Hey guys. So sorry it took so long to write the next chapter. It's even longer than the previous one. I got stuck several times in this chapter since I hadn't planed it out. It just kind of wrote itself. I have the rest of the story planned out though so hopeful the next chapters will come more smoothly. Enjoy!

Rising Darkness

By: JadeDragonKnight

Chapter 8: The Halberd, Part 2

It was some time before Meta Knight returned with food, but when he did he found a little pink ball had taking his place in his chair. The puffball turned around and waved at the knight.

"Kirby. Nice of you to visit."

The knight crossed the room and set the tray of food on the bed table.

"I made you a smoothie. It was the computer's recipe, so I don't know if it's good or not."

Jade had a look of excitement on her face as she took up the chilled glass. She curled her lips around the straw and took a strong sip. Her face lit up with delight.

"Good?"

She nodded happily.

"I told you she would like it," the computer voice said.

"Ok, I'm sorry I doubted you," Meta Knight said with a hint of sarcasm.

Kirby eyed the food with interest. The knight handed him a roll of bread from his plate. The pink puff cheerfully chowed down on it. Meta Knight pulled up another chair and sat down.

"So, how are things at the castle, Kirby?"

In response, he sighed and slumped down in his chair in exhaustion.

"His majesty is making you do my choirs, huh?"

Kirby nodded and said, "Poyo poyo."

"Yeah, sorry about that."

Jade sat forward and typed something.

"Nothing too bad I hope."

Kirby sat up and looked at the monitor in confusion.

"Oh right. Jade, Kirby can't read very well," Meta Knight stated.

"Aw. That stinks. Wish I could talk to him."

"That's ok. I'll do the talking."

Kirby looked at Jade then at the knight.

"She said that she hopes the chores aren't too bad."

The pink puffball still had a look of concern on his face.

"She can't talk, Kirby. She types what she wants to say on the keyboard so I can see it on the monitor."

"Boyo?" Kirby asked as if to ask "why?"

"Her throat is burned."

Kirby looked at Jade sadly. She smiled to try and reassure him. Then, he stared at the ground and whined softly.

"What's wrong? She'll be ok."

Jade studied the puffball for a moment then typed on the keyboard.

"I think he's upset about leaving me in the fire. I fell over and he ran back to help but I told him to save himself. Maybe he thinks it's his fault that I'm like this."

The knight read the message and sighed, "Oh Kirby." He placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "It's alright. It's not your fault what happened to Jade. Both of you were in danger and she put your welfare over her own. I would have told you to leave too if I was in her shoes. Both of you are alive and that's what matters. Jade forgives you, right?"

She nodded.

"See? She'll be better soon, ok?"

Kirby wiped a tear from his eye and nodded at the knight. Jade smiled and typed a message.

"I'm glad that's settled. Hey, maybe you should be a psychiatrist. You always know just what to say. Plus, you can be really nice."

Meta Knight frowned and crossed his arms. Kirby nudged him and gestured at the screen.

"Oh, it's nothing you need to know," he replied petulantly.

Jade giggled and sipped at her smoothie. Kirby finished the dinner roll and reached for the tray of food. The knight quickly snatched it up and held it out of reach.

"No, that's my lunch Kirby. If you wanted something to eat you should have let me know sooner."

The pink puff frowned and slumped back in his chair.

"Speaking of, aren't you going to eat?"

"Not while he's around," Meta Knight replied, pointing a thumb at Kirby.

Kirby tilted his head at him.

"That was addressed to me. You don't need to know that."

He crossed his little arms as Meta Knight set the tray back on the table.

"Well, if Kirby's going to stay awhile, how about a game? Maybe cards?"

"That's an idea. Want to play a card game Kirby?"

"Piyo piyo!" Kirby cheered.

"Alright, I'll be right back," the knight said as he got up and left the room.

Kirby and Jade were left to stare at each other, the floor, and the ceiling. Then, Jade coaxed Kirby over with her hand. The puffball took a moment to figure out what she meant, and then climbed onto the bed. Jade typed.

"Wanna try?"

Kirby couldn't read it, but knew what she meant when she gestured to the keyboard. He poked a key. He giggled at the click it made and poked another key. Soon, his hands were dancing wildly all over the keyboard.

"fhronbnkl;fbngfisaoerangaJWPPpef./g/bmn'etwaoe'wBNiwi2385p34thot48923 th2x'bnef'bwe gh23t"

Jade shook with laughter. Just then, Meta Knight came back into the room with a deck of cards in his hand.

He took one look at the screen and said, "That mess can only be the work of Kirby."

Both Kirby and Jade laughed.

"So, what game shall we play? Poker, Go Fish, Crazy Eights?"

"Poker's too complicated. Crazy Eights sounds fun."

"How about you, Kirby? Crazy Eights sound good?"

"Piyo!"

"Crazy Eights it is."

After Meta Knight dealt the cards, the game was under way. He took some time to explain the rules as Kirby and Jade struggled at holding their cards properly. They played round after round and the fun spirit of the game soon swept them up. There were some 'Booyah!'s and 'Kirby, you can't play that', but mostly there was laughter. It was like this for over an hour, until a communicator started ringing. Kirby took out the device and flipped it open.

"Kirby, get back here! You are needed," the voice of the king commanded.

Kirby whined into the speaker.

"I've given you plenty of visiting time. Now, do as I say or it's the sidewalk for you."

The phone clicked and the call ended. Kirby sighed and climbed off the bed.

Jade put down her cards and typed, "Well, it was fun. Come back when you get the chance."

Kirby looked to Meta Knight for a translation.

"She says it what fun and to come back soon," he stated.

Kirby smiled and replied, "Boyo."

He waved goodbye then left the room. Jade and the knight sighed. She typed something.

"Wanna keep playing?"

"Eh, why not? Want to try poker this time?"

"You'll have to teach me. I forgot how to play."

"That's fine. We have time to kill."

Meta Knight gathered up the cards and shuffled the deck. As he did this, Jade began to type.

"Hey, Meta Knight."

The knight looked back at the screen then replied, "Yes?"

"Are you really going to live in a cave?"

"Why would you say that?"

"You said you would earlier to avoid getting anymore artifacts."

"Oh, right," he stated as he distributed cards between them. "I have to take care of you first. I can't just abandon you."

She grinned in response then added something.

"Well, when you do get the chance to leave, promise me you'll be safe."

He nodded and said, "I promise."

When the cards were all set up, Jade took up her set to study them. Suddenly, her face changed to worried enlightenment.

"What's wrong?" the knight asked.

Jade quickly typed a response.

"You can't stop getting the artifacts!"

"Why not?"

"You said that creature told you that you would die if you didn't do it!"

Meta Knight's eyes widened.

"You can't go live in a cave."

"I'd still rather die than do that thing's bidding."

"You already promised me you would be safe!"

The knight paused, dumbfounded.

"But, Jade-"

"You promised!"

Jade stared him down, reinforcing the oath he took just minutes ago. Meta Knight groaned to himself. He never went back on his word, but at the same time he didn't want to do the work of a monster. However, deep down, he didn't want to die. Not yet.

"You're right Jade," he sighed. "I did promise. I won't go back on it."

Jade grinned in relief. She calmly typed, "Be safe then."

"I can't guarantee that."

She frowned in disapproval.

"I'll do my best though."

She sighed and gathered up her cards again.

"You're still my first priority. Now, do you want me to go over the rules now, or tell you as we go?"

"Just enough to get started. You can teach me as we go."

"Alright."

They played poker for hours. The game kept them hooked as both of them were gradually getting better at it. Time went by without them knowing it. Even as they played their game, the day still seemed to drift lazily on. However, reality came back suddenly when the sun fell below the horizon.

A harsh pulse went through the knight's body. He gasped and gripped the bed frame, dropping his cards. Jade's eyes widened at the suddenness. His eyes were shut tight and he was grunting in discomfort. She asked what was wrong, but he didn't see the message on the screen. Another pulse jolted him as a purple mist began to consume him. The haze changed the color of his skin and armor to more sinister shades. His arms were shaking from the force of his grip on the bed frame. Then, as quickly as it started, the transformation ended. He gasped for air. He let his hands fall to his sides as he panted. When he opened his eyes, they were crimson red. He looked at Jade who had an expression of the deepest concern.

"It's ok," he breathed, "I'm alright…"

He heard the clicking of the keyboard. After a few seconds, he turned to the screen.

"Is it like this every night?"

"Yes, but even though it hurts, it's not as bad as when it first started to happen. Maybe one day I'll get used to it…"

He felt something brush over his hand. He looked down to see Jade holding it. They looked at each other. Her eyes showed a sad understanding, as though she knew what it was like, but didn't want it to happen to him.

He sighed and said, "I suppose we all have our pains."

She grinned and nodded.

He looked down at her bandaged hand in his. It gave him a feeling he didn't understand, as though it was both good and bad, and also neither. He carefully took his hand back.

Then, Jade yawned and her eyes grew heavy. Meta Knight thought about sleeping in his own bed. He figured she was stable enough to be left alone, so he bid her goodnight and exited the clinic.

The world was dark. Nothing could be made out in the darkness. The faint sound of wind could be heard. Nothing stirred. Just then, a speck of white darted in and out of sight. It was soon followed by many more specks. They flew straight at him, but he didn't feel them. They seemed to flow around him, caught in the quiet wind. He felt a chill. That's when he concluded that the specks were snowflakes. Suddenly, a red light flashed momentarily then faded. It flashed again after a second went by. The light flashed at a steady pattern, making the snowflakes turn red. Then, a faint blare accompanied the light. He didn't know what was happening or what any of this meant. The blares grew louder and louder. An ominous feeling consumed him as the blares became ear splitting.

Meta Knight jolted awake. A red light was flashing in his room, accompanied by the sound of the alarm. He sat up, the alarm making his heart pound.

"What's happening, computer?!" he shouted over the alarm.

The intercom came on and replied, "The patient's condition has grown unstable."

"Jade," the knight muttered in fear.

"She needs immediate medical assistance," the computer said as the knight jumped out of bed.

Meta Knight raced down the dark hallway, the red flashing light his only guide. He skid to a halt in front of the health clinic as the door slid open. Upon entering, he stopped to see what was wrong. Jade was coughing uncontrollably. Her face was red from lack of air. The breathing rate monitor was beeping in alarm.

"Use the ointment in the blue jar in the cabinet," the computer said.

The knight ran over to the cabinets and quickly searched through them. He found a blue jar and yanked it out of the cupboard, knocking some of the other jars out.

"Rub the gel on her chest," the computer instructed.

He quickly went over to Jade and wrestled with the lid. His hands were shaking as he pulled the lid off and smeared his hand in the ointment. Jade was shuttering from her coughing. Her eyes were closed and she was unaware of the knight's presence. Meta Knight placed his hand gently on her upper chest. Her coughing lessened in furiosity until she could breathe again. He took his hand away, leaving behind a print of clear gel on her chest. He looked at the monitors. They no longer sounded an alarm and went back to their steady hums. The red light stopped flashing and the blares went silent. He sighed in relief and fell back into the nearest chair. He looked at his hand. It was wet with the ointment. He reluctantly got up to wash the gel off. He set the jar aside as he turned the sink on and held his hand under the running water. While he waited, he glanced at the jar.

"What is this stuff anyway?"

"It is a mentholated vapor rub. It can be used to clear congestion such as what Jade was experiencing."

"Huh," he replied in interest.

He lifted his wet hand to his face in curiosity. He inhaled lightly. His head seemed to clear in an instant and he found he could suddenly breathe easier. The suddenness of it all made him cough and pull his hand away.

"Wow," he muttered as he went back to washing the gel off.

He turned the faucet off and wiped his hands dry. He absently looked in the mirror. Then he realized that in his hurry he didn't bother to put any clothes on. He frowned and looked back at Jade, who seemed to be sleeping.

"Good thing she's asleep," he muttered.

He looked around the room. Everything was quiet, yet his heart was still racing. He found that he didn't want to leave. The heaviness in his eyes told him to sleep. He moaned at his indecision. Meta Knight walked over to an empty medical bed. He studied it as he weighed his options. Then, he shrugged and climbed into the bed. He pulled the cover over him and tried to settle in. He turned over to Jade. She had finally seized to cough altogether and was sleeping peacefully. He watched her until he could no longer fight back against his eyelids. He closed his eyes and let out a long exhale. He soon drifted into slumber.

The knight stirred. His eyes fluttered open. He longed to go back to sleep, but he knew it was too late now. He sat up and stretched his arms as he yawned. He rubbed the back of his head. He saw Jade at the corner of his eye. He looked over to find that she was watching him.

"Morning," he said tiredly.

Then he noticed that she was hiding her mouth behind her blanket and her cheeks were red. The knight pressed his eyebrows together and looked down at himself. He was mostly exposed.

"Oh!" he cried as he quickly covered himself. "Sorry, forgot about that. I'll just put some clothes on," he added as he climbed out of bed.

Jade covered her head.

"Be right back."

Meta Knight entered the hallway and went towards his room. He rounded a corner and, to his surprise, he found King Dedede stopped in his tracks. They stared at each other. Dedede studied the knight's exposed body. Then, he grinned in a mocking manner. Meta Knight raised an eyebrow at him, knowing that just being naked wouldn't incite such a reaction. Suddenly, he learned what it was the king was smiling at.

"No!" Meta Knight cried.

"You are such a dog," the king said.

"No, no!" the knight replied. "I was- she was- NO!"

"No need to be embarrassed by it," the king stated.

"Well I'm not, because nothing happened!"

"Why are you naked then, hmm?" the king asked slyly.

"Just get out of my way," he growled as he pushed past the king.

Dedede laughed as the knight stormed down the hall towards his room.

The metal door slid open, revealing Meta Knight fully clothed. He walked in as the door shut behind him. The king was sitting in a chair next to Jade's bed.

"So," the king said, "how much longer are you two going to have alone time?"

Jade raised an eyebrow in confusion. The knight growled to himself as he balled his fists.

'He's not worth it. He's not worth it. He's not worth it…'

"Until Jade has fully recovered," Meta Knight replied, trying to mask his irritation.

Dedede groaned.

"Is that going to take long?"

"Yes."

The king frowned.

"Why, is Kirby not fulfilling his duties as my temporary replacement?"

"He is, but all the stuff I wanted to do to him you told me not to do, so I'm bored now."

"You would be bored with me around."

"Hey, don't get sassy with me!"

The knight grunted in response.

Dedede got up and said, "Fine, I'll leave you two alone to do your…medical stuff."

He snickered when Meta Knight glared at him. When he walked out, the door closed behind him and Meta Knight let out a loud sigh. Jade typed in query.

"Why do you put up with him?"

"I have a life debt with him, remember," the knight said as he sat down.

"Oh yeah… Too bad you had to be saved by him."

"Yeah, but it is what it is."

"If you could go back and change things, would you?"

He thought for a moment. He reviewed memories of his life after he met Dedede.

Then he concluded, "No. Not a thing."

Jade smiled.

"Are you feeling any better today?" the knight asked.

"Well, my chest is burning and there's sticky stuff on me."

"You were coughing uncontrollably last night. The computer told me to rub some ointment on your chest to stop the coughing."

"Oh, that makes sense then." After a moment she added, "I hurt…"

"Want me to get you something for it?"

"Sure, but not that Morphine stuff. It tastes like vitamin barf."

"I wouldn't know what that tastes like," he said as he looked through the medicine cabinet.

"It's like you barfed, but the only thing that was in your stomach was vitamins, so… yeah, that's what Morphine tastes like."

He looked at the screen then cringed.

"Why did I read that?"

Jade chuckled.

Meta Knight took a small red bottle out and read the label. After a moment, he stated, "I think this will do."

"What is it?"

"Ibuprofen. It should lessen your pain for a few hours."

"Ok. Does it taste like vitamin barf?"

"How about we stop talking about that?"

"Hehe, ok."

He popped off the cap and poured out two pills. He handed Jade the pills and went to get some water. When he turned back to hand her the glass, her face was crunched with disgust.

"Jade, you're supposed to swallow the pills with water, not suck on them," he said with a hint of amusement.

She quickly guzzled down the water then gasped for air. She typed, "Ok, that was worse than the Morphine."

The knight shook his head.

"I think it's time to get you some fresh air, what do you say?"

"How are we going to do that? I can't walk."

"You won't have to. Wait here."

Meta Knight then walked out of the room. Jade watched in curiosity until the metal door slid shut behind him.

Lights flickered on and the control panel powered up as Meta Knight stepped from the elevator onto the bridge.

"Computer, prepare the Halberd for launch," the knight stated.

"Commencing launch sequence now."

He could hear the engines humming deep within the ship. He pressed a few buttons on the control panel. A launch siren blared in the hanger as the metal ceiling slowly began to open. Sunlight streamed into the dark hanger. The hum of the four engines grew louder as the thrusters spewed flames onto the cold stone floor. The ceiling panels made a loud thud as they completely folded back.

"Halberd ready for launch," the computer informed.

Meta Knight took hold of the wooden wheel and said, "Power up thrusters to 50 percent."

Almost immediately, the warm orange flame from the thrusters grew into a mighty icy blue inferno. The ship groaned as it lifted off the ground. It gradually rose out of the hanger into the blue sky. The nearby castle loomed in the distance. He glanced at it, making sure the ship was clear from it.

"Release the wings," he commanded.

"Opening wings now."

Outside, four giant panels unlocked, letting the masses of steel and fabric unfurl into mighty bat wings. The air made a loud whooshing sound as the fabric caught the wind and lifted the ship up even higher.

"Wings at full mast. Where do you wish to go?"

The knight replied simply, "Forward."

"Very well. Traveling at one-quarter speed."

The thrusters at the bottom of the ship powered down to a low flame as the rear thrusters burst into life. The Halberd glided forward as the hanger doors below slowly closed. Meta Knight sighed, grateful of the successful launch.

"Computer, take over."

"Auto-pilot engaged."

The knight let go of the steering wheel. It tilted side to side on its own. Satisfied, he walked into the elevator and left the bridge.

The wheels of the bed rattled against the grated metal floor. Meta Knight pushed Jade's bed and had a breathing apparatus in tow.

"Now you won't be able to type outside, so we probably won't have much conversation."

Jade turned to him and nodded.

They came up to a metal door with a small round window near the top. Light was streaming through the window. Jade sat up in an attempt to see through it. Meta Knight went over to a small wall panel and pressed the large button. The door cracked open with a hiss and slid into the wall. A huge gust of wind blew in from the widening gap. The knight pushed the bed out the door and onto the ship's deck. Jade squinted from the intense light. When her eyes adjusted, her mouth opened in amazement. They were flying over the ocean. It stretched on forever into the horizon. The sky was bright blue with a few small clouds dotting it. The sun was high in the sky, reflecting off the waves and making the ocean sparkle. She couldn't see them, but she could hear the calls of seagulls over the purr of the thrusters.

Meta Knight locked the wheels of the bed then came around to Jade's side. He looked up at her to see that she was staring at the scenery. Then on closer examination, he saw a glimmer of light below her eye.

"Jade, are you crying? Does something hurt?" he asked in concern.

She seemed to come out of her trance. After a moment, she wiped her tears and shook her head in reply. Then, she smiled. He exhaled in relief. They gazed out into the ocean. The wind rippled the knight's cape. The air smelled of sea water. He really only did this for Jade's sake, but it felt nice just to be able to relax. He hadn't been able to ever since he left Dreamland to come to the tournament.

'Damn, has it really been that long? I need a vacation…'

He took a deep breath and sighed. Meta Knight looked over at Jade. He noticed red blotches on her bandages. He frowned under his mask at the thought of taking her out of this bliss and into agony.

"Jade, we need to go in soon to change your bandages," he informed sadly.

She looked at him and nodded in understanding.

They stayed out for a few more minutes then Meta Knight wheeled her back inside the ship.

"Alright," the knight stated as he placed the changing materials on a table next to the bed. "Ready?"

Jade nodded. This time she didn't protest when Meta Knight pulled back the sheet, but she did close her eyes. He began work on removing the soiled bandages, disinfecting the skin, and replacing the cloths with clean ones. At one point, he was unravelling a bandage around her arm when she winced and jerked her arm in pain.

"Sorry," he promptly said as he worked at the cloth more gently.

Soon, he uncovered the skin. As he was cleaning it, he found something strange about it. He remembered it being black in color, but now it was scabbing over and turning red. He lightly poked the area, causing Jade to wince again.

"You can feel that?" he asked.

She glared at him with daggers in her eyes.

"Ok, I was just checking," he replied as though he was just yelled at.

'That's strange,' he thought, 'I could swear that was a third degree burn. She shouldn't have felt it.'

The more he worked, the more he noticed that her burns were scabbing over, even the places that, theoretically, should not be healing. He found this odd, but promising. About an hour after he started, he finished. He washed his hands then slumped down into a chair and let out a sigh of exhaustion. He looked up when he heard Jade type something.

"Food?"

"You're hungry?"

"Well we didn't have any breakfast and it's almost lunch time."

"Oh shoot. I'm sorry, I forgot all about breakfast."

"It's ok. You don't get hungry much, do you?"

"Not really, no."

"I'm hungry all the time."

"So is his majesty."

Jade chuckled.

"If you're not careful, you could end up like him."

"And be all fat? Yeah right. Something tells me that if you're my chef, that won't happen."

"Oh ho ho! I see how it is. You don't think I feed you enough. Well, how about I just make you a batch of butter biscuits, and not even cook them? You'd just eat the batter."

"That sounds gross and delicious at the same time."

"Yeah, it would probably put some meat on those bones."

"Fine, you do that then."

"I will," the knight said as he stood up to leave.

"Fine!" Jade typed, pretending to look irritated.

"Fine!" Meta Knight added in a mocking teenager way.

Jade tried to hide her laughter as the knight left the room.

Half an hour had passed before Meta Knight entered the room again. He carried in a tray with a bowl and glass to Jade's bed table. She looked into the bowl and saw a creamy red liquid. She took up her keyboard.

"Liar! You promised me butter biscuit batter!"

The knight replied in a low, gravelly voice, "I promise nothing."

They both chuckled.

"You didn't really take me seriously about the batter thing, did you?"

"No. I knew you were joking."

"That's good. You looked disappointed there for a second."

"A little. I was curious as to what that would taste like."

"Ew, really? I can't imagine it would be any good."

"You never know. By the way, what did you make me?"

"Tomato soup."

"Never had that before."

"Well, this will be a first then."

Jade set her keyboard aside and grabbed the spoon. She scoped some soup up and went to drink it.

"Careful, it's hot," the knight warned.

She nodded and blew at it. She put the spoon in her mouth and swallowed the soup. After a moment, she smiled at Meta Knight.

"Good, isn't it?"

Jade nodded.

"Better than butter biscuits?"

She giggled.

After that, they were quiet while she ate. She scraped what little soup was left in the bowl as she could before she was satisfied. Jade sat back and sighed.

"Want anymore?"

She shook her head and typed, "No thanks, but now I'm tired."

"Uh oh. Food coma must be setting in."

"Oh no! I may never wake up again!"

"Don't worry, I'll help you write your last will and testimony before you go."

"We must hurry! I want my million dollar yacht to go to the children's orphanage."

"You wish you had a yacht."

"Yeah…"

Jade yawned and laid her head on the pillow.

"You've been really nice to me lately."

"That's because there is something horribly wrong with me, and I don't know what it is." He leaned in, hands like claws, and added, "It could be deadly!"

"Well don't give it to me."

"I have no control over my contagiousness," the knight replied.

Jade grinned, her eyes heavy.

"Nappy time."

"Sleep well."

She yawned once more and settled under the covers. She closed her eyes. Meta Knight thought about leaving so she would fall asleep easier, but her steady breathing told him that wasn't necessary. The room was calm. The beeping and humming of the machines seemed natural now. The knight yawned. Perhaps he could use a nap too. He studied Jade's peaceful face. He remembered what it looked like when he mistakenly thought she was alright on her own. He didn't want it to happen again.

Meta Knight quietly scooted the chair closer to the bed. He carefully laid his arms on the bed, watching Jade to make sure he didn't disturb her. After a moment, he folded his arms and rested his head on the bed. He continued to watch her chest slowly rise and fall. After some time, he let himself relax and close his eyes.

He was in that place again, but this time the darkness was white. Snow blew around him. It wasn't steady as it was before. Now, it seemed to rage in the silent wind. He couldn't see out into the blizzard, but he had a sinking feeling that something was coming towards him. An alarm began to sound with a red flashing light. They seemed distant compared to another sound that pierced the silence. Wind screeching at metal…a plane falling? The sound grew in intensity. He felt a pulse go through his body. Suddenly, an object broke through the blizzard and flew straight at him at high speed. It didn't blow around him, but collided.

Meta Knight gasped and jolted awake. His heart was pounding. His eyes wildly scanned the room. The clinic was quiet. No alarms or flashing lights. He caught his breath as he looked at Jade. She shifted a bit with a moan then settled back to slumber. The knight lifted his mask and rubbed his face. That dream was more realistic than the previous one. What was it that hit him? And where was he even at? His heart had calmed, but he still felt anxious. That's when he felt it, a tugging feeling in his stomach. His eyes widened.

'How is that possible? I can't be near another artifact…unless…'

Meta Knight looked at the door. He narrowed his gaze. He got up, left the room, and went to the bridge.

D'oh! Cliff hanger! Don't worry, the next chapter will come. Review time!