Previously on Hakuna, Nolitha was expertly defeated and kidnapped by Rorisang, the newly crowned vessel of the ancient demon Sparta. We learned the attack was a calculated, personal ambush, and now we follow the threads of Rorisang's sinister plan as she brings the Divine Princess to her ancestral home.
The Cage That Feeds
Fade in.
Rorisang is seen dragging Nolitha's unconscious body through the opulent, yet chilling, stone corridors of the Tshabadira Palace. She deposits the princess unceremoniously into a large, metallic cage constructed of thick, humming black bars. The cage is suspended high in a cavernous, forgotten chamber.
Nolitha groans, stirring slowly and blinking against the darkness. "Where in the name of the ancestors… am I…?"
"In a cage," Rorisang replies, her voice devoid of inflection and entirely non-sarcastically, as she secures the latch.
"Way to state the obvious, you pathetic thief. Did you take a course on stating the glaringly apparent?" Nolitha says, struggling to sit up and immediately resorting to sarcasm.
"Thank you. I pride myself on clarity," Rorisang says, once again non-sarcastically.
This is awkward. The sheer deadpan sincerity is hard to combat.
"So, you actually thought putting ME, the Xhosa Princess, the wielder of Divine Energy, in a flimsy cage was a good, permanent solution to your jealousy issues?" Nolitha asks, a flicker of overconfidence in her voice.
"Why would it not be? It seemed the most efficient solution available," Rorisang retorts, leaning against a cold pillar.
Nolitha then chuckles, a cold, dry sound. She summons her energy, the white light beginning to glow around her hands. "Because, I can simply do this… I can do this… Wait. What have you done to me?" She questions, her voice laced with growing horror as the white light flickers and dies, leaving her hands utterly normal. She strains, pushing against the bars, feeling nothing but weak human fatigue.
Rorisang then continues, a smug, dark smirk spreading across her face. "Well, that's just adorable. But I'm no idiot, Princess Nolitha. I had this cage specially constructed. It doesn't just hold you; it actively snacks on your "Divine Energy", leaving enough just to maintain your baseline human vitality. It reduces you to simply being Nolitha. It just goes to show, what are you without that spectacular Divine Talent of yours? Nothing but an inconvenient girl, locked away."
"Well, I'm confused," Nolitha says, leaning back against the cold bars, her fighting spirit undimmed. "Don't you want to get me out of your way? Why am I not dead already? You had your chance."
Rorisang then speaks, her eyes hardening with genuine malice. "Oh, no. Don't get me wrong, I hate you with every fiber of my being. You came into his life, you validated his existence, and you stole the one guy who can actually treat me right, who looked at me with kindness despite my father's hatred. But, honey, at this moment in time, you're just bait. You are a means to a far more satisfying end."
Nolitha argues, shaking her head. "Listen, first of all, I did not steal Hakuna from you. You TRIED to steal him from me, which makes you the aggressor. And second of all, what exactly do you mean I'm just bait? For who? The army of tiny demons you left for Super?"
Rorisang sighs, a sound laced with inner turmoil. "As heartbreaking as this may be for me—the girl who loves him—my father, the King, has spoken. The shame you brought to our kingdom by defeating him, can only be avenged by one act: the prince must die. You bring him to me."
"Wait a minute," Nolitha says, her shock melting into wicked amusement. "Your dad literally sent you to kill a guy you're deeply in love with to avenge him? And you agreed? Dark. Hilarious, but undeniably dark and deeply dysfunctional."
Rorisang then grunts, the dark energy coiling around her arms. "You'd do well to keep your mouth shut, girl. I'm already in two minds about killing you myself."
She says this as she raises her hand, using her newly acquired dark powers to constrict a thick, shadowy tendril of energy around Nolitha's neck, choking her.
But… Nolitha doesn't panic. Instead, she throws her head back and laughs, a dry, unsettling sound that echoes in the chamber. "You're lucky I enjoy physical pain, Rorisang! It's such a fun sensation!"
Wut?!
"Eh… you're a weird one, Nolitha," Rorisang mutters, withdrawing the energy, confused as to why her dark magic failed to elicit the expected response of fear.
She throws her hand out, using a blunt kinetic force to slam Nolitha violently to the back of the cage.
A King's Desperation
Meanwhile, far away, Hakuna is walking aimlessly home, his mind racing through all possible and impossible locations Rorisang would go, cycling through known enemies and hidden family compounds.
King Mehlomanelo lands in front of him, his arrival silent and swift, yet somehow lacking the aggressive intent of his previous appearances.
He then speaks, his voice strained with worry. "Son of Edwar… Eh... how did you…?" He mutters, noticing Hakuna's reaction.
Hakuna is already fifteen meters back from where he was standing, thanks to his newly enhanced reflexes and the Super Watch's passive Sonar warning.
"Uh, I have great reflexes, Your Majesty…?" Hakuna replies, trying to sound confident but knowing his explanation is weak.
"Why does that sound like a question, vessel?" Psycha asks mentally.
King Mehlomanelo then continues, ignoring the reflexes. "Anyway, listen carefully, Prince. I didn't bring my wife along, nor am I going to assume you have anything to do with it, but I have not seen my daughter in the past five hours, and her communication link is severed. So, out of the respect I had, and still have, for your honorable father, I beg of you, bring my daughter back to me." The King's authoritative posture breaks, replaced by raw paternal desperation.
"Your Majesty, please do not beg. I promise I'll do everything in my power to find her and return her safely. I have just received the intel," Hakuna declares, bowing slightly.
King Mehlomanelo, with a curt nod, flies away instantly, the massive thrust of his departure leaving Hakuna completely shrouded in a cloud of swirling dust and debris.
Hakuna is left coughing. "Yup. A massive dust cloud. That's a great father-son moment," he says, clearing his throat.
"You need to head home, now," Psycha says with unusual urgency.
Hakuna vanishes in a sonic boom of purple energy.
The Irresistible Trap
…At Hakuna's house, he lands abruptly in the dining room where Max is still seated, running diagnostics on his laptop.
"Hmm, I never thought she would decide to take her there. The arrogance of that girl," Max says, talking to himself about the data on his screen.
"What's going on? What did you find?" Hakuna asks, startling Max from his concentration.
Max jolts violently, spilling his coffee slightly. "What in the—hey wena sahn! Don't sneak up on people like that! You have the stealth of a freight train! Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Sorry. I'm panicked," the prince says flatly.
Max then continues, recovering his composure. "We found her, Hakuna. The Tshabadira princess took her to their ancestral palace. It's a massive, forgotten structure hidden deep within the mountains."
"Something's off. That's too easy of a target," Hakuna says, his instincts screaming danger.
Psycha chimes in, confirming his suspicion. "You're not wrong, vessel. My contact in the demon realm confirms that the entire perimeter of that place is now heavily infested with the new, dangerous Fallen Angel Blood Demons. It's a total infestation."
"Hakuna, the way things are set up, this might as well be an explicitly stated trap. It's too obvious," Max says, his worry growing.
Hakuna then speaks, his eyes hard and resolute. "That's because it is a trap, Max. It's perfectly designed. But I don't have much of a choice, do I? Nolitha is there, and King Mehlomanelo just begged me. I have to go." he declares, launching himself into the air and vanishing again.
Sehloho walks in moments later with a group of five heavily armored Letebele soldiers, their energy signatures immense.[1]
"You're too late, brother. He's already gone," Max says, shaking his head.
Sehloho then orders the soldiers, his voice low and serious. "Tail him. Stay in the shadows, and do not intervene unless he is seconds from death. If he dies, I swear on the blood of our ancestors, you all die with him."
They all vanish instantly in a coordinated deployment.
Talk about overkill. The King's protective paranoia is intense. Sheesh.
The BBC Intervention
Meanwhile, in a suburban area…
…At Super's house, Hakuna concludes his rapid-fire briefing to the BBC who are gathered in the living room. "So, this is where she is: the palace. The place is overrun with Level 5 demons, and it's a direct trap set by Rorisang. I need your help, guys. I need a distraction, and I need backup."
"You fool, Hakuna," Bodega says, shaking his head slowly.
Enzo then comments, "When Super said you're an idiot, I thought he was just using hyperbole. But he might have been clinically correct."
"Say what now? Why are you guys being so harsh? I'm here asking for your help," Hakuna asks, confused by the lack of sympathy.
Freddie then speaks, his voice serious. "We agreed when you joined us, Hakuna. We are the BBC. We fight together, and we protect our own, even from their own stupid decisions."
Super then concludes, dropping the serious façade and adopting his usual rough affection. "Now, shut up about your feelings, grab your jacket, and let's go get your girl back, you stupid boy."
"They are so sweet when they call you insulting names," Psycha says, touched by their loyalty.
"Thanks, you guys. I appreciate this more than you know," Hakuna murmurs, genuinely moved.
Super pulls Hakuna forward roughly by his collar.
"You are wasting valuable time with sentiment. Let's get going, now!" he says, dragging the prince toward the door.
"Not again! I can walk myself, come on!" Hakuna yelps, being physically hauled away by his best friend for the third time.
Fade out.
End of Episode 33.
[1] These soldiers will make their official appearance in the next volume