Heroes of Dreamland Rewritten, Book 1: Stars Amidst Lightning

Chapter 36

Sakura Dee|さくら•ヂィー

The night drags on for hours and hours. Eventually, I manage to talk Meta Knight into letting me take watch again somewhere around four hours before sunrise. He settles down for a much-needed rest, while I quietly leap and run around the campsite, attacking invisible foes and driving my sword through them. Still, the haunting song I found myself singing earlier plays through my mind over and over again, even though I don't allow myself to voice it for fear of waking the others up. Unlike my lullaby, which I'm still pretty sure I wrote, this song has always been there, as far back as I can remember and probably long before that too. It's a song I've always known, a song that's practically a part of me. I don't know how or where I learned it, but it's always been there.

For some reason, it's been stuck in my head all evening. I mean, sure, I sang it now and again to the other Waddle Dees, but it's not usually constantly in the back of my mind. I've always known it, but it hasn't always been stuck in my head like this. Maybe it's because I wish its message would come true, a message of peace and an end to darkness. That's probably it, come to think of it. Hopefully, within a few days, its message will have come true, and Dreamland will finally be able to continue on in light and peace for many years to come.

Pausing in my quiet assault of an imaginary foe, I catch my breath and then inwardly correct my posture and the way I held my sword during the last barrage. If Meta Knight didn't need the rest so badly, I'd wake him up and ask him to spar with me. I want to make sure I'm as good as I can be for the fight that's coming, especially now that I have two objectives rather than just one: Not only to I have to weaken the Lightning, but now I have to keep Meta Knight alive, despite the odds, as well.

After several more imaginary battles, I force myself to sheathe my sword and sit down next to the long-dead fire. There haven't been any thunder rumblings for hours, making me wonder if the clouds have mostly passed over for now. Maybe we'll have another nice day today, who knows? That'd be nice. I just hope I get one last chance to see the stars and hear their singing before... before I do what I have to do.

With a sigh, I gaze up at the thick treetops above my head before flopping back onto my back and continuing to stare up at them. I don't even know how to describe how I feel right now after everything that's happened in the past twenty-four hours. That fierce determination is still there, but there's something else too— well, a mixture of several kinds of something else, honestly. There's sadness left over from learning Meta Knight's fate if I fail, a kind of wistfulness and nostalgia brought on by the realization that I'm probably not going to survive this quest, and a whole lot of fear and intimidation caused by the knowledge that so much is riding on my success or failure in the coming battle. Whatever all is in there, it's certainly not a pleasant mixture of emotions to be feeling.

The night drags on, but I never manage to fall asleep— not that I should be anyway, since I'm the one who's keeping watch. I just keep staring up at the treetops as if they hold the answers I'm looking for, or some kind of promise that I won't fail Dreamland the one time I actually have the opportunity to do my homeland some good. Of course, they offer no such kind of reassurance, and so I spend the long night all alone, feeling empty, frightened, and sad, even if also determined.

Finally, dawn arrives— actually bringing some light with it, which is a welcome omen— and Meta Knight wakes up. Once he's up, I go over and gently shake the kids awake. They pop up and start running around, playing leapfrog, laughing, and generally enjoying life. The sight makes me smile inwardly for a moment, but it quickly passes. I can't take time to have fun and enjoy things; I need to be focused and ready for what's coming.

Meta Knight gives us all some bread and dried fruit from his supplies, and then comments that we have enough left for about a week if we're careful. I suggest going back to the castle to pick up more supplies, but he shakes his head. "This quest will be over in well less than a week. There's no need to slow ourselves down like that," he says.