Previously on Hakuna, things seemed to have temporarily stagnated in the war against the Tshabadira Clan and the remnants of the demonic threat. This pause provided a critical window of opportunity for Hakuna to rest, recover, and most importantly, seek guidance. He traveled alone to the Mehlomanelo Clan Palace to approach Nolitha's powerful mother, Queen Nandi, to ask for their help in understanding and mastering the immense power inherited from his late fiancé via the Royal Tie. His arrival was met with a crushing show of force from the grieving Queen. How will this high-stakes meeting proceed, and will he gain the crucial assistance he desperately needs?
Fade in…
The Test of Grief
Hakuna was seen struggling desperately to stand upright under the immense, crushing psychic pressure exerted by the Queen of the Mehlomanelo Clan, Queen Nandi. His knees buckled repeatedly, and the stone floor seemed impossibly heavy.
"Come on, Prince Hakuna. Out with it. Tell me why you dared to intrude on my grief," Queen Nandi said, her voice deceptively calm despite the oppressive energy she was emitting.
Hakuna strained, fighting to form coherent words against the force that felt like a thousand atmospheres. "Eaah, Your Majesty, might I respectfully ask where the King is? King Mehlomanelo."
"My husband is currently out on some urgent business in the Gauteng province, tending to the needs of our allies. Now, what do you seek? And what is the matter with you, Prince? Are you unable to face me properly, you who defeated an Archdemon?" the queen responded, her tone sharp, laced with suspicion and the edge of a parent's pain.
Psycha chimed in from within Hakuna's mind, her voice hushed with disbelief. "She doesn't even consciously know she's exerting this much power. The sheer magnitude of her grief and latent energy is overwhelming her own control."
"Your energy, Lady Mehlomanelo, it is overwhelming my own core," Hakuna stammered out, focusing on the only explanation he could muster.
Queen Nandi, surprised by the direct observation, unconsciously reduced the pressure slightly. "My Energy? Hmm? Oh…"
The immediate, crushing pressure vanished abruptly, and Hakuna was finally able to stand upright, leaning heavily on the throne.
"Haaa… mahn, that was a lot. I apologize for my lack of decorum, Your Majesty," Hakuna voiced, relieved to be free of the oppressive force.
"Come on then, Prince Hakuna, don't waste the little time I have for you. What is it that brings you here? Speak plainly," the queen hurried her guest, still emotionally guarded.
"Your majesty, I need your help. Desperately," Hakuna said, his tone shifting to one of profound humility.
"Hmm? Help with what, Prince?" the queen voiced, her eyes narrowing.
Hakuna continued, choosing his words carefully. "I should probably not be bothering you while my clan is still technically at war and facing border skirmishes, but I took this brief, unstable time of quiet to tell you this… you might not believe it, given my age, but your daughter and I formed an extremely rare Royal Tie. And after her tragic death, I found myself suddenly possessing and using some of her greatest abilities, powers I never possessed before. I found out from my mother that this permanent Royal Tie now allows me the chance to communicate with her spirit, to finally speak to her. However, I was also told that for me to be able to successfully speak to her, I must access and retrieve all of her memories. To do that, I must treat this entire issue as a kind of profound, spiritual amnesia, needing external cues."
She replied, her expression softening only marginally. "I know all about this Royal Tie you speak of. It is an ancient, rare, and often tragic spiritual curse brought to Royal Entities by the Angel Cupid himself, for good or for ill. It binds souls eternally."
"So, you understand. You believe me. You will help me with the retrieval?" Hakuna asked, a surge of hope welling up inside him.
"Sure, why not? I am currently residing in a palace with a surplus of time and a deficiency of purpose," she said, her voice dry, but agreeing nonetheless.
Hakuna released a genuine, spontaneous sigh of relief, a smile finally breaking through his tense facade. But it was short-lived, as…
Queen Mehlomanelo's crushing pressure returned instantly, ten-fold this time, hitting him with the force of a speeding train.
"Errh… Argh!" Hakuna grunted, forced back down onto one knee, the stone protesting beneath his weight.
Queen Mehlomanelo then spoke, her gaze intense, testing his resolve. "However, Prince, my daughter, Nolitha, was the only other person in this world who was able to willfully withstand the full, unrestrained pressure of my latent energy without being crushed into dust. If you indeed possess her full abilities, as you claim, then show me her power! Show me why she chose to die for you, why she loved you enough to sacrifice herself, and why she declared, repeatedly, that she would choose to do it over and over again!"
She acted, without warning, launching an instantaneous, full-power attack.
Her speed was terrifying, almost impossible for Hakuna's unaided eyes to follow as she moved—a blur that destroyed a massive, thick stone pillar of the palace with her devastating power, the wreckage scattering mere centimeters from the Prince.
But still, miraculously, Hakuna was able to dodge, his body moving not from conscious thought, but from the installed automation of his Titanus Skeleta, which reacted faster than his own mind, utilizing the raw speed of its instant reaction.
"What the? Are you actively trying to kill me?! You're trying to murder the Prince of the Letebele Clan!" He yelled, genuinely frightened by the Queen's unchecked ferocity.
He felt a sharp sting. A small, perfect cut instantly appeared on his right cheek, a single bead of blood drawn from the very tip of the wound, testament to the sheer destructive pressure of the Queen's passing strike.
"You've got the reflexive speed that matches my daughter's, I'll grant you that. But still, you have not shown me her internal, controlled power. You have not given me proof of her presence," the queen said, standing upright after her devastating destruction, devastatingly elegant and utterly composed in her movements.
Hakuna let out a primal roar that rumbled the very foundation of the palace as he instinctively raised his power, his fused energy flaring intensely and violently.
He then thought to himself, quickly analyzing the situation. "Good. I can move now, I have enough power to maintain the dodge, but she's still too much for me to handle in a sustained, head-to-head confrontation. I need to stop this."
Queen Mehlomanelo chimed in, assessing his frantic energy. "What is this power? It is chaotic, unstable. You have immense energy, but I don't sense my daughter's familiar, tranquil core within you. You are using a demon's rage, not her light."
"I don't want to fight you, Queen Nandi. I came here for help, not a duel to the death," Hakuna said, trying to de-escalate.
Queen Nandi then declared, her voice rising to a crescendo. "Well then, allow me to give you a definitive incentive to fight back, Prince."
Her power rose yet again, and the overwhelming psychic pressure began to actively crush Hakuna's body, the pain intense and bone-deep.
She then spoke, her voice cold and echoing with command. "Fight me with all you have, show me her life in you, or die by my hand right here, right now!"
The Calm Before the Light
…Meanwhile…
Super, was seen walking home from his schooling, his senses always tuned to detect danger.
He suddenly sensed a powerful, familiar surge of Hakuna's energy.
He thought to himself, pausing his walk. "Hmm? He's here, in the Mehlomanelo territory? That's unexpected. I wonder who he's fighting, given the size of that energy surge…" Super focused his senses on the secondary source. "Ehh… that power that's colliding with his, who the hell is that? It's massive!"
…Back at the Mehlomanelo Palace…
"I guess I truly don't have a choice but to fight or die, she means it," Hakuna thought, his core energy turning a deep, resolute purple.
"Come then, boy! Show me all you have, and show me my daughter!" the queen ordered, her eyes burning with a desperate need for proof.
Hakuna opened his eyes. They were no longer the frantic red of Psycha's rage, but a serene, focused purple.
A concentric circle of purple light surrounded him as his inner Divine energy stabilized and dissipated the immediate external pressure.
Queen Mehlomanelo was already attacking, moving in for the kill-blow, but…
With a loud, focused bang, the Queen's heavy attack landed squarely on Hakuna's newly erected Divine Barrier.
As the dust settled, Hakuna stood still, having successfully blocked the full force of the Queen's final attack without shifting an inch.
"I TOLD YOU, I DO NOT WANT TO FIGHT YOU! I WANT TO REMEMBER HER!" Hakuna said, the familiar, ancient, resonating voice of the Celesti state speaking through him.
The queen's expression fractured. She thought to herself, stunned. "What is this voice? This deep spiritual echo? Ehh… that specific energy, that serene, unyielding presence…"
Hakuna thought to himself, maintaining the difficult defensive stance. "Damn, she really makes me feel like I haven't been training at all. I have to hold this steady… ahh…"
Queen Mehlomanelo's eyes suddenly glazed over, the intensity bleeding out into profound sorrow. She began to cry, the tears tracking paths through the grim determination on her face.
Both their tremendous energies instantly returned to normal, the pressure completely gone.
"My Little Light really is within you. That presence… that unyielding light… it's her," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.
She rushed forward, but not to attack. She immediately wrapped her arms around Hakuna, crushing him in a massive, tearful hug.
With all this happening, Hakuna's own eyes teared up, the dam of his suppressed grief finally cracking, but he did not outwardly cry, holding onto the last vestiges of his composure.
"Uhh, Your Majesty… I am truly sorry for your loss," he muttered, returning the difficult embrace.
Queen Mehlomanelo finally released Hakuna, wiping the tears off her face with a sudden, decisive dignity.
Hakuna thought to himself, processing the traumatic encounter. "Wait, I thought she was genuinely trying to murder me. She was just trying to shock me into using Celesti and force out Nolitha's true energy! This whole family is completely crazy."
"Says the person who is a Prince from an equally, if not more, crazy family," Psycha fired back in his mind, thoroughly unimpressed by the dramatics.
"Very well, Prince Hakuna. Your presence, and the sheer power of her light within you, is proof enough. We will assist you," Queen Nandi declared, her voice now firm and maternal.
"Huh? Y-you will?" Hakuna muttered, still slightly confused.
"Come on out, Kgotsofalo," she said, looking toward the high archways.
"Huh? Who is she, Your Majesty?" Hakuna asked.
A tall, beautiful girl appeared, walking with quiet confidence into the room. Her face was timid and serious, yet her stance was that of a seasoned, proud warrior.
Queen Mehlomanelo then spoke, introducing the last link to Nolitha. "This is Kgotsofalo. She was the leader of my daughter's Royal Squadron, her most trusted protector and confidante. Since Lady Nolitha's death, the other members have gone to marry into other noble clans, as is custom, but she stayed here in perpetual service. You never specified your needs beyond the memories, but I think I have found your first and best resource."
Kgotsofalo replied, addressing the Prince with deep respect. "Yes, My Queen. Lady Nolitha had stated, shortly before her last mission, that she had formed an unconfirmed Royal Tie with someone powerful, but she never stated who it was, only that he was good."
Hakuna thought to himself, a small, sad smile returning. "That's Nolitha for you. She's always been good at keeping her mouth shut about things that truly mattered."
Kgotsofalo walked toward the two of them, her eyes intent on Hakuna.
She then continued, explaining her reasoning for staying. "I found it incredibly hard to believe that someone could achieve such a feat at such a young age. So, after she died, I knew that if the Tie were true, someone of royal blood would eventually come here seeking assistance with mastering her magnificent and unique Talent."
She stopped directly in front of Hakuna, standing quite close to him.
"Hmph!" Hakuna jolted silently, suddenly overwhelmed by her close proximity.
He instantly blushed, a profound crimson creeping up his neck.
"Hmm? Is there something wrong, Prince Hakuna? You seem… flustered," Kgotsofalo asked, genuinely confused by his reaction.
Hakuna thought to himself, his internal commentary immediately focusing on the wrong detail. "Woah. She's incredibly tall. And intimidating. Ehh…"
"Uhh, nothing. Nothing at all," he replied, looking away in sudden, acute embarrassment.[1]
Suddenly, Kgotsofalo knelt formally before Hakuna, lowering her head in a gesture of profound respect and sorrow.
"Huh? Why are you kneeling?" He muttered.
Kgotsofalo then spoke, her voice thick with self-condemnation. "Forgive me, Prince Hakuna of the Letebele Clan! I was meant to protect the princess, and I failed in my sworn duty! I was too weak and too slow to stop her from fighting the Tshabadira princess alone, and for that, I cannot forgive myself! So please, Your Highness, punish me as you see fit, for I am completely at fault for Lady Nolitha's death… ah…"
Hakuna instantly placed his hand gently on her shoulder, his earlier embarrassment forgotten, the full maturity of his leadership returning.
Hakuna then spoke, his voice empathetic and clear. "You did nothing wrong, Kgotsofalo. Absolutely nothing. I was the one who failed to protect her, because she sacrificed herself to protect me. And then, I disrespected her sacrifice even more by immediately attempting to seek senseless vengeance in her name."
"Prince Hakuna…" Kgotsofalo muttered, looking up at him with genuine admiration.
Hakuna continued, his words powerful and restorative. "Do not burden yourself with such things. You did well to show her that you cared for her safety, and that is all that truly matters. She knew she was loved."
"Oh…" the girl mumbled, accepting his forgiveness.
Hakuna then concluded, forcing a small, fond laugh. "And let's be honest with ourselves, Kgotsofalo; no one in this world can truly change Nolitha's mind when it is set on a course, no matter how hard they try. You can't blame yourself for that stubbornness. Haha."
As he signed for Kgotsofalo to stand, he continued, his tone turning reflective and profoundly spiritual. "What's important is that we make sure that her death was not in vain, that it meant something more than just loss. We must show Nolitha that she meant more to us than she ever thought possible. Remember, she tended to look down on herself, to doubt her own worth. She's probably doing that right now in heaven, telling the angels she's not worthy of their praise. So let's not be sad that she passed on; instead, let's be happy that she lives on in our hearts. Be happy that all of us carry her presence right here, everywhere we go."
Kgotsofalo stood, deeply moved by his words.
Hakuna concluded, his voice full of hope. "Nothing makes Nolitha happier than when she sees those she loves happy, moving forward, and successful. Keep that in mind wherever you go, because she's up there, watching over us, still smiling."
A single, uncontrollable tear drop finally escaped Hakuna's right eye, landing perfectly on his polished shoe.
"Ah, Your Highness…" Kgotsofalo muttered, pointing down.
"Hmm?" He mumbled, confused by her sudden concern.
He looked down at his shoe.
"Am I… crying? I thought I had that under control," he muttered, realizing the sheer force of his suppressed grief.
Queen Mehlomanelo let out a somber, proud smile as she watched the raw emotional truth—how hard Hakuna had been holding his emotions back for the sake of the war.
Kgotsofalo thought to herself, her heart finally settled. "I see now. Lady Nolitha truly did fall for a kind, but profoundly strong, man. Her Tie was correct."
"Go then, Prince," the queen said, granting him leave.
Hakuna muttered, "Huh? Where?"
Queen Mehlomanelo then continued, gesturing to Kgotsofalo. "Kgotsofalo will personally help you with Nolitha's Talent retrieval. She was closer to her than anyone and understands her routines. Now go. Remember, your clan is still at war, and time is a luxury we don't possess."
"Ah… Thank you, your Majesty. Truly," he said this as he bowed deeply once more.
Queen Mehlomanelo then spoke, her hands planting firmly on her waist as she surveyed the destruction. "Oh, go on. I'm going to have to clean this place up, aren't I? And I prefer if there is no one in my way while I do it."
She looked at Hakuna with a sudden, intense gaze—her version of a psychic Death Stare.
"Hiiaahhii…" Hakuna stammered, scrambling to retreat.
He thought to himself, rushing toward the exit with Kgotsofalo. "She's just like her. Utterly terrifying when angry."
Queen Mehlomanelo then beckoned to the rapidly retreating Prince. "And Prince! When you meet her spirit, tell my daughter that her mother is finally at peace, and that I'm glad she left this painful world only after finding true, eternal love!"
Hakuna and Kgotsofalo both vanished instantly.
"Now then, shall we," the queen said to herself, flexing her power as she prepared to repair the palace with a massive display of energy.
The Dance of Light
Hakuna and Kgotsofalo were seen walking quickly through the palace corridors, Kgotsofalo leading the way.
Kgotsofalo then spoke, explaining the first step. "I understand that you have only some of the princess's core abilities, but not the full spectrum, which would be contained within her memories."
Hakuna replied, matching her stride. "Yeah. I think they only come from flashes of her greatest moments or deepest trauma, but I've never seen her use them before. It's fragmented."
"I see. Well, I do have a precise solution for that fragmented retrieval, but first, you must be able to consistently and calmly use her energy as your own, not as an unstable fusion," she said.
They entered a side corridor and stopped before a closed, unassuming door.
"This is Lady Nolitha's private bedroom," Kgotsofalo said flatly, preparing to open it.
"Haaah?! Her bedroom?!" Hakuna squealed, recoiling instantly.
"Hmm? I had assumed that you've seen it before, Prince, seeing as you've been here more than once," she said, confused by his reaction.
Hakuna muttered, stumbling over his words. "Huh? Yeah, well, I've been here before, but I've never, ever walked into her room. Heeehehe… that would have been inappropriate, obviously."
Kgotsofalo then said, a slight, almost imperceptible smile touching her lips. "You are quite reserved, despite your manly urges. You were able to refrain from entering the princess's room. I commend your respect."
Hakuna thought to himself, panicking internally. "Eaah! Is she for real? Did she just say "manly urges" out loud?!"
Kgotsofalo continued, oblivious to his internal turmoil. "However, the immediate purpose of bringing you here is for you to be at a place where she felt most comfortable and emotionally secure. The first place I could think of is her room, to prime the energy."
"Hmm, I do feel her subtle, comforting presence here, but it's very faint. She didn't spend much time here, did she?" Hakuna said, his heightened senses reading the energy signatures.
"Hmmm, no. You are correct. Oh, I got it!" Kgotsofalo said, realizing her mistake and snapping her fingers.
Hakuna muttered, "Huh? Got what?"
Kgotsofalo then spoke, revealing a profound secret about Nolitha's past. "Some time ago, when Lady Nolitha was but a young child, she underwent intensive, relentless training in order to master her power. Being the oldest of her siblings, the Queen fully expected her to be the first female head of the clan, so she trained her without mercy. She achieved feats no other prominent figure in the clan had ever done. She mastered her Talent and became the strongest of her age quickly, almost rivalling her father, the King. Sadly, he did not approve of this overwhelming strength, fearing that if she was too strong, no prideful man from a noble clan would want to marry her, that she would stay alone forever. Personally, the princess did not mind that outcome; in fact, she had preferred it. However, out of deep respect for her parents, she formally stopped her public training and learned more on how to be the proper wife of a nobleman."
Hakuna thought to himself, the puzzle pieces clicking into place. "Wait a minute, but she… she was still incredibly strong when I met her… ah…"
"Or so they thought she had stopped…" she said, interrupting Hakuna's thoughts with a knowing glance.
"Huh? She kept training?" He muttered.
Kgotsofalo continued. "Being the perfect lady to a lord tended to be far more tiresome and restrictive than she thought. So, while no one was looking, she'd slip away to her solitary, secret training room and perform a specific ritual she created: the Dance of Light."[2]
"The Dance of Light? What is that?" Hakuna asked.
Kgotsofalo replied. "Yes. Similar to a martial arts drill combined with a meditation technique, she created this ritual in order to maintain her potency and her fighting edge. She would go to this training room every evening before her rest, and some days she would even spend the entire night there, honing her skills and making sure never to lose her edge. Along with her regular meditation, Lady Nolitha always practiced this ritual, every single night. She designed it around the core concept of her Talent: depicting the steady, flexible, yet powerfully destructive flow of her Divine Energy."
"I see. That's Nolitha," Hakuna said, recognizing the fierce determination in her actions.
They reached another door, this one plain and unassuming, obviously hidden. But before she opened the door…
Kgotsofalo then said, her voice filled with tenderness. "I always loved being beside Lady Nolitha when she performed this. Her energy was always so soothing, warm, and safe—akin to wrapping yourself in the softest blanket on a cold night. Being with her was a breath of fresh air from the court politics."
"I know that firsthand. It's exactly how she felt to me," Hakuna said.
Kgotsofalo beckoned, nodding towards the door. "Please, Hakuna. Find a way to achieve that exact tranquil, steady energy again. The energy of pure, focused light."
Hakuna replied, trying to force the power. "Yeah, I can do that easily… Ow!"
Kgotsofalo administered a sharp smack to his head.
"Your energy has too much residual rage in it, Prince. It is violent and uncontrolled. Calm down! This room is spiritually sealed, but it is also very delicate, and you might shatter it with your unstable energy!" she said, sternly.
Hakuna replied, rubbing his head in defeat. "Grr… okay, fine. I need a moment. Eaah!" He jolted again.
"What is the matter now, Prince?" Kgotsofalo asked, patience wearing thin.
Hakuna then said, rubbing his neck awkwardly. "Ah, nothing. It's just, my neck… you're so tall, Kgotsofalo, I can't bear constantly looking up at you anymore… Owwww!"
Another smack to the head.
Hakuna conceded defeat, sitting down on the floor outside the door and immediately attempting to meditate with Nolitha's energy once again, striving for tranquility.
The energy instantly formed a circle around him, and his core essence changed, stabilizing into a pure, clean, unshakeable Divine energy—Nolitha's Divine energy.
Kgotsofalo watched, her eyes wide with shock. "Has he done it? Just like that?"
Hakuna opened his eyes. He had successfully meditated with Nolitha's essence, fully embracing the tranquil flow of her power. He was now able to remain in this state for an extended amount of time without the unstable fury of Psycha taking over.
Kgotsofalo then spoke, her voice reverent. "Enter this room now, Prince. Perform the Dance of Light, and you might, just might, meet her once again… eh…"
"Is there something wrong, Kgotsofalo?" Hakuna asked.
Kgotsofalo then said, a gentle tear falling down her cheek. "Nothing, Prince. It's just… you have her look now. The exact look she used to get every time she entered this room. That look of focused peace. I've missed that look so much."
Hakuna walked into the room and immediately stopped in the center.
"What do you feel, Prince Hakuna?" She asked, her voice hushed.
Hakuna turned to face her, tears finally streaming from his eyes, his expression a mixture of profound sorrow and absolute spiritual certainty.
He said, his voice barely a whisper. "I feel… her."
With a smile of deep contentment and tears falling down her face, Kgotsofalo softly closed the door to the training room, knowing in her heart that her Princess was finally being visited again.
Hakuna walked to the center of the room and looked slowly around the small, powerful space.
As he did this, memories from Nolitha's past—not just the painful ones, but the quiet moments, the laughter, the lessons—gradually flashed into him. The power transfer began, smooth and complete.
He closed his eyes, receiving all of Nolitha's knowledge, wisdom, and core spiritual essence, one memory at a time.
And as the last, most sacred memory flashed into his mind—the memory of her love for him—he closed his eyes. His energy began to flare again, but in a calm, controlled manner, almost as if steam was slowly escaping from his body, his power fully mastered.
Hakuna began the Dance of Light.
Each movement he did was smooth, balanced, powerful, and utterly graceful. This dance embodied the soul of Nolitha—her happiness, her deep sadness, her occasional anger, her profound fear, her chronic self-doubt, and, most importantly, it embodied her eternal love for him.[3]
Hakuna did this perfect, flowing dance as tears fell down his face. This was as close as he'd ever been with Nolitha. This dance was, in essence, his spiritual love letter to her.
As he concluded the dance, the perfectly utilized energy escaped from him and formed a tangible, glowing body before him—a perfect spiritual avatar.
"Well, Prince. It finally took you long enough to finish that little dance, didn't it?" a familiar, gentle voice said, radiating light and warmth.
Hakuna opened his eyes, the light of her being reflecting in his own.
He whispered her name. "Nolitha…"
Fade out…
End of Episode 47.
[1] That was the day Hakuna suddenly became irreversibly attracted to tall women.
[2] As mentioned in the Auxiliary Chapter, it was Kgotsofalo who gave the Dance of Light its name.
[3] Detailed movements on the formations of the Dance of Light are in the aptly named Auxiliary Chapter...;)