Merry Christmas, everyone! I almost didn't get this chapter done today, but I'm glad I did. Enjoy, and happy holidays!
-Joost
Shattering the Stars
Chapter 7: Creeping Down The Hall
"What the hell do you mean, 'someone's on to me'?!" Shatterhand roared, grabbing the captain with his gauntlet and holding him by the neck precariously. The soldier, stricken with fear, didn't dare try to fight, even when his master tightened his grip around his windpipe.
"There-" The captain choked, gasping for air. "There's l-little doubt to the notion, s-sir." His voice was raspy and unpleasant to listen to. Shatterhand softened his grip just slightly, allowing him to breathe just a bit better. "We detected several signals leading to Dimension ADK-1995, o-one of them being your stolen sword. We- We can only assume that there are enemy forces gathering."
"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" Shatterhand tightened his grip again and launched the captain into the wall with all his might. He slammed against the iron-metal and crinkled like paper, landing on the floor in a heap, coughing his lungs out. The raging bull just seethed as he stared out into the night sky.
None of the nearby guards even considered taking the risk of helping the captain to his feet. Their leader was a ruthless, unremitting, unfeeling thing, bearing a notion that if a man couldn't get back up after a beating, he's not worthy of being helped up. Wheezing and stretching his arms out to catch some air, the captain slowly stood, his entire body trembling. Shatterhand smirked at the sight of the captain's reflection in the window, pleased with himself. He waited for the man to relax before tilting his head so he could see captain out of the corner of his eye.
The way Shatterhand enforced discipline on his subordinates was abstruse to say the least. None of them knew exactly what was going on inside that unapologetic mind of his. All they could discern was that he expected complete cooperation and little failure when carrying out his orders. In fact, he was an invariably captious critic of his own design, making sure to account for each and every possible outcome of the next crusade. But it was easy to tell that this information of an outsider, somehow traveling dimensions, was not something he had expected.
"So," Shatterhand began, hiding his aggravation with fabricated composure. "Where exactly did this disturbance originate from, hm? I recall the report stating it was in a realm designated 'ADZ-2000', but where?"
"It's… It's a Hylian adjacent realm, sir. Just a parallel world known as Termina," said the captain, thinking it was of little importance. Adjacent realms were never usually on their radar, but to have a traveler coming from such a place was cause for concern.
"Hm…" Shatterhand's eyes narrowed as he turned his head back to face the window, the vast, empty expanse of space looking back at him. "Link. Yes… Link. Of course, the one that stole my Ultra Sword. I see," he hissed, a sickly glint in his eye. A great, wide smirk grew along his lips, stretching from ear to ear. "That's how we couldn't find him. The fool fled to an adjacent realm. Heh, clever, I must admit. I'll need to congratulate him for such a play when our paths cross again."
"You-" The captain stuttered, "You plan on crossing paths with the variant, sir? Are you suggesting we investigate that world?"
Shatterhand opened his mouth, prepared to bark an order, but he stopped before any sound came. An idea had just materialized inside his head. A terrible, wicked, awful, yet splendid idea. His lips curled back into that foul smile again, and all his rage from before withered away, replaced with sincere delight.
"No, we won't. In fact, there's going to be a change of plans!" Shatterhand spun around and pointed to the ceiling dramatically, beaming at his own brilliance. "We shall leave the interlopers be for now, but instead we'll adjust our crosshairs. We've been going down a chain, on a rhythm, pursuing these worlds. Now, we'll jump ahead a dozen or so and leave our opponents in the dust, but also ensure that they can find their way here. I have no doubt that they have technology similar to ours and will use it to investigate."
"Brilliant plan, sir!" A guard shouted.
Shatterhand turned to the guard in an instant, raised his gauntlet, and fired a blob of black energy at the guard. It struck him right in the chest and he was sent flying into the wall, his comrades fighting every nerve in their bodies not to check on him. He landed on the floor in a crisp, groaning in agony. He wasn't dead, but there was a penalty for interruption.
"They will investigate," Shatterhand continued as if nothing happened.
"Investigate under the idea that it's a trap. Link, along with whoever else may be accompanying him, will journey here. To this very place." However, all the eccentricity in his voice faded, morphing into gravel. "Because I want them to see. See what I am capable of. See that they have no idea what we can do. And if they move onto another universe, then we shall hunt them down like the dogs they are."
Shatterhand was a man behind many schemes, but this machination was one he was truly proud of. He always aimed to outwit his enemies before they had a chance to figure out who he was and why he was doing this, but for once, he wanted to leave a bit of mystery behind. Until now, there had never been the threat of someone following him through dimensions. He wanted to relish this, let this one get close to him, all to make the end that much sweeter.
"If you don't mind me asking, sir," The captain spoke up, "How will we make sure that they come across this place? Won't they just seek out wherever we went and follow us?"
"We leave breadcrumbs, my friend," Shatterhand explained, chuckling to himself. "Have the Nav-Com outfit one of the escape pods with a tunneling device. When we leave to a distant realm, we'll send it back to this one. I have reason to believe that they can't detect too far out into the realms."
"Why's that, sir?"
"Because if they can detect us at all, it'd be through a Lor," Shatterhand ginned, glad he had his men scour the first ever Starcutter they came across. "Those ancients, while cunning, didn't anticipate so many realms beyond the two they knew of. Those ships can only sense so much, at least according to our readings."
"Ah, so we jump ahead a dozen or so, they'll have no way of knowing, correct?" The captain was catching on to his master's plan. He walked up and stood beside Shatterhand, gazing out into space alongside him.
"Yes indeed," Shatterhand sneered.
"Alright men, you heard him! Boot up the Nav-Com and get it ready!" The captain turned and hollered towards his men, rallying them up and exiting the bridge, making for the escape hall. The last two guards left while dragging the unconscious body of their singed companion in order to get him to medical. Now, Shatterhand stood alone, staring out into the deep abyss of the cosmos.
The manic tyrant remained quiet for a while, thinking. He lifted up his right arm and removed the Dark Matter gauntlet, letting his deformed hand breathe at last. The palm was curved inward, his index, middle, and ring finger fused together and bent to the left so far that it'd normally break a person's bones. Only the thumb and the pinky were free, although the pinky was missing its tip, leaving only two joints left. It always disgusted him to look upon his disfigurement.
Shatterhand sighed and used the only good part of his right hand, the thumb, to rub his crooked palm. It always used to hurt, but one day the pain just vanished. He often wondered if it was the day his resolve finally returned. He would always remember that day, every time he spun his yo-yo that he so cherished.
Link, for once, was a little excited for the day ahead of him. As he walked down the hall and to the castle courtyard, he wondered what kind of surprises Kirby had in store for him. It was barely ten, yet the hero felt astounded by how much of the day had already gone by. He yearned to make the most of his time, the impending display from the Star Warrior, who he was now comfortable calling his friend, simply invigorating.
The sun flickered through the leaves of the trees lining the outdoor pathway bleeding out into the courtyard. The area was surrounded by walls but didn't feel claustrophobic, in fact, just the opposite. It was a little pleasing to have a wide place closed off from the rest of the land. Like it was it's own little world. Coming out of the shade and standing proudly in the center of the courtyard, Link admired the scenery as he waited for Tael to join him.
"Heya, Link!" Tael's voice came ringing in the distance, the fairy pepped up and ready to be wowed. Link returned the wave and smiled as his purple companion hovered by his hat.
"Where's Kirby? Isn't he supposed to be here by now?" Tael asked.
"He's still on his way, I'm sure of it," Link replied.
"Alright," Tael murmured. Link smirked once he got a look at his friend's face. He could still recognize that child-like wonder. Once Tael noticed Link's stare, his smile only grew. "Gosh, I'm honestly really interested to see what he's got."
"I know, me too," Link chuckled, looking at the cloudy sky. The sun was gradually being obscured by the white fluffiness dotting the upper blue. Then, as if almost on cue, the sound of a warp star sounded through the door, Kirby flying through the halls.
"Oh no, he's not…" Link muttered, hoping Kirby wouldn't be so bold.
"I think he is," Tael snorted.
Kirby, riding atop his trusty star, careened through the halls of Castle Dedede, completely ignoring the front gate. It seemed he too was eager for today, as the greatest smile had been bestowed along his rosy, pink cheeks. He appeared to Link and Tael like a comet before his air ride slowed down to a halt just a little way away. He hopped off the warp star and it departed into the sky, flying off back home for now.
"Like to make an entrance, don't you?" Link smiled as Kirby approached, both their faces equally cheerful.
"Poyo!"
Link still couldn't understand the pink puffball, but he didn't mind. He had a feeling he knew what Kirby said anyways. With crossed arms and a warmth rivaling the sun, he gestured out into the blank grass for Kirby to demonstrate the extent of his abilities.
Kirby looked around for something to suck up. Just by the door he flew in through was a suit of armor proudly standing at the entrance. Kirby rushed over to the armor and a whirlwind came from his mouth, inhaling the weapon attached to the statue. A gleaming sword glided into Kirby's mouth, swallowing it whole, before jumping up into the air.
A fierce flash of light engulfed Kirby, forcing Link and Tael to shield their eyes for a moment. When their vision returned, Kirby landed on the ground, wielding a spotless sword and donning a cap not dissimilar to Link's own. The Star Warrior posed with his weapon, smiling wide for his friends.
"Woah…" Link noted the familiar hat, "Did you… How did you do that, Kirby? The hat, I mean."
"Merely a coincidence, my friend," Meta Knight declared calmly, appearing just behind Link, startling the Terminian. It was still unknown how the knight just turned up, even the stealthiest of ninjas having no such accomplishments. "He's always had that hat ever since he first obtained the Sword Ability."
"Huh," Link looked back at Kirby, his smile never wavering. "Well, I still find it neat."
Kirby beamed with pride and swung his sword gracefully through the air, showing some of his techniques. Link, analyzing Kirby's stances and movements, deduced that the pink puffball had been trained by Meta Knight. They shared similar defensive poses and began their flurry attacks with the exact same horizontal swipe to the side. It was admirable to see the influence the master had on the student, a wave of familiarity washing over the pair.
"Alright, the sword is great, but what else have you got, Kirby?" Tael flew down in front of the Star Warrior, hand on his chin. Kirby pondered what he could do next, and his eyes gravitated towards a torch crackling against the wall lining the entrance.
A star dispersed from Kirby's body, and then the whirlwind returned! The torch wriggled about in its holder before coming loose, flying into Kirby's mouth and entering the bottomless pit that was his stomach. He squatted down and jumped up into the air again, another blinding flash of light concealing his transformation.
A blazing heat started to emanate from Kirby's direction, nearly catching the grass on fire when he landed. Flames crowned the hero's head as he let the others look upon him. He spewed fire from his mouth without problem, perplexing Link and Tael further. They wondered just how many things Kirby could draw power from, and the possibility of his gift being truly limitless.
Kirby played around with his Fire Ability for a little while, covering himself in flames, flying like a cannonball, or just bouncing along the ground like an ember from a fireplace. Meta Knight took time to explain which abilities were which as his pupil inhaled and transformed numerous times. Kirby could copy stones, bombs, and even grass, all of which brought awe unto Link and Tael.
Noon came and went, and with a small lunch break, the group remained outside, basking in the sweet sunlight. Link tore into a sandwich, savoring every bite as Waddle Dees pattered around him, gathering up the dishes they had served them. As the Dees departed, a gentle breeze kicked up, it's strength however weak.
"So, what should Kirby inhale next?" Tael asked as he stuffed his mouth with a bite from an apple slice.
Before Kirby could set his eyes on a weapon or element, a long shadow loomed over the castle. Looking up, the group witnessed the Lor gradually descend down and land in the courtyard, its oars coming to a halt and steam whooshing from the vents along the hull. A door materialized on the stern and Magolor emerged, his expression bringing about a veil of worry on the others.
"Hey, Meta Knight! You need to see this!" Magolor waved a paper in his hands, shouting as loud as he could to beat the ambient, yet overpowering, sounds of the Lor.
"What is it?" Meta Knight unfurled his cape from his chest and paced over to Magolor, taking the paper from the magician's hands and scanning it. Link, Tael, and Kirby finished up their food and joined them.
"Poyo?" Kirby asked.
"Hm…" Meta Knight grunted as he looked the sheet over. The report from the Lor detailed along the paper was concerning at most. He read it again just to make sure he understood, then narrowed his eyes, thinking.
"Meta Knight, what's going on? What did the Lor find?" Link needed to know; his own inquisitiveness too strong to resist.
"It seems your man, Shatterhand," Meta Knight began, "May be aware of our presence." The others, except for Magolor, tensed up. "The world that we detected that signal coming from, the Lor just picked up another one. The energy emitted is exact same as the one before it, and the same pattern, too."
"Does that mean he's fled that realm?" Link asked.
"No, because a few minutes later, it happened again. Someone left, then reentered," Meta Knight explained, lowering his hands and gazing off into the distance, still in thought. "I doubt it was a fluke, as I don't see the idea of another being entering right after Shatterhand left to be possible."
"Do you…" Link contemplated every little idea that came to mind. "Do you think it's a trap?"
"I think it's obviously a trap, yes, and the bait is the signal itself," Meta Knight surmised, handing Link the paper for him to read. "I fear that Shatterhand may have allies unknown to us, and that signal is him leaving to retrieve them. He is mostly likely rallying his own subordinates to ensnare us should we travel there to investigate."
"Poy poyo?" Kirby wondered.
"I don't see why he'd fabricate this, Kirby," reasoned Meta Knight. "If Shatterhand's the kind of conqueror Link described him as, he's probably threatened by our presence and knows we'll travel to that realm to stop him. Gathering troops is something King Dedede would do if he was in a situation as such, right?" Kirby nodded in agreement. Even if Dedede was just the self-proclaimed king of Dream Land, he truly cared for the land and the people in it, as any king rightly would.
"So what do you suppose we do?" Link handed Magolor the paper and paced around, his footprints meshing with each other as he strolled along them.
"We should accommodate for Shatterhand's rally and travel to that realm with every soldier we can. This signal is meant to scare us, intimidate us, and drive away Link's crusade," Meta Knight proclaimed, his voice proud. "While the Waddle Dees are not the strongest warriors, they have strength in numbers. Them, along with the combined strength of Link, Kirby, my students, and my own, may be enough to finish Shatterhand where he stands."
Link and Tael mused on Meta Knight's ruling. It was a fine plan of action. They'd seen so many Waddle Dees roaming the castle halls that there must be thousands. Regardless of their puny physical prowess, the sheer amount of them could overthrow any army. Them, along with Link, Kirby, Meta Knight, Sword Knight, and Blade Knight, and perhaps even Landia, victory might be feasible.
"Alright," Link spoke up, "Let's do it."
The Lor escaped Pop Star's atmosphere with ease, flying out into space nimbly. The ship shuddered as its starlight engines powered up, the legion of Waddle Dees in the hangar all huddled up in formation. As Magolor stood at the helm, flicking switches and pressing buttons, getting the ship ready to jump across the realms, things were mostly silent.
Link, standing by a viewport, gazed out into the cosmos. Never did he think he'd ever see anything so vast. Outer space was never a concern or even a thought to him, the technology of his world simply too limited to grasp the reigns of such travel. As he stared off into the starry sky, he searched around in his pocket for a moment and pulled out one of the only things keeping him on track. The photo of Romani.
As beautiful as the scene outside the window was, Link still saw his wife as the most gorgeous thing he'd even laid eyes upon. The image of her, immortalized on paper, reminded him of what he was doing this for. Not just to avenge his fallen variant and all the life lost, but to ensure that Shatterhand wouldn't threaten any more life.
"Almost over…" Link muttered to himself as he stared at the picture. While he had a feeling it wasn't going to be so easy as just finding Shatterhand and finishing him, he had to survive the incoming ordeal. He had a promise to fulfill, after all.
"I wonder what Tatl and Navi are up to…" Tael mumbled out loud, bringing Link out of his trance. He stuffed the photo back into his pocket and relaxed.
"They're probably having fun together now that they're completely alone," Link smirked, Tael being taken aback by the out of character comment. The hero got a laugh out of his friend's reaction. "Sorry, it's just you're never the one to be so glum, so I thought I'd joke around."
"Not funny," Tael lied, doing his best to hide his smile. The fairy's forgery was as clear as daylight, Link's only response being to chuckle.
"Alright everybody, hang on tight, we're about to make the jump." A voice, Magolor's voice, resonated throughout the ship. It put Link and Tael on alert, the two completely unaware of the loudspeaker.
Suddenly, the Lor rocked and shifted ferociously, Link nearly losing his balance. Outside, the Starcutter fired a beam that allowed a massive, star-shaped portal to open up before it. The oars, somehow providing power to the cruiser, launched the ship into the portal, the scenery of space being overtaken by a shimmering light blue. Every window glowed brilliantly as the border world of blue matter flowed by, mesmerizing Link as he glanced out into the great beyond.
"To think… we were missing out on this for so long, huh?" Link told Tael, admiring the new sights.
"Yeah, it's really something…"
"Poyo!" A voice came from down the corridor, catching the boys' attention. Kirby waved to Link and Tael when they noticed him, running off, hoping they'd follow.
Kirby screeched to a halt once he reached the main deck, Magolor manning the ship, Meta Knight and his pupils sitting down, and Landia curled up in the corner, catching some sleep. The two Terminians caught up with the pink hero and took a seat at a nearby table, right next to Meta Knight. Magolor, turning his head to make sure everyone was accounted for, decided to treat the newcomers to a special view. He pressed a button on the dashboard of the control panel, and then the sides of the room gave way to a thick, glass barrier. Double windows on each side, allowing Link and Tael to gaze out into the multicolored haze.
"Enjoy, fellas," Magolor said, smiling as he continued to pilot the ship. Link had to hand it to the mage, he did know how to please his guests. A bit of that hostility and mistrust he held for Magolor dissipated.
"Hey, Meta Knight, I thought traveling realms was kind of… you know," Tael snapped his fingers, "So why's this taking so long?" The fairy had noticed just how much longer this journey was compared to how it was when he and Link left Termina.
"It all has to do with the size. Two beings are easy to transport across dimensions, but a vessel like this," Meta Knight pointed to everything around him, "It all has to be carefully plucked from its world to the next, just so nothing gets left behind."
"Ah, I gotcha," Tael replied. He reclined on the cushion and eased up on his questions, following Link's lead of a calm demeanor.
Only a few minutes later, the madness of blue surrounding the Lor Starcutter disappeared, the travels finally having arrived at their destination. The deep, black void of nothing returned, dotted with shining specks. As the walls lowered themselves and the artificial lights turned back on, Link, Tael, Kirby, and Meta Knight gathered by Magolor. There, the wizard tapped a few buttons and brought up a view of what was in front of the Lor.
"Gentlemen, an alternate Pop Star," Magolor introduced the planet before them. While Kirby and Meta Knight had traveled in the Lor before, this was their first time venturing out to a world parallel to their own.
The group all looked to each other, uniformly nodding in agreement. The sun was already setting behind Pop Star, the Lor being hidden by the shadow of the planet. Magolor slowly brought the ship down, cutting through the clouds. Nothing was visible on the surface yet, so the frontal flood lights glared brightly, illuminating the dense clouds. However, even after a minute or two of descension, there was still nothing.
"Huh, I didn't think the atmosphere would've been higher than our Pop Star," Magolor said, perplexed.
Magolor was proven incorrect, though, as then the entire ship quaked violently. Outside, the bottom of the hull bashed into a hill, sending almost everyone flying. The Lor activated autopilot for a moment, fighting to drudge itself out from the ground and back into the air. It succeeded, the cruiser swaying back and forth before finding its balance again. Many groans came from the deck as the swordsmen, Kirby, Tael, and Magolor slowly got to their feet.
"Is… Is everyone alright?" Sword Knight asked loudly, helping Blade Knight up. The others assured they were fine and Magolor regained control of the Lor.
"I-I don't get it! We were still going through the clouds!" Magolor cried, trying to prove the crash wasn't his fault.
"We already had, look!" Tael pointed to the screen. The oars of the ship parted a spot of clouds, letting the night sky accentuate the blanket of fog across the land. The group stared out into the eerie darkness, the moon providing the only hint of natural light.
"Keep the Lor steady as we wait for the clouds to part, then continue on," Meta Knight ordered. The ship remained still for a while until the view on the screen expanded. "Link, Tael, Kirby, Landia, come. We'll go out on the upper deck for a better look outside."
Outside, there was no sign of life or anything aside from the movement of the oars. The sail didn't rustle, the wind didn't blow, nothing. As the Lor Starcutter gently moved through the air, a cautious Magolor keeping an eye out, the others tried to discern anything from the thick layer of fog clinging so closely to the land.
"Poyo! Poyo poyo!" Kirby complained, thinking it was useless to be out there. Something felt terribly wrong to him about all this, but he couldn't put a paw on what. Landia huffed with annoyance. He grew tired of the eeriness and flapped his wings, jumping into the air and off the deck. The dragon took flight, cutting through the fog like a hot knife through butter, cleaving it expertly.
"Hey, great idea, Landia!" Link cheered for the dragon. As the whisps of white danced in the air, Landia widened his range, each lap around the Lor taking longer and longer. But then he stopped, something catching his attention towards the east. Landia roared, drawing the others to where he was facing.
"Poyo! Poy-poy-poyo poyo!" Kirby shouted with surprise, getting a glimpse of what Landia saw.
"Oh no… No, no, no, no…" Meta Knight whispered as he joined Kirby on the starboard side of the Lor. His heart sank to his stomach right away, the sight of a desiccated and destroyed Castle Dedede in the distance, just beyond Landia.