Previously on Hakuna, our boy put the persistent, harmful rumors to rest by saving the school from a dangerous cult, proving his loyalty and courage once more. But even though he's one of the strongest teenagers in the entire world, he still needs to deal with the devastating, raw trauma of his girlfriend's passing. Grief, even for a prince with Divine Power, can hit, and hit hard.
Fade in…
The Weight of Grief
Hakuna was seen writhing in the throes of a terrible nightmare, tossing violently in his massive, opulent bed. The dream was the same horrific scene, playing on an endless loop.
"Nolitha, no, don't do it! Get out of the way!" he mumbled, sweat soaking his pillow.
He tossed and turned, fighting against the phantom chains that had bound him that day.
"I can save you, let me just… urgh…" he muttered, the sheer frustration of his helplessness manifesting physically.
His raw energy began to rise unintentionally, the purple glow of his Divine power surging around him, making the air in the room crackle.
He yelled, his voice torn by anguish, "No, no, no, noooo!"
He woke up, abruptly, bolting upright in bed, panting heavily.
"Another nightmare," he said, his voice raw, confirming the nightly ritual of terror.
He got off his bed and walked directly to the compound's high-tech training room.
Psycha chimed in, her voice sounding tired but concerned. "Hakuna, these nightmares you keep having, they're not safe. That uncontrolled power surge could have vaporized your room."
"Yeah, which is precisely why I'm dealing with this the only way I know how," the prince said, his gaze fixed on the heavy, metal door.
His eyes began to glow, his resolve firm.
Hakuna concluded, slamming the entrance button. "Training. Until I can no longer feel anything at all."
The doors hissed closed behind him, sealing him in with his grief and his destructive power.
A Prince Needs to Look the Part
Morning…
Hakuna walked into the grand dining room of the Letebele palace. His appearance was a disaster: his clothes were utterly messed up, his tie was over his collar, his shirt buttons were mismatched, and his blazer was inside out. He had clearly rushed, or simply didn't care.
Sehloho was seen at the far end of the long dining table, already at work, looking over military and medical documents—a peculiar blend of king and doctor.
Hakuna began to speak, his mood irritable. "Why is our house turning into a military office? And why do I smell antiseptic? Did you turn the East Wing into a casualty ward again?"
Sehloho replied, not looking up at first. "Hakuna, I may be leader of this clan, but I am still a practicing doctor as well, and there's a war on. And OH MY GOD!" He finally looked up and yelled, dropping his pen.
"What? Did the Tshabadira just send an air raid?" Hakuna questioned, genuinely confused by his brother's outburst.
"Have you even looked at a mirror today? Look at yourself!" Sehloho asked, aghast.
"Wha… what are you talking about? I'm dressed, aren't I?" Hakuna questioned obliviously.
Sehloho continued, detailing the catastrophe. "Your hair is a nest, your clothes look like you slept in them for a week, and your eyes—you look like you haven't been sleeping properly since you were born! You look positively tragic."
Hakuna said dismissively, picking up an orange. "I don't see a problem here. I'm presentable enough, so I'll just sit down and—"
Sehloho reprimanded, his voice stern and commanding. "No, no, you will not sit here until you look like a proper Letebele prince, ready to face the public. Go fix, whatever this mess is, immediately!"
Hakuna argued, defeated. "But I'll be late for the morning assembly and—"
Sehloho retorted, cutting off the flimsy excuse. "I know you can fly and warp through space, Hakuna! You can be there in three seconds. Now fix, whatever this is, immediately."
"Alright, fine, sheesh. Don't have a fit," the prince relented, turning around with a sigh.
Just as Hakuna walked away, Max entered the room in a similar, though slightly less severe, state of disarray. He held a plate of pancakes in one hand and a slice of toast half-chewed in his mouth, his phone pressed to his ear in the other.
Sehloho looked at him with a mixture of shock and deep, profound disappointment, palming his face in utter defeat.
"Ghwhat? Don't look at me like that, I was up all night decoding demon intercepts," Max asked, not removing the toast from his mouth.
"What is with the boys of this house? I'm surrounded by slobs," Sehloho asked the ceiling, abandoning his documents.
Leadership and Loss
…At Milner High School…
Hakuna, now looking impeccable, was seen walking toward the school hall with Super and Enzo.
Enzo began to speak, bringing up a sensitive topic. "Hakuna, EXCO nominations are coming up next week. Given the cult incident, you're almost certainly going to get nominated. Are you thinking of running for a position?"[1]
"Nahh, I'm not running," Hakuna said flatly.
Super queried, surprised. "Why not? You could easily be Head Boy next year. You practically saved the whole school, twice now!"
Hakuna continued, articulating the deep-seated self-doubt born from his loss. "That's exactly why. I've been thinking about it a lot. Since I came here, I'm always acting unilaterally, always doing my own thing, never thinking about others, never thinking about the wider consequences of my actions. I say or do without thinking about the risk to others. I'm not fit to be a leader like Enzo; I'm too volatile. I'm just a protector, a warrior to be used as a weapon if need be. Others may not see that, but if I join the EXCO program, I'm gonna have to be a responsible, careful leader. That's not the right space to put me, nor, frankly, is my own throne back home."
"None of the bad that happened in your life is truly your fault, Hakuna. Don't beat yourself up because of Rorisang or the war. You don't have to join the EXCOs if you don't want to, but you need to heal. Take some time off. Grieve properly. Bottling it up is never the solution, even for the strongest of men," Enzo said, his voice grounded and empathetic.
Super chimed in, reaffirming their loyalty. "You know we're all here for you if you wanna talk, right? Anytime, day or night."
Hakuna's phone vibrated. He received a text. It was from Max.
Hakuna stammered, pulling away from the conversation. "Yeah, I'll uhh, I'll be back, guys. There's something I have to do. Business."
He vanished instantly, leaving them in the middle of the crowded hallway.
"There he goes, always disappearing at the worst moment," Super voiced with resignation.
"Yeah, let's just hope he doesn't completely lose himself in that grief," Enzo murmured, watching the empty space where his friend stood.
The Royal Squadron
…At the Letebele Palace…
Hakuna appeared in the War Room, a controlled environment of maps and strategic displays.
"Hey, Big Bro, you wanted to see me? I got your text," he asked Max.
Max replied, a slight nervousness in his voice. "Hey, uhh, Hakuna. Yeah. Remember when I told you that you might—"
Hakuna responded, cutting him off with the cold certainty of his duty. "Have to join in the full military fight? I know that, Max. I have to clean my mess and protect my people. I'm ready."
"Well, it's past time. Sehloho thinks we need to strike a key target now," Max concluded, relieved Hakuna was onboard.
Sehloho walked in, accompanied by five imposing, highly trained soldiers—all women.
He spoke, his voice formal. "Hakuna, you're here. Excellent. I want you to meet your very own Royal Squadron."
"Royal Squadron? What are you talking about?" Hakuna questioned, surprised by the new development.
Sehloho continued, explaining the ancient tradition. "Yes. Every Royal entity receives their own dedicated, permanent squadron for personal security and combat support after they turn sixteen. You are officially sixteen now, and you have yours. This is Selepe, Seloana, Sefate, Lebone, and Kamohelo."
Hakuna looked over the five new, highly capable faces, confusion and a touch of awkwardness on his face. "Uhh, you're all women."
Sefate, the apparent leader, asked, her tone professional but edged with challenge. "Is that an issue, your highness? We were selected for skill, not gender."
"Uhh, no, not at all! Just an observation. I have no issue with it," he stammered, avoiding their gaze.
He stared intently at Sehloho, who maintained an innocent expression.
"What? I'm busy, little brother," Sehloho asked.
Hakuna took Sehloho roughly to another, private room, needing immediate answers.
Hakuna then spoke, his voice low and accusatory. "You really think I don't know what you're doing? This isn't coincidence."
"I have no clue what you speak of, younger brother. They are the best candidates in the clan," Sehloho said, trying to maintain the facade.
Hakuna continued, his voice thick with emotion. "You think having my squadron full of women will somehow make me forget about Nolitha? That if I surround myself with others, the pain will stop?"
Sehloho interjected, his tone shifting to genuine honesty. "No, Hakuna, they all qualified perfectly based on their combat metrics, and they are here only to protect you. But yes, I hoped they would serve as a good distraction and a strong support system. I was worried about you."
Hakuna sighed, the accusation draining away. "I'm having nightmares, Sehloho. Nightmares of that day, every single night. It's been happening ever since she… since she died."
Sehloho then spoke, placing a comforting hand on his arm. "Listen, this will probably pass. You're grieving, and it's natural. But war is upon us, and we need more help. So, on another note, I enlisted help from an outside party, the Kgauhelo Clan."
"Say what now? The clan of all female warriors?" the prince questioned, surprised by the political move.
Before Sehloho could answer, a woman's soft voice whispered right behind Hakuna's ear. "Hello, Handsome."
Hakuna yelped, jumping forward and spinning around, his energy flaring in surprise. "Aaagh! Where do you come from?! You shouldn't be able to sneak up on me!"
The woman, Queen Tharollo of the Kgauhelo Clan, a striking figure, answered flatly. "I come from a clan ruled entirely by women, the Kgauhelo Clan. I am our queen, and our stealth is renowned."
Hakuna voiced, calming himself. "I know, I know who you are, Your Majesty. I just… nevermind. My apologies."
"Shall we go and talk, Prince? There is something you need to understand about the bond you shared," the queen said, gesturing toward the dining room.
The Nature of the Royal Tie
…In the Dining room…
"How exactly does the Royal Tie work, Your Majesty? It feels like a curse, yet Nolitha accepted it," Hakuna asked, desperate for scientific understanding of his pain.
Queen Tharollo then deliberated, explaining the ancient spiritual lore. "In order to understand what it is, you first have to know where it comes from. Long, long ago, Cupid, the angel of love, saw how vile humans could be without love, and how much destruction was being caused by Royal ambition. He sought out the root of this vileness and found that it came from the spitefulness of Royal entities toward one another. And so, he cursed us, sort of, with the Royal Tie: when we find that special someone, we will have no choice but to have peace—always. Unfortunately, he or she meant peace only between our special someones, not between their clans or others. Hence the current, messy war."
"Wait, what do you mean by 'he or she?' Cupid was an angel," Hakuna queried.
Queen Tharollo carried on, delving into the nature of divinity. "Well, Cupid, like other high-level Divine entities, might've been seen as both or transcended gender, much like the devil, Arkhagos, who was previously an angel. That is divinity, isn't it? A Yin and Yang-like balance of the two natures of humanity, as we both genders of humanity are made in God's image."
"So the Royal Tie is a curse, even if it brings peace?" He asked, focusing on his loss.
Queen Tharollo continued, looking deeply into his eyes. "The Royal Tie is an interesting kind of curse, Prince. It guarantees you will fall for someone to a point where you'd happily die for them, with no apparent side effects. Except, there will never be another. You will never fall in love, truly, madly, deeply, like you did with her, ever again. That profound connection is gone."
"Ohh…" he muttered, the finality of the statement hitting him hard.
Queen Tharollo continued, offering a glimmer of hope. "But there's another perk of this Royal Tie, a final gift. In the event that your significant other dies in a sacrifice, you will receive all her memories, her skills, her powers, and most importantly, you will get her latent energy—the full power of her life force. So that when you miss her, you can always call upon her immense strength. Also, the culmination of her memories, wisdom, and habits can give you the ability to talk to her, to find closure, or when you're just missing her."
"Wait, I haven't sensed anything yet, apart from this new, chaotic power," Hakuna said, realizing the implications.
Queen Tharollo replied, instructing him. "You will, Prince. The memories and the communion only come once the grief begins to ease. All you have to do is master her latent powers, allow her memories and wisdom into your mind, and meditate with her infused energy. You must open yourself to her."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. This changes everything," he said, a genuine, albeit painful, gratitude in his voice.
"No problem, Prince. Although, all my princesses would have loved to go on a date with you, now that you're technically free of the bond," the queen said, teasing him.
Hakuna asked, confused by the term. "Wait, do you mean your literal daughters?"
Queen Tharollo chuckled, a rich, warm sound. "Haha, no. In the Kgauhelo Clan, any woman of age can claim the throne if she proves worthy. Therefore, all of them are considered princesses, potential queens. Now, I may not share immediate blood with them, but they are my little girls, and each and every one of them would make a fine queen one day. They are excellent warriors, Hakuna."
"Oh… I see," he voiced, absorbing the different royal culture.
Queen Tharollo concluded, her voice turning soft and encouraging. "Do remember what I told you. Start the meditation. Soon you will be able to just… let go of the consuming grief and find her peace."
Hakuna murmured, a flicker of hope in his eyes. "Yeah, I guess so. I'll try."
Assignment: The Hidden Tower
…In the Throne Room…
Sehloho began to speak, pointing at a new location on the holographic map. "Hakuna, we've located a hidden location deep in the Tshabadira territory. It is heavily guarded, and we've been sending reconnaissance soldiers there to no avail—they're immediately swarmed with Level 7 and Level 8 demons. I need you to find out what the place is. Find out what they are hiding. If it can help us win this war, take it. You will be mobilized with your squadron for this mission."
"Yeah, whatever, I'll take the lead. Seloana, get the Stealth Jet ready for immediate deployment," he said dismissively, still preoccupied with the new information.
Seloana nodded sharply and vanished to prepare the air transport.
"Hakuna, try to get along with them. They're your support, not your baggage," Sehloho said, concerned by his Prince's detachment.
Hakuna replied with a wave of his hand. "Yeah."
He vanished, already focused on the mission.
Hakuna was seen in the jet, on its way to the hidden location.
Sefate asked, approaching him cautiously. "Your Highness, if I may, do you have any deliberate plan to carry out in this excursion? Or are we simply going in hot?"
Hakuna mumbled, still distracted. "Hmm? Oh, the plan… I have one. Sort of."
Seloana chimed in from the cockpit. "My prince, we're now directly above the intended landing area. We have visual on a large, fortified tower."
"Yeah… uhh, stand by," he muttered.
He stood and walked toward the back ramp door of the jet.
Hakuna then spoke, issuing orders with abrupt precision. "Selepe and Lebone, I need the two of you to clear and destroy each and every demon in the immediate landing area while I'm inside. Sefate and Seloana, you go in with me, try to catch up, and Kamohelo, I need you to be my eyes from above. Provide tactical insight on any unusual movement."
"Got it, Your Highness," they all replied in unified, professional voices.
Kamohelo then said, managing the equipment. "Okay, guys, here are your parachutes. You all know what to do, right? Ehh…"
"What?" Sefate asked, turning to the equipment bay.
Seloana questioned, a sudden panic in her voice. "Where is Prince Hakuna?"
They all looked around. The ramp door was already open.
They all looked outside, and there was Hakuna, free-falling without a parachute, already a distant speck.
Lebone muttered, shocked by his reckless disregard for safety. "He doesn't have a parachute! Is he insane?"
Hakuna's eyes began to glow a furious purple in the freefall, and he stabilized himself, beginning to fly with controlled Energy Manipulation.
Selepe murmured, her awe overriding her shock. "Energy Manipulation, at that altitude and speed. He's probably at the advanced level, or even Divine. Incredible potential."
Sefate beckoned, grabbing her gear. "Seloane, come on, we should be going. He's already engaging."
"Yeah, let's go," Seloane muttered, quickly jumping out of the plane.
As they landed on the ground, all they could see was a trail of instantaneous, scorched destruction leading directly to the base of the central tower.
Seloane muttered, looking at the dead demons. "How is it that one person can do this much with minimal effort? His power is terrifying."
Kamohelo spoke on the communication link. "Squad, hurry. Prince Hakuna is waiting for you at the tower door. He's completely ignoring the security risks."
Hakuna was seen at the base of a massive, heavily fortified tower, his eyes closed in brief concentration, utterly calm.
"So that's why this place was so heavily guarded," he muttered to himself. The energy signature from inside was unmistakable.
As he walked forward, Sefate and Seloane appeared behind him, both bowing instantly to him on one knee, recognizing his supreme power.
"Come on. Keep up," he commanded, opening the heavy door.
They followed him inside.
As they walked up the many, long flights of stairs, Sefate broke the silence. "My prince, if I may, how is it that you are so strong? I mean, we all sense that you exude even greater potential than your brothers."
Hakuna replied, his thoughts on the Queen's advice. "Well, you might know about the demon inside of me, Psycha, but that's only part of it."
Sefate then said, pressing the point gently. "Yes, however, it doesn't add up. We've all sensed your potential before, only until the last few weeks did we sense this sudden, astronomical change."
"Hmm. The love of my life, a Xhosa Princess, recently passed away," Hakuna said flatly, the truth sounding impossibly stark.
Both Sefate and Seloane looked surprised yet strangely underwhelmed by the casual delivery of the tragedy.
Hakuna queried, noticing their reaction. "Uhh, what is it? Did I say something wrong?"
Seloane then spoke, trying to be respectful. "With all due respect, my prince, but you are a bit young to have had a 'love of your life' who passed away."
Hakuna retorted, confirming the strange reality of his life. "Well, believe it. I did develop a Royal Tie with a Xhosa princess, and seemingly, my increased, uncontrollable power is a direct result of her death and sacrifice."
Sefate muttered, a genuine shock in her voice. "Your… Highness. A Royal Tie."
"Don't worry about it. It's a closed chapter," he said, pushing the pain down.
Seloane then asked, switching back to tactical observation. "By the way, you seem to lack any anxiousness as we draw closer to our target. May I ask why you are so utterly calm?"
Hakuna answered flatly, his voice chilling. "Well, my girlfriend's killer, the one who took her life, is who we are targeting. This is personal."
Sefate muttered, concerned by the implication. "Your highness, uhm, vengeance might not be the most tactical approach."
Hakuna then spoke, correcting their assumption. "Relax. She was merely the weapon, unaware of her true actions. She was possessed by the demon Sparta."
Sefate asked, clarifying the motive. "So, the actual killer, the demon, used the princess to kill your mistress?"
"Yes. Although, Rorisang, the girl, did have a similar intention of killing Nolitha even without the demon," Hakuna said, his pain momentarily visible.
As they approached the final door at the top of the tower, a thick, cold, malevolent energy could be physically felt from inside.
Hakuna thought to himself, recognizing the residual power. "She might still have Sparta's residual power, or maybe she's still possessed. I'll have to be careful with the engagement. I won't kill her, but I must secure her."
He raised his power, the purple aura stabilizing around him as he pushed the door open. Both Sefate and Seloane had gone silent, fully alert, and treading carefully behind their prince.
Rorisang was revealed to be inside the room, but she was in a visibly weakened state, collapsed on the floor.
"Something's wrong. She's not fighting. She's weak," he said, instantly dropping his guard slightly.
Fade out…
End of Episode 42.
[1] EXCO[The Executive Commitee] are the highest level student representatives at Milner, they are nominated by all students to join the EXCO's but the Head Boy/Girl is chosen from the nominated students by the teachers.