The Tri-Knight Cometh...

Wrath Versus Tri-Knight! Fight!...

The Tri-Knight didn't try to start any pre-battle banter. He didn't need to, nor did he remotely want to. He just wanted to rip Wrath limb from limb. If possible, he might save Strife. Active word being might. So, he charged at the Dark Matter Monster.

Wrath chuckled. He knew he'd win. He was absolutely sure of it. But deep down inside his mangled heart, he was truly afraid. Afraid that the prophecy of the clans was true. That possibly, the Tri-Knight would obliterate him. He had to make sure that didn't happen. Ever.

The Tri-Knight lunged at Wrath, slicing down with the NightMare Sword. With a 'yikes!', Wrath dodged it narrowly. Very narrowly. He swung the Vexxor, cutting into the Tri-Knight's back, causing him to cry out. His back bled like crazy, but he didn't care. He jumped up, stopped for a second on the pole, then leapt off again. He was in the sun, so Wrath couldn't see where he was.

Then, he found out. With a sword jammed into his left shoulder. He grunted, then slammed the Tri-Knight into the floor. Wrath then slammed the Vexxor down on the Tri-Knight's head, ending his existence. Or, he would have. If the Tri-Knight hadn't rolled out of the way, jumped up, then stabbed him in the side.

"You just won't die, will you?" the Tri-Knight asked, the voices of Kirby, Black Kirby, and Donokbe all at once.

"Tis but a scratch!" Wrath quipped, yanking the knife out, wincing, and throwing it into the Tri-Knight's foot.

Now, you may say, "WTF!.? His FOOT!.?" Nonetheless, there was a strategy to it. Since his foot was about a few inches above the ground, at it's highest, and the dagger was a good foot, it chained him to the floor, pretty much.

So, the Tri-Knight was stuck. He reached forward, but pain coursed through his body. Poison! The knife had been poisoned! But how?

"I guess you'll be noticing a ripping pain every time you move. One of my abilities. Naturally, you didn't think that I would just regain vitality and new strength did you? Of course not. The Nightmare Matter gave us new life with new powers," Wrath said, chuckling evilly.

"You can... poison objects... with just... a touch?" the Tri-Knight asked, exasperated from the poison.

"Yeah. And now, I'll finish you off, and the prophecy with it!" Wrath shouted, slicing down on the Tri-Knight with everything he had.

The Tri-Knight pulled up the Nightmare Sword with what energy he had and deflected the blow. He then pointed the sword and shield at Wrath. The symbols on each glowed, along with the rainbow symbol on his torso.

"Enter oblivion!" he shouted, the sword, shield, and torso each issuing three large beams.

"NO! This... can't... be happening!" Wrath shouted, the light enveloping him.

After a few moments, the blinding light died down. Everyone had to blink a couple times to regain sight, and what a sight it was. Strife was breathing heavily on the ground. The Nightmare Matter was completely gone. Not a trace of it left.

"Dammit. I... lost. And to... top it... all off... I was... possessed," Strife choked out, passing out.

"Finally. That's over. It's all over," the Tri-Knight said, glowing briefly then turning back into Donokbe, Kirby, and Black Kirby.

They had enough strength to drag Strife to the medical center. He woke up, strapped down.

"So, who won the tournament?" he asked, out of curiosity.

"Kawasaki. He bonked Chief Bookum on the noggin and the inspector fell over, out cold. Kawasaki's laughing as we speak," Black Kirby replied.

"Well. Damn. I don't get my paycheck," Strife said.

"I have a good idea. Stay here," Donokbe suggested.

"Hell. No. I wouldn't stay here if I was paid for it," Strife said.

"Well, you ain't gettin' paid. But you stayin' here anyway. When we finished off the Nightmare Matter, the blast had shot out over PopStar. Your ship was completely destroyed along with that hill," Donokbe shot back.

Strife entered a period of cursing non-stop while beating his bed.

"I have never seen anyone that angry before," Kirby said, walking outside, wide-eyed.

"I have to agree with ya' there. Now, we just need to find the last clan. Then, we'll defeat Nightmare, and this'll all be over," Donokbe said, walking casually beside Kirby.

Dream Star...

A lone Star Warrior walked through the empty streets, his boots echoing loudly for miles before finally hollowing out. The sky was dark, but not pitch black. There was just enough light to see. The Star Warrior finally found a small hut which he walked inside. What he found was what he figured he'd find. And a bit more than he expected.

There were two skeletons on the floor, collapsed over each other. There were bloodstains around the general radius and a small chunks of the floor missing, indicating sword stabs. He looked and found a small blue book on the floor, the pages yellow. A diary. The Star Warrior picked it up and turned to the last two pages.

Olio 24, 579

There have been rumors all about of the Ethereal Comet passing by. It is their signal. The dark ones. We haven't yet heard their names. But their deeds are galaxy renowned. They were supposed to have disappeared a long time ago, with the banning of the Dark Magic. But they apparently exist. There have been enough reports to make it factual.

Bain 5, 579

After asking ole Ruthai, the fruit salesman, we found out the name of the ones inhabiting the Ethereal Comet. They are called... Necrosi. The Ethereal Comet has now been spotted by an estimate of over two thirds of the planet. It has become a fact that the Necrosi are here. Why they are targeting us, we have no idea. We are but common Star Warriors. Maybe we will never know.

Bain 13, 579

It appears that there is a reason for their attacking here. Our king, Niomane, is the one in possession of the Black Scrolls. They are the holders of all Dark Magic. With them, the Necrosi would be nearly invincible. Maybe completely. I fear for Orren, I, and our planet.

Bain 30, 579

I have gleaned a bit more information on the Necrosi. They are rumored to be a clan corrupted by Nightmare. They attack worlds for resources and other needs. Then, they take any Star Warrior with the Black Spirit and turn them into one of them. The Star Warrior is completely changed. They aren't even a Star Warrior anymore. They are evil in the worst possible way. Their body changes, their mind changes, their heart changes, even their spirit. It truly frightens me. When I inquired Ruthai about the Black Spirit, he just shuddered and said he didn't know anything about it except what he had told me. He was rather hurried about it, too. I don't know what can come of this.

Andria 3, 580

The New Year had no glee, but fear. The Necrosi have just been circling. Ever circling. Like a mighty shark, the Ethereal Comet circles us. Tormenting us. A few have gone insane. Orren and I will hold strong. If not for us, for our son. I fear for Rajiim. He has been gone for a year and a half without communication. The war has been rumored to be going badly for the Star Warriors. Orren has been taking it badly. I only hope that between Rajiim and the Necrosi, she does not succumb to the darkness of insanity.

Andria 7, 580

The Ethereal Comet has stopped circling us. It completely vanished. But so have many Star Warriors. Some disappear without a trace. Others turn up days later, horribly mangled. It is very tough times, nowadays. Friends of ours have vanished. A few have begun acting strangely. Ruthai admitted that he had more info on the Black Spirit. Apparently, it reacts to the Necrosi's presence. As if its calling to its origins. We now have been staying away from everyone else. Doors remain locked at all times. These are very bad times, indeed.

Andria 17, 580

Ruthai is dead. His body showed up outside our house, tied up to the tree, slashed up and bloody. Orren was, sadly, the first to see it. She went into a fit of hysterics. Soon after the discovery, a bio team showed up, chopped down the tree, and took poor Ruthai to the morgue. I don't know what to do. His face haunts my dreams. He looked horrified. And at the same time, angry. I will not be able to sleep well.

Andria 26, 580

The soldiers are beating on our door as I write this. They will soon break through and kill us as well. I will say, in my last moments, that neither I nor Orren will give up. We will go out fighting. I have borne enough from these demons. They have taken everything from me and my wife. We hope to take out many of them. We will give it our best shot. Hopefully, someone will find this diary before their world is, too, destroyed. I, Oaken, will die tonight. But I will die a warrior.

The Star Warrior closed the diary. Twin tears raced down his face. He pocketed the diary, took one last look at the skeletons, and spoke.

"I failed you before father. But I will not fail you again. I will kill those bastards for what they have done. I'm proud of you and mom. So... proud," Rajiim said, turning around, heading out the door, and leaving the planet in his ship, a look of determination on his face. His destination was the last uncorrupted planet: PopStar.

BADUM! BADUM! BADUM!