Author's note : Hello, everyone! Welcome to Falling Stars! This story is basically a prequel to A New Age, and will explore the past of our favourite Star Warrior, Meta Knight. If you have read A New Age up until now, then it is likely this story will answer questions you may wonder, and if you haven't, keep in mind you don't have to read A New Age to understand this one. On that, I hope you will enjoy this new adventure, as I am sure I will enjoy writing it. Have a good read, and a good day!
Our Universe is wonderful. Marvellous. Incredibly beautiful.
It is a network of life; connected by countless stars, hidden in silent titans of life-giving gas and wandering invisible, shining paths. The souls living in this world are pure. They are made of light. They are made to receive life and receive love, to live life and live love, to give life and give love.
When given life, these perfect souls appear in their purest forms as children. These children, touched by the stars, are blessed with a perfect heart to match their perfect soul, a heart that beats with great, dormant powers. They sleep deep into their beings, waiting for Time to call for their awakening.
Of course, there cannot be only light. The brighter this world shines, the greater its shadow becomes, and from it, great darkness spawns. The purest the dream, the more corrupted the nightmare is. Nightmare was the name of this darkness. He rose from the shadow of the Universe, and wished nothing but blight on those who lived in the light of the dream.
When given love, the children of the stars stand together. They grow together as one, and as one they become the greatest warriors known to this Universe. They came to be called Star Warriors, and together, the first of them founded a great Force, a great Army to protect the light. To the people of the Universe, they became a beacon of hope, the pillars who would uphold the dream and support the light.
For ages, the Star Warriors and the nightmares fought in an endless battle, an endless loop of blood and sacrifices. Both sides grew exponentially; the warriors' forces became known as the Galaxy Soldier Army, and Nightmare's creations became products of a company known as Holy Nightmare Corporation. While the stars chose their fighters with care and time, Nightmare created his pawns in mass, sending them across the Universe to spread the seed of darkness in distant, isolated worlds, corrupting them from the core. It was a race against time. More and more non-Star Warriors joined the Galaxy Soldier Army, reinforcing their ranks and pushing Nightmare's darkness away from their homes.
Among all of the species of the Universe, one was considered by many as the purest of them all. Said to be made of stardust and ancient magic, their powers were unmatched in many ways. With stomachs consisting of black voids, their wisdom and power seemed as endless as the Universes inside them. They went by the name Kiridan. One should not judge them by mere appearences, for Kiridans, despite their small, round forms, were unsurpassed in bravery and strength. They gave many Star Warriors to the cause, each stronger and braver than the last, reaching to new heights in the fight against Nightmare. With the Kiridans by their side, the Galaxy Soldiers saw the light shine brighter…
One day, a tale came to be among the army's ranks. A tale of hope. A warrior, unlike any other, with the powers of a god, would rise among them. This warrior from the stars would face Nightmare and succeed where all else had failed; he would bring peace to the Universe by ending the nightmare and preserving the dream. This tale came to be called the Tale of the Last Hope, and people grew to believe it as truth. They believed that this warrior would be born from pure Kiridan blood, and would surpass all other Kiridan warriors before them in everything. Eventually, this tale came to Nightmare himself, and the Lord of Darkness entered a terrible fury.
Kiridans became his greatest nemesis, pests that invaded his plans and dared to defy him. Many planets were targeted, and the most terrible genocide known to the Kiridan kind took place. This was the darkest age known to all. Men, women, children. No one was spared from the Nightmare's great anger. Few were the survivors of this terrible time. Only a few handfuls of families lived and escaped, protected by the Galaxy Soldier Army, hidden on faraway worlds, far from Nightmare's reach. What was once great had now been reduced to silence. Hope had yet to rise…
But the dream still held on, as tightly as it could, for the light never stops shining. For without light, there cannot be darkness. The brighter the light, the darker the shadow.
The village of Moonshine Hollow was, as per usual, quiet. Tonight, the small community was blessed by a bright full moon, shining down on the pool of crystal clear water of the creek they lived in. The lake was glowing like a new moon imprinted in the Hollow, the very natural event that gave the village it's notorious name, but tonight, it felt very different.
The whole village was awake. Regrouped on the shore of the lake, the villagers were praying to the stars in unison, in silence. For hours on end, they waited, on and on, until the sky above them brightened. When the stars twinkled away from the light of the coming day, when dawn broke over the horizon and the first rays of the rising sun touched the walls of the Hollow, screams of pain echoed in the village, breaking the silent prayer.
Kiridans of all ages joined as a mass in front of the Elder's dome house, whispering among each other and flinching at every wail and moan of pain. Excited yet worried, they waited, but none was as worried and concerned as the blue-skinned man pacing around in front of the door, a thick ball of nerves ready to burst. It was his first child.
"Why can't I just go in there?!" he asked to no one in particular, turning on his heels and pacing some more. "I should be with her, damnit…!"
"For the last time," his sister-in-law said with an exasperated sigh, "you can't go in. Calm down, you'll have a heart attack before she's done!"
"This is stupid!" he groaned angrily, turning his bright green eyes to her. "Whoever thought of that tradition is just a stupid ass-"
A tap on his shoulder made him spin around in one swift move, heart suddenly pounding in his chest. Dawn had officially broken over the horizon up above. The night was over.
The Elder was an old Kiridan; the oldest of this community. Seeing her old, parchment-like skin stretched into a smile – the strangest, most hope-filled smile he had ever seen – was a calming balm that reached deep into his heart and allowed him to breathe normally once more. In his anger, he had failed to hear… inside the house… small cries… the high-pitched cries of a newborn child…
The Elder lifted her old, wrinkled hands and took his own in her old fingers; he could feel a strange eagerness in her bones, an excitement like no other. Her serene eyes were shining with tears, tears she could not hold in.
"Azure," she said calmly. "Your son is blessed by the stars. He is the one we have been waiting for. Our Last Hope."
Dumbfounded, Azure let go of her hands and stepped back, heart rate picking up. The… last hope? Like in the stories? His son? Before he could find the words to express what he felt, the Elder lifted her hands to the opening of the Hollow, to the brightening skies and the morning star above, and, beating her old yet beautiful feathery wings, she called to the crowd, as if possessed by a greater force; a force that quickly took over all.
"The night will end, my children! The nightmare will soon be over, and we will be freed from our shackles! Sing with me, my children! Sing, for dawn will come and the stars will pave a new path for us! Sing with me!"
The crowd exploded with enthusiastic shouts and exclamations of joy, calls that soon became one, united voice as they began chanting a prayer in the old Kiri tongue. This voice echoed and reverberated in the Hollow, reaching deep into the waters of the lake and far into the waking skies like one, gigantic instrument. Azure's only concern, however, was to see his wife and son. Quickly glancing toward his wife's sister, she gestured the house with waves of her hand before joining the village into the singing. Azure quickly pushed the silky curtains that blocked the doorway and disappeared into the surprisingly quiet house.
The first and main room was occupied by three persons; the doctor, who was preparing and cleaning some equipment, and a pair of twins, a boy and a girl, who were cleaning clothes in buckets of water. They all turned to him, and the doctor smiled.
"She's in the room at the back," she said kindly. "You may go see them, but do be quiet. She is very tired."
"She lost a lotta blood," the little girl said as she dipped a sleeve in the water to rinse.
"But they're both very strong," the little boy finished in the same tone of playfulness.
"Go see! Go see!" they called in synch, waving their stubs of arms toward the back of the room.
Feeling a sudden wave of worry for his one and only, Azure sped through the room without a word and went through two other dome rooms to reach the bedroom at the back of the house. Though the room smelled of blood and fatigue, it also smelled of victory and life.
There she was, on the small bed, completely depleted and pale, with a bundle of covers in her arms. Quickly, Azure sped up to her and knelt at her side, his breath caught in his throat at such a sight. He should have been here with her! He shouldn't have followed those damned traditions! Carefully, he lightly brushed her cheek with the back of his hand, surprised at how warm she was compared to how white her purple skin was, and she responded by opening her tired, silvery eyes. At that moment, the smile she offered him was truly the most beautiful one he had ever set his eyes upon. The happiness, the warmth, the tiredness… She was so beautiful…
"You look awful, Az," she whispered with an amused smirk. "I told you not to stress yourself out over this…"
"You know me," he chuckled lightly. "Can't help worrying about you… You look so beautiful, Kia…"
Her smiled warmed even more, and her cheeks retrieved a little bit of colour at the compliment. She looked down at the bundle of covers in her arms and giggled.
"I know someone who's even more beautiful…"
Kia lightly moved a fold of the covers, revealing the precious little treasure hidden underneath in its warming cocoon. It was so… tiny. So puny and fragile, so new to this world… Azure couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Surprisingly, the baby's eyes were already open. Wide, tall and curious, they were of the purest white that had ever existed, as if the light of all the stars in the skies had merged with this child, seeping out of his pure, shining eyes. These glowing moons looked from his mother to his father, and as he mumbled adorable little noises, the child seemed at ease with them. These eyes shone with so much life and love…
Despite the purity of his eyes, his skin had received its colour from his father, a blue so dark one could barely see the child's mouth, with ridiculously tiny, purple feet, like the skin of his mother. The more he looked at him, the more things Azure saw… until he looked at his hands. His small stubs of hands were holding something… Kia saw where his confused gaze was directed at and her smile became odd, as if saddened.
"The Elder," she started, making him look at her. "She called it a Warp Star. Do you remember the stories about these objects? You know… what it means…"
In silence, he nodded. He knew, oh yes he knew what that meant. Not only was he a Star Warrior, a child of the stars, but that Warp Star showed to all that he had great powers, powers so immense that… they could free them all from the nightmare. This child was holding that proof in his tiny hands; a five-branched star, silver in colour. It looked like a stone of some sort, but when Azure touched it, it was warm like a living thing, like a heart was beating under its smooth surface. When the child looked at it, as if only now acknowledging that it was there, it started glowing, softly. The tiny blue child only held on to it tighter and smiled, laughing his very first laugh, one that made his proud parents so happy. Kia gently nuzzled him before looking up at Azure.
"Take him."
"Wha-"
"Go on. Just hold him, like this."
Azure, a man who's never held a child in thirty thousand years of living, found himself at a loss for what to do when his wife held up his child toward him. Despite it all, it didn't stop him and he certainly did not refuse. Careful, with his arms bending in odd positions to try and find the right way to hold him, Azure gently took the small treasure in his hands and cradled him. At first, it felt very strange and new, but the more he held him, the more comfortable they both got. His hold was very gentle yet firm, as if he was afraid the little thing would break if he held him too hard by accident. They were both staring at each other, each implanting the other's traits in their memory, and Azure couldn't help but laugh.
"What's so funny?" Kia smiled tiredly.
"Nothing," he answered with a chuckle, slightly rocking his body from left to right, keeping the baby calm. "I just… I just never thought it would be like this… Never thought it would… feel like this…"
With his free hand, Azure rubbed a few tears off his eyes before they even fell.
"I'm so happy…"
One could hardly guess how happy this man was except for one; his wife. She knew how excited he had been at the thought of being a father; and now that day had arrived at last.
At that moment, the doctor walked back into the room, carrying new clothes and followed by the two little twins, who were carrying a bucket of clear water.
"They sure are enthusiastic out there," she commented with a laugh as she set the clothes on a nearby table. "How is the baby looking?"
"Lively," Azure answered, gently holding his son's little paw in his fingers, making the baby babble happily.
"Can we… take him outside to show everyone?" Kia asked tiredly, slowly blinking.
"Well, he can," the doctor told her gesturing toward her husband, "but I'm afraid you'll have to stay here for a while. Don't worry, it's just a precaution. Because there were complications, I need to make sure you'll recover without any problems. I'm sure you understand."
The lady turned to Azure and nodded her head.
"If the baby is okay, then I see no reason to object to taking him outside for now. Just keep him warm, and bring him back to his mother as soon as possible. Alright?"
The hunter agreed, though he clearly hesitated; he was actually reluctant to show his fragile son to this band of chanting villagers; as nice as they were, as gentle as they could be, they were also… unpredictable. As all Kiridans were, actually. With a sigh, Azure silently agreed that showing them his baby would at least shut them up for now and would allow said baby to at least get some sleep. He stepped closer to the bed and gave a light, loving kiss to his wife, who smiled and kissed him right back.
"So," she said, "since it's a boy, we agree on that name? It's quite fitting, don't you think?"
He nodded his head.
"It's the perfect name for him… I'll bring him right back, don't worry. I love you…"
"I love you too, Az…"
With one last squeeze of her hand, Azure carefully held on to his son and exited the room, just hearing the doctor say to the children:
"Alright you two, help me out here."
"Okay Mama!"
The hunter went through the two other rooms, heart palpitating. His son was looking up at him still, with his wide and curious eyes, ready to see this world, and when the father finally crossed the curtain of silk that served as the door, they were welcomed by cheers. They were loud, there were questions, people all surrounding the door, begging to see their young hero, but the baby obviously didn't like the noise suddenly assaulting him and clung to his father, crying out in fear. Azure held on to him in a sudden distress and glared disapprovingly at the villagers until they finally understood he wanted silence, and they waved each other into quietness. When they were finally quiet and calm, Azure sighed in exasperation and cradled his son.
"Sweet Nova guys, you all need to calm the fuck down," he told them, making a few laugh.
His sister-in-law walked forward, lightly shuffling her large bird wings to push people out of her way. Her son was clinging to her back, curiously looking over from her side.
"Let me look at this cutie-pie!" she said excitedly, pushing her way over to him.
Azure tried to loosen his hold on his baby to allow her and the others around them to see, but still his son was clinging to him, refusing to let go. The small thing looked up at his aunt, and she appeared very surprised to see his eyes.
"Wow…," she marvelled, lifting a hand to her mouth in awe. "He looks so precious… Oh, Galacta, look! It's your new little cousin."
She lifted her curious little boy in her arms, allowing him to look down at the frail little thing in his uncle's arms. The two toddlers stared at each other, both driven by simple curiosity. The baby smiled and waved an arm incoherently, babbling nonsense at his older cousin, who appeared very intrigued by this little thing.
"…What's his name?" was all the magenta-coloured little boy asked.
Everyone looked up at Azure, awaiting his response, and the new father only smiled.
"Meta. His name is Meta."
And as Moonshine Hollow celebrated the birth of this young Star Warrior, the morning star shone even brighter in the sky, predicting the darkness to come.
The brighter the dream, the darker the nightmare…