Legends of Amacia Attack on Tartarus

Silence reigned for a few moments after Enoch finished speaking. They all stared at the burning volcanic cloud on the portal hologram that had obliterated Kartoom. “Let’s have a moment of silence for those who didn’t come back,” Hannibal said softly as he thought of the members of his team that didn’t return. “They were good men. I had the honor of calling them friend.” Those present paid their respects silently to the fallen.

A couple of minutes later, Hannibal turned to Elias, saying, “You can cut it off now.” Elias shut down the hologram, but kept the earpiece remote in his ear. Emily, Owen, and Morgan stayed close to Hannibal, especially Emily. Without Grimm’s Mask, Emily realized she didn’t need to fear Hannibal.

“Who are these that were with you?” Enoch asked, referring to the two scientists and the girl.

“The two men are scientists that were being forced to work on the Cadre’s wicked experiments,” Hannibal stated. “We encountered them on the way out. They had the good fortune not to be in the labs when the self-destruct was set off. Apparently, the self-destruct caused the labs to be sealed. They just happened to be using the bathroom when it happened so they found themselves outside the labs. This is Owen and Morgan. Now this young lady here is Emily. I found her at the center of the Gate Sanctuary about to be sacrificed in order to open the gates to release the Old Ones. I rescued her and found an old enemy there doing it. We interrupted the ritual at just the right time.”

“What are you talking about?” Enoch asked as Hannibal put a friendly hand on Emily’s shoulder.

“Do you remember Hades?” Hannibal asked. Enoch nodded and Hannibal continued, saying, “Well, Hades had a handler on the surface named Zeus. He’s the top dark wizard on the surface and apparently the Emperor’s contact there. It was his job to prepare the world for the Emperor by plunging it into the chaos of a world war. But when I killed Hades in the Arena, and then killed Ahriaman in the Tower during our rescue raid to the Black Fortress, the Emperor must have needed a replacement for Ahriaman. He called Zeus in to replace Ahriaman. I’m sure of it. It seems the Emperor had ordered a full opening of the gate to release the Old Ones. On the way to the core, we found the door to the cavern housing the Gate. I sensed something bad happening behind that infernal door and chose to intervene. I knew if we didn’t stop it, the balance would have been tipped permanently in the Emperor’s favor.”

“Is that so?” Enoch asked soberly, seeing the deadly seriousness in Hannibal’s tone.

“It was far worse than you think,” Hannibal stated grimly. “Time was against us in more ways than one. We had the elite guard in hot pursuit, and unknown to me, Zeus and the top level Cadre were in the final stages of a forbidden ritual that would open the gate to the Nexus. Therefore, I gambled and split our forces. I took Tyr and Andrew to the Gate while Nemesis, Ana, Horace, and the rest of the team went to the core to finish it.” He paused a moment, remembering the horrors of the Gate Sanctuary. “Had it not been for Grimm’s Mask and the Caverias sword, we may not have survived what Zeus and the Cadre were doing there. We killed what thirty, forty guards Andrew?”

“At least that many from the various waves of guards that kept coming in,” Andrew answered softly, still shaken by the event. “It’s absolutely the most heinous place I’ve ever been. The very atmosphere of that vile place nearly drove me mad. Had Uncle Hannibal not prayed to the Almighty for protection, I’d have lost it. Tyr can attest to that. Only after we fortified our minds with the light of the Almighty did we stop them from sacrificing Emily. I killed two of the wizards myself.”

“Well, long story short, we stopped Zeus and the Cadre from opening the Gate while Nemesis, Ana, Horace and the rest of the team triggered the self-destruct in the core,” Hannibal stated, “Andrew and Tyr killed the wizards assisting Zeus, and I personally stopped Zeus from completing the ritual sacrifice, but didn’t kill him, as much as I wanted to.”

“Why didn’t you?” Harry asked in amazement. “I know how much you hate that SOB. There’s not another man on the planet that doesn’t deserve it, except maybe for the Emperor.”

“Had Grimm’s Mask not reigned in my Rage, I would have split him two the moment I saw him,” Hannibal admitted, “But that wasn’t part of the plan. I needed someone to get word to the Emperor about what we did at Kartoom, and where we’re going.”

“What did you do?” Enoch asked with dismay, not liking what Hannibal reported.

“After roughing up Zeus and destroying the altar in the center of the crystal circle, I told Zeus to tell the Emperor that we were at Srandi and defied him to come after us,” Hannibal stated coldly. “I made it plain where we were going and insulted the Emperor in the process, daring him to attack us. Our final battle must be at Srandi, and it must be under our rules, not his. By doing this, I’ll divert the Emperor’s attention from here to Srandi. Remember the prophecies. Our last bout with the Emperor will be at Srandi. It can’t be anywhere else.”

“True,” Enoch admitted, “But I don’t think I’d have insulted him. He’s dangerous enough now. If you drive him off the deep end, there’s no telling what he’ll do.”

“That’s just the point,” Hannibal declared. “His anger and rage is his weakness. I plan to get him so pissed at me that he’ll march into hell itself to kill me. With that level of rage and hate, he’ll get really stupid and sloppy, giving us the advantage. Moreover, by telling him where we’re going, he’ll focus on Srandi rather than here. The longer he doesn’t know about the Red Tower, the better.”

A wry smile started crossing Enoch’s lips. “You’re right,” he confessed, “But this is an enormous gamble you’re taking, little brother. The Emperor is smarter than you realize, and may not take the bait.”

“Oh, he’ll take the bait,” Hannibal answered with a wicked, but weary smile. “He already has. I can sense it.”

“And how can you say that?” Harry asked. “I think Enoch has a real point here. The Emperor will not bite, even with us destroying Kartoom. He’s been planning this purge of humanity since the Lord buried this place, and him with it. He’ll not let anything, even his own emotions get in the way of that plan.”

“He does have a point,” Horace agreed, “Every Emperor since Bolthor has been planning and preparing for our eventual freedom from this grave. The Emperor will not let anyone or anything derail it, not even his own temper.”

“You forget one thing,” Hannibal stated.

“What is that?” Nemesis asked.

“When Zeus reports what has happened to Kartoom along with the message I gave him, he’s also going to tell the Emperor that I’ve been restored,” Hannibal stated with a wry smile. “I’m not the mutated bitch the Emperor made any longer. I’m the Last Caverias and he will know it. Furthermore, I’m certain Zeus will also report that I’ve not only unlocked the power of the Caverias sword, but also have Grimm’s Mask in my possession. Zeus saw it when we stopped the sacrifice. Combined with the destruction of Kartoom, I guarantee these reports will drive the Emperor insane with rage. He may even morph in the Black Prince and stay that way. We’ll just have to wait and see. But one thing is for sure. When Zeus gives him that message, he’s a dead man.”

“Ah, I understand now,” Nemesis rumbled. “I’ve seen how the Emperor deals with bad news and those who bring it. The moment this Zeus tells him what’s happened and that you’re alive and restored, the Emperor’s rage will go supernova. Most likely, Zeus will die very badly, and the Emperor will leave the Black Fortress to end this personally, no matter what it takes. He’ll take irrational chances just to get revenge on you, milord. This will make him sloppy, giving us an advantage, however small it is.”

“I’ll take a small advantage over none,” Andrew stated.

“Me too,” Hannibal agreed. “The plan is starting to come together now. Let’s just hope we can pull the rest of this rabbit out of the hat before the Rising catches us with our pants down. The Rising is a critical part of our plan. We must be undercover at Srandi before it hits us. From what I understand, anything in the open during the Rising will be destroyed.”

“You intend to use the Rising to diminish the Emperor’s numbers, aren’t you?” Nemesis queried.

“Indeed,” Hannibal stated, “If things go the way I see it, the Emperor’s army will be in transit across the Wastes of Azrael when the Rising hits. There will be no shelter for them. The Dune Sea and the Flats are as treacherous as Tartarus. Who knows what roams those wastes.”

“But you don’t think the Rising will completely decimate them, do you?” Harry asked.

“No,” Hannibal admitted. “I’m not so stupid as to think that. A complete eradication would take an act of the Almighty Himself to do. Besides, remember the prophecies. The Almighty has stated what will happen. The army will get through, though I’m certain its numbers will be savagely diminished by the Rising and the creatures of the Wastes of Azrael. We’re still going to have to fight, but at least by time the Emperor reaches Srandi, we’ll have a chance.”

“I see,” Nemesis rumbled, eyeing Hannibal closely noticing him weakening with fatigue. “It’s indeed a masterful strategy as well as a tremendous gamble. You’re making a number of really big assumptions here that may not play out as you expect. Remember our plans on the rescue raid into the Black Fortress, and even this attack. Things didn’t go exactly as planned. I strongly suggest we proceed with extreme caution and try to prepare for every contingency we can think of, including the worst case scenario.”

“And what would that be?” Po the hybrid asked. He’d been standing back quietly, listening intently.

“That’s obvious,” Ana stated grimly. “The worst case scenario is the Emperor catches us unawares with his army at full strength. If that happens, we’re all dead.”

“True,” Hannibal agreed. “I cannot dismiss that possibility, and Nemesis is right. We cannot assume anything at this point. The only thing I’m sure of at this point is that the Emperor is going to go nuclear when he finds out what we’ve done. We must plan our strategy around that and the documented fact that the Rising will take place in a very short order. Those two facts will dictate how we respond.”

“I agree,” Enoch declared. “Just like when we planned for Hannibal’s restoration, we must now plan with as much dedication. This time, it’s not just Hannibal’s life on the line. It’s all of us. We can ill afford being outguessed or outmatched by the Emperor at this point. We must be careful how we proceed from here on. With the success of our raid on Kartoom, we’ve essentially declared war on the Emperor. He will not let this stand. We must prepare appropriately.”

“I think we’re all in agreement on that,” Hannibal stated. Without warning, his legs buckled and Andrew caught him, steadying him. “Thanks nephew,” he said gratefully, his strength crashing with his adrenaline levels.

“No problem,” Andrew replied, “But I think a visit to the Healer would be useful. You’re not looking too good right now.”

“In a minute, nephew,” Hannibal stated, turning to Enoch. “Enoch, you see how my team fared. How about yours; I didn’t get a chance to ask.”

A troubled sigh escaped Enoch’s lips. “It was costly for the number of people we found,” he replied grimly.

“How many?” Hannibal asked.

“We lost three quarters of our team and only a handful got out without injury,” Enoch reported. “It could have been a lot worse.”

Hannibal winced at it, realizing that it was indeed a costly operation. “How many did you find?” he asked.

“Approximately five hundred fifty and they were about to be processed into the soup as Horace calls it when we found them. It’s horrendous what they did to those people. They were literally harvested alive just like we saw in that infernal kitchen in the Black Fortress,” Enoch stated with much distaste.

“I know,” Hannibal growled as he leaned on Andrew. He looked around and saw that Nathanael was missing. A pang of icy fear raced down his spine. “Where is Nathanael?” he asked with growing concern.

Harry and Enoch looked at each other grimly, and then Enoch said, “You’d better follow me. There’s something you should see.”

Hannibal’s heart sank as Enoch began to walk away. “Just a moment, Enoch,” Hannibal called out. Then to Elias, he asked, “Any news on Marvin and his team in Stygia?”

Elias shook his head, saying, “No. But we will be monitoring for them. When I hear something, I will let you know.”

Hannibal nodded grimly, saying, “This was much more costly than I thought it was going to be. As you see, of those that went with me to the core, only Ana, Nemesis, Horace, Andrew, Tyr, Po, and I made it back. I wonder whether it was worth it.”

Enoch turned to Hannibal, saying, “As I said, we had heavy losses as well, but not like your team. Come on. There’s something you need to see.” Hannibal motioned for Emily, Owen, and Morgan to follow. Enoch and Harry led them out of the portal chamber. Andrew helped Hannibal walk. Emily, Owen, and Morgan stayed close to Hannibal. Nemesis followed along with Xavier, Aragon, and Vergil. Elias stayed behind with George and Ben to monitor Stygia.

Enoch led them to the healing chamber. As they closed in on it, Hannibal’s fear grew. His spirit sank into his boots as he dreaded what he was about to be shown. They walked in and the healer was at capacity. Every table was occupied. “Every table of every healing machine is in use because of this mission, little brother,” Enoch stated bluntly. “Between the casualties we took and the prisoners we freed, we’re at capacity. Only the worst of the wounded and freed prisoners are using the Healers. It grieves me to say that Nathanael and Amelia are among those who took the worst wounds. They’re over here, alive but grievously wounded.” He led Hannibal and the others to where Emma, Elle, Kida, Selina, Electra, Josephine, and Leila stood gathered around two tables, blocking the view of those approaching.

Enoch stopped back a few steps and Hannibal pushed forward, out of Andrew’s hands toward the tables. Selina looked around at him as he staggered forward, sword and scepter still slung over his shoulders and his armor bloody from the terrible work he had been doing. Tears ran down her cheeks as she looked at him. She didn’t have to say a word. Hannibal instinctively knew what he was about to see. Then he saw them: both Amelia and Nathanael lying on the tables next to each other, gravely wounded. Amelia had taken blaster wounds to her chest and neck. Her left arm was mangled and her right leg was blown off between the knee and hip. She also had a grievous wound on her head. The skull had been fractured from a blaster hit. She was all bandaged up.

Nathanael fared no better. He had great burns and slices on his midsection. The left arm was gone as was the right leg just below the hip. His right arm was mangled and the side of his face was bandaged up, covering the right eye. His chest and midsection were bandaged and the stumps were covered. The healer was playing the melody as it worked on them. Hannibal walked between them and gawked in disbelief. Tears gushed forth and he dropped to his knees, wailing like a banshee. He looked up at the ceiling and wailed, “Why does everyone I love have to be mangled or killed? Why Lord? Why does death and destruction have to follow me and touch everything I hold dear? Why!” He viciously unslung the scepter and sword, throwing them away in disgust, and then wept bitterly.

Selina came forward and knelt beside him, putting her arms around him. “It’s all right, my king. They will live,” Selina cooed in his ear as she purred for him. “They all knew the risks when they went with you, as did we all. I’m just thankful that he is still alive and so are you. For a moment there, we didn’t think you were coming back.” Hannibal was broken before them and he didn’t care. He wept on Selina’s shoulder. Kida came forward as did Electra. Both knelt down around him and touched him on the shoulders to comfort him. Ana came forward and did so as well, tears in her eyes.

Leila rolled her chair forward and reached out to him in compassion. He was just a man, just as he said. She placed her hand on his head and said, “It’s all right, milord. They brought Nathanael and Amelia back here just in time. They will live.”

Josephine squatted down behind Selina and reached over with her organic hand, touching Hannibal on the crown of his head. She looked him in the eye as he looked over Selina’s shoulder, tears flowing. “It’s okay, my son,” she cooed, attempting to assist Selina, Kida, and Electra telepathically calm him down. “They’re going to live. I stabilized their conditions the moment they were brought in here. I know how much you care for them, so calm down. We can repair what was damaged once we get the Nano Chamber set for limb renewals. They won’t die. I promise.” Her words penetrated into Hannibal’s distraught mind and soul, slowly calming him.

Selina rocked him and purred, trying to calm him down. “Don’t blame the Lord for this,” she said in gentle reproof. “It was His will that this happened. It was also His will that they survived. Good will come out of this, you can be sure of that. The Lord never makes mistakes.”

Hannibal looked her in the eye with tears streaming down his cheeks, crying, “This is why I never wanted this burden! I am responsible for their condition! I’m responsible for all of this! I wish I never found this place!”

At that, Enoch soundly rebuked Hannibal, saying, “Come to your senses, little brother! You don’t mean that! This place has been in your blood since you were born and you know it! It’s as much a part of you as your head or heart. I don’t quite understand what it is that your God wants, but I know enough about Him from what you and your friends have taught us that I know He doesn’t want this blubbering! This is not what He delights in! He allowed this tragedy for a reason. Accept it! You asked for volunteers for that job. That’s what you got. Both Amelia and Nathanael volunteered. They were responsible for their own actions, not you. What you don’t seem to realize is they were the deciding factor in the emancipation of the prisoners. They put their lives on the line and stood in the breech when no one else could. I’ve never seen such courage in all my days! They overran the command center for the processing of the fodder, utterly decimated the guards, but at a heavy price. Once the control center was knocked out, we were able to get the prisoners away. We lost many good men today, but their actions made the difference between success and destruction. We succeeded, thanks to Nathanael and Amelia’s valor. And as Josephine has said, they’re not going to die, and once we get the Nano Chamber fixed, we’ll be able to restore them like you wanted to do with all the others who have been maimed by the Emperor. Now get a hold of yourself! Come to your senses! You are here and you are king! Deal with it!”

Selina’s purr in concert with the telepathic assistance of Kida, Electra, and Josephine had calmed Hannibal significantly. Then when Enoch rebuked him soundly, Hannibal immediate shut up and composed himself, knowing he was acting unseemly. Those who had placed sympathetic hands on him backed away when they saw him settle down. He looked up at Enoch and saw a stern expression with anger in his eyes. He pushed back from Selina and wiped his eyes, saying in a much calmer voice, “Thank you, Enoch. Thank you all. Please forgive me. I don’t know what came over me. Nathanael is like a father to me and Amelia is like a sister. It hurts me to the quick to see them like this but you are, of course, right. I have been acting unseemly. Forgive me, all of you.”

Enoch’s stern expression melted away as a smile crept across his lips. “It’s all right. We forgive you,” he replied in a conciliatory tone. “We know how close you are to Nathanael. Just try to keep those emotions in check next time. We can’t have you breaking when we need you the most.”

Hannibal managed a smile as he looked into Selina’s eyes, saying, “You are so right. Thank you for smacking some sense into me. Open rebuke is much better than secret love.” He looked around at Kida, Ana, Electra, Josephine, and even Leila and found that he was a bit embarrassed, saying, “I’m sorry you had to see that, ladies. After all, I’m just a man.”

Leila looked at Hannibal as Selina helped him up, saying, “But you are no ordinary man by any means. I’ve never seen such passion and intensity in any man. Neither have I seen the humility that you display. It is truly a noble trait. You are truly a king among men, milord.”

“I agree,” Josephine said softly, truly stunned by Hannibal’s emotional outburst. “I’m truly awestruck that the prophecies so accurately described your mannerisms and mental state as the Last Caverias. The levels of passion, intensity, and humility you exhibit are a wonder to behold.”

Hannibal smiled weakly at her, replying “But as you just saw, the burden of it can be grievous at times.”

“That it can,” Leila stated plainly. “I saw what a toll it took on Thoth and Ariel. You may not want to realize or accept it, but you act just like Thoth, even down to the little mannerisms you have. It’s like he never passed. That’s how close you are to him in everything you do. I’m frankly amazed by it.”

Hannibal touched Leila on the hand, saying, “That may be so, but I am not him, though the Caverias guardian is with me continuously. Maybe it is his presence that causes me to act so much like the Thoth you remember.”

All the while this was going on, Owen, Morgan, and Horace were thunderstruck by the display of raw emotion. They had spent their entire lives in an environment where such emotional outbursts were not just frowned upon, but punished with great severity.

Emily became utterly smitten of Hannibal. She was also flabbergasted by the presence of the Lynxians there. She had never seen a Lynxian. Hannibal was her savior and she had an infatuation with him during the display. But her infatuation was crushed when she saw how Selina and he interacted during the episode. The man she loved was married to a cat that was far more beautiful and exotic than she ever could be. Emily’s heart sank in her and she stood back with a look of someone who had realized they could never have what they wanted, even though they desired it above even life itself. By time Hannibal had finished speaking to Leila, he was calmed down and sober minded, but the grief was still there in his eyes. He looked around and caught sight of Emily and her dejected look. Hannibal took Selina by the hand and led her to Emily.

They stopped in front of Emily and Hannibal said, “I know why you wear that face.”

“Why is that?” Emily asked gloomily.

Hannibal reached out and took her by the hands, saying, “I saved your life back there three times. Once when I kept you from being killed on the altar, second when I helped Ana heal your wounds and thirdly when we came through the portal. You are a very beautiful young woman, Emily: very fair to look upon. Because of the rescue and what happened here just now, you wanted me as a husband, didn’t you. You loved me. No, not just love, you were smitten of me. Believe me; I know what that’s like. You see this goddess of a cat standing beside me. Her name is Selina and she is my wife. I was hopeless smitten of her the first time I laid eyes on her.” Emily’s head dropped and Hannibal reached out and lifted her chin gently, saying, “I know what you’re going through and what you want of me. But I could never love you like I love Selina. We are soul mates with our minds fused together telepathically.”

Emily’s devastation poured out on her face and in her body language; a look of utter dismal rejection. Selina touched her on the shoulder, saying softly, “What he’s telling you is that he cannot love you as a husband because he is already spoken for. However, what he didn’t tell you is that he can love you a friend or even a daughter. Tell us, do you have anyone?”

Emily shook her head, sobbing softly, “I’m alone. My parents were killed when I was six. Since then I’ve been looked after by the Cadre, if you can call the constant abuse I received from them being looked after.”

Selina glanced at Hannibal as he said, “I cannot be your lover, Emily, but I can be a father if you will let me. You see, I have no children of my own. Selina and I have been married only a few months. We’ve already adopted another little girl of eight that we rescued from the dungeons of the Black Fortress who was far worse off physically than you. If you want to be loved, we can do that. But I’m not that special someone whom the Almighty has for you. You are still young, not like us. You will find that special someone in time, someone that can truly give you what you want and need. Now the question is will you be part of our family. Just look around you and see my family. I have a whole family of giant cats as part of my family. Enoch there is related to me, as is Emma. For thirty cycles, I had no family. Now I have one of the most loving, if not bizarre family to ever exist. We will gladly let you join us and I will try to be the best father that I know how. What do you say, Emily? Join our little circle?”

Emily hesitated several moments as she thought about the offer. Here the object of her affection crushes her infatuation, and then offers to be a father and give her the love only a father could bestow. For many years, she lived without love of either parents or friends. Her dismal expression melted away as a strange feeling arose in her that was not an infatuation. Tears began to spill out of her eyes as she finally realized what Hannibal was saying to her: he really loved her and wanted her as his daughter. The feeling she was feeling was one that she hadn’t felt in years. It was the love of a daughter for her father. It astonished her. She no longer wanted him as a lover but as a father. Moments later, she realized that by saying yes, Selina would be her mother, Electra would be her grandmother, and Kida would be her aunt.

Hannibal watched her closely, and could see the change in her face and sense it as well. She was no longer infatuated with him as a potential lover. She wanted him as a father. He glanced at Selina, who was smiling now, knowing what was going to happen next. Emily was trembling and sobbing softly. All he had to do was open his arms as a father, which he did and she flew into them, wrapping her arms around him, crying, “Oh, dad!”

Hannibal hugged her gently, saying, “That’s my girl. We’ll love you and do whatever it takes to help you get over what they did to you. You have my word on it. Welcome to the family, Emily. Now say hello to your mother. You may find that she is a bit exotic.” Emily turned to Selina, whose face was glowing with love for her new daughter. She opened her arms and embraced Emily, purring for her. “Welcome to our family, Emily,” she told Emily.

Emily not only heard Selina’s purr, but also felt it. She was amazed and to her further amazement, didn’t want to let go of Selina. The purr made her feel calm and safe in the arms of this six-foot Lynxian. “Momma,” Emily finally breathed. “What are you, momma?”

Selina pushed her back, saying, “I’m a Lynxian, my dear. Do you see these other cats here? They are Lynxians as well. The only one that isn’t my direct kin is Leila there in the wheelchair. She has a story all of her own. That’s my father on the table there all bandaged up.” Emily grimaced at the battered condition of Nathanael. Selina went on to introduce Emily to Kida, and Electra. Both were very pleased to see that Emily had joined the family. Just then, Nathanael moaned and everyone immediately gathered around with Hannibal and Selina up front.

Hannibal reached out and grabbed Nathanael’s bandaged hand, calling to him, saying, “Nathanael, can you hear me?”

Nathanael moaned and his head wagged side to one side. His hand gripped Hannibal’s hand slightly as the left eye opened and blinked. He couldn’t see anything. The vision was blurred badly. “Whose there?” he whispered weakly.

“It’s me, Hannibal,” Hannibal replied, trying to control his tone futilely.

Nathanael could hear the grief on it and replied, “Ah, my son. Don’t grieve. I’m in no pain. The healer has stopped the pain.”

Hannibal rubbed his eyes as tears flowed again, saying, “I’m so sorry about this. I never wanted you to get so mangled.”

Nathanael grunted a little, and then replied, “Don’t be. Did we get them away?”

Hannibal nodded, saying, “Yes. We did.”

“Did you do what you set out to do?” Nathanael whispered hoarsely.

“Yes, and more,” Hannibal replied, choked with emotion. “The Cadre is no more. We even managed to save a young woman who was about to be sacrificed to the Old Ones.”

Nathanael blinked and yawned, replying afterwards, “Good. Good! I’m glad. That means our sacrifice wasn’t in vain. Ugh. I thought I was dead back there for a minute. As I fell, all I could think of was you. The last thing I remember was praying that you would succeed and get back to Selina. She dies every time you go off like that.”

Hannibal was smitten by his words. He lowered his head and said softly, “You truly are a friend of friends. You were willing to give it all for me. I’m so honored and humbled by your selflessness. If we could all be more like you, the world would be a better place.”

Nathanael managed to crack a smile and said, “How could I do anything else, my friend, after all that you have done for us. You would do the same for us.”

Hannibal nodded, saying softly choked with emotion, “That I would, in an instant. Now rest, heal. You deserve it.” Nathanael slipped away into the slumber and Hannibal wiped his nose as he rose. He turned to Amelia and looked down on her, sobbing softly.

Xavier stepped up and put a friendly hand on his shoulder saying, “She was magnificent, Hannibal. I had no idea that she could fight like that. She’ll become an inspiration to all Cimmerians now.”

Hannibal looked at him and said softly, “I know. It’s just this operation was far more costly than I expected. We lost so many doing it and so many were so gravely wounded; many who are my friends.”

“But it was something that had to be done,” Nemesis stated bluntly. “You knew it, we knew it. Everyone knew it. This operation was no different than any other was. You can plan and plan, trying to plan for every possibility but when the time comes to implement, there are always things that you can’t possibly know that inevitably happen. This one was just such a situation. We had no idea that the Xenians were going to be as big a problem as they were. We didn’t anticipate the lack of resistance at first. We didn’t know that they were trying to open the gateway for the Old Ones either. Frankly, I’m amazed that we came out of there at all and I must account it to your tenacity and leadership skills. You can move people and get them to do things most people wouldn’t even dream of doing. Don’t sell yourself short. You are a great leader and warrior with a mind as intelligent and skilled in the arts of war as I’ve ever encountered. You have the gift, and even with the heavy losses we took, it enabled us to succeed in what we were doing. Kartoom is no more. Just as you said, Beowulf has now ripped the Emperor’s right arm off.”

Hannibal smiled grimly, saying, “War is indeed an art. Very few people know how to do it properly. There have been many times when I wished I never learned that art. I’m so weary of the blood and gore and violence. When this is over I’m going to need a very long holiday.” The fatigue was showing on Hannibal’s face as he spoke.

Ana leaned down and picked up the scepter and sword Hannibal was carrying and presented them back to him, saying, “These are your birthright, milord. Do not despise them. They have saved your life and the lives of many others repeatedly, including in this last operation. You admitted it.”

Hannibal took them with a nod, saying, “Truth Lord, truth. It is so easy to despise the birthright. Thank you.” He was about to accept them out of Ana’s hand when his eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out cold. Selina immediately caught him and ordered, “Let’s get him back to our quarters.” Enoch picked him up and headed to Hannibal’s quarters with Selina, Harry, Kida, Leila, Josephine, Emily, and Ana, who carried the Scepter and the Caverias Sword. Nemesis took Owen and Morgan to meet with those prisoners freed who hadn’t needed immediate medical attention. Xavier stayed with Amelia in the healing chamber. Electra remained at Nathanael’s side, refusing to leave him while the healer worked on his battered body.