Storm the Castle
Ah, this is the final chapter. I refuse to continue prolonging this story. This is the end of it all. What do you guys think?
Rayder Base, West Wing...
Donokbe wore a piece of armor on his head that flickered in its color scheme. He continued to wield the Rein Sword as he always had, but the Seven Chrome Helmet was a new addition. He faced down with Blade Knight, who was wearing a shining piece of armor over his normal outfit. It clasped to him, and was light as a feather, meaning it was no hindrance. The Golden Tunic was sure to serve him well.
Sword Knight stood off to the side for a moment, before declaring, "NOW!"
They dashed and clashed, swung back bodily, then swung their swords forward. Sparks showered from the attack as they ground their swords against one another, refusing to give in. The Seven Chrome Helmet extended completely over Donokbe's torso/head, increasing his power. The Golden Tunic gave off a more intense shine, indicating the same was happening to Blade Knight.
The opponents finally stopped, stepped back, then sliced forward as hard as they could, the start to a flurry of attacks and parries as the two blatantly refused to give ground.
Sword Knight's interest peaked, then began to fizzle out. He pointed at two of the warriors in the crowd watching.
"Yeah?" one asked.
"Practice round. Geshyl, call when," Sword Knight ordered.
The two soldiers prepared for the battle, as Sword Knight examined them.
"NOW!"
Sword Knight ran at the soldiers, as they prepared to defend.
East Wing...
Meta Knight and Kirby sat in one corner of the room, chanting silently, empowering themselves slowly as they achieved inner balance once more. Strife and Crystine were engaged in a practice match, using powers and their gauge gauntlets. It was a blur of silver and as the pair clashed again and again.
Crystine whirled her two gauge gauntlets with strength, as is the nature of the Goliath type gauntlets, but Strife had experience and was able to calculate the nature of the battle, with help from his Merlin brand gauntlets. Strife won with an expertly placed block, followed by a kick to the chest. Crystine sprawled out on the floor, gasping for breath.
"You're getting better, apprentice," Strife said, helping Crystine stand up.
North Wing...
Rajiim ducked a series of shots, rolled behind a large boulder, then adjusted his Storm Rifle. It became two small guns which he twirled. The Dream Clanner then peeked out and shot thirteen times in the span of a second before ducking back inside, just in time. A whole wave of bullets rained right next to the boulder. Rajiim's jaw dropped when he saw a grenade roll passed him. He activated his jets and took off at high speeds. Bullets chased him, but none hit. At that point, he was going too fast.
He leaped into the air, returning enough fire to cover himself for the time it took to land behind the next boulder. He altered the Storm Rifle again, forming it into the actual rifle-like form. It glowed with power as it charged up its power.
"What are you doing, Dream Clanner scum!?" a voice demanded.
"I'm chargin' ma lasers!" Rajiim quipped.
He leaped on top of the boulder and pulled the trigger. The gun's kick knocked him about thirty feet, skidding the entire time. However, he accomplished his goal. The central core shut down.
"Well done, soldier. That was the final test," Yowtyl said, patting Rajiim on the shoulder.
"You've beaten every simulation we've thrown at you, and you've been able to thwart an army of battle strategies against you," Qwandry noted.
"Now it's time to come up with one battle strategy. Just one, that will end the war against the Necrosi," Cygor added.
General Rajiim nodded, and they grouped together to form the grand plan.
East Wing...
Kirby stood up and opened the door a few seconds before the Generals, followed by the Knights and Donokbe, entered the room. They took no notice, as it had happened fairly regularly over the week.
"We have given you all the time we can afford. Our army is prepared, and so are we," Yowtyl announced.
"What is the plan?" Meta Knight asked.
"A group of three will have to infiltrate the base and render the army moot. Killing Dakron Shai would be but a bonus. Without his army, he will be nothing. There must be a crystal powering the army. Destroy it. We will meet the army head-on to distract Dakron," Cygor said.
The Etheri and Drakes in the room nodded, then they headed out, prepared for the battle to end the war.
Black Castle, Throne Room...
The screen flickered to life, putting Dakron in a mild light.
"What is it, general?" he demanded, irritated by the light.
"The Rayder Army is approaching. Orders?" the general asked.
Dakron smiled.
"Crush them... with extreme prejudice."
Black Desert...
Just surrounding the grand fortress was a mass of sand christened "the Black Desert" due to its affiliation with the Black Castle. Currently, it was difficult to see most of the desert, as it was mostly covered by the thousands of Necrosi soldiers.
The Rayders, lead by Meta Knight, charged forward.
They clashed hard and fast.
S-C
Meta Knight had obtained his Artemis form and was busy blasting through many and slicing through the rest. He flew high in the sky, held Galaxia high, and channeled lightning. His Ethereal abilities allowed him to take control of it. It struck again and again amongst the Necrosi.
His wings showered sparkles as he flew down, shooting arrows at the Necrosi. Meta Knight hovered high above them as he noticed the growing darkness. He looked up, and saw the massive ship, the Dragos.
"Good. All is as planned," he muttered.
Massive beams of energy shot from it, followed by Phoenix Bots, all of which had been programmed with advanced enough AI to only shoot those with Black Spirits. The tide began to change for a moment, then the Rayders felt the hand of fate choke their chances once more.
S-C
Strife and Crystine sat in the pilots' seats, while Kirby, Donokbe, and Rajiim sat in the back three seats.
"Alright. We've dropped all of our Phoenix Bots and reduced the number of Necrosi by about a fourth with our lasers. We're charging them as we speak. While they are distracted, initiate the plan," Strife ordered.
Rajiim nodded, and the three locked themselves into their seats. A moment later, a pod-like device formed around them, and Strife's Myst Cycle rolled behind them. Energy shot out from the pods, connecting them and placing Rajiim in the cockpit of the device.
Air locks dropped down around the three Star Warriors, and then the floor receded, droppingthem. It quickly shut again, and the chamber was recalibrated before the airlocks reopened.
"Okay, they're heading towards the base. According to the scanners, the Necrosi have very little in the way of projectile weaponry, and even fewer can reach this height. The Phoenix Bots are engaged with most that are. They should be safe, but I think we need to give back-up," Crystine reported.
"No, Crystine. We must pilot the Dragos. I've already told you this. Only General Yowtyl and Cygor know how to pilot the Dragos. The Etheri are the only ones who could pilot it adeptly through the use of their Ethereal Spirit. It required two, and, being in training for the least amount of time, and thus inexperienced and weaker, we got picked for the job. I can't keep explaining this to you. Get back to the scanners. I need to know how our infiltrators are doing, and how our main groups down there are doing," Strife answered.
"Our infiltrators are almost there. There are no detectable traces of targeting upon them. The Knights and Generals are in decent condition, aside from the obvious effects of battle, namely increased heart rate and a large presence of adrenaline."
"All is well. Now, when's everything going to screw up?" Strife wondered.
Aren't you optimistic?
"Quiet, Ber'l."
S-C
"We're almost in the Castle, guys. This is it," Kirby said.
"Finally, I'll avenge my country and my father," Rajiim said.
"Finally, I'll get a significant amount of page time since the first arc," Donokbe muttered.
Oh, look, there goes the fourth wall.
Black Castle...
The three Star Warriors dashed through the castle as quickly as possible.
"Fork in the road, guys!" Donokbe warned.
"I see it. Rajiim, you take the left. Donokbe, you take the right. I got the center path!" Kirby ordered.
The three nodded towards each other, then shot down their selected paths.
Donokbe's Path...
Donokbe's Rainbow Helmet covered him completely, and small jets appeared in the back, boosting him forward at an incredible rate. Doors opened in the hallways ahead, according to his scanners. He slowed down and unsheathed his Rein Sword. Bolts of dark energies ripped towards him, but his sword ripped through them, unhindered by the ammo.
One of the commandoes lunged at him, actually clawing into him. Donokbe activated one of his jets with a mental impulse, spinning him around in a sudden jerking motion that sent the soldier spiraling into his comrades.
He jetted into the air, then jetted downwards in a comet-like fashion, spearing one of the soldiers. The Rainbow Clanner quickly sliced through the remainders, before heading on, leaving the Necrosi to die if they hadn't already.
Rajiim's Path...
The Dream Clanner cocked his Storm Rifle in a swift motion as he skated through the path. His scanners had told him of electrical operations suggesting that doors were about to open.
As a friend would say, release the man-eating tiger!
Several hellish beasts tore out of the caged areas. They were all four-legged, with skull-like figures (literally in some cases), and black energy pouring off of them. A barrage of lasers ended half of them. One roared in anger, and they all charged, then leaped. Rajiim calculated quickly, and increased the speed of his jets. He was behind them in a moment, leaving them confused and disoriented for a moment as they fought to get themselves out of the tangle. A spray of shots finished them.
Rajiim turned and sped off down the path, growling as he noted more doors opening.
Black Desert...
The Knights were fighting with all of their might. Meta Knight had begun to weaken, as a result of using up as much power as he had in his Artemis form. It was the reason that Blade Knight and Sword Knight had refrained from shifting into their own forms. They knew they had to stay fresh enough to protect Meta Knight, as they knew was their purpose.
Swords clashed and clanged throughout the battle. The smell of death permeated the battlefield, choking some of the more sensitive Etheri in the back. Sword Knight ducked under a swipe, then came up with his own, finishing off another Necrosi.
The Drake Knights were covered in blood and they had several wounds, but it didn't concern them. Meta Knight was their number one priority.
Blade Knight noticed a large Necrosi stomping through. He leaped at it, stabbing it in the chest, then ripping his sword up through it. Blood spurted, and the knight leaped away, landing less than gracefully. He didn't notice the Necrosi until it was too late.
Sword Knight whirled about when he heard the death cry. His internal agony and anger reached a boiling point as he saw the sword sheathed in Blade Knight's chest, slick with his blood. A moment later, it was pulled out and his partner and friend was kicked aside. The power of his Clan surged through him, and became Apollo Sword Knight.
His armor rippled with spikes, and a sun emblem appeared upon his armor. It flared with yellow and red, and flames sprung up about him. The same element was fired from his hands at the Necrosi, before he launched at them.
Blade Knight's dying moments, spent whispering his oath, offered his partner no comfort as he tore through the Necrosi with hatred and anger spurring him on to new heights.
"Protect... Meta... Knight..."
Blade Knight passed into the afterlife moments later.
Donokbe's Path...
Donokbe slammed into a force field, then was shot back. He stabilized and looked about, before a large being slammed down from the opened ceiling, before the hatch closed again. It was like Kirby, but entirely made of metal, with bits of armor, like shoulder pads and gauntlets. His armor had a lot of spikes on it. He was wielding a ball and chain.
The spiked ball was tossed at Donokbe, who ducked, then pulled out a pill chocked with the best possible combination for a copy ability in this situation. He swallowed it, and didn't seem to change. After a moment, it was apparent when he sent several bolts of light slamming into the Moon Knight.
He was Lucomancer Donokbe.
Moon Knight slung the mace at Donokbe, who ducked under it and slung light at the chain. It snapped into, then disintegrated into raw energy, which shot back into Moon Knight, who formed an array of throwing stars. He became a whirling object of motion, tossing the stars as quickly as possible. Donokbe shifted into light, allowing them to pass through him, though he reformed exhausted.
The Moon Knight took advantage of this with a spear that pierced Donokbe's foot. He swung from it and kicked Donokbe in the face, sending him reeling backwards. The lance sliced straight through his foot, causing Donokbe to cry out in the terrible pain caused by the weapon. Light spiraled from his fingers at his command, slamming Moon Knight back through the hall.
Donokbe, holding back tears and curses with one forceful will, formed armor that melded around the damaged foot. It would continue to hurt, but at least he could sort of walk on it. He didn't dare do it earlier, as it would have reduced mobility, but it didn't matter now.
He held the Rein Sword before him, then focused on the light directly hitting him. A second later, it all bent in different directions, rendering him invisible. Through a different manipulation of light, he allowed himself to still see.
The Moon Knight, sensing that his opponent was still around, formed a sword of his own and began spinning about in place, slicing through all the air around him in such a random pattern that one could not hope to actually touch the warrior. But then, Donokbe didn't expect to.
The Rein Sword, still invisible, clanged with the weapon, sending a recoil into the Moon Knight. The opening was wide enough for the Rainbow Clanner to shove the Rein Sword straight into his opponent's chest.
"Die."
With a gurgle, his opponent complied. Donokbe whirled around and jetted off in the necessary direction. He still had a path to explore, and he hoped it didn't end with Dakron Shai.
Rajiim's Path...
Rajiim skated through his path, looking everywhere, then stopped on a dime. The Storm Rifle was split in two, spun on his fingers, then aimed at the ceiling. It opened for a second, before several shots of cover fire tore through it, forcing Rajiim to skate back, allowing the Sun Sniper to drop down, spraying shots to further dissuade any return fire.
Rajiim skated quickly to the side and shot off a quick series of lasers, but found his target had disappeared.
"What the...?"
A blast seared his back, he whirled around to find no one. Rajiim groaned: the Sun Sniper was a teleporter.
His helmet activated once more, detecting energy in all directions. Quickly, he pinpointed where the Sun Sniper was. A flash of a strange energy erupted elsewhere, and the bolt of energy coming from it knocked Rajiim to the floor.
Rajiim rolled away from several shots fired off from the Sun Sniper, then leaped to his feet, getting in several shots, all of them connecting. Sparks flew from the suit and his enemy cursed.
"My teleporter!"
Rajiim skated towards the Sun Sniper, charging up the Storm Rifle. He leaped and cracked off a series of shots that pierced his torso in multiple places. Another quick charge and release sent a final bolt careening into and out of the Sun Sniper's head, ending him.
Rajiim landed, cat-like, before replacing the Storm Rifle in its original form and the holster. He turned away from his entry point, and continued blading through the hallway.
Black Desert...
Apollo Sword Knight, shining gold with the power of the sun, and Artemis Meta Knight, glowing silver with the power of the moon, were fighting their hardest through the army of Necrosi. They knew they had slain somewhere in the hundreds range, and it was starting to catch up. They continued to fight, regardless.
They sent swaths of energy everywhere, yet ten more Necrosi replaced those who fell. A moment later, Meta Knight felt something against his back. He turned around and his fear was confirmed. They were stuck between an army and a cliff that went straight up.
"We're cornered, Sword Knight!" Meta Knight growled.
Sword Knight roared as he sent another blast of solar energy through the Necrosi.
"Then we will die if we stay here?" Sword Knight shouted.
"Indeed."
"And to charge through would allow one of us to potentially live?"
"...What?"
"We need room to maneuver, otherwise we're dead, right!?"
"Right."
Meta Knight saw Sword Knight remove his helmet after a moment, still slicing through Necrosi.
"I WILL FULFILL MY OATH! I WILL PROTECT META KNIGHT!"
With that, he became pure solar energy that obliterated a number of Necrosi, allowing Meta Knight to charge back into the fray. A moment later, he saw Apollo Sword Knight lying sprawled out on the ground, his eyes lit up with triumph, unmoving. There was a sword sheathed in his chest.
Sorrow spread through Meta Knight like a poison. Another dead.
Because of me...
Anger flowered anew.
Because of the Necrosi...
He became an unstoppable force to be reckoned with as he tore through the Necrosi. There may have been only a handful of Rayders left. There were still several hundred Necrosi.
Damn the odds and damn the gods.
He would tempt fate.
For Blade Knight.
For Sword Knight.
For glory.
Donokbe's Path, Final Chamber...
Blue and silver light filled the room Donokbe ran into, stopping after a moment. Strange energy pulsed through it. He looked up and saw the giant crystal. It was an orb the color of the lights shone. Black energy flitted through it.
"What is that...?" Donokbe wondered aloud.
His helmet scanned it, and after a moment, he gasped aloud.
It was the Necrotix Moon, the source of the power for those with Corrupted Black Spirits. Donokbe's eyes narrowed at it from behind his visor. He glanced at the Rein Sword in his hand. The jets activated.
He launched himself at it with incredible speed, his sword held out before him. It was interesting, the sword. It was pure white, even the actual blade. Yet there was the crystal that contained energy as black as night. Heh. His father, the craftsman of the blade, was big on irony.
SHINK.
Donokbe's sudden stop as he met the crystal was expected, yet he still hit the hilt of his sword hard. The Necrotix Moon's energy flitted about, desperately. It knew the end was near.
"ABOMINATION! KNOW MY NAME! I AM DONOKBE, REMNANT OF THE RAINBOW CLANNERS! I AM A WARRIOR! I AM AN AVENGER! I... CONDEMN YOU TO OBLIVION!"
The energy shot about through the room, and a strange harmonics erupted through it, reaching a pitch unheard of. An explosion erupted from it, and the room was filled with the destructive nature of the strange energy.
Rajiim's Path, Final Chamber...
Rajiim stopped slowly as he reached the chamber. His helmet had already scanned ahead. He knew what it was. The red and gold light, corrupted with an occasional black flitter, was unnecessary to him. The Necrotix Sun had been identified long beforehand. The Dream Clanner knew what to do.
"For Oaken, my father. For Orren, my mother. For Dream Clanners everywhere," he whispered.
The Storm Rifle pulsed with a rainbow of dark energies.
"I am a Dream Clanner. I am an avenger."
The Storm Rifle let the energy fly through the air. It collided with the Necrotix Sun. The energies combined, reacting violently. Another burst was let loose, and Rajiim stared at his demise with a courageous heart as the explosion rushed towards him.
"I am... oblivion."
Dragos...
"Crystine, what's happening?" Strife asked.
"The report says that there is no longer a presence of Black Spirits within the Necrosi. There seems to be a void within them, somehow. The Rayders are almost wiped out, and the Knights are too."
"Within the Black Castle?"
"..."
"Damn it, Crystine!"
"Donokbe and Rajiim are dead."
"What?"
"Their life monitors were shut off completely. The monitors were embedded in them. They couldn't have just taken them out. Donokbe and Rajiim are dead. However, there were spikes of energy a split-second before they died."
"They must have destroyed the source of the Corruption."
"They apparently also destroyed the source of the Black Castle. It's beginning to fade."
"Excuse me?" Strife asked, incredulously.
"Within an hour's time, the Black Castle will be completely gone from the face of Dream Star."
"Damn it, Kirby, get out of there," Strife whispered.
Kirby's Path, Final Rest...
A wave of pain erupted within Kirby. He stopped right before the large doors, emanating with Darkness. He huffed, trying to catch his breath, as he tried to figure out what it was he felt. The Ethereal Plane told him of something.
Sword Knight.
Blade Knight.
Donokbe.
Rajiim.
Dead.
"No..."
'I am sorry' Menai whispered.
Kirby nodded, in a visible response to what his Ethereal conscience said.
He gathered up his courage, channeled his energy into the pendant on his arm, pointed it at the door, and let the strange, celestial energy of the Star Dust Ray tear through it, before entering the throne room.
Necrotix Throne Room...
"Dramatic, aren't we?" Dakron Shai hissed.
"Murderer. I won't let you live through the day, Dakron!" Kirby shouted.
"Oh, please. The Light Spirit faded with my brother, good old Lithrel Sunai. I can't be killed without it," Dakron laughed.
Black Kirby stepped forward, looking at Kirby, examining him. The mental connection opened up for a second, then was sealed off again by the Nightmare Clanner.
"Are you with us?" he asked.
Kirby shook his head. Black Kirby nodded, conceding. He had gone along with Dakron long enough. It was time to pay for his crimes, right the wrongs, and do some damage. Kirby would finish the job. He always did.
Black Kirby whirled around, sword in hand, and stabbed Dakron's torso plate. He dug it in for a moment, and blood dribbled out. Dakron's eyes narrowed, and a claw of Darkness cleaved through Black Kirby, sending him into a wall. All was as it should be.
Kirby's eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed again. His anger and sorrow built up as he darted towards Dakron Shai. Spikes of Darkness shot up through the ground, but the Ethereal Master dodged them all with ease. He smacked square into Dakron's chest, focused, and released a burst of Light that sent Dakron spiraling backwards, into a wall.
"Oh... so you have the Light Spirit now. How lovely," Dakron muttered, dangerously.
Before Kirby could blink, Dakron smashed him across the face, sending him rolling back. A gust of wind stopped him, then set him upright. He sucked in air, then released fire that tore through the Darkness. Dakron chuckled darkly, and a shield of his mastered element directed the blaze in a different direction. It threw the room into a better relief, and Kirby grew sick for a moment.
Blood covered almost every inch of the surface, and bones were scattered throughout the room. He saw a piece of what he knew was Bloodbath. Kirby steadied himself as Dakron disappeared.
Huh?
WHAM.
Dakron pistoned out a fist, having warped through the shadows, and slammed Kirby against the wall with the force of the blow.
SLICE.
Dakron's claws scraped across Kirby's face, as the puffball cried out in pain. A green liquid dripped off the claw as it came away.
"Poison of my own invention. Let's see if the Soul of Light can purify that," Dakron hissed.
Kirby found himself drifting, gently, into the inky blackness of oblivion...
Kirby looked around at the light surrounding him.
"Am I... dead?" Kirby wondered aloud.
"No. You're being given a choice," someone said.
The girl leaped down from the rocks she had been sitting on.
"Who are you?" Kirby asked.
"Name's Xana. I've been helping you out... sort of."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing of importance. Now, for that choice..."
Xana's hand was placed to the cliff, and she stared at it for a few moments.
"Life or death? Choose."
"Life."
"Are you so sure?"
"Yes."
"You do realize that, with all the power you have, you are susceptible to temptation. Dakron Shai will die within the century. He will destroy several more planets, but the universe will heal. However, should you become corrupt, the consequences could be dire."
"What?"
The ground around Xana's hand became a screen that showed images of Kirby wiping out planets of people, unassisted and unopposed. Burning. Death. Destruction. Nothing was spared in the rampages. The universe became oblivion, never to heal.
"That is only an if, but it is possible. Why do you want to return to life?"
"I can't let Dakron continue for another moment, if I can help it. Another century is out of the question. Besides... I can never just give up."
Xana smiled.
"Good answer... By the way, I managed to pull a few strings. There are some friends who want to help you out. After Dakron Shai is gone, though... well, they will go with him. Sorry."
Kirby nodded as he felt several presences converging upon him in a familiar sensation.
"We are..."
"The Tri-Knight!"
Light knocked Dakron Shai, and then he growled with fury as he saw his opponent standing before him. The Tri-Knight was back for one final battle.
Dakron formed a sword and shield of his own, with which he attacked the Tri-Knight. Their swords clanged repeatedly. The hatred of Dakron Shai built up as the rage within the Tri Knight did likewise, fueling them both. They spun around and put all of their respective energies into the sword-swipe.
KRA-KOOOOOOOOM!
They crashed into the walls behind them, their weapons completely gone. A moment later, they rushed at each other again, to battle with fisticuffs. Tri-Knight ducked a blow, then came up with an uppercut that sent Dakron into the air. He reared back with a claw, summoned energy, and sent Dark energy whistling towards his opponent. The Tri-Knight snorted at the attack. A shield of light appeared around him, annhilating the attack completely.
"You will do no more harm."
The Tri-Knight used the remaining energy of the shield as a blast that tore off Dakron's left arm. He screeched with pain, hatred, and rage. He mutated into his true form, the epitome of corruption. After all, one cannot have the Soul of Darkness without being truly evil, and thus corrupt in body, mind, and soul.
"You will kill no more people."
The monster was rippling with spikes and muscle, and was clearly Draconic in nature. It roared at the Tri-Knight, who seemed unaffected by the merciless gaze it pierced the air with.
"You will cause no more suffering."
The Tri-Knight shot through the air, clashed with the beast's claws for a moment, then tossed him back a few feet, causing the monster to hesitate before attacking again. The Tri-Knight leaped through the air and onto the beast's back. The images of Kirby, Donokbe, and Black Kirby appeared for a brief moment around him as he held a fist up high. Light shone from it, and a new sword of Light formed.
"You will not live another moment."
The sword came down and pierced through Dakron Shai's neck, prompting a scream from the monstrosity that ended in a pitiful moan. The Tri-Knight disappeared in a flash of Light, warping outside the Black Castle.
Black Desert...
Kirby dropped down in the middle of the Black Desert, which was covered in the carnage of the battle. A weary Meta Knight rushed by, as Strife and Crystine dashed towards a small group of Necrosi. Having decided that enough casualties had been had, they finally locked the Dragos in place and warped down to the battle.
"DAKRON SHAI IS DEAD!" Kirby shouted at the top of his lungs.
A wild cheer went out through the Rayders, and the remaining Necrosi were quickly and mercilessly executed.
Rayder Base...
A few hours later, Kirby, Meta Knight, Strife, and Crystine sat a small table, with a few drinks on it.
"What do we do now?" Crystine asked.
Strife huffed at the impatience of his student.
"We'll send out a signal to all Etheri. They don't have to hide anymore. There will be an academy opening on Popstar soon," Meta Knight said.
Strife looked at Kirby quizzically. The Ethereal Master was gazing off into space at the moment.
Sword Knight.
Blade Knight.
Rajiim.
Donokbe.
Black Kirby.
Lithrel.
Rayders.
Your sacrifices were not in vain... We won.
We fought our inner evils in a corporeal form. We fought Sins.
We faced off with a cult of evil.
We went head to head with an army of Darkness and faced the Abyss. It couldn't stare back.
We won.
And now...
"We're going home," Kirby said aloud.
The End