Legends of Amacia The Awakening

By time Hanna reached the stone bench, her audience was gathering on the arena floor, coming out of the entrance she used. She sat down on the bench with a labored sigh. Josephine stepped forward and sat beside Hanna, putting a friendly hand on her shoulder. “You have surprised me greatly,” she told Hanna. “You fight like a warrior of my time. When did you learn how to use these weapons?”

“I found these weapons this morning in the Armory,” Hanna reported, starting to wheeze slightly as the adrenaline rush of the fight subsided. “They called to me the same way Ezra’s sword and Thoth’s sword did. I had an instinct about them, but decided to do a bit of research on them in the Archive before I came down here. All three of these weapons are 1st Age weapons used by the Caverias line.”

“That was magnificent,” Nemesis complimented as he stepped up. “You’ve grown in power and skill tremendously since your raid on the Black Fortress. I’ve never seen anything like what I saw just now. Yet, you still need more training. I saw some sloppiness in your techniques that may yet cause you trouble. I’m here to help you with that, if you wish.”

“Thanks, Nemesis,” Hanna replied gratefully. “I’m glad you got here in time to see this.” She winced as her wounds pained her. “I got careless and let them under my guard. I need more training to keep me from becoming careless.”

Enoch rushed up pushing Selina in her wheelchair. Their faces radiated great concern and relief. “Are you okay, Hanna?” Enoch asked urgently, seeing her wounds. “Dr. Drew, Dr. Bishop...Hanna needs your help here. She’s wounded.” Drew and Arabella came forward quickly. Arabella carried her satchel with first-aid supplies.

Opening her satchel, Arabella brought out some bandages and started binding Hanna’s wounds with Drew. “You should be more careful, Hanna,” Arabella scolded softly while wrapping Hanna’s leg wounds. “One day you may do something I cannot fix.”

“She’s right,” Drew agreed, binding Hanna’s head wound after cleaning it. “You’re fortunate that these lacerations didn’t hit anything vital. You shouldn’t take unnecessary risks like this.”

“I know,” Hanna stated with a groan as Arabella tied off the bandage on her leg. “I should’ve been more careful. But that was some workout you had for me, Enoch. What happened there at the end? Those last drones tried to kill me. I could sense it. It was more than just training. It was mortal combat. And what happened with that strange tank? How did that get in here? However, I’m not really complaining. This is just the type of workout I wanted.”

“I don’t know what happened,” Enoch admitted as Drew and Arabella continued to bind Hanna’s wounds. “We obviously had a malfunction of some kind. The tank was never part of the exercise, but it somehow became activated with the search-and-destroy protocol enacted and you as its target. Even those last drones somehow overrode their safeties, going full hunter/killer. And when I tried to use the EMP safety to shut them down, it didn’t work either. I’m at a loss to explain it. But I am very relieved that you came through it relatively intact. I’m also stunned at the power you have. You used all three of those weapons like a master.”

“They’re very powerful weapons indeed,” Hanna confessed. “Your father and grandfather were right to warn you about them. Only someone with great strength of body and will can wield them, especially the scythe. It has to be the wickedest, most powerful weapon I’ve ever used in my life.”

“There, that should hold you for now,” Arabella chimed as she and Drew finished binding Hanna’s lacerations. “But I strongly suggest you get to the Healer and let it mend these lacerations. Some are pretty deep.”

“I agree,” Drew declared. “Don’t move too quickly either. It may reopen the wounds. We can’t have you bleeding to death.”

“Thank you,” Hanna said gratefully to both doctors. “Don’t worry. I won’t do anything stupid before I get to the Healer.”

“Good,” Arabella replied, smiling as she gave Hanna a gentle hug. “You’re starting to listen to me now.”

Hanna returned the hug, saying, “That I am. Every time I ignore your advice, you have to put me back together. I definitely need to give you a break by doing what you tell me.”

“That would be very nice,” Arabella chimed. “I really care for you. That’s why I keep giving you such a hard time.”

“And I you,” Hanna admitted. “That’s why I do what I do...to help keep you and everyone else safe.”

“I know,” Arabella replied, patting Hanna on the shoulder before stepping back.

“What did you find out about the scythe from the Archive?” Enoch asked, sitting next to Hanna on the bench opposite of Josephine.

Seeing Selina’s concerned look, Hanna sighed, ignoring Enoch’s question temporarily. “You look worried, sis,” she stated. “What’s troubling you?”

“You are,” Selina admitted. “Are you sure you’re okay? You came really close to the same level of rage you had when you rescued me.”

“I know,” Hanna replied softly, reaching out and touching Selina on the leg as she sat in front of her in her wheelchair. “But this time was different.”

“How so, Hanna?” Andrew asked.

“I didn’t feel overwhelmed by it this time,” Hanna reported. “Somehow, I felt in complete control of it, and not the other way around as it usually is. When Selina called to me after I finished off the tank, the Rage melted away like snow on a hot day. It flowed out of me like water down a drain.”

“Did you finish freeing Hannibal?” Izanami asked from her wheelchair as Lola rolled her next to Selina.

A wry smile crossed Hanna’s lips. “I do believe I did, sister,” Hanna admitted. “When I was fighting, I felt at one with myself and him. We came together in a way that I didn’t think possible. I’m sure he’s the reason the Rage didn’t overtake me.”

“That’s very good news,” Josephine crowed. “It means you’re ready for the reversal now. You’ve made peace with your male and female components. Now, it’s just a matter of physically undoing what the Emperor had me do to you so you may take your proper place.”

“I do believe you’re right,” Hanna agreed. “I am ready to end this part of my journey. Hannibal is ready to step up again. To be honest, Hannibal took out the tank, not me. If he hadn’t come out, that tank would have splattered me all over the walls of this arena.”

“She’s right,” Selina agreed. “I felt it when it happened. Hannibal rose like the phoenix when the last drones when crazy and the tank came after Hanna. But it wasn’t his power alone. He coupled his power with Hanna and the Lord’s power to stop that madness. I also sensed a foul dark spirit in those drones and tank when they malfunctioned. Did you sense it too, Hanna?”

“I did,” Hanna admitted. “It’s the reason I let Hannibal do what he did. He knew that damnable spirit well and went on the warpath to wipe it out. God, I’m glad that’s over. In fact, I bet that dark power I felt coming from the tank and those last drones caused the malfunction of the controls to begin with. It shorted out the programming to so it could use the machines here to kill me. That didn’t work out quite as it wanted, did it? When I destroyed the tank and Selina dispersed my Rage, I felt the dark spirit flee.”

“It may have been a spirit sent from the Emperor,” Horace called out as he approached. “He often sends minion spirits to attack his enemies, especially when he doesn’t know exactly where they are.”

“You may be right about that,” Nemesis agreed. “I’ve seen him do that many times. Often times, it’s just a ruse to discover where his enemies are hiding.”

“True,” Horace replied soberly. “This spirit may have been a scout spirit trying to locate us. Since it apparently fled when Hanna defeated the machines it took control of, we must assume the worst and the Emperor will find out about this place.”

A deep sigh escaped Hanna’s lips as her wounds stung. “I think that’s a foregone conclusion,” she stated. “But it will take him some time to send a physical scouting party here, so we have a little space to counter him.” She turned to Enoch, who had been waiting patiently at her side. “Furthermore, thanks to Enoch, we now have some of the Weapons of Caverias in our hands,” she chimed. “You were sitting on top of them and didn’t know it. You asked about these weapons.”

Enoch nodded. “I did,” he replied. “Before I sent in the drones, you said the weapons on your forearms were the Draken Gauntlets of Ryu-Fudo.”

“I did,” Hanna declared. “Gordo himself made six pair for the Caverias family. This pair belonged to Cleo, who never used them. That’s why I was drawn to them.”

“I see,” Nemesis rumbled. “But what about the scythe; what did you find out about it? I’ve seen my share of battle scythes in my time, but none like that. Josephine said it was a weapon of the 1st Age.”

Hanna smiled and stood up, unslinging the scythe. “She’s right about that. Stand back,” she ordered and everyone gave her space. In less than three seconds, Hanna opened the scythe up to its full form. Everyone gasped at its transformation. Spinning it around and sticking the main blade in the floor so it could stand up, she smiled wryly. “As I said earlier, this is the wickedest weapon I’ve ever had in my hands,” she declared. “As you saw, it’s devastating when handled by someone who knows how to use it. I can see why your father and grandfather told you not to mess with the weapons in that part of the Armory, Enoch. I dare to say this scythe has no equal and is most likely the most dangerous weapon you have in here. It may even have the ability to channel elemental strikes like Thoth’s sword does.”

“Did the Archive say anything about it?” Enoch asked intently.

“This scythe is unique, Enoch,” Hanna reported, resting her hand on the handle of the scythe at its bolt. “No other like it exists, just like Thoth’s sword. The Teacher said this scythe belonged to Ragnar Omicron Caverias: Thoth’s fourth generation grandfather. He used it in his time to battle the Old Ones and the Dark Gods.” Enoch’s eyebrows rose in surprise.

“Did Gordo forge it?” Andrew asked.

“No,” Hanna replied bluntly. “He didn’t, nor did his forbearers. The scythe is not of this planet. The Archive didn’t say who gave it to him, but it did say he was the only human known that could control the scythe’s power. I need to find out more about Thoth’s fourth generation grandfather. I expect there’s much more to this story than I’m seeing, like this scythe.”

“Do you know about him, dad?” Hunter asked Enoch.

“Not really,” Enoch admitted. “The Red Tower’s records of the Caverias line before Thoth’s grandfather are very sketchy. It only has the barest record of Thoth’s line; basically a family tree with no real record of their deeds before Grandfather Caverias. I find it strange that those records would be missing or omitted as they seem to be.”

“That is strange,” Hanna agreed. “I saw the same thing when I went looking for details about Ragnar. His getting the scythe as a gift and him being the only human to wield it successfully was the only info I got. Who gave it to him was conspicuously missing. There has to be another archive somewhere that can fill in the gap there. The feeling I got when I found the information about Ragnar is that I somehow knew him. It’s weird. Furthermore, each time I touch this thing, I see him using it in battle against the Old Ones. It’s as if his psychic imprint and spirit are still on this weapon. And to make things even weirder, I never trained using a scythe, especially not one of this magnitude or complexity. What you saw me do was done completely by raw instinct. This is the first time I’ve ever used a scythe in battle.”

“Whoa,” Harry breathed. “You’re shitting me. You used that thing as if it were an extension of your own body.”

“No shitting, Harry,” Hanna admitted. “Now, I have trained extensively with bo-staffs, spears, and glaives, but never a scythe. Up until now, I considered it too bulky a weapon to be of good use.”

“But you don’t see it that way now, do you?” Josephine asked.

“No,” Hanna replied. “I feel this scythe is now part of my arsenal, alongside this strange katana and the Draken Gauntlets of Ryu-Fudo.”

“Did the Teacher say anything about the sword?” Nemesis asked. “That blade, like the scythe, is unlike any I’ve ever encountered.”

Hanna smiled wryly as she unslung the sword, pulling it from its sheath. “It’s a very special weapon indeed,” she declared, holding the blade up so everyone could see the runes on the blade. “You see the runes on the blade?” Everyone acknowledged seeing the plainly visible runes on the blade. “They’re the same type of runes I’ve seen on both Thoth’s and Ezra’s swords. I cannot read them. But I did find some rather intriguing info about this sword in the Archive.”

“What did it say about the sword, little sister?” Andrew asked.

Hanna sheathed the blade with a knowing smile. “It called this weapon Hellion: the Spark of Destiny, and none other than Thoth’s son, Beowulf wielded it,” she announced, pausing for effect. Enoch’s eyes grew wide in surprise as gasps escaped everyone’s lips. “Like the scythe, Hellion is not of this planet,” Hanna reported. “At least that’s what the Archives say. No one knows who forged it, but it’s definitely an ancient alien weapon of great power. The Archives suggest that Beowulf found it while he searched for the fabled sword Ragnaros, which he never found before he vanished at the end of the Battle of Drakonia.” A deep icy chill raced down Hanna’s spine, making her tremble visibly and turn pale.

“Are you okay, little sister?” Hunter asked, noticing Hanna’s shiver. “You look like you just saw a ghost.”

“To be honest, I’m not sure,” Hanna replied softly, staring at the ancient weapon in her hand. “The Battle of Drakonia keeps coming up in the research I’ve been doing about these ancient weapons. It’s a matter of record that Beowulf went missing at the end of that battle along with a group of beings called the Elder Gods and that strange guy that looks like me. Every time I encounter it, I feel as if I’m walking over my own grave. I’m missing something very important, but I can’t remember what it is. It’s infuriating.”

“May I see the weapon, Hanna?” Josephine requested politely. “I need to see it up close because I think I recognize your weapon.”

Hanna handed over the sword to Josephine, who looked at it with the intensity of a jeweler. “Yes,” she murmured, “I remember. I’ve seen this weapon before in the hands of Beowulf as I monitored the war from my prison in the Black Fortress.” She started to pull the weapon from its sheath, but it refused to budge as if it were locked in. “Yes, yes!” she crowed as her memories opened more. “I definitely remember it now. Beowulf was the only one who could pull Hellion from its sheath. It chose him to wield its phenomenal power.”

“Are you saying the sword is alive?” Harry asked.

“Indeed, Master Harry,” Josephine replied. “This sword is not made by any human, or by any of Bolthor’s or Thoth’s alien allies. It’s an alien weapon of deep antiquity forged by an unknown species far from this planet. It has the ability to choose its master, not allowing anyone else to use it. Shall I demonstrate?” Harry nodded as everyone paid close attention. “Hanna, did this weapon call to you in the Armory?” Josephine asked.

“It did,” Hanna replied. “In fact, it was the first one I found. It was a subtle telepathic call, almost like someone whispering in my ear from behind. The same thing happened with these Gauntlets and the Scythe after I found it, though the Scythe was the strongest call I felt.”

“Then it’s chosen you as its master,” Josephine declared. “As its master, only you can pull it for battle. Unsheathe the weapon.”

Hanna retrieved the weapon from Josephine and pulled the blade without any trouble. “Apparently, it likes me just fine,” she stated, sliding the blade back into the sheath.

“So it does,” Josephine stated. “But it didn’t like me. I couldn’t get it out. Hand the sword to Master Harry and see if he can pull it.”

“Okay,” Hanna answered, handing the weapon to Harry. “Try to pull it, bud.”

Harry took the weapon in hand and tried to unsheathe it. “Damn,” he cursed, “It won’t come out. It acts like it’s locked in somehow.”

“You won’t be able to force it, Master Harry,” Josephine stated. “Give it to Enoch and let him try.”

“You’re going somewhere with this,” Hanna observed as Harry gave the sword to Enoch.

“Just watch,” Josephine instructed. “Try to pull it, Enoch. You’re a Caverias, so any of the Weapons of Caverias should obey your will.”

Enoch’s eyebrows again rose with surprise as the sword wouldn’t budge when he pulled on it. “It won’t move,” he stated. “What does this mean?”

“Pull the blade, Hanna,” Josephine ordered.

Hanna grabbed the sword handle while Enoch held on to the sheath, pulling it without any problem. A gasp escaped her lips. “Whoa,” she breathed, looking at the sword’s blade with amazement. “How come I can pull it and they can’t?”

“Because Hellion has chosen you as its master,” Josephine stated categorically. “It has a will that was given to it by its maker, whoever or whatever that was. I remember only Beowulf could use it. It would not let anyone else use its power. Apparently, it sees you as its master now because you’re the Beowulf now.”

“I’ve heard of such weapons in legends and myth, but never did I ever expect to actually find one,” Hanna stated, sliding the blade back into the sheath while Enoch held it. “I’ve seen weapons chose their master by luring them in, but never have I found one with an actual will so obviously attached to it. It’s obvious that this weapon is not of human make. Wait a minute, if I’m it’s master now, could I order it to allow someone else to use it?”

“Yes,” Josephine stated. “You can, but you must be very careful. With a will on it, the sword can just as easily turn against you, so you must use it with great caution and respect. Hellion was legendary even in my time. It had the power to not just channel, but to enhance elemental power of its master. The Emperor, the Dark Gods, even FATE itself feared this weapon, so they did everything they could to destroy it. It’s a weapon of the Light with the ability to slay the darkest, most monstrous fiends of the most Ancient Darkness. Legends say Hellion could shine like a supernova and obliterate the darkest Darkness with its divine light. But as powerful as Hellion is, it’s still subject to the weakness and mortality of its master. It can be overcome if its master is defeated or killed.”

“How did Beowulf end up with the sword?” Andrew queried.

“It first came to light when Thoth’s grandfather found it buried in the South Wind,” Josephine stated. “It apparently called to him, as it did to you, Hanna. He retrieved the weapon, but sadly, it rejected him when he went insane after getting a glimpse of the Nexus where the Etherian hordes and the Old Ones were imprisoned. When he returned to Caveria, the sword drove him to give it to Beowulf, not Thoth or Thoth’s father. It apparently kept Thoth’s grandfather from going completely insane until he could hand over the sword to Beowulf. After Beowulf received Hellion, he had an intense argument with Thoth about going to find the sacred sword Ragnaros before the Emperor could claim it. Beowulf left to look for Ragnaros without the blessing of Thoth, who wanted him to fight against the Emperor and not go on wild goose chases looking for the mythical weapon. Beowulf never found the Ragnaros, and ended up vanishing at the end of the Battle of Drakonia with the Elder Gods and the mysterious stranger that ended up leading them.”

Once again, Hanna paled. “Why does everything I find point me back to that legendary battle?” she asked. “And the name Ragnaros feels so familiar. What is it?”

“It’s a sword of legendary power,” Enoch stated. “It’s reputed to be the most powerful weapon ever created. History says the Emperor spent a great deal of his time looking for it because he feared it. Thanks be to the Ancient of Days he never found it.”

“You’re right, Enoch,” Josephine agreed. “I know of the Ragnaros too. It’s called the Binder of Darkness and Slayer of Demons. Legends say it has drunk the blood of demons, Etherians, Old Ones, even the blood of the heinous Chaos Lords of the most Ancient Darkness themselves. Only a warrior of the greatest strength and purest heart could ever wield it. The legends say the Ancient of Days himself forged it in the heart of the most massive star in the multiverse. I honestly don’t know if that’s the case, but it’s a weapon of colossal power, even more powerful than Hellion. Some records say that Hellion spurred Beowulf to search for the Ragnaros. Others say the mighty Cerrelius of Drakonia sent Beowulf after the Ragnaros. The problem is there are contradictory accounts about how and when Beowulf started his quest. In any case, all accounts do say that Beowulf’s quest ended in the Battle of Drakonia when he vanished. All they ever found of Beowulf was Hellion.”

A deep troubled sigh escaped Hanna’s lips as she held the ancient katana as if it were a priceless treasure. “Everything keeps going back to the Battle of Drakonia,” she murmured. “That was the first thing the Emperor told me when I came to in that lab in the Black Fortress. He swore up and down that I had been there and he wasn’t going to let me escape again. Then, there are these blasted dreams, apparently about that battle. And I can’t deny the evidence I’ve seen in the Archives, the Painted Cave, and the tapestries in Kaal Bek. They all show someone who looks like my twin standing on a boulder rallying the defenders against the Emperor’s assault. What am I supposed to do? It’s insane. How in heaven’s name could that guy be me? I have no memory of anything remotely resembling that. Yet, every time I encounter this, the memory of what happened in Bolivia all those years ago keeps coming to mind. I’m beginning to think the two events are somehow connected. And who is Cerrelius? I keep dreaming of a giant gold draken who is bidding me to come when the time is right. Ugh...it’s enough to make a sane person go absolutely nuts.”

Nemesis stepped forward and knelt down on one knee in front of Hanna. Touching her on the knee with his organic hand, he said, “Your life is filled with many strange inexplicable things, Hanna. And I know these occurrences baffle and aggravate you because you don’t understand what’s happening. It’s perfectly all right to feel that way. May I make a suggestion?”

“Sure,” Hanna replied glumly, feeling the weight of the mystery weighing on her.

“You keep coming back to this Battle of Drakonia,” Nemesis stated. “The dreams, the artifacts, legends, and records keep leading you back to that battle. I think you should take some time to investigate this battle through the records. Find out all you can about Drakonia and the fabled battle that occurred there. Maybe if you find out some facts about it, you’ll start to unravel this mystery. I know you can do it. And don’t be afraid to call on your friends for help. You’re not in this alone.”

“Nemesis is right,” Selina agreed. “We’re all here to help. It’s obvious that this legendary battle is a pivotal event in our history. We need to find out more about it.”

“So true,” Josephine stated. “I will tell you what I remember of it when you’re ready, even though I wasn’t physically present at the battle. I can tell you that battle showed the Dark Gods, Bolthor, and even FATE that the Light cannot so easily be snuffed out. When Bolthor lost that battle, it set their plans back hundreds of cycles.”

“I’d definitely like to hear what you remember of it,” Hanna stated, feeling increasingly drained. “But now is not the time. I’m starting to crash from the fight and can’t stop it.”

“Then you should get to the Healer immediately,” Josephine ordered. “Don’t worry about your weapons. We’ll take care of them.”

Hanna rose slowly with a groan. “I appreciate that,” she said, slinging Hellion over her shoulder. “But I can handle them.” Walking to the scythe, she retrieved it, hitting the trigger to fold it up. The weapon whirred as it collapsed back into its blaster form in less than five seconds.

“I’m awed by that scythe,” Hunter commented. “Did you happen to find out whether it had a name, you know, like the sword?”

Hanna cast a wry, but weak smile at Hunter as she slung the weapon over her shoulder. “Ragnar called it Grimm’s Bane,” she reported, becoming more fatigued by the minute. “But he didn’t say how he acquired it; just that it was a gift. I’m sure I’ve just scratched the surface of what this scythe can really do.” She suddenly groaned; flinching as her legs buckled.

Nemesis pounced, catching Hanna. “It’s time to get you to the Healer,” he declared. “Let someone carry your weapons.”

Hanna nodded weakly as Nemesis sat her on the bench. “You may be right,” she admitted, unslinging Grimm’s Bane and Hellion and handing them to Enoch. “Take them to my quarters with Thoth’s sword, if you would, big brother.”

Enoch took the weapons from Hanna, saying, “Of course, little sister; what about the Gauntlets? Do you want me to take them too?”

“No,” Hanna replied. “I’ll keep them for now. Strange as it sounds, they make me feel safe, and they’re not that heavy.”

“I can understand that,” Enoch said warmly. “Now, you get to the Healer. You took some pretty nasty hits out here.”

“That I did,” Hanna groaned as a surge of pain wracked her body. “Damn, that smarts.” Her legs failed the moment she stood up.

Nemesis immediately scooped her up before she hit the floor. “I got you, little sister,” he rumbled. “Let’s get you to the Healer.” With that, he carried Hanna out of the Arena heading towards the Healer with everyone following.