Legends of Amacia Rise of the Caverias

Shortly before noon, Hanna woke with a tingling in her lower back and legs. She yawned and stretched, causing her to flinch as the soreness of her chest became very apparent. “Damn that hurts,” she moaned, clenching her chest for a few moments. “I have to be more careful.” Slowly, the pain subsided as she stared at the ceiling. “What am I going to do?” Hanna murmured, “I can’t walk, much less fight in my present condition. How can I help those people when I can’t even help myself?”

Before Hanna could find an answer to her question, a knock came to the door. “Who is it?” she called out.

“It’s Elle, Emma, Electra, and Kida,” Elle answered through the door.

“Come in. The door is open,” Hanna replied. The door opened and the quartet stepped into the room, dressed in trousers and shirts that allowed uninhibited movement.

“It’s good to see you awake,” Electra chimed. “How are you feeling?”

“Very sore and somewhat weak,” Hanna admitted, “I wanted to sit up, but my chest is so sore that I can’t do it alone.”

“That’s why we’re here,” Emma declared, sitting down on the bed next to Hanna. “Shall I ease her pain, Kida?”

“Do it,” Kida ordered, “Hanna, Emma has a unique talent that allows her to quiet the pain in others just from a touch. Would you allow her to soften the pain in your chest?”

“You can do that?” Hanna asked Emma.

Emma nodded. “I can, sister,” she replied. “But it works best if I have skin-to-skin contact with the trouble area. Would you mind if I touched your chest? I promise I won’t hurt you.”

Hanna reached out and grabbed Emma’s hand gently. She immediately felt a strange sensation of energy rushing from Emma’s hand into her, an energy that immediately started to quell the riotous pain in her chest. “Oh, my Lord,” Hanna breathed, “you’re empathic! I can feel it. Yes, you may use your gift on me, sister. Just don’t press too hard for my chest is aching severely from the CPR Nathanael gave me.”

Emma continued to hold Hanna’s hand while she ran her other hand under Hanna’s nightgown, touching her left breast over the heart. Sweat beaded on Emma’s brow as she concentrated with a tense look on her face. Hanna felt the pain ooze out of her chest as she felt Emma’s unique gift with her telepathic prowess. A deep sigh escaped Emma’s lips as she removed her hand from Hanna’s chest. “That’s all I can do,” Emma declared, “How’s your pain now, sister?”

A gasp escaped Hanna’s lips as she felt the pain ebb into nothingness once Emma let go of her. “What a wonder,” Hanna breathed in astonishment, “I’d heard about how some people could be empathic, but I never believed I would actually encounter one. You have relieved my pain, sister. That’s a mighty gift you have.”

Emma smiled warmly. “I know,” she chimed, “...but it’s not a healing gift. I don’t have the ability to heal anyone. I can just channel their pain away.”

“But it is a healing gift, in a way,” Hanna insisted. “The first step to healing is to relieve the patient’s pain so the body can heal itself. Now, if you would, please help me sit up.”

Emma pulled Hanna to a sitting position, steadying her when she swayed. “Whoa,” Hanna said, holding her head with her hand, “I got dizzy all of a sudden. I must have come up too quickly.”

“Or you may have low blood sugar,” Elle suggested. “It’s been a good fourteen hours since you had anything to eat.”

“A very good possibility,” Hanna answered, “The dizziness is subsiding now. Maybe something to eat will help.”

“Just what I was about to suggest,” Electra said. “Now, let’s get you dressed. Once you get something to eat, we’ll start your physical therapy.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Hanna said. In minutes, Electra, Elle, and Emma dressed Hanna in loose-fitting trousers and a white blouse with a belt around her waist. Since the wheel chair Enoch brought the night before still sat in the room, Hanna made use of it. Ten minutes later, Hanna had satisfied her hunger in the kitchen and she sat in the healing chamber on the table with Elle, Emma, Electra, and Kida gathered around.

“Okay, what’s first?” Hanna asked.

“First, you lie down on the table and let the healer repair the damage from your CRP session this morning,” Kida stated. “Then while you’re lying on the table, we’ll start training your legs again.”

“Let’s do this,” Hanna declared as Elle helped her lie down on the table.

Kida activated the control panel on the healer and manually started the healer, directing its healing beams. “How’re you doing there, Hanna?” Kida asked.

The healing beam had Hanna completely relaxed. “Good,” Hanna murmured sleepily. “My chest feels very warm and I’m just a little sleepy. There’s no pain at all. I feel like I’m floating on a cloud.”

“Good,” Kida answered, “Very good, it looks like the damage from the CPR was minor so it’s not putting you to sleep. How are your legs feeling?”

“My lower back and legs are tingling,” Hanna answered. “It’s like they’ve been asleep and are now waking up.”

“That’s because they are,” Kida said. “Elle, Emma…you can start the therapy now. Hopefully, by keeping the beam on while you flex Hanna’s legs, it’ll help to jumpstart the nerve connections and muscle memory in her legs.”

“Got it,” Elle replied as she and Emma began to flex Hanna’s legs slowly.

Kida looked at the holographic image of Hanna intensely as she controlled the healing beams from the console. Suddenly, she noticed several spinal disks on the lower portion of Hanna’s back out of alignment, pressing on the spinal cord. “Momma, look at this,” she said. “Hanna’s back is out of alignment and the disks are pressing on her spinal cord just like Enoch said, but not enough to do any lasting damage. I bet this is why she still can’t walk.”

“Interesting,” Electra murmured, “I think I can realign her spine, but we need something under her spine while I do it.”

“I have that covered, momma,” Kida answered. “I can tell the healer to raise the table under that portion of her spine. How much do you need?”

“About the size of my fist in the area where the vertebrae are out,” Electra ordered.

“Elle, Emma...stop the therapy,” Kida called out. “We found why Hanna can’t walk. Her spine is severely out of alignment. We need to put it back before we return to the therapy.”

“Okay,” Emma said as she and Elle stopped the therapy, laying Hanna’s legs down on the table.

“How bad is it?” Hanna asked.

“It’s bad enough that your disks are putting pressure on your spinal cord, just like Enoch told you when you came down for dinner yesterday,” Electra answered. “I have chiropractic experience so I’m going to realign your spine with the healer’s help. Kida is going to up the power on the healer to keep you relaxed. Emma, put your hand on Hanna’s head while I do the manipulation. Okay Kida, put the blocks in place.” Emma immediately laid her hand on Hanna’s forehead.

Kida’s fingers danced over the controls and Hanna felt something rising up and pressing against her lower back in the very same place the tingling began. “Something’s pressing against my lower back,” Hanna announced.

“Those are blocks from the table to help realign your spine,” Electra said, looking into Hanna’s eye. “I know you’ve been to chiropractors before so this should not be a new procedure for you. Just relax and remember to breathe.”

“Well, it is new since this is the first time I’ve had a Lynxian realign my spine,” Hanna replied with a chuckle. “Anytime you’re ready, Electra.”

Kida lowered the table and Electra folded Hanna’s arms across her chest. She then grabbed the left leg and carefully folded it so the knee was towards Hanna’s belly. Turning it to the right, Electra ran her hand under Hanna’s back while pressing down and twisting the leg to the right. A flash of pain ran through Hanna’s hip as it crackled. Hanna groaned, feeling the fiery pain pulsing in her hips. Electra manipulated the leg for a few more moments and then released Hanna. “Are you okay?” she asked.

Tears running down Hanna’s cheeks, she moaned, “Yeah, but it does hurt like a son of a bitch. Please finish what you started.”

“I will,” Electra said. “But first we need to turn you over.”

“Emma and I have this,” Elle declared. In seconds, they turned Hanna over as Electra placed Hanna’s arms at her side. From the control panel, Kida altered the table to a facedown position, making sure Hanna was supported at every point. The table even receded at the head so Hanna’s spine could be in optimum position while she looked down through a hole to the floor. Her head was supported on either side and on the forehead.

“Are you still okay, Hanna?” Kida called out.

“Yeah,” Hanna replied with a sigh of relief. “It seems getting on my belly has caused the pain to let up some. Now, please finish the procedure, Electra. I don’t relish staying like this.”

“I’m already on it,” Electra declared as she felt Hanna’s lower back. “Ah…there’s the problem area. When you feel me push down, breathe out. Okay, here we go.” Electra started at the base of the spine and pushed down, putting all her weight on her hands as she pressed on the vertebrae. Hanna squalled in pain as her back once again crackled. Electra moved up Hanna’s spine, checking each vertebrae and pushing them back into alignment before moving on to the next one. Tears of pain streamed from Hanna’s eyes, dripping on the floor until Electra got half way up the back. “Oh, it looks like you’re not nearly as out up at the top,” Electra commented, only getting grunts by time she reached the shoulder blades.

“I apparently didn’t get trashed as badly up top,” Hanna replied between the grunts.

When Electra reached the neck, she wrapped her arms around Hanna’s head and twisted her head and neck gently to the right and then to the left, aligning the neck. Hanna’s neck crackled loudly, eliciting a cry of pain, followed by a sigh of great relief. “That’s it, Hanna,” Electra announced, “Your back and neck were out much worse than I thought, but you came through it like a trooper. I’m impressed at your strength to withstand the pain.”

“It’s a relic of being a man who has battled pain all my life,” Hanna murmured in exhaustion.

“There’s one last thing we must do,” Electra declared.

“What?” Hanna cried in desperation, “Haven’t I suffered enough?”

“That’s exactly what I meant,” Electra replied. “Emma, help me give Hanna a deep massage to loosen up the muscles.”

When Electra and Emma started massaging Hanna’s traumatized back, the pain surging through Hanna despite the healer’s ability to deaden it slowly ebbed away. “Ooohh,” Hanna moaned in relieved delight, “That’s much better. The pain is oozing out of me.”

After a half-hour massage that included Emma’s empathic touch, Electra asked, “How are you feeling now, Hanna?”

“Almost human,” Hanna replied with a chuckle.

“Can you feel your legs now?” Kida asked as Electra and Emma ceased the massage.

To the surprise of everyone, Hanna rolled over on her back with ease. A sigh escaped her lips as she said, “You know, I think I can now. They’re not tingling. Emma, Elle, could you do a little more of that therapy you started doing?”

“Sure,” Elle replied as she and Emma started to move Hanna’s legs again, working the muscles by manual manipulation.

A surprised, delighted look came over Hanna’s face as she felt her legs being moved. “Oh, my god, I can really feel them now,” she cried with amazement. “I haven’t felt my legs since I walked into the Arena.”

“Sit her up, Elle,” Electra ordered. Elle and Emma offered their hands to Hanna and Hanna pulled herself into a sitting position, swinging her legs over the side to the table.

“Can you move your legs, Hanna?” Electra asked.

“Let’s find out,” Hanna chimed. She willed her knee to flex so her lower legs swung gently. A gasp escaped her lips. “I’ll be damned,” she murmured. “I can move my legs again. This has to be a miracle.”

“It seems your spine being out of alignment must have been interfering with the nerve signals to your legs,” Kida surmised. “Once Momma put your spine back in order, the nerve pathways reopened. The question remains is can you walk?”

“I’d like to know that myself,” Enoch called out as he entered the healing chamber followed by Nathanael, Elias, Hunter, and Andrew. “How has the therapy gone?”

“Much better than expected,” Kida declared, “You were right about Hanna’s spine being severely out was putting pressure on her spinal cord. The pressure on it kept her legs inoperative. Momma just realigned her spine. Now, Hanna can at least move her legs.”

“That I can,” Hanna crowed, purposely swinging her lower legs and moving her feet and ankles.

“But can you walk on them?” Nathanael asked softly, touching Hanna on the shoulder.

Hanna stared at her legs as a fearful look came across her face. “I’m not sure,” Hanna declared. “It’s been so long.”

Everyone else made a perimeter as Nathanael stood in front of Hanna. Looking her in the eye, he asked, “Can you feel your legs?”

“I can now,” Hanna admitted.

“You obviously can move them because I saw you doing it,” Nathanael said bluntly, feeling a strange stirring in his spirit. “Hanna, it’s time for you to destroy this demon that has robbed you of your legs. The time for you to walk is now.” He touched her on the shoulder and said, “In the name of Jesus, son of the Living Ancient of Days, I bid you to rise up and walk little sister. Rise and walk; throw the demon who took your legs back into the abyss where it belongs.”

Everyone watched with baited breath as Nathanael’s command echoed with supernatural authority. Hanna stared in disbelief for a moment, seeing a familiar glow on Nathanael’s face. A smile crossed her lips as she said, “If the Lord says walk, I will walk.”

“The Lord wants you to walk now,” Nathanael declared, “I don’t know how, but I just know it. Now stand up and walk little sister. I’m here for you as is the rest of our family gathered around us.”

Hanna abruptly slid off the table. When her feet hit the floor, they trembled as her legs wavered. She toppled toward Nathanael, who caught her and held her up. “That’s right, Hanna,” he reassured. “One step at a time: walk with me.” He slowly backed up, drawing Hanna forward. Gasps escaped from the women present while Enoch, Andrew, and Hunter stared in amazement. Hanna dragged her feet forward as Nathanael led her like a parent helping a child learn to walk. “You can do it,” Nathanael urged, “...one foot in front of the other. You just need to remember how to walk. I know you can do it.”

“I’m doing it,” Hanna breathed in amazement. “Oh, Lord be praised, I’m doing it! I’m walking again!” As Nathanael led her around the healing chamber, Hanna’s steps became steadier...her confidence rising with each step. The family began cheering Hanna. Suddenly, Nathanael let go of Hanna and sprang back almost twenty feet from her, leaving Hanna standing alone. “I don’t believe it,” Hanna murmured, “I’m actually walking around like I did before.” A chill raced down her spine, and she quickly added, “And that’s why I failed, because I didn’t believe. I’m such an idiot.”

“No, you aren’t,” Enoch said softly with a broad smile on his face. “You were just fearful. It’s okay to be afraid, but it’s not okay to let that fear inhibit you. You conquered your fear that you’d be permanently disabled. When you did that, you walked. I’m so proud of you, little sister.”

Hanna’s face flushed as an unexpected surge of strength rose from nowhere. A joyous look filled her face as she walked up to Enoch as if she’d never been injured. Wrapping her arms around the giant, she cried, “Thank you, Enoch. Thank you all! Your faith and belief helped me overcome something I never thought I’d beat. You have shown me the power of faith and family, and that it’s okay to ask for help. I’ll never doubt again. The Lord is so good to have given me such caring friends and family to help me in my darkest hour. When we’re together, nothing can stand against us. My soul is restored and my hope renewed; all thanks to the Lord who gave you to me to show me the way.”

Enoch returned the embrace, and then pushed Hanna gently back. “You are most welcome, little sister,” he said pleasantly. “But if I may be so bold, you’re the one who should be thanked. You have shown us something that has never happened in all my long life. You have revealed the power of the Ancient of Days. He has shown you His favor and His mercy with this miracle. Do you realize that it would have taken months for you to relearn how to walk? Yet you walk now as if nothing has ever happened. Do you doubt who you are now? You are the hand of the Almighty Ancient of Days in this land. You have become a starburst in the darkness of this land. Now is the time for all to know that there is one person who stands against the evil of the Emperor.”

“I don’t care about that,” Hanna admitted, “All I care about is I now have a real family again, and know that the Lord hasn’t abandoned me. I’ll do whatever it takes within my power to see that everyone I care about remains safe.” The adrenaline rush of the miracle started to subside as her animation quieted. A weary look came across her face.

“You look tired, Hanna,” Emma commented.

“I am,” Hanna said, “I guess the rush from being able to walk again is wearing off. I think I’ll take a little nap here, if you don’t mind. Set the healer to help recharge my batteries, Kida.”

“Already done, little sister,” Kida said as she finished tinkering with the controls. “Just lie down anytime you want and the healer will help recharge your body and mind.”

“Thanks, Kida,” Hanna said as she sat down on the healer table.

“I’ll check on you later,” Nathanael said.

“Okay,” Hanna murmured with a yawn as she laid down on the table. The healer kicked on and put her to sleep almost immediately.

Electra patted Hanna on the hand saying, “Sleep well, Hanna. You deserve it.” She walked out with the others as they talked about Hanna’s miraculous recovery of her ability to walk.

Unseen by the others, Caverias, Jarret, Gideon, and Bannon stood around Hanna as she slept. “She finally saw her sin,” Caverias murmured. “I’m so glad she obeyed this time.”

“Was Thoth as stubborn as Hanna?” Gideon asked.

A smile crossed Caverias’s face. “Indeed he was,” Caverias replied, “I find myself marveling at how similar he and Hanna are, even before her mutation. Now that she’s regained her ability to walk, the next phase can begin.”

“And not a moment too soon,” Jarret agreed.