Shattering the Stars

Repent

AAAAAAAAHH! I seriously don't know why it took me SO LONG to get this chapter done, but I did it! I was just... really unmotivated to write, but it's finally here! Here's the sort of 'next arc', hehe. Enjoy!
-Jooostan

Shattering the Stars
Chapter 13: Repent

Landia had been without luck for some time now, each realm he traveled to either not having any life for lightyears, or there was no evidence to suggest that Shatterhand had made a visit. Every world that held life was blissful and happy, existing without the fear of the unknown, in Landia's case, that being Shatterhand. Even as mighty as the dragon was, there were still things he feared.

There was something off, however, about Landia's search. The entire time he felt like he was being watched, even though he was completely alone, flying through the endless void of space. When he roared to open a portal, the feeling just intensified, as if someone took special notice every time he jumped to another realm, taking notes.

Eventually, the unnerving suspicion grew to be so frustrating that Landia, when he opened a portal, just hovered in front of it, waiting. Waiting for someone to appear, something to happen, anything. For a moment, Landia was starting to think he had gone mad, the long months of solitude before being called to this whole endeavor by Meta Knight having gotten to him. He almost considered just moving on beyond the portal, putting the strange feeling behind him.

"You can sense me, can't you?" A soft, womanly voice echoed inside Landia's head. The dragon went on guard, startled by the sound. He was floating along in space; no sound could even travel to his ears. "Please don't be alarmed..."

Landia snarled and bared his teeth, ready to send fire towards anything that decided to attack. He went to roar, but nothing came from his mouth, and rightly so, he received no response.

"My friend, there's no use trying to talk aloud," the voice said, hiding a chuckle. "I am speaking to you through the mind, telepathy, if you will." Landia was confused at the voice considering his roar to be an attempt at speech. "Allow me to present myself to you in a more proper fashion. I apologize for my lingering watch, but I needed to make sure that you were the right one."

"The right one?" Landia thought to himself.

"Yes, the right one," The voice responded, again startling the dragon. So it could hear his thoughts? Then that must be how he could communicate with whoever this voice belonged to.

Before Landia could think of anything to ask, before him, a new portal appeared. It shimmered extravagantly in space, bright enough to be mistaken for a star. Out came a blue, eagle-like creature, flapping her delicately crafted wings with passion. Her mantle was like an ocean, flowing down her body into her trailing tail feathers. Two quills came from the back of her head, adding to her own splendor. Landia was almost humbled at the sight but kept wearing a determined gaze.

"Greetings, Landia, it's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance," the majestic eagle said calmly, lowering her wings and gently floating in space.

"You know me?" Landia snapped.

"Yes, I do," said the eagle, her voice expressing a smooth, considerate aura in contrast to Landia's brashness. "Along with the nature of your presence here, in a realm not of your own. Your mission."

At that moment, Landia finally became interested in something. He raised an eyebrow inquisitively, closing his mouth and relaxing. The portal that he had opened before now closed, the dragon electing to stay and hear this mysterious phoenix out. "Alright, you have my attention," Landia commented, "How do you know about my purpose here?"

"Well, Landia, your Wave Energy gave it away," the eagle stated matter-of-factly.

"Wave Energy?" Landia tilted his head.

"Yes, your Wave Energy. It's foreign to this reality," The being spoke as if Landia had any clue what she meant. After another confused look, it dawned on her that she had already talked of things that would've come later. "Oh, forgive me, you're uninformed. I shall explain in time, I assure you."

"Who are you, exactly?" Landia was as blunt as an unsharpened pencil.

"I go by a few names, but you may call me Empyrea."

"A 'few names'?" Landia repeated, still somewhat confused. He had never heard of an 'Empyrea' in his exceedingly long life, but he guessed that there were still things to learn from the multiverse. Regardless, he didn't dwell on a simple name, far too enraptured by the mystique of this Empyrea and why she had decided to make herself known to him. "Never mind, but you were the force that's been watching me. Why, and how else do you know about me and my mission?"

"I do apologize for the intruding feeling, but if you're to help assist those boys in defeating Shatterhand, you're going to need much more help than you have now," Empyrea explained, making Landia tense up just slightly. She knew about Link, Kirby, and even Shatterhand.

"If you knew about Shatterhand, then why didn't you stop him?" Landia asked the million-dollar question.

"Well, a mother must take care of her young, Landia," Empyrea stated, flying closer and glaring at the dragon with a bit of hostility. Up close, her wingspan exceeded Landia's, as did her overall size, commanding authority to all normal eyes that happened to lay upon her. Landia would not follow such order, bowing to no one. "However, to discuss that is not why I'm here. I'm here because you cannot defeat Shatterhand alone, at least not with the allies Link and Kirby have gathered so far."

"You underestimate my friends?" Landia asked without thinking. It occurred to him that he didn't often openly consider people his friends.

"No, you underestimate Shatterhand. The Archfiend of Reality has burned and purged more heroes across the multiverse than breaths you've taken," Empyrea spoke with deep remorse, having sat idly and stared through her looking glass for far too long, watching the tyrant kill without honor or mercy. "Now, with my children mature enough to live independently, I am free to act and finally put an end to him."

"Alright, fine, Empyrea," Landia said her name sarcastically, "How can we beat him?"

"We must journey together and find four heroes in which I am familiar with. We can trust them," Empyrea clarified. She paused and smiled to herself, fond memories of the four she spoke of resurfacing. "They're all quite good friends, and two have put their lives on the line for me before. Once them, along with Kirby, Link, and the others are in one place, I plan to bestow upon them a gift."

"What kind of gift?" Landia was tired of the talk of mystery. He looked at his own talons nonchalantly, feigning disinterest. Deep down, however, he was somewhat enchanted by how much this Empyrea knew. He thought the burden of his life was something he went through alone, but now her story told him otherwise.

"I mentioned something known as 'Wave Energy' before," Empyrea said, before stopping herself. An idea entered her mind, and she easily decided that it was better than just filling the telepathic train of thought she and Landia had been on for the past few minutes. "Allow me to show you, among other things,"

Empyrea turned and opened a new portal, and then looked back to Landia, beckoning him to join her. A soft, warm smile appeared along her beak, and Landia then wore his own. Perhaps there was room in his stone-cold soul for more friends.

"Very well, but what 'other things'?" Landia asked as he flew over next to Empyrea.

"I want to show you... everything."