become whole again. You’re welcome to watch if you like.”

“I might do that,” Emma said with a smile. “I haven’t seen you in combat before.”

“It’s not a pretty thing,” Selina declared. “Hanna has a tendency to become extraordinarily brutal in combat, especially when the Rage hits her. Hannibal is the same way. Just don’t be alarmed when you see how vicious she can get.”

“I’ve heard the accounts of Hanna’s Rage,” Emma stated. “I just want to see her in action for myself.”

“Just don’t get too close when you do,” Selina warned. “It would be very bad for you.”

“Selina’s right,” Hanna agreed as she finished her breakfast. “When you see me in battle, it’s best to keep your distance, especially if the Rage has hit me. The last thing I want is to hurt or kill my friends while the Rage has me.”

Emma reached out, putting her hand on Hanna’s shoulder. “You’d never do that,” she declared. “I know it. Your love and light will keep your Rage in check. I have faith in you.”

“I hope you’re right,” Hanna stated soberly. “The Rage is something I’ve yet to fully muzzle. Hopefully, this mutation reversal will help with that.”

“I’m sure it will,” Emma chimed. “And don’t worry. I won’t get in your way. I just want to see you in action. That’s all.”

“Then you’re welcome to watch,” Hanna stated. “But stay out of the Arena. I must be alone to do what I want. I can’t have anyone getting in the way.”

“You have my word,” Emma answered. “When are you going to the Arena?”

“In about an hour,” Hanna stated, rising from her seat. “I need to let my breakfast settle. Besides, I wanted to explore the Armory. I feel something calling to me from there. I can’t explain it.”

“You’re feeling a telepathic call?” Electra asked.

“I guess it is, sort of,” Hanna stated. “It’s the same feeling I had when I retrieved Ezra’s sword on my way here from Acheron the first time. It’s both weird and troubling. I’m not able to tune it out as I can with the other telepathic chatter. It’s like a whisper in the ear that makes your hair stand on end. The only way I’ve found to stop these sensations is to find whatever it is that’s calling. Something lies buried in your Armory that I need to find.”

“Then you should find it,” Electra said bluntly. “But be careful in approaching it. I cannot help you here because I’m not sensing what you are. Are you, Selina, Kida?”

“No, momma,” Selina replied. “Whatever is calling Hanna is only touching her, and not me. It’s blocking our link and not coming through.”

“I’m not sensing it either,” Kida agreed. “But it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. You should investigate it immediately, Hanna. Do you need anyone to come with you?”

“No,” Hanna answered. “What I’m sensing doesn’t feel dangerous to me personally, but it feels ancient, powerful, and vaguely familiar. Kida, have you ever heard of the Draken Gauntlets of Ryu-Fudo?”

A puzzled look crossed Kida’s face. “I can’t say that I have,” she replied. “Didn’t you say something about that when you told us about Hanna’s dream earlier, Selina?”

“Yeah,” Selina purred. “It was part of that dream Hanna shared with me about the giant saber cat she called Serge. I have no idea what it is other than it’s some kind of incredible weapon that mounts to the forearms. I saw the weapon when Hanna shared the dream with me. She took down a fleet of the Emperor’s bombers with it in the dream.”

“Interesting,” Electra chimed in, “Maybe you should do a little research on the weapon in the Archive, Hanna? If it was a real weapon, the Archive may have something to say about it.”

“Now there’s a great idea,” Hanna chimed. “I think I’ll do that. I’d like to know if they’re for real or not. But it can wait until later. It’s something I’m curious about. Thanks for the advice, Electra.”

“It’s my pleasure,” Electra replied pleasantly. “I’m always ready to help.”

“I know you are,” Hanna said, smiling broadly. “It’s why I love you so much. Well, I’m off. I’ll see you girls later.”

“Okay,” Kida purred. “Let us know if you need anything.”

“I will,” Hanna said pleasantly. “Selina, I’ll let you know when I want you to come to the Arena. I need you there to monitor me.”

“Right,” Selina said with a nod. “Just don’t start without me.”

“Not a chance,” Hanna crowed with a wry smile. “See you later.” With that, Hanna left the kitchen.

“Hanna seems so sure of herself this morning,” Emma commented.

“It’s more than that,” Electra stated. “Hanna is beginning to discover who she really is. I can sense it. We’re seeing something I never believed I would see in my lifetime.”

“What’s that, momma?” Kida asked.

“We’re seeing a fractured mind and soul healing itself,” Electra stated. “Hanna has two distinct personalities reflecting her male and female halves. She had to split her mind when the mutation took place to keep from going insane. Now, she’s bringing the pieces back together with the force of her will. I’ve never seen a dual personality like that reintegrate, but it’s happening with Hanna right now. When Josephine reverses Hanna’s mutation, what will come out will be a new man with an integrated mind and spirit. Hanna and her male counterpart Hannibal will become a completely new person with both working together flawlessly.”

“I never thought of it like that,” Kida admitted.

“Me neither,” Emma stated.

“I agree with momma on this,” Selina stated. “Hanna’s dual personality was something that Izanami and I helped her forge in the Harem right after her mutation. Hannibal insisted on it. Now, Hanna has released Hannibal and they’re preparing to become one being again. The combat training is a way to help Hanna merge with Hannibal. As she said, Hannibal is her warrior within...her strength, power, skill, and instinct. Likewise, Hanna is Hannibal’s compassion, love, life, and inspiration. Without Hanna, Hannibal would wither and both of them would be lost. They know they need each other. That’s what this training session is about. Hanna apparently freed Hannibal of his prison last night in her sleep. Now, she must tap and connect to him through combat to start the merger process. Hanna is ready to step out of the way and let Hannibal resume his rightful place. I can sense it. Both Hanna and Hannibal are about to embrace their destiny and stop resisting it. I hope and pray they can unite so I can get Hannibal back.”

“Don’t worry,” Electra purred confidently. “They’re ready now to take this essential step in their growth. Hanna and Hannibal will become one being in one body, instead of two people trapped in one body. You’ll see both of them in his mannerisms when this is over, and you’ll have your man back.”

“I hope so,” Selina replied. “I ache to hold Hannibal again.”

“You will, sis,” Kida reassured. “You will.”