NSFCD

Prologue: Two Years

Two years had passed since Mario freed the Mushroom Kingdom from Lord Shade's tyrannical grasp.  In two short years, the kingdom had been rebuilt to its former state.  With the help of Luigi, a book that described the battle between Mario and Shade in vivid detail was written.  It wasn't long before everyone owned at least one copy of the best-seller, and within a month everyone had it practically memorized.  Everyone had settled back into their new life of peace.  The only thing that was missing was the hero they had come to love.

Each night, after the sun vanished below the horizon, everyone in the kingdom would meet at Star Summit to gaze at the night sky.  Deep down, they hoped that they would see Mario descend from the sky to return to them.  It gave everyone comfort and made them feel closer to Mario.  Even after two years, they remained hopeful...

---

Mario is Missing (http://www.esnips.com/doc/3b298401-25dd-4ccb-bc4d-d9d6e917dbd0/Mario-is-Missing)

The sky was a dark blue shade, lit up with streaks of gold radiating from the shooting stars soaring overhead.  Luigi, Peach, and all of the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom sat on the soft, purple soil of Shooting Star Summit.  They stared longingly up at the sky, the same way as they had each day for the past two years.

"Come home, Bro!" Luigi screamed yearningly, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

Peach, her face damp with tears, gazed up at a shooting star that seemed to drift astray from the millions of others in the sky.  She watched as it collided with the mountainside less than a mile away.  "I wish that Mario would come back to us..."

Luigi nodded glumly.  "Nothing has happened since we last saw him.  Bowser hasn't even attacked."

"It's almost as if I want something bad to happen, just so he can save us again..." Peach sighed.  "If it meant seeing Mario again, I think I would even let myself be kidnapped."

Toadsworth's face reddened as he prepared to lecture them.  "Now, see here-"

"Just kidding," Peach interrupted sheepishly.  "I don't want to be captured at all.  I just want to see Mario again."

Toadsworth laughed uneasily.  "Yes, of course..."  He glanced at his watch.  "Your highness, I believe it is almost past your bedtime.  We should return to the castle.  It's very unhealthy for you to be staying up this late.  I think these late night visits to Star Summit need to stop.  A princess needs her rest, and studies say that wrinkles are three percent more likely to occur when-"

Peach yawned abruptly to attract Toadsworth's attention.  "I am getting pretty tired, Toadsworth.  Your lectures don't help, either.  But you are right about one thing; we should be heading back home.  Mario wouldn't want us to ruin our sleep schedule grieving for him."

Luigi waved goodbye to her as she and Toadsworth left.  "Goodnight, Peach!  Don't let the old crank keep you up all night!"  Most of the Toads working at Mushroom Castle left with them.  In less than an hour, Luigi was the only one left.  With one last look at a shooting star, Luigi turned to leave.  "I wish Bro would come back..."

---

The next day...

"What?  Are you sure?!" Glaive thundered angrily at the sky.  He had been walking through Forever Forest when Skulleon suddenly contacted him telepathically from the Overthere.

"I'm positive.  There's something going on with the barrier between your universe and the Nightmare Vault.  That's all we are really sure of right now.  Be on your best guard.  I'm sure we don't need to remind you of what the vault is, do I?"

"The Nightmare Vault..." Glaive sighed depressingly.  "This is going to be one heck of a ride."

---

Training (http://www.esnips.com/doc/6125b9ea-77a1-40cb-a99a-9b96d4238e80/Training)

"Keep it up, you three!" The Master demanded, his face bright red and covered with sweat.  "Put the pain out of your head and keep going!  Come on!"

Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi were working up a sweat as they continued their pushup routine.  Heavy cinderblocks were balanced on their backs as they put every last drop of their might into each and every pushup.  "Ninety!" Luigi announced hoarsely, sweat streaming down his face as his body quivered feverishly.  He slowly lowered his body until his chest brushed the ground.  His eye's bulged and his muscles tightened.  With every ounce of vigor he had, he lifted his body back up.  "Ninety one!"

"Imbecile!" The Master bellowed angrily, karate-chopping the cinderblock on Luigi's back to pieces.  He shoved his foot straight into Luigi's exposed chest, sending him flying up into the air.  He crashed into the ground with a THUD.  "You didn't go down all the way! Do you think you can just skip a pushup like that?!  Start over!"

"But you broke the cinderblock," Luigi protested wearily, unable to get up.

"Well then, you'll just have to use the cinderblocks I use for my personal training," The Master replied irritably.  He approached a closet at the front of the dojo and pulled out a golden cinderblock.  After studying it for a few seconds, he casually tossed it at Luigi.

"Wait a minute!" Luigi screamed as he leaped to his feet and caught the block.  Underestimating the weight of the block, he fell flat onto the ground.

"Oh, I forgot to mention that I use cinderblocks that weigh twice as much.  Sorry," The Master apologized with mock sympathy.  "What are you waiting for?  I want one hundred pushups!"

"We finished our pushups," Waluigi announced tauntingly, making sure he was loud enough for Luigi to hear him.

Luigi wept the sweat from his forehead and went back to doing pushups.  They'll see...  When Bro does come back, I'll be strong enough to fight at his side again.

---

[End Music]

Soon after, Wario and Waluigi finished their training and returned home.  Hours later, Luigi finished his exercises and retired for the day.  His arms throbbing, he returned home to his two nephews: Mario Jr. and Luigi Jr.  During Mario's absence, Luigi took full responsibility for watching his brother's children.

"Uncle Luigi!" the ten-year-old Mario Jr. greeted him.  "Another hard day at The Master's dojo?"

Luigi nodded jadedly.  "How was babysitting the little guy?"  He gestured toward the seven-year-old Luigi Jr.

Mario Jr. shrugged.  "He was okay, I guess.  We spent most of our time exploring the forest in our yard.  It's kind of creepy, but we had fun."

"Be careful when you're in Forever Forest," Luigi warned him.  "I can trust you, so I shouldn't have anything to worry about.  Just be careful."

"Okay," the brothers answered simultaneously.

"It's getting late.  I think we should be getting to bed," Luigi said with a yawn.  "I'm bushed."

"What about Star Summit?" Luigi Jr. inquired curiously.  "We always go there before we go to bed."

"Toadsworth says that it isn't good for Peach's health to be staying up so late, so we aren't going anymore," Luigi explained icily.  "I think he might have a point.  I need some sleep.  Let's hit the hay."

"Alright," they groaned in unison.

RING! RING!

Luigi jumped in surprise as the phone began to ring uncontrollably.  "Who would call at this hour?"  He picked up the phone and held it to his ear.  "Hello?"

"Luigi!" Peach whispered loudly from the other end.  "I need your help!"

"What's wrong?  Is it Bowser?" Luigi inquired angrily, his fists clenched.

"No, nothing like that.  Toadsworth won't let me go to Star Summit.  I was wondering if you'd help me sneak out."

Luigi grinned.  "I'll be right there."  He hung up and faced his two nephews.  "Are you two up for an adventure?"

Sneaking Around (http://www.esnips.com/doc/4336154b-d028-4981-aaa0-4cc931b4fb01/Sneaking-Around)

The three of them geared up and set off for Mushroom Castle.  They hopped through the pale green pipe that led to Toad Town, where they headed north toward their destination.  As they followed a path lit up by the moonlight, they saw the Mushroom Castle Gates towering above them.  "I'll sneak in and open up the gate," Luigi whispered.  He got a running start and leaped as high as he could, barely reaching the top of the gate. Grabbing onto the iron bars that held it together, Luigi hauled himself over the gate and to the other side.  He cautiously unhooked the latch holding the gates shut and gently pushed them open.

"Come on," Mario Jr. urged his little brother as he joined Luigi on the castle grounds.  As the three of them approached the front door, Luigi stopped them.

"Be quiet," Luigi hushed them.  "There are guards patrolling the area."  Sure enough, four guards walked up and down the path that led to the front entrance.  "We're going to need to try to find another way in.  Let's try the side of the castle."

They ducked under a row of bushes in the castle courtyard and made their way toward the eastern wall of the castle.  Luigi glanced upward and saw a window that revealed a lit room.  Someone was still awake.  He nudged the young siblings and gestured at the window.

"Hey, Luigi!" a voice called to him in a hushed tone.  "Up here!"  Luigi took a closer look at the window.  He saw Peach slowly climbing out of it and grabbing onto some thick vines growing on the side of the castle.  She carefully made her way down, testing each vine before she put her full weight on it.

"Be careful!" Luigi warned her in a soft voice.  He breathed a sigh of relief once she had made it to the ground.  "Isn't this a little risky?  Are you sure you should be sneaking out like this?"

Peach nodded.  "Don't worry about it.  I'll accept my punishment later."  Without another word, the four of them left for Star Summit.

Mario is Missing (http://www.esnips.com/doc/3b298401-25dd-4ccb-bc4d-d9d6e917dbd0/Mario-is-Missing)

They sat in Star Summit for hours, gazing up at the comforting night sky.  As shooting stars zoomed over their heads, their minds were filled with memories of Mario and his past adventures.  Mario Jr. yawned and turned to Luigi.  "Uncle Luigi, do you think Daddy will ever come back?"

Luigi put a hand on his shoulder.  "He'll be back."

"It's been two years," Peach sighed.  "What could Mario be doing?  If he was going to come back, shouldn't he have been here by now?"

Luigi shrugged.  "All I know is that he'll be back.  Right now, I'm sure that the only thing on his mind his finding a way back to us."

Suddenly, a flash of red light erupted from the sky.  Peach squinted at the origin of the light and saw a colossal red land mass out in the distance, millions of miles away in outer space.  "It's so beautiful...  This may sound funny, but its red glow kind of reminds me of Mario...  Please come back to us, Mario..."

---

Crimson's Theme (http://"http://www.esnips.com/doc/b9e8fca9-f6b1-4390-9cb6-878399efca2b/Crimsons-Theme")

Out in the depths of space, on that very planet that lit up the Mushroom Kingdom's sky, something very awry had happened.  Another burst of red lit up the cosmos.  This planet was no ordinary place.  In fact, this was the very planet where the Sol used to live in peace before Lord Shade had attacked.  The survivors had set up a small civilization, and their lives were beginning to return to normal, until its inhabitants were suddenly killed.

"Pathetic dogs.  None of these fools could have killed Lord Shade," a mysterious man spat in disgust as he walked past a pile of dead bodies.  He was about six feet tall with piercing red eyes that showed through a jet black veil that concealed his face.  He wore dark gray pants and had black armor with streaks of red on his lower legs, feet, hips, forearms, chest, and back.  A cloak with shades of black and violet draped down his back, and a sword was sheathed readily by his waist.  "What do you think, Hunter?"

A man that looked more humanlike stepped out of the shadows.  He was wearing what appeared to be dark blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a green jacket.  His brown hair hung down slightly over his gleaming emerald eyes, which closely matched the shade of his jacket.  A pistol hung at his waist, ready to be drawn.  His fair, unscarred skin made him look like an ordinary human male.  "I am unsure, Master Crimson," Hunter replied, his tone stoic and emotionless.  "Perhaps Mace didn't defeat Lord Shade as we had originally planned."

Crimson gently stroked his chin.  "Hmm...  Perhaps he was not the hero we were looking for.  Any insight, Lorne?"

Another human-looking warrior emerged.  His spiky hair was a snowy white, even though his face was young.  His sapphire eyes seemed to hold bitterness and hatred, yet at the same time they seemed dull and impassive, not afraid to take life.  He wore a bright blue vest and slightly torn jeans.  Icy blue earrings that matched his eyes and vest hung gently from his ears.  "Mace was weak.  Of course he wasn't the one.  Maybe it was Glaive who killed Lord Shade."

Under Crimson's mask, a wide grin had spread across his face.  "It's been twenty-four years since the day Anthony died.  They've finally found a replacement Hero, and I must find him!  Find out where Glaive is, and send someone there immediately!  Soon we will meet, Hero!  The Armageddon will soon be at hand!"  He burst into wicked, insane laughter.

---

Glaive's Theme (http://"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kFYvSrxSGw")

Glaive, Luigi, Peach, and the Wario Brothers sat comfortably in the dining hall of Mushroom Castle.  Earlier that day, Glaive had arrived to inform them of the message Skulleon had given him.  "He says that there's trouble going on at the barrier between the Nightmare Vault and this world.  It seems that the demons inside of the vault are tired of living there."

"What exactly is the Nightmare Vault?" Peach inquired with a worried expression, not a single bite in any of the food on her plate.  "I've never heard of it before."

Glaive grinned wryly.  "How ironic.  The Nightmare Vault is the place I used to call home.  It's the same kingdom cursed with the inability the see the light of day.  Long ago, before Lord Shade existed, the Universe, Underwhere, and Overthere were one giant kingdom.  Before this kingdom became civilized, there was a war for power between those who wanted purity to prevail, and those who wanted corruption.  People who supported corruption were labeled as demons, and others were called purists.  The demons weren't as bad as you might think, but their leader was selfish and power-hungry.  He was the one who dragged the other demons into war.  Zeus overcame the demons and took control, sealing the demons away in bubbles of darkness that were spread across the kingdom.  One example of these bubbles is the Soulless Realm.  They all lead down into one enormous territory known as the Nightmare Vault.  When the giant kingdom was split because of Shade, the bubbles were spread evenly across the Universe.

"Over the years, the demons split into two groups.  There were those who became bitter toward the beings living in the world of light, and spent their entire lives trying to escape from their prison to wreak havoc.  Others remained peaceful and knew that it was their tyrannical leader that was to blame, so they seceded from the empire and created their own organization bent on maintaining a peaceful relationship between the demons and the outside world.  They strive to find a solution to their eternity of darkness without violence.  I am one of those demons.  While searching for a way to lift the curse from the Nightmare Vault, I was recruited by Lord Shade.  You know what happened from there."

Luigi coughed up a mouthful of food.  "So these demons are going to come after us?!"  He clutched his throat and began to cough frantically.  He rolled along the floor, his face turning purple, as he struggled to swallow the food lodged in his throat.  At last, he cleared his throat and sheepishly returned to his seat.  "Ahem.  Go on."

Glaive nodded slowly.  "Yes, anyway.  The demons shouldn't be able to escape by themselves.  They are coming close, but they can't break the barrier in its entirety.  There are certain steps one would need to take to let the demons free.  Inoni and a few others are the only ones who have control over travel between the Nightmare Vault and this world.  Because of Lord Shade's connections with Inoni, he was able to visit and recruit me.  But with the method they are using now, the demons could never escape without some kind of outside help."

"That's good to hear.  As long as we don't go near the demons, they can't bother us," Peach stated, relieved.

Waluigi elbowed Wario.  "Are you getting any of this?"

Wario, who was engulfing food from across the table like a vacuum, simply shrugged.  "As long as I'm famous and get to crack some skulls, I'm good," he said with his mouth full, sending tiny bits of food in Waluigi's face.

Luigi breathed a sigh of relief.  "So the demons can't get out unless we helped them somehow, right?"

Glaive nodded.  "That's correct.  So just keep your eyes peeled for anything suspicious.  If someone like Bowser got the right kind of information, he could bring about the destruction of the entire universe."  He stared down at the ground.  And for some reason, I have the feeling that they are going to get involved in this.

"Not to change the subject," Luigi said casually, "but I just got an invitation to the new Smash Pit.  Since the Glitz Pit was damaged during Shade's invasion and the Smash Stadium hasn't been used for a while, the owners of the Glitz Pit bought the Smash Stadium and are setting up a tournament at what they call the 'Smash Pit'.  It's going to be a Smash Tournament for everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom to compete in!  Do any of you want to enter?"

"Sounds exciting!" Peach exclaimed.  "Of course I won't enter, but it'll be great to watch.  Maybe it'll bring some excitement to this boring old kingdom."

Wario jumped up from his seat.  "You think I'd pass up an opportunity for MORE fame?! Bwahahaha! Of course I'll enter!"

Waluigi shrugged.  "If he's in, I guess I have to go too."

"That's three of us!" Luigi cheered.  "What about you, Glaive?"

Glaive crossed his arms.  "Hmph.  I don't care for humans or their childish games.  There's no time for me to babysit masses of weaklings who think they're strong enough to challenge me.  Count me out."

"Wow, Glaive, I can't believe you'd really try to chicken out of this," Luigi chuckled.  "I love your little tough guy act.  'I don't care for humans!'  You crack me up!  You're just afraid that we might beat you!  Or worse, maybe you aren't ready to face Mario yet!  Maybe Mario will show up at the tournament, and you won't be able to win the championship!"

Glaive was not amused.  "If you value your life, you'll stop that right away.  You're a prime example of the kind of humans I despise.  However, you did raise one interesting point.  If Mario did enter this tournament, I'd be passing up a huge chance to beat him in front of millions of people.  I'll enter."

"Yeah, it worked!" Luigi cried with glee.  "Glaive's entering too!"

"When does this event take place?" Glaive inquired, clearly irritated by Luigi's childish attitude.

"It'll be in two weeks," Luigi replied cheerfully.  "Be there, or be square!"

Chapter 1: The Smash Pit

Luigi and his two nephews sat anxiously on a plush pink couch in the Mushroom Castle Library.  "I'm tired of waiting," Luigi complained.  "We all agreed that we'd meet here in two weeks for the tournament.  What's taking everyone so long?"

"Hey Luke, can you show me how good you can read?" Mario Jr. inquired to his little brother.  "I want to see how much you've learned in school."

"Luke?" Luigi parroted, puzzled.  "Who's Luke?"

"We were starting to get confused because our names are all too similar," Luigi Jr. replied.  "So we gave each other names that started with our first initial.  I'm Luke, and he's Mark.  Can you call us that from now on?"

Luigi sighed.  "I guess you're right.  I'll try to remember to call you two by your new names, but you should still be proud of your original names.  Especially you, Mark.  You have the same first name as Mario, and that's something special."

"Ready for the tourney?" Peach asked as she stepped into the room.  "Are the boys going to be fighting, too?"

Mark shook his head.  "Nah, I don't want to participate until I see my dad again.  I want him to give me some lessons before I fight in the tournament."

He doesn't even realize that he and Luke are as strong as Mario was when he fought with Bowser for the very first time, Luigi thought.  With enough hard work, they could become as strong as us by the time they finish school!

"I wish the Wario Brothers would show up," Luke groaned impatiently.  "We've been waiting forever."

Just then, the door to the library burst into tiny pieces as Wario rushed into the room.  "It's-a-me, WARIO!"  He danced across the room like a drunken ballerina, striking various poses.  At last, he leaped up into the air and came crashing down, causing the whole room to shake.  "Make room for the famous Wario Brothers!" he screamed as he executed one final pose.  Waluigi casually walked in and sat down.

"He still thinks he's famous," Waluigi whispered to Luigi, slightly embarrassed.

"What took you so long?" Luigi demanded, not impressed.  "We've been waiting for at least two hours!"

"The great and wonderful Wario Brothers are always fashionably late!" Wario responded as he pulled out an empty sack.  "Hey, is there anything worth stealing at this Arm Pit place?"

"Smash Pit," Peach corrected him.  "As for the stealing question, there's only one way to find out.  Let's head for the Smash Pit!"

"Where is it?" Wario asked eagerly.  "I'll bet that place is loaded with cash!"

Luigi pulled out the invitation and flipped it over to reveal a map of the Mushroom Kingdom.  "It's in Dry Dry Desert, which is east of Mushroom Fields.  It's a little bit of a walk from here, but it shouldn't be too bad."

---

Crimson's Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/b9e8fca9-f6b1-4390-9cb6-878399efca2b/Crimsons-Theme)

Inside of a space pod the size of a house, Crimson, Hunter, and Lorne wandered the depths of outer space.  Hunter approached Crimson and bowed.  "Master, I've located the source of Glaive's signal.  He is on a small planet known as Earth, and it would seem that he is closely linked to the death of Lord Shade."

Crimson flashed a wicked smile.  "Interesting.  Our Hero is somewhere on Earth, is he?  How perfect.  Not only have I been looking to return to that planet for years, but there also seems to be a distortion in the barrier between the Nightmare Vault and this dimension.  The distortion seems to be at its strongest on Planet Earth. Excellent."

"Are we really going to Earth?" Lorne asked, a gleam of hope in his eyes.

Crimson nodded.  "Unfortunately, I will not be joining you on your trip.  I need to know more about this Hero first. You two will be accompanying one of my 'special' agents.  There, you will be required to find out who killed Lord Shade and send me as much info on him as you can.  From there, I'll decide if he's ready for the Armageddon."

---

Dry Dry Desert (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ORHFMgrDJ0)

Dust and sand covered Peach, Luigi, Mark, Luke, and the Wario Brothers like a thick yellow blanket.  The scorching hot sand burned their feet, and ferocious winds constantly blew sand up and into everyone's faces.  Peach coughed up a mouthful of sand.  "Oh sure, 'It shouldn't be too bad.'  This isn't bad at all," Peach stated sarcastically, remembering Luigi's words from earlier.

"Don't blame me! I didn't know it would be this windy out!  At least it's better than some of the thing's we've been through to save you!" Luigi shot back.

Mark's eyes sparkled.  "There!  I see it!"  He pointed to a colossal stadium barely visible in the distance.  They raced toward it, eager to finally be free of the desert atmosphere.  Up close, they saw that the stadium had been remodeled.  A mammoth stone wall surrounded the innards of the arena.  Two guards stood firmly at the front gate.  Luigi showed them his invitation, and the six of them stepped inside.

Smash Pit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uODCCoZrdUU&feature=related) 

They emerged in an enormous, air-conditioned room.  Various souvenir shops occupied every corner of the room.  Hundreds of people swarmed the room, wildly purchasing a plethora of items they surely didn't need.  Luigi and the others slowly weaved through the crowd to the front of the room.  Above them was a balcony that held up a single door, which slowly creaked open as Jolene- the announcer and main sponsor behind the Smash Pit- stepped outside.

She held the microphone to her mouth.  "Hello, everyone!  Welcome to the Smash Pit!  Some of you may remember me from the Glitz Pit.  I'm sorry to say that it was damaged during the Shadow Shrowd invasion, but we've purchased the Smash Stadium and made it our own!  With our new location, we've also changed the layout of our fights a bit.  There's the classic setup from the Glitz Pit that's available year-round, but this is what we'd like to call a Smash Tournament.  It's a special event that we'll hold every few years, where anyone can enter and fight head-to-head in a sixteen-man tourney.  The winner will get a wonderful prize, as well as the chance to fight with the current champ of the Smash Pit.  If the challenger can win, he'll take the current champ's place as year-round champion of the Smash Pit!"

"Wow, we get a chance to fight Rawk Hawk if we win," Luigi breathed.  "That guy's everywhere!  I think I saw him on a cereal box once."

"Now, I'd like to get the brackets for the tourney set up," Jolene boomed over the microphone.  "Would our sixteen fighters please step forward?"  Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi walked to the head of the crowd.  "Here we have Luigi and the Wario Brothers!  They each fought bravely against Lord Shade to save our kingdom!"

Luigi squinted into the crowd.  "Where could Glaive be?"

Bowser's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-ApeT7K-Eg)

Screams of horror filled the room as Bowser stomped to the head of the crowd.  "Gwahahaha!  It's finally my turn to shine!  I'll win this pathetic tourney and become the new champ of the Smash Pit.  After that, everyone will forget about Mario and start cheering for me!"

"Oh no!" Jolene gasped dramatically.  "It looks like the Koopa King is entering the tourney as well!  With Mario's absence, will anyone be able to stop him?"

"Psh!  No way!" Bowser cackled.  "I'm gonna win this even if that cheeky plumber does show up!  Not that he will!  I'll bet he hasn't shown up because he's afraid of me!  I may have taken some serious beatings in the past, but this time will be different.  Lord Shade sent a wave of fear across this kingdom, and it's time I reminded everyone who they truly need to fear!"

"Stop talking," a voice commanded from the crowd.  "It makes you sound stupid."

"Who said that?!" Bowser roared angrily, whirling around to face the man who dared to challenge his authority.

Glaive's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kFYvSrxSGw)

There, at the center of the crowd, stood Glaive.  "You're no match for Mario.  Words of a weakling are hardly words at all."

Bowser stomped over to the warrior, his face red with rage.  "What do you know?!"

Glaive grinned.  "Hmph.  I know that you're no match for me, let alone Mario.  Talking trash about your enemies only makes you look like an idiot once they've been you.  Focus on your fighting skills first, and then you can say whatever you want."

"I'm going to wring your neck, you punk!" Bowser hissed through clenched teeth.  "Put up your dukes!"

"Um... Excuse me, but are you a contestant?" Jolene asked.

Glaive nodded.  "I am.  As for you, Koopa King, you should save your beating for the ring."  He joined Luigi and the Wario Bros. at the head of the crowd, leaving behind an infuriated Bowser.  "So, any word from Mario?"

Luigi shook his head.  "Nope.  But Mario once became champion of the Glitz Pit, so becoming the new champ is a big step toward beating him."

A man in a black robe that concealed his entire body stepped to the front of the room.  He wore a black mask that hid his entire face, and his robe's hood was pulled up to cover the rest of his head.  "I will also be taking part in the tournament."

"Who's the creepy dude?" Luigi shrieked.  "He doesn't look very friendly."

Jolene pulled her glasses up and squinted at the mysterious man.  "May I have your name, sir?"

"Anonymous," the man replied gruffly.  He turned around and vanished in the crowd.

Glaive shrugged.  "Some people just don't enjoy the spotlight.  Though there was something strange about him.  He seems... familiar..."

A second man casually approached the front of the room.  He wore black pants and a dark grey t-shirt.  His black hair was slicked back, and his eyes seemed empty and emotionless.  "My name is Steel.  I'll be participating as well."

"Those were the final seven spots, folks!  Our sixteen fighters have been selected!" Jolene announced.  "Our fierce competitors will be Yoshi, Donkey Kong, The Master, Chan, Lee, Bruiser, Petey Piranha, Ace, Rawk Hawk, Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, Glaive, Bowser, Anonymous, and Steel!  Please report to the locker rooms to prepare for the tourney.  We will begin in one hour."

Smash Pit Mystery (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ov3CCMBhc0)

Luigi shrugged.  "I guess we'd better get ready for our matches.  It looks like we might actually have some competition.  Anonymous and Steel look pretty suspicious, and there's always Bowser."

"I'm not worried about that fool," Glaive snickered.  "I hope I get an early match with him so I can put him in his place." 

"Please follow me," a tall, stoic security guard told them.  "I'll take you to the locker room."  Wario, Waluigi, Glaive, and Luigi followed him into a door at the edge of the room that led into a dim hallway.  They walked along the narrow corridor until they reached a small wooden door.  With a firm but friendly smile, the guard opened the door.  "This is the Minor League locker room.  It's not very nice or clean, but you can move to the Major League locker room if you make it to the next round."

"Thanks," Luigi replied glumly, holding his nose.  The guard turned and left, closing the door behind him.  "Geez, it smells awful in here."

"I don't smell anything," Wario replied, sniffing the air around him.  "It doesn't smell any different from my house."

"Hello there," a man dressed in black and white greeted them.  He wore a black top hat over his shaggy black hair and a pair of tinted sunglasses that hid his eyes.  He looked more like a magician than a fighter.  "My name is Ace.  I've heard a lot about you."

"Are you the one who's supposed to keep us entertained while we wait for the tournament to start?" Waluigi inquired with a wry grin.

"You're as funny as I've heard," Ace chuckled.  "I wanted to greet the ones who defeated Lord Shade.  That's quite an accomplishment.  I've come a long way to meet the one called Mario."

"Mario isn't here," Luigi stated grimly.  "He's been gone for two years."

Ace simply smiled and walked away.  Luigi shivered.  "Something's not right about him.  This tournament is attracting weirdoes from across the kingdom.  That guy might even be from another planet."

"Or another world," Glaive added vaguely.  "As soon as I saw his face, images of the Nightmare Vault started flowing into my head.  I don't know who he is, but this isn't the first time I've met him."

"This just keeps getting better and better," Waluigi groaned.  "I hope this doesn't turn into another life-or-death situation."

Luigi glanced around to see if he could find anything to get his mind off of the subject.  "Hey, it's The Master!"  He ran to his instructor, wildly flailing his arms.  "Hey! You decided to enter too?"

"Chan and Lee have entered as well," The Master informed him.  "It would seem everyone in my dojo has entered the tourney.  If one of us should win, my dojo will earn a lot of business."

Luigi nodded.  "I'll do my best."

DING, DONG!  THIS IS THE SMASH PIT'S AUTOMATED ANNOUNCING SYSTEM.  ALL FIGHTERS SHOULD NOW REPORT TO THE STADIUM.  SPECTATORS SHOULD FIND A SEAT IN THE ARENA TO WATCH THE FIRST ROUND.  WE HOPE YOU ARE ENJOYING YOUR STAY.

"That's our cue," Wario gasped.  "I can't wait for my first fight!  I'm gonna pound my first challenger into a pulp!"

---

Smash Pit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uODCCoZrdUU&feature=related)

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen!  Welcome to the Smash Pit!" Jolene shouted into the microphone.  "We have a great show for you today!  Before we show you the bracket, I'd like to take the time to explain the rules to our brave competitors.  First, I must say that this is a tournament created solely for recreation.  We don't want to see any sort of deaths, but I'm sure you're all aware of that!  As for the fights, the rules are simple.  The Smash Pit's arena has highly advanced technology that allows it to turn into all sorts of battlegrounds.  You are eliminated if you forfeit or if you are knocked out cold.  Unconsciousness will be determined if you do not get up within a reasonable amount of time.  Oh, and if the arena you are fighting in is floating above a void like your typical smash game, you are out if you fall out of the stadium.  Now, who's ready to get this started?"

A deafening roar erupted from the stands as the fans rowdily cheered.  The sixteen fighters stepped onto the sandy desert stadium.  Two security guards wheeled an enormous computer monitor into the room.  With the press of a button, the screen lit up with the tournament bracket.

"In the first match, we'll have Anonymous versus Petey Piranha. This will be followed by a brawl between The Master's students Chan and Lee.  Current Glitz Pit champion, Rawk Hawk, will face off against the mysterious Ace in the third round!  Next up, Glaive and the notorious Bowser will lock horns!  The buffed up, muscle maniac known as Bruiser will be squaring down with the not-so-famous Luigi!  The stern, serious Master will then go up against the cute and adorable Yoshi!  After that, we'll decide who the better bro is in a battle between Wario and Waluigi!  Last but not least, the roguish Steel will clash with everyone's favorite ape, Donkey Kong!"

"He's my opponent?" Luigi scoffed, struggling to prevent himself from bursting into laughter.  "That's just a puffed up weakling!  And to think I was worried!  After fighting with Lord Shade, this guy's nothing.  I'm just glad I wasn't matched up with Glaive."

"It looks like I'll settle the score with Bowser sooner than I thought," Glaive chortled.  "Mario's only got enough time on his hand for one archrival, and that's me."

Back in the stands, Peach closely observed the tournament bracket.  "Oh no, Wario and Waluigi are going to have to fight each other!  That's not going to be pretty.  Not only that, but I don't even know three of the fighters.  In this entire kingdom, I know just about everyone.  Yet I'm drawing a blank for Steel, Ace, and of course Anonymous."

Petey Piranha let out an enormous howl, causing the whole stadium to shake.  "RAWR!!  RA RA RA RAWR!!"  The wild cheering in the crowd instantly stopped.

"Err... Thank you, Petey," Jolene said with a sheepish nod.  "Well, on that note, let's begin the first Smash Tournament to celebrate the defeat of Lord Shade!" Once again, the stands exploded with hysterical applause.  "First up is Anonymous versus Petey Piranha!  Would both contestants please make their way to the center of the arena?  The rest of the competitors should find a seat on the sidelines while they wait for their match." Luigi and the other fighters approached a dugout-like area at the edge of the stadium just below the stands.

Anonymous and Petey both stood in the center of the sand filled battle arena, which closely matched the theme of Dry Dry Desert.  "And now...  Let's try this arena out!" Jolene bellowed over the microphone.  She pulled out a remote control and began to fiddle with a series of buttons.  With one final click, the stadium began to rumble as trees and grass began to rise from the ground.  In seconds, the battlefield was filled with green vegetation.  A tall windmill stood in the background, with a lake at its base.  "We welcome these two to fight on Petey's home stage, Bianco Hills!  This is a peaceful place located on Isle Delfino, a tropical paradise where many tourists visit during the summer."

Petey instantly recognized the area and cried out in approval.  "RAWR!  RARA RAWR!"

Anonymous made a much less conspicuous entrance.  He simply stepped forward and clenched his fists.  "I'm ready whenever you are."

Jolene nodded.  "This is going to be interesting!  While we know nothing about Anonymous, we know that Petey is a Piranha Plant from Bianco Hills!  He often spent his days causing trouble there, until Mario put a stop to his evil deeds!  In this fight, the lake will be regarded as the only place out of bounds.  Use the rest of the environment as you wish."

Luigi was staring intently at Anonymous.  "Now we'll see if we have anything to worry about."

Jolene slowly raised one of her arms.  "AAAAAAAAANNNNND.............  BEGIN!"

Unknown Fighter Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4LXNB-MlqU&feature=related)

"RA RAWR! RAWR RA RA RAWR!" Petey shrieked as it charged at Anonymous, causing the entire stadium to quake.  As he came closer, he attempted to take a bite out of his prey.  Anonymous performed a back-flip that landed him directly on Petey's head.    He raised one arm up and sent it crashing into the Piranha Plant's head.  "RAWR!!"  Petey shook his head frantically, forcing Anonymous to land on solid ground.

"He's big and strong, but he's not very fast," Anonymous observed.  "This won't take long at all."

"Oh my!" Jolene exclaimed.  "Anonymous has claimed his victory, but does he really have the upper hand?  It looks as though Petey is planning to do something with that tree!"

Petey opened his mouth and clenched his teeth around a colossal palm tree.  With great effort, he uprooted the tree and flung it at his opponent.  As the tree soared above everyone's heads, Anonymous prepared to dodge it.  However, Petey opened his mouth once again.  With a few gurgles, the Piranha Plant spat out a mouthful of icky slime.  Focused on the approaching tree, Anonymous didn't notice the goo his plant-like foe had fired at him.

SPLAT

Just like that, Anonymous's feet were glued to the ground.  Jolene and the crowd gasped in horror.  "Oh no, folks!  It looks as though Anonymous is about to be crushed by that tree!  Unable to move, how can he defend himself?"

The tree drew closer and closer.  Everyone shielded their eyes in preparation for a gruesome defeat.  Anonymous smiled from within his mask and threw a single punch at the plummeting tree.

CRASH

Everyone opened their eyes, stunned.  Anonymous stood unharmed beside a pile of flaming chips of wood.  "What was that?  You can't be taking this seriously," he taunted.  He was surrounded with a red, flaming aura, and all of the slime that was restraining him quickly melted away.

"RAWR!  RAWR RA RA RA RAWR RA!" Petey howled with rage.  He sprinted at full speed toward his disguised opponent and once again attempted to bite him.  Instead of dodging this time, Anonymous countered.  He effortlessly ducked below Petey's attack and landed a direct punch on the Piranha Plant's exposed stomach.  "RAWR! RA... ra..."

THUD

Petey collapsed face-first into the soil.  Anonymous had won.

"And... The winner is... Anonymous!" Jolene announced, almost too shocked to believe it.

"Maybe I do have something to worry about," Luigi sighed.  "Those flames...  Where did he learn that kind of attack?  That punch he destroyed the tree with, and that aura he melted the goo with...  He's no ordinary fighter, is he?"

Chapter 2: Mario's True Rival

Smash Pit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uODCCoZrdUU&feature=related)

"That concludes the first match of the Smash Tournament!" Jolene boomed over the microphone.  "What a spectacular start to an epic tourney!  Up next, The Master's strongest student will be determined as Chan and Lee duke it out!  Would Petey and Anonymous move to the sidelines, please?"

As the two warriors stepped into the dugout, Luigi glared at Anonymous.  Who is this guy?  He defeated Petey without even breaking a sweat!

A Buzzy Beetle approached Luigi.  Black, braided hair hung down from his dark green shell.  "We will fight for the sake of The Master's dojo!  If one of us wins, we will bring many aspiring fighters to The Master's side!  Wish us luck, Luigi!" Chan shouted with dignity.  Though weaker than Luigi, his pride in The Master's dojo was unparalleled.

A blue Duplighost with a ponytail of blonde hair joined them.  "It's time to see what you've learned," Lee informed him.  "If you can beat me, I'll let you take my place as The Master's best student."

Lee jumped with excitement.  "Really?  Let's get started, then!  Master, I won't let you down!"

"These two are the star pupils of The Master!  First, there's Chan!  He's the younger of the two, but he packs a wallop!  Defeat him in the dojo and you'll earn the First-Degree Card.  Next we have Lee!  He's an expert fighter who ranks just above Chan in the dojo.  Winning against him earns you the Second-Degree Card.  Who will come out on top?  Can Chan defeat a warrior that ranks above him?"

The crowd let out an earsplitting cry as Lee and Chan stepped into the center of the stage.  "Let's give The Master something to be proud of," Chan whispered to Lee.  They both nodded.

"This match will be taking place on Battlefield, a popular default stage used in Super Smash Brothers Brawl!" Jolene announced excitedly.  With the press of a few buttons, the center of the stage began to rise.  The rest of the arena began to deform and change into a rugged, green valley. Floating several yards above this valley was a rocky arena that appeared to be ruins from a previous temple.  Three grey platforms outlined in gold levitated just above this arena, ready to be jumped on at any time.  "And... Begin!"

Battlefield Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYSzh9tgoj8)

"I cannot lose!  I am The Master's star pupil!" Lee exclaimed as he rushed toward Chan.  He knocked the Buzzy Beetle upside down and onto the ground as he zoomed past him.  Unable to get up, Chan was completely vulnerable.  "The Master warned you about that weakness!  Just like an ordinary Koopa or Buzzy Beetle, you are helpless once flipped onto your shell!"

"Clearly you haven't been paying attention to my recent training sessions," Chan replied as he began to spin on his shell, creating a miniature tornado around him.  Now whirling around on his shell like a top, Chan launched himself at Lee.  Not prepared for such a maneuver, Lee was struck dead-on by the attack.  He tumbled backward and off the edge of the ring.  Using the momentum given to him by spinning around, Chan propelled himself into the air and landed on his feet.

"Brilliant!" The Master gasped from the sidelines.  "But Lee will not be defeated so easily."

"Did I win?" Chan wondered, too astonished to believe what had just happened.

"Not quite!" Lee retorted as he soared up into the air and landed in the arena.  "Did you already forget that I can fly just as any other Duplighost can?"

Chan pulled his head and limbs into his shell.  "It doesn't matter!  You can't beat this technique and you know it!"

"It is an interesting maneuver," Lee admitted.  "I think I'll borrow it!"  He was surrounded with a purple glow as pink sparks emitted from his body.  In a puff of gray smoke, Lee looked identical to Chan in every possible aspect.  He pulled his head, arms, and legs into his shell as well.

Both Chan and his doppelganger begin spinning furiously inside of their shells until they attained the same speed Chan had achieved earlier.  Mini tornadoes formed around both of them, and they rushed at each other at breakneck speeds.  The two of them collided, causing them to bounce backward a bit before smashing into one another yet again.  Like two battling tops, the fierce martial artists gave it everything they had.

"Outstanding," The Master breathed. "Those boys are doing fantastic."

Luigi squinted at the dueling Chans.  "I can't even tell who the real Chan is anymore!"

CRASH

In one final collision, one Chan was sent flying out of the arena.  The other Chan stopped spinning and stood firmly at the center of the stage.  The ring changed back to its Dry Dry Desert theme.  A victorious Chan stood beside a fallen one.

"Well... I'm not exactly sure who the winner or loser is.  It looks like Chan has won and lost," Jolene observed.

Smash Pit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uODCCoZrdUU&feature=related)

In a puff of gray smoke, the triumphant Chan became Lee once again.  Extending his hand to help the real Chan up, he looked back at The Master and smiled.  "You put up a great fight.  If you keep up your training, you'll beat me next time for sure.  You may not have won the rights to be the second best in the dojo, but you proved that you have become a worthy fighter."

"Lee is victorious!  After an intense battle, Lee will move on to the second round!" Jolene thundered over the microphone.  "I'm sure you've all been looking forward to this next fight!  The famous Rawk Hawk will go toe-to-toe with Ace!  Before we get this started, anyone that wants a bite to eat can now head to the cafeteria for food and refreshments. "

"Let's go," Wario urged.  "I'm starving!"

"Don't you want to see Rawk Hawk fight?" Luigi inquired.  "Or at least we can see what Ace is capable of."

"Wario is right," Glaive agreed.  "Watching all of these weaklings fight is making me hungry.  Besides, I already know the outcome of this fight."  He turned and exited into the main hallway of the stadium.

Luigi shrugged.  "If you say so..."  He followed Glaive to the cafeteria, the Wario Bros. trailing behind.

---

"It looks like we're the only ones who were hungry," Luigi stated glumly, taking a seat at an empty table.  "There's no one else here!  I knew we should've watched the fight!"

"What did you expect?  He is the current champ of the Glitz Pit, or what's left of it anyway.  His fans flock to him like sheep.  It's only natural that they'd all gather to watch him fight," Glaive explained.  "It's too bad.  The fans are going to be so disappointed..."

A blue Toad resembling a waiter scurried over to the table of four.  He was holding a tray that carried dozens of different beverages.    "Can I get you some Super Soda?  It'll give you a nice burst of energy for your next fight."

Wario snatched the tray from the server's hand.  He cracked open a can of soda and began wildly gulping it down.  After finishing his drink, he let out an enormous belch and handed the empty soda can to the waiter.  "Ah...  My mouth has been dry ever since we left that stupid desert."

"So you think Ace is gonna win?" Waluigi asked curiously, sipping his soda.  He glared at his impolite brother.

Glaive nodded.  "I haven't figured out who Ace is yet, but I know that Rawk Hawk is no match for him."

Smash Pit Mystery (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ov3CCMBhc0)

Suddenly, the room began to shake as a series of boos and hisses erupted through the stadium.  As they listened intently, they heard Jolene's voice echoing through the walls as she announced the winner of the match.  "It appears that Rawk Hawk has been defeated by some sort of magic trick!  The unexpected winner is Ace!"

"It looks like you were right," Luigi sighed.  "Now we have another fighter to worry about.  Anyone that can beat Rawk Hawk isn't exactly normal.  He may seem weak compared to us, but he's practically invincible when compared your average fighter."

"Why are all of these warriors coming to such a pathetic tournament?" Glaive wondered aloud.  "Surely they could find a place much more worthy of their skills.  I only entered this tourney because I thought Mario might show up.  What motives could these rogues possibly have?  Why this tournament?"

"Maybe because it's an easy win," Wario suggested.  "Not everyone fights to have a good time.  True warriors fight for fame and money!"

Glaive rolled his eyes.  "Yes, and we see how that's all turned out for you.  My point is that these fighters are after something.  They must be here for some particular reason.  Until we figure out that reason, all of our lives are in danger."

"This is just a tournament.  I don't think anyone is after blood," Luigi objected, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

"Think about it.  Lord Shade died only a few years ago.  His death occurred in this very kingdom.  Did he not have thousands of loyal followers?  It's no coincidence that combatants worthy of Shade have shown up in the very kingdom he died in.  And what better place to take revenge on the ones responsible for his death than in front of millions of people?"

"Glaive and Bowser, please report to the arena for the next round!"

"It seems as though I'm up next," Glaive declared eagerly.  "Let's forget about the mysterious fighters for now.   It's time to show that oversized Koopa how weak he really is."

"After Bowser, you'll be fighting Ace," Waluigi reminded him.

"That's if you win against Bowser," Wario added.  "Don't lose in the first round."

Glaive exited the room.  I don't intend to.

Bowser's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-ApeT7K-Eg)

"Here they are, folks!  Bowser, King of the Koopas, and Glaive, formerly known as the Demon of Flames, have both arrived!  It's time for the fourth match of the first round to begin!"

Bowser stomped to the center of the ring.  "You actually decided to show up?  I guess I have to give you credit.  You're pretty brave."

Glaive folded his arms.  "Do you honestly think you can beat me?  From what I heard, Mario used to trounce you all the time.  Back then, Mario was a weakling.  If he could beat you then, I can certainly defeat you now."

"Gwahahahaha!" Bowser cackled.  "What do you think I've been doing for the past two years?  I've worked day and night, trying to regain my rightful place as the most feared villain in the kingdom.  How do you think I felt after Lord Shade had the kingdom under his control in a matter of days?  I've been in seclusion for far too long, and now it's time for me to come out of hiding!  Tremble in fear, weaklings, because BOWSER HAS RETURNED!"

"Oh no!" Jolene gasped theatrically.  "It looks like Bowser has become even stronger!  But we can't count Glaive out!  From what we've seen today, unknown fighters are not to be taken lightly!  We haven't seen Glaive fight, though we've heard stories about his battles with Shade!  The only question is: Which of Mario's rivals will come out on top?"

CLICK

The desert-like stadium began to shake as sand flew up into the air.  To everyone's amazement, an ominous castle began to rise from under the sand.  The sky became a mixture of red and black shades, and a thunder storm began to brew overhead.  "It looks like this battle is going to be fought on Bowser' Castle!  It's going to be intense!  Ready... set... BEGIN!"

Bowser Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opbyoilwxgk&feature=related)

Bowser took a deep breath, and then exhaled an enormous ball of flames.  The blazing sphere launched itself directly at Glaive.  "Bwahahaha!  Let me know how it feels to be fried shrimp!" the Koopa King laughed.

Glaive sighed, drawing his sword.  "He must think I'm some kind of amateur."  As the flaming ball got close enough, Glaive swiftly slashed his blade at the oncoming projectile.  Bowser's blast stopped dead in its tracks and split into dozens of smaller balls of fire.  Glaive stabbed his sword into the ground, causing it to glow a bright red hue.  A powerful wind emitted from the blade, causing the miniature flame balls to reverse their direction toward Bowser.

"Intense!" Jolene boomed in awe.  "Glaive has reflected Bowser's flames back at him!  What will the Koopa King do now?"

"Not bad, but I won't be beaten by my own attack," Bowser stated coolly.  Inhaling more air, Bowser launched several more waves of fire at Glaive.  These blasts easily overcame the tiny flames Glaive had repelled.

"When will he learn?" Glaive asked himself as he sidestepped a handful of the blazing spheres.  Pulling his sword from the ground, the warrior began to dash at the source of the flames: Bowser!  Veering left and right to dodge Bowser's attacks, Glaive quickly made it to the Koopa King.  With one nimble jump, Glaive was soaring over Bowser's head with his blade raised.

Bowser pulled his head, arms, and legs into his shell.  "Not so fast!"  Now hanging helplessly in the air, Glaive had no other target to land on than the spikes of Bowser's shell.

"Clever," Glaive whispered, performing a front-flip to give him additional momentum.  Now tumbling past Bowser's shell, he landed safely on the ground.  He pulled back his sword, slowly building up his energy.  As he started to glow, he released a Smash Attack that sent Bowser soaring into the air.

"Oh my!  He's going up!" Jolene cried as the crowd gazed at the rapidly ascending Bowser.  "He's gonna fall!"

Unable to break his fall, Bowser slammed shell-first into the dirt outside of his own castle.  Badly bruised, the Koopa King pulled himself to his feet.  "I'm... not... going to lose..."

Glaive landed beside him, uninjured.  His eyes widened after seeing Bowser's determination.

Giga Bowser Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_VZo01MWYo&feature=related)

Bowser's eyes began to gleam with determination.  "I'm... not... going... to lose..."

Maybe there's more to him than I thought, Glaive wondered.  "Let's see what you've got."

The Koopa King was surrounded with a green aura as he began to grow.  The scales covering his arms and legs became a thick bronze color, and his claws became even larger. The green color on his shell became darker and more metallic as its spikes enlarged to over twice their original length.  Bowser's horns extended even farther above his head, and his hair grew a few shades darker.

"It looks like Bowser has transformed!" Jolene gasped.  "His anger and determination to win have given him the strength to morph into Giga Bowser without a Smash Orb!"

"Bwahahaha! How will you face me now?!" Bowser roared, now towering above Glaive.  He stepped forward, attempting to crush his foe.

Glaive agilely evaded the stomp, and dashed behind the oversized Koopa.  Hoping to catch Bowser off-guard, he slashed at his opponent's exposed tail.  Bowser whirled around and nailed him with his powerful tail, sending Glaive plummeting into the castle wall with a CRASH.  Realizing he had the upper hand, Bowser approached the severely injured Glaive with a devilish grin.

"He's gotten much stronger," Glaive told himself as he landed on solid ground.  As Bowser took a step toward him, he took a step back.  Feeling a sharp burn in his heel, Glaive quickly stepped forward.  Behind him was a pool of lava.  In front of him, the seemingly invincible Giga Bowser approached.  On either side of him was a tall stone wall that belonged to Bowser's Castle.  He was surrounded.

"This isn't going to pretty!" Jolene announced.  "Glaive has nowhere to go!  Will he be pummeled by Bowser, or will he cower into the lava and quickly end the match?"

"C'mon Glaive," Luigi mumbled.  "You can do this."

"Now we decide who Mario's true rival is!" Bowser sneered as he edged closer and closer to Glaive.

"Just my luck," Glaive moaned.  "I'll never hear the end of it if this fool beats me.  There's only one way I can make it out of this in one piece...  I'm only going to get one shot at this, so I'd better make it count."  He reached into his armor and pulled out a handful of shuriken.  Clutching them in his hand, he waited for the right moment.  "Here it goes!"

"What can you possibly be planning?" Bowser snarled, only a few steps away from reaching Glaive.

"Wait and see!" Glaive retorted, running straight at Bowser.  Abruptly, he turned and jumped into the wall.  Digging his foot into the wall, Glaive pushed himself off of it and into the wall on the opposite side.  He planted his foot into that wall, and launched himself several feet into the air.  Now above Bowser's head, he tossed his shuriken at the Koopa's exposed eyes.

"AAGGHH!" Bowser groaned in agony.  "My eyes!  I can't see!"

"Exactly," Glaive replied triumphantly.  "Now to finish this.  Hey Bowser, over here!"

Enraged, the blinded Bowser chased after the sound of his foe's voice.  "I'm going to crush you once I find you!  Come here, you little punk!"

Glaive sprinted directly at the pool of lava.  "You've almost got me!"  As he reached the lake of magma, he silently turned around and dashed through Bowser's legs.  Bowser, not hearing this swift move, continued to charge forward.

SPLASH

Just as Glaive had planned, Bowser fell into the pool of lava.  "NO!" Bowser screamed.  "How could I have lost?!"  In a blinding flash of light, Bowser disappeared in the lava.  The stadium shrank back into its desert form.  The crowd was silent.

Victory Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/00ccaa0e-2f0c-4cee-a425-76ac7a0e3bd7/Super-Mario-Bros.-6:-Lord-Shades-Defeat)

Suddenly, the stands burst with uncontrollable applause.  Jolene knew that this had been the most intense battle of the day.  "That's it, folks!  After a bone-breaking experience, Glaive has won the match!  Who wouldn't applaud after seeing such an incredible fight!  Let's hear it for these two!"

Bowser reappeared beside Glaive, this time in his normal state.  He sighed, disappointed.  "I can't believe I lost.  There goes my chance at fame."

Glaive put a hand on his shoulder.  "They're not just cheering for me.  They're cheering for both of us; for giving them what they came here for.  They wanted a good show, and that's exactly what they got.  For the first time since Mario beat Shade, I feel content.  I was wrong about you.  I thought you were just a blind fool who thought he was the strongest guy around.  It turns out that you're actually a decent fighter."

Bowser looked up, and his eyes sparkled.  "Uh... thanks.  You're not so bad yourself."

Glaive nodded.  "You've got a lot more potential than anyone gives you credit for.  Keep training the way you've been, and you'll become famous one day."  He extended his hand.  Bowser reached out and accepted it. 

Now back on his feet, Bowser grinned.  "So, this means you're Mario's new rival?"

Glaive turned and began to walk away.  "It looks like I was wrong.  Mario does have enough time for two rivals."

Smash Pit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uODCCoZrdUU&feature=related)

"That's what I call good sportsmanship!" Jolene shouted into the microphone.  "On that note, let's begin the fifth match!  In one corner of the ring, we have Luigi!  He's the younger sibling of Mario, and it seems that outstanding strength runs in their family!  Opposing him is Bruiser, a bulky bodybuilder who has earned a reputation for being a brutal warrior!  Who will come out on top?"

"Luigi obviously has this guy beat," Glaive observed.  "This guy reminds me of Rawk Hawk.  He's considerably strong, but nothing compared to us.  This should be over in seconds."

"Oh no!" Peach shrieked.  "That guy's huge!"

Jolene tucked her remote safely in her pocket.  "This match won't be held on any particular stage!  It will take place in the default stadium, where no one will have the advantage!"

Luigi calmly stepped into the center of the arena.  The stadium was merely an oval-shaped battlefield filled with sand and dirt.  He clenched his fists.  This guy shouldn't be a problem at all.

A bald, colossal Toad entered the ring.  His enormous muscles bulged out of his black sweat shorts and white, sleeveless shirt.  His face was curled into a wicked grin.  "Is this toothpick supposed to be my opponent?  This must be some kind of a joke!"

Luigi shrugged sarcastically.  "Who knows?  Maybe I'll put up a decent fight."

"Both fighters: BEGIN!"

Chapter 3: Sibling Showdown

Bruiser Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mll2EwvxnrM&feature=related)

Bruiser grinned eagerly as he cracked his knuckles.  "I hope you realize that I can snap you in half like a twig."

"Why don't you try and see what happens?" Luigi challenged, not in the least bit worried.  "I'm feeling lucky today."

"You won't feel so lucky when I'm through with you!" Bruiser screamed as he charged toward Luigi, his muscular arms extended toward the comparatively small plumber.  "I'm gonna wring your neck!"  He lunged at Luigi, hoping to grab him by the throat.

Luigi effortlessly sidestepped the enormous brute's grab and retaliated with a swift kick to his chest.  Too slow to dodge it, Bruiser clutched his wound as he staggered backward.  Luigi contemplated his next move.  I don't want to hurt him too badly.  I'd better end this quickly.  He may be strong, but I could really injure him if I'm not careful.

"Lucky shot!" Bruiser groaned, preparing to charge Luigi again.

"I told you," Glaive whispered to the Wario Brothers.  "Luigi is much stronger than that weakling."

As Bruiser angrily rushed at his opponent, Luigi ducked and extended his foot.  Bruiser passed right over him, tripping over his outstretched foot.  Luigi dove out of the way as Bruiser tumbled face-first into the ground, causing the entire stadium to shake.  The audience shielded their eyes just before bits of dirt and sand flew up and into their faces.

Smash Pit Mystery (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ov3CCMBhc0)

Jolene scurried over to the fallen Bruiser.  "Hmm...  It looks as though Bruiser is down for the count!  Luigi has won the match!  Will Yoshi and The Master please report to the center of the arena?"

Luigi held his head high as the crowd roared with applause.  Walking back to the stands, he noticed Wario, Waluigi, and Glaive sitting beside each other.  "Hey, what's up?"

"We've got trouble," Glaive sighed.  "Skulleon just contacted me.  He says that he's getting some powerful demon readings from this tournament.  One warrior even seems to have an energy signal identical to mine, meaning he must be from the Nightmare Vault.  If that's the case, we've got problems."

"Does he know if the barrier separating us from the Nightmare Vault is still up?"  Luigi inquired.  "If it's not, then we know where our problems are coming from."

Glaive shook his head.  "That's just it.  The wall keeping demons in the Nightmare Vault is still functioning normally.  A demon must have escaped through some other means.  That still leaves a few questions unanswered.  Why would a demon from the Nightmare Vault bother with this tournament?  It doesn't make sense!"

"Based on what we've heard, it seems like it would make more sense for a runaway demon to try and find a way to help his demon pals out of the Nightmare Vault.  Why would a demon waste his time here?" Waluigi pondered.

"Maybe he's after the reward you get for winning the tourney," Wario suggested.  "I know that's what I'm after."

"He might be on to something!" Luigi exclaimed.  "Did Jolene actually tell us what the winner of the tourney gets besides the champion spot in the Glitz Pit?  Surely there must be some other prize!"

"I think I read somewhere that she doesn't reveal what the true prize is until the second round.  It's kind of like a special award for getting past the first round," Waluigi explained.  "If the prize happened to be something that a demon would find useful, well..."

"Outstanding!  In one graceful maneuver, The Master has toppled Yoshi!" Jolene boomed with excitement.  "It's time for the seventh match of the first round!  Wario and Waluigi, please approach the stadium for your match!"

"That's us!" Wario shouted eagerly.  "I've been waiting for a good fight all day!"

"Are you sure you're really going to fight each other?" Luigi asked worriedly.  "What if you hurt each other?  Or maybe you'll damage your brotherly bonds?"

"Brotherly bonds?" Waluigi parroted.  "With this dope?  I consider our bond as babysitting.  All Wario does is eat, talk about money, and steal things.  Whenever someone gets in the way of him doing one of those things, he fights."

Luigi shrugged.  "Well then... Good luck, I guess."

"This should be interesting," Glaive observed as the two brothers walked away.  "I've wanted to know who the strongest bro was for a while.  After seeing them both die at Lord Shade's hands, I realized that they cared for each other a lot.  They may be too stubborn to admit it, but fighting each other is going to be hard for them."

Peach winced as the two brothers stepped into the center of the arena.  "I really don't want to see those boys fight."

"These two are the scandalous siblings known as the Wario Brothers!" Jolene announced.  "They may be crooks and thieves, but they also have a noble and courageous side to them as well.  Having fought and died against Lord Shade, these two have proved themselves to be proud heroes of this kingdom.  And for those of you who haven't been keeping score, the Star Rod was able to bring these two back to life after their battle with Shade.  Now they've returned to the battlefield.  Only this time, they're fighting against each other!"

"Wahahaha! Look at all of my adoring fans!" Wario bellowed as he bowed down before the crowd.

"Your adoring fans?  I think they're obviously rooting for me," Waluigi sneered.  "After all, I am skinnier."

"This is all muscle!" Wario growled, flexing his arms.  "You're nothing but skin and bones."

"It looks like these two are ready to begin the match!" Jolene cried with excitement.  "Let's see what stage they'll be fighting on."  The ground began to quake as an elevator made up of several blue and pink blocks emerged from under the Wario Bros.  They spotted four platforms floating above it- two pink and two yellow.  A grey, laboratory-like area appeared in the background, featuring a hand-drawn plant and a door with a pig's face on it.  "The battle will take place on Wario's turf: WarioWare, Inc.!  Let the sibling showdown begin!"

Battle of the Brothers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xthwg0yDACk&feature=related)

Wario began the bout by tossing a handful of yellow Fireballs at his brother.  Waluigi leaped up onto a pink platform to dodge the blasts, causing Wario to angrily chase after him.  As the overweight Wario climbed onto the ledge his brother was on, Waluigi jumped to a new one.  "That 'muscle' sure is slowing you down!" Waluigi taunted from across the arena.

Wario took a few steps backward before running full speed at the edge of his platform.  With one powerful leap, he launched himself into the air and toward his brother.  Before Waluigi could dodge, Wario tackled him to the ground.  They rolled around on the ledge, exchanging blow and uttering insults.

"It looks like they're at each other's throats already!" Jolene cried.  "This one isn't going to be pretty, folks!"

Suddenly, the door in the background opened.  "Stay dry!" flashed above their heads as the room became dark.  Rain began to pour from the sky, and a tiny umbrella floated ominously above their heads.  They stopped attacking each other at once and took shelter under the umbrella.

Jolene gazed at the sudden storm.  "Amazing!  Originating from the WarioWare series, this stage sucks its players into occasional micro games that can turn the tide of the fight!"

"There's only enough room under here for one of us!" Wario groaned as he shoved Waluigi out of the umbrella's protection.

"You'll pay for that!" Waluigi howled, now soaking wet with rain.  He rushed under the umbrella and punched his brother in the chest.  As he prepared to pummel Wario, the stage returned to normal.  A red circle surrounded Wario, while a blue X stamped itself on Waluigi.

"Uh oh!" Jolene gasped.  "Waluigi got wet, so he lost the micro game!  Wario managed to stay dry!  What prize will he receive?"

"Yeah!  Bwahahaha!" Wario cackled as his size doubled.  "You know the rules.  You get a reward if you win the micro game, but you got wet.  Too bad!"  The gigantic Wario picked up his tiny brother and tossed him into the air.  "Since you're my brother, I'll go easy on you.  I'll send you out of the ring instead of beating on you until you can't fight!"

Jolene squinted at the tiny purple dot in the sky.  "Waluigi seems to be falling downward and straight into one of Wario's attacks!  Unless he can find a way to counter, Waluigi is done for!  What will he do?"

As Waluigi soared through the air, he began to charge up two Fireballs.  "I'm not calling it quits just yet!"  Just before he collided with Wario's colossal fists, Waluigi set his brother's face ablaze with two Super Fireballs.

"AHH!  MY BEAUTIFUL FACE!" Wario screamed in agony, clutching his flaming face.  Waluigi landed safely beside him.  After repeatedly patting his face, the inferno on Wario's head finally died away.  Before he could take revenge on Waluigi, he shrunk back down to his normal size.  Enraged, he charged at his brother with his fists raised.  He leapt at Waluigi, his arms outstretched and prepared to tackle him to the ground.

Waluigi gritted his teeth.  "Not again!"  He sidestepped his brother, who tumbled forward and off the edge of the arena.  "Did he really just do that?  What at idiot!"  He peaked over the edge of the stadium, only to see a fist flying toward him.

THWACK

Waluigi flew onto his back as Wario climbed back onto the stage.  "You're not getting rid of me that easily," Wario declared.

"It's intense!" Jolene yelped in suspense.  "Both fighters are giving it everything they've got!  This is truly a fight to remember!  Who's going to back down first?  Who's the better bro?  I don't know about you, but I can't wait to find out!"

Peach shielded her eyes.  "It's too horrible!  I can't watch!"

"Putting them in the ring together wasn't the best idea," Luigi sighed.  "They're going to fight each other until they're both dead.  Their pride prevents either of them from giving up.  Neither of them wants to live knowing that they lost to their own brother, but one of them has to.  Who's going to pull through? They've both proved to be stubborn in the past."

Wario Brothers' Final Stand (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nrC-9F6-tQ&feature=related)

The two brothers punched, kicked, and smashed each other with everything they had.  Both of them were badly bruised and severely injured, but their pride was still unscathed.  The true pain would come when the winner was decided.

"I'm not losing to you!" Wario sneered as he delivered a bone-breaking punch to his brother's chest.  Waluigi staggered backward in pain for a moment before retaliating with a roundhouse-kick to Wario's head.  They both stumbled backward, both of them breathing heavily.  A slight grin could be detected on each of their faces.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Waluigi inquired with a smirk.  As they prepared to charge at each other again, the door behind them opened again and the background became white.  A sitting marble statue appeared, and the words, "Don't move!" flashed brightly above their heads.  The two brothers instantly froze.

"It looks like another micro game, folks!  Neither brother can move, so they are locked in an intense standoff!"

If I move, he'll power up again and beat me, Waluigi thought.  I'd better stand still and win the micro game.

"What's wrong?" Wario snarled.  "Are you too scared to move?"  Ignoring the micro game's instructions, he sprinted at his brother and landed a right hook straight across his face.  Waluigi groaned in pain, but he did not move.  Wario realized that his brother had no intentions of losing the micro game and began to mercilessly pound on him.  Waluigi stood his ground.  "Fight back, wimp!"

In a flash of light, the stadium returned to normal.  Waluigi was surrounded with a red circle, and Wario was stamped with a blue X.  For winning the micro game, Waluigi began to sparkle with a brilliant radiance as he gained temporary invincibility.  He vengefully rushed at his brother and tackled him to the ground.  Wario struggled to fight back, but his blows had no effect on the invincible Waluigi.

"Wario is receiving the beating of his life!  Is this the end?  Has Waluigi's determination finally paid off?"

"It's horrible!" Peach shrieked.  "This has to stop!"

As Waluigi prepared to deliver the final blow, the stage lit up with a splendiferous light.  "Look out!" flashed in the background as the brothers were engulfed in an enormous shadow.  Waluigi's invincibility wore off, and Wario quickly rolled out of the shadow.  Too stunned to react, Waluigi stood there as a massive foot fell from out of nowhere and pounded him into the ground.  A red circle appeared on Wario's body, whereas an X materialized on the buried Waluigi.

In a quick burst of light, all of Wario's wounds vanished.  Waluigi remained stuck in the ground, unable to move.  Wario quickly sprang to his feet.  He reared his fist back, charging up for one final punch.  As his fist began to glow, he released a fully charged smash attack that sent his brother up from the ground and out of the arena.  The match was over.

Victory (http://www.esnips.com/doc/00ccaa0e-2f0c-4cee-a425-76ac7a0e3bd7/Super-Mario-Bros.-6:-Lord-Shades-Defeat)

"It looks like it's finally over!" Jolene announced.  "Wario is the winner!  After an epic showdown between these two brothers, the victor has been decided!  Let's give these two champions a hand!"

The crowd went wild as the stage returned to normal, and the two brothers appeared beside Jolene.  Their injuries had vanished as if there had never been a fight in the first place.  Waluigi sighed.  "It looks like you beat me.  Nice job."

Wario firmly shook his brother's hand.  "Look at how happy everyone is.  This was definitely the best match of the day.  What else could you expect from the legendary Wario Brothers?"

"It looks like everything turned out okay.  They even put up a better show than you did," Luigi said to Glaive with a wry grin.

Glaive shrugged.  "I could care less if my match wasn't the most exciting.  All that matters to me is that I win the championship."

Wario and Waluigi approached them.  "How'd we do?" Waluigi asked with a smirk.

Smash Pit Mystery (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ov3CCMBhc0)

"Steel and Donkey Kong, please report to the stadium for your match," Jolene requested.

Luigi glanced at Glaive, who had begun to breathe heavily.  "Glaive, what's wrong?  Are you okay?"

"Be quiet," Glaive urged him.  He glared at Steel as he walked past them and into the arena.  "Steel is about to fight.  There's definitely something wrong about him.  I can't explain it, but something about his presence gives me this awful feeling in my gut.  I've never felt anything like it before."

Luigi gasped.  "Is he really that strong?"

Glaive shook his head.  "That's not it.  I'm not sure if he's all that powerful.  It's the aura he's emitting.  I've never felt such darkness since Lord Shade.  He's filled with pure evil and hatred.  Behind those cold black eyes is a desire to kill and a thirst for blood."

"Why'd you have to tell me that?" Luigi yelped.  "I might end up fighting him!"

"Nah!  You'll never fight that chump!" Wario laughed hardily.  "He's going up against DK.  If he manages to win, he'll be up against ME!"

As Steel and DK met in the center of the ring, the crowd roared with anticipation.  Steel turned around.  Luigi shrieked.  Steel was staring directly into his eyes.  He tried to move or say something, but he was frozen.  He tried to break away from Steel's gaze.  He couldn't budge.  Steel grinned slightly and turned to face Donkey Kong.

"It looks like our two warriors are ready to duke it out!  It's the final match of the first round, so this is their last chance to nab a spot in the second round.  There's only room for one more competitor, but who will it be?  It's time to set the stage for this exciting match!"  With the press of a button, the stage began to morph into a jungle setting.  The arena soon became thick with trees, grass, and vegetation.  "Here it is!  DK Jungle! Without further delay, we bring you the eighth match of the Smash Tournament!  Donkey Kong and Steel, you may begin!"

Unknown Fighter Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4LXNB-MlqU&feature=related)

"Sorry, delicate creature.  I'm going to have to send you back to the jungle, where you belong," Steel informed DK, clenching his fists.  "Hairy apes don't belong in the ring."

"Why you..." Donkey Kong muttered, struggling to control his anger.  "That's it!  You don't know who you're dealing with!"

"Wow, it talks," Steel gasped in mock surprise.  "Maybe you're not as dumb as I thought."

Enraged, DK rushed at his opponent.  He swung his right fist around in circles, gathering energy for an enormous punch.  A strong gust of wind rushed across the arena as DK released his punch, just barely missing Steel's face.  Steel ducked under DK's attack and retaliated with a powerful uppercut to the ape's gut.  Donkey Kong fell to the ground, trying to catch his breath.

"Weakling," Steel hissed, clearly not impressed.  Not giving the ape time to recover, he kicked DK up into the air, grabbed him by the leg, and slammed him back down into the ground.  He extended his palm toward the grounded ape and released a flurry of silver balls of fire.  Too injured to move, DK was hit by every single one of his opponent's blasts.  Smoke and ash billowed up into the air, preventing the crowd from seeing the battle.

"It appears that Steel is winning, but his latest attack has prevented us from seeing the action," Jolene observed.

"Donkey Kong doesn't stand a chance!" Luigi screamed.  "We have to help him!"  He sprinted towards the entrance to the arena, but Glaive grabbed his arm.

"No!  Stay here!" Glaive demanded, violently throwing him to the ground.  "If you jump into the fight now, it will no longer be a one-on-one fight!  If the other two fighters we aren't sure about are allies of Steel, they wouldn't hesitate to jump in as well!  It would be an all-out brawl, and we don't want any unnecessary deaths!  Let's keep it simple.  He can't kill DK, so let's wait for the fight to end.  We have to stick to these one-on-one battles if we want to beat these guys!  You can have your revenge when you fight him yourself!"

Luigi brushed himself off and went back into the dugout.  "I'm sorry.  It's just that...  Steel is giving off these bad vibes, and I don't want to see him hurt DK."

The smoke in the arena cleared, revealing a badly beaten DK. Standing uninjured beside him was Steel, who bent down to pick his opponent up by the throat.  "The match is over!  Steel has won!  Now put DK down before you kill him!" Jolene commanded him.

Steel only grinned.  "No, I don't think this match is over yet."  His grip on DK's throat tightened, causing the ape to cry out in agony.

"Let him go!  You've already won!" Jolene shrieked.  "Do you want to be disqualified?  Put him down, NOW!"

Steel held him up even higher.  "Hmm...  I'm not sure if I'm ready to stop fighting yet...  I think I should kill him first."

Jolene's mind was racing.  He's not listening.  I can disqualify him, but DK will still die!  I don't want to lose a fighter in my arena!

Steel began to laugh uncontrollably.  "Stupid ape!  You should have stayed in your silly jungle!"  The crowd shielded their eyes.  This wouldn't be pretty.

"STEEL!" Glaive thundered from the stands.  "Is it worth being disqualified?!  You want to fight with us, right?!  Kill him now, and that's all done with!  You're after us, not him!  He isn't worth killing!"

Steel's grin widened.  "Hmph.  I guess so."  He tossed Donkey Kong into the stands.  A team of medics arrived and quickly placed DK on a stretcher.  They marched off toward an ambulance at the stadium's exit.  Steel glared at Luigi once again, causing Luigi to take a step backward.  "Fool, you have no idea what I'm after."

"We were right," Luigi whispered.  "Whoever he is, he's definitely after us."

Smash Pit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uODCCoZrdUU&feature=related)

Jolene began to quake feverishly.  The crowd had become silent.  "And... that's the first round, folks.  Uh... Just for the record, that was all staged!  Yeah!  We had that planned from the beginning!  Dramatic, huh?"  The speechless crowd quickly exploded with applause.  Jolene breathed a sigh of relief.  I hope Mario's friends can take care of that guy.  If he pulls another stunt like that, we're in trouble.  "Now that the first round has ended, the second round will begin in one hour!  Would all competitors report to the Minor League locker room?  There are security guards waiting to escort the victors to the Major League room."

great work bud

Chapter 4: Eyes on the Prize

Smash Pit Mystery (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ov3CCMBhc0)

Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, and Glaive sat beside each other in the corner of the Minor League locker room.  "I hope we get into the Major League locker room soon," Luigi groaned, grimacing at the room's unkempt décor.  The pale, gray walls were covered with craters, holes, and dents that made it seem like the room itself had once been an arena.  In the center of the room was a single coffee table that slumped into the cold, stone floor due to it missing two of its legs.  A rugged, uncomfortable cot remained unused at the far end of the locker room.

"Get over it.  We have more important things to worry about," Glaive reminded him sternly.  He glanced at Steel, who was lying on the floor with his eyes closed.  He didn't seem the least bit nervous.  "Who are these guys?  We definitely need to watch out for Steel, but what about Anonymous and Ace?  For all we know, they could be just as dangerous."

Luigi whirled around as a chill ran down his spine.  "Who's there?"  Not a single soul in the room looked up.  They hadn't even acknowledged his sudden fear.  "I could've sworn someone was staring right at me.  I don't know how much longer I can handle this kind of suspense."

"Well, at least we'll find out what the winner gets," Waluigi informed them.  "Jolene is going to tell us, remember?  Just as long as the prize isn't something dangerous, we'll be fine."

The door slowly swung open as a tall, stoic security guard stepped in.  "I'm here to escort all of the victors to the Major League locker room.  Please come with me if you are one of the eight competitors that are in the second round."  Without even waiting, he turned around and left.  The winners quickly darted after him, all except for Ace, Steel, and Anonymous.  The three of them took their time.

The eight warriors followed the security guard down the long corridor that circled the perimeter of the arena.  "Those three sure aren't in any kind of rush, are they?" Luigi whispered to Glaive. 

Several yards behind them, Steel grinned.  He should be thankful.  If I had wished it, he'd be dead by now.  But my revenge will be far more agonizing than a quick death.

Abruptly, the guard stopped beside a clean, silver door.  "Here it is.  This is the Major League locker room.  You'll be staying here for the remainder of the tournament.  Jolene will be here in a few minutes.  Until then, you can relax."  He opened the door.  Following the security guard's friendly gesture, the eight contestants stepped inside.  "Make yourself at home."  He turned and left, shutting the door behind him.

Luigi flipped the light switch on, revealing that this locker room was much more luxurious than the last.  The immaculate, white walls were freshly painted, and the shining red lockers were all in perfect condition.  The red and white checkered floor matched the color contrast of the lockers and the wall, giving the room an overall lavish look.  The plush bed in the corner of the room was twice as large as the previous one, and it appeared to be far more comfortable.

"Not bad," Glaive stated lightly, breaking the silence.  "I've spent the last two years living outdoors, so it's definitely a refreshing change."

"It looks great!" Luigi exclaimed.  "It almost reminds me of Mushroom Castle.  This is what all locker rooms should look like!"

Waluigi shrugged.  "It's almost as nice as our place.  What do you think, Wario?"  He turned to where his brother was standing only moments ago.  He was nowhere to be found.  "Where'd he go?"

"Over there," Luigi groaned, pointing to the bed.  In the corner of the room, lying sprawled on the luxurious bed, Wario was sleeping.  "Well, I guess he's making himself at home."

Waluigi rolled his eyes.  There's someone out to get us and he's taking a nap.  Typical.

The Prize (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOOG_LXeHhY)

"Hey, how's it going everyone?" Jolene asked as she walked briskly into the room.  "I've got to hand it to you guys.  Ever since I took charge of the Glitz Pit, I've never seen so many intense battles packed into such a short amount of time.  And that was only the first round!  I'm expecting great things from all of you!"

"Aw, it was nothing," Luigi replied humbly.  "Jolene, is it true that you once knew my brother?"

Jolene nodded.  "It is.  It's actually a very interesting story.  You see, the Glitz Pit existed long before this fighting arena was made.  Its fighters each had a rank, and one could challenge a fighter that ranks above him at any time.  If he won, he could move up a rank, while the other would move down.  In this way, everyone competed to claim the number one spot.  In fact, my brother once became the champion.  One day, he mysteriously disappeared.  At the time, a twisted man named Grubba was in charge of the Glitz Pit.  He secretly used the power of a Crystal Star to power a machine that sucked the life out of the pit's strongest fighters, feeding Grubba's strength and keeping him alive forever.  My brother suffered that awful fate...

"I was suspicious when I heard the news that my bro vanished, so I became Grubba's secretary.  In secret, I studied Grubba and found out his demented scheme.  Searching for the Crystal Stars, Mario stumbled into the pit and saw the new champ, Rawk Hawk, and his championship belt.  On this belt was a fake Crystal Star.  Unaware that it wasn't genuine, Mario fought his way to the top of the ranks in order to obtain it, but he eventually discovered the star was a fake and that the real one was still around somewhere.  Anonymously, I guided Mario around the hidden areas of the pit and led him to discover the truth about Grubba.

"Once Mario found out, he defeated Grubba and nabbed the real Crystal Star.  I was finally reunited with my brother, and I took control of the Glitz Pit.  Insisting on continuing his journey, Mario left the Glitz Pit to rescue the world once again.  I'll never forget how Mario changed all of our lives.  He is a true hero.  One day, I know he'll return to us."

"Interesting.  It seems as though Mario is quite the savior," Steel sneered.  "If only he were here...  Too bad I have to settle for his coward brother and weakling friends."

Jolene pushed up her glasses before speaking.  "You seem to enjoy causing mischief.  That stunt you pulled in the ring was unacceptable.  If you want to stay in this tourney, you'll have to follow the rules.  No killing allowed."

"Okaaaaaaay," Steel agreed sarcastically.  "No killing."

Jolene nodded.  "Good.  Now, let's get down to business."

A wicked grin spread across Steel's face.  I said I wouldn't kill them.  I didn't say anything about annihilating them.

"Okay," Jolene began.  "Some of you may know that I reward everyone that makes it to the second round.  I grant you all the honor of seeing the real prize you get for winning the tournament.  It's something far more spectacular than anything you can imagine!  It's an object that can surpass even your wildest dreams!  Ready to hear what it is?!"

Luigi gulped.  Please don't be something dangerous.

Jolene took a deep breath.  "The reward you will receive for winning the Mushroom Kingdom Smash Tournament is the great, wonderful, almighty, spectacular, stunning, magnificent, extravagant, glorious, fabulous, amazing, fantastic, outstanding, extraordinary, dazzling, stupendous, marvelous, splendid, Star Rod!"

Smash Pit Mystery (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ov3CCMBhc0)

"Just as I thought," Steel snarled with an evil glint in his eye.  "This is all working out perfectly.  No one can stop us now."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Luigi exploded.  "You can't just give away the Star Rod!  Do you have any idea what could happen if it fell into the wrong hands?!"

"We're not actually giving anyone the Star Rod.  The winner gets to grant himself a single wish with the Star Rod.  Then we have to return it to Star Haven," Jolene explained.  "We can't just give away one of the kingdom's most treasured relics."

"What if it gets stolen?!" Luigi persisted.  "What if the winner doesn't give it back after he makes his wish?!"

Jolene shook her head emphatically.  "That could never happen.  This stadium will have triple the normal security and only our top guards will be on duty.  A single warrior could never take on so many men, no matter how powerful he may be!"

Their arrogance is matched only by their stupidity, Steel thought with a smirk.  This is going to be even easier than I thought it would be.

"You're right," Glaive told Luigi.  "A demon from the Nightmare Vault could kill an army of humans with the power of the Star Rod.  But if we're standing guard, we might have a chance.  Besides, it's not like anyone is going to believe that there are people with that kind of power.  We'll just have to play by the rules.  All we need to do is make sure one of us wins."

Luigi nodded hesitantly.  "I guess so..."

"Well, the matches are going to begin in five minutes," Jolene informed them.  "Do whatever you need to prepare, and then the fights will begin."

Steel turned away to conceal his laughter.  Five years couldn't prepare those fools for what we have in store for them.

---

Smash Pit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uODCCoZrdUU&feature=related)

"Welcome, everyone!" Jolene boomed over the microphone.  "Are you all ready for the second round?"  The crowd responded with an earsplitting roar of anticipation.  "Good!  After the suspenseful first round, eight victors have been decided to advance to the second round!  In the first match, we'll have Anonymous and Lee square off!  Second, the mysterious fighters Ace and Glaive will face each other down!  Next, it'll be teacher vs. pupil in a duel between Luigi and The Master!  Wrapping up the second round, there'll be a showdown between the greedy Wario and the blood-thirsty Steel!  Now that we're ready to begin, would our first two fighters please step forward?"

In the sidelines, Lee prepared for the fight of his life.  "This guy did pretty well in the first round.  I'd best not let my guard down," he told himself.

"Be careful," Luigi warned him.  "Anonymous defeated Petey Piranha without even trying.  He'll be a tough opponent to beat."

"He's right.  Anonymous fights with pinpoint accuracy and perfect form," The Master agreed.  "Whoever he is, he must have spent quite a while polishing his skills.  You couldn't tell during his battle with Petey, but he had complete control over how much power he was using.  He used just enough to be stronger than Petey while still keeping his true strength a secret.  Not a single drop of energy in that battle was wasted.  His knowledge of energy conservation is astounding."

"I'll do my best," Lee said confidently.  "I won't lose without putting up a good fight."

I hope Anonymous won't be as ruthless as Steel was, Luigi thought.

Lee and Anonymous met at the center of the arena.  "Looks at these two!" Jolene exclaimed excitedly.  "I'd say they're both ready for action!  Lee is the star Duplighost of The Master's dojo, and he certainly knows how to fight!  On the other hand, Anonymous has proved to us all that anonymity isn't just for hiding a warrior's shame!  Which of these warriors will move to the semifinal round?"  Jolene prepared to press a button on her remote, but then hesitated.  Hmm...  The batteries are running low.  I'd better save this for the next fight. Then I can recharge it during the brief intermission before the second half of the round.  "Due to some technical difficulties, this battle will take place in the default arena!"

Lee glanced around the oval-shaped, sand-filled arena.  It seems neither one of us will have an advantage in this type of stadium.

"AAAAAAAND.... BEGIN!" Jolene cried as the crowd erupted with applause.

Unknown Fighter Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4LXNB-MlqU&feature=related)

"If I can catch him by surprise, maybe I can win," Lee whispered to himself.  He launched himself through the air toward his opponent.  Anonymous, cool and calm, raised his fist to repel the attack.  Lee crashed into his arm and bounced back a bit before preparing to smash into him again.  Before he got the chance, Anonymous performed a swift roundhouse-kick that sent him tumbling onto his back.

Anonymous grinned under his mask.  "So much for catching me by surprise."

Lee jumped to his feet, chuckling to himself.  "You've got a sense of humor, huh?  That's pretty refreshing.  It kind of reminds me of my friends."  Once again, he rushed at Anonymous at breakneck speeds.

"Can't you do anything else?" Anonymous inquired as he prepared to block Lee's assault yet again.  Instead of going in for one powerful attack, Lee began to throw a wild assortment of punches and kicks.  Even though Anonymous had not expected such a strategy, he parried each and every one of Lee's blows with pinpoint accuracy.

It's like he knows all of my moves, Lee thought to himself.  How can I beat someone who fights as if he's studied my fighting style for years?

"This doesn't look good," Luigi gasped.  "He's blocking all of Lee's attacks!  But how?"

"Look at Lee go!" Jolene bellowed into her microphone.  "He's hitting Anonymous with everything he's got, but he can't seem to land one single punch!  How can this be?  Where did Anonymous get such outstanding power?"

Lee put everything into one final punch, hoping for a fatal blow.  Instead, Anonymous ducked under the punch and landed a direct hit on Lee's chest.  Lee's assault instantly came to a halt as he fell flat onto his back.  Breathing heavily, he struggled to his feet.  I can't go down yet...  I haven't made The Master proud yet...

"Give up!" Luigi called to Lee.  "I don't want you to get hurt! Remember what happened to Donkey Kong?!"

Lee shook his head.  No... Not yet...  "You're pretty tough...  But how well would you fight against yourself?"  He began to glow purple as a pink cloud of smoke puffed out of his body.  When the smoke cleared, Lee remained unchanged.  "What?  Why can't I copy him?"

"You don't know enough about me," Anonymous replied.  "You have no idea what my true identity is, or even what I look like under this mask.  From what I understand, Duplighosts can only copy someone when they know a decent amount of information about him or her.  The information stored in your brain about your opponent is transferred to each of your cells, which quickly adapt to become identical to those of your opponent's.  If you have insufficient information, the technique is useless."

"This guy knows too much," Lee groaned.  "Well, I might as well end this with a bang!"  He rushed at Anonymous one final time.

"Why hasn't Anonymous gone on the offensive?" Luigi inquired to Glaive, puzzled.  "He could have ended this by now if he wanted."

"It looks like Anonymous understands honor," Glaive answered.  "He sees that Lee is giving everything he has even though he doesn't stand a chance.  He's different from Steel.  Something tells me that those two aren't allies."

"Well, it looks like things just got more mysterious," Luigi muttered.  "If those two aren't allies, then what relationship could they have?  Maybe it's just a coincidence that three roguish fighters entered all in the same year..."

As Lee drew closer and closer to his foe, Anonymous clenched his fists.  In one graceful maneuver, he raised his arm above his head, sidestepped Lee's final attack, and brought his elbow crashing down on the back of Lee's neck as he passed by him.  Lee crashed face-first into the ground.

Victory (http://www.esnips.com/doc/00ccaa0e-2f0c-4cee-a425-76ac7a0e3bd7/Super-Mario-Bros.-6:-Lord-Shades-Defeat)

"Lee is unconscious!  Our winner is Anonymous!" Jolene thundered, causing the stands to burst into frantic applause. 

A ray of light shined over Lee, and instantly all of his wounds were healed.  He looked into the stands, and he saw The Master shouting something at him.  Even though the roar of the crowd made it impossible to hear, Lee knew what he had meant.  He was proud.

Anonymous began to walk away.  "You put up a good fight."  He vanished into the sidelines, leaving Lee behind.  Though he had been defeated, Lee still managed to walk out of the fight with his pride- and his life.  Moreover, everyone realized at that moment that there was something more to Anonymous.  Who could these three warriors be?  What further mysteries remained hidden along with their identities?  These questions would soon be answered.

Luigi helped Lee into the dugout at the edge of the stadium.  "You did great, Lee.  We're all proud of you."

Lee nodded.  He knew.

Smash Pit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uODCCoZrdUU&feature=related)

"Wow, folks!  What an exciting start!  But this next one is a guaranteed thriller!  Up next, we have an all-out brawl between Glaive and Ace!  Not much is known about these two, but they both seem to be cutthroat warriors that have a thirst for battle!  Glaive was one of the heroes who fought with Lord Shade, making him an important historical figure in this kingdom's rich history.  Though we know nothing about Ace, it seems that he and Glaive have some kind of connection.  Hopefully we'll learn more as this battle unfolds!"

As Glaive departed for the ring, Luigi stopped him.  "Glaive, watch out.  This guy seems to know a lot about us, and it's no secret that you recognize him from somewhere.  Don't let your guard down."

Glaive grinned as he walked onto the stadium.  "Don't worry about me.  I've been training for the past two years to face Mario.  If I'm going to lose to anyone, it will be him.  I have no intention of being defeated by anyone else until I fight with Mario."

Ace smirked as he stepped into the center of the arena.  "This should be interesting.  Fighting someone else from the Nightmare Vault..."

"Alright, everyone!  Both of our fighters are ready to go!" Jolene announced.  She pulled out her remote and pressed a few buttons.  The stadium began to rumble as an enormous platform rose from under Glaive and Ace.  It slowly floated upward until it was several meters above the arena's floor.  In a flash of light, all of the sand vanished and the background quickly changed to resemble outer space.  "This battle will be taking place on the one and only, Final Destination!  Both fighters, begin!"

Unknown Fighter Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4LXNB-MlqU&feature=related)

"Hello, Glaive," Ace greeted him.  "How has life been on the outside?"

Glaive took a step back.  "Who...  Who are you?"

"All will be revealed soon," Ace replied vaguely.  "Until then, let's try to enjoy the match.  I've been waiting quite a long time to face you.  I hope you're as strong as the rumors say you are.  It'd be a shame for you to disappoint me."  He reached for a deck of cards strapped to his waist.  In the blink of an eye, he snatched a card from the deck and held it in front of Glaive's face.  "See this?"

"Yeah, it's a card," Glaive affirmed indifferently.  "So what?"

Ace crushed the card in his palm, causing a blue beam saber to extend from his hand.  "These aren't any ordinary cards.  By adding some of my energy to a card and crushing in my hand, I can transform it into a weapon of my choosing.  Neat, huh?"  With one swift slash, he nailed his opponent in the chest and sent him tumbling backward.

"I'm carrying some weapons of my own," Glaive replied as he regained his balance.  He clutched the hilt of a long blade that was sheathed at his waste.  He rushed at Ace and drew his sword, leading it into an upward slash.  Ace flicked another card up from his deck, which instantly changed into a green shield.

CLANG

Sparks shot into the air as Glaive's sword collided with Ace's shield.  Before Glaive could get another slash in, Ace drove his shield forward and knocked him backward.  Ace raised his sword to deliver a finishing blow to the stumbling Glaive.  As his opponent struggled to regain his footing, Ace swung his sword directly at his head.  Blue sparkles emitted from Ace's blade as Glaive blocked the attack with his own sword.  Both of them pushed their swords forward with all of their might.  It was no use.  It was a stalemate.

They each took several steps backward and prepared to rush at each other again.  "Not bad," Ace commended Glaive.  "You're a pretty decent swordsman."

"You're not so bad yourself," Glaive answered with a grin.

Ace threw his sword and shield to the ground.  He reached for another card.  "Unfortunately for you, I've got a deck full of weapons.  I've got dozens of tricks up my sleeve that you've never even heard of before.  How can you possibly compare to me with that one little sword?"  With a sudden but powerful flick, he sent the card whizzing through the air toward Glaive.

Glaive quickly leapt backward as the card sliced into the ground mere inches in front of him.  "You won't catch me off-guard that easily."

Ace grinned.  Without warning, the card detonated in a devastating explosion that not even Glaive was prepared for.  "It looks like I just did," Ace sneered as he walked into the billowing clouds of smoke.  His smirk widened when he saw Glaive lying on his back, severely injured.  "That was one of my favorite tricks.  Like I said, I can turn those cards into anything.  Even bombs."

Glaive coughed up a mouthful of blood as he struggled to his feet.  "Damn... you..."

Ace reached for his deck of cards.  "Don't be mad.  There's plenty more where that came from."

Nice. This is nice.
I really like it. Can't wait for the next one

Chapter 5: Master of the Dojo

Final Destination (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyoR-Pg6o0c)

"Oh no!" Jolene gasped.  "It looks like Glaive has been severely injured!  Can he still fight?  Is there any hope for him to win?"

"Lucky shot," Glaive muttered wearily as he gripped his sword.  "It'll take more than that to beat me.  I can tell that you're starting to underestimate me.  That isn't wise."

"Are you suggesting that you're still able to fight me?" Ace snickered as he pulled out a handful of cards.  "Let's see if you can dodge these!  Just remember that if you touch them, they'll explode!"  He began wildly tossing cards at his opponent.

Hmm...  I think I might be able to use those cards against him, Glaive thought as he began to dodge the explosive playing cards.  He ran horizontally across the arena, with cards striking the ground mere inches behind him.  At last, he dove to the side as he reached the edge of the stadium.  Ace stopped throwing cards.  "What's the matter?  Running out of ammo?"

"Not at all," Ace replied.  "You looked like you needed a break."  He pulled out a fresh card and prepared to crush it.  Before he could use it, Glaive whipped out a shuriken and hurled it at the card.  Ace was unprepared for such a maneuver, and the card exploded in his face.  Without hesitation, Glaive dashed into the smoke to attack his surprised opponent.  He soon spotted Ace and began to slash at him with all of his might.

"I told you not to underestimate me!" Glaive cried as he sliced across Ace's chest with the blunt end of his sword.  He raised his blade and began to charge all of his energy into one finishing blow.  The sword soon began to glow, signifying that the Smash Attack was at full power.  As Glaive released all of his strength into one slash, something emerged from the smoke and latched onto its sword.  With a violent tug, the blade slipped from Glaive's hand.

"Excuse me, is this yours?" Ace inquired sarcastically as the smoke cleared.  In his hand was a red whip that was made of pure energy- clearly the result of one of his special cards.  Entangled in the whip's grasp was Glaive's sword.

"Give it back!" Glaive demanded as he charged toward his opponent.

Ace grinned.  "You mean this?"  With a lash of his whip, he sent the blade soaring into the air.  As Glaive drew closer to him, he skillfully swung his whip in a horizontal motion, causing it to wrap around Glaive's waste.  Glaive, now tied up by Ace's new weapon, was helpless.  Ace began to swing him around in circles above his head, eventually releasing him and sending him tumbling out of the arena.  Ace caught the sword he had tossed earlier and threw it at the plummeting Glaive, intending for it to stab him.

This is going to take some skill, Glaive thought as he prepared to do the only thing he could to stay in the match.  Glaive and his sword disappeared over the edge of the arena, leaving Ace clueless as to what became of his opponent.

"There's no way he could have made it.  But I want to make sure I see the look on his face as he loses," Ace chuckled as he dashed to the edge of the stage.  As he glanced downward, a fist smashed into his face and sent him onto his back.

"I'm not finished yet," Glaive told him.  Somehow, he had caught his sword and stabbed into the side of the stage to break his fall!  The armored warrior vaulted himself back onto the arena.  With a powerful yank, he removed his blade from the stadium and prepared to wield it against his foe.

Ace smirked as he wiped a thin stream of blood from his mouth.  "That was impressive.  I never knew you could think so quickly."  He lashed his whip at Glaive, who sliced the whip in two with a skilled slash of his sword.

"You're running out of tricks," Glaive sneered as he lunged at Ace with his sword.  Instead of slashing his opponent, he aimed his attack at the deck of cards strapped to his waste.  The belt that held the cards at his side snapped, and Glaive quickly snatched the deck from his possession.  "What will you do without these?"

"Give those back!" Ace shouted threateningly.  "If you don't give them back, you'll deeply regret taking them from me."

"And I'm supposed to believe that?" Glaive inquired.  "Without these, you're powerless.  You're bluffing."  He slowly began to walk toward Ace.  If I did everything right, I should be able to pull this one off.

"If you have any desire to win this match, return those cards to me," Ace admonished through clenched teeth.  "If you don't, you'll be sorry."

Now just a few feet away from Ace, Glaive tauntingly waved the deck in front of his opponent's face.  "If you want it, why don't you take it?"

"That's it!" Ace howled in frustration.  "I warned you!" He snapped his fingers, causing all of the cards in Glaive's hand to detonate in a fiery explosion.  Smoke and ash shot up into the air as Glaive was thrown onto his back by the violent blast.

Battered and bruised, Glaive still managed to smile.  "I... did... it..."

What's he so happy about? Ace wondered.  His confident smile quickly turned to a fearful grimace as he saw the horizontal row of cards still wedged in the ground from earlier. Without warning, the explosion from the cards Glaive had stolen caused the cards in the ground to begin to blow up as well.  They detonated in a perfectly straight line, causing the edge of the stadium that Ace was standing on to crack off.  As Ace descended to his doom, Glaive grinned triumphantly.

Victory (http://www.esnips.com/doc/00ccaa0e-2f0c-4cee-a425-76ac7a0e3bd7/Super-Mario-Bros.-6:-Lord-Shades-Defeat)

"It... worked..." Glaive murmured as the crowd erupted with applause.  In a flash of light, the stadium returned to normal and all of his injuries vanished.  Through clever strategy and pure luck, Glaive had come out on top.

Ace appeared beside him with a look of surprise on his face.  "Whoa... I thought for sure that I was going to win...  You really caught me by surprise with that trick.  You're much more intelligent than I expected.  The rumors I've heard are all true.  Glaive, it's been an honor fighting you."  He held out his hand.

Hesitantly, Glaive shook Ace's hand.  "Who... Who are you?  When this tournament began, I thought that you were a dangerous enemy. Now you seem... friendly...  Answer me this: Are you from the Nightmare Vault?"

"I am," Ace replied, "but you have no reason to fear me.  I have no intentions of bringing harm to you or your friends.  As for my true purpose for being here, that will remain a secret.  When the time comes, all will be revealed."  With a friendly smile, he turned and walked away.

Smash Pit Mystery (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ov3CCMBhc0)

"And that concludes our second match!" Jolene exclaimed.  "It seems as though Glaive and Ace walked into the match as rivals, but walked out as friends!  What was the cause of this turn of events?  You'll have a few minutes to think it over, because we'll be taking a short break before the third fight."

"That was close," Luigi sighed as Glaive returned from the arena.  "You barely won.  We were all at the edge of our seats!"

"Yeah, you really gave us a scare," Waluigi agreed.  "Those explosions looked like they really hurt.  So what happened between you and Ace?  Are you friends, or what?"

Glaive shook his head.  "I just don't know.  He doesn't treat me as if I'm an enemy at all, but he refuses to tell me about himself.  As of now, the only thing he's confirmed is that he's from the Nightmare Vault.  Ace says he won't reveal why he entered the tournament yet, but we'll all find out soon enough.  I wish I knew what he was planning."

"Do you think it's something dangerous?" Luigi inquired.  "Could he secretly be associating with Steel, or is he just another villain that's after us?"

Glaive shrugged.  "He doesn't seem like a bad person, but I don't know enough about him to make an accurate judgment.  Ace is hiding something, and so is Anonymous.  In a way, those two are even more dangerous than Steel is. At least Steel has made it obvious that he's after us.  Those other two still have the element of surprise."

"You'll find out what they're up to soon enough," Wario informed him.  "After all, you're fighting Anonymous in the next round.  If you don't get crushed, it'll be me and you in the finals."

"Look who's talking," Glaive retorted.  "You have to fight Steel soon.  If you can beat him, you'll have to fight the winner of the next match, which- by the way- is between Luigi and The Master."

"Don't remind me," Luigi muttered.  "Beating my teacher is going to be tough.  If I win, I have a battle with either Wario or Steel to look forward to."

"Wahahaha!" Wario cackled arrogantly.  "Too bad!  I'll be beating Steel, so you'll have to fight me!  There goes your chance at winning the tournament!"

Smash Pit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uODCCoZrdUU&feature=related)

"Without further delay, we are ready to bring you the third match!" Jolene boomed.  "This is going to be exciting!  It's going to be teacher vs. student in a brawl between The Master and Luigi!  Both of these fighters are known for their outstanding strength and skill.  Luigi has helped Mario save the kingdom numerous times, and is beginning to earn a reputation as one of the kingdom's finest heroes.  The Master is the renowned owner of the dojo in Toad Town.  There, he offers martial arts lessons to anyone who has the will to train under him.  For years, people from across the kingdom have journeyed to spar with him, but only Mario has ever succeeded in defeating him!"

"I could beat him if I really wanted to," Glaive muttered.  "In truth, The Master isn't truly that strong.  After what we've been through with Lord Shade, fighting him would be a cakewalk.  The only reason he has retained his reputation as The Master is because of his excellent teaching skills, and the fact that none of us have ever challenged him to a one-on-one fight."

"Master...  It'll be an honor fighting you," Luigi said with a bow.  "I've never actually sparred with you.  I won't let you down!"

The Master nodded firmly.  "Good.  You have great strength within you.  Do not waste it.  To be frank, I've been looking forward to this bout.  When I entered, I hoped I would have the chance to fight you."

Jolene pulled out her remote, which was now at full power.  "Okay, folks!  After some serious recharging, my trusty remote now has the power to bring our fighters to a new battle arena!   What will it be?  Let's find out!"  With the press of a button, the background began to distort as the stadium quaked and shuddered.  Electrical sparks began to emit from Jolene's remote.  A tiny puff of smoke billowed from the device as it short-circuited.  "Eeek!  What happened?"

"What's going on?" Luigi wondered aloud as the stadium began to change into an unfamiliar setting.  The ground became a stone bridge that raised them above a deep valley.  The sun was just beginning to fade below the horizon, still bright enough to show a tall castle nestled in the distant sunset.

"What?  This is the Bridge of Eldin!" Jolene cursed as she shook her remote.  "First we run out of batteries, and now this?  The fighters are supposed to be taken to a stage that they are familiar with!  Neither of these two could know about an area from Hyrule!"

"It doesn't matter," The Master informed her with a bow.  "We consider ourselves lucky to have the chance to fight at all.  Thank you for your time and concern, but we do not need to recognize the stage we will be fighting on."

"You heard it, folks!  The Master is willing to fight no matter where it may be!" Jolene announced with excitement.  "Let's get this match underway!"

Teacher vs. Student (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tW2pjxxbxo&feature=related) 

"Let's see what you've learned," The Master muttered as his pupil rushed toward him.  He calmly raised one of his hands, leaving the other behind his back.  Luigi's hurled his fist at The Master's seemingly unguarded chest. 

CLACK

The Master had caught Luigi's punch with his raised hand.  "Hmm... That was an excellent punch.  It certainly had a lot of power behind it.  It wasn't very quick, though, and that made it easy to block."

"What about this?" Luigi retorted as he threw another punch.  CLACK.  The Master blocked his attack yet again.

The Master grinned.  "Might I suggest making your moves a little less predictable?"

"I'll show you predictable!" Luigi shot back, now throwing an array of punches and kicks at his teacher.  THWACK! CLACK! THUD! SMACK!  Desperate to land at least one blow, Luigi threw attacks left and right at his calm and stoic opponent.  However, no matter how quick and powerful his blows were, The Master blocked each and every one of them with his right hand.  It was no use.

"Is this really all you can do?" The Master taunted him, still blocking every oncoming attack.  "I taught you better than this!"  Abruptly, The Master landed a dead-on punch to Luigi's gut.  The green plumber tumbled onto his back.

Luigi leapt to his feet, clutching a bruise on his chest.  Man... If I attack him from the front, he can block just about all of my attacks.  He blocks with one hand, and strikes with the other when I leave myself open.  I need to find his weak spot.

"Contemplating your next move?" The Master inquired sarcastically.  "I haven't even been fighting seriously."

Luigi's eyes sparkled as he came up with a plan.  Yeah... That just might work.  "Here I go again!"  He rushed at his mentor in the same fashion as before.

The Master was not impressed.  "Not again.  I know I've taught you better moves than that."

"Just watch!" Luigi bellowed as he created a green Fireball in his right hand.  Just as he was about to run into The Master, he slammed the Fireball into the ground.  Smoke and debris shot up into the air as Luigi disappeared in the haze created by his attack.

"Where'd you go?" The Master coughed as he shielded his mouth from the smoke.  Luigi emerged behind him and began mercilessly pounding him with chains of deadly attacks.  Before The Master could retaliate, Luigi ended the combo with a fierce Smash Attack that sent his teacher face-first into the ground.

The smoke and ash cleared. The crowd gasped at what they saw.  "Through the use of a brilliant maneuver, Luigi has given The Master a run for his money!  Is this the end of the match?  Has Luigi toppled The Master?"

"Not quite," The Master answered as he slowly pulled himself to his feet.  "That was quite a strategy.  I never expected you to pull off something so clever.  You figured out my weak point and found a way to get to it.  I am teaching you something, aren't I?  It's too bad I've never shown you my full strength."

"Full strength?" Luigi parroted, suddenly nervous.  "That's okay... Heh... You don't have to show it to me..."

"No, no, I insist," The Master persisted mockingly.  "Only your brother has pushed me this far before."  A golden aura surrounded him as his clothes and skin began to turn yellow.  Even the hair on his beard and eyebrows became partially gold to agree with the transformation.  The Master began to gently levitate above the ground.  He was ready for round two.

The Master's True Form (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM5AO0FND7c&feature=related)

"I never knew you could do that!  How am I supposed to win now?!" Luigi protested.  "This isn't fair!"

"Deal with it!" The Master barked angrily.  "I trained you personally!  You can handle this!"

Before Luigi could respond, his mentor landed a perfect blow across his face.  Luigi staggered backward for a moment before regaining his balance, only to be punched in the chest.  As he clutched his stomach in pain, a swift but forceful uppercut sent him soaring into the air before he came crashing down into the stone ground.

"You can do better than this!" The Master bellowed furiously.  "Fight back!"

"I'm trying!" Luigi snapped as he wept a stream of blood from his chin.  He's too fast...  I can't even get a shot in...  He fell to his knees as he felt five swift punches collide with his chest.  Before there was even time to feel pain, The Master ended the combo with a roundhouse-kick to Luigi's head.

"It looks like Luigi is no match for The Master's new form!" Jolene declared as Luigi took a beating from his teacher.  "Will The Master come out on top?  Can Luigi find a way to win?  We'll soon find out!"

I can't take much more of this, Luigi thought as he slowly climbed to his feet.  There has to be a way for me to beat him...  He's faster, but he still has the same weakness as before.  If only I could find a way to catch him off guard...  As he considered his next move, a green armored warrior rode onto the bridge on some sort of boar-like creature.  He dropped a bomb in the center of the bridge before turning and riding away.  Luigi's eyes lit up.  There's an idea...

"You don't seem too keen on fighting back," The Master observed.  "If you're not going to put up a decent fight, I'll end this now.  Consider this my final attack."  In a flash of gold, The Master charged at his apprentice.

I hope this works, Luigi prayed silently.  When his teacher was only a few meters away from him, he put all of his strength into one graceful leap that sent him several yards into the air.  The Master, moving at breakneck speeds, put all of his effort in attempting to stop.  As he ascended, Luigi launched a Fireball down toward his mentor.

"That'll never hit me!" The Master exclaimed as he finally managed to stop.  Luigi grinned.  The Fireball wasn't aimed at him!  The Master gasped as the ball of flames struck the bomb on the ground beside him, causing a massive explosion and forcing the bridge to crumble apart.  The Master and Luigi had no arena to stand on, and were now both tumbling toward their doom.  However, due to the height gained from his earlier jump, Luigi was able to stay in the air longer.  In a flash of light, The Master had lost.

Victory (http://www.esnips.com/doc/00ccaa0e-2f0c-4cee-a425-76ac7a0e3bd7/Super-Mario-Bros.-6:-Lord-Shades-Defeat)

"Whoa! What a match!" Jolene cried as the stands burst with clapping and cheering.  "Even the arena came apart under the strain of the fight!  You've all witnessed an extraordinarily rare feat!  The Master, known across the kingdom as THE Martial Arts Master, has been defeated by Luigi!  Let's hear it for these two!"

The Master nodded in approval.  "Excellent work, Luigi.  I knew you were stronger than me.  In fact, that's the very reason I've never sparred with you before.  I didn't want you to beat me.  When I heard about the tournament, I planned this entire match with Jolene so that you could finally fight me."

Jolene shrugged.  "I can bend the rules every once in a while for a friend.  He insisted that I put you and him together in a match early in the tournament."

"Now that you know you've surpassed me, you can take my place at the head of the dojo," The Master informed Luigi with pride.

"But Master!" Lee objected from the sidelines.

"That's not my name anymore," The Master replied with a smile.  "Luigi is The Master now."  He turned to Luigi.  "So, what do you think?"

Luigi shook his head.  "Sorry, but I can't do it.  I'm not ready yet.  There's a difference between being a good teacher and a good fighter.  You found a perfect balance of them both.  On the other hand, we've all been focusing on our fighting skills.  I don't think any of us are ready to pass on our knowledge yet.  You bring out the best in everybody.  You're training sessions are grueling and endless.  I may be able to defeat you, but you can still teach me a thing or two as well."

The Master wiped a tear from his eye.  "Thank you, Luigi.  Someday, when you and your brother retire from your duties as heroes, you can pass on what you know to the next generation.  For now, I am still the one who must teach the art of fighting."  The two of them walked to the dugout at the side of the stage.

Smash Pit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uODCCoZrdUU&feature=related)

"There you have it, folks!" Jolene shouted into her microphone.  "There'll be no delays!  No breaks!  No intermissions!  Right here, right now, the final match of the second round will begin!  It'll be a deadly duel between Wario and Steel!  Both fighters should approach the center of the arena at this time."

"That's your cue," Waluigi told his brother.  "You've been acting so confident; it'd be a shame for you to lose."

"I'm not gonna lose to that chump," Wario chuckled as he flexed his muscles.  "This'll be a snap.  First I'll beat him, and then I'll take Luigi down.  From there, I'll be only one fight away from winning the championship."

"Keep your guard up," Glaive warned him.  "It seems like Steel has some sort of grudge against us, so don't do anything stupid."  He glanced at Wario's opponent.  Three mysterious fighters we know nothing about...  Which of them are friends, and which are foes?

"Good luck!" Luigi called to Wario as he marched toward the stage.  His eyes shifted toward the menacing Steel.  Luigi gulped.  He'll need it.

That was awesome  ^_^

Yeesh.  I don't get sick too often, but when I do, I get it bad.  It's been over two weeks since my last chapter, which is practically unheard of for me.   :P 

Now I'm feeling better, and I'm happy to officially start my summer break of not being sick with a new chapter!  It's a good one, too.  Hopefully you'll find it to be worth the wait.   ;)

Chapter 6: Anonymous Revealed

Smash Pit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uODCCoZrdUU&feature=related)

BZEERP!

"Ugh.  It looks like my remote is acting up again," Jolene groaned.  "You guys don't mind what stage you fight on, do you?"

Wario shook his head.  "I don't care where I pummel this loser!  As long as I get to bash his face in, I'm not complaining."

"Well put," Steel chuckled, giving Jolene a nod of approval.  "I'm eager to see if you can back up your cocky words."

The arena began to rumble as the stadium's lights dimmed.  A mechanical platform rose from the sand beneath their feet and carried them up into the air.  The rest of the ground below them vanished into an abyss of darkness.  Neither of the warriors even flinched as a cylindrical tube containing a gruesome creature emerged in the background.  The crowd let out several cries of terror.

"Don't worry; that creature is sealed tightly inside," Jolene assured the audience.  "It's called the Parasite Queen, and that means that this stage must be Frigate Orpheon.  It was once used by Space Pirates to-"

"Can we start fighting already?" Wario asked impatiently, clearly not interested in the stage's history.  "I don't care about what this place was used for!"

"Calm down," Jolene urged him.  "You're more eager for the fight to begin than the audience is!  But just this once, I'll start the fight early.  You'd better be grateful.  3...2....1... BEGIN!"

Wario vs. Steel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpU7oSBJWCo)

"My revenge shall begin with you!" Steel declared as he launched a flurry of silver balls of fire at his opponent.  Wario clenched his fists as he charged up two Fireballs- one in each of his hands.  His hands began to glow with yellow flames, causing the crowd to gasp in awe.  As Steel's flaming spheres approached him, Wario batted them away with a series of Flaming Punches.

"Now where'd that toothpick run off to?" Wario wondered aloud.

"Behind you," a voice sneered tauntingly.  Before Wario could turn around, he felt a foot lodge itself into his back.  Wario tumbled forward, but quickly used his body's spherical shape to roll onto his feet.  He whirled around to see Steel rushing straight at him.  Angrily, Wario aimed his hardest punch at his approaching opponent's face.

CLACK!

To Wario's astonishment, Steel had caught his punch in his right palm.  "Beginner's... luck..." Wario muttered through clenched teeth.  He struggled to remove his fist from Steel's grasp, but Steel refused to let go.  Enraged, Wario threw a second punch with his free hand.  CLACK!  Steel caught it with his left palm.  Wario thrashed about, trying to break his fists free.

"Here; let me help you," Steel offered sarcastically.  His grip on Wario's fists tightened, causing him to scream out in pain.  "I can feel your bones beginning to crack!  Give up!"

"Never!" Wario hissed through gritted teeth.  He violently pushed and pulled his arms in all directions, but Steel's grasp was too firm.

"Give up!" Steel repeated as he pulled his head back.  He twisted Wario's arms around and smashed his head straight into his opponent's.  THUD!  Steel released his grip, and Wario tumbled backward in agony.

"Eek!" Jolene cried at the sight of Wario's badly bruised forehead.  "Steel has to be the most ruthless fighter I've seen in all my years as an announcer!  Is there any limit to his cutthroat fighting style?"

"Impressive," Steel muttered as Wario slowly crawled to his feet.  "You're still conscious.  You've got a hard head, I'll give you that."

"What's your head made of?" Wario groaned, clutching the bruise on his forehead.  "I guess that's why you're called Steel.  It's too bad your head butt didn't finish me."

"You'll soon wish that it did," Steel replied with a wicked grin.

Wario clenched his fists and prepared to rush at his opponent.  Before he made his move, Wario realized that he was breathing heavily, and unnaturally so.  Why am I so tired?  I've been through more than this in the past.  I feel like I just ran a marathon.

"What's wrong?" Steel inquired in mock sympathy.  "You seem tired.  I feel just fine."

Enraged at Steel's cocky attitude, Wario charged straight at his foe and unleashed a frenzy of wild punches and kicks.  To his surprise, his attacks passed right through Steel as if he was a ghost.  As if he had never been standing there, Steel vanished.  Wario glanced back and forth.  He was nowhere to be found.

"Incredible!  Steel has disappeared from everyone's sight!  Where has he gone?  Your guess is as good as mine!" Jolene announced enthusiastically.

"I guess I scared him off!" Wario cackled victoriously.  Before he had time to gloat, Wario felt a hand seize his throat.  In the blink of an eye, Steel reappeared in front of Wario with his hand wrapped around his throat.

"It's a basic teleportation technique.  Don't tell me you've never heard of it before," Steel snickered as he held Wario by the throat.  "You're heavy.  Lifting you up by your throat is actually quite difficult."

"He's choking Wario!" Luigi gasped.  "Didn't Steel learn his lesson?"

Jolene gulped.  Now what?  If I try to disqualify him, he might come after me!

Suddenly, an earsplitting siren blared out from the stadium as a blinding yellow light flashed in the background.  The stage began to rumble, and then it started to rotate.  Before everyone's eyes, the arena flipped upside down.  The platforms shifted around, leaving Wario and Steel hanging in midair.

Steel was so surprised that he lost his grip on Wario.  He managed to land safely on a platform, while the injured Wario tumbled into the endless abyss.  "Darn...  I lost my grip on that fool.  I was going to make him suffer more, but he isn't my main target.  Besides, I'll have plenty of time to torture him and his friends later on."

Smash Pit Mystery (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ov3CCMBhc0)

In a flash of light, the match was over and the stage returned to normal.  "It's over," Jolene sighed.  "Steel is the winner!  I'd like to get the semifinals started soon, so all fighters should be prepared to begin within the next few minutes."

Waluigi rushed onstage to help his injured brother.  With great effort, he carried Wario on his shoulders into the dugout.  "He's probably going to have to lie down for a while.  Let's take him to the locker room."

Luigi nodded.  "He's lucky the stage flipped over when it did.  If it hadn't, Steel would have most likely killed him."

Glaive, Waluigi, and Luigi raised Wario's injured body.  Together, they carried him to the Major League locker room.  With a friendly smile, a security guard opened the door and led them inside.  They gently laid Wario on the luxurious red bed in the corner of the room.  Wario was fast asleep.

"Fool," Glaive muttered.  "His arrogance almost got him killed.  Remember how he spent all that time talking about how he was going to beat Steel?  He had no idea what he was walking into.  Learn from his mistake and never underestimate these guys.  We're still not sure what they're fully capable of, but we do know that Steel was able to defeat Wario with ease."

"We've both got our opponents to worry about," Luigi added.  He turned to Waluigi.  "You don't have to worry about any of this, do you?  You lost in the first round, after all.  In a way, I'm kind of jealous."

---

Smash Pit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uODCCoZrdUU&feature=related)

"Greetings, everyone!  Welcome to the Smash Pit's semifinal round!" Jolene greeted the audience.  "We have four outstanding fighters that have proved themselves to be the best of the best!  Their skills are second to none, and they have each redefined my perspective of the perfect match.  In the first bout, we'll have a showdown between Anonymous and Glaive.  Next up, Luigi and Steel will duel for the opportunity to advance to the final round.  Now hold on to your seats, because the first match is about to begin!"

"It looks like I get to fight the mystery man," Glaive observed.  "Wish me luck."

"We'll be rooting for you," Luigi affirmed with a nod.  "If we're lucky, it'll be you and me in the final round.  I'm hoping at least one of us can make it into the finals.  We'd be doomed if it ended up being Anonymous vs. Steel.  But you said there was something different about Anonymous, and... ugh... My brain hurts..."

Glaive grinned.  "Don't worry.  I'll unmask this guy in no time."  He turned and walked onto the stage.

"If you were listening earlier, you won't need to hear me say that this match will be between Glaive and Anonymous!" Jolene boomed excitedly.  "These two have put on a splendid show so far, and there's no doubt that this fight will be extraordinary!  Since my remote now seems to have a mind of its own, the setting of this stage will be completely random.  Where will this legendary fight take place? Stay tuned to find out!" 

The crowd gasped as a colossal water fountain emerged from the ground and lifted the warriors up into the sky.  Rainbow-colored water spurted out from a spout in the center of the fountain and trickled over the edges.  At the back of the stadium, a few colorful trees and two spire towers protruded from luscious green grass.  In the background, a starry night sky was illuminated by a beautiful aurora of pink, blue, and gold.

"It looks like the one and only Fountain of Dreams!  This beautiful arena can only be found in Dreamland!  It is the source of good dreams for all of Dreamland's citizens," Jolene explained.  "But don't let its beauty distract you from the fight at hand!  Let the first match of the semifinals... BEGIN!"

Unknown Fighter Battle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4LXNB-MlqU&feature=related)

"I'm going to rip that mask of your face," Glaive informed his opponent with a grin.  "Soon we'll all know who you really are."

"Yes, that's true," Anonymous agreed.  "Shortly, you will all know my true identity.  But until then, let's enjoy the match."

Glaive shook his head.  "You misunderstand.  I'm going to show everyone your identity right now!"

"Fair enough," Anonymous replied with a shrug.  "But you'll have to catch me first."

"That shouldn't be a problem!" Glaive exclaimed as he drew his sword and charged at his foe with impressive speed.  He unleashed a swift horizontal slash, intending to slice Anonymous's veil in two.  Anonymous saw it coming, however, and quickly ducked.  Glaive changed the angle of his sword and slashed again, but Anonymous effortlessly sidestepped the blade.

"What's the matter?  Can't hit me?" Anonymous inquired with mock sympathy.  With that, he turned around and ran away from his enraged foe.

"Why... you..." Glaive muttered, trying to suppress his anger.

"I'm just trying to have a little fun," Anonymous informed him.  "You don't have to take everything so seriously.  We're fighting to have a good time and to entertain the audience."

Glaive took a deep breath.  He's right...  But why is he being so nice?  He must be waiting for me to drop my guard...  "Alright, then.  If you're going to run away, I'm coming after you!"

That's the spirit, Anonymous thought to himself.  Glaive gripped his sword and sprinted after his opponent.  Rainbow-colored water splashed up into the air as they dashed across the length of the fountain.  Glaive slashed left and right at his speedy foe with pinpoint accuracy, but the quick-witted Anonymous dodged each and every attack.  At last, they reached the edge of the fountain.  Almost instinctively, they stopped and turned around without even trying to shove each other off.  They were going to fight with honor.

What's with this guy?  I'm slashing at him with everything I've got, and he's dodging my blade as if he's been studying my moves for years.  What kind of person is under that mask? Glaive pondered as he rushed after Anonymous.  Once again, they reached the edge of the stage.  They turned around and sprinted in the other direction.  Wait a minute...  Is that what he's doing?  Abruptly, Glaive skidded to a halt, splashing water into the air.  "I know what you're up to."

"What's that?" Anonymous asked as he ceased to run.

"We've been running back and forth, and you've been gradually speeding up each time we turned around," Glaive observed.  "You started off by running as fast as I was to give me the impression that I could match your speed.  Each time we stopped to sprint in the other direction, you increased your speed a little bit.  Since I would assume that I was as fast as you, I'd intuitively speed up as well.  By continuing to do this, you'd eventually push me past my limits and tire me out.  It'd be an easy way to gain the advantage.  You wouldn't even have to attack me."

"Very good," Anonymous commended him.  "I'm surprised you figured that out.  It's a strategy I just picked up recently, but I never got the chance to try it out.  I guess I'll have to do more than run to beat you, huh?"

"Yeah, and I'll need to do more than just swing my sword," Glaive added.  "You've been trying to win without revealing any of your techniques.  I'll bet you're hiding them from whoever you're planning to fight in the next round.  You might as well use them now, because I have no intentions of losing to you."  Glaive sheathed his sword.

"As you wish," Anonymous responded, grinning from underneath his mask.

Without warning, Glaive lunged at his opponent with his arms extended.  Just as Glaive was about to wrap his arms around his foe's veil, Anonymous vanished into thin air.  The audience was impressed by this feat, but Glaive knew better.  He whirled around to see Anonymous charging at him from behind.  He's fast...  It almost makes it seem as if he's vanishing and reappearing.

"Impressed by my speed?" Anonymous inquired as he threw a punch at Glaive.

"Not really," Glaive replied as he caught his opponent's fist in his palm.  He gripped the sword sheathed at his waste with his other hand and slashed at Anonymous's mask.  However, Anonymous managed to step backward just enough to dodge the blade.  Before Glaive could get another slice in, Anonymous retaliated with a Flaming Punch to the gut.  Glaive tumbled onto his back in pain.

"What's the matter?  I thought you were going to reveal my identity," Anonymous taunted.  "It's not as easy as you thought, is it?"

Glaive clutched a burn on his chest as he rolled onto his feet.  How can his attacks pierce my armor?  He's much tougher than I expected him to be...  "It looks like I'm going to have to try a different approach.  First I'll beat the tar out of you, and then I'll tear your mask off while you're immobilized."

"That's more like it!" Anonymous exclaimed.  "Let's focus on the match for now.  We'll worry about my identity later."  He stepped to the left as three shuriken whizzed past his head.  He sure is taking this match seriously.  Good; so will I.

Glaive unsheathed his sword and shifted it into his left hand.  This should throw him for a loop.  Tightly clutching his blade, he charged straight at Anonymous.  Large beads of water were kicked into the air as Glaive rushed at his foe with pure determination.  As he reached Anonymous, he stomped as hard he could into the five-inch-deep water that flowed over the surface of the fountain.  Rainbow-colored water splashed up and onto Anonymous.  First, a distraction.  Glaive pulled his sword back and stabbed at his foe.  Next, an attack that will leave him vulnerable.  Anonymous, still slightly dazed from the water, barely managed to sidestep the blade.  And last but not least, the reason I kept my dominant hand free!  His opponent left completely defenseless, Glaive slugged him as hard as he could with his right fist.  Anonymous tumbled backward with a SPLASH.

"Clever," Anonymous murmured as he squeezed the water out of his robe.  "I'm impressed."

"They're still going at it, folks!" Jolene screamed in excitement.  "What a match!  Both fighters seem to not only be powerful warriors, but also exceptional strategists!  Such effort!  Such determination!  Who will be the first to advance to the final round?!"

All or Nothing (http://www.esnips.com/doc/7e03b2f0-5a81-47e3-be09-94f566b6114e/All-or-Nothing)

"We've definitely given the audience a good show," Anonymous observed.  "Now it's time for us to end this bout.  How should the winner be decided?"

"How about one final rush?" Glaive suggested with a grin.  "It sure would be an exciting way to end such a fight."

"I couldn't agree more," Anonymous said with a nod.  "It's been an honor fighting with you.  May the best man win!"

"Look at this!  Both warriors are approaching opposite ends of the stadium!" Jolene boomed into the microphone.  "This is going to be spectacular!"  The crowd roared in anticipation.

Glaive and Anonymous stared into each other's eyes as they prepared to give it their all.  Glaive drew his sword, the weapon he had relied on in so many battles before.  I've got to win this.  I've got to win this.  There's no way I'll lose to anyone but Mario.  I won't lose to anyone...

Anonymous's hands began to gleam red with flames as he prepared two Flaming Punches.  I need to get to the final round.  I need to stop him...  With one final battle cry, he rushed full-speed at his opponent.  For the future of this kingdom, I must win!  The flames in his hands grew to twice their size.

Glaive held his sword high as he sprinted at Anonymous.  He's fast...  I can't match his speed, but there's no way he can beat me with just his fists.  He's completely unarmed, and those flames aren't going to help him one bit.  With my blade, I'll finish him before he can come near me.  He pulled his blade back and prepared for one final slash.  As he lunged forward, he saw a strange blue light coming from below Anonymous.  Before his sword could reach its target, the water below Glaive froze into solid ice.  The swordsman lost his footing and struggled to recover his balance.  It was too late.  Anonymous dashed forward and unleashed a barrage of painful Flaming Punches upon the vulnerable Glaive.  With one final uppercut, Glaive was sent hurling out of the stadium.

"Glaive!" Luigi shrieked as Glaive vanished in a flash of light.

"He lost?!" Peach cried in disbelief.  "But how?  How could he have slipped like that?"

[End Music]

The stadium returned to normal, and the crowd went wild with excitement.  Jolene gasped as the two warriors appeared with their wounds completely healed.  The match was over.  "Uh...  It appears that Anonymous has won!  Let's hear it for our first contestant of the final round!"  The stage shook with roars from the audience.

As Anonymous turned to walk offstage, Glaive stopped him.  The swordsman cleared his throat.  "You were great.  I thought Mario was the only person who was stronger than me, but it's obvious that you're better than me too.  I'd even venture to say you might be better than Mario.  But, you see, I'm not planning to let Mario be tougher than me forever.  I'll be the best one day.  I feel like I've let myself down today and disgraced my goal, by losing to someone other than Mario.  I'll never be able to live with myself if I surpass him, but never get the chance to see if I've become stronger than you.  So please, show me your true identity.  I want to be able to fight you again someday."

Reunion (http://www.esnips.com/doc/ebdf63a1-7949-491c-8938-38dfdfe61d0d/Reunion")

Anonymous paused for a moment.  "So, you really want to know who I am?"  He began to chuckle to himself.  "If you're going to give me a whole speech about it, I'll show you."  Anonymous grabbed his veil and slowly began to pull it off of his head.  The crowd became silent, expecting to see some kind of awful creature.  Instead, everyone was astonished to see a friendly and familiar face emerge.  "Hey guys, how've you been?"

The entire crowd could only gather up enough sense to utter one word: "MARIO!!"

Mario pulled off his robe and threw it to the ground, revealing his familiar blue overalls and red shirt.  "What's the matter, everyone?  It's really me!"  He pulled out a red cap from his pocket and placed it over his brown hair.  "See?  I couldn't wear this with that mask on!"  He began to laugh wryly to himself, and the whole audience joined in.

"Mario, it really is you," Glaive sighed.  "That explains a lot."

"MARIO!!!"  a group of familiar voices screamed from the sidelines, causing Mario to jump in surprise.

"It's really you!" Peach cried as she rushed toward him, followed by Luigi, Luke, and Mark.  Her face was damp with tears, and she was trembling with happiness.  Peach was the first one to reach Mario, and gave him a crushing bear hug.

"Ack!  Peach!  You're... squeezing... too tight..." Mario wheezed.

"You've been gone for two years!  Where have you been?!" Peach demanded, only squeezing him tighter.

"I'm back now, so everything's okay," Mario assured her.  "Don't cry, Peach.  I don't want to see everyone cry after being gone for so long."

"DADDY!" Luke and Mark cried in unison as they finally reached their father.

"Wow, you little guys sure got big!" Mario exclaimed as he picked up his two sons and placed them on his shoulders.  "It really has been two years, hasn't it?"

"Bro!  You're back!" Luigi coughed in exhaustion, breathing heavily.  "I'm still worn out from my fight before."

Mario put down his sons and stepped past Peach.  "I know.  You did great, though.  I saw all of your fights, and I was really impressed.  You've been working hard to protect the kingdom while I've been gone.  You're all a lot stronger, especially Peach!  That hug almost killed me!"  They all laughed.

"You're finally back," Glaive muttered in disbelief.  "At last, you're back.  We're not the only ones that are stronger, either.  While I've spent the last few years improving, you haven't been slacking off either.  Where have you been?"

Jolene cleaned her glasses with a clean cloth before placing them over her eyes.  "It is him!  Folks, it looks like Mario is back!  After being absent for two years, Mario has finally returned to us!  Entering the tournament in disguise, Mario has kept his identity a secret up until now!  What is the reason behind this, and where has he been?!  Stay tuned to find out!"  The audience unleashed an earth-shattering applause.  After two years of waiting, their hero had returned to them.

The only one who remained quiet was Steel.  Sitting in the corner of the dugout, he grinned wickedly.  So, Mario is here after all.  In that case, I'll be able to properly fulfill my revenge.

The story's off to a good start. Good job so far. :)

Some things that you might want to look out for are a few small spelling mistakes, like calling Chan Chun. It's nothing that you wouldn't catch if you read the chapter over before posting it. ;)

Some of the Youtube links in the first chapter weren't working, but the rest of them do, so you don't really have to worry about it.

Maybe for some of the sounds you can use more discriptive words than CLANG or THWACK, they work sometimes but the way you write some of them makes it seem like a comic book. :P

Anyways, good job so far. I'm looking forward to the next chapter. ;)

Cool story (stories) bro.

But seriously nice writing.

Quote from: Retronintendodude7 on July 13, 2009, 12:59:34 PM
The story's off to a good start. Good job so far. :)

Some things that you might want to look out for are a few small spelling mistakes, like calling Chan Chun. It's nothing that you wouldn't catch if you read the chapter over before posting it. ;)

Some of the Youtube links in the first chapter weren't working, but the rest of them do, so you don't really have to worry about it.

Maybe for some of the sounds you can use more discriptive words than CLANG or THWACK, they work sometimes but the way you write some of them makes it seem like a comic book. :P

Anyways, good job so far. I'm looking forward to the next chapter. ;)

Heh, funny that you mention the whole Chun/Chan issue.  I couldn't remember what his name was when I wrote it, and about halfway through I figured out I was using the wrong name.   :P  I thought I changed everything before moving on, but I guess I was so used to writing Chun that I might have made that mistake a few times.  Thanks for the tips.   :)

Oh, and thanks to everyone else who has posted (JNFS2014, Xeph, MagnumSonic, and Macbeth, I believe).

Writers block Shadowmario? I'm ready for the next chapter :(
But don't rush. Make it good.

Oh, and Ace oddly reminded me of the new Megaman games.

Quote from: MagnumSonic on July 21, 2009, 04:34:56 PM
Writers block Shadowmario? I'm ready for the next chapter :(
But don't rush. Make it good.

Yup, serious writer's block.  But I finally finished the new chapter today!

Quote from: JNFS2014 on July 22, 2009, 07:53:07 AM
Oh, and Ace oddly reminded me of the new Megaman games.

You too?  Mega Man Star Force 3, right?

Chapter 7: Mario's Escape

Flashback (http://www.esnips.com/doc/99babdcc-94c7-4446-ab31-ac6a501931b2/Flashback)

"Where have you been all this time, Mario?" Peach inquired, her cheeks still damp with tears.  "We've been waiting for so long..."

Jolene approached Mario with an inquisitive expression.  "Yes, I think we'd all like to know.  This tournament is being broadcasted across the kingdom.  Let your fans know where you've been."

Mario's face grew serious.  "Alright.  It's a long story, so I'm only going to explain it once.  I can't believe it's already been two years..."  He closed his eyes, trying to recall the events that occurred after his battle with Lord Shade.  The stadium became silent as everyone anticipated the moment when Mario would reveal the thrilling conclusion of his encounter with Lord Shade.  "Here it goes.  After I gained control of my Tri-Elemental Form, Shade found himself completely outclassed.  I unleashed a blast that was meant to destroy the Dark Castle's core and Shade all in one explosion, but something went wrong:

Peering through the thick black smog that pervaded the room, Mario spotted something.  Though near death and covered in blood, Lord Shade was lying on the ground nearby.  Only his upper torso, right arm, and head remained intact.  Mario guessed that the rest of his body had been fried by the blast.  "He'll die if I leave him here.  It looks like I managed to win after all.  Now I need to get out of here!"

"No...  p... lease... don't... go...  Help... me..." Shade begged, hardly able to speak.  "For... give... me..."

Mario stopped dead in his tracks and faced Shade.  He still had a decision to make.  Could he really help someone who had already betrayed him once before?  On the other hand, could he leave behind someone as injured as Shade?  Could someone so close to death still be lying?  Mario was frozen.  What should he do?

Mario and Shade's eyes locked.  Tension filled the air as Mario debated over the dilemma that could take away both of their lives.  Could he justify leaving a helpless person behind by saying that he was corrupted?  Mario gritted his teeth as he looked deeper into Shade's eyes.  "You've killed so many people, yet you have the nerve to beg for your own life!"

"P... p... p... lease...  I... am... sorry...  I... wi...sh... you... no f...urther... harm..."

Mario extended his palm and shot an Ultra Fireball at the vulnerable tyrant.  In a burst of violent flames, Shade slowly burned away.  "You would have turned on me!  I could see it in your eyes!  You've been corrupted from the inside out.  I was wrong about you.  You're not a man with a broken heart.  You've changed from a man into a monster.  There's no one left inside of you to save."

As Lord Shade's entire body melted away, he uttered his final words.  "You were wise to have killed me, but it's too late for you now!  You and your people are the ones that truly plague this universe!  You were too busy fighting amongst each other to be prepared to face me.  If it wasn't for you, your people would have met a cruel fate!  However, someday, I know that someone who shares my beliefs will bring your world to an end!  Too bad you'll never see it, because you'll be too busy in the Vortex!  Enjoy your stay, because I'll be busy laughing at you safely from the Underwhere the entire time!"

Before Shade could say another word, his body was reduced to nothing but ashes.  Mario turned away and made a dash for the exit.  He ripped the door open and sprinted madly down the stairs.  Unable to see more than five feet from his face, Mario waited for the moment that he would slam face first into the mammoth door that led out of the castle.  He waited for the moment in which he could embrace the cold and crispy air of the outside world.  That moment never came.

"In retrospect, Shade's plan to stall me worked perfectly.  By begging for his life, he kept me inside the castle long enough for it to sink into the Vortex.  As I shoved open the door leading outside of the castle, I felt the floor give way under my feet.  Instead of seeing the bright blue sky I had endured so much agony to see...  I saw an aurora of purple, black, and red swirling around me.  The Dark Castle fell to pieces and scattered in all directions.  I was helpless to do anything but drift along the endless stream of nothingness that was now my new home.  I was trapped inside of the Vortex.

"In one sense, it was Shade's way of having the last laugh.  But on the other hand, being sucked into the Vortex probably saved my life.  After fighting with Lord Shade for hours on end, I had many broken bones and severe gashes.  I had planned to jump from the castle as soon as I made it outside, and I shouldn't have to remind you that it floated several miles above the ground.  In my condition, I would have never survived a fall from the Dark Castle.  I would have died.

"Instead, I wound up in the Vortex.  According to Shade, you can never die there.  Your body will be provided with all necessary nutrients, and any wounds you have will be instantly treated to avoid suicide.  Instead of dying from my injuries from Lord Shade, I was kept alive.  Unfortunately, I still had no idea how to escape.  I was aware that there were occasional dimensional rips that I could use, but I could have ended up anywhere in all three worlds.  It was just too risky.

"I can't recall much else about the Vortex.  All I remember is passing out and occasionally waking up to the sound of bloodcurdling screams.  It was like being thrown into the middle of the ocean.  I was constantly tossed around by waves of darkness, and it seemed to go on for an eternity.  After a short time, I'd pass out again.  I lost all sense of time as I was nearly driven insane.  How long was I trapped inside?  Weeks? Months?  I could have even been there for an entire year!  But there was one thing that kept me going.  No matter how badly I wanted to give up, I constantly heard the voices of everyone that cared about me.  They wanted me to return.  If they couldn't see me again, then freedom from Lord Shade just wasn't worth having.  I pressed on, struggling to hold on to my sanity.

"There were so many times when I wanted to let go of everything.  I had truly started to believe Shade's words.  'Life can be worse than death,' he once told me.  I've always believed that life was a precious gift, and it shouldn't be wasted no matter how bad it may be.  It's the same as receiving a poor birthday present from a friend: It's the thought that counts.  I refused to give in, but my resistance was slowly wearing away.  I began to think it would be less painful to let go, and live as a lifeless zombie who had lost all judgment and reason.  However, my patience and determination soon paid off.

"Just as I was about to give up all hope, I saw something glistening in the darkness.  Well, I was still groggy at the time, so it took me a few minutes to realize there was something there.  I shook my head in disbelief and quickly slapped myself to try to regain my senses.  I was faintly able to make out the outline of a star and a line.  Judging by its purple color, I was able to determine that it was the Shadow Rod!  At that very moment, I remembered something that Grambi once told me:

"The four Oracles of Power- the Star Rod, Power Star, Shadow Rod, and Z Star- are all bound to their corresponding resting places.  Even if they are brought somewhere miles away from their home, they will instinctively return eventually if left unused for a certain period of time.  That being said, don't worry about recovering them when leaving the Dark Castle.  They'll find their own way back."

"Without hesitating, I wildly flapped my arms and legs in an attempt to catch up to the distant Shadow Rod.  I knew it was my only way out.  I was being provided with minimal nutrients, and only had enough to barely stay alive.  I didn't have energy to waste on physical activity.  Regardless, I put everything I had into reaching the Shadow Rod, and I eventually did.  Grasping on for dear life, I hitched a ride on the Shadow Rod.  However, I had no idea how long it would be before the Shadow Rod found its way back.

"The last thing I remember about the Vortex is seeing an enormous white light come from out of nowhere.   It seemed... familiar.  My dull senses soon identified it as a dimensional rip.  I had seen some of them earlier, but I didn't have the courage to enter one.  Without warning, I felt a powerful suction pull me and the Shadow Rod in.  After that, I blacked out once again.  In my sleep, I could feel that I was somehow closer to my goal.

"When I woke up, I was in a much different environment.  I was...  I was sitting on solid ground.  In the background, I saw a valley of green illuminated by a deep purple sky.  The ground was rugged and stained with blood.  I had no idea where I was, and yet... everything seemed familiar.  Eager to learn where I had ended up, I trekked into the unknown.  Later on, I bumped into an old friend.  His name was Mace.  He was one of Shade's men, but he had only joined Shade's army so he could avenge his people, the Sol.  Shade had enslaved his planet and turned them into his own warriors.  Mace revealed to me the true evil behind Lord Shade's army, but was killed by Shade shortly after.  Now living in the Underwhere, Mace had found inner peace."

"Hey Mace, what are you doing here?" Mario asked, wiping the sweat from his forehead.  "I thought you were... well... dead."

"I am," Mace replied, equally confused.  "This is the Underwhere."

Mario gasped.  "So, the Shadow Rod's resting place is in the Underwhere?!  Everything makes sense, then.  Because I held on to the Shadow Rod, it pulled me along as it journeyed to its resting place.  I must have lost my grip on the Shadow Rod when I blacked out, which is how I ended up in the middle of the nowhere!  Now I just need to find Queen Jaydes, and she'll bring me back to the world of the living.  This is great!"

"You're fight with Lord Shade...  It was fantastic," Mace commended him.  "We were all watching it on T.V.  Everyone wanted to see the result of the fight since it was going to decide the fate of all three worlds.  You've avenged my people, along with everyone else that was enslaved by that cruel man.  Thank you."

"Aw, it was nothing," Mario chuckled.  "But all that time I spent in the Vortex really wore me out."

Mace pulled out a Mushroom.  "It won't bring you back to full health, but take it."

"Mace helped me gain some of my strength back, and then he gave me directions to Queen Jaydes.  Once I got back to the area of the Underwhere that I was familiar with, finding her was a piece of cake.  I explained my situation, and she was more than willing to let me return.  Unfortunately, Grambi had told her to bring me to him as soon as I turned up.  Being Grambi's wife, Queen Jaydes was obligated to send me to him instead.  When I met him, he said that there was urgent business we needed to discuss.  He said that the Mushroom Kingdom would soon face a new threat, and it was my duty to protect it.  After being in the Vortex for a while, I needed to spend a lot of time sharpening my skills.  I also tried to master the Tri-Elemental Form, but I still can't use it to the same degree that I did during the fight with Shade.

"And that's pretty much where I've been up until now.  Grambi told me about a week ago that someone dangerous was entering this tournament in order to obtain the Star Rod.  He said that this person was most likely the one who would bring about this kingdom's next threat.  So I geared up and got ready to go, but Grambi stopped me.  He told me to wear a disguise during the tournament for my safety.  Apparently, the guy that's after the Star Rod hates my guts.  If he saw me in the earlier rounds, he might've attacked me before the finals came.  Grambi didn't want to start any unnecessary commotion, so he told me to wait as long as possible before revealing my identity."

[End Music]

"So escaping the Vortex turned out to be pure luck, huh?" Luigi inquired in awe.

Mario shook his head.  "No, it wasn't luck at all.  It was the strength that you gave me- the strength to move forward, even though I was ready to give up."

"I still can't believe it was you the whole time," Glaive sighed in disbelief.  "But it does all make sense now.  You were familiar with my moves, as well as Lee's techniques, because you've seen both of us fight before.  It was perfect.  You blended in perfectly with Steel and Ace.  Even your voice was flawlessly disguised."

"That was just because of the mask I was wearing.  It distorts a person's voice to the point where it can't even be recognized," Mario explained.  "I owe it all Dad- I mean Anthony- err... Grambi."

Peach's eyes widened.  "It is you, isn't it?"  Everyone grew silent.  Peach smiled from ear to ear.  "As usual, you're a terrible liar.  We all know that Grambi is your father, Anthony.  He told Luigi shortly after your battle with Shade, and Luigi told us."

Evil Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/f9562c29-9303-47d2-8b72-e94f56407a2e/Evil-Theme)

"So you've been spending your time suffering in the Vortex.  I'm glad to hear that.  It's a shame you had to leave it," a voice echoed from the silent audience.  Steel leapt down from the stands and approached Mario.  "But then, why force you into a living hell when I can send you to a dead one?  Killing you with my own hands will bring much more satisfaction to me than having you rot away in the Vortex."

Peach, Mark, and Luke cowered behind Mario.  "Mario, do you know him?" Peach whispered, trembling with fear.

"He knows me quite well," Steel sneered as he gave Peach a chilling stare.  "He just isn't aware of my true identity yet."

Mario stepped forward, his fists clenched.  "Look, I don't want any trouble before the final round."  He grinned as Luigi emerged from behind him.  "After all, you still have to fight my brother."

"It's been a while since I've seen that stupid grin on your face," Steel hissed through clenched teeth.  "You sure have put a lot of faith in him.  I'm going to enjoy watching your confidence in him slowly fall to pieces."  With that, he turned and stood beside Jolene.  "Get these fools off the arena so we can start the match."

"Darn, and we were having such an intriguing conversation," Mario chuckled sarcastically.  "You can take him, right Bro?"

Luigi nodded slowly.  "Y- Yeah."  Luigi turned to see Steel staring directly into his eyes.  Though Steel's mouth wasn't moving, his menacing voice filled the plumber's head.

Stop pretending to be tough and face the facts.  You know that you'll be doomed as soon as you step into the arena.

Mario turned to Peach, Glaive, and his two children.  "Alright, let's let Luigi take over for now.  I'll be fighting the winner of the bout.  Good luck, Bro!"  The five of them took a seat in the front row of the stands.

Luigi gulped.  "Thanks..."

Smash Pit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uODCCoZrdUU)

"Well, after a heartwarming reunion that brought thousands of fans to tears, the last match of the semifinals is about to begin!" Jolene announced with excitement.  "Throughout the joyful moment that Mario revealed that he had returned to us, Steel's face showed us no signs of happiness.  Instead, he seems even more eager to make it to the final round!  Does he have a score to settle with Mario?  If so, will Luigi be able to protect his brother by stopping Steel in his tracks?"

"Not a chance," Steel butted in as he grabbed Jolene's microphone.  "Take one last look at Mario and his idiot brother before I crush them with my bare hands."  He handed the microphone back to Jolene.

"Steel has already proclaimed victory!  He has promised to take out both of the Mario Brothers in two consecutive matches!  Is such a feat even possible?  Let's start the match to find out!" Jolene boomed in anticipation.  "Where will these warriors face off?  You'll have to ask my remote, folks!"  With a dramatic flourish, Jolene pulled out her remote control and eagerly pressed a bright red button.  The stadium began to rumble, and the crowd gasped in awe.

"C'mon Luigi... You can do this," Luigi told himself.

The sand-covered floor of the arena was instantly flooded with crystal-clear salt water, while the background changed to resemble a beach setting.  A stone platform that held a dome-shaped house with a hook on its roof floated above the water's surface, with two smaller platforms on either side of it.  Though it was clearly daytime, a colossal moon with an angry face loomed ominously above them.

"It seems as though the fight has been taken to the Great Bay, located in western Termina!" Jolene observed.  "This is a land parallel to Hyrule that is cursed with the destiny to be destroyed by the moon that hangs above your heads at this very moment.  However, there's no need for concern because the fight will be over long before the moon crashes."

Steel grinned.  "Let's begin."

"Whenever you're ready," Luigi retorted, sweat trickling down his neck.

"Ready... and... BEGIN!!"

Steel vs. Luigi (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLYA2KzcUzc)

"Pay close attention.  This is what happens to those who oppose me!" Steel howled as he rushed at his opponent with a bloodthirsty grin.  He threw a bone-crushing right hook at Luigi, who stepped backward just enough to avoid the attack.  Luigi winced as he felt a gust of wind rush past his face.  That punch could have taken off his head.  Attempting to put some distance between Steel and himself, Luigi performed a back-flip that landed him at the edge of the center platform.

I have nowhere else to run, Luigi thought to himself.  Steel doesn't care about the rules or the tournament.  He has every intention of killing me.  He noticed that he was breathing heavily, even though the match had just begun.  Am I really that afraid of him?  No...  It's... something else...

"You can't run away forever!" Steel hissed, sprinting at his cornered foe.

Luigi crouched down as low as possible, gathering as much energy into his legs as he could.  Just as Steel was about to strike him, Luigi sprang up into the air several yards above his adversary.  As he ascended up into the sky, Luigi glared at his target- the moon that hung above the land of Termina.

"What is he doing?" Steel pondered.  "He has to come down sometime, and he'll be completely vulnerable when he does."  Suddenly, he shielded his eyes from a blinding light above him.  Luigi had vanished among the brightness of the sun.  Not even Steel could bear to look at the sun long enough to spot Luigi.

"Nice one, Bro," Mario whispered.  "By aligning yourself with the sun, Steel can't see where you are."

"Perfect; he can't see me at all," Luigi chuckled as he landed on the 'moon'.  He lightly tapped its surface with his fist.  "There's no way this is a real moon; it's hollow and has a weird face on it.  But it'll work just fine for a surprise aerial attack."  He glared at his clueless opponent that waited for him several yards below and propelled himself off of the 'moon' with another powerful jump.  He clenched his right fist as it began to glow with a green flame.

Steel squinted at an object that seemed to be moving toward him.  "Gah... it's too bright..."  His eyes widened with shock as Luigi emerged from behind the sun's blinding rays and landed a Flaming Punch across his right cheek.  Steel was sent tumbling through the stone floor and into the bay below.

Breathing heavily, Luigi looked through the hole that Steel made to see if his opponent was truly beaten.  There was no sign of him.  "I did it," Luigi sighed.  "He wasn't so bad.  I got myself all worried for nothing.  But for some reason... fighting him seems to wear me out...  I feel... exhausted..."

"It looks like Steel has vanished into the bay below the arena!" Jolene announced.  "Luigi is the win-"

Streams of water shot up into the air as Steel leaped out from the watery depths and landed beside Luigi.  He seemed practically unharmed, and his eyes gleamed red with hatred.  "How dare you...  It's time I showed you and your pathetic brother the true meaning of suffering!  Mario will watch in horror as I slowly drain the life from you!"

Before Luigi could attack, Steel delivered a crushing blow to his gut.  He followed up with a jaw-breaking uppercut that sent Luigi's lifeless body into the bay.  As he began to sink below into the depths of the Great Bay, Steel grabbed his leg and pulled him out of the water.  "I'm not done with you yet," he sneered.

"Why did you save him?!" Jolene asked in horror.  "It could have been a ring-out!  You could have won!"

Steel shook his head.  "No.  This man hasn't suffered enough yet."  He raised Luigi by the leg and began to mercilessly punch him in the stomach and face.  The audience cringed at the sound of Luigi's lifeless body taking a beating from Steel.

CRACK!

"Oops...  Was that a rib I just broke?" Steel inquired with a wicked grin.  He slammed Luigi face-first into the cold stone floor.  His smile grew even wider as he placed his right foot on Luigi's lifeless body.

"Luigi is unconscious!" Jolene screeched.  "That means the match is over!  You've won!  Now stop this!"

"Shut up!" Steel demanded as he crushed Luigi's body with his foot.  "That is, unless you want to end up just like him!  This man will die a slow and painful death, and then Mario will suffer the same fate!"

"Why did you have to pull him out of the water?!" Jolene inquired, terrified by Steel's wickedness.  "You could have just ended this quickly by letting him fall out of the arena!"

"Very well," Steel replied with an evil glint in his eye.  "If you really want me to put him in the water that badly, I guess I don't have a choice."  He picked Luigi up by the leg once again and slowly lowered him into the water.  He allowed Luigi to sink in enough for his entire head and body to be submerged, but held on to his leg.

"NO!" Jolene squealed.  "If you do that, he'll drown!  Let go!"  The audience erupted with angry shouts and violent gestures.  Chants such as "Let go!" and "End the match!" filled the stadium.

Steel raised Luigi from the water once again.  "Who am I to disappoint the fans?"  He tossed Luigi up into the air.  As the plumber plummeted downward, Steel extended his palm toward his opponent.  "I'll just set him ablaze with one last attack.  He'll be dead before he hits the water."

Mushroom Hero (http://www.esnips.com/doc/de663555-8bd0-469d-ab0f-700f64296001/Mushroom-Hero)

"No!  Luigi!" Peach called out from the stands, tears streaming down her cheeks.  "Mario!  Do someth-  Mario?  Where'd he go?"

Steel fired a blazing ball of flames at the helpless Luigi.  "The first step of my revenge is complete!" he cackled in anticipation.  Suddenly, a red blur rushed past him, and Luigi vanished.  Steel whirled around to see Mario standing defiantly with Luigi on the ground beside him.

"I'm not going to stand by and watch this anymore," Mario told Steel in disgust.  "Jolene, the match is over.  Steel beat my brother.  Now the finals begin."

He's faster... than before, Steel thought.  "Interesting...  I wasn't finished torturing him yet, but I can see you're eager to fight me.  Besides, I've wanted to kill you most of all.  I've been waiting years for this."

"I'm not sure who you are, but if it's me you're after, leave my friends alone," Mario said firmly, his fists clenched.  "From now on, it's just you and me."

*claps*. Good story bro.

*plays Legend of Zelda: SSBB Theme at the end*

Oh, and I wasn't thinking of a particular Megaman game, I was thinking about them altogether (and the show).

Quote from: JNFS2014 on July 23, 2009, 09:22:06 PM
*claps*. Good story bro.

*plays Legend of Zelda: SSBB Theme at the end*

Oh, and I wasn't thinking of a particular Megaman game, I was thinking about them altogether (and the show).

Oh, well there was a main character named Ace in Mega Man Star Force 3.  :P

How ironic. :P

Good chapter, Shadow. ;) But why did Mario wait so long to save Luigi? :P

Chapter 8: The Final Round

Smash Pit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uODCCoZrdUU)

"Intense!" Jolene boomed in excitement as the arena returned to normal.  "After watching his brother's beating, Mario has had enough!  Steel has proved himself to be a formidable warrior at various points during this tournament, but does he have what it takes to tangle with the Mushroom Kingdom's champion?  A fierce rivalry seems to be boiling between these two, and it's certainly going to show in this next bout!  Sixteen fighters stepped into this stadium today, but only two remain.  Who will the Smash Champion be?  Who will claim a wish from the mighty Star Rod?"  The thunderous cheers from the audience grew even louder as Jolene pulled out her not-so-trusty remote.   She began to fiddle around with the device's colorful array of buttons and knobs.  "Let's see...  Maybe I can get this thing to work..."

"There's no need for that," Steel informed her.  "We don't care where this fight is held."  He reached for the remote nestled in Jolene's firm grip.

Jolene slapped Steel's hand away.  "This is the championship round!  It has to be the most spectacular bout of the tournament!  If I don't give you two a dazzling arena to battle in, I'll be letting down many diehard fans!"

Mario put a hand on Jolene's shoulder.  She smiled and handed Mario the remote.  Expecting to see him attempt to operate the device, Jolene was shocked when he threw it to the ground and crushed it under his foot.  Mechanical fragments scattered across the sandy floor of the arena.  "He's right, Jolene.  We don't need a fancy arena to brawl in.  We'll give the fans a good show no matter where we fight.  That's a promise."

Hesitantly, Jolene nodded and raised the microphone to her mouth.  "Outstanding!  Mario and Steel have agreed to battle in the default arena of the Smash Pit.  With the floor consisting entirely of sand and pebbles, and the only boundaries being the walls of this very stadium, our contestants will duel in an arena where no one has the advantage!  It will be a test of pure stamina, as you can only become the champion if your opponent gives up or is knocked out cold!  This legendary battle will begin in 3... 2... 1....................... GO!"

Evil Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/f9562c29-9303-47d2-8b72-e94f56407a2e/Evil-Theme)

"It's been so long, Mario.  Killing you and obtaining the Star Rod on the same day...  It's fantastic!"  Steel exclaimed with an evil glint in his eye.  "Shall we begin?"

"Why don't you get rid of that disguise first, Metal Mario?" Mario inquired, his fists clenched.  "I can't believe you had the nerve to come crawling back to this peaceful kingdom."

Steel grinned wickedly.  "So, you've figured it out.  It took you long enough.  Steel is such an obvious alias, isn't it?  I'll show you the form that you're more familiar with."  The crowd gasped in horror as Steel's body slowly began to deform and morph into its original shape.  His fair skin melted away, revealing his shining silver armor.  When the transformation was over, Mario was staring at a metal duplicate of himself.  Metal Mario had returned.

"Eeek!  He's back!" Peach shrieked.  "Mario destroyed him!  He can't be alive!"

"Is it really that surprising?  You've cheated death plenty of times," Metal Mario hissed bitterly.  "This time, I'm going to make sure you stay dead."

"We'll see," Mario retorted with a grin.  "But first, I'd like to know how you survived.  After all, I did explain how I made it out of the Vortex.  It's only fair."

"Very well," Metal Mario agreed.   "I need to make a slight correction, though.  I didn't survive at all.  The last time we fought, you completely annihilated me.  However, Lord Shade's battle machine's have a very interesting way of dying.  We don't go to the Underwhere.  Instead, our data is split into fragments that are too small to be seen with the naked eye.  We were designed this way because Shade was working on a top-secret device that could merge these fragments into one whole being again.  This way, Shade could continue to revive all of his fallen warriors without building new ones.  Lord Shade died long before he could finish this contraption, but my master has obtained all of his technology and has progressed farther than Shade would have ever dreamed.  Thanks to Shade's device, my new leader has reunited my data fragments.  Now I'm back, and I'm stronger than ever."

"Great," Mario sighed.  "But you've missed one important point.  I'm stronger than anything Shade has ever built.  You can't begin to understand how much stronger my friends and I have gotten since we last fought."

Mario vs. Metal Mario (http://www.esnips.com/doc/7a3ad1ff-f754-4654-85e6-9424acb6b6af/Mario-vs.-Metal-Mario)

"We'll see about that!" Metal Mario screamed as he threw his strongest punch at his opponent.  Mario effortlessly ducked under the punch and landed a painful right hook to his rival's gut.  Metal Mario staggered backward, coughing up silver blood.  Mario rushed at his stunned foe and dished out a few more punches to the robot's face, following up with a roundhouse kick that sent Metal Mario tumbling into the arena's wall.

"Go Mario!" Peach cheered.  "You can do it!"

"Gah!  Lucky shots!" Metal Mario cursed as he dusted himself off.  He pulled his right arm back, and it began to emit a silver aura.  With a swift flick of his arm, a barrage of silver Fireballs launched themselves at Mario.

"Luck had nothing to do with it," Mario mumbled, cupping his hands together.  In a flash of red, a sword of flames materialized in his hands.  "Time for some baseball."  As the Fireballs got close to him, Mario batted them away with his Flaming Sword.  The deflected Fireballs were targeted directly at Metal Mario, who rolled to the side to take cover.  Sand and pebbles shot up into the air as the blazing spheres hit the ground.  The airborne gravel blocking his sight, Metal Mario was unable to see Mario sprint up to him from behind and slash him across the back.

"How dare you!" Metal Mario screamed in pain as he whirled around and attempted to retaliate.  Before he could land a single punch, Mario sent his knee flying into the robot's chin.  Metal Mario staggered backward in pain, and Mario continued his assault with an onslaught of bone breaking punches and kicks.  He ended the combo with a devastating Smash Attack that knocked his opponent into the wall at the opposite end of the stadium.

"Wow!  Mario's all over this fight!" Luigi exclaimed with confidence.  "He'll win for sure!  Right, Glaive?"

"I'm... not sure," Glaive muttered in uncertainty.  Something isn't right here...

Metal Mario pulled himself to his feet, cracked his knuckles, and was ready for more.  Heh...  He's just as foolish as Wario and Luigi were.

"You're acting pretty happy for someone who's busy eating dirt," Mario chuckled.  "You can take a punch, but that won't help for long."  He was beside Metal Mario again in a matter of seconds, busy giving him the beating of his life.  Metal Mario couldn't even get a single attack in as Mario pummeled him into the ground.

"Metal Mario doesn't stand a chance," Luigi whispered to Glaive.  "And to think I was worried.  Soon, that freak will finally be gone for good.  His days of terrorizing this kingdom are over."

"No, you're wrong," Glaive disagreed.  "Take a closer look.  It may seem like Mario's winning, but I'm starting to think that his attacks aren't hurting Metal Mario in the least bit.  But how could that be?"

Mario landed yet another solid blow across his metal copy's face, sending him into the wall once again.  Not giving him a chance to recover, Mario sprinted toward him and continued to beat on him.  Mario's attacks were so brutal that they were actually driving Metal Mario through the wall of the arena and under the seats in the audience.

THWACK!

Smoke and debris shot out from the hole that Mario had made as Metal Mario's lifeless body flew out and onto the center of the arena.  A few seconds later, Mario walked out of the hole with his fists clenched.  "Let's see him get up after that."  I hope that keeps him down.  For some reason, I'm starting to feel a little tired.

Metal Mario grinned as he wept the blood from his mouth.  "That's all?  I remember your punches being much harder."

Glaive pointed at the unharmed Metal Mario.  "See?  Look at Mario, and then look at Metal Mario.  Though it seems like Metal Mario has been taking a beating, it doesn't even look like he's hurt.  At the same time, Mario looks like he's exhausted.  He's tiring himself out.  At this point, he's getting desperate."

Ace appeared next to them.  "Mario is definitely stronger than his metal duplicate.  That much is clear."

"Where'd you come from?" Luigi asked, surprised by Ace's sudden appearance.

"However," Ace continued, ignoring Luigi, "there is something interfering with Mario's ability to fight.  It's almost time for me to explain everything.  Just wait a little bit longer.  Soon, everything will fall into place."

Tri-Elemental Form (http://www.esnips.com/doc/ebb0b02d-4d83-4216-bf1e-a50e9e2ce87c/Tri-Elemental-Form)

Mario stepped forward, breathing heavily.  "Alright...  So my normal attacks... aren't enough for you?  That's just fine...  I'll show you a little trick I learned two years ago.  It's one of the reasons why you don't stand a chance against me."  He closed his eyes, concentrating on the thoughts that went through his head as he transformed during his fight with Shade.

"What's this?  My scanners are detecting an abnormal energy signature," Metal Mario whispered in fear.  "What's he doing?"

"Tri-Elemental Form!" Mario bellowed as his body was lit with a splendiferous rainbow of colors.  Vivid lights flashed from his body, and the audience shielded their eyes from his aura's brilliance.  This was the transformation that gave him the strength to defeat Shade.  This was the true power of the Mushroom Hero.

"How could he have this much power?" Metal Mario asked himself in pure terror.  "Impossible...  In this form, he's generating enough strength to defeat someone as powerful as Lord Shade!"

"Yeah, I took care of him two years ago," Mario replied with a grin.  "Back then, I had much more control over this form.  Now I can only use it for a limited amount of time.  But then again, that's all I'll need."

Metal Mario's eyes widened.  "Then...  You're the one... the one my master has been searching for!"

"As I suspected," Ace muttered.

Without another word, Mario zoomed up to his astonished foe, leaving a rainbow trail behind him.  Lights of every color flared as Mario unleashed a devastating chain of attacks.  He grabbed Metal Mario's head and pulled it towards him as he sent his knee upward into the robot's chest.  Howling in agony, Metal Mario soared up above the stadium floor.  With one graceful leap, Mario hopped up above his ascending rival.  He locked his hands together and slammed them right into Metal Mario's head, sending him plummeting toward the ground.  With an enormous CRASH, Metal Mario smashed into the sandy floor of the arena.  The crowd went wild with applause.

"Is that all?" Metal Mario taunted him as he rolled to his feet.  Mario landed beside his foe and raised his fists to continue pummeling him.  However, just as his fists were about to meet Metal Mario's face, Mario fell to his knees.

The Nightmare Haze (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBdfgXU1ohY&feature=related)

The colorful aura surrounding his body vanished.  The Tri-Elemental Form had faded away.  "Why... am I... so tired?" Mario inquired, breathing heavily.

"What's going on?" Luigi cried.  "Why did Bro stop?"

"Take a deep breath," Ace demanded.

Hesitantly, Luigi complied.  He inhaled as much air as he could, then began to cough as he nearly toppled over.  "Ack!  What's that stuff in the air?!  It seems... familiar..."

"You've been inhaling it for the past few days," Ace answered firmly.  "When you fought against Metal Mario, your body had a greater demand for oxygen. So it inhaled more of that poison in the air, causing both you and Wario to feel exhausted during your fights with him."

"Feeling a little weak?" Metal Mario sneered, kicking the fallen plumber.  "Ace is correct.  The authorities in the Nightmare Vault have kept you well-informed.  It's called Nightmare Haze, a nifty invisible fog from the depths of the Nightmare Vault.  Once you breathe it in, it slowly begins to drain your body of its energy.  After you've inhaled too much, you'll die.  I released the Nightmare Haze into this kingdom not too long ago, and so you've all been steadily inhaling it.  Those of you who overexert yourself will succumb to its side-effects sooner, but you'll all give in to it eventually.  A little demon buddy of mine taught me how to control the concentration of Nightmare Haze in the air, so that's why the only people who have really suffered from it are the ones who have fought me.  Soon, you'll all be on the ground just like this fool is."

Mario vs. Metal Mario (http://www.esnips.com/doc/7a3ad1ff-f754-4654-85e6-9424acb6b6af/Mario-vs.-Metal-Mario)

"Don't count me out just yet," Mario chuckled, though he was clearly in pain. 

Metal Mario's eyes widened as Mario slowly got back on his feet.  "How are you still able to stand?  The Nightmare Haze should have drained all of your energy by now!"

"Not quite...  I've still got some strength left... and I'll use every last drop of it to take you down!" Mario screamed in determination.  He rushed at his metal counterpart and used all of his might to raise his arm and throw a punch.  Metal Mario effortlessly sidestepped the blow, and retaliated with an elbow to Mario's gut.  The plumber tumbled onto his back, clutching his stomach in agony.

"Look at him..." Glaive gasped in amazement.  "He's completely exhausted, and yet he's giving it everything he's got."

"We need to help him!  There's no telling what will happen if Bro keeps this up!" Luigi wept as he watched his brother fight for his life.

Glaive turned to Luigi.  "If Mario keeps this up, his death is assured.  He is well aware of that.  If he sits and does nothing, he just might live.  However, if that happened, Metal Mario would claim the Star Rod and cause all sorts of havoc.  Mario isn't the type of person to put others in danger just to save himself.  Right now, Mario is battling to protect all of us.  This is what he lives for.  As the Mushroom Hero, it is his duty to fight for everyone's safety.  It isn't our place to interfere with that."

"Who cares?!" Luigi screeched in disagreement.  "Even if he is fighting to protect us, there's no way he can win!  Whether he fights Metal Mario or not, he still won't be able to stop him from getting the Star Rod!  We have to step in!"

Ace shook his head.  "Think about it.  As long as the Nightmare Haze is present in this kingdom, Metal Mario will be impossible to defeat.  If we all attacked him at once, we'd just be killing ourselves.  There is a strategy behind all of this.  Stay back for now.  When Metal Mario goes after the Star Rod, we can catch him by surprise and incapacitate him before he can use his Nightmare Haze."

After yet another crushing blow, Mario stood up.  His body was covered in bruises, and he was gasping for air.  Trembling in agony, Mario aimed his right palm at his opponent.  He used his other hand to support his arm and improve his aim.  Charging up what little Elemental Energy he had left, Mario launched a Fireball at his grinning foe.

This is all he has left.  After I eradicate this Fireball, Mario won't have any other method of attack, Metal Mario thought.  With a simple flick of his wrist, the Fireball Mario had put all of his faith in was sent soaring out of the stadium.

Evil Desire (http://www.esnips.com/doc/c7421705-327c-4fff-aed3-412e1c0aa94b/Evil-Desire)

"I'll... get you... for this..." Mario groaned as he fell flat on the ground.

"Don't feel bad," Metal Mario chuckled, stomping on the unconscious Mario.  "You lasted fairly long, considering how much Nightmare Haze entered your body."  He turned to Jolene.  "See?  I won.  I want my wish. Now."

"I- I won't," Jolene snapped defiantly.  "I'd never let a monster like you use the Star Rod."

Metal Mario grinned wickedly.  "That's fine.  Maybe you'd be willing to hand it over if I piled up a few dead bodies on your conscience- a few hundred, that is."

Jolene gasped.  "You wouldn't..."

Metal Mario's smile grew even wider.  "Let me make my wish, or I'll start killing every spectator in this stadium," he warned in a menacing tone.  "You just saw me defeat the Mario Brothers with ease.  Do I need to remind you that there is no one in this stadium capable of stopping me?  The Nightmare Haze makes me invincible!  I don't suffer from the mist one bit, since I'm a robot!"

Hesitantly, Jolene handed Metal Mario the Star Rod.  "I'm only doing this to protect the people in this stadium," she reminded him through gritted teeth.  "I know what it's like to lose someone important to you, and I don't want to see it happen to anyone else."

"Fair enough," Metal Mario snickered as he held the Star Rod above his head.  "With this, I'll make my first big step toward accomplishing my master's goals!  Listen up, 'great and powerful' Star Rod!  I have a wish that you'd better grant!  There's a very nifty little dimension in the center every world in existence, and it's called the Nexus.  I wish to gain entrance to this realm, so get to it!"

A voice began to echo from the sky.  It is I, the Star Rod's Spirit. If that is your desire, it will be granted.  Although it could cause great pain to the people around you, I shall fulfill my duty and grant your request.  No matter what a person may wish for, he will still have to pay for his sins eventually.  Bring the Star Rod to the Nexus Access Point of this kingdom.  Once you do, I will have the Nexus Gate open in ten days.  However, opening the gate will use every last drop of the Star Rod's power.  It will never be able to grant a wish again.

"That's just fine," Metal Mario sneered as he turned to leave the stadium.  In the blink of an eye, he was surrounded by dozens of muscular security guards dressed in black.  "Do you fools really think you can stand in my way?"

"Stop right where you are.  Hand over the Star Rod," one of them demanded.  "If you do, your sentence may be less severe.  Otherwise, you'll be facing the death penalty."

"Oops," Metal Mario cackled as the Star Rod began to glow.  In a flash of light, all of the guards were lying on the ground, unconscious.  "For the next ten days, the Star Rod belongs to me.  You can have it back once I'm done with it."

Evil Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/f9562c29-9303-47d2-8b72-e94f56407a2e/Evil-Theme)

"Wait just a second," Ace shouted as he rushed to Jolene's side.  "You're not going anywhere."

Before Metal Mario could respond, Luigi and Glaive were standing beside Ace.  The three of them rushed at the robotic fiend simultaneously.  The Star Rod began to glow, and several beams of light shot out at the heroes.  Glaive, Luigi, and Ace tumbled onto their backs in pain.

"Don't try to interfere," Metal Mario admonished.  "Besides, it was obvious that you'd try something like this.  As I fought with Mario, I fed a considerable amount of Nightmare Haze to you three.  Of course, you didn't notice until you actually attacked me."

"There's a high concentration of Nightmare Haze surrounding us," Ace confirmed, not even trying to get up.  "If we fight him now, we'll end up like Mario."

"Yes," Metal Mario agreed in mock sympathy.  "You'll live a little longer if you just stay still.  The Nightmare Haze will still kill you eventually, but at least you'll have time to say your goodbyes."  He laughed obnoxiously as he exited the stadium with the Star Rod in his hand.  The audience cringed as they heard the screams of the guards who stood in Metal Mario's path.

Glaive angrily gripped his sword and prepared to unsheathe it.  "Stop it," Ace demanded.  "We have to let him go for now."

"We have to stop him!" Luigi argued.  "He got away with the Star Rod!"

"I wasn't expecting him to give us a dose of Nightmare Haze before we fought him," Ace admitted.  "Even so, we can't pursue him just yet."  He sighed.  "It's time for me to explain everything."

Ace's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q0eoj8wkLY)

Ace pulled out an ID card and showed it to them with a dramatic flourish.  "My name is Ace Spades.  I'm the commander of Poker Face, which is a top secret team of undercover agents that work for the Demon Resistance- the name of demons who seek to maintain a peaceful relationship with people in the world of the living.  Sadly, a majority have sunk under the rule of the Phoenix- the organization of demons planning to escape the Nightmare Vault and cause havoc here.  It's my job to investigate the weakening of the barrier between this world and the Nightmare Vault.

"Though I'm not sure what his master's goal is, I can give a rough translation of what Metal Mario asked the Star Rod to do.  The Nexus is a dimension in the center of all creation.  You could say that it is a bind that holds all worlds together, and yet it also serves as a wall to prevent people from traveling between worlds unless special conditions are met.  For example, when you die, your soul is instantly sent through the Nexus to the Underwhere.  It is done so quickly that it'd be impossible to know that the Nexus existed unless someone who already knew about it told you.

"Metal Mario is going to take the Star Rod to this kingdom's Nexus Access Point.  It's a place deep underground where a portal to the Nexus can be reached.  However, as I said earlier, this portal will not open unless special conditions are met- such as death.  Metal Mario is going to use the Star Rod's power to force the portal open and gain access to the Nexus.  With the Nexus under his control, he'll no longer need the Star Rod.  Once inside, he'll be able to open or close any Nexus Access Point in existence for as long as he chooses.  If my information is correct, he'll permanently open the portals in both this kingdom and the Nightmare Vault, allowing demons under the Phoenix rule to flood in and destroy everything as we know it.  It's my job to prevent that from happening."

"So that's how I know you!" Glaive exclaimed.  "I remember hearing about you when I lived in the Nightmare Vault.  So you're the big hero, huh?  You still haven't told us why we couldn't go after Metal Mario."

"We have something much more urgent to attend to," Ace answered.  "If we don't find the source of the Nightmare Haze and destroy it, everyone in this kingdom will die.  Plus, with this haze around, we won't be able to do much to stop Metal Mario.  He isn't that strong on his own; any one of us could take him out by ourselves.  It's the haze that makes him seem strong.  The demon he spoke of is the true villain we need to pursue.  He calls himself Nightmare, and he's hiding on an island somewhere in the Sea of Flames.  We need to find his exact location, which leads me to the final thing I need to explain.

"The reason I let Mario fight for so long is that I needed him to absorb a great deal of Nightmare Haze into his body.  Based on the data I've collected so far, Mario has the potential to resist the haze's effects for much longer than any of us can.  With such a high concentration of Nightmare Haze available, I'll be able to pinpoint Nightmare's exact location.  And by analyzing the clusters of haze in Mario's body, I can create an antidote that should be able to cure people in a condition similar to his.  It'll also give people temporary immunity to the Nightmare Haze, which should give us enough time to take Nightmare down."

"Basically, you used Mario like a sponge to absorb the haze so you could study it," Glaive observed.  "And Mario had to be the one to do it because his body could withstand the haze better than ours could."

"That's right," Ace affirmed with a nod.

"I don't know..." Luigi mumbled, starting to shiver in fear.  "Going after Nightmare sounds kind of... dangerous..."

"While you're at it," Glaive began, ignoring Luigi's cowardice, "where is this 'Nexus Access Point'?"

"Let's just say that you should probably evacuate everyone from Mushroom Castle..." Ace replied.  "Right now, everyone in this entire kingdom should follow me to the hospital.  We can start analyzing Mario and get that antidote ready.  Our first move will be to get Mario on the road to recovery and to give everyone temporary immunity from the Nightmare Haze.  Then, we'll go after Nightmare and meet up with Mario before we take out Metal Mario.  Is there any way for us to contact the entire kingdom quickly?  I need to inform everyone of the situation."

Jolene handed Ace her microphone.  "This is still being broadcasted.  Just tell the fans what you want them to hear."

Finally got to reading this chapter.

Nice job. Sucks how MM won though :(

Chapter 9: The Demonic Trials

Ace's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q0eoj8wkLY)

Doctors were scurrying up and down the hospital's main corridor, making preparations for the massive number of guests that would soon arrive. "That should do it," Ace sighed as he and Glaive lowered the unconscious Mario onto a plush hospital bed.  "He should be fine if he rests here for a while.  I just need to analyze the clusters of Nightmare Haze in his body.  Luigi, give me a status report on the Mushroom Kingdom residents." 

Luigi peered out of a window at the side of their room.  On the horizon, he spotted several clusters of frenzied civilians approaching them.  "It looks like people are starting to make their way here.  The broadcast we made worked!"

Seeing their hero lying unconscious must've really convinced them, Ace thought.  They must put a lot of faith in him.  Mario...  He pulled out a circular device with a trigger on one side.  "This is one of Poker Face's top secret devices.  It's the NCA, or Nightmare Command Apparatus."  Ace pointed it at Mario and pulled the trigger, sending a green ray of light rushing toward the plumber.  The light rushed up and down Mario's body for a few moments, then returned to Ace's NCA.  The screen lit up with various codes that only Ace seemed to understand.

"So, is that the data you were looking for?" Glaive inquired, peeking at the device's screen.

"It is," Ace answered concisely, not taking his eyes off of the screen.  "I need some kind of container.  Does anyone know where I could find one?"

One of the nurses in the hall overheard them and stepped into the room.  "I... might be able to find one," she volunteered shyly.  She was a short, blonde Toad with pink dots on her mushroom-shaped hat.  "I'm Kay T.  This is my first day on the job, so I can't really help the others with anything important.  I'd be happy to at least be able to lend a hand here."

"That would be a huge help," Ace thanked her.  "Make sure it's the biggest one you can find."

"I'll do my best," Kay T. said timidly as she disappeared into the stampede of doctors crowding the hallway.

"I have to say, the people in this kingdom are much friendlier than what I'm used to," Ace observed.  "It's definitely a breath of fresh air from the Nightmare Vault."

"That's pretty much the only redeeming quality this kingdom has," Glaive muttered.  "They're nothing but a bunch of weaklings who know little about warfare and combat.  But for some reason, I feel responsible for them.  Maybe I've grown too soft..."

"Will... this... do?" Kay T. asked them as she appeared in the doorway with a clear plastic container the size of a car.  She angled the container so that it would fit through the door and slowly dragged it in.  "Believe it or not, the storage room actually has things like this in it."

"It's perfect!" Ace exclaimed, satisfied with its size.  He pressed a button on his circular device, and an antenna popped out of its side.  Ace punched a few more buttons, aimed at the opening at the top of the container, and pulled the trigger.  In a flash of light, dozens of red pills the size of a dime flooded into the open container.  In just a few moments, it was completely filled.

Luigi was stunned.  "Are those-"

Ace nodded.  "Swallow one of these, and your body will become immune to the Nightmare Haze for 48 hours.  Also, the pill should be able to expel any Nightmare Haze that has previously entered your body.  And that's it!  No prescriptions necessary.  A single pill is enough to cure all of your symptoms as long as you give your body the chance to rest."

"Are they cherry-flavored?" Luigi inquired, causing Glaive to smack him with the hilt of his sword.

"In that case, we should all take one- especially Mario," Glaive stated.  He grabbed a tablet from the container and swallowed it.  Ace did the same, and also fed one to Mario.  All eyes were on Luigi.

"Uh...  What do they taste like?" Luigi questioned hesitantly.  "Will it dissolve in my mouth?  Do I have to chew it?  What if it gets stuck in my throat?!  You see, there was this one time I got a Candy Shroom stuck in my throat, and ever since- ACK!"  Without warning, Glaive crammed a pill into Luigi's mouth.  "Ugh, that tasted awful!"

"It's a human thing," Glaive told the confused Ace.  "They've become so accustomed to this era of peace that they tend to worry about trivial things such as taste."

Ace shrugged.  "Anyway, it's time we went after Nightmare.  The data I gathered from Mario's body has allowed me to trace the Nightmare Haze in his body back to its source."

"Maybe we should get Wario and Waluigi," Luigi suggested.

"No.  Ace and I are the only essentials to this team," Glaive told Luigi.  "You can come along if you want."

"What he really means is that Wario is injured from his fight with Metal Mario, and Waluigi wants to be at his side while he recovers," Ace explained.  "I've worked alongside people with attitudes just like his before.  Don't let Glaive's gruff demeanor bother you.  For now, let's just try to find a way to reach Nightmare."

---

"Hmm... Where did everybody go?" Metal Mario wondered aloud as he entered the front gates of Mushroom Castle.  It's only been a couple of hours since I left the stadium.  Could they have evacuated everyone before my arrival?  Maybe they aren't as foolish as I thought.  No one is dumb enough to challenge me as long as this kingdom's air is thick with Nightmare Haze."

RING! RING!

"I've got a call."  He pressed a glowing green button on his right arm, causing a screen with Crimson's face to pop up.

Crimson's Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/b9e8fca9-f6b1-4390-9cb6-878399efca2b/Crimsons-Theme)

"Metal Mario, I want a status report," Crimson demanded.  "Have you retrieved the Star Rod yet?"

Metal Mario nodded.  "I have, although I'm beginning to wonder if we need to use it.  Your plan was to cause a crisis and see who arrived to stop it.  In this manner, you could learn who killed Lord Shade.  However, I've already identified the one you seek. "

Crimson grinned from underneath his veil.  "Excellent.  Tell me who he is."

"His name is Mario.  He is the Mushroom Hero," Metal Mario answered.  "It turns out that my sworn enemy is actually the one you've been searching for.  During our battle in the Smash Pit, he revealed to me that he was the one who defeated Lord Shade two years ago.  I've got plenty of data on him in my memory banks.  I'm transmitting the info to your computer as we speak."

"Mario...  You mean the son of Anthony?" Crimson asked in a surprised tone.  He began to read the data as it popped up on his computer.  "This keeps getting more and more interesting...  I'm already trembling in anticipation of the Armageddon.  Unfortunately..." He paused, continuing to read about Mario.  "It would seem that Mario is not ready just yet.  As I suspected, Anthony did not pass on all of his power to Mario.  In fact, only 75% of the Hero bloodline's power belongs to him."

"That's a problem," Metal Mario sighed.  "From what I understand, Mario's worthless to you unless he has 100% of the Hero bloodline's strength."

"Yes," Crimson affirmed.  "He wouldn't last long at all.  But there is no need for concern.  This has all been foretold.  We must now begin the event that precedes the Armageddon, the Demonic Trials!  The point of these trials is to create a substitute for the extra 25% of power that Mario is missing.  By putting him through agony, pain, and suffering, we will push his body past its limits!  He'll be put to the brink of death, and experience anguish far more severe than anything he could have ever imagined!  It's just like training, only far more brutal!"

"In other words, you want me to keep him alive?  You want me to go easy on him to make sure that he survives?" Metal Mario inquired, disappointed.

Crimson shook his head.  "No.  It's actually the opposite.  I want you to do everything in your power to kill him.  If Mario can't overcome the obstacles I've set for him, then he isn't the one I've been searching for.  It's as simple as that.  If Mario truly is destined to take part in the Armageddon, he'll find a way to beat you."

"Fair enough," Metal Mario chuckled.  "Everything finally makes sense.  The point of me stealing the Star Rod wasn't just to find the guy who killed Shade.  You also wanted to test him."

"Yes.  Carry on with the plan.  The Nexus Access Point is somewhere beneath Mushroom Castle," Crimson informed him.  "I'll send Lorne and Hunter to help you out.  If Mario's friends take out the source of Nightmare Haze, you won't be much of a challenge to them.  Also, I've been experimenting with the Resurrection Cannon- you know, the device that brought you back to life?  Let's just say that you can expect some additional backup soon."  The screen faded to n_gger.

"Mario...  You're in for a rude awakening," Metal Mario sneered as he entered Mushroom Castle.

---

Sea of Flames (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_gS2jO2PjM&feature=related)

"Whoa, look at all the haze!" Luigi gasped as they reached the border between Forever Forest and the Sea of Flames.  All that could be seen for miles was a scorching sea of lava, with a few occasional islands protruding from the inferno.  A vast quantity of red mist filled the cloudy n_gger sky.  "I thought the Nightmare Haze was invisible..."

"It is, for the most part.  Nightmare Haze is created in clumps that take on a reddish color.  In order to cover more ground, the clusters spread as far as they can to cover more ground.  As the Nightmare Haze becomes less compact, it loses its color," Ace explained.  "The fact that we can see red Nightmare Haze only proves that we're near the source."

Glaive peered at the horizon, trying to spot the island they were looking for.  "Which island is it?"

Ace glanced at the NCA.  He scanned the scarce number of islands before pointing to one nearby.  It was by far the largest of the islands, and had a massive amount of mist surrounding it.  "That's where we'll find Nightmare."

Luigi scratched his head, confused.  "Umm...  How are we supposed to get there?  Crossing the Sea of Flames isn't exactly a cakewalk."

"Just leave it to my trusty NCA!" Ace exclaimed with pride.  "Judging by the quantity of lava, I'd say the NCA could solidify it for about 6,238,593 zenkrigs."

"Yay, that's plenty of time!" Luigi exclaimed.  "Wait... What's a zenkrig?"

Glaive thought for a moment.  "Hmm... I'd say that's the Mushroom Kingdom equivalent of about 62 seconds."

"Oh..." Luigi sighed, suddenly feeling depressed.

"Don't worry; that'll be plenty of time if we hurry," Ace reassured him.  An antenna extended out from the side of the NCA and fired a blue beam at the inferno below them.  Luigi watched in awe as the sea of lava grew several shades darker before hardening.

Luigi took a few steps back.  "Err...  Your plan seems kind of... risky..."

"C'mon!" Ace urged them as he leapt onto the solid magma.  "We don't have much time!  It'll melt if you don't hurry!"

Glaive pushed Luigi face-first onto the hardened lava before sprinting to catch up with Ace.  Luigi got back on his feet only to see that Glaive and Ace were already halfway to the island.  "Wait up!" he screamed, darting across the frozen sea in pursuit of his companions.

"That was close," Ace breathed as he reached his destination.  "The lava will melt back into a liquid state any second now."  He turned around and saw that Luigi was still making his way toward the island.  "Hurry up!  You've got less than 1,093,013 zenkrigs left!"

"Thanks for the tip!!" Luigi called back sarcastically, running for his life.  Steam began to emit from his shoes as the magma's temperature began to rise.

Ace gasped.  "He's not going to make it..."

Luigi's feet began to sink into the rapidly heating lava.  He looked left and right as he frantically searched for a way to survive.  Breathing heavily, Luigi desperately tried to think of a way to reach the island faster.  There's no way I'll make it in time...  What would Bro do?  ...Oh, I know!  But can I pull it off?  He began to charge a Super Fireball in his right palm.  Luigi jumped into the air just as the magma had completely liquefied.  Aiming carefully, he shot the Super Fireball at the lava, propelling him toward the island.

"Not bad," Glaive mumbled as Luigi crashed into the ground beside him.  "You actually made it."

Ace helped Luigi up.  "That was pretty impressive, Luigi.  You're definitely Mario's brother.  Of course, if you hadn't been such a coward in the first place, that wouldn't have happened."

"I guess," Luigi admitted, embarrassed.  "I'll try to be a little braver."  For the first time, he took a look at his surroundings.  The island was made entirely out of rugged, brown rock.  Several rock formations protruded from the jagged ground, and the red haze they saw earlier seemed even thicker than before.

Glaive pointed to a nearby cave.  "It looks like the haze might be coming out of there."

Ace nodded.  "Let's check it out."

---

Hospital Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mun2Wut77Gs)

A shiver of fear rushed across Mario's body as light flooded into his eyes.  He sat up and clenched his fists, expecting to see Metal Mario.  "Huh...  Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital," Kay T. answered.  "You should lie down.  You might open up your wounds."  She helped him lay back down.  "You're safe for now.  I'm Kay T."

"I was fighting... in the Smash Pit...  W- What happened?" Mario stammered, confused.  "Did I lose?"

"From what I understand, your metal doppelganger beat you and took the Star Rod.  Your friends went to the Sea of Flames to take out the source of Nightmare Haze.  Once they do that, they'll go after the Star Rod," Kay T. explained.

Abruptly, Mario threw the sheets off of his bed and stood up.  "I have to go help them!"  Before he could say another word, he fell to his knees from exhaustion.

Kay T. helped him back onto the bed.  "The antidote Ace created hasn't gotten rid of all of the Nightmare Haze in your body yet.  It's best for you to get some sleep until you've fully recovered."

"How do you know so much about what's going on?" Mario inquired, puzzled.

"Ace briefly explained the situation to the entire kingdom.  We all have a general idea of what's going on, but I know a little more because I overheard Ace talking with your other friends," Kay T. informed him.  "Everyone is taking refuge in this hospital.  Ace created an antidote that will keep everyone alive long enough for him to destroy the source of the Nightmare Haze.  Giving a pill to every single person in this kingdom will take some time, but we won't give up."

"Tell me...  Is Princess Peach safe?" Mario requested wearily.  "Is she in this hospital too?"

Kay T. nodded.  "It seems like this new villain's goal isn't to kidnap Her Highness.  Right now, she's helping us give medicine to all of the kingdom's inhabitants.  I'll tell her to stop by later, but I'm sure she's already planning to." BEEP!  BEEP!  "Oh, that's my pager.  It looks like they need my help.  I'll talk to Princess Peach for you.  Make sure you stay in bed."  She turned and left.

Mario sat up.  "Sea of Flames, huh?  Sorry, Kay..."  He struggled to his feet, opened the window at the side of the room, and climbed out.  He landed nimbly on his feet outside, but soon fell onto his hands and knees.  "I know I'm... going to regret this..."  With a tremendous amount of effort, he pushed himself to his feet and staggered north toward his destination.  "I've... got to... help... them..."  He collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.

[End Music]

---

Glaive, Ace, and Luigi wandered through the murky cavern in search of the Nightmare Haze's source.  They were surrounded by nothing but solid brown rock and a few occasional streams of lava that had trickled up through cracks beneath the island. "We'd be cooked if we didn't take that antidote before," Luigi coughed after inhaling a mouthful of haze.

"We're getting closer to the source," Ace observed.  "The concentration of Nightmare Haze is increasing."

Glaive pointed to a light coming from an opening at the end of the tunnel.  "Do you think that could be where it is?"

Ace glanced at his NCA.  "It looks like it.  Keep your guard up, everyone."  As they drew closer to the passage, Ace gulped.  "Luigi, I want you to be especially careful.  I've never met him personally, but I've heard that Nightmare absolutely despises humans."

"Gee, thanks," Luigi whined, sweat trickling down the back of his neck.  They entered the opening and emerged in a spacious area with a pool of lava at its center.  Compared to the cramped tunnels of the cavern that they were used to, the room could almost be described as comfortable.

"Luigi, look out!" Ace cried as he shoved Luigi to the side.

Nightmare's Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/6114b5cd-048a-4246-8397-574402dd2416/Nightmares-Theme)

Shaking feverishly, Luigi opened his eyes to see a massive crater where he had just been standing.  "T-Thanks... A- Ace..."

"Yet another reason demons are superior to humans," a voice echoed from above.  In a flash of red, Luigi's assailant landed in front of the three heroes.  He wore a tattered red cloak, n_gger pants, and a silver vest.  Gold plates of armor encased his arms and legs, and a blood-red sword was sheathed at his waist.  He had spiky brown hair, the bangs of which partially hid his piercing blue eyes.  Apart from that, he looked vaguely humanoid.  He stared into Luigi's eyes.  "I'm Nightmare.  Just so you know, you would have died if it weren't for that demon."

"Don't ever put me in the same class as you," Ace snapped.  "By order of the Demon Resistance, I'm going to put a stop to your Nightmare Haze production."

Nightmare's eyes narrowed.  "So you're with the rebellious scum who oppose the Phoenix?  That explains why you'd save a human's life.  Now I'll have no regrets if I kill you."

Glaive drew his sword.  "Who do you think you are?  There's three of us and only one of you.  I don't care how powerful you are; there's no way you can beat all of us."  He gripped his blade and charged at Nightmare.

"Glaive, no!" Ace gasped.

"How... DARE you speak to me of teamwork!" Nightmare screamed, his eyes gleaming with hatred.  With one swift strike, Glaive's sword connected with Nightmare's shoulder.  CLANG!  As if he was surrounded with an invisible barrier, the blade stopped as soon as it touched Nightmare.  "I'd like to introduce my Barrier of Hatred.  Among controlling the Nightmare Haze, it is one of my favorite techniques.  You see, I can materialize my hatred for humans into weapons and techniques.  The stronger my hatred, the more powerful I become.  I'll also let you in on a little secret.  The thing about humans I loathe most of all is the idea of friendships and teamwork.  Why would someone depend on others when he is strong enough on his own?"

Glaive put all of his strength into piercing Nightmare's flesh with his blade, but it didn't budge.  "That's... ridiculous...  How can... someone hate... humans... that badly?"

"I don't need a reason," Nightmare replied icily, clearly trying to hide his true motives.  "Don't you dare question me!"  He delivered a bone-shattering uppercut to Glaive's chest, sending him tumbling backward beside Luigi.

"Guys, I think we have a problem," Luigi whispered in fear.  "How are we supposed to beat him if he's shielded by a barrier?"

"We'll just have to break through it," Ace answered firmly, clutching a deck of cards strapped to his waist.  "We'll attack him as a group.  Glaive, can you still fight?"

Glaive struggled to his feet.  "Are you... kidding?  I've been through much worse..."

---

[End Music]

Mario's eyes fluttered open.  He was back in the hospital.  "Great, I'm back here.  Then again, it's probably for the best."

"You should thank this man," Kay T. scolded in an attempt to sound angry.  It was no use.  What could she expect from the Mushroom Hero?

E. Gadd's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50uUuVyq5m4)

"Heya, Mario," E. Gadd greeted him.  "It's been a while since I've seen you fellers off on an adventure.  I was watching your fight with Metal Mario from my lab all the way in Forever Forest.  My old heart almost stopped when I saw you take a beating like that!  Then this other guy told everyone about the Nightmare Haze and to come to this hospital immediately.  I thought it'd be an interesting place to do research, so I packed up and moved here.  When I got here, I noticed your unconscious body lying outside and called for help."

Mario tried to get up, but found he didn't have the strength to do so.  "Thanks..."

"Please get some rest, Mario," Kay T. requested as she left the room.

"Phew," E. Gadd sighed.  "She's gone.  I'm not supposed to do this, but here."  He took out a Max Mushroom and handed it to Mario.  "Using a Mushroom to heal fatal wounds as a substitute for proper treatment can damage your body's ability to recover naturally, but I don't think it would be unreasonable for me to make an exception.  Besides, the Nightmare Haze should have been fully expelled from your body by now.  The only thing we're waiting for is for your wounds to heal."

Mario swallowed the Max Mushroom in one bite.  He leapt out of bed as his bumps and bruises vanished without a trace.  "Wow!  It's been a long time since I've had one of those!  I owe you one, professor.  Tell Peach that I went to help Luigi, and that I'll visit her later."  Mario glanced at the thickening crowd in the hallway.  "I think I'll stick with my alternative route."  He opened the window and hopped out, landing safely on the ground.

"I set up a new lab in Mushroom Village, so stop by if you ever need help!" E. Gadd called after him.  "Now I'd better leave before I get in trouble..."

Mario rushed at full speed toward the Sea of Flames.  Don't worry, Bro.  I'll be there soon!

Awesome tale, friend. ;)

Good chapter, Shadow. But I think you missed something:
?The face that we can see red Nightmare Haze only proves that we?re near the source.?

Shouldn't it have been fact? It's not that big of a deal, I just notice stuff like that. :P

Otherwise, good job. ;)

Quote from: Retronintendodude7 on August 27, 2009, 07:09:15 PM
Good chapter, Shadow. But I think you missed something:
?The face that we can see red Nightmare Haze only proves that we?re near the source.?

Shouldn't it have been fact? It's not that big of a deal, I just notice stuff like that. :P

Otherwise, good job. ;)

Thanks for pointing that out.  :)

EDIT:(Oh and I've been trying to respond to your PM but it won't work for some reason.  I'll try again tomorrow)

EDIT 2: Sorry about the delay.  I've been on vacation and have some nasty school work to finish.  I start school exactly one week from today (Thursday), so I'll definitely have the new chapter done before then.

No problem. Take your time. I don't think anyone minds

Chapter 10: Demon of Hatred

Nightmare's Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/6114b5cd-048a-4246-8397-574402dd2416/Nightmares-Theme)

"Your puny attacks can't possibly break my barrier," Nightmare warned them icily.  "My hatred blocks out your foolish ideals of teamwork."

"We'll see about that," Ace murmured, removing a card from his deck.  He crushed it in his palm, causing a beam saber to materialize in his hand.  "Glaive, we might be able to pierce his shield if we all attack him at once."

"Sounds like a plan," Glaive affirmed, grinning as he unsheathed his blade.  "Luigi, are you going to help?"

Luigi gulped.  "I'll... try..."

Nightmare drew his sword as he slowly approached the group.  "This blade was forged in the deepest reaches of the Nightmare Vault, and it allows you to control the Nightmare Haze.  However, mastering this blade comes at a great price.  You must throw away all emotions and feelings- except for hatred.  Any trace of happiness or love will dull the sword's edge, while   hatred will only make it sharper.  Appropriately, I call it the Nightmare Blade."

"Be careful," Ace whispered.  "That blade is sharp enough to slice through anything- even Glaive's armor."

On Ace's signal, the three of them rushed forward at Nightmare.  Glaive attacked from the right, and Ace from the left.  Luigi charged directly at Nightmare before leaping above his head and hurling Fireballs at him from behind.  Two metal clangs echoed through the tunnel.  Glaive and Ace each landed direct hits with their blades, but they failed to even put a dent in Nightmare's barrier.  Not to mention Luigi's Fireballs, which had been deflected effortlessly.  Ace and Glaive put all of their weight onto their swords, desperately trying to pierce Nightmare's skin.  Luigi merely quivered in fear.  His attack had failed.

In the blink of an eye, Nightmare whirled around and slashed his blade across Luigi's chest.  Luigi had instinctively stepped backward to avoid a fatal blow, but he still had quite a gash.  Blood trickled out from his wound, and Luigi crumpled to his knees in pain.

"And the human was caught off guard again," Nightmare sneered.  He spun his blade around in a perfect circle, knocking the struggling Ace and Glaive to the ground.  "It looks like the human no longer has the strength to fight, so which of you should I immobilize next?"  With his back turned to Luigi, Nightmare pointed his blade at Ace.

Clutching his wound with one hand, Luigi shakily aimed his other hand at Nightmare.  I'm not out of this fight yet...

---

Sea of Flames (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_gS2jO2PjM&feature=related)

"Well, this is definitely the Sea of Flames," Mario observed.  He stood on a rocky cliff at the north border of Forever Forest.  "The haze looks like it's coming from nearby, but where?  I'll bet they're all fighting on one of these islands, but finding them will take too long.  I don't have time for this!"  He scratched his chin, pondering the quickest way to locate his friends.

BOOM!

An earsplitting explosion erupted from a nearby island, sending rock and debris soaring into the clouded sky.  This was followed by an enormous green Fireball, which launched out toward the heavens like a cannonball.  Mario clenched his fists.  "Luigi!  He must've been desperate to fire a shot that large." 

Mario grinned as an Iceball formed in his hand.  "At least I know where to go.  Of course, getting there shouldn't be a problem."  He blasted the Iceball at the inferno below him and leapt onto a small chunk of frozen lava.  He created two more Iceballs.  "Time to play hopscotch."

---

Nightmare's Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/6114b5cd-048a-4246-8397-574402dd2416/Nightmares-Theme)

Small pebbles and rocks began to tumble from the wide gap in the cave's ceiling.  "Attacking me while my back is turned?  That's something I'd expect from a human," Nightmare spat, bitterness and hatred pervading his tone.  "It's too bad that I saw it coming.  Now you're all out of fuel, am I right?  Relying on a power source as feeble as Elemental Energy is foolish.  I have an infinite supply of hatred that will fuel my strength to the very end."

Luigi collapsed onto the rugged ground, a pool of blood beginning to surround him.  "I thought... I could break his barrier..."

"He tried to put all of his strength into one Fireball," Ace observed with pity.  "But it missed.  Now he has nothing left."  He observed the hole in the ceiling that Luigi's attack had made.  "But... he did give me an idea!"

Glaive gestured at Ace's deck of cards.  "Ready?"

Ace nodded.  In a flash, he drew a card and hurled it in Nightmare's direction.  Instead of hitting him, it curved upward and wedged itself in the rocky ceiling of the cavern.  In seconds, the card detonated and sent several massive boulders collapsing down onto Nightmare.  Ace peered into the dust and smoke created by the impact.

Standing in the midst of all the fallen debris stood Nightmare, completely unharmed.  "My hatred can see through your childish tricks."

"Your hatred is starting to irritate me," Glaive retorted, clutching his blade.  "I have to make this guy shut up!  His presence is overwhelming...  It's almost as if his hatred is contagious...  It's maddening!"

"Keep it together.  We can still do this," Ace reassured him.  "I don't think I've ever seen so much malice contained within one person.  He's not your typical villain trying to rule over someplace, or to extract some kind of revenge.  All that's on his mind is hatred: pure and simple."

"That's not entirely true," Nightmare defended.  "I'm doing this for a reason.  My hatred isn't my purpose; my purpose is to annihilate the source of my hatred.  It turns out that my goal and Metal Mario's goal are both the same. That's why I'm helping them.  Plus, I get to cause misery to the humans.  What could be better?"

"I won't let you take your bitterness out on mankind!" Ace screamed as he hurled a cluster of cards at Nightmare.  The demon swung his sword, creating a gust of wind that send the cards flying back into Ace and exploding on impact.  Ace fell to his knees in pain.

"I don't know why he hates humans so much," Glaive stated coldly, "but anyone that's working with Metal Mario is our enemy!"  He rushed at Nightmare, his blade raised high above his head.

Nightmare's eyes became blood-red with malice.  In one swift motion, Glaive was out of the battle.

Ace gasped. How...  How could he...

Before Glaive had even reached his target, Nightmare had stabbed his blade though Glaive's armor and pierced his lower chest.  "Traitor," Nightmare hissed as he pulled his sword from Glaive's chest.  "Don't assume for a SECOND that I'm in an alliance with Metal Mario.  I don't need anyone else's help.  If anything, Metal Mario needs my help.  I'll eradicate him the second he interferes with my plans."

Glaive collapsed onto the ground as blood pooled from his wound.  "This guy's... crazy..."

"Crazy?" Nightmare parroted.  "Has it ever occurred to you that you 'heroes' might be the crazy ones?  Perhaps it was Zeus who was truly insane when he sealed the demons away in the Nightmare Vault.  And maybe, just maybe, the idea of good wasn't meant to prevail all of those centuries ago.  Maybe you're all wrong, and Zeus was the one who should have been sealed away!  Maybe evil was meant to prevail!"

Fighting Spirit (http://www.esnips.com/doc/94554fe8-00ca-47e9-8077-3cba6f046ef9/Fighting-Spirit)

"Sounds like demons are a bunch of sore losers to me," a voice echoed from the cavern's entrance.

Luigi's eyes lit up as Mario entered the room.  "Bro..."

Glaive used his sword to help him stand up.  "He's here... but what can he do?"

"Who's this arrogant buffoon?" Nightmare wondered aloud.  "You'd better watch your mouth, human!  I'll kill you where you stand!"

"I assume the polite gentleman over there is Nightmare," Mario told Ace sarcastically.  "I can't believe he gave you all this much trouble.  I'm even more surprised Nightmare had to draw his sword.  All he had to do was bore you all to death with his lame speeches."

Watch it, Mario... Glaive thought.  Nightmare isn't the type of person you want to anger...  For your sake, I hope you're back at full strength.

"Are you sure you should be fighting?  He's extremely dangerous," Ace warned Mario.

"I'm fine," Mario replied.  "I haven't fought for this kingdom in two years.  Now that I don't have any stupid haze to slow me down, I'm ready to start protecting people again."

He's so... confident...  Just how strong is he? Ace wondered as Mario approached Nightmare.

Mario grinned from ear to ear.  His stare was focused on Nightmare.  "You shouldn't dwell on what-ifs.  The fact is, this Zeus character did seal all of the demons away," Mario stated as he walked straight up to Nightmare.  "The way I see it, what's happening now only proves that demons were meant to be sealed away.  Anyway, it seems like you've got some mental conflicts, so I'll just introduce myself.  Full-time Mushroom Hero and part-time demon exterminator- I'm Mario."

Nightmare was trembling with rage.  He cooled himself down before speaking.  "You're feeling awfully arrogant, aren't you?  Let's see what you can do."

Nightmare vs. Mario (http://www.esnips.com/doc/9a7d663e-8854-41ef-b67a-26d0f1c829c0/Nightmare-vs.-Mario)

Mario began the fight by launching a few Fireballs at Nightmare as he sprinted toward him.  His flames bounced off of the demon like rubber balls.  Just as I thought; small attacks aren't going to affect this guy.  Mario took a leap to the side as Nightmare's blade came crashing down on the spot he had just stood in.

"At least you're better than that other human," Nightmare sneered, twirling his sword.  At this point, Mario had gotten behind his foe.  With one graceful twirl, Nightmare spun his blade around in an attempt to slash the plumber.  However, the swift Mushroom Hero managed to nimbly hop onto the sword and use it to propel himself up above Nightmare's head.

I wonder how his barrier will handle a full-fledged aerial attack, Mario wondered as he plummeted downward.  He carefully evaded an upward slash of the Nightmare Blade before landing a precise kick to the demon's shoulder.  Nightmare didn't budge.

"You call that an attack?" Nightmare yawned, unimpressed.  "It'll take a lot more to break through my intense hatred."

Mario fell to the ground, clutching his foot.  "That was like kicking a brick wall!  What's that barrier made of?"

"Hatred," Nightmare replied laconically.  "It's the toughest substance in existence.  You can never pierce it."

"We'll see about that," Mario chuckled as flames began to surround his palms.  I can't be sure if there's always a barrier surrounding him, or if he just materializes one when he knows I'm about to hit him.  I'll catch him off guard and see what happens.  Once again, Mario charged at the unscathed Nightmare.

"This time I'll actually try to hit you," Nightmare muttered as he clutched his blade.  As Mario was only a few feet away from him, Nightmare swung his sword.  A metal clang echoed through the cavern as a Flaming Sword materialized in Mario's hands.  The plumber parried Nightmare's blade, discarded his sword, and unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks at the exposed demon.  It was like punching solid stone.  Mario gasped.  Nightmare regained his cool and slashed again.

Despair (http://www.esnips.com/doc/c0a07c77-55ea-4c76-ace0-f1990c031792/Despair)

"Bro!" Luigi cried as Mario tumbled onto the ground, clutching a bloody wound on his shoulder.

"How..." Mario groaned in agony.  "How am I supposed to..."

"Pierce my barrier?  You can't!" Nightmare spat in disgust.  "Nothing can surpass the immense power of my hatred!  My-"

"Shut up!" Mario demanded in a hoarse voice.  "You didn't let me finish...  How am I supposed to... protect the kingdom... if I keep losing like this...?  First the haze... and now this...  What's wrong with me?  Why can't I... protect my friends?"

"You've got to keep fighting," Glaive pleaded, trembling with pain.  "You saved us two years ago, and you can save us again.  I hate to have to beg you to do this, especially since I consider you my rival, but..."

"Mario, you're the only one left who can fight," Ace added, badly bruised from the explosions of his own cards.  "We're all counting on you."

Mario struggled to his feet, blood dripping from his wound.  "I'm... not ready to give up yet...  My friends are depending on me...  I've got to keep trying, no matter what."

"Enough!" Nightmare shrieked, shielding his ears.  "All of this talk about friendship and trust...  Bah!  It makes me sick!  I thought you were an outstanding warrior when our battle began.  Now I see that you're exactly the kind of person I hate!  You're one of those people who are motivated by encouragement from friends and family!  Let me show you the error of your ways!  I shall rid you of your so-called 'friends'."

"Leave them out of this!" Mario bellowed, his fists clenched.

With a flick of Nightmare's wrist, four purple rings materialized and wrapped themselves around Mario's body.  "Those are also created from my hatred, so there's nothing you can do to break them.  They'll weigh you down, leaving you completely helpless as I rid you of your friends.  Once your silly feelings are replaced with hatred for me, you'll gain true power and break free from your imprisonment!"

"No!  Leave them alone!" Mario screamed, wildly thrashing about in an attempt to break free.

"It's too late for that," Nightmare replied with a grin.  "They're going to die, and you can't do a thing until they're already dead!  But once you are overcome with hatred and break free, you won't be any different from me!  You'll no longer be a hero.  You'll have nothing left to do but spread your hatred!"

"Leave them alone!" Mario repeated, not listening to a word Nightmare was saying.

"Perhaps I'll just have to show you what I mean," Nightmare sighed.  He stared into Luigi's eyes as he held his blade close to his throat.  If Luigi budged even an inch, Nightmare could instantly end his life.  "I'll rid the world of the human first."  He gripped the hilt of his blade.

"Leave them alone!!" Mario screeched one final time, now on his feet. 

"What?" Nightmare gasped in disbelief.  "How is that possible?  I'm not detecting any hatred at all!"

Fighting Spirit (http://www.esnips.com/doc/94554fe8-00ca-47e9-8077-3cba6f046ef9/Fighting-Spirit)

"Bro..." Luigi whispered as he collapsed onto the ground, exhausted.

"What happened?" Ace pondered.  "Mario...  He's like a completely new person."

"Now I get it," Glaive whispered.  "I finally understand."

The sound of shattered glass filled the cave as the rings surrounding Mario broke apart.  "Don't you DARE touch them!" Mario demanded, a blue aura emanating from his body.  "You keep rambling on about hatred, and how much you despise humans and friendship.  We get the picture!  Shut up, already!  This is going to be one long adventure if every demon I meet is like you!  It's time I started protecting this kingdom again!  No stupid barrier is gonna stop me!"

"He definitely wasn't this powerful when he arrived," Nightmare murmured.  "Ugh, I understand what you are.  You're Mr. Nice Guy; the hero who always comes to save the day.  When the situation becomes desperate and you start taking serious damage, you become stronger instead of weaker.  I truly loathe people like you!"

Glaive pointed at Mario.  "See that aura?  That's similar to what I saw when he was fighting Shade.  I was wondering why Mario didn't seem as strong as he should be.  I understand he's been through a lot in the past few days, but he seemed a lot weaker than he should have been, considering he's been training with Grambi.  Now I understand.  His true power doesn't surface until he gets desperate.  He may possess the power of the Hero bloodline, but he hasn't learned how to bring it all out at will.  When we fought Shade, the situation was desperate and Mario had no problems accessing his power.  This time, he needed a kick in the rear."

"Crushing that barrier seems like a real pain at first, but now it's nothing but a little glass wall," Mario chuckled, slowly walking toward Nightmare.  "It's been a while since I've felt this good.  I forgot that I had this kind of power.  Now that I've found something even stronger than your hatred, this'll be easy."

"Stronger than my hatred?" Nightmare parroted.  He threw his head back and laughed.  "Now you're acting all tough again.  Just look at your wounds!  Fine; I'll humor you.  Attack me again, and then you'll fall into despair just like before."

"Alright, the bet's on," Mario agreed.  "One free hit, coming right up."

Nightmare vs. Mario (http://www.esnips.com/doc/9a7d663e-8854-41ef-b67a-26d0f1c829c0/Nightmare-vs.-Mario) 

Nightmare clutched his blade, preparing to end his foe's life with one final blow.  As soon as his attack bounces off of my barrier, I'll dispose of him.  Before his blade could budge an inch, Mario was already in front of him with his fists raised.  The hero threw a bone-breaking right hook at Nightmare's chest.  The sound of shattered glass filled the room once again as Mario's fist connected with Nightmare.

"Let me introduce you to a power even stronger than hate: hope.  Blocking my attacks with that barrier is like blocking a gunshot with a sheet of paper," Mario explained.

Nightmare staggered backward, clutching his chest.  "It's been so long... since I've felt pain.  You're tougher than I originally gave you credit for, human.  Perhaps it's time I stopped relying on that defective barrier."  He slashed the ground with his sword, sending a red energy wave zooming toward Mario.

Mario darted to the right to avoid the blast.  He clenched his right fist, gathering flames in his palm.  He sprinted at Nightmare, who began to rapidly swing his sword back and forth.  Several shockwaves identical to the first one launched at Mario.  The plumber ducked, weaved, and leapt out of the paths of the oncoming energy waves.  Just as he reached Nightmare, the demon vanished and reappeared at his side.

"Die, human!" Nightmare howled as he swung his sword at the vulnerable plumber.  Mario quickly reached out with his left hand and grabbed the blade as tightly as he could without slicing his fingers off.  He pulled himself toward Nightmare and sent his flaming fist on a collision course with Nightmare's face.  The demon dropped his blade and staggered backward, dazed from Mario's punch.  Taking advantage of this opportunity, Mario executed a brutal combo of fierce punches and kicks.  He ended the combo with a roundhouse kick that was charged up with the Element of Thunder.  Nightmare tumbled onto his back, unconscious.

---

Victory (http://www.esnips.com/doc/64a37341-3ac7-44b0-8f77-7c86d5648f1d/Victory)

Nightmare's eyes fluttered open.  "Where..."  He leapt to his feet and scanned the area.  "Why... why didn't you finish me off?"

"You should rest," Ace replied.  "You took quite a beating from Mario."

"You didn't answer my question," Nightmare snapped.  "Why didn't you kill me when you had the chance?"

"If it were me, I would have killed you," Glaive sighed.  "But Mr. Nice Guy over here couldn't do it."

"I don't know why you hate humans so much, but you're not as evil as you led us to believe," Mario told him.  "As I knocked you out of the fight before, I saw a different look in your eyes.  As you fell to the ground, your true self shined through.  In your eyes, I saw that you were crying for help."

Nightmare folded his arms.  "Shut up.  You must have gone insane.  I don't need anybody's help."

"Sure," Mario chuckled.  "I'll make you a deal.  Get rid of all the Nightmare Haze in this kingdom and promise to never hurt another human again.  In return, you can come after me whenever you want.  If you manage to kill me, you can start making Nightmare Haze whenever you feel like it."

Nightmare picked up his blade and sheathed it.  "Hmph.  There's no need to make such a stupid agreement.  I've already sworn to myself that I'd kill you.  I'll have my revenge someday.  Keep your eyes open, because I'll come after you when you least expect it."  He turned to leave.  Mario stopped him.

"Wait!" Mario shouted.  "What's your real name?  There's no way that it could be Nightmare."

"Slade," the demon answered as he exited the cavern.  "Remember it well, human."

"It's strange," Mario whispered, "but he seemed different just now.  He wasn't filled with hatred, or sadness.  He was confused; he couldn't figure out why we spared him.  Slade must have led a very painful life.  Now I know I made the right choice.  If he keeps coming back to challenge me, maybe I'll learn what happened to him.  Once I've figured that out, I can help him."

Mario is too nice sometimes :|
Kill the b*tch.

Nice job

Needs moar catchphrases. :|

lol just kidding. :P

Chapter 11: The Resurrection

Crimson's Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/b9e8fca9-f6b1-4390-9cb6-878399efca2b/Crimsons-Theme)

Up above, in Earth's orbit, Crimson waited inside his spacecraft for his plan to unfold.  "Ah, what an ugly planet," he murmured, observing a photo of Earth on his computer monitor.  "Lorne, is the new addition to the Resurrection Cannon finished?"

Lorne nodded slowly, mechanically.  "It is now capable of covering the entire planet with one blast.  Also, I've altered the cannon's programming so that the beam it fires is completely invisible to the naked eye.  This way, it will avoid stirring up any unnecessary commotion amongst the humans.  I'll fire it at your command."

"Do it," Crimson demanded, nodding in approval.  "If this works, any machine on the entire planet that was built by Lord Shade will be reborn.  Hopefully that'll include my own 'special' project."

Lorne pressed a series of colorful buttons before pulling a red lever.  Mechanical whirs filled the room as a colossal, circular cannon extended from the underside of the spaceship.  Several flashes of white light erupted from the cannon, and the spacecraft began to rumble.  There was one final flash of green light before the quaking died down and the cannon retracted back into the ship's underside.

"Was that all?" Crimson asked, surprised.  "I was expecting more of an explosion."

"Due to the lack of sound in space, there was no explosion to hear.  Since the beam was invisible, you only saw the light emitted from the cannon when the beam was fired.  Despite this, I'm positive that the Resurrection Cannon was a success," Lorne assured him.

Crimson nodded slowly, squinting at his monitor.  "You should join Hunter and Metal Mario now.  Keep your eyes peeled for any robots that have been brought back to life, and recruit them.  Our goal is to put Mario in a situation where he can't possibly succeed.  If he pulls through, we'll know that he's the one."

"Affirmative." Lorne turned to exit the room.

Crimson stopped him.  "Before you go, I'd like a status report on my other two 'projects'.  Firstly, how are the biotechnology experiments going?"

"They're doing surprisingly well, actually," Lorne informed him.  "We are experiencing some funding issues, but one of our associates will soon fix that.  I doubt we'll have it perfected before the end of the trials, but it'll be perfect for the second stage of the plan.  That is, of course, if Mario can pass the Demonic Trials."

Crimson nodded slowly and thoughtfully.  "Lastly, have you found the source of 'unlimited evil'?  Remember that piece of information I dug up from Lord Shade's old database?  'He who wields the power of the Emerald Flames contains an endless wellspring of evil.'  If we can find this source and use it to our advantage, we can put Mario through even more agony."

"Not yet," Lorne apologized.  "I suspect we'll find it soon, though."  He bowed and exited the room.

"Mario," Crimson whispered, peering at the photograph of Earth.  "I hope you live up to my expectations.  I've searched for so very long...  "

---

Glaive's Anger (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAIyRem-p-I)

"Idiot!" Glaive screamed at Mario, smashing his fist against the hospital wall.  "Inexcusable!  I can't believe you let him go!  We should have killed him when we had the chance!  Now he could attack us at any time!"

Mario finished strapping his overalls back on over the bandages Kay T. had placed over his wounded shoulder.  "Sorry," he replied sheepishly.  "That just isn't my style.  I didn't see any reason to kill him.  He wasn't a threat to us anymore."

"You're too soft!" Glaive persisted.  "What happens if he attacks us while your powers are busy taking a nap?!  You were lucky that your strength came when it did, but this is ridiculous!  Remember what happened against Lord Shade?  He begged for his life, and it ended up almost getting you killed!"

"Slade must have lived his entire life in a kill-or-be-killed environment.  Maybe by showing him that killing isn't always the answer, I can help ease his pain," Mario explained.

"Sure, because demons are really nice people deep down," Glaive replied sarcastically.  "They just want to annihilate the human race because they have nothing better to do."

"There's something different about him," Mario defended.  "This is just a theory, but I don't think Slade is a demon."

"I concur," Ace agreed.  "Demons following the Phoenix are generally less bitter.  Over the years, the Phoenix's rule has changed them from vengeful rebels to blood-thirsty monsters.  They seek to cause havoc and chaos, even among themselves.  They're an unstable race that knows nothing but death and destruction.  That's why we need to stop them.  If they invade this world, their madness will obliterate everything as we know it.  As soon as they have everything in this world under their control, they'll soon turn against each other.  The world will fall into an age of darkness, and all traces of a structured civilization will soon vanish."

"If he's not a demon, how can he control the Nightmare Haze?" Luigi inquired, confused.

"He did say that the Nightmare Blade gave him the power to control the Nightmare Haze.  I assume that anyone can learn to do the same if they can master the Nightmare Blade, even a human," Ace suggested.  "However, we won't know for sure until we gather more information.  For now, all we have to do is take out Metal Mario.  If we do that, Slade might fall along with him."

[End Music]

"Mario, you're okay!" Peach shrieked with joy as she entered the room.  "I was so worried about you!"  She rushed to Mario's side and gently embraced him, not wanting to open up the wound on his shoulder.

"I'm fine," Mario replied cheerfully.  "You can thank Ace for that.  Without him, we would have never been prepared to face the Nightmare Haze."

Peach turned to Ace and bowed.  "Thank you.  We are in your debt, Ace."

Ace shrugged.  "It was nothing, really.  Instead of accepting your gratitude, I should be heading for Mushroom Castle.  There's no way Metal Mario could have accessed the Nexus by now, so we still have plenty of time.  We should be able to stop him by the end of the day.  Let's-"

E. Gadd's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50uUuVyq5m4)

"Yowsers!  I knew I'd find you boys here!" E. Gadd gasped as he entered the room.  His face was pale, and he was trembling with apprehension.  "S- Something happened to the castle!"

"What?!" Mario roared in disbelief.  He rushed to the nearest window and peered outside.  "Whoa..."  Mushroom Castle remained completely intact on the horizon, not a single speck of damage to be found.  The only thing out of the ordinary was the translucent green bubble surrounding the castle's exterior.

"It appears to be some sort of force field!" E. Gadd continued excitedly.  "I stopped by the castle to conduct an experiment, but that darned bubble wouldn't let me get anywhere near the place!"

"It seems as though Metal Mario isn't as dumb as we thought," Glaive observed.  "He must have expected someone from the Demon Resistance to come and tell everyone about the Nightmare Haze.  He knew we'd come after him as soon as we defeated Nightmare!"

"Well, I guess we can't go after him," Luigi sighed, sounding more relieved than disappointed.  "Too bad..."

Mario grinned.  "I bet a few Smash Attacks would take care of that force field.  If Metal Mario created the barrier, it couldn't be that strong."

"In that case, let's split up into two groups," Ace suggested.  "Glaive and I will try to extinguish the barrier.  You two go with E. Gadd back to his lab to see if you can figure out an alternative way to break through the force field.  We'll regroup at the lab in one hour."  The four of them hastily exited.

"Be careful, Mario!" Peach called after them.

---

E. Gadd sat at his desk, skimming through numerous assortments of thick books.  "Hmm... No, nothing here...  Barriers, force fields, no...  Ah, maybe that could prove useful..."

"Have you found anything yet?" Luigi groaned.  "This is taking forever..."

"Would you rather be hanging around Mushroom Castle?" Mario inquired.  "I'm sure I don't need to remind you, but that's where Metal Mario is."

Luigi squirmed in his chair.  "Uh...  No, I'm fine.  Take as long as you need, Professor."

E. Gadd opened a green book, sending dust flying up the Mario Brothers' faces.  "Here!" he exclaimed, pointing to a paragraph that filled up an entire page.  "Here it explains some of the more obscure abilities of the Star Rod."  He quickly skimmed the page.  "Ah, of course!  This is just a hunch, but I don't think that metal feller made that barrier.  Perhaps he used the power of the Star Rod!"

Mario coughed up a mouthful of dust before replying.  "If that's true, Glaive and Ace won't have a chance at piercing that force field.  How would we break through something that's powered by the Star Rod?" he pondered.  "Maybe the Shadow Rod would neutralize it?"

Grambi's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA9sjF3gnVs)

"No, I'm afraid that would never work," a voice echoed from the lab's entrance.  Grambi entered the room, his face reflecting pain and sadness.

"Hey, uh... Grambi," Mario greeted him.  "Calling you 'Dad' still feels kind of awkward.  So, why'd you come here, anyway?"

"I'm sorry," Grambi apologized.  "The Mushroom Kingdom is in grave danger once again, and the higher authorities in the Overthere are powerless to save it.  Surely you've heard about the crisis that stands before us.  I've arrived to speak to you about a solution to your problems.  A barrier stands in your way, and you are unable to move forward.  Am I correct?"

E. Gadd nodded slowly.  "Yes, but... who are you?"

"I'll explain it to you later," Mario whispered.  He turned to Grambi.  "So, how do you suggest we get past the force field?  Why can't we just use the other Oracles of Power?"

Grambi took a deep breath, as if preparing to give a long speech.  "You see, I am the king of the Overthere.  However, there are still beings that have even more authority than I do.  I'm sure you've heard about 'Zeus'.  Zeus rules over every dimension and realm in existence, and he can command any other being in existence.  To be blunt, he's the theological equivalent of a god."  He paused, and then took another deep breath.  "He has given me orders to leave the other three Oracles of Power alone.  If this is Zeus's wish, there is certainly some logic behind it.  I can only assume that the imbalance caused by the overuse of the Star Rod is the primary reason.  Aside from the Shadow Rod, there is only one source of power that can destroy the barrier in our path: the Hero's Garbs."

"The Hero's what?" Mario parroted.

"The Hero's Garbs," Grambi repeated firmly.  "When they are brought together, they contain unimaginable power and can even overpower the Star Rod.  They're the clothes that were worn by the very first Hero.  This Hero was not only able to control all 100% of the Hero's power, but also possessed other outstanding talents.  While he was able to pass on the Hero's strength to his son, there was no way he could give away his natural talents.  In order to preserve his abilities, he left each of his unique talents in a separate article of clothing before he died.  People lost track of the garbs over many generations, but it's rumored that they were scattered across this very kingdom only a few centuries ago."

Luigi scratched his head.  "So, Professor, can you make us some kind of radar so we can look for them?"

"That idea is cliché and overused," E. Gadd snapped, insulted.  "Besides, I've never heard of these garbs before."

"I've gathered some information on their whereabouts," Grambi informed them.  "I'll admit the idea of using the garbs didn't come from my vast wisdom.  Apparently, some of the garbs had fallen into the hands of the Phoenix.  When I heard about this rumor, I instantly realized that the Hero's Garbs could be just what we need!  And since the demons under the Phoenix rule are trying to break into this world, we might be able to find a demon in possession of a garb and take it back!"

"Maybe..." Mario murmured.  "It's too bad we don't know exactly where the garbs are.  The chances of us being able to find them all out of pure luck are too small."

Grambi thought for a moment as he stroked his long, white beard.  "It's said that if a Hero is in possession of one of the garbs, he can contact the soul of the very first Hero.  This way, the current Hero can find the location of the other garbs.  Don't get your hopes up, but maybe you'd be able to talk to him.  If we could just get our hands on one of those garbs..."

Demonic Trials (http://www.esnips.com/doc/c82e6185-89f3-479e-bd2e-73c871b817de/Demonic-Trials)

"Mario, Luigi!" Ace gasped as he stormed into the room.  His face was pale, and he looked exhausted.  "There's no way that barrier is breaking anytime soon.  Glaive and I just gave it everything we had."

"So what's wrong?" Mario inquired.  "Why are you so tense?  We can find another way past the force field."

"That's not why he's worried," Glaive called out as he entered the room, looking even more flustered than Ace.  "We found someone lying unconscious near the castle's entrance.  He seemed really sick and could barely move.  We offered to bring him to the hospital, but the man refused.  He said that he had just escaped from the hospital before he collapsed next to the castle."

Luigi scratched his head.  "Escaped?  What did he mean by that?"

"Someone is spreading some kind of disease to everyone in the hospital," Ace informed them grimly.  "It's the best time to strike considering almost everyone is in one spot, and we're not there to guard them."

"We've got to get to the hospital right away!" Mario exclaimed as he rushed out of the lab's entrance.

"Wait!  We can't just storm into the hospital without a plan!" Ace called after him.  "This could be a trap!"

"You'll soon learn that patience isn't our strongest virtue," Glaive muttered.  "Mario may be a little impulsive, but he works extraordinarily well under pressure." He followed behind Mario, and was joined by a very hesitant Luigi. 

Ace sighed.  "Stay here, Professor.  It's too dangerous for you to come with us.  We'll take care of things."  He dashed after his comrades.

---

Mario kicked the front door of the hospital down.  The main hallway was empty.  "This is creepy...  We weren't even gone for that long.  How can somebody work so fast?"  He waited for Glaive, Ace, and Luigi to catch up to him before entering a room nearby.  A haggard old woman was lying unconscious on a bed in the corner of the room.  A very worried nurse stood beside her, jotting down some notes on a piece of paper.

"What's wrong with her?" Ace asked desperately.  "We've heard that there's someone spreading an infection."

"It's so tragic," the nurse replied glumly.  "The virus is spreading uncontrollably.  If the infected patients leave, they'll most likely die.  This is the only place where they can get proper treatment, so they're forced to stay here.  Whoever is doing this has everyone trapped."

"What about the ones who haven't been infected yet?  They should try to escape before it's too late," Mario stated worriedly.

The nurse shook her head.  "There's hardly anyone who hasn't been infected.  The few people that are still healthy are too frightened to try to leave, and the staff is obligated to stay and help the ill.  No one can leave.  One thing is for sure, though.  Whoever is behind this is definitely hidden well.  Our security officers haven't found anything suspicious."

"Then it couldn't be Metal Mario," Mario muttered.  "He's too aggressive for something so subtle.  Whoever it is, we'll be better off if we split up.  Glaive and Ace should search this floor, while Luigi and I will check the second floor.  Don't take any unnecessary risks."

Luigi, Ace, and Glaive nodded.  The four of them scattered in different directions.  Glaive took the rightmost section of the hallway.  He entered a narrow door at the end of the corridor.  Peering inside, he spotted a male Toad lying in a pool of blood- dead.  So, this creep isn't just infecting people with his virus.  He must be hiding in the shadows and infecting as many people as possible without being detected.  If he's spotted, he'll just kill any witnesses and return to the shadows.

"Quite true," a voice whispered too softly for Glaive to hear.  "By the time you find me, it'll be too late."  The whisper vanished from behind the door that led upstairs.

---

Looming Threat (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tPcUX_9HxI)

"I never knew a hospital could be so scary," Luigi whined, shivering feverishly as he carefully crept down the main hallway of the building's second floor.  The lights had all gone out, and the halls were empty.  The only audible sound was the heavy breathing of the intruder's victims.  "Why did we all have to split up?  I would have felt more comfortable if we all stayed together."

Across the hallway, Mario opened a door with a crack expanding horizontally across its center.  The door's hinges were loose, as if it had been forced open.  Clenching his fists, Mario crept inside.  Expecting to find the intruder, the plumber swiftly shut the door behind him and put his back to the wall.  Breathing heavily, he scanned the room.  He sighed with relief.

An elderly male doctor sitting beside an unconscious patient greeted him.  "Hello there.  I didn't know there were still healthy people roaming around.  Anyone here that isn't a doctor has either fallen ill or tried to escape, and those who have tried the latter have been mysteriously killed.  Now the disease is beginning to spread to our staff.  It won't be long before we're all dead."

"I'm here to put a stop to this," Mario assured him.  He glanced at a notebook the doctor was holding.  To ease the tension looming all around them, Mario attempted to strike up a conversation.  "Have you figured out what kind of disease this creep is spreading?"

The old man nodded.  "I'm glad you asked.  I've been studying the symptoms of this virus, and I compared it with other diseases in our database.  I didn't find any exact matches, until it hit me.  This criminal isn't spreading a disease at all.  He's infecting all of his victims with some form of Nightmare Haze."

Mario gasped, his eyes wide with surprise.  "What?!  Are you sure?"

"Yes," the elderly man assured him.  "I compared the symptoms of both conditions, and they're almost identical.  Every patient that's been infected suffers from extreme fatigue and often breathes heavily.  It would also explain why the condition isn't in our database, considering we didn't know Nightmare Haze existed until recently.  I'm not sure how, but this maniac is using the Nightmare Haze."  There was a moment of silence.  "I'm sorry; I haven't introduced myself.  My colleagues call me Doc T.  I've been working at this hospital since it opened, so I'm trying to use my years of experience to help these poor people."

Mario shook the doctor's hand.  "Nice to meet you, Doc.  I don't mean any disrespect, but couldn't you just use the antidote Ace supplied you with?  I'm sure you couldn't have used up that many pills."

Doc T. shook his head.  "It's hard to explain, but this form of the Nightmare Haze has mutated into a form that is unaffected by the medicine Ace produced for us.  He'll have to scan a victim and make a new antidote."

"That shouldn't be a problem," Mario stated.  "First we need to find out who's behind all of this and take care of him.  Once we get rid of the source, curing everyone should be a piece of cake.  By the way, why was the door all banged up?"

"From what I understand, this patient was unwillingly injected with some form of the Nightmare Haze," Doc T. explained.  "It would seem as though this unfortunate man attempted to resist the criminal. Sadly, the fiend managed to break the door down and force the deadly poison into this innocent patient."

Mario clenched his fists, trembling with anger.  "I need to put an end to this, and fast."

On the other side of the hospital, Luigi hesitantly continued his search.  "Um... Excuse me; have you seen any suspicious-looking guys around?" Luigi asked aloud as he entered a room at the edge of the corridor.  The room was entirely vacant, except for a young male doctor in the corner of the room.  He was leaning against the wall, and his eyes had been closed before Luigi spoke.  Luigi slowly approached the man.  "Sorry to disturb you, but-"

The man's eyes quickly opened.  "You want me to tell you if I've seen the one that caused all of this.  I'd be glad to help.  My last name is pretty hard to pronounce, so just call me Dr. Y.  I'm not much of a social or friendly person, but I'm still willing to help.  I was resting my eyes because of the overwhelming depression looming in this hospital."  He forced a smile.  This was all it took to make Luigi feel secure.

Luigi breathed a sigh of relief.  "So what do you know?"

Dr. Y pointed to a nearby closet.  "I wrote down some notes, but my notebook is in the closet and I can't seem to open it.  Could you try?"

Luigi nodded as he grasped the closet's metal doorknob.  It was locked.  "Well, I could always try to force it open."  As he fiddled with the stubborn doorknob, Luigi paid no mind to the slowly approaching Dr. Y.  His back was turned to the doctor, and he had completely let his guard down.  Luigi's eyes widened as he felt a sharp pain in his back.  He let out a bloodcurdling scream before falling to the ground, blood pooling from a gash on his back.

"You shouldn't have let your guard down."  Dr. Y began to deform as he slowly mutated into a horrifying creature.  The abomination pulled out a syringe filled with a red liquid.  Cackling wickedly, he injected the grotesque fluid into the unconscious plumber.  "One down, three to go."

That was a good chapter, although I thought Dr. Y was suspicious. :P
And if none of the characters ever found hospitals creepy until then, they've never been in one at night...o_o

Chapter 12: Merciless Revenge

Demonic Trials (http://www.esnips.com/doc/c82e6185-89f3-479e-bd2e-73c871b817de/Demonic-Trials)

As Luigi toppled onto the floor, an earsplitting scream shattered the silence of the hospital's deserted hallways.  Mario instantly recognized the voice.  "Bro!" he cried fearfully as he rushed toward the room's exit.  "I've gotta go, Doc!"

Down on the first floor, Ace and Glaive regrouped and discussed the source of the scream.  "I think it was Luigi," Ace whispered hesitantly, not wanting it to be true.  "We should check it out."

Glaive sighed.  "Luigi...  You're such a pain."

"The sound came from over there.  I just need to figure out which room he's in," Mario said to himself, sprinting down the main corridor of the second floor like a madman.  When he drew closer to the source of the shriek, he frantically kicked open every door he came in contact with.  He would storm into each room with his fists raised, scan his surroundings, and then leave.  You'd better be alive, Bro!

At last, he arrived at a small door at the edge of the corridor.  He kicked it with all of his might, not noticing the door was already ajar.  The door flew off of its hinges and crashed into the wall at the opposite end of the room.  A group of doctors whirled around, startled by his entrance.  Mario rushed to the center of the group and saw Luigi lying face-down in a pool of blood.

One of the doctors approached him.  He was about Mario's height, young, and had a few strands of brown hair protruding from under his blue-spotted mushroom cap.   "I'm Dr. Y.  This man has a fairly large gash on his back, but that isn't the main problem," the doctor explained.  "He was injected with the Nightmare Haze virus that's been spreading around the hospital.  As a result, his body functions have all been drastically slowed."

"Darn," Mario cursed, kneeling down to get a closer look at his brother.

Looming Threat (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tPcUX_9HxI)

"The situation is pretty bad," another doctor added.  "We've studied the antidote Ace provided us with earlier and created a new one to cure the mutated version of the haze.  However, it seems as though the Nightmare Haze is capable of regenerating itself somehow.   Not even a cure will work at this point."

"Something must be controlling the Nightmare Haze's actions," Dr. Y stated.  "If we can find out who's doing this, the disease should vanish altogether.  However, based on my observations, everyone infected will be dead within fifteen minutes."

"What?!" Mario thundered in bewilderment.  "I have fifteen minutes to locate and fight this freak?!  I'll have to start looking right away!"

Dr. Y grinned slightly.  Yes, look all you want.  You'll never find me.  As soon as you're alone, you'll share your brother's fate.

Mario gulped.  Wait a minute...  These doctors all got here pretty fast.  One of them must have told them about the incident ahead of time, but the only way he could have done that is if he's the one...  Could that be why no one has been able to find him?  Is the culprit a doctor?

"You seem to be lost in thought," Dr. Y observed.  "You have a lot to think about.  Let's leave him alone so he can have some private time with his brother."  The other doctors nodded, and they all left.

Mario quickly glanced at the doctors as they left.  He memorized their faces.  "It looks like I've got a few suspects," he muttered.  He cautiously picked Luigi up and gently placed him on a bed in the corner of the room.  "Don't worry, Bro.  I'll find the guy who did this to you."

Glaive and Ace burst into the room.  "What happened?!" Glaive demanded as he noticed the badly injured Luigi.

"Is he okay?" Ace asked worriedly.  He knelt down next to Luigi and got a closer look at his wounds.  "It looks like he was hit from behind.  Luigi may be a bit clumsy, but he certainly would have noticed if someone suspicious approached him from behind with a weapon."

"I've got a feeling that Luigi's assailant is a doctor," Mario informed them.  "When I got here, Luigi was surrounded by a group of doctors.  I felt a really creepy vibe when they were around, and it went away as soon as they left.  One of them may be responsible for all of this, but isolating the criminal is going to be tough.  I might have an idea of which doctor it is, but...  I'm just not sure.  We could always ask Luigi what he knows, but he seems too sick to even wake up."

"Ace, why don't you use your NCA to scan the area for sources of Nightmare Haze and see if you get a reading from any of the doctors?" Glaive suggested.  "That would do the trick."

Ace fiddled with the device's controls before putting it back in his pocket.  "No good.  There's some kind of interference nearby."

There was a knock at the door.  Dr. Y entered.  "Sorry to bother you, but it seems as though a roguish-looking man was seen entering a room close by.  The suspect is unaware that we know where he is, and no one has entered or left the room since.  I'd like one of you to accompany me to this room."

"I'll go," Mario replied eagerly.

"We should come too," Ace insisted.  "He might be too strong for you to handle on your own."

Mario shook his head.  "Both of you should stay here and protect Luigi.  This could be a trap to lure us all away from him, and he'd be an easy target if we left him unguarded.  Besides, I have Dr. Y with me.  He can call for help if we do run into trouble."

Dr. Y nodded.  He and Mario exited the room and walked across the silent, dim hallway.  What an idiot...  He led Mario to a corridor that branched off of the main hallway.  After a few minutes of walking, Dr. Y stopped.  "This is it.  Be careful."

Mario cautiously opened the door and crept inside.  He gasped.  A familiar doctor was face-down in a pool of blood.  "He was one of the doctors that I saw helping my brother.  It's strange, but I've got this feeling... that one of the hospital staff is doing all of this," Mario confessed.

Dr. Y didn't seem as surprised as Mario expected him to be.  "Really?  Well, it would explain a lot."  He paused for a moment.  "Why don't you take a look at that doctor's wounds?  I hope that poor soul is still alive."

"Alright," Mario affirmed.  He knelt down to inspect the doctor's injuries.  His back was completely turned to Dr. Y.

What a fool!  He's making this too easy, Dr. Y thought.  His hand slowly deformed until it took the shape of a dagger.  With a wicked laugh, he thrust the blade toward the back of Mario's neck.

Tension (http://http://www.esnips.com/doc/3cf0e768-bf45-4f8a-9505-35214c5e07dc/Tension)

"What?!" Dr. Y screamed in frustration.  Mario had swiftly whirled around and caught the blade between his thumb and forefinger.  "How did you know?!"

Mario's eyes reflected pure hatred as he replied with a bone-crushing right hook to Dr. Y's gut, sending the renegade doctor straight through the wall and into the hallway.  Mario exited the room through the enormous hole that Dr. Y's body had made.  He looked down upon the doctor with disgust.

"I was... perfectly disguised..." Dr. Y muttered as his body began to transform.  His skin became a shining silver color as his body became tall and wiry.  Two red gloves were fixed at the end of his bony metal arms, and a red cloak was wrapped around his thin, barely visible neck.  In one of his fists he held a spear that was almost as tall as he was.  He had another spear attached to the top of his long, disfigured head.  "It's been a long time, Mario."

"Yaridovich," Mario sighed.  "I haven't seen any members of the Smithy Gang in a while.  I thought I killed all of you, but I guess not."

"No, we were all dead," Yaridovich sneered.  "However, we have just been given new life.  I received orders to attack this hospital, since I'm a master of disguise and was best fit for the job.  A lot of other members of the Smithy Gang are back.  We're going to have our revenge.  But enough of that; how did you know that 'Dr. Y' was really a coldblooded killer?"

"It was easy to sniff out your rotten stench," Mario replied with disgust.  "You seemed to know the most about what was going on.  I realized that Luigi's assailant must have caught him off guard, and I was pretty sure he had been attacked by a doctor.  Naturally, I was suspicious when a doctor tried to lure me away from my allies.  So I played along and let myself fall into your trap.  When you asked me to inspect the fallen doctor's injuries, I knew it.  An educated doctor would never ask an untrained person to see if someone was alive.  When you made your move, I was ready for you.  By the way, that doctor I inspected was dead."

Yaridovich began to chuckle to himself.  "Of course he is; I killed him so that he could be used as bait!"

Mario angrily clenched his fists.  "You've hurt so many people... and you have the nerve to laugh about it in my face?!"

Glaive and Ace rushed onto the scene.  "So, this is the scumbag who's responsible for all this," Ace muttered, grasping his deck of cards.  "Let's get him, Mario."

Mario slowly walked toward Yaridovich.  He raised a fist behind his head.  Glaive knew what this meant.

"Stay out of this," Glaive whispered to Ace.  "Mario's taking this personal...  I've never seen him so angry before.  Just look at him."  They observed a faint aura of red surrounding Mario.  "Usually, his aura has more of a bluish tint and only shows up as the fight is getting desperate.  This is something completely new.  I've never seen Mario fight with anger or rage.  One look at his face told me that he wants to do this alone.  Don't get in his way."

Mario vs. Yaridovich (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDHHdgbUWkg)

"It feels good to take away life after being dead for so long!" Yaridovich sneered haughtily, purposely arousing Mario's anger.  "And hundreds more will be dead in only eight minutes, including your brother!"

"Shut up!" Mario screamed in pure rage.  Yaridovich blinked as the plumber vanished in a blur of red.  By the time the robot's eyes caught up with his foe, Mario was standing directly in front of him and had already thrown his first punch.  The crushing blow connected with Yaridovich's face, causing him to stagger backward as he clutched his jaw.  There was another red blur.  In the blink of an eye, Mario landed six more deadly strikes.

"I've never seen him like this before," Glaive muttered in disbelief.  "His anger makes him an entirely different warrior.  Yaridovich may not be the strongest mechanical warrior ever built, but still...  He can't even put up a fight against Mario's wrath!"

Yaridovich's lifeless body thrashed wildly about as Mario unleashed a bone-shattering barrage of attacks.  He ended the combo with a Flaming Uppercut that sent Yaridovich tumbling backward through yet another wall and into a patient's room.  The infuriated plumber rushed in after the robot and snatched his bony, metal neck.  With a cry of pure hatred, Mario slammed Yaridovich into the ground and pummeled him with a brutal assortment of Flaming Punches.

Ace rubbed his eyes, trying to figure out if what he was seeing was actually happening.  "Look at him go...  Remind me to never get on Mario's bad side..."

At last, Mario took a break from pounding his helpless opponent.  Breathing heavily, he watched in resentment as Yaridovich slowly stood up.  "Had enough?"

Yaridovich wept a thin stream of blood from his chin.  "You pack quite a wallop.  In fact, I'm not sure if I can win.  So..."  He darted to a sickly woman sleeping in the corner of the room and pointed his spear's tip at her throat.  "We'll just have to settle this peacefully.  Otherwise, this woman may just end up dead."

Mario clenched his fists as he stepped toward Yaridovich.  "Don't touch her," he admonished through gritted teeth.

"I have an antidote," Yaridovich told him placidly.  "If you promise to let me walk away from this battle without any further harm, I'll spare this lady.  I'll even throw in enough of my antidote to cure the entire hospital, and I'll never bother you again.  How does that sound?"

Now that an innocent person's life was on the line, Mario's reckless anger melted away.  He sighed helplessly.  "You've... got a deal..."  His eyes narrowed.  "But if you ever hurt another innocent person again, or if you fail to hold up your end of the bargain, I'll hunt you down and destroy you.  Keep that in mind."

"A wise decision," Yaridovich replied with a wicked grin.  Not that he had a choice.  All I needed was to create a small break in the action to let his anger melt away.  He reached into his cloak, making it seem as though he was going to pull some kind of medicine out.  Instead, he pulled out a small white orb and hurled it at the ground.  The orb exploded on impact, creating a blinding flash of white light.

Yaridovich's Escape (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toesRaQ14Rw&feature=related)

"You fool!" Yaridovich cackled as he slit the woman's throat with his spear.  He dashed out of the room and down the hallway's main corridor.

Instantly, all of Mario's blind rage returned to him.  As he regained his vision, he sprinted outside and caught a glimpse of Yaridovich turning right at the end of the hallway.  "He's getting away!  Find him!" Mario howled to Ace and Glaive as he raced after his fleeing foe.  He turned right once he reached the end of the corridor.  If he had turned left, he would have entered the stairway the led downstairs, where an ominous presence was looming.

"Reckless idiot," Yaridovich whispered.  "He's already forgotten that I'm a master of disguise."

On the other side of the hospital, Mario continued to pursue who he thought to be Yaridovich.  "Got you!" he screamed in anger as he landed a right hook across the robot's face.  The Yaridovich imposter vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving behind a very confused Mario.  "Darn it. I forgot that he could create false duplicates of himself.  I'd better find him before he gets away."

Glaive emerged from the opposite end of the corridor.  "Downstairs!  He must have gone downstairs!"

Mario glanced out of a nearby window and saw Yaridovich heading in the direction of Forever Forest.  He's fast...  But I swear I'll get him for this.  He's not getting away this time.

---

Toad Town was merely a row of short mushrooms on the horizon as Yaridovich arrived at the entrance to Forever Forest.  "It's time to visit Smithy.  He'll help me defeat Mario, and then we can meet up with those other demons Smithy told me about."  He grinned.  "In about three minutes, all of Mario's friends will die.  I didn't expect Mario to be so strong, but then again I didn't expect him to be so gullible either."  He began chuckling to himself as he began to enter the forest.

Tension (http://http://www.esnips.com/doc/3cf0e768-bf45-4f8a-9505-35214c5e07dc/Tension)

"What about me being gullible?" a bitter voice hissed from behind a nearby tree.  Mario emerged from behind it, his red aura glowing even brighter.  "First I'm going to take you out, and then I'm going to bring down the entire Smithy Gang.  After that, I'm going to find out who brought you back and tear him apart.  Any demons that get in my way are going to end up dead."

Yaridovich stumbled backward, quivering in fear.  "Hey...  Mario...  You wouldn't really kill me, would you?  Please, have mercy!"  He got down on his hands and knees, grinning.  This always works on people like him.  His anger will fade away again and I'll have him.  "Please, spare me!  I'll do anything!"

Mario didn't even blink.  He reached his hand out to Yaridovich.  The mechanical villain's grin widened.  Yaridovich lifted his hand to accept Mario's forgiveness, but before he could do so, a colossal Fireball erupted from the plumber's palm.  Yaridovich cried out in agony as his right arm disintegrated, his spear clattering onto the ground.

"There's an old saying I've been thinking about lately," Mario spat in disgust.  "It goes something like this: 'Everything that happens once can never happen again.  But everything that happens twice is guaranteed to happen a third time.'  If I spared you a second time, you'd go on a rampage again.  I can tell you don't feel any remorse for killing all of those people in the hospital.  You have no regard for anyone's life but your own."

Yaridovich's eyes widened with fear.  "No... please... I'll change!  I swear!"

"Disappear... and stay in the bowels of hell for eternity," Mario whispered, his voice dripping with malice.  He aimed his palm at Yaridovich's head and fired a gargantuan Ultra Thunderball.  Yaridovich let out a bloodcurdling scream as his body rusted and exploded into thousands of tiny robotic parts.  The battle was over.

Mario clutched his head as the red aura surrounding him slowly faded away along with his anger.  He fell to his knees, exhausted.  His eyes were wide with terror.  What... what was that?  I couldn't control my anger...  It felt like...  It felt just like that one time...  He shook his head.  No...  It's been too many years for me to think about that.  He sat there, catching his breath.  Hours seemed to pass, although Mario was unsure how much time had really gone by.  He wasn't physically tired.  But mentally, he was exhausted.  There's no reason to tell the others about this...  No need... to make them worry...

Grambi's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA9sjF3gnVs)

"Bro!" a voice called from the horizon.  Luigi came running from Toad Town, followed by Ace, Glaive, E. Gadd, and Grambi.  Luigi was the first to arrive.  "Wow...  You saved me again, didn't you?  Everyone at the hospital suddenly perked up not too long ago.  I guess it was after you destroyed that Yardo-guy that you told me about a while ago.  And he worked for some kind of blacksmith gang, right?  Well anyway, my injuries weren't too bad.  So after my illness went away, I felt fine.  We decided to come and check on you."

"Nice work, Mario," Ace commended him.

"At least you actually killed him," Glaive muttered under his breath.

"How are you?" Grambi inquired as he lowered a hand to his son.  "Need help getting up?"

"No," Mario replied weakly.  "I guess this whole ordeal just got me really stressed out.

Grambi pointed to Yaridovich's charred remains.  Sitting in the middle of the pile was a pair of red gloves.  "Those are..."

"Yaridovich's gloves?" Mario butted in.  "I wonder why my Thunderball didn't fry them along with the rest of his body."

Grambi shook his head.  "No...  These are Hero's Garbs!  They're the Thermo Gloves!"  He picked them up and gently handed them to Mario.  "They give you enhanced control of any given object's temperature, and they can help ease the stress placed on your body when you use Elemental Energy."

E. Gadd arrived last, huffing and puffing.  "I see...  So these are the tools Yaridovich used to create that disease!  He lowered the temperature of the Nightmare Haze so that it condensed into a liquid form, and injected it into his victims' bodies."

Luigi shivered.  "Ugh.  Disgusting!"

"But that means...  Yaridovich must have been working with the demons if he got his hands on those gloves.  Not to mention he would never have known about the Nightmare Haze if a demon hadn't told him," Ace pondered.  "I wonder if the entire Smithy Gang has teamed up with the demons.  If so, how many other villains have joined them?"

Mario sighed.  "I've got a feeling that something awful is going on behind all of this.  But for now, let's just see if I can contact the first Hero."  He turned to Grambi.  "So, how exactly am I supposed to do this?"

"First, put the Thermo Gloves on.  Close your eyes and open your ears.  Listen for the voice of the first Hero," Grambi instructed.  "If the Hero wishes to speak to you, you'll hear him."

Everyone grew silently as Mario carefully slipped the gloves onto his hands.  He gently shut his eyes, listening intently for any signs of the Hero's voice.  For the first few minutes, nobody moved.  Mario remained patient.  Just as Grambi began to lose hope, he noticed Mario's breathing pattern had changed.

---

Mario's eyelids gently fluttered open.  Around him, he saw nothing but a white land of nothingness.  It stretched on into the horizon, with no beginning or end.  He detected a faint whisper echoing all around him.

"Chosen Hero...  Why have you called upon me?"

Mario gulped.  For a minute, he was so flustered that he couldn't even remember what he had intended to ask the Hero.  His courage soon returned to him, and he cleared his throat.  "The kingdom that I am protecting is in danger.  To save it, I need the Hero's Garbs.  They're scattered across the Mushroom Kingdom, and I don't know where to start looking."

"You are asking for my assistance in your search for the garbs, correct?  Very well.  The closest garb is in a nearby forest.  It is in the possession of a group of demons, and will be difficult to obtain.  If you are determined to obtain this garb, you must venture into a temple that crosses into the Nightmare Vault."

"Really?" Mario inquired.  "I've been through Forever Forest plenty of times, and the only temple I've seen is the entrance that leads to the Thunder Palace."

"The demon temples have existed for many generations.  Their original use was to worship the Phoenix, but the demons have begun to use them as gateways to lands such as the Mushroom Kingdom.  The demons that live inside this temple have created a gateway that they can use to enter the Mushroom Kingdom whenever they want.  The gateways aren't very effective and can only allow a limited number of demons to pass through, but still...  If the demons can do this, they are getting closer and closer to completely overrunning the kingdom.  If you truly wish to save your kingdom, you must hurry."

Mario nodded.  "Thank you."

---

"Bro! Wake up!" Luigi screamed, frantically waving his hand in front of his brother's face.  "Are you okay?"

Mario's eyes slowly opened, and he threw the Thermo Gloves to the ground.  A quick glance at his surroundings told him that he was in E. Gadd's laboratory.  "The next garb is in Forever Forest," he informed them groggily.  "What happened?"

"You fell asleep standing up," Glaive muttered.  "At first, we just thought you were concentrating.  We finally figured out that you were asleep when we heard you snoring.  So we took you back here.  It gave us all a chance to get some rest, so I'm not complaining."

Mario yawned as he sprang to his feet.  "In any case, let's head for Forever Forest.  I did actually manage to contact the first Hero, despite what you may think.  In the meantime, E. Gadd and Grambi should try to get things settled at the hospital.  Since the Nightmare Haze threat is over, everyone should return to their homes.  Of course, anyone that lives in Mushroom Castle should stay where they are."

Unbearable Suffering (http://www.esnips.com/doc/0d976966-bf59-421c-b7e6-2b2a4af3f95b/Unbearable-Suffering)

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ace asked, concerned.  "Maybe you just dreamt that you met the Hero."

Mario shook his head.  "No.  It was too real to be a dream.  I'll explain it in more detail along the way.  Right now, we need to go."

Ace and Glaive grabbed their weapons and left the room.  As Luigi began to leave, he turned around to see Mario staring at a calendar posted on E. Gadd's wall.  "Bro...  What's going on with you?"

"Has it already been eight years?" Mario whispered, gazing painfully at the calendar.  "I can't believe it's almost the twenty-seventh of July.  Could that have anything to do with what happened today?  Could it be just a horrible coincidence that I have to fight at this time of the year?"  He wept a tear from his eye and approached the door.

Luigi stopped him.  "Bro, there's no time to be thinking about that.  It happened eight years ago.  It wasn't your fault."

Without turning around, Mario replied, "You're right about one thing: There's no time to be thinking about this."  He exited the room.

"What happened on July 27th?" E. Gadd inquired, his voice filled with curiosity.

Luigi hung his head.  "It's the same every year.  Mario always feels this way... on the anniversary of her death."  The conversation was over.  Luigi dashed after his brother.  I hope he can forget about her for now.  There'll be time to grieve after this crisis blows over.  I don't know what kind of danger lies ahead of us or if we'll make it out alive.  But somehow, I can tell...  The opponents we've faced so far were just warm-ups.  Bro...  You still have a lot of work to do, don't you?

Chapter 13: Five Demons

Evil Desire (http://www.esnips.com/doc/c7421705-327c-4fff-aed3-412e1c0aa94b/Evil-Desire")

"Clever," Metal Mario mumbled as he reached the bottom of a rocky staircase.  He emerged in a cavern of solid brownish red rock.  The Star Rod began to glow.  "I never would have guessed the Nexus Access Point would be hidden in an underground component of Mushroom Castle.  The people who built this castle must have originally designed it to keep this place hidden."

He stabbed the Star Rod into the ground, causing the room to fill with an eerie purple glow.  A high-pitched crackling sound erupted from the Star Rod as a colossal bolt of lightning shot out of it.  The bolt ran from the Star Rod until it stopped in the middle of the cavern as if an invisible wall blocked its path.  Slowly, it was beginning to tear down the gateway to the Nexus.

"Ten days will go by in no time," he snickered as he exited the room.  As he walked up the stone staircase, he heard a loud THUD.

Velno's Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/a96ec835-95e5-465b-a7a4-6b980b56a6f7/Velnos-Theme)

"What was that?" Metal Mario wondered aloud, suddenly feeling nervous.  "I've created an impenetrable barrier around this castle.  There's no way anyone could have gotten in."  He continued rambling on to himself, attempting to calm down.  However, even as he spoke, he began to steadily increase his stride until he was sprinting up the stairs.

He emerged from a hidden door in one of the castle's old storage rooms.  Breathing heavily, he dashed past dozens of dusty knickknacks and out into the hallway.  He saw a shadow rush past him, causing him to jump in fear.  Who could be in here?  Think... It couldn't be Mario or any of his friends...  Instinctively, he ducked.  He felt a strong gust of air pass over his head as he saw a horrifying creature's claw barely miss him.

"Y- You're V- Velno!" Metal Mario stammered fearfully.  "I thought you were de- No...  Wait a minute...  You were created by Lord Shade...  The Resurrection Cannon!"

"That's correct," Velno hissed.  "I was killed two years ago by Mario's wretched friends.  I've been brought back even stronger, but- just as it is in your case- I'm not strong enough to challenge Mario and his allies again.  Luckily, I possess the nifty ability to ingest my enemies and steal their strength.  If your power was combined with mine, I could take control of this kingdom in no time!"

"How did you get in here?!" Metal Mario inquired, trembling.

"I didn't," Velno answered laconically.  "Two years ago, I snuck into this castle to capture Princess Peach and hold her hostage.  However, Mario's friends were expecting me.  They teamed up and destroyed me.  Since the Resurrection Cannon brings Shade's mechanical warriors back to life in the place they died, I ended up here."

"Just my luck," Metal Mario muttered.  "But I'm not just going to surrender.  Lorne!  Hunter!"

"They've both gone out," Velno explained.  "If my data is correct, then my duty is to prepare Mario for the Armageddon.  In order to do this, I'll need your strength.  If necessary, I'll take it by force."

Metal Mario was surprised by how much Velno knew about the situation.  "How do you know all of this?"

"I've been loyal to Crimson the entire time," Velno explained.  "Why do you think I ran away from Lord Shade when they activated me?  I had specific orders from Crimson."

To Metal Mario, the pieces didn't seem to fit together.  "How did Crimson give you orders if you were created by Lord Shade?"

Velno grinned.  "Ah, there are still many things that need to be explained.  There's no point in telling you who Crimson really is.  Once I devour you, you'll understand everything.  Don't try to oppose me; you and I both know that I ranked higher in the Shadow Shrowds while Lord Shade was still alive.  You were one of many metallic Mario clones that were sent to weaker planets to conquer them.  I was one of the true warriors."

As Velno stepped closer to him, Metal Mario stepped backward.  His mind was racing.  If I fight him, he'll overpower me for sure.  I designed the barrier around the castle only to keep people out, so I can leave now and escape from him.  I'll have to return later.

"Trying to think of a plan?" Velno sneered, staring into his prey's eyes with a piercing glare.  "I can see right through you."

Metal Mario's fear took over.  His artificial instincts guiding him, the metal warrior raised his palms and began launching silver Fireballs in all directions.  Tiny explosions covered the walls as smoke filled the room.  Metal Mario closed his eyes, trying to recall which paths he had taken from the castle's entrance to reach this point.  At last, he turned around and sprinted away from his assailant.

Velno was not prepared for such a maneuver.  He peered into the clouded corridor, ready to pounce at anything that moved.  Infuriated, Velno groped around the hallway until he found a window.  Coughing up a mouthful of smoke, he opened the window and inhaled the crisp morning air.  Velno caught a glimpse of Metal Mario storming out of the castle.  He grinned wickedly.  Fighting him won't be any fun, so at least I'll get to enjoy hunting him down.  After I've devoured Metal Mario, I can turn my attention to something far more important.

[End Music]

---

"And that's all he told me," Mario concluded as the group of heroes rushed through Forever Forest.  Pickers and thorns scraping at their arms, they fearlessly ventured through the murky forest.  The grass was thick, knotted, and at least a meter tall.  To make matters worse, the trees that towered above them blocked out almost all sunlight.  Without caution, one could wander through the forest forever.

"So, the demons are constructing bridges between the two realms," Ace muttered.  "The bridges are weak and won't support many demons, but now we know that Metal Mario isn't wasting any time."

Glaive stopped and sniffed at the air.  "I know that stench anywhere.  It's the Nightmare Vault.  The temple must be nearby."

Ace pointed at a cluster of trees.  "It should be right behind that row of trees.  My NCA is detecting five enormous readings."

Demon Stronghold (http://www.esnips.com/doc/fde25a5e-a181-4377-9aa7-75b0c80ba2c3/Demon-Stronghold)

The four of them emerged on the other side of the trees and spotted something completely unexpected.  Instead of finding a large, extravagant palace, they saw something that resembled a telephone booth.  It was twice as wide as a conventional phone booth, and consisted of black, solid stone.  Most interesting of all was the staircase expanding downward into an abyss of darkness.

"It looks like we're going down," Mario whispered, peering into the shadows.

Luigi gulped.  "Are you sure this is the place, guys?  Maybe we should just keep looking..."

"Nope, this is it," Ace confirmed.  "If any of you are having second thoughts, you should leave now."

Everyone turned to face Luigi.  "Umm... Why are you all staring at me?" Luigi inquired nervously.  "I'm not chickening out, so let's go."  Even as he tried to sound brave, his legs were still quivering.

Mario stepped forward.  "We're not gonna save the world by just standing around.  Let's go."  He began to make his way down, his manner so unflinching that he didn't even turn around to wait for the others to follow him.  He was going down, with or without their assistance.

Ace nodded and they all followed Mario down the stairs in a single file line.  The passage leading downward was narrow, and the smell of blood soon filled the air.  Abruptly, the stairs began to shift into a spiraling pattern.  The only sound was the rhythmic tapping of the four heroes stepping downward.  Hours seemed to pass.  No one spoke.  They silently trekked into the darkness, mentally preparing themselves for the battles that lay ahead.

At last, they reached the bottom.  They emerged outside, in a land unlike anything Mario or Luigi had seen.  They stood at the top of a circular tower, which rested in the center of a colossal palace.  The horizon was a hazy mixture of red and green, and the staircase they just used was located in another tower that reached upward into a cluster of dark clouds.  The castle itself was constructed of a metallic silver color that was heavily stained with blood.  That's where the smell must come from, Luigi thought.  He'd soon find that blood was much more common in the Nightmare Vault than he had originally thought.

Demonic Trials (http://www.esnips.com/doc/c82e6185-89f3-479e-bd2e-73c871b817de/Demonic-Trials)

"Welcome," a wicked voice greeted them, "to my palace."  He stepped into the light, where Mario's group could see him better.  "My name is Vetis.  I'm the one in charge here."  He was about twice Mario's height and wore thick, silver armor.  His boots and fists appeared to be made of solid gold, and he wore dark purple glasses over his long, decrepit face.  "You're the Mushroom Hero.  I suppose you've come for the garb."

"Yeah," Mario replied, taking his first look at a true demon.  "Hand it over."

Vetis grinned.  "I have a proposition for you.  You've got three reasonably powerful allies behind you.  I've got four teammates of my own.  Why don't we play a little game?  If you can defeat all five of us, I'll give you the Hero's Garb without further question.  However, if you all fail, your lives are ours."

"I don't fight on anyone's terms but my own," Glaive informed him gruffly.  "What's going to stop me from killing you right now?"

"We don't know where the garb is," Ace told Glaive, holding him back.  "If we don't play according to his terms, we can't find out where the Hero's Garb is.  Let's just abide by his rules for now."

"Very wise," Vetis chuckled.  "The rules are simple.  You'll fight in a series of one-on-one matches as you progress through my palace.  The loser is the person who dies or gives up.  The winner must proceed to fight the next opponent on the opposing team.  Once he loses, someone else must take his place.  Once you've lost a fight, you will not be allowed to take part in another battle."

"Sounds good to me," Mario affirmed.  "So where's your team?"

"Let me introduce you to your other four opponents," Vetis announced as four figures stepped from the shadows.  "Say hello to Geryon, Pyro, Oriax, and Cresil."

Geryon was about Glaive's height.  His entire body was a deep purple color, except for his torso, which consisted of shades of gray.  Wrapped tightly in his grasp was a tall scythe with a chain hanging down from the bottom.  The scythe's blade was jagged and looked as though it had been used many times.
Pyro was a short, mole-like creature.  His yellow, roly-poly body was lined with orange spikes that were sharp enough to slice through steel.

Oriax was a tall, muscular demon that almost resembled a tiger.  His body was orange, but most of it was covered with armor that was made up of shades of blue, red, and a few spots of green.  He had sharp claws on his toes, but they didn't even compare to the foot-long steel claws that extended from both of his fists.  He had a long tail extending from his backside, which was tipped with a sharp blade.

Cresil stood at about Mario's height.  His entire body was green, and he had curved orange horns protruding from his head.  His only other distinguishing feature was his two enormous fists, which looked perfect for beating an enemy into submission.

"The first challenger on my team will be Geryon, the temple guardian," Vetis announced.  "It's his job to prevent intruders from entering my temple, so let's let him go first."  Before anyone could object, Vetis, Pyro, Oriax, and Cresil vanished and reappeared next to a door that led into the palace.  Geryon stood between the heroes and the temple's entrance.

"Who will I be slicing up first?" Geryon inquired, twirling his scythe around.  "Don't put too much thought into your lineup; you're merely choosing the order in which you'll die."

"Who's gonna take this guy?" Luigi asked, turning to the group.  "I think I'll take the short, pudgy one."

"Leave him to me," Glaive muttered as he stepped forward.  "He's too arrogant for his own good."  Luigi, Mario, and Ace backed up.

Demon Battle (http://www.esnips.com/doc/01a19fe0-ac2a-4efb-8033-1113ec0ba1c1/Demon-Battle)

Geryon made a few practice swings with his scythe.  "Let us begin."

Glaive drew his sword.  "Are you sure you can hit me with that scythe?  Sure, it's strong, but a weapon that large won't be able to move very fast."  His eyes widened as Geryon appeared at his side and had already swung his scythe.  He swiftly raised his blade and blocked Geryon's slash, filling the room with a metal CLANG.

"You'd be surprised," Geryon snickered.  "Most of my opponents think the same thing.  Then, I catch them off guard with my speed and slice their head off.  You're the first person to dodge my initial slash in a long time."  Before Glaive could counterattack, Geryon continued to bombard him with slashes from his scythe.

Glaive narrowly parried each oncoming slice.  If he can move that fast with such a heavy weapon, he must truly be a skilled warrior.  I'd better end this now before he gains the upper hand.  He put all of his force into swinging his sword upward, knocking Geryon's scythe back and leaving him completely exposed.  Glaive jerked forward to stab at Geryon while he was still vulnerable.

"Fool!" Geryon exclaimed with glee as he caught his scythe by the chain hanging from it.  He wrapped the chain around his fingers and swung the blade horizontally across Glaive's chest.

Glaive dropped his sword and fell to his knees, blood dripping from his deep wound.  "He... he pierced my armor..."

"Glaive!" Mario screamed, Luigi and Ace restraining him from entering the fight.

"You're too slow," Geryon informed him grimly, towering above him.  "You're not fast enough to dodge my attacks and counter with your own."

Glaive clutched the wound on his chest.  "Damn...  It's my armor that's weighing me down...  But what am I supposed to do?"  He paused.  Wait a minute...

"Glaive!  Let one of us take your place!" Mario exclaimed.  "You need to rest!"

Fighting Spirit (http://www.esnips.com/doc/94554fe8-00ca-47e9-8077-3cba6f046ef9/Fighting-Spirit)

"Hmph," Glaive sighed, slowly rising to his feet.  "If my armor's slowing me down, then I'll just have to take it off."  He pulled off his helmet and threw it to the ground, revealing his face for the first time in two years.  His face was not much different from that of a human's.  He had fair skin, dark brown eyes, and spiky black hair.  "As you know, the Nightmare Vault is cursed with the inability to survive in direct sunlight.  When I joined Lord Shade's army, I needed to be able to move freely in the outside world.  That's why I developed this armor.  It shields me from sunlight.  You have no idea how long it took me to be able to move around in it."

"That's rather primitive," Geryon commented.  "By now, most of the demons have trained themselves to live in the sunlight without any side-effects." He pointed at Ace.  "That's why your demon friend over there doesn't wear armor like yours."

Glaive removed the rest of his armor and threw it to the ground, revealing a grey t-shirt and baggy black pants.  He fastened his katana to his waist, ready to fight.  "That's not a bad idea.  I'll have to learn to live in the sunlight without my armor sometime soon.  But for now, since I'm in the Nightmare Vault, I don't need my armor."

"It looks like Glaive is about to get much faster," Ace observed.  "He might still have a chance after all."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you my armor's other function.  As Mario and Luigi already know, I have an ability that is akin to their Fireball technique.  I was born with the ability to draw upon the power of flames, but I have never fully learned to control it.  To prevent myself from burning everything around me to a crisp, I designed the armor to seal the flames inside of me," Glaive explained.  "Anyway, now that my armor is off, I'm ready to take another stab at you."

Demon Battle (http://www.esnips.com/doc/01a19fe0-ac2a-4efb-8033-1113ec0ba1c1/Demon-Battle)

In the blink of an eye, Glaive was beside Geryon swinging his sword in erratic but accurate motions.  Geryon skillfully rotated his scythe each time to block the attacks, but everyone could see that he was beginning to sweat.  Metal CLANG's filled the room as Glaive's swings got closer and closer to making a fatal blow.  Glaive made one final lunge at Geryon, putting all of his force into his blade.

"Not good enough," Geryon sneered, blocking his foe's sword with his scythe.

Glaive grinned.  "No, it'll do just fine."  He jerked his other hand toward Geryon's face, purple flames erupting from his palms.  Geryon screamed in agony as his entire body was scalded with Glaive's deadly inferno.

Geryon staggered backward in agony.  "You...  Just for that, I'll cut you to pieces!"  He gripped the chain hanging from the bottom of his scythe and pulled as hard as he could.  With a pop, a rod that was as long as his original scythe popped out.  Geryon grasped it with his other hand, and a blade materialized at the end of it.  "It's a shame I have to use both of my scythes on a group of humans and traitorous demons."

Glaive clutched the hand he had used to burn his opponent.  I never did learn how to control my power...  Even now, if I use my flames I still end up burning myself.

"What's wrong?  Is that attack starting to wear you down?" Geryon taunted, skillfully twirling both of his scythes.  "You do realize what's about to happen.  I've got two scythes, and you've already burnt your hand.  You could barely keep up when I had one scythe; what will you do now?"

Luigi jabbed Ace with his elbow.  "Hey... Do you think Glaive has a chance at winning?"

Ace's eyes were glued to the battle.  "Glaive can't use his flame-based attacks for very long, or he'll be burned alive.  That leaves him with his sword skills and his speed- both attributes that would be foolish to ignore.  Yet, if Geryon is as good with two scythes as he is with one..."

Glaive sprinted toward Geryon, his sword gripped tightly in his hand.  He quickly parried the first scythe with his blade, and then whirled around to smack the other one out of his way.  Glaive nimbly rolled between Geryon's legs and lunged at him from behind.  Just as he felt the tip of his sword entering Geryon's flesh, one of his foe's scythes wedged itself into his shoulder.  He dropped his blade, and another scythe swung around and cut into his side.

Geryon slowly turned around.  A wicked smile spread across his face.  "You've underestimated me.  I may be good at handling one scythe, but while I'm holding two my skills are unparalleled!"  He began to laugh uncontrollably as he continued to rapidly slash at Glaive with his scythes.  Gashes ran up and down his body, and blood stained the floor.  Glaive was helpless.

"Forfeit the match, Glaive!" Luigi called to him.  "He's going to kill you!"

Glaive lay on his back, Geryon towering over him.  His fate was completely in the hands of his opponent.  "You heard him," Geryon scoffed.  "Give up, or I'll rip you to pieces!"  He kicked Glaive's body across the floor, sending him near the edge of the tower.

All or Nothing (http://www.esnips.com/doc/7e03b2f0-5a81-47e3-be09-94f566b6114e/All-or-Nothing)

"I... refuse... to give up..." Glaive muttered as he slowly struggled to his feet.  "Not unless I know I've tried everything..."  He stabbed the tip of his sword into the ground, using it to keep his balance.

"Fine, but this is this last time I'm gonna attack!" Geryon spat.  "This time, I'll finish you."  He dashed at Glaive, wildly swinging his scythes.  Glaive stood his ground, his blade still wedged into the ground.

"He's not going to attempt..." Ace whispered in disbelief.

"What's he doing?" Mario inquired.

"He's using the Mortal Draw.  By wedging your blade into the ground, and putting all of your body weight on it, pressure begins to build.  If timed just right, when your opponent is at just the right range, and you shift your body weight perfectly, the pressure will send your sword into an upward slash with a force several times greater than a normal swing," Ace explained.  "But if his timing or technique is just a tiny bit off, he'll be cut to pieces by Geryon's scythes."

I refuse to surrender to this guy....  I absolutely will not give up, even if I die, Glaive thought.  He put all of his weight onto his blade, and the floor below him began to crack.  If I can time this perfectly, the match will be mine...

"I'm not sure what you're up to, but it looks like you've finally accepted your defeat!" Geryon cackled as he was only a few feet away from his target.  He jerked his scythes forward, twirling them around in a rhythm that would slice Glaive to pieces.  His eyes widened.

"Mortal Draw!" Glaive exclaimed, his blade shattering the solid stone of the tower.  It soared upward, almost too fast for the naked eye to see.  With that one upward slash, Geryon's scythes split apart and fell to the floor.  Geryon himself gasped as blood spurted out from a vertical cut that ran from his waist all the way up to his neck.  He fell to the ground, blood pooling around him.

He really won, Vetis thought in surprise.  If the others are as spirited as he was, this is going to be interesting.

Victory (http://www.esnips.com/doc/64a37341-3ac7-44b0-8f77-7c86d5648f1d/Victory)

"He did it," Mario sighed.  "He won..."

Glaive fell to his knees.  His sword clattered to the floor.  "It worked..."

Mario, Ace, and Luigi rushed to his side.  "Will you be okay?" Mario asked, helping Glaive to his feet.

"I'm... sorry..." Glaive apologized.  "There are five of them... and four of us...  I was hoping I could beat at least two of them... to even the odds..."

"Don't worry about it.  There are still three of us left.  One of us is bound to be able to trounce two of those guys," Mario assured him.  "You did your part.  Now leave the rest to us."

Chapter 14: Duels of Desperation

Demon Stronghold (http://www.esnips.com/doc/fde25a5e-a181-4377-9aa7-75b0c80ba2c3/Demon-Stronghold)

"It would appear as though Geryon has died," Vetis observed nonchalantly.  "That makes Glaive the winner.  Let us move on."  Without showing any signs of grief or sympathy for their fallen ally, the four remaining demons moved on into a dim passageway.

"He didn't even show the slightest bit of sadness when he saw his comrade die," Mario muttered in disbelief.  "Doesn't he even care?"

Ace shook his head.  "No.  Demons like them have no loyalties.  You'll get used to it, in time."  He turned to Mario.  "Take note of how Glaive didn't hesitate to kill Geryon.  In a fight with a demon, you cannot hold back.  Show even the slightest bit of mercy, and they'll turn on you."

Mario nodded slowly.  "Alright."  The group of four followed Vetis, Pyro, Oriax, and Cresil down yet another staircase.  Mario groaned with resentment.  He silently wished that demons had invented some sort of elevator.

The stairway was wider than before, and much less steep.  A worn, tattered red carpet rolled down the center of the stairs, and the walls were lined with lit torches that served as the only source of light.  Luigi heard a faint bubbling sound coming from nearby, but said nothing.  Before long, the stairs ended at a long, flat corridor.  The carpet continued to stretch into the distance, and torches expanded outward as far as they could see.

"This is where the second battle will take place," Vetis announced eagerly.  "Pyro will be the next warrior on my team to compete.  Will Glaive continue to fight?"

"No," Ace responded, stepping forward.  "I will."

"You are aware that Glaive will not be able to fight for the remainder of this little contest, correct?" Vetis inquired.

Ace nodded.

"Let's begin right away," Pyro urged him, rolling forward with anticipation.  He was less than half Ace's height, and closely resembled a mole.  His golden, spherical body was lined with spikes that could slice through the sharpest of materials.  To go along with them, he had razor-sharp claws on each hand, though they were not quite as long as Oriax's.

The spectators took a few steps back, and the battle began.

Evil Desire (http://www.esnips.com/doc/c7421705-327c-4fff-aed3-412e1c0aa94b/Evil-Desire)

Just as Ace reached for the deck of cards strapped readily at his waist, Pyro whispered into his ear.  "I wouldn't do that."

"What do you mean?" Ace inquired, confusedly shuffling the cards in his deck.

A wicked grin spread across Pyro's round face.  His tone was low and hushed.  "If you want to ensure the safety of a certain friend, you will not draw your weapons against me.  In fact, do not try to confront me in any way.  If you even attempt to attack me, someone very close to your little band of fighters will die a most unpleasant death."

Ace released his grip on the cards.  "Are you... threatening me?"

Pyro nodded.  "One of my demon allies is closely watching a friend of yours- or, to be more specific, a friend of Mario's.  Do you want to know who this person is?  It is Princess Peach."

Ace's eyes widened with terror.  "No... you can't..."

"Here's how this will work: You're going to stand still as I slice you to death.  If you resist, my buddy will ensure that the princess experiences a bloody and painful end," Pyro explained with glee.

"What are they talking about?" Luigi whispered to Glaive.  "I can't hear a thing."

Glaive shrugged.  "I'm not sure, but Pyro seems to have gotten under Ace's skin somehow."

They both turned to Mario, whose eyes were glued to the battlefield.  He seemed deep in thought, as if he was fighting against Pyro instead of Ace.  His fists were clenched.  His body trembled.  It was clear that he understood something that Glaive and Luigi did not.

Sadness (http://www.esnips.com/doc/5158c328-944b-400f-9c97-9887ab407b64/Sadness)

"Hyah!" Pyro cackled as he sliced vertically across Ace's chest.  Blood spattered onto the cold floor, and Ace staggered backward.  His fists were raised.  He wanted to strike back.  Despite this, he did not retaliate.  "That's good.  Just stay right there."

Ace lowered his fists.  "I'm sorry... I don't want to let Mario down...  But either way, that's exactly what I'll do..."

Pyro slashed diagonally across Ace's torso.  "That's right.  If you fight back, I'll have Peach torn to bits.  If you don't, then you'll lose the fight.  Either way, you're doomed to fail."

"Why won't Ace fight back?!" Luigi whined, his voice dripping with angst.  "That mole is obviously the weakest of the bunch!"

Mario hung his head.  It's my fault...  Ace is worried about how I'll feel if Pyro kills Peach...  He doesn't want to let me down, but no matter what he does...  His entire body was quivering with anger.  "Pyro..."

Pyro's next attack was a stab.  He pierced through Ace's lower chest, slowly removing his claws to cause as much pain as possible.  "What's the matter?  Have you truly become this pathetic?  This only proves that the Demon Resistance is just a group of spineless cowards.  I can't believe you're truly that worried about one of those disgusting humans.  You shouldn't have betrayed us, Ace."

Ace didn't reply.  He only stared into Pyro's eyes, showing nothing less than pure hatred.  "Shut up..."

"Feeling angry, worm?!" Pyro inquired, giving his opponent three more deadly slashes.  "Does it make you want to cry out in pain?  Come on, scream out to the world!  Prove to us all what a fool you really are!"  He lunged forward and sliced across Ace's left cheek, further staining the floor with blood.  "Now, bow down to me.  Bow down and apologize.  Tell me that everything you stand for, all of your opposition to the Phoenix, was a complete and utter waste."

Ace remained silent.

"C'mon, just admit it.  Tell everyone that you can't attack me because you're protecting a human," Pyro chuckled.  "Do it.  Unless you want me to order the death of your precious princess."

Unflinching Warrior (http://www.esnips.com/doc/9161e48f-bad2-4839-a6e4-5f4c4f5e9eac/Unflinching-Warrior)

Pyro's wicked smile quickly reversed into a frown.  As he had been taunting and mocking his foe, Ace had spit directly in the demon's face.  "I refuse."

Pyro's eyes narrowed.  "What did you say?"  His tone was no longer filled with cunning and mockery.  "How DARE you!"  He curled up into a ball and rammed into Ace.  The spikes running up and down his body drilled straight into Ace.  Pyro continued to beat on his foe, who didn't even raise a fist to fight back.

"I'm not going to bow down to you," Ace informed him bitterly.  "As we agreed earlier, I will not fight back.  I never said I'd obey your every command.  I'll take every punch you throw at me.  I'll stay standing until I run out of blood.  I'll wait until you die of exhaustion from hitting me so many times.  I don't need to fight back to beat a weakling like you.  Either I'll win, or I'll die trying.  But no matter what, I'm not going to throw away my pride."

"I don't know why you're talking as if you're the one in control.  I have Princess Peach's life in my hands.  You'll do what I tell you!" Pyro hissed through clenched teeth.  He rolled into a ball again and rammed Ace into the wall.  Letting his fury and rage take over, Pyro unleashed a killer combo of frenzied slashes.

Glaive gasped.  "Just look at him.  He's taking as many hits as he can, thinking that he'll at least be able to tire Pyro out."

Mario was struggling to keep himself from intervening.  I can't... interfere...  This is Ace's fight...  As he fought with himself, his eyes suddenly widened with terror.

After one final stab, Ace let out a moan of agony before collapsing into a pool of blood.  His body was covered in cuts and gashes.  Pyro merely laughed hysterically at his fallen enemy.  "What a fool!  I can't believe he was ready to die to protect one pathetic human.  Oh well, I guess compassion truly is a hero's greatest weakness."

"No..." Mario muttered in disbelief.  "He can't be..."

"Oh, and here's a little tidbit of information.  This is the best part," Pyro squealed in delight.  "The reality is that your princess was never in any real danger!  It was just a bluff by an old pro. But you had no way of knowing for sure, did you?  My greatest strength isn't in my fighting ability, but in my talent of persuading my enemies to stop fighting.  I find out what's important to you or your allies, and I make it seem as though that thing is in danger.  That's the power of Pyro, the demon of falsehood and lies.  My favorite part of the job is confessing to my opponent's corpse that his death was meaningless!"

Mario fell to his knees.  "No... why...?"

Tension (http://www.esnips.com/doc/3cf0e768-bf45-4f8a-9505-35214c5e07dc/Tension)

"Thanks for the tip," a voice muttered, almost too soft to be heard.  Ace slowly rose to his feet, clutching the deck at his waist.  "I think this calls... for an especially painful death..."

Pyro staggered backward in fear.  "Ace?  You're alive?  But how?"  As he got a closer look at Ace, his fear faded away.  "Oh well, your wounds are too serious anyway.  How do you intend to defeat me as you are now?"

"All the cards you've seen my use up until now," Ace explained, more to Mario, Luigi, and Glaive than anybody, "have been a Jack, Queen, King, or a number.  I've never shown you what happens when I use an Ace card.  And I'll let you in on a little secret: You know that my name is Ace Spades, correct?  Well, my name was given to me because of the technique I use when I utilize an Ace of Spades!"  He removed a glowing card from his deck.  An 'A' was inscribed on both the top left and bottom right corner of the card, and a black spade was clearly printed in the center.  His eyes glowing red with hatred, Ace crushed the card in his hand.

"Ace... no... Don't do it!  I'm sorry!  Please..." Pyro pleaded.  "Forgive me for tricking you!"

Ace jerked his palm toward Pyro.  "There is no place in this world for you.  Go find a nice corner in hell, and stay there for all eternity!"  A violet light flashed from Ace's hand, and a purple cube with a golden 'A' printed on it materialized around Pyro, trapping him inside.

Frantic, agonizing screams filled the corridor.  Muffled sounds of flesh being torn to pieces soon followed, though they were mostly overshadowed by Pyro's screams.  At last, the box faded away, revealing a corpse so disfigured that no one would have recognized it as Pyro.

Victory (http://www.esnips.com/doc/64a37341-3ac7-44b0-8f77-7c86d5648f1d/Victory)

Ace collapsed face-first onto the floor.  In seconds, his three allies were helping him to his feet.  His eyes met Mario's.

"Thank you," Mario said with a nod.  "She wasn't in any real danger, but it doesn't change the fact that you were ready to risk your life for her.  I can tell that you used to know these guys.  It must have taken a lot of guts to leave them behind."

"I'll tell you everything once this is over," Ace assured him with a weak smile.  "For now, let's focus on our next opponent."

"I think it's safe to say you won't be fighting again," Luigi observed with a grin.  Ace looked down at his wounds and nodded.  "We might as well save Bro for last, so I'll go next.  After all, having the last fight would put all of the pressure on me, and Bro excels at those kinds of situations more than I do."

He was willing to die to save that human, Vetis noted, slightly disturbed.  Just what kind of men are they?

Demon Stronghold (http://www.esnips.com/doc/fde25a5e-a181-4377-9aa7-75b0c80ba2c3/Demon-Stronghold)

Vetis turned and started down the corridor.  "Let's move on."  Oriax and Cresil followed closely behind him.

"Only three more," Mario sighed with slight apprehension.  "And we've only got two fighters left."

Tension filled the air as the hallway quickly became silent.  Luigi remembered the bubbling sound from before.  It was back.  This time, however, everyone could hear it.  It grew steadily louder as the group approached a pair of steel double-doors at the end of the corridor.  Mario noticed that the carpet was gradually becoming more worn as they drew closer to the end.  Likewise, the stone walls became more and more fragile the closer they got to the doors.  The bubbling sound grew louder still.

At last, they reached the end.  The bubbling noise had become so fierce that it felt like an earthquake.  Vetis slowly pushed the double-doors open, filling the corridor with a metal CREAK.  The heroes gasped.  This new room was vast and far more spacious than the cramped hallway they had been accustomed to.  Luigi's nose wrinkled as an even heavier scent of blood filled the room.  They stood on a balcony several stories above a grotesque, red liquid- the source of the bubbly sound.  Several rectangular platforms stood on top of poles that extended from the liquid, each only a meter or two wide.

"I have to fight on those tiny platforms?!" Luigi shrieked in fear.  "But I'll fall into the lava for sure!"

"That's not lava.  It's demon blood," Oriax corrected him.  "Thousands of gallons of heated demon blood are down there.  One touch and your entire body will disintegrate.  But if you fall, the vapors will likely kill you before that can happen.  This is my favorite room, so I'll take the fight."

Mario put a hand on his brother's shoulder.  "You can do it, Bro."

Luigi nodded.  "I'll do my best."  With that, he took a great leap downward and landed on a platform.  Oriax joined him on a nearby ledge.  Mario, Glaive, and Ace watched from the balcony.  Vetis and Cresil viewed the match from a high platform well out of anybody else's reach.

Oriax was tall and muscular, making Luigi look like a scrawny toothpick.  He had often been compared to a tiger because of his body structure.  His orange fur was mostly covered with armor that was made up of shades of blue, red, and a few spots of green.  Foot-long steel claws that made Pyro's spikes pale in comparison extended from each of his fists.  A long tail extended from his backside, which was tipped with a sharp blade.

Demon Battle (http://www.esnips.com/doc/01a19fe0-ac2a-4efb-8033-1113ec0ba1c1/Demon-Battle)

Luigi glanced down below him, terrified of falling into the sea of blood.  "C'mon Luigi... you can take him..."

"Don't worry; you'll find your way down there soon enough!" Oriax exclaimed as he opened his mouth and coughed up a flaming sphere, which headed straight for a certain green plumber.  Luigi shrieked and dove to another platform.  He watched in horror as the ledge he had just stood on was instantly vaporized.

"Not good," Ace murmured.  "He can beat Luigi without even touching him with that technique.  Luigi may be able to dodge for a while, but there are a limited number of platforms..."

"Good," Oriax commended his opponent.  "Just as long as you never let your guard down or make a wrong move, you'll be fine."

Luigi paused, not knowing what to do.  If he made a jump for Oriax's ledge, he would leave himself completely open.  If he kept dodging, he'd eventually make a mistake.  Oriax didn't give him the chance to make a decision.  He leapt onto Luigi's platform, nearly knocking him off.  Luigi rolled between Oriax's legs and grabbed onto his tail, attempting to use it to toss him into the ocean of blood.  He winced in pain and released his grip as the blade on Oriax's tail swiped across his face.  Oriax whirled around and slashed at him, but Luigi swiftly dove onto another ledge.

Luigi wiped a small streak of blood from his cheek.  "He's too big and strong to attack up close.  That leaves me with only one option."  He cupped his hands together and began to gather flames in his palms.  After allowing the inferno to grow to a considerable size, he launched it at Oriax.  "Let's see how he handles a Super Fireball."

"So, you can do more than just run away?" Oriax commented as the Fireball approached him at breakneck speeds.  Luigi yelped in terror as Oriax effortlessly batted his attack away with a single strike.  "It's too bad.  Your pathetic flames won't be able to put a dent in my claws."

Luigi turned to his allies.  No...  I can't ask for their help...  Bro is the only one left, and I could never ask him to take on all three of the remaining demons.  I need to do this on my own.  If I can't beat him with ranged attacks, I'll have to hit him with my bare hands.  But will it work?  He scanned a cluster of nearby platforms, working out the most efficient way to reach Oriax.

Not giving his foe much time to think, Oriax launched another flaming sphere at Luigi.  The plumber shrieked before nimbly diving forward onto a nearby ledge.  He quickly pulled himself up and played a game of hopscotch on a row of platforms before he finally reached Oriax.  He lunged at his tiger-like opponent and landed a solid punch to the demon's gut.  Oriax skidded backward, but caught his balance just as he was about to fall.

Luigi stared at his fist in amazement.  "I actually hit him...  But why didn't he even try to block me?"

Oriax swung his claws in a wide, circular motion, eliminating all surrounding platforms.  "You're trapped," he sneered, menacingly scraping his claws together.  "And there's not enough room on this tiny platform for both of us."

Luigi threw another punch, but this time Oriax easily blocked it with his claws.  The plumber painfully drew his fist back, three cuts running down his knuckles.  Oriax lunged forward and slashed at Luigi, who stepped backward just enough to avoid a fatal blow.  However, he felt his foot run along the edge of the platform.  He was cornered.

Desperate Struggle (http://www.esnips.com/doc/1fd3ca93-e1ee-46b8-a97e-ce146b2c39d1/Desperate-Struggle)

Luigi's mind was racing.  Either he'll kill me... or I'll fall into that disgusting stuff...  No matter what I do, I'm doomed... 

"Checkmate," Oriax cackled, preparing to pounce on his prey.  He jerked both sets of claws forward in a stabbing motion.  Instinctively, Luigi leaped backward- off of the platform.  "So, you decided to commit suicide instead?"

"No, Bro!  Why?!" Mario screamed, watching in horror as his brother slowly fell to his doom.  He collapsed onto his hands and knees.  "I would've taken them all on if I had to...  Why did you have to do that?  Why...?"  Tears began to stream down his cheeks.

Oriax began to roar with laughter.  "He really killed himself!  What a fool!  Out of all of the things he could have done, that was the most dangerous!  One whiff of that liquid will send him to his grave!"  Suddenly, he stopped laughing.  The platform below him began to crumble.  Sent into a panic, he took a great leap onto a ledge across the room.  A colossal green Fireball shattered the platform he had just stood on.

Hundreds of feet below, Luigi clung to one of the poles that held the platforms up, his palm outstretched toward the ledge that he had just vaporized.  "He can jump even farther than I can," the plumber noted.  "I thought for sure he'd fall straight down into the blood."  Slowly but surely, he climbed up the pole and scrambled onto the platform that it held up.  He wept the sweat from his forehead.  "Phew...  I'm still alive..."

"Get him, Bro!" Mario cheered.  "You've got this!"

No he doesn't, Glaive thought.  He glanced at Luigi, who was breathing heavily and almost out of strength.  Then he shifted his gaze to Oriax, who hadn't even broken a sweat.  He managed to survive, but the situation hasn't changed.  He can't hurt Oriax, and he'll soon be out of platforms.

"You've lasted much longer than I thought you would," Oriax admitted, "but it's time I ended this.  You won't be able to last much longer."

"No," Luigi replied defiantly, more to himself than anyone.  "I have to do this..."  Oriax responded with another flaming sphere.  Luigi raced to another ledge as the one he left behind was instantly incinerated.  Another ball of inferno.  Luigi dodged again.  This went on for a few minutes as Luigi attempted to formulate a plan.

Oriax stopped his assault to marvel at his handiwork.  "Perfect..."  He noticed Luigi's confused expression.  "Take a look around you.  You have nowhere left to run."

Luigi nervously glanced left and right.  Every single platform had been vaporized by Oriax's flames.  There were only two left: the one Luigi was standing on, and the one Oriax was occupying.

All or Nothing (http://www.esnips.com/doc/7e03b2f0-5a81-47e3-be09-94f566b6114e/All-or-Nothing)

Oriax took a deep breath before launching an enormous ball of flames directly at Luigi.  "You can choose how you'll die!  Will you burn to death, or let me slash you to bits?"

Luigi stared wide-eyed at the oncoming blast.  "There's only one thing to do."  He took a few steps back before taking an all-out leap toward Oriax.  He soared over the blast that the beast had fired at him and prepared to close in on his foe.

"Good job, but how will you dodge this one?" Oriax inquired as he hurled another flaming sphere at the airborne plumber.

Luigi cupped his hands together and released a mammoth Ultra Fireball.  The two flame-based attacks collided in midair, and Luigi passed right by them.  He extended his foot at Oriax, who seemed to be unable to move.  I figured out how his attacks work.  When he shoots those fire blasts, he becomes too tired to move.  It explains how I was able to land that punch earlier without any resistance.

Oriax gasped as he desperately attempted to move.  It was no use.  He was far too exhausted.  He screamed out in agony as Luigi's foot wedged itself into his chest, sending both him and Luigi off the platform's edge.  Luigi, who was standing on Oriax as they both plummeted downward, gathered all of his strength into his legs.  He was surrounded with a white glow as his Super Jump was fully charged, and he propelled himself off of Oriax.  He soared gracefully through the air for several moments, until he finally landed on the balcony beside his allies.  Oriax was not so fortunate, and instantly disintegrated in the ocean of demon blood.

Vetis squinted at his enemies.  So...  It has all come down to this...  Luigi doesn't seem injured enough to give up yet, so there are two fighters left on each team.  The Mario Brothers versus Cresil and me...  It's too bad that we're the strongest members of our team.  Luigi is no match for us, and Mario can't be that much better than the rest of them.  And if one of them does make it past Cresil, I still have my secret weapon.

Good chapters, Shadow. ;) You update a lot faster than I do. :P

There were a few mistakes, but I think you just used the wrong letters and the program you use to write probably didn't catch them. Also, the music in the last chapter isn't working, but I'm not sure if it's just my internet or not.

I meant to ask, the girl that Mario said died on July 27th, was that part of one of the other stories that you wrote, or did your just make it up for this part of the series?

Quote from: Retronintendodude7 on October 26, 2009, 06:13:32 PM
Good chapters, Shadow. ;) You update a lot faster than I do. :P

There were a few mistakes, but I think you just used the wrong letters and the program you use to write probably didn't catch them. Also, the music in the last chapter isn't working, but I'm not sure if it's just my internet or not.

I meant to ask, the girl that Mario said died on July 27th, was that part of one of the other stories that you wrote, or did your just make it up for this part of the series?

This fanfic was the first time she was mentioned, and it will lead to some interesting flashbacks...   ;)

You may have noticed some similarities between SMB6 and my Chaos in the World of Nintendo fanfic all the way back on Oldsider.  That was for nostalgic purposes.   :P  But everything that happens from this point on has nothing to do with any of my past works, just so you know.

As for the music problem, it's not working for my either.  I'll look into it.   ;)

EDIT: I figured out the source of the music problem.  When these forums were recovered a day or two ago, a few recent chapters were missing.  I copy and pasted from the versions I had on Nsider2, so that's where the problem came from.  I'll fix it ASAP.

Looks like a lot of the chapters had random punctuation replaced with question marks.  I'll fix them... soon... maybe...

EDIT: Done.

Chapter 15: A Warrior's Spirit

Demon Stronghold (http://www.esnips.com/doc/fde25a5e-a181-4377-9aa7-75b0c80ba2c3/Demon-Stronghold)

Vetis observed the remnants of the battlefield.  "There's no way we can use this anymore," he concluded.  "The next battle still has to take place in this room, though.  Luckily, this area is equipped with two battlefields."  He pulled out a remote control and pressed a few buttons.  The circular ceiling above them opened up.  The heroes gasped in awe as the room's height had increased over tenfold.  The new ceiling was at least a mile upward, and the faint outline of a bridge could be detected.  Stairs extended from the circular room's boundaries, spiraling upward toward their new destination.

Mario groaned.  "More stairs?"

"Oh, and you might want to hurry," Vetis informed them casually.  "The blood pool will soon begin to rise."

The four heroes peered downward at the liquid that Oriax fell victim to.  It began to ascend an unnervingly fast pace.  Luigi practically forced the others up the stairs.  "GO!  GO!  GO!  GO!  GO!"

Fortunately, the blood stopped rising as soon as they were halfway to the top.  The heroes continued in silence, keeping their eyes on the sea of blood below them.  Finally, a demon spoke up.  "We needed the blood's volume to be proportional to the room's increase in size.  In other words, the blood had to go up because we're going up," Cresil explained mechanically as they reached the top.  "If the blood remained as it was, and one of you happened to fall during a battle up here, you'd have too much time to think before you landed in the pool.  We don't want that."

Luigi glanced downward and shrieked in terror.  "I-I-I-I'm a-a-a-a-afraid of h-h-heights..." he stammered in fear.  The 'battlefield' consisted of a meter-wide stone bridge that expanded across the diameter of the room, leading to a new doorway.

Cresil stepped onto the bridge and turned to face everyone else.  He yawned, his eyes only half-open.  "Alright, so who's going first?"  He sounded as if he was involuntarily doing chores and would rather be asleep.

"M- me..." Luigi affirmed, hesitantly stepping forward.

"Okay, let's get this over with," Cresil replied, uninterested.

Desperate Struggle (http://www.esnips.com/doc/1fd3ca93-e1ee-46b8-a97e-ce146b2c39d1/Desperate-Struggle)

"He shouldn't have done that," Glaive whispered uneasily.  "I've heard plenty of rumors about these guys.  Apparently, those three earlier demons are just disposable fighters that have been beaten before.  They're manufactured by Cresil and Vetis to take care of any weakling intruders, and are replaced whenever they're destroyed."

Ace nodded.  "I used to work alongside them.  A few intruders have successfully defeated Geryon, Pyro, and Oriax in the past.  However, no one has ever defeated Cresil or Vetis."

"You're saying I just sent my own brother to his doom?" Mario inquired worriedly, intently watching Luigi and Cresil stare each other down.  "I should have stopped him..."

Luigi was slightly taller than Cresil, who stood at about Mario's height.  Cresil's body consisted of shades of green, and he had curved orange horns protruding from his head.  However, his most distinguishing features were his two enormous fists.  Each fist and forearm was bulged to over three times the size of Luigi's.

"Could you hurry this up?" Cresil requested with a yawn.  "I hate boring fights.  I rarely get the chance to battle.  When I do, my opponents aren't even a decent challenge."

Luigi observed Cresil's oversized fists.  He must focus more on power than speed, considering the size of those fists.  This bridge is pretty narrow, so he's probably planning to corner me.  I'll just have to knock him off before he can do that!  Without hesitation, Luigi sprinted at his half-asleep opponent.  As he was within a few feet of his target, he threw his hardest right hook at Cresil.

"Too slow," Cresil muttered in disappointment.  Just as Luigi's blow was about to connect, Cresil vanished and reappeared behind him.  With a gentle flick, the demon sent Luigi over the edge of the bridge.  "That didn't even last for a full ten seconds."

"It's... not over yet..." Luigi called from below, desperately clinging to the bridge's edge with both hands.  He began to climb up, but Cresil crushed one of his hands with his fist.  Luigi withdrew the injured hand in agony, clutching at the bridge with only one hand.  Cresil slowly moved his fist to crush Luigi's other hand.

"Don't do it!" Mario pleaded, Ace and Glaive holding him back.  "Give up, Luigi!  Cresil and Vetis are different from the others!"

Just as Cresil was about to send his opponent plummeting to his doom, he winced in pain and withdrew his fist as Luigi's hand was engulfed in a green flame.  "I forgot that you were capable of using the Fireball technique..."

Luigi swiftly scrambled to the top of the bridge and lunged at Cresil.  Before he could land a single hit, he found himself getting pummeled with punches from all directions.  Cresil wasn't just strong.  He was fast, too.  Drops of blood scattered as Luigi found himself helplessly entangled in a chain of painful punches.  At last, he fell onto his back, too bruised to even move.  Bored, Cresil picked him up by the throat and dangled him over the edge of the bridge.

"No!  Luigi!" Mario screamed, not able to stand still any longer.

"Here lies my most boring opponent in over a century," Cresil murmured in displeasure.  "Rest in peace."  He released his grip on Luigi's throat, sending him plunging downward to his death.

Mushroom Hero (http://www.esnips.com/doc/de663555-8bd0-469d-ab0f-700f64296001/Mushroom-Hero)

Cresil's eyes widened.  Luigi stopped falling.  "Impressive...  I haven't seen anyone move so quickly in quite some time."

Mario stood firmly in front of Cresil, Luigi lying on the ground at his side.  "A few wall jumps and a good eye was all it took," he explained.  "You'll be fighting me now.  There's no way I'll sit back and watch my brother die."  He carried his brother to Ace and Glaive.  "You did great, Bro.  But Cresil and Vetis are in a completely different league than those other guys."

"And you're going to take them both on- two demons that haven't ever been defeated?" Glaive inquired with a slight grin.

Mario nodded.  "You bet.  Our lives are depending on it." 

"We could help you," Glaive whispered.  "If we all team up-"

Mario shook his head.  "No, I don't want the Hero's Garb unless we abide by the rules Vetis set before us.  If we cheated to get the garb, we'd be no better than they are.  Besides, we still don't know where it is.  He turned and approached Cresil.  "You seem so uninterested with fighting.  Don't you understand that you're killing people?  Doesn't that have some kind of effect on your conscience?  I don't understand how you can be so nonchalant about taking another's life."

"Most demons don't hesitate to kill," Cresil explained with disinterest.  "I don't care very much for ethics.  But my nonchalance has nothing to do with taking life.  I just haven't had any excitement in my life for so long.  I've always waited for a fight that would push my limits, but I haven't come even close.  Geryon, Oriax, and Pyro kill most intruders.  I rarely even get to fight."

Mario grinned.  "Alright, maybe I can satisfy your needs.  I'm the Mushroom Hero, but lately I've begun to think of myself as something of a demon exterminator.  You see, all I've been doing recently is fight demons and the like.  It gets pretty tiring, but someone's gotta do it."

"Funny," Cresil replied, starting to feel a bit more enthusiastic.  "I'm anxious to see if you live up to your reputation."

Demon Battle (http://www.esnips.com/doc/01a19fe0-ac2a-4efb-8033-1113ec0ba1c1/Demon-Battle)

Cresil punched the ground with one of his gigantic fists, sending a shockwave barreling in Mario's direction.  The plumber swiftly rolled out of the way.  As he looked up, he saw Cresil towering over him with both fists raised.  He's pretty fast, Mario thought.  He dove between the demon's legs and quickly sprang to his feet.  Not given much time to rest, Mario ducked under Cresil's fist and took a few hops backward.

"Are you just going to run away the whole time?" Cresil inquired, his eyes half-closed.  "That's no fun..."

If I get hit by one of those fists, there's no telling what kind of damage it could do.  But how am I supposed to land an attack without getting pummeled? Mario pondered.  He was sure that he could land a punch or two.  However, he was worried about how Cresil would retaliate.  "I'll have to force him into a defensive stance."  He jerked his fist forward, which had begun to glow an icy blue color.  A chilling breeze filled the room as hundreds of tiny ice shards erupted from Mario's fist.

"Since when could he do that?" Luigi whispered in awe.

"He must have been working on his Iceball technique," Glaive guessed.  "Instead of a single ball of ice, he fires a vast number of razor-sharp ice shards.  Interesting."

Cresil instantly began batting away the shards with his fists.  He weaved left and right, punching, ducking, and rolling through a blizzard of tiny ice fragments.  "Wow, this is new."  Soon, snow began to mix in with the ice splinters, sending Cresil into what could only be described as a snowstorm.

"You like it?" Mario asked, his voice coated with sarcasm.  "It's a little variation of the Iceball I came up with.  I call it the Ice Blizzard."

Cresil continued to pound his way through the snowfall.  At last, he reached his target and greeted him with a solid punch.  Instead of hearing a cry of agony, he heard the sound of ice shattering to pieces.  As the blizzard died down, he saw the shattered remains of an ice statue- of Mario!

"It's always a good idea to have a decoy!" Mario chuckled as he appeared behind Cresil.  The demon whirled around just in time to meet a barrage of Flaming Punches and Thunder Kicks.  He thrashed wildly about as he was forced to suffer from countless painful strikes.  Mario's fist veered backward to deal a final hook, giving Cresil a split second to react.  He lunged forward and punched Mario straight across the face, following up with a devastating combo of blows from his colossal fists.  THUDs rapidly echoed through the room as Mario could do nothing but accept the merciless beating.

"No!  Get out of there, Mario!" Ace exclaimed with fear.  "Those punches will grind his bones to dust in seconds!"

Glaive hung his head.  "It's too late..."

One solid uppercut sent Mario soaring into the air.  As his lifeless body tumbled downward, Cresil connected with his most brutal right hook.  Like a speeding Bullet Bill, Mario's body flew straight into the stone wall, sending dust and debris into the air.

Fighting Spirit (http://www.esnips.com/doc/94554fe8-00ca-47e9-8077-3cba6f046ef9/Fighting-Spirit)

Cresil was smiling ear-to-ear.  "That was actually... pretty fun...  Too bad it's over."

Luigi covered his eyes.  "Ouch!  Did you hear the sound of Bro's body taking all of those hits?  There's no way he can beat Cresil!  What's going to happen to us now?"

"We could resort to torture," Glaive suggested.  "That is, if we can beat Cresil and Vetis into submission first."

"That won't be necessary," a voice called out from a large hole in the stone wall.  As the smoke and debris settled, Mario emerged with blood trickling down his left cheek and right arm.  "I have every intention of taking both of these guys down.  I don't care what it takes.  I started this fight, and now I'm going to finish it." 

"You're still alive?" Cresil inquired, his grin widening.  "This feeling...  Am I actually enjoying myself?"

Ace gulped.  Is it me, or is Cresil starting to lose his indifference?  He's a decent fighter when he's cool and laid-back, but he's even tougher than Vetis when he gets in the right mood.  Mario... Your talent may have just led you to your demise...

Mario turned to Cresil.  "That's quite an arm you've got there, though I was expecting it to be a little stronger."  Luigi, Ace, and Glaive stared in amazement as Mario walked up to Cresil as if nothing had happened.  "I guess I'm saying that I'm a little relieved.  Your punches aren't as strong as I thought they would be, considering the size of your fists.  If all I have to do is fight two of you, I'll do just fine."

Glaive shook his head in disbelief.  Mario... What is the driving force behind your urge to protect people?  You're determined to defeat Vetis and Cresil so that we can all leave safely.  But what happened to make you so protective?  I wonder...

"That's it, Bro," Luigi breathed in astonishment.  "He can do it!  When you hear that tone in Bro's voice, you know there's no way he'll back down!"

Mario cracked his knuckles and prepared to resume the fight.  "So, how about it?  Do I live up to your standards?"

"Yes," Cresil answered with a grin.  "I haven't felt this giddy in quite a while.  I haven't even been fighting you for that long, and yet...  I feel as though you won't disappoint me."  A green aura surrounded him, and Ace gasped.  He knew what it meant for Mario.

"That's good to hear," Mario chuckled.  "Whenever you're ready..."

A Fight to the Finish] (http://www.esnips.com/doc/d76d8906-c603-40a9-9bc0-37232e1ea73d/A-Fight-to-the-Finish)

Mario and Cresil dashed at each, each of them several times faster than before.  Cresil landed the first blow, causing Mario to stagger backward for a moment.  He soon regained his balance and retaliated with a punch of his own.  The demon winced in pain for a moment before returning the favor with another punch.  This continued for several minutes, with Glaive, Luigi, and Ace watching in utter astonishment.

"Look at them go," Ace breathed in amazement.  "They're not even bothering to block each other's punches."

Glaive grinned.  "They're strategies have become purely offensive.  Both of them are starting to enjoy the fight a little too much.  This is yet another side of Mario I haven't seen before.  He knows about the desperation of the situation, and how our lives are depending on his victory in both this battle and the next.  Yet he continues to give Cresil everything he's got, not saving a drop of strength for the next round."

Luigi gulped.  "But why?  Even if he does beat Cresil, how is he going to topple Vetis?"

"I can tell that Mario is still concentrated on winning both fights," Glaive observed.  "Yet, there is something more important on his mind.  Something about this battle is more important than victory..."

Ace hung his head.  "Mario's trying to understand Cresil.  When I was a part of their group, I was always fascinated with Cresil's mindset.  He just doesn't seem to care about anything, until he actually begins to enjoy a fight.  After that, everything about him changes."  He squinted at the two warriors giving each other everything they had.  "It may look like they're fighting, but to me... it almost seems as though they're communicating."

"Fight to kill..." Cresil murmured, throwing another punch at Mario.  "Fight to kill.  Fight to kill..."

"What are you saying?" Mario inquired, regaining his momentum.  "There are other reasons to fight than to take the lives of others!"  He ducked under attack and connected a solid right hook to Cresil's chest.  The demon stumbled backward, and the stone bridge below them shook.  "Is that all Vetis ever taught you?"

"Be quiet!" Cresil demanded, charging forward at his enemy.  Time seemed to stand still as both Mario and Cresil threw their most powerful punches at each other.  Their fists collided, causing the bridge below them to shake violently.  The impact of the blows knocked the bridge loose, sending it plummeting downward.

"Bro!" Luigi shrieked, leaning over the edge of the stairway.  He sighed with relief.  The bridge remained mostly intact on top of the sea of blood.  Undaunted by their great fall, Mario and Cresil continued to pummel each other.

"That bridge is made of a powerful demonic stone.  It should last at least sixty seconds before it falls apart," Vetis explained with a grin.

"To end the war... I need to fight..." Cresil muttered as he continued his battle with Mario.  "To fight... I need to kill..."

"You're not making any sense!" Mario exclaimed, delivering a roundhouse kick to Cresil's head.  "What war?"

Ignoring Mario, Cresil continued to babble on.  "To restore peace... there must be bloodshed.  To end the war... I've fought for years...  But was it right to kill so many people in the name of peace?  I needed to fight to restore peace to the Nightmare Vault... but to fight successfully, I must kill...  Therefore, I haven't been fighting for peace at all...  I've just been fighting... to kill..."

"What are you even talking about?!" Mario inquired, becoming more irritated by the minute.  Cresil and Mario simultaneously struck each other in the face, causing them to wobble backward to opposite edges of the nearly dissolved bridge.

"One last charge?" Cresil suggested foggily, his mind elsewhere.

Mario nodded.  The two of them barreled full-speed at each other, fists raised.  Everything seemed to stop as they were inches away from striking one another.  Cresil's mind was clouded and distant.  Why have I fought alongside Vetis so long...  I wanted to end the chaos in the Nightmare Vault...  I wanted to stop the constant fighting between the Demon Resistance and the Phoenix, but... why did I stay with Vetis?  Why have I fought for so long, even though there is no end in sight?

Mario's mind, on the other hand, was clear and focused.  As the two collided, Mario's blow was significantly stronger than Cresil.  Mario staggered backward a tiny bit, while his opponent fell flat on his back.  The side of the bridge that Cresil had fallen on rapidly began to sink into the pool of blood, while Mario's end rose into the air.

"I understand," Mario whispered with a nod.  He ducked and began to gather all of his strength into his legs.  Suddenly, a blast from above struck Cresil's side of the bridge.  The demon sunk into the blood, and his body slowly began to disintegrate.  "No!"  the plumber cried, yanking Cresil from the ocean of blood.  As he began to glow with a white aura, Mario released all of his gathered strength into one Super Jump that propelled him and Cresil back to the stairs where his allies stood.

Unbearable Suffering (http://www.esnips.com/doc/0d976966-bf59-421c-b7e6-2b2a4af3f95b/Unbearable-Suffering)

Cresil's body lay on the stone ground, heavily scalded.  His legs had completely melted, and his arms had begun to deform.  He shed a tear of joy.  "Thank you...  I've waited so long for this fight...  When I joined this group, I thought I could do something to help ease the war in the Nightmare Vault... between the Demon Resistance and the Phoenix...  But all I did was take the lives of other beings...  We traveled for years, slaughtering important figures in the Demon Resistance... until we retired to this fortress...  And yet the war raged on, no matter how many people I killed..."

Mario's shook Cresil frantically.  "You can't die yet...  You've got still got plenty of time to live as a reformed demon!  You can't die now, after finally getting what you wanted!"

"It was the only thing that kept me going..." Cresil muttered in pain.  "I wanted to kill myself so many times... but I couldn't.  Not until I felt joy and happiness one more time...  Not until I found the answer that I was seeking...  Mario...  For me, you were that joy and happiness.  You were... the answer I was looking for...  You allowed me to enjoy fighting as something other than an act of killing.  You showed me that two people can battle for reasons other than ending each others' lives.  You fought not to end my life, but to save the lives of all of your friends...  I now know what I did wrong...  In my years working with the Phoenix, I fought to end the lives of others.  I just wanted the war to end, not caring who or what had to be sacrificed to get there...  Instead, I should have fought to protect the people I cared about... the ones I wanted to end the war for... With the knowledge I've gained from you, I can die in peace...  Thank you..."

"No...  It's not fair..." Mario sighed, teardrops forming in his eyes.  "You finally found a new path in life, only to have your journey end so abruptly..."

Suddenly, Vetis crushed Cresil's body in one swift motion.  "Get used to it!" he spat, looking up Cresil's corpse in disgust.  "I hate traitors...  The only thing I can do for a traitor of the Phoenix is end his meaningless life.  Soon I'll do the same with Glaive and Ace."

Exhaustion] (http://www.esnips.com/doc/d5019192-27b7-4671-a647-c8c1fe9b0789/Exhaustion)

Mario's eyes widened.  "You... how DARE you!"  He stood up, though his wounds were severe and he had exhausted most of his energy facing off against Cresil.  He was breathing heavily.  The plumber slowly limped toward Vetis, despite the knowledge that he would most likely die.

"You're the only eligible fighter on your team," Vetis observed with a grin.  "You do realize that you are your team's last hope.  How do you intend to fight me as you are now?  If you die, so do your allies."

"I'm aware of that," Mario replied, clenching his fists.  "I've fought under worse conditions."

Vetis nodded smugly.  "Of course you have... but things are only going to get worse from here on out."  This is just the beginning.  By the end of the Demonic Trials, you won't even be able to recognize yourself.  "Let's move on."  He snapped his fingers, and a new bridge materialized where the old one had once stood.  Vetis led the four heroes across the newly formed bridge and into the final room.

They emerged in an entirely different setting.  The ceiling was made of clear glass, revealing a sky tinted with red and green shades.  Short grass covered the floor, and various exotic bushes and trees were scattered in all directions.

"This is my favorite room," Vetis informed them.  "It's my own little atrium."

"What would a demon want with an atrium?" Mario wondered aloud.  He slowly made his way over to Vetis.  I've got to keep going...  I can't give up...  No matter what, I have to stay standing...

Time for a new chapter!  See if you can find the MegaMan X reference I threw in there.  It should be obvious for those of you who have played Megaman X4, X5, or X6.

Chapter 16: Nova Strike

Desperate Struggle (http://www.esnips.com/doc/1fd3ca93-e1ee-46b8-a97e-ce146b2c39d1/Desperate-Struggle)

Vetis stood at twice Mario's height, towering above the exhausted plumber in his thick, silver armor.  His boots and fists appeared to be made of solid gold, and he wore dark purple glasses over his long, decrepit face.  "This is the final match.  Whoever wins this takes home the prize.  Will I get to claim all of your lives, or will you manage to nab the Hero's Garb?"

"Let's find out!" Mario screamed, rushing toward his opponent.  Vetis stood his ground, and threw an enormous punch when the plumber got close.  His fist swung past Mario's face, followed by a strong gust of wind.  The heavy material on his fists and boots gave him even more power than Cresil had.  Mario sidestepped another blow.

"That material on his armor makes his punches and kicks unbelievably strong.  However, unlike Cresil, he's completely sacrificing speed for power.  The weight of that material is too great for Vetis to move very quickly," Ace observed.  "I've never personally seen Vetis fight.  If he's the leader of the group, he shouldn't have such an obvious weakness...  What's he hiding?"

Mario weaved past Vetis' defenses and unleashed a furious assault of heavy blows to the demon's chest.  As he hacked away at his foe, Mario suddenly felt a sharp pain in his cheek.  Out of nowhere, a rock struck him in the side of the face- hard.  He tumbled onto the ground in shock.  "What was that?" he groaned as he climbed to his feet.

The rock that had just hit him slowly began to levitate in front of the plumber.  Abruptly, it launched itself at Mario with full force.  Just in time, Mario smashed the rock to pieces with a swift punch.  "I can't believe you tried to ambush me with a rock," Mario chuckled, clutching his bleeding knuckle.  His smile soon faded away.

Duel of Tears (http://www.esnips.com/doc/f6c22694-d849-4490-8dbb-ffcf2caa3d30/Duel-of-Tears)

Mario gasped.  Dozens of rocks similar to the one he had just smashed now hovered beside Vetis.  "Do you like it?" the demon sneered.  "That was just a sample of my power.  Watch this!"

With a snap of his fingers, Vetis sent an army of stones, pebbles, and rocks at the helpless plumber.  Mario darted back and forth, occasionally batting debris away with his fists.  He took shelter behind a large tree trunk.  Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, a few blades of grass uprooted themselves and made a dash for Mario.  They made four small cuts across his left cheek as they zoomed across his face.

"What's going on?" Luigi inquired in fear.  "How is Vetis doing all of this?"

Ace hung his head.  No...  If the rumors are true... then Mario has absolutely no chance of winning...

Staying low, Mario scooped a rock from the ground and hurled it at Vetis.  The stone stopped in midair and flung itself at Mario instead.  He dove to the ground, only to find his arms wrapped in chains of grass.  He ripped himself free, only for the uprooted blades of grass to slash at him once again.  Struggling to his feet, Mario wiped the sweat from his forehead.  "What's going on?  It's like I'm fighting the entire atrium..."  Mustering as much strength as he could, he barreled at full speed toward Vetis.  As he was only a few feet away from his target, a branch extended from a nearby tree and wrapped itself around the plumber.  Vetis walked toward the restrained plumber, pulled his fist back, and struck Mario in the chest with full force.

Mario tumbled backward onto the grassy floor.  He coughed up a mouthful of blood before glancing at his unharmed opponent.  "How are you... able to do... all of this...?"

Vetis adjusted his glasses.  "If you must know, it's the power of my Hero's Garb.  I possess the Awakening Glasses.  To be blunt, they give life to whatever the wearer sees.  That's why I chose to fight in this room.  Take a look around you and see how many natural weapons surround you.  I can strangle you with the very shirt that you are wearing."

" You're cheating!" Luigi cried angrily.  "We agreed to a series of one-on-one fights!  You've got Bro outnumbered!"

"One of the fundamentals of fighting is to battle in a setting where you have the advantage," Vetis explained.  "Depending on the battleground, one warrior can always gain the upper hand over another.  For as long as combat has existed, fighters have used their environment against their foes.  That's exactly what I'm doing.  The only difference is that these glasses allow me to take the concept to a whole new level!  Whether you realize it or not, almost every fighter in existence has used a similar strategy.  Even you used this method, Luigi.  Remember?  You knocked Oriax into the blood before, and I didn't complain."

Mario's Agony (http://www.esnips.com/doc/389c92a7-7d4c-48a9-ae5e-ba5affcbd263/Marios-Agony)

Ace, Glaive, and Luigi looked on in horror as Vetis began to mercilessly pummel the helpless Mario.  Rocks slammed against his body, and tree branches clawed at his arms and legs.  While this went on, Vetis pounded the suffering plumber with his fists.

"He can't go on like this!" Luigi screamed.  "We've got to help him!  If all four of us work together, we can still stop him!"

"That's right," Ace whispered.  "We know where the Hero's Garb is!  Now we can gang up on Vetis!"

Glaive shook his head.  "Do you really think Mario will allow us to do that?"

"What?!" Ace gasped, pointing at Mario's lifeless body.  "Look at him!  If we leave him, Vetis is going to tear him apart!  What could he hope to accomplish alone?  He'll end up getting us all killed!  I'm jumping in right now!"  He lunged forward at Vetis, preparing to strike.

"NO!  Stay back!" Mario cried, his body severely bruised.  He slowly crawled to his feet.  "Stay out of this!  I didn't ask for your help!  I can do this alone!"

"But why?" Ace asked in bewilderment.  "He'll kill you!"

Mario slowly walked toward Vetis.  "Because...  They've been playing by their own rules this entire time!  Did you see any of them step in when Geryon, Pyro, or Oriax was about to die?  They've played fair this whole time, despite how much they must hate humans!  Yet you keep insisting that we all charge Vetis at once!  Are you trying to give them more reasons to hate our kind?  If we were to gang up on Vetis, then we'd be no different from Lord Shade or Metal Mario!"

"You're awfully spirited," Vetis observed with amusement.  "I can see that you're different from most humans.  For that, I'll grant you a chance to leave.  If you hand me the Hero's Garb that you currently possess, and agree to let me keep Ace and Glaive, you and your brother can walk out of here unharmed.  Instead of giving me four lives, you'll give me two and a garb.  Not a bad deal, eh?"

"You should take his advice!" Ace urged him.  "It's better than letting him kill all of us!  If we all die here, who'll be around to stop Metal Mario?"

Unflinching Warrior (http://www.esnips.com/doc/9161e48f-bad2-4839-a6e4-5f4c4f5e9eac/Unflinching-Warrior)

"I don't need your sympathy, either," Mario refused, glaring at Vetis with fire in his eyes.  Though he was bleeding and badly bruised, the plumber slowly limped toward his foe.

"You're truly loyal to your friends," Vetis noted.  "But why?  What have they ever done for you?  Why are you always playing the goody-goody act?"

"I swore to myself that I'd get out of here safely with all four of my teammates," Mario explained.  "I lost someone very close to me years ago...  At her grave, I swore that I'd never lose anyone in battle again, and that I'd never leave anyone behind.  I promised that as long as I could still breathe, I'd never abandon my friends.  But it's not just that.  I have no intentions of losing to the likes of you.  I thought you'd be some kind of all-powerful leader, but you're just a Cresil rip-off with a lame defense.  You've thrown all of your speed away, relying on the Awakening Glasses to protect you."

"So you're not going to lose, huh?" Vetis cackled.  "You're using every last drop of power you have just to stand up."

None of my normal attacks will work on him, and I'm too tired to pull off the Tri-Elemental Form, Mario thought.  That leaves me with only one other option... but I'm not sure if I'll be able to use it right... It's the last thing I've got, so it better work...  I just hope I can execute it properly...

All or Nothing (http://www.esnips.com/doc/7e03b2f0-5a81-47e3-be09-94f566b6114e/All-or-Nothing)

"Here it goes..." Mario muttered nervously.  "The Nova Strike..."  Electric sparks began to emit from his body, while his right fist started to glow with a bright red flame.  Without a moment of hesitation, Mario sprinted full speed at Vetis.

"What's he doing?" Ace wondered aloud.  "He's rushing straight to his death!"

"I could care less," Vetis sneered.  "This fight was starting to get boring, anyway."

Suddenly, Mario's speed nearly quadrupled.  Vetis frantically called upon his surroundings.  Tree branches, rocks, and blades of grass rushed at the speeding plumber.  As he ran, Grambi's words flooded into his mind.  The speed of Thunder allows you to quickly close the gap between you and your opponent.  As the various projectiles were about to strike Mario, numerous parts of his body were shielded with a layer of ice.  This greatly reduced the impacts of the blows. The thickness of Ice works as a great defensive shield from any oncoming attacks as you rush toward your opponent.

"Whatever he's doing, it's working!" Glaive exclaimed in disbelief.

Mario, now only a few feet away from Vetis, took a great leap at his foe.  His fist was completely engulfed in a bright red flame.  And the striking power of Fire will be enhanced greatly by the momentum of your sudden rush.  Mario put all of his willpower into one final flaming right hook that connected with Vetis' midsection.  The demon cringed in agony, but the pummeling wasn't over.  A violent crackling sound filled the room as the wind displaced by Mario's punch suddenly rushed at Vetis.  The sound of hundreds of bone-breaking punches echoed through the atrium as the wind delivered several more blows equivalent to the power of the original punch.

The first punch is powerful, but the true strength behind the Nova Strike is that the initial blow displaces the air around it.  This sends the wind barreling at your opponent, causing a chain reaction that causes hundreds of brutal strikes to rain down upon your foe.  The Nova Strike utilizes the air around you and turns it into your ally.  Use it wisely.

As if he was being shot with a machine gun, Vetis' body thrashed wildly about in pure anguish.  After several more moments of excruciating pain, the demon fell onto his back.  His body was covered with countless cuts and bruises.  All of this was the result of one perfectly timed punch.

Mario cringed, holding his bleeding fist in pain.  Gah... I still can't use it without hurting myself...

I was only testing him, anyway, Vetis thought as he slowly slipped into unconsciousness.  The Demonic Trials are still well underway...

Victory (http://www.esnips.com/doc/64a37341-3ac7-44b0-8f77-7c86d5648f1d/Victory)

"Looks like I won after all," Mario sighed wearily as he collapsed onto the ground.  Blood was still dripping from his wounds, and his body was severely bruised.  "I told you I could do it..."

His three companions were at his side in moments.  "That brings us up to two Hero's Garbs," Ace stated formally.  He bent down and slipped the dark glasses off of Vetis' forehead. 

"Hey Bro, what exactly was that last technique you used to beat Vetis?" Luigi inquired.  "It was the coolest stunt I've seen you pull off in a while."

"It's my new Final Smash," Mario explained wearily.  "While I was training with Grambi, he showed me how to do it.  It's called the Nova Strike."

Glaive thought for a moment.  "I think I've heard of that technique before.  It combines all of the fundamental skills taught by the Elemental Gods.  It's supposed to be nearly impossible to master."

"Yeah," Mario snickered, waving his badly bruised hand.  "You can say that again."

"A Final Smash..." Ace whispered in confusion.  "I had no idea that they existed outside of the Nightmare Vault.  A Final Smash is a technique that only powerful, high-ranking demons can use.  Since when can humans use them?"

"Well, there were these things called Smash Orbs that we used to use.  But after a lot of hard work, many of us have learned how to use Final Smashes without Smash Orbs.  Of course, it drains almost all of our energy, so we have to use it as a last resort," Mario informed him.

There was a moment of silence before Ace finally spoke.  "Now what?"

"Dunno," Luigi shrugged, helping Mario to his feet.  "We should start by getting out of here."

"Sounds good to me," Mario agreed.  The heroes took a moment to soak up their victory.  Suddenly, Mario groaned with discomfort.  "Oh no..."

"What?" Glaive inquired nervously, immediately turning to the unconscious Vetis.  "What's wrong?"

Mario grinned wearily.  "It's nothing...  I was just thinking about all of the stairs we'll have to climb to get back..."

There was a moment of silence before they all burst into laughter.  Through determination, compassion, defiance, and luck, the band of heroes had surmounted yet another obstacle that stood in their path.  However, it was only the beginning.  Many more trials still awaited them, and many more secrets would soon be uncovered.

---

Evil Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/f9562c29-9303-47d2-8b72-e94f56407a2e/Evil-Theme)

A pair of glowing eyes appeared from behind the thick underbrush of Forever Forest.  Slowly, a metallic figure crept out into the open.  "I'll be able to take shelter from him in this forest," Metal Mario whispered to himself.  "He's been following my trail, but he won't be able to trail me so easily in the Mushroom Kingdom's most dense woodland."

He dove behind a tree and scanned his surroundings.  "Still no sign of him... Velno was designed to be the perfect predator, so I can't let my guard down."  He cautiously tiptoed forward, meticulously avoiding all twigs, leaves, and fallen branches.  One sound could instantly attract Velno's attention.

I wonder if Mario is anywhere nearby.  If I know him, he's looking for the Hero's Garbs to try and storm into Mushroom Castle.  There should be a garb nearby if I remember correctly.  If I had the luck of running into him, Velno might find us.  If those two killed each other, my job would be that much easier.  Of course, Hunter should be patrolling this area as well.  His assistance would certainly help.  But no matter who it may be, I need to find someone, and fast.

Less than a quarter of a mile away, Velno entered the forest.  "So, he's hiding somewhere in the forest, is he?  This'll be fun..."  He sniffed the air around him, and his grin widened.  "Oh my, there are some other powerful warriors nearby as well.  One seems to be alone, and the other four are in a small group.  It looks like I've got plenty of hunting to do."

---

[End Music]

"Finally," Mario sighed with relief.  "I've missed the sunlight of the Mushroom Kingdom."  He looked around, realizing they were Forever Forest.  "Well, I still miss it.  I'll feel a lot better once we get out of this gloomy forest.  Then we can start looking for the next garb."

"Actually, I think it'd be best to put our search on hold," Ace suggested.  "None of us are in any condition to be fighting.  Our journey would go much smoother if we took some time to regain our strength and stamina.  Most of us won our battles by a narrow margin, and it'd be unwise to continue to push our luck."

"I guess a little rest couldn't hurt," Glaive agreed with a shrug.  "Let's find our way back to Toad Town."

As they turned to head out of the forest, there was a swift rustle in a nearby bush.  Luigi screamed in terror as an arrow launched from the shadows and whizzed past his face.  "I think we have company," Luigi observed with fear.

A dark-skinned male Toad slowly stepped out from behind the underbrush.  His face was painted with red and blue markings, and a bow was wrapped tightly in his grip.  In the blink of an eye, he loaded another arrow onto his bow and aimed it at Mario's throat before releasing it. 

With one swift motion of his sword, Glaive sliced the arrow into two.  "Back off, weirdo.  That puny bow won't work on us."  The heroes' eyes widened with terror as several dozen male Toads identical to the first emerged from the shadows.  Each had a bow indistinguishable from the one the first Toad held, and they were all pointed at the four heroes.

A tall, dark Toad stepped from the crowd.  A feather was clipped to his mushroom hat, and he held a large wooden staff.  "I am Chief T.  Are you friend, or foe?" he asked, impatiently tapping the ground with his staff.

"Friend!" Luigi called out immediately.

"We're peaceful visitors," Mario explained.  "We're on a journey to save this entire kingdom.  Besides, we've already found what we're looking for here.  If you'll excuse us, we'll leave right away."

A friendly smile spread across the chief's face.   "Welcome.  Many creatures have plagued our peaceful land lately.  I apologize for having my tribe attack you."

"No problem," Ace said with a nod.  "Would one of these creatures happen to look like a silver version of him?" He pointed to Mario.

Chief T. shook his head.  "Our main problem is a man that wields a gun.  He seems to be searching for someone, and he kills anyone who gets in his way.  Another creature has also been seen prowling this area.  He's tall, blue, and looks nothing like a human.  Other than those two, a few monsters were seen walking around occasionally, but we haven't seen them recently.  They usually came from the same entrance as you did, so we thought you were them."

"Oh, we took care of those guys," Mario chuckled.  "They were part of the group we're trying to stop."

Chief T. and his fellow tribe members gasped in awe.  "You four defeated them?  Our prayers have finally been answered!  Please, come back with us to our village.  We'll supply you with food and tend to your injuries.  You can stay as long as you wish."

The four heroes beamed with joy.  "That sounds great!" Luigi exclaimed with glee.  "I'm starving!  We can stay for the rest of today, get a good night's sleep, and continue our search tomorrow!"

Mario shook his head.  "We'll accept a meal and medical attention, but we have to leave as soon as possible.  The man that Chief T. mentioned might be looking for us, and that other creature doesn't sound very friendly either.  If we stay with this tribe for too long, we'll end up dragging them into our own problems.  I don't want to involve this peaceful tribe in any of our affairs."

"Fine," Glaive agreed with a nod.  "We'll stay for a little while, and then get back to our search."

Chief T. made a series of strange gestures.  The rest of the tribe slowly dropped their weapons and started back toward the village.  Mario, Luigi, Glaive, and Ace followed them through a complex series of right and left turns.  Each time they reached a fork in the path, the Toads stopped and closely scanned their surroundings for some sort of landmark.

"Good old Forever Forest," Mario sighed.  "I remember Goombario and I doing the exact same thing when we were looking for Boo Mansion."

At last, they stopped at a small clearing in the woods.  Several tipis ran across the area, circling around a large campfire.  The soil below their feet was moist and fertile, and the smell of Shroom Steak filled their noses.  "We're just in time for dinner," the chief informed them with a warm smile.  "Feel free to eat as much as you want."

Female Toads emerged from the tipis to greet their husbands and visitors.  They laid blankets made of animal skin on the ground, and everyone took a seat around the campfire.  Without a moment of delay, they proceeded to present the tribe- and their special guests- with a generous feast.

Mario and Luigi stared wide-eyed at the upcoming meal before hungrily devouring as much as they could.  Glaive and Ace, on the other hand, ate slowly and politely, making sure to chew their food before swallowing.  Mario eagerly devoured four Maple Shrooms, two plates of Koopasta, three Yoshi Cookies, and washed it all down with a can of Super Soda.  Luigi practically inhaled his Spicy Soup, Shroom Steak, and Fried Shroom before gulping it down with a tall glass of Tasty Tonic.

Glaive and Ace carefully picked at their food, not used to the kingdom's typical cuisine.  They did, however, enjoy their very first taste of Shroom Cake.

"Ahh... I'm stuffed," Mario said with a burp, clutching his stomach.  "Thanks..."  In the corner of his eye, he saw a small child lying down away from the group of feasting Toads.  He gestured toward the lone child.  "Why doesn't he eat?"

"He has an illness," the Toad's mother explained.  "His name is Todd.  He's had this disease since his infancy.  He always feels sick to his stomach, and can hardly eat."

"That's my wife, Catherine," Chief T. explained.  "As for my son...  We try to feed him, but when he eats even the slightest bit too much, his condition becomes critical until his body can digest the extra food.  I need to devote a separate meal to him each day, and measure the exact amount of food he needs."

"Oh... I'm sorry," Mario replied with a sympathetic nod.  "Don't give up on him.  I'm sure he'll recover sooner or later."

"Well," Ace concluded with a sigh, "thanks for the meal.  We'll be on our way now.  We don't want to attract any unwanted attention to this village."

The four of them stood up, each feeling a little bit stronger.  "I wish we could stay until we got all of our strength back, but we'd never be able to collect all of the Hero's Garbs in time if we rested after every battle," Glaive explained.  "Let's get going."

"Thanks for everything," Luigi said with gratitude.

Mario knelt down beside the ill Toad and patted him on the head.  "Get well soon, Todd."  With that, the four of them were on their way.

Evil Desire (http://www.esnips.com/doc/c7421705-327c-4fff-aed3-412e1c0aa94b/Evil-Desire)

As the heroes disappeared behind the forest's thick undergrowth, a tall figure glared at the group of Toads that Mario had just been talking with.  "So, that was Mario.  Funny, I thought he'd look much stronger.  It's hard to believe that he defeated Lord Shade two years ago."  He stepped into the light and clutched a pistol strapped to his waist.

"I really don't like taking orders from that silver weakling, but Sir Crimson told me that I should obey all of Metal Mario's orders until his 'replacement' arrived," he groaned.  "I hope he shows up soon.  Until then, I guess I'll just have to find some enjoyment in hunting Mario down.  Now, what's the best way to draw him out?"

Chief T. held his son up high above his head, playfully carrying Todd around the village.  "Mario's right.  I'm sure you'll feel better in no time."

The figure in the shadows grinned wickedly.  "Hunter, you're a genius," he chuckled to himself.  "The Mushroom Hero always comes running when there's someone in danger.  I'm sure the child will serve as decent bait."  He drew the pistol from his waist, aimed at the chief, and fired.  Heh, perfect aim as always.

If I was Mario, I would've just burned down the whole atrium...

Was the Mega Man X reference about Vetis being a Cresil rip-off? (Where do you come up with these names? :P) I used to play a few Mega Man X games when I was younger but I honestly don't remember that much.

Quote from: Retronintendodude7 on November 25, 2009, 06:54:38 PM
If I was Mario, I would've just burned down the whole atrium...

Was the Mega Man X reference about Vetis being a Cresil rip-off? (Where do you come up with these names? :P) I used to play a few Mega Man X games when I was younger but I honestly don't remember that much.

Actually, the name of Mario's Final Smash was the reference.  Nova Strike was a technique you could use with a certain armor in MegaMan X4-X6.  :P

And some of the names I use come from mythological demons.  For example, Pyro is the demon of falsehood and lies.

Chapter 17: The Unstoppable Velno

Mario stopped dead in his tracks.  He looked around in confusion for a moment.  With desperate silence, he tried to recognize the sound that had just met his ears.  "D- Did anyone else just hear a gunshot?"

"I may have heard something that resembled the sound of a firearm," Ace replied calmly.  "Even so, this forest is filled with strange creatures.  I'm sure that any normal person trekking through these woods would keep some kind of weapon with them."

Mario closed his eyes, trying hard to remember the words that Chief T. had spoken earlier.

"Our main problem is a man that wields a gun.  He seems to be searching for someone, and he kills anyone who gets in his way."

"No..." he whispered in disbelief.  "Please, no..."

"Mario!" a frantic voice called to him.  Catherine appeared from behind the nearby underbrush, breathing heavily.  "Mario!  The man that we told you about...  He- he- he came to our village!  He shot my husband and... and he kidnapped Todd!"  And then she broke down, a waterfall of tears streaming down her delicate face.

"We need to approach the situation with a cool head," Ace stated with urgency.  "The four of us need to stick together.  We're still too tired to be fighting against an enemy we know nothing about.  Glaive, you-"

Frantic Rush (http://www.esnips.com/doc/eb98c367-4733-4f0b-b6af-56a34c21509e/Frantic-Rush)

"What?!" Mario thundered, his face red with rage.  Images of the helpless Todd filled his head.  "Whoever this guy is, he must be trying to lure me into something!  It's my fault that Todd got involved in this!  This is all my responsibility!" Without another word, he turned and sprinted off into the distance.

"Mario!  Come back!" Ace demanded angrily.  "That fool!  After his consecutive fights with Cresil and Vetis, he's the weakest out of all of us!  He won't have the strength to face whoever's out there!"

"Bro, don't do it!" Luigi called after him.  It was already too late.  "He's blaming himself for all of this...  By going to your village to take a break, we've attracted too much attention from whoever's after us!"

Glaive gazed at the path Mario took, deep in thought.  "Mario...  You're rushing off to protect someone again...  What makes you feel so obligated to help these people?  What is saving the lives of a few trivial Toads going to accomplish?"

"We need to go after him!" Ace screamed.  "He's an irreplaceable member of the team, and we won't be able to gather the Hero's Garbs without him!"

---

"He should be here any minute," Hunter chuckled, casually tossing Todd up and down.  "Since Mario must be on his way by now, I think it's safe to get rid of the kid."  He gently laid Todd on the ground.  "Sorry, kiddy.  You're no good to me anymore."  He pulled a pistol from his waist and aimed it at Todd's head.  His finger slowly began to pull the trigger...

Tension (http://www.esnips.com/doc/3cf0e768-bf45-4f8a-9505-35214c5e07dc/Tension)

A bullet shot up into the air as a red blur kicked the gun out of Hunter's hand.  Standing firmly beside Todd was Mario, his eyes gleaming red with a strange but familiar hatred.  Equally red was the aura that was emanating from the plumber's body, an aura that gave off an eerie feeling of malice.  He spoke with pure detestation, "Leave the kid alone."

"That's a scary look," Hunter sneered with a small trace of curiosity.  "I've read dozens of reports about you and your fighting style, but I've never heard anything about this.  I've heard about all of your battles up until the fall of Lord Shade, and I can't name a single time you've acted like this.  Maybe the reports that I've been provided with are inaccurate."

"Shut up," Mario replied impatiently.  "Are you going to leave, or are you going to force me to beat some sense into you?"

"I'm not leaving until I get what I'm after," Hunter informed him.  "I didn't go through all the trouble of luring you here only to run away.  I need to experience the thrill of the hunt first."  He bent over to pick up his gun.  In the blink of an eye, he felt a sharp pain in his cheek; the very gun that he was about to pick up was now pressed against his face.

"Did you think fighting me would be some kind of joyride?" Mario spat, his finger on the trigger.  "Do you think I'm some kind of animal that you can hunt for your own amusement?"

"How'd you... move so quickly?" Hunter inquired with pure astonishment.  "You... You're completely different from what everyone else described you as!"

"The same goes for you," Mario shot back.  "I heard you were some kind of big, bad villain.  You're nothing.  I could end your life with a single motion of my index finger."

Hunter's mind was racing.  What's wrong with this guy?  Have I really made him that angry?  Maybe he's been driven insane by his hatred, just like Nightmare.  The only way I can save myself is to try and bring back his usual self.  But how...?  Suddenly, his mouth curled into a wicked grin.  "Are you really going to end my life?  I'm a human.  Are you really going to kill a human after her death all those years ago?"  As he spoke, he was sure to put particular emphasis on the words 'kill' and 'human'.

The color in Mario's eyes changed instantly.  He released his grip on Hunter's pistol and staggered backwards, clutching his forehead.  Breathing heavily, he slowly regained his senses.  "That's... the second time..." he whispered, wiping the perspiration from his forehead.  "What's... happening to me...?  Every time I feel rage towards someone else, my hatred consumes me and takes control..."

Hunter picked up his gun and aimed it at Mario.  "This is the Mario I wanted to hunt."

"I guess I don't have time to think about my anger issues," Mario laughed weakly.  "I don't have time to worry about how you know about her, either."

"My true identity will be revealed only when you prove yourself worthy," Hunter explained.  "Until then, let's see if you're as tough as I've heard."

As Hunter loaded his pistol, Mario mulled over a possible plan of attack.  Now that I've regained my senses, I'm really starting to feel drained.  Those fights with Cresil and Vetis took way too much out of me.  Not only that, but I also had to use the Nova Strike, which always uses up almost all of my strength.  I'm feeling a little better after that meal, so maybe- just maybe- I can use what little strength I have left to use my Tri-Elemental Form.  I'd say I could maintain it for about ten seconds in my condition, if I put every last drop of my Elemental Energy into the transformation.

All or Nothing (http://www.esnips.com/doc/7e03b2f0-5a81-47e3-be09-94f566b6114e/All-or-Nothing)

Mario closed his eyes, concentrating on pulling all of his Elemental Energy out to the surface of his body.  "Tri-Elemental Form!" he cried as his body exploded with a wild array of vibrant colors.  A radiant light scattered in all directions as Mario summoned forth the power he had defeated the mighty Lord Shade with.  "I only have ten seconds, but that's all I'll need!"  He dashed at his opponent, leaving a rainbow trail behind him.

"The forbidden power...  Does he really... possess it...?" Hunter wondered aloud.  "This'll be interesting!"  He withdrew a second gun that was hidden behind his back.  Pointing both pistols at his foe, Hunter skillfully launched a rapid barrage of bullets, each with pinpoint accuracy.

I'm too worn out for the Nova Strike, so I'll just have to try a slight variation, Mario thought as he brought his right knee up at breakneck speeds.  The sent a powerful torrent of wind to spiral upward in front of him, deflecting each of the bullets.  And other than his guns, he has no way to attack me!  In a matter of seconds, the glowing plumber was in front of Hunter, delivering a painful assault of blows.

As the painful punches and kicks rained down on him, Hunter struggled to lift his index finger.  He carefully aimed it at Mario, and in a flash of light almost as brilliant as the plumber's transformation, Hunter's index finger launched itself from his hand as if it was a bullet.  The finger struck Mario in the chest, causing him to fall onto his back in pain.  However, Hunter had taken his share of pain before he managed to immobilize his opponent.

"I guess... it's a draw..." Hunter observed, struggling to stay standing.  "We'll settle this some other time...  Just stay alive until then..."  He bent down to pick up the finger he had shot Mario with.  With great effort, he screwed the finger back onto his hand.  "The name's Hunter...  Don't forget it..."  With that, he turned and slowly limped away.

Mario's Tri-Elemental Form faded away, along with his brilliant aura.

[End Music]

"Hey... kid..." Mario groaned, gently shaking Todd.  "Get back to your village, okay?"

"What about you?" the child asked innocently.  "You... you saved me...  I can't leave you..."

"Trust me," Mario persisted, "I'll only attract more baddies to your village.  My teammates will find me soon, and I'll have time to recover with them.  Besides, I'm sure your father is in worse shape than I am.  He needs you."

"Okay," Todd agreed.  "I have to see how my father is doing after that man attacked him.  But I'll never forget what you did for me."  He started to walk away, and then turned to face Mario.  "I'll be back with help...  I promise..."  He disappeared into the forest, leaving Mario lying on his back in the grass.

Velno's Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/a96ec835-95e5-465b-a7a4-6b980b56a6f7/Velnos-Theme)

Only a short distance away, Metal Mario carefully crept toward the source of the gunshot he had recently heard.  "That must have been Hunter.  If I can find him, I'll be safe from that disgusting creature, Velno."

"Who's a disgusting creature?" a wicked voice inquired from behind him.  Metal Mario screamed in terror as Velno appeared behind him.  "You've done a great job evading me, but now your journey has come to an end.  You've been revived only to be an appetizer for my reign of terror."

Metal Mario staggered backward in fear, realizing that there was nothing he could do to stop Velno.  "No... Get away from me!"  He desperately hurled a silver Fireball at Velno, who caught the flaming sphere in his hand and slammed it into Metal Mario's face.  The metallic Mario clone tumbled onto the ground in pain. 

"It's all over...." Velno whispered triumphantly.  He dashed at his vulnerable prey and wrapped his claws around his meal.  "Say hello to the downfall of this entire kingdom!" he declared, laughing maniacally.  His mouth slowly expanded until it was large enough to devour his prey, and he began to slide Metal Mario down his throat.  Just as his victory seemed assured, he felt a sharp pain in his back and stumbled forward.  Metal Mario slipped out of his mouth and collapsed onto the muddy earth.

Exhaustion (http://www.esnips.com/doc/d5019192-27b7-4671-a647-c8c1fe9b0789/Exhaustion)

Velno turned around in pure rage to see Mario, breathing heavily and clutching his chest.  "I heard a little scuffle going on, and I thought I'd join in," the plumber chuckled weakly.  He slowly limped over to Metal Mario and helped him to his feet.  "Don't get the wrong idea, but I don't feel comfortable with Velno devouring all of your strength.  Otherwise, I wouldn't really have a problem with letting him eat you."

"Likewise," Metal Mario grumbled.  "As much as I hate to admit it, I'm going to need some help taking this abomination down."

"How exactly did you survive?" Mario asked Velno.  "I heard from Luigi that he destroyed you with the help of the Wario Brothers.  You shouldn't be alive..."

Velno grinned, an evil glint in his eye.  "Ah, Mario.  It's so nice to see you.  To be blunt, I've been brought back the same way many of your other foes have.  Being one of Lord Shade's mechanical warriors, I was revived by the Resurrection Cannon."

"How nice," Mario muttered.  "Normally, beating you would be a piece of cake.  But I've run into a few... complications..."

"I'll say," Metal Mario agreed.  "You look like you've been through a train wreck."

Velno's Desire (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qolOzPWw0Q&feature=related)

"It's been a lovely reunion, but I have a duty to fulfill," Velno hissed, slowly walking toward Metal Mario.  "Once I devour Metal Mario, all will become clear to you."

Mario and his metal counterpart stood side-by-side as Velno drew closer and closer.  "So," Mario whispered with a weary grin, "any ideas?  Between you and me, I can hardly stand up right now."

"I could've figured that out on my own," Metal Mario retorted.  "It looks like we'll just have to improvise."

Velno sprinted up to Metal Mario in a flash, but Mario swiftly fired an Iceball at the predator.  Expecting Velno to be frozen in a block of ice, he breathed a sigh of relief.  However, when the icy mist cleared, he saw that he had only managed to freeze Velno's foot to the ground.

"It seems that your attacks are growing weaker," Velno observed.  "You should rest!"  He swatted the plumber to the ground with a slash of his claws, and then quickly turned to his prey.  Without wasting any time, his mouth widened and he tossed Metal Mario into his mouth.  Meanwhile, Mario struggled to his feet and tackled Velno to the ground.  The predator coughed up his food, and Mario scrambled away with his metallic clone.

"If we can just keep this up until my friends get here," Mario whispered, helping Metal Mario to his feet.  "I just wish this forest wasn't so hard to navigate.  If we were anywhere else, they would've found us by now."

"Even when you're dog-tired, you're still a nuisance," Velno sneered as he slowly got back on his feet.  "No matter.  You can't keep this up for much longer."  He rushed over to Metal Mario and kneed him in the chest, temporarily stunning him.  Next, he whirled around and delivered a surprise kick to Mario's gut.  With Mario out of the way, he grabbed his prey by the throat and stuffed him into his mouth.

As Mario slowly got back on his feet, a look of horror spread across his face.  Robotic screams of terror rang out from Velno's mouth as the predator vigorously chewed his food and swallowed.  It was too late.  Metal Mario was gone.

"This is... incredible!" Velno cried out with glee.  A radiant light erupted from his body and lit up the sky, letting the world know that a villain far more sinister than Metal Mario had been born.

At the forest's exit, Hunter noticed the flare of light.  "Ah, it looks like the real fun is about to begin.  Metal Mario had no idea that he was being used all along."

Exhaustion (http://www.esnips.com/doc/d5019192-27b7-4671-a647-c8c1fe9b0789/Exhaustion)

Electrical sparks emanated from Velno's body as he slowly approached Mario.  Metal Mario was gone forever.  "Ahh... I haven't felt this good in quite a while..."

Mario stared wide-eyed at his new foe.  Although he looked the same on the outside, he could tell that Velno was far more powerful than before.  He staggered backward in fear, knowing that he was in no condition to fight the powered up Velno.

"There they are!" a familiar voice called out.  Mario turned around to see Ace, Glaive, Luigi, Chief T., and Todd.  The chief had bandages wrapped around his chest to cover his gunshot wound, and Mario was relieved to see that he was okay.

"We're here for you," Chief T. told him.  "You've done so much.  Now I can return the favor."

"No," Mario replied firmly.  "Please... get out of here...  The creature that you see...  He could kill you in an instant.  Leave with your son... while you still can..."

"I've waited for this day for many years," Velno stated, ignoring Mario.  "I may have been created by Lord Shade, but I was born loyal to an entirely different force.  You see, while I was being pieced together by Shade's top scientists, my master managed to hack into my database.  He made it so that I'd only obey his orders.  Why else would I have fled from Shade the moment I was given life?  I set out to wait for my master's orders, and so I passed the time by loitering around Brooklyn's sewers and the Mushroom Kingdom.  Everything was going perfectly, until I was destroyed by Luigi and the Wario Brothers.

"However, I now know that this was all foreseen by my brilliant master.  He revived all of Shade's mechanical warriors with the Resurrection Cannon, including Metal Mario and myself.  My lord needed to create a being that could, for all intents and purposes, be a superior opponent to you, Mario.  So he used Metal Mario as a pawn to set up the ultimate scheme for this kingdom's destruction, all the while making that metal idiot think he was important.  When the time was right, I was given orders to devour Metal Mario, absorb his powers, and take control of the whole Nexus scheme.

"Why would he set up such a complicated chain of events, you ask?  Why Metal Mario?  The answer is simple.  When I devour an ordinary, living creature, any energy that they are storing is instantly given to me.  However, when I consume a mechanical being, I can use much more than just their energy.  I can use their data, memories, and even switch out some of my parts for their own.  With that in mind, listen carefully to what I'm about to say.  Metal Mario was designed to be a perfect clone of Mario.  He had fought Mario several times, and so he knew plenty about Mario's fighting style.  Now that all of that knowledge belongs to me, I know everything there is to know about Mario.  And thus, my master has succeeded in creating the ultimate opponent for Mario to face."

The heroes stood before Velno, speechless at the brilliance behind this unknown genius's plan.  "Please...  Chief T., get out of here..." Mario pleaded.  "You don't understand the kind of power that he possesses...  I've faced off against people like him many times in the past...  Trust me... you have to leave while you have the chance!"

The chief shook his head defiantly.  "No.  I've sworn to my people that I would always protect this forest and the people in it."

"Old fool," Velno muttered, raising his index finger.  Time seemed to move in slow motion as a red beam launched from the creature's finger and made its way over to the chief.  In a flash of light, Chief T. was face down in the dirt- dead.

"Daddy, no!" Todd wailed, tears streaming down his cheeks.  He got down on his knees and began frantically shaking his father's motionless body.  He buried his face in his father's chest, unable to bear the death of his father.

Mario tried desperately to restrain his anger.  He was trembling with rage, but he was using all of his willpower to control his fury.  Maintaining his usual personality, he charged at Velno with absolutely no hope of winning.

Ferocious Clash (http://www.esnips.com/doc/5ce657a3-0590-4f80-943e-4c7b6560ee45/Ferocious-Clash)

"Mario!  Restrain yourself!" Ace demanded, but it was too late.  Mario's fate had already been decided.

"What can you possibly hope to do against me?" Velno sneered as the plumber rushed at him with surprising speed.  Mario leapt into the air and threw a violent barrage of swift punches all aimed at Velno's head.  The creature effortlessly dodged each and every one of them, and quickly ended the assault with a vertical slash of his claws.  Mario tumbled onto the ground, but continued his attack with a sweep-kick.  When his foot collided with Velno's leg, it felt as if he had just kicked a brick wall.

"Bro!  Get out of there!" Luigi cried.

Velno stomped on Mario's chest, crushing him with his weight.  The plumber desperately wrapped his hands around his foe's leg and created a Thunderball.  Velno pulled his foot back in pain, giving Mario a chance to roll onto his feet.  He threw a deadly right hook at the creature, who vanished before Mario's fist could hit its target.  "Too slow!" he cackled as he reappeared behind the plumber and created a green sphere in his right palm.  Mario turned around to see dozens of tiny blue orbs launch out of Velno's sphere.  Each orb struck him in the chest, making it feel as if thousands of tiny fists were pummeling him.

Bleeding and badly bruised, Mario skidded along the dirt path as he was beaten by Velno's projectiles.  Once Velno ran out of ammunition, he appeared beside his enemy in seconds and continued the beating with his own two fists.  Mario attempted to retaliate with a kick, but his opponent quickly batted him away. 

The Mushroom Hero landed several yards away.  He had almost nothing left.  "I... can't... keep this... up..."  He cupped his hands together and fired a Super Thunderball.  With a quick gesture of his hands, he sent the Thunderball's path in a completely different direction, catching Velno off guard.  The Thunderball swung around and nailed the creature in the head, sending electric sparks in all directions.  Meanwhile, Mario created a path of ice in front of him and skidded along it toward his enemy.

"Look at him..." Glaive breathed.  "How long can he keep this up?"

"Not long.  A minute or two at the most," Ace guessed.  "We need to intervene before Mario gives out."

Mario wasn't surprised to see that his Thunderball hadn't done a bit of damage to Velno.  As he slid on the ice at incredible speeds, he brought his right fist back.  Gathering everything he had left, a rainbow aura surrounded him for a split second.  He brought his flaming right fist forward and struck Velno in the face, just before his aura faded away.  He fell to his knees, exhausted.  He had managed to power up his final attack with the Tri-Elemental Form, even if it was for just a moment.  But did it work?

Mario's Agony (http://www.esnips.com/doc/389c92a7-7d4c-48a9-ae5e-ba5affcbd263/Marios-Agony)

He looked up to see Velno without a scratch on him.  "You did put up a good fight, but it's time to end this.  Goodbye."

"NO!" Luigi shrieked, rushing forward to stop Velno.

Ace and Glaive followed Luigi, their weapons raised.  Velno merely raised his left hand and sent the three of them tumbling backward with a gust of wind.  The three of them sprang back onto their feet, only to see that it was too late.

"Farewell, Mushroom Hero," Velno hissed as he placed his palm on Mario's chest.  In a flash of purple light, a violet beam of energy shot from the creature's hand and pierced the plumber's flesh.  Mario lifelessly collapsed onto his back, blood flowing out from his open wound.  He did not move.

"It's time for me to get going," the creature sighed.  As Velno vanished behind the thick forest trees, the only sound that could be heard was Luigi weeping for his brother.  Glaive and Ace remained grimly silent.

Chapter 18: The Emerald Flame

Sadness (http://www.esnips.com/doc/5158c328-944b-400f-9c97-9887ab407b64/Sadness)

"Is... is he okay?" Luigi inquired desperately, tears streaming down his damp cheeks.  "Tell me he'll be okay..."

Ace carefully observed the gash on Mario's chest.  He slowly shook his head, holding back his own tears.  They stood in solemn silence, until Ace finally spoke. "He... doesn't seem... to be breathing..."

"It all happened so fast..." Glaive whispered in disbelief.  "Velno suddenly powered up, and he finished Mario off before any of us could do a thing to stop him...  Then, without a trace, Velno just disappeared..."  And all of this time, I was useless.  My strength is far too limited...  If only I didn't need to wear this ridiculous armor...  He turned around and began to walk away.  "I... need some time alone."  He vanished behind the undergrowth, leaving Ace, Luigi, and Todd behind.

"I'd better escort the child back to his village..." Ace said in a hoarse voice.  Todd remained at his father's side, crying hysterically.  "Let's get you out of here."  He picked the young Toad up and carried him out toward the village.

Luigi remained by his brother, realizing that Mario had unknowingly held the group together.  He fell to his knees, silently wishing that Mario's eyes would slowly flutter open.  He didn't dare to check for his brother's heartbeat.  He refused to accept the possibility that Mario had died.  "Get up, Bro...  Please..."

After several minutes of grieving, Luigi realized that Todd had also suffered a great loss.  He looked at Todd's father, lying motionless on the ground a few yards away.  Mario wouldn't want Chief T.'s death to be ignored.  With a silent prayer, Luigi began to dig into the fertile soil beneath them.  In just a short while, he had dug a hole that was deep enough for the chief's body.  He held his breath and grimaced as he slowly lowered the corpse into the gap.  Finally, he piled soil and grass on top of the chief until his body was completely buried.

He wept a teardrop from his eye and turned to his brother.  Luigi prepared to repeat the process for his brother, but he had a gut feeling that he should wait.  He still wasn't sure if Mario was dead.  He desperately wanted to check his heartbeat, but he was too afraid to discover that Mario had died.  Instead, he chose to have hope...

As Luigi sobbed beside his brother, he was completely oblivious to the upcoming danger.  Unbeknownst to him, two pairs of eyes were carefully watching his every move...

---

"We're sorry," Ace apologized to Catherine, trying his best to hold back his tears.  "We managed to keep your son safe, but..."  Todd rushed into his mother's arms, both of them crying hysterically.  As they embraced, Ace swallowed hard.  After a few minutes, Catherine and Todd were finally calm enough to hear the rest of Ace's grim report.  "Unfortunately...  Your husband wasn't as lucky..."

Once again, the two Toads burst into hysteric weeping.  Ace put a hand on Catherine's shoulder.  "You should know that he died for his tribe.  We confronted one of the creatures endangering your tribe, and Chief T. was the first to attack him.  After his death, Mario blindly rushed at the creature in an attempt to avenge your husband, but to no avail.  But for whatever reason, the murderous beast fled from the forest after he finished his battle with Mario.  Now your tribe is safe, for now.  If you think about it, your husband's actions did keep the tribe safe."

"Thank you... for your kind words..." Catherine said between sobs.  "Thank you... for all that you and your friends have done...  Without you, my son would have never returned to me safely..."

"You don't need to thank me," Ace murmured glumly.  "I don't deserve any gratitude for a job that was only a partial success."

---

Mechanical Menace (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJlRcMHGAUQ&feature=related)

"When are Ace and Glaive going to get back?" Luigi wondered aloud.  "Should I wait for them?"

"A loser you are!" a voice sneered from behind a bush.  "Tremble in fear!  A skilled lieutenant of Smithy am I!"

Luigi turned to face his opponent.  "Who's there?  And what's with your grammar?"

"My name is Bowyer," the voice replied.  "Sent by Velno was I!"  As Bowyer came out into the open, Luigi noticed that he was far different from any other enemy he had faced before.  His body was in the shape of a bow, with yellow and red stripes running up and down his curved chest.  He had spiky red hair that rivaled even that of Bowser's, and wore white gloves and boots.

"Shut up!" a deep, hoarse voice commanded.  Out from behind the bush Bowyer had emerged from was a tall old man that almost resembled an evil, robotic Santa Claus.  He had a long white beard and bushy eyebrows, a shining silver body with a star on his chest, and wore a golden crown on his head.  In his right hand he held a long, metal sledgehammer, and on his left hand he wore a red glove that had been modified to shoot bullets from the fingertips.

Bowyer instantly bowed down to the old man.  "Sorry I am, Master Smithy."

"Shade's scientists must have been pretty careless when they built you," Smithy muttered.  "Try not to talk unless it's absolutely necessary.  Your pathetic grammar irritates me."

"Silent I will be," Bowyer complied obediently.

"So why are you guys here?" Luigi demanded with his fists clenched.  "Mario is in no condition to fight you."

Smithy grinned.  "We know.  Velno had other business to attend to, so he ordered us to finish what he started.  He said that the other three members of your little team would fall apart without Mario, and it looks like he was right."

Bowyer loaded an arrow onto his bow-shaped body and fired it at Luigi.  It struck the plumber in the arm, and his body was instantly surrounded with a thick layer of ice.  Luigi fell to his knees, unable to move.

"That ice barrier was designed by our master to keep our foes frozen solid.  I can assure you that you'll never find a way to break free.  You see, the barrier will never melt at the temperature of normal ice.  This ice can only be destroyed by the power of the Emerald Flame, which you clearly do not possess," Smithy chuckled.  "Now, Bowyer, we must inspect Mario.  We must determine if he truly is dead, and we have to recover any Hero's Garbs he may be carrying."

"Too bad," Luigi snickered weakly.  "One of my other teammates is carrying the garbs..."

"You wouldn't happen to be referring to this man, would you?" Smithy inquired as Bowyer dragged a frozen Ace from behind a nearby bush.  "Bowyer caught him by surprise with one of his arrows just a minute ago."  He paused for a minute, taking note of Luigi's shock.  "I assume the surprised expression on your face indicates that this man possesses the garbs we are looking for."

Hope (http://www.esnips.com/doc/403e8aab-d430-417c-905e-98ed67458e68/Hope)

"Why...  Why am I always the one that has to screw up...?" Luigi groaned.  "It's true... isn't it?  We're nothing without Bro...  No... I'm nothing without Bro...  I was tossed aside in a matter of seconds...  I know exactly what Glaive would do if he was in my shoes...  He'd draw his sword and mutter some kind of insult, even though he had no hope of winning. Why can't I be that strong...?"

"Useless your efforts are!  My arrows have trapped you within a special coat of ice!" Bowyer cried with glee.  "And the moment you collapse from exhaustion, you will never wake up!"

I can't even move anymore, Luigi thought, struggling to keep his eyelids open.  The moment I close my eyes, it'll all be over.  The only way to end the pain is to give up, and shut my eyelids for good...  But can I really just give up in front of my brother like that...?  Can I defile his legacy by willingly surrendering?

Ace struggled to his feet, attempting to shake himself free.  He fought to keep his balance but quickly toppled onto his hands and knees.  "We did all we could... It was just... too much... for us to handle..."

No... I can't give up... I've let my friends down so many times in the past...  I've forced my brother to take over for me each and every time I wasn't strong enough to do things on my own...  This time, I can't depend on him...  I need to be the hero!  Luigi began to furiously punch the barrier that surrounded him.  I need... to break out of this...  I need to do... what my brother would do...

"Don't even bother!" Smithy cackled at Luigi's seemingly futile attempts.  "There's no way that force field could be broken by any mortal being."

Luigi's fists slowly began to glow with a green aura.  As he relentlessly pounded against the barrier, a green flame encased his entire body.  Before long, Luigi was throwing fully charged Flaming Punches without even breaking a sweat.  Need to... break free...  His punches grew stronger little by little, and a small crack appeared at the edge of the force field.

"What's he doing?!" Smithy roared in frustration.  "How could he be breaking through?!  Crimson said this barrier would never break!  He said it himself:

"This force field will block out any attempts to resist its deadly effects.  The only force that could possibly pierce it is that of the Emerald Flame."

"The Emerald Flame?"

"It is said that if you possess the Element of Flames, the color of your Fireball will tell you something about your character.  A red flame represents fierce determination and a strong spirit.  A yellow flame signifies a seemingly greedy soul with a gentle personality on the inside. A purple flame shows a great amount of cunning and stealth-like ability.  And a green flame... Well... He who wields the power of the Emerald Flames contains an endless wellspring of evil that could make short work of this puny ice barrier."

"That man in green...  Could he possibly be the one Crimson is searching for?!" Smithy wondered aloud, astonished at the possibility.

By this point, Luigi had begun to charge an enormous green Fireball in his palm.  With a cry of determination, he launched the Fireball at the barrier and shattered it to pieces.  He landed safely beside Ace and melted the ice that restrained him.

"Thank you, Luigi," Ace whispered before collapsing onto the ground, unconscious.

"Sure... no prob..." Luigi replied with fatigue as he fell beside his comrade.  The green aura that surrounded him quickly died down.

"What... just happened...?" Bowyer wondered aloud, trembling with astonishment.

"We got lucky...  Very lucky..." Smithy sighed with relief.  "He was far too exhausted to control his new powers, so he fainted.  If he had been at full strength... this battle could have gone either way..."

Crimson's Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/b9e8fca9-f6b1-4390-9cb6-878399efca2b/Crimsons-Theme)

A walkie-talkie at Smithy's waist burst into a repetitive sequence of beeping sounds.  The old man grunted and pulled the device to his ear.  "Yes?"

"It's Crimson," the voice replied eagerly.  "What just happened out there?  I was sure that I felt the presence of the Emerald Flame."

Smithy cleared his throat.  "Yes, it appears we've located the one you've been searching for.  At the moment, he seems to be unconscious.  What do you want us to do with him?"

"Bring him to Lorne in Blizzard Fortress.  I'll meet up with you there to claim my prize," Crimson responded eagerly.

"I've been thinking about something, Master Crimson. What do you intend to do with this man?  And where did this strange power come from?"  Smithy inquired timidly.  "Unless, of course, you wish to keep this information a secret."

"Not at all," Crimson answered, mildly amused at his underling's fear.  "If you must know, Luigi's sudden power increase came from the darkness within his soul.  I believe Grambi once explained this bit to Mario:

'It is said that the younger sibling of a Hero possesses the equal potential of power the first-born child does.  However, there are a few differences.  First and foremost, the power will be harder to bring out for your brother, which would require intensive training far more brutal then what you will go through.  In addition, the younger sibling- in your case, Luigi- would not possess the Capacity of Elements.  Finally, the second-born child's power is not purified at birth.  The choice to be good or evil is theirs to make.  If he or she should choose to be tainted with evil, the effect could be deadly.'

"In other words, evil is more attracted to Luigi than it is to Mario.  This 'evil energy' has accumulated within Luigi's soul each time he got near one of his enemies.  Now, as long as Luigi's intentions are virtuous and pure, this accumulation is harmless and will have no side-effects.  During his battle with you, however, Luigi was so desperate to survive that he instinctively reached into his supply 'evil energy' in order to become more powerful.

"As for my intentions, they really aren't as obvious as you might think.  Right now, I have no interest in turning Luigi into one of us.  My true desire is to extract the evil from his soul, and perform a few 'experiments' with it.  If I can make some modifications and find a way to reproduce it, it will be a crucial asset to us in the Demonic Trials."

"I understand," Smithy affirmed.  "We'll bring Luigi as soon as we can."

"Retrieve the garbs we must!" Bowyer exclaimed.  He turned to where Ace should have been lying.  He was nowhere to be found.

"You idiot!" Smithy cursed with rage.  "You should have been watching him!  But I suppose that can wait, since there are plenty of other garbs in our possession.  If they are aiming to collect every garb, they'll eventually have to come after us anyway.  Besides, I'm sure they'll chase after us in an attempt to save Luigi."

"Sorry I am," Bowyer apologized solemnly.  He picked Luigi up and followed Smithy into the distance.

Nearby, Glaive stood silently among the treetops with Ace safely in his arms.  Sorry guys, but I've got something much more important to do.  As long as I am forced to fight with this armor on, I'll never be of any use to you.

---

Evil Within (http://www.esnips.com/doc/204be442-1580-41a9-bfbc-df6b886ee584/Evil-Within)

"Wake up...  You cannot die..."

"I can't...  I was beaten...  I can't even move..."

"Silence.  You forget what I am capable of.  You've seen what I can make you do, and yet you question my abilities?"

"I...  I don't..."

"Don't forget that you are no longer alone.  As long as I am a part of you, I can never let you die.  Your role is far too important for that..."

"Role?  What role?  Who are you...?"

"Me?  I will soon be... you're replacement..."

The deadly silence of the forest was suddenly broken by a heartbeat.  Slowly, like gears that had just been set in motion, Mario's heart began to beat.  His eyes swung open and he leapt to his feet.  It was late at night.  Breathing heavily, he crept forward.  "Blizzard Peak..."  He mechanically walked through the east exit of the forest and past the sleeping Toad Town.  At last, he reached Blizzard Peak.  His eyes were drained of all color, and his face was pale.  It was as if some force had been controlling him.  At last, he met his match against the freezing winds and constant snowfall.  He collapsed face-first into the snow.

Trailing behind him was Ace, who had awoken shortly before the plumber.  He approached Mario's unconscious body.  "Just how did you manage to survive this time?  I was sure that you had been killed..."  He didn't take much time to mull over Mario's survival.  He was still alive, and that was all that mattered.  "Sleep well, Mario.  We have a lot of work to do when you wake up."

---

Flashback (http://www.esnips.com/doc/99babdcc-94c7-4446-ab31-ac6a501931b2/Flashback)

Meanwhile, Glaive slept uncomfortably against the base of a tree.  He tossed and turned, trying to shake away the memories of his past.

"Have you ever wished that the fighting would all end?" a girl asked, her sky-blue eyes matching the color of the tears streaming down her soft cheeks.  She was tall for a thirteen year old, and quite pretty.  She had long blonde hair, a gentle smile, and long eyelashes.  "I just wish we could all live without having to worry about fighting...  Don't you feel the same way, Glaive?"

A slightly shorter boy sat beside her, fourteen years old.  He had spiky black hair, fair skin, and innocent brown eyes.  "Sometimes," he replied, deep in thought.  "Other times I want to be a part of it all, you know?  I just wish there was something I could do...  I feel so useless...  We're always being attacked by the Phoenix's men... And I'm just not strong enough to protect you, Sara."

They both sat high on a mountaintop far above their village.  Having been friends since their early childhood, Sara and Glaive would gaze at the sunset for hours each day, waiting for their village to be pillaged by the Phoenix's men.  It was the only thing that brought them comfort.

Sara giggled.  "So, you want to protect me?  Right now, you're just a fourteen year old boy.  We're part of the Demon Resistance, but only so we can live in peace.  If you want to fight someday, fight for our side."

Glaive nodded.  "I will.  Someday, I'll end this war with my own two hands."

How could I have known that I'd be ending it in a completely different way than I had intended?  If a war cannot end through reason, it must end with a decisive victory.  But who could have predicted the side that I would choose to lead?

Days passed.  It all seemed to go by so quickly.  Each day, various acquaintances of Glaive met their end.  In time, Glaive decided that it would be pointless to get to know anyone.  Instead of protecting many trivial lives, he chose to devote his protection to his most treasured individual.

"Damn," Glaive cursed nonchalantly.  "More and more people are dying by the day.  If this keeps up, the Demon Resistance will crumble to pieces."

Sara wiped the teardrops from her damp cheeks.  Unlike Glaive, she treasured the lives of each and every demon- friend or foe.  "This has to stop...  I can't take it anymore..."

Suddenly, they were interrupted by the bloodcurdling alarm of a nearby foghorn.  Recognizing the sound as the usual signal of Phoenix presence, Glaive grabbed Sara's arm and sprinted to the edge of the mountaintop.  Looking down, he saw a unit of no more than a dozen warriors marching toward a seemingly deserted town.  Many demons had learned to keep a low profile when Phoenix soldiers came to 'visit'.

"We should be safe here," Glaive whispered, but he was cut off by a nearby scream of terror.  He turned to see Sara's eyes wide with fear.  He traced her field of view back to a tall soldier clad in black armor.  The warrior held a long, razor-sharp sword high above his head.

"Look out!" a voice called.  Glaive shut his eyes.  Without a weapon, he didn't stand a chance.  His life was over.

Instead feeling the sharp pain he expected to, a metal clang ringed through his ears.  He opened his eyes to see a teenage boy no more than four years older than him.  The boy stood with a blue energy sword pressed against the blade of the Phoenix soldier.  In a swift motion too quick for Glaive to comprehend, the Phoenix warrior was face down on the ground- in two pieces.

"W-W-Who are you?" Glaive stammered, staring at the boy in wide-eyed admiration.

"No one special," the boy replied.  "Just the soon-to-be leader of Poker Face."  He gestured toward Sara.  "You should get her back to the village.  I assure you that my comrades will have the Phoenix soldiers cleared out by the time you get there.  Oh, and stay safe."  With that, he vanished behind the purple mountain mist.

That was the first man I ever admired.  I soon learned that idols can only make you weak.  You rely on their strength until you can't even defend yourself without the help of another.

---

"It's no use," Slade sighed in defeat.  "No matter what I do, the Nightmare Blade remains dull.  I've sharpened my skills as much as possible, and yet...  The one thing holding me back is the dullness of my sword."  He looked up at the full moon as if the answer he was searching for was among the stars.  "Ever since I met that man...  Mario...  My blade has forgotten its purpose..."  With great resentment, he pulled himself off of the desert sand and unsheathed his blade once again.  Closing his eyes, he heard voices from the past.

"Why do you even bother living anymore?  You're just a nuisance.  You're a nightmare."

"You don't belong here."

"Hey kid, do you have a name?  ...Nightmare...?  How appropriate."

As he was overcome with hatred, his sword began to glow a deep red color.  He grinned wickedly as his blade slowly began to sharpen before his eyes.  "Yes...  That's much better...  Here I come, Mario.  Soon I will annihilate both you and your foolish beliefs."

Chapter 19: Storming the Fortress

Blizzard Peak (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2fs-qzjLZ0&feature=related)

"What... happened...?" Mario groaned, his eyelids slowly fluttering open.  He had a splitting headache and struggled to analyze his surroundings.  Groggily rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he shivered.  At last, he realized that he was leaning against a wall of ice inside of some sort of cave.  Bandages were wrapped around his forehead and had also replaced the glove on his right hand.  The wound on his chest had been neatly wrapped up as well.

"I took shelter here in this cave, waiting for the blizzard outside to let up.  I had plenty of time to properly tend to your wounds," Ace explained, emerging from the darkness of a nearby tunnel.  "I found you lying in the middle of the snowstorm, so I tried to find a place for us to take cover.  The garbs in my pocket began to act strangely, and somehow they led me to this cave.  I didn't understand what was going on until I found this."  With a triumphant smile, he held what appeared to be the hilt of a katana in front of Mario's face.  "It's the Elemental Hilt.  I found it buried under a thin sheet of ice."

"It's just a hilt," Mario mumbled, still half asleep.  "It doesn't even have a blade."

"It's not supposed to have a blade," Ace replied matter-of-factly.  "Remember how you can create a Flaming Sword with your Elemental Energy?  Well, if you channel your Elemental Energy through this hilt, the blade will be much stronger at the cost of a lot less energy."

"It sounds pretty useful," Mario commented, slowly dragging himself to his feet.  "So, where are Luigi and Glaive?"  He thought for a moment, and suddenly he was filled with anger.  "And where's Velno?!  If I was at full strength when we fought, I know I could have beaten him!"

Ace sighed heavily.  "We have much to discuss.  After your battle with Velno, everyone thought that you were dead.  As soon as Velno dealt you a fatal blow, he retreated.  Smithy and one of his minions arrived shortly after, and they kidnapped Luigi.  Glaive disappeared the moment he thought that you had been killed, presumably to train on his own.  Without you, our team has fallen apart.

"Right now, we possess three Hero's Garbs: the Thermo Gloves, Awakening Glasses, and Elemental Hilt.  I do not know the total number of garbs in existence or how many are in the enemy's possession.  However, I do know that we have made a grave miscalculation.  There was a time when we believed that all we had to do was defeat Nightmare, waltz into Mushroom Castle, and effortlessly wipe Metal Mario out.  We were so naïve.  We underestimated the enemy.

"It's evident that there is a larger force at work behind the scenes.  They purposely made us believe that Metal Mario was our true enemy.  Any one of us could have easily defeated him, so we took our time and didn't worry too much about the upcoming danger.  Now it apparent that Metal Mario has been replaced by a much more formidable opponent: Velno.  Furthermore, the enemy seems to be interested in your brother.  I've located a fortress here in Blizzard Peak that they are likely occupying at the moment.  If Luigi is being held there, it is crucial that we liberate him and retrieve any garbs they may have.

"Glaive's whereabouts are a much more complex issue.  I believe that Glaive has no intentions of betraying us or doing anything reckless.  If we give him some space, I'm sure he'll reunite with us somewhere down the line.  When all of the Hero's Garbs are in our possession and all four of us are united, we can deal the enemy a lethal blow.  Do you understand the urgency of this operation?  There isn't any room for failure."

Mario nodded.  "If that's all true, then we don't have any time to waste.  Let's head for the enemy's fortress to save my brother."

Ace laid the three garbs on the floor.  "Unfortunately, we don't have enough time to wait for your Elemental Energy to be completely restored.  By combining the abilities of the Thermo Gloves and the Elemental Hilt, you should be able to fight alongside me in your fatigued state.  I will attempt to control the power of the Awakening Glasses, although I probably won't be able to use them as well as Vetis did.  Through teamwork and the use of our Hero's Garbs, we should be able to pierce the defenses of Blizzard Fortress."

"In that case, let's go," Mario urged him, slipping the Thermo Gloves on.  "I've beaten everyone in Velno's little club once before, and I'll do it again."

---

"Let's see... Have I managed to fortify my tolerance for sunlight at all?" Glaive wondered aloud, carelessly pulling off a chunk of armor that shielded his right arm.  He tossed it to the ground and revealed his 'experimental arm', which was wrapped entirely with bandages.  With a grunt of discomfort, he unwrapped the bandages that covered the wounds from a previous 'experiment'.  As his arm was exposed to the rays of light beating down on Mushroom Fields, Glaive cringed with familiar pain.  For a few minutes, he allowed his arm to be bathed in sunlight without once crying out in agony.  He grinned triumphantly.

"There's definitely still some pain, but I think I'm starting to get used to it.  It looks like the best way for me to be able to survive without my armor is to gradually expose more and more of my skin to the sun.  After I can't take the pain any more, I just have to bandage up my wounds and try again later.  If it worked for my arm, it should work for the rest of my body.  And once I'm done, I'll be able to help Mario eradicate Velno."

He gazed up at the clear blue sky, deep in thought.  Of course, Velno is just the beginning.  I have a score to settle with a few demons back in the Nightmare Vault.  And Mario, don't think I forgot about our little rivalry.  Our battle is still somewhere on my to-do list.

---

Crimson's Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/b9e8fca9-f6b1-4390-9cb6-878399efca2b/Crimsons-Theme)

Velno, Lorne, Smithy, and Bowyer sat patiently at a round table, a raging blizzard visible through a nearby window.  The room was constructed from blue bricks that were designed to look like chunks of ice, and the floor was painted white as if it were covered in a blanket of snow.  Luigi sat unconscious in the corner of the room, still unaware of his captivity.

"We're all set; the only person we're waiting for is Crimson," Velno groaned impatiently.  "I really wish he'd hurry up.  We went through all the trouble to bring that human here."

The four of them sat in silence, each mentally preparing himself to speak to the prestigious Crimson.  Their leader was like a god to them- incredibly wise and unimaginably powerful.  The eerie stillness was interrupted by a siren and a flashing monitor. Smithy turned to the security supercomputer and began to furiously type in various pass codes.  The screen split apart to show various areas inside Blizzard Fortress, and zoomed in to show two men running full speed toward the tower's front gate.

"Master Velno, we have two intruders," Smithy informed him grumpily.  "It's Mario and his demon friend, Ace.  What if they manage to take Luigi back?  Should I send our soldiers out to repel them?"

"That won't be necessary," Velno replied with a wicked grin.  This fortress wasn't designed for fighting.  In fact, they won't be facing any physical battles on their way up to this room."  He paused and beamed at Smithy's puzzled expression.  "In Blizzard Fortress, our heroes will only come in contact with mental obstacles.  Let me assure you, I've set up enough twisted moral obstructions to keep Mario busy for quite a while.  Or, at the very least, he'll be filled with unimaginable sorrow and regret."

Lorne nodded with approval.  "Open the gates for them, Smithy."

---

Blizzard Peak (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2fs-qzjLZ0&feature=related)

"Strange... They practically invited us in," Ace whispered in confusion.  "Why would they do that when they know we must be attempting a rescue?"

Mario grinned.  "They must be pretty confident that whatever they've got inside can stop us.  Whatever it is, I'm ready."

The two found themselves in a narrow corridor that consisted of icy blue bricks.  Old fashioned chandeliers drooped down from the low ceiling and lighted their path.  As they forged on, the lighting began to gradually grow dimmer.  Before long, they were standing in a room that was almost pitch black.  This new area had a higher ceiling and was dimly lit by a line of torches running down both sides of the room.

Mario began to step forward, but Ace held him back.  "Look down," he whispered cautiously.

The plumber glanced below him and saw that he was about to step into an abyss of nothingness.  Ace pointed to a shoddy bridge at the far side of the room, and the two of them sidled along an icy path that protruded no more than three feet from the wall.  At last, they reached the ledge next to the bridge that extended to the opposite side of the room. 

Mario could faintly make out a lit opening in the wall at the other end of the bridge.  "That should be the exit, but this bridge doesn't look very sturdy..."

The room shook violently for a moment, and the path that led back the way they came shattered into tiny fragments.  Their only choice was to move forward.  "Welcome to your first stop in Blizzard Peak: The Bridge of Treachery!" a giddy voice exclaimed.

Mario recognized the voice immediately.  "Velno!" he growled through his clenched teeth.  "Where are you?!  And what are you talking about?  It's just a poorly designed bridge!"

Bridge of Treachery (http://www.esnips.com/doc/f6c22694-d849-4490-8dbb-ffcf2caa3d30/Duel-of-Tears)

"I'm speaking to you through the fortress's intercom," Velno replied matter-of-factly.  "Allow me to explain The Bridge of Treachery.  As you can see, the bridge is made of brittle stone and isn't very sturdy at all.  In fact, I'd say it would begin to crumble as soon as a single person stepped on it.  One person could probably make the journey across, but the bridge would instantly fall apart if two people attempted to stand on it. Now, take a look below you."

Mario and Ace complied and saw a red light flashing in the darkness.  "What is that?" Mario whispered fearfully.

"Attached to the bottom of the ledge you are standing on is a pack of dynamite set to explode in two minutes.  As you can plainly see, the both of you are trapped.  You obviously can't turn back because the path you used to get to your current position was destroyed.  The only way to move on is for one of you to betray the other and cross the bridge, leaving the other stranded behind.  If you insist on teamwork and try to cross the bridge together, the bridge will crumble under your combined weight and you'll fall to your doom.  Likewise, if you both stay on the ledge you are currently on, you'll both be killed by the dynamite below you.  Hence the name: The Bridge of Treachery."

Mario shuddered as the sound of Velno's wicked cackling slowly died away.  "Now what?  We don't have much time to think."

"I... don't know..." was all Ace could manage to say.  "I never anticipated a trap like this one.  I never thought we'd have to make this kind of decision..."

Mario remained calm.  "You go on ahead.  Once the bridge is out, I won't be able to go forward or stay still.  The only choice I'll have left is to go down."

"You aren't really thinking about jumping down there, are you?" Ace inquired, dumbfounded by Mario's plan.  "If you're thinking there might be some kind of hidden area down there, you're sadly mistaken.  It's a bottomless pit, and if you fall, there'll be no escape."

"What other choice do we have?  I could never forgive myself if I let you die here!" Mario replied firmly.

"You'll have to get over it!" Ace snapped as he grabbed Mario and shoved him onto the bridge.

Before Mario could regain his balance and run back to Ace, the bridge had already begun to collapse.  It was too late now.  Now that the bridge had started to cave in, Mario had no choice but to press on.  He looked back at Ace one last time before sprinting full-speed to the other end of the bridge.  Too ashamed to look back, Mario exited through the passage that awaited him on the other side.

Ace's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q0eoj8wkLY)

"As if I planned to die," Ace chuckled, listening carefully to the ticking of the dynamite.  "I should have about twenty seconds left, so I'd better make this quick."  He pulled out a card from his deck, crushed it in his hand, and a red energy-whip materialized in his palm.  He scanned rugged rock ceiling of the room for a structure that his whip could latch onto.  At last, he spotted a curved rock formation protruding from the ceiling.  He skillfully tossed his whip and wrapped it around his target.  From there, he used his whip as a grappling hook to swing across to the exit.

Moments later, he heard an explosion in the previous room.  "That worked out perfectly."  He proceeded to a flight of stairs, where Mario waited at the top with his arms crossed.

"As if I expected you to die," Mario snickered, Ace's surprised face only adding to his delight.

"How did you know?" Ace asked disappointedly.  "I wanted to make some kind of cool surprise entrance later on ..."

"You're too smart to be killed in a trap like that," Mario explained.  "Besides, you're a demon, and I'm a human.  If it came down to only one of us surviving, you're demon instincts would beat my human instincts, and you would be the one to cross the bridge.  I knew that since you allowed me to go instead, you had some kind of plan to save yourself."

"Looks like I can't fool you," Ace sighed.  "To be brutally honest, if it did come down to only one of us surviving, I would have been the one to live.  You don't have the heart to sacrifice someone else's life to save your own.  I grew up with demons, so I'm much more accustomed to death.  Anyway, it's clear that Velno is trying to get us to turn on each other.  So no matter what lies ahead of us, we always have to remember that Velno is manipulating our bonds and emotions.  We can't let it get to us.  Understood?"

Mario nodded.  "Fine with me.  But I was just wondering, did you use the Awakening Glasses to escape?"

Ace shook his head and patted his pocket in a secretive manner.  "I want to keep them hidden from the enemy for as long as possible.  They'd be perfect for a surprise attack.  Besides, there was no need to use them.  It's much more fun to use my whip as a grappling hook."

---

Evil Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/f9562c29-9303-47d2-8b72-e94f56407a2e/Evil-Theme)

"Master Velno, it seems as though they made it past the first floor.  Moreover, neither one of them seems shaken up at all," Smithy informed Velno nervously.

"That's fine," Velno responded with a confident grin.  "They may have made it past the preliminary round, but their greatest challenge is about to begin."

"You do realize that we're currently on the fourth floor, and they're already on the second floor?" Smithy inquired.  "Even worse, we don't have any kind of challenge waiting for them on the third floor."

"There's no need for concern," Velno assured him.  "I wouldn't want to work Mario's brain too hard.  I've arranged for a little battle to take place on third floor.  And of course, that's assuming that Mario can make it past the second floor.  The Bridge of Treachery was just a warm up for what he's about to face."

---

Blizzard Peak (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2fs-qzjLZ0&feature=related)

As they reached the top of the staircase, Mario and Ace took a moment to scan their surroundings.  Though certainly not luxurious, the second floor seemed much more presentable than the dimly lit first floor.  The tiles on the floor were arranged in a checkerboard pattern of blue and white, and the blue brick walls seemed much cleaner.  In the center of the floor were two large squares that didn't match the floor's décor.  One was striped red and blue, the other black and white.  At the far side of the room was an elevator that appeared to be shut tightly.

"That elevator appears to be operable, but I don't see any kind of switch nearby to activate it," Ace noted curiously.  "I wonder how we're supposed to use it."

"The tiles on the floor look pretty weird," Mario commented.  "I've seen some weird floor designs, but why would they bother to decorate the second floor and not the first."

"When a villain builds a fortress, he usually isn't trying to win a fashion contest," Ace remarked sarcastically.  "If I were to criticize anything about the floor, it'd be those two tiles in the middle.  They're much bigger than the other ones and their colors don't even match."

"If you two are ready to stop critiquing my fashion sense, I'll be happy to inform you about the Lie Detector Challenge," Velno hissed through the intercom.  "You two are going to step on those two squares.  The red and blue one is for Mario, and the black and white one is for Ace.  I'm going to ask you two a series of questions.  When you answer them, I'll do a quick scan with my lie detector to tell if you were lying or not.  If you answer truthfully, you move to the next round.  If not, well, just remember that the tiles you'll be standing on are placed directly above the bottomless pit in the floor below you."

"So all we have to do is tell the truth?" Mario inquired suspiciously.  "Sounds easy.  What's the catch?"

"There isn't one.  I just hope you'll be able to admit your darkest secrets," Velno chuckled, confident in the questions he had prepared.

"Let's show him what we think of his stupid test!" Ace exclaimed with determination.  The two heroes stepped onto their respective tiles, and the challenge began.

"Alright, I'll start you off with an easy one.  I want your opinion.  Are demons good, or bad?  Mario, I want you to answer first."

Mario gulped.  His gaze shifted to Ace.  "My honest opinion...?"

"Just be honest," Ace said firmly.  "I don't care what your answer is.  Just remember: He's trying to manipulate us."

Mario nodded.  "In my opinion, demons... are... well... for the most part... evil...  That's why we're fighting...  To make sure they stay in the Nightmare Vault..."

Velno shrugged.  "Fair enough.  Next, Ace will answer.  Are demons evil, or good?"

"Demons are divided among good and evil," Ace answered unwaveringly.  "I believe this with all my heart."

"Really?  Have you always been devoted entirely to one side?  Answer yes or no."

Ace began to tremble with anger.  I see what kind of game he's playing.  He really is trying to remind us of our darkest nightmares.  Not only that, but he wants to expose our most well-kept secrets and turn us against each other.  But how does he know enough about us to ask such perfect questions?  "No."

"Now I'm interested.  Explain yourself.  How did you end up on the 'good' side?  When you're finished, I'll scan both of your answers and see if any of you were lying."

Flashback (http://www.esnips.com/doc/99babdcc-94c7-4446-ab31-ac6a501931b2/Flashback)

"Alright, then.  If you really want to know, I'll tell you.  Besides, I owe Mario an explanation of why I used to work with those five demons:

"It all started when I was just five years old.  It was an awful time to be alive.  The Nightmare Vault was still in the Bellum Era- an era of pure chaos.  It was before the official split between the Phoenix and the Demon Resistance.  This meant that villages were filled with demons of mixed loyalties.  The average life expectancy was one week, at the most.  It was considered common for Phoenix demons to storm into random houses and murder everyone inside.

"I can barely remember the day my house was targeted.  My dad was a powerful political leader who was fighting to gain independence from the Phoenix.  So to prevent this from happening, the Phoenix sent his Assassination Force- the group of five demons that Mario, Luigi, Glaive and I encountered earlier- to wipe out my entire family.  They came without warning, and they took my mother's life with ease.  My father grabbed my brother, who was 14 at the time, and attempted to escape.  My 14 year old brother, Jack, worked alongside my father in his political plans to separate from the Phoenix.  Therefore, my dad tried desperately to ensure that one of them escaped.

"Although my father died, Jack managed to get away.  I was left behind, helpless and abandoned.  As the five members of the Assassination Force surrounded me, I held my favorite deck of cards close to me.  They were given to me as a gift when I was only two, and I had treasured them ever since.  They were the only things that could give me comfort in this era of destruction.  I hugged them close to my heart, desperate to find some sort of happiness.  It was then that I first discovered my unique ability.

"As I felt the cards crumple up in my arms, swords, shields, whips, and various other tools of battle materialized in my hands.  It was for that reason that the Assassination Force decided to raise me themselves.  They believed that I had the potential to be a killing machine.  For the next five long years, I found myself undergoing the most painful trials of my life.  Each day I sparred with all five of them: Geryon, Pyro, Oriax, Cresil, and Vetis.  By the time I was ten, I was one of the most powerful of the six assassins.

"Five years is a long time.  It was long enough for the 19-year-old Jack to create the Demon Resistance and become the leader of Poker Face.  While I had been living in the shadows, the Dimidius Era had begun.  I'll never forget the day I was assigned to kill a 'key figure' in the Demon Resistance.  They chose their words carefully and never told me the man's name.  I finally figured out the name of my victim- after it was already too late.  Without hesitation, I had killed my own brother.  Jack, the leader of Poker Face and an important representative of the Demon Resistance, was dead.

"As I saw him lying there, blood trickling from his wound, I instantly remembered who I was.  For the five years I spent with the Assassination Force, I was just a shadow.  I was forced to forget about my past and become nothing more than a coldblooded killer.  At last, I regained my senses.  It was time for me to leave the Assassination Force forever.  That day, I never returned to their headquarters to report my success.  They never heard from me again, until our recent encounter.

"With my job as an assassin over, and Poker Face left without a leader, it was clear what my next move would be.  To repent for murdering my brother, I would take Jack's place as the head of Poker Face.  I joined their ranks and soon learned that the Demon Resistance had its share of great warriors.  After six years of rising through the ranks of Poker Face, I had finally become its leader. 

"And that's how I ended up fighting alongside Mario.  It's just another mission.  Don't bother giving me any sympathy for Jack's death; I got over it a long time ago."

"Very interesting..." Velno muttered, awed at the secrets of Ace's past.  "Well, let's take a look at the results.  Although, if you were lying and made that entire story up, I think I'd have to let you live anyway.  That would be an insane amount of improvising."

Mario and Ace stood completely still as a translucent green light traveled down from the ceiling, bounced off of the tiles, and went back up.   So that's what the tiles were for.  They reflect that strange light that checks to see if we're lying, Mario thought.

"The results are in.  You're test came back NDI, which of course stands for No Deception Indicated.  Congratulations; you've passed the first round.  Let's move on to the second question, and we'll start with Mario.  Mario, you have saved the lives of many people in your lifetime.  But I really want to know: Have you ever killed a human being before?"

Ace chuckled at the thought.  "Mario, kill a human?  What a waste of a question."

Sweat began to trickle down Mario's face.  Of all the things he could ask, why did he have to bring that up?  And the only reason he would ask me a question like that is if he knew the emotional pain it would cause me.  Where is he getting this information?

For whatever reason, alot of the text seems screwed up.  I don't know if it's just me, but if you're having the same problem you can look at the chapters here:

http://nsider2.com/forums/index.php?s=8aab01f04e11f2de26631b64c9587b44&showtopic=446799

I keep the chapters up-to-date between both threads so there shouldn't be any problems.

Chapter 20: A Taste of Armageddon

Blizzard Peak (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2fs-qzjLZ0&feature=related)

"Well?" Velno inquired with a wicked grin.  "Do you need me to repeat the question?  Fine: Have you ever killed a human before?  I'm waiting for an answer..."

Mario's eyes were glued to the floor.  He stood completely motionless, his fists clenched in instinctive denial.  Every fiber of his being was against him answering Velno's inquiry.  Tears began to steadily flow down his cheeks as his mouth slowly opened.  Mario attempted to speak, but no sound came out.

"Whatever pain you may be going through, just remember that the truth will be revealed either way.  If you lie, Velno's machine will detect it," Ace reminded the struggling plumber.  But as he spoke, he was unsure of himself.  Can he really tell if we're lying, or is it all a bluff?  It's a hefty risk, but I may just have to lie in order to find out if this is all necessary.

At last, Mario regained some of his confidence.  "Yes, I have," he answered regretfully.  "Though I'm not proud of it, I can't deny that it happened."

"How intriguing," Velno chuckled with a hint of curiosity in his tone.  "Would you mind explaining the circumstances of this murder?"

"It was a terrible accident that should have never occurred, back when I still lived in Brooklyn," Mario replied bitterly.  "I lived in an apartment with my girlfriend, and Luigi lived next door.  One day, we were attacked by someone whose identity was never revealed.  It was late at night during a blackout, so I couldn't see his face.  Whoever it was, though, he was stronger than any human I'd ever met before.  He had me bleeding and beaten, and threatened to kill my girlfriend.  At that exact moment, the anger and rage flowing through me seemed to take control. 

"The next few seconds were a blur, but when I regained my senses, my girlfriend was dead at my feet.  I turned around just in time to see our wounded assailant flee.  I didn't have the strength to pursue him.  My girlfriend was dead.  I never saw that man again, and his motives were never revealed.  There was a lot about the incident I didn't know, but one thing was certain.  In my blind fury, I had killed my own girlfriend."

"Interesting, though your story was a bit less informative than Ace's was," Velno commented without a drop of sympathy.  "It seems Ace is more willing to talk about his past than you are."

"I told you everything you need to know, and nothing more.  The rest wouldn't matter to heartless creature like you," Mario retorted coldly, his eyes glimmering with hatred.

"Alright then, next up we have Ace.  This should be a bit less interesting because you are a demon, but have you ever killed a human?"

"Multiple," Ace answered indifferently.  "I did a lot of things that I'm not proud of while I was a part of the Assassination Force."  Actually, I only killed demons while I was a member of the Assassination Force.  I've only been to the human world a few times, and each time I was on a mission to aid humanity.  I've never actually killed a human before, but this'll be a good test to see if Velno's bluffing.

"Let's check your answers.  Of course, you know what happens if you were lying," Velno announced smugly, beginning to let his power get to his head.  Once again, a translucent green light zipped down from the ceiling, rebounded off the tiles, and went back up.  Mario and Ace stood in tense silence as they waited for the results to be revealed.  "Well, the results are in.  Once again, the results are 'No Deception Indicated'.  You've passed the second round with flying colors."

Ace grinned triumphantly.  It's settled.  Velno is listening carefully to our answers to see if they seem reasonable.  Then, he makes it look like he's checking us with that green light, and tells us if we're lying or not based on whether or not our answers are feasible.  The only problem is, I still don't know how to get that elevator to work.  We need to continue to play by Velno's rules until I can figure out a way to get to the next floor.

---

Evil Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/f9562c29-9303-47d2-8b72-e94f56407a2e/Evil-Theme)

At the top of the fortress, Ace and Mario's venture was being displayed on a computer monitor.  Lorne looked carefully at Ace's confident smile, and realized immediately that he had seen through Velno's charade.  He knows the truth, and it's only a matter of time before he does something about it.

"These fools are playing right into my hands," Velno cackled as he prepared the next question.  "I can ask questions for as long as I want, and there's nothing they can do about it!"

"Actually, one of them has already figured out that your 'lie detector' is nothing but a green light that reflects off of the floor tiles.  You need to end this game quickly, because it no longer seems to be serving a purpose," Lorne informed Velno.  "Ace and Mario aren't allowing themselves to be manipulated by your trickery.  You've only made Mario angry by bringing up his past."

"What else can I do?" Velno inquired, his confidence slowly slipping away.  "We're still waiting for-"

He was interrupted by Smithy.  "I've just received a message from Master Crimson.  He says that he'll be arriving shortly."

"In that case, I can stall Mario until he gets here," Lorne offered.  "There's no need for your silly little game."

Velno turned away, insisting on continuing his questionnaire.  "Even if they do realize that I'm bluffing, I'm still in control.  The elevator on their floor won't work unless I activate it."

BEEP!

Velno whirled around to see Lorne flicking a blue switch to the 'ON' position.  "You've failed," Lorne snapped icily.  "There's no point in carrying your foolish game any further.  I'll take over from where you left off."  He turned around and exited the room through an elevator that led to the floor below them.

---

While Mario and Ace waited patiently for their next question, the elevator doors on the opposite side of the room opened.  "I guess we won?" Mario inquired, surprised that the challenge had ended so quickly.  "Why would they stop now?"

"They may have realized that I knew there wasn't any lie detector in the first place," Ace suggested.  "Either way, we might as well move forward before Velno changes his mind about letting us go ahead."

"You mean- I didn't have to talk about- When did you figure this out?!" Mario exploded, not wanting to talk about his past if he didn't have to.

"I figured it out just after you answered the second question!" Ace yelped, cringing in fear of Mario's anger.

"You could've figured it out sooner," Mario shot back in a sarcastic tone.  "Heh, I'll forgive you this time."

The two heroes walked into the elevator, which instantly shut and ascended to the next floor.  The doors swung open, and they peered inside.  Ace and Mario stepped into a room that looked identical to the previous one, except the floor was a solid blue color.  On the opposite end of the room was an elevator that appeared to be operable.  "This place is completely empty," Ace observed.  "There isn't a single puzzle to be found.  And the elevator actually has buttons we can use this time."

"Looks like they ran out of ideas," Mario chuckled, confidently strutting over to the elevator.  As he was only a few steps away, the elevator doors swung open, and a young man with spiky white hair stepped out.

Lorne's Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/e87dfe64-3850-463f-97f9-a939fc8c6b02/Lornes-Theme)

"You're free to use this elevator at any time," he informed Mario dryly.  "But you'll have to find a way to get past me." His cold, sapphire eyes were glued to Mario.  The young man wore a bright blue vest and slightly torn jeans.  Icy blue earrings that matched his eyes and vest hung gently from his ears.  "My name is Lorne."

"There's no way you'd back down, is there?" Mario inquired hopefully.  "You're a human being, just like me.  I don't want to fight you."

Lorne clutched the dagger that was strapped to his waist.  "I'm afraid I cannot do that.  I have strict orders to kill you."

Shivers raced up Mario's spine.  He appeared to be hypnotized by Lorne's icy glare.  He has such piercing eyes... but I can't find even a trace of emotion in his stare...  He looks like a human on the outside, but... does this man have a soul?

"Mario!  Watch out!" Ace screamed, waking Mario from his daze.  The plumber stepped backward just as Lorne's blade slashed horizontally across the position Mario had just occupied.  Lorne pursued his foe with another slice, but this time Mario was ready.  He skillfully sidestepped out of the way of Lorne's dagger- or so he thought!  The razor-sharp blade ran in a horizontal line across his lower chest.  Blood began to flow from the open wound.

Mario performed a back-flip to put some distance between himself and Lorne.  What just happened...?  I've fought plenty of people that wield swords in the past.  Before the second slash hit me, I predicted the sword's path and dodged accordingly.  But for some reason, his dagger moved in a completely different way than I expected it to.

"You tried to predict my movements and failed," Lorne remarked.  "No one can foresee my attacks.  That's what sets me apart from any other swordsman in the world."

"The only way I can fight a sword user with my bare hands is to anticipate his movements and counterattack.  If I can't do that, I'll just have to change my strategy," Mario stated simply.  He pulled out the Elemental Hilt and began to channel his Elemental Energy into it.  Within seconds, a flaming blade shot out from the hilt.  He stared at the sword in awe.  "Wow, this is the first time I've actually used this.  Combined with the Thermo Gloves, it barely puts a strain on my body."  He took a battle stance and stared directly into Lorne's eyes.  "This time, I'm ready."

All or Nothing (http://www.esnips.com/doc/7e03b2f0-5a81-47e3-be09-94f566b6114e/All-or-Nothing)

"I'll end this quickly.  I can tell Master Crimson is almost here," Lorne calmly told his opponent.  He held his dagger high above his head, and a cold winter breeze began to circulate around its blade.  "With the icy winds of the mountain at my side, I can't possibly lose."

Mario grinned.  "So, we're already bringing out our favorite secrets?  All right; now I've got a trick."  Electric sparks began to emit from his body, and he charged at his foe at full speed.

Lorne accepted the challenge and rushed at the plumber with equal speed. What is he planning to do with that sword of flames?  He can't possibly hope to beat me in a contest of swordsmanship.  My Blizzard Dagger can strike and freeze multiple targets at one time.

As Mario was only a few feet away from Lorne, he put all of his might into one final swing of his blade.  If I swing my Flaming Sword instead of using a Flaming Punch, I should be able to create an attack similar to that of the Nova Strike.  "Nova Strike!" he cried, the flames of his sword growing even larger.

Ace watched in awe as several metal clangs echoed through the room.  There were several flashes of fire and ice, until the two of them stood at opposite ends of the room.  Another gash ran down Mario's arm, and the Elemental Hilt clattered to the floor.  At the other end of the room, a tiny crack ran down the center of Lorne's dagger.  "Not bad," Lorne remarked in a stoic tone.  "If you had been at full strength, we would've been even."  He pointed his blade at Mario.  "But since you weren't... you lose."

They both moved extremely fast... but Lorne was definitely faster! Ace thought, ready to come to Mario's aid.  Just as he was about to step in, the elevator doors opened once again.

Crimson's Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/b9e8fca9-f6b1-4390-9cb6-878399efca2b/Crimsons-Theme)

This time, a six foot tall man wearing a jet black veil over his face stepped out.  His piercing red eyes, shining through two tiny slits in his veil, began to calculate what had happened.  He wore dark gray pants and had black armor with streaks of red on his lower legs, feet, hips, forearms, chest, and back.  A cloak with shades of black and violet draped down his back, and a sword was sheathed readily by his waist.

"Master Crimson, you've finally arrived," Lorne said with a bow.  "I was just about to finish off this intruder."

"Never mind that," Crimson replied.  "I'll take over from here.  In addition to examining Luigi, I thought it would be a good idea to do a little 'assessment' of Mario's progress."  Behind him, Smithy, Bowyer, and Velno emerged.  At the rear of the group was Luigi, tied up and still unconscious.

Mario stared at Crimson, trembling with fear.  Who is this guy?  I don't think I've ever felt such an evil presence in my life...  I can literally feel a thirst for blood looming in the air.  Not even Lord Shade had this kind of aura.

"Mario!  Stay away from him!  Something about him doesn't seem right!" Ace warned him.  "Things aren't looking too good for us!  You're injured and we're up against five opponents!  It may be best for us to retreat!"

"I'll cut you a deal," Crimson told Mario, grinning under his veil.  "I'll give you your brother back if you have a little 'exhibition match' with me.  My four partners won't be allowed to interfere, and your demon friend can even fight with you.  If you can impress me, your brother will be returned to you safe and sound.  If you should fail, Luigi will belong to us."

Mario began to regain his confidence.  "You against Ace and me?  And all we have to do is 'impress' you?  Sounds fair enough.  I accept your terms."

Crimson's grin widened.  "Good.  Let's begin right away."

Duel of Tears (http://www.esnips.com/doc/f6c22694-d849-4490-8dbb-ffcf2caa3d30/Duel-of-Tears)

"I'll make this quick!" Mario exclaimed with confidence.  He launched a Fireball at Crimson, who prepared to deflect it.  Instead, it curved upward at the last second and hit the ceiling above Crimson, causing rocks and debris to collapse onto him.  Mario scooped up the Elemental Hilt, created another Flaming Sword, and stormed into clouds of smoke and debris to finish Crimson off.  He spotted Crimson's silhouette and slashed at it with all of his might.

With a loud CLANG, Mario's blade stopped dead in its tracks.  The smoke cleared, and Mario saw that Crimson had blocked his Flaming Sword with his bear finger.  "Not very impressive," Crimson sneered before batting Mario away with a powerful right hook.  Mario crashed into the stone wall of the fortress and did not get back up.  "Perhaps you aren't the hero I was looking for.  Your life is mine."  He slowly raised his palm and aimed it at Mario.

Just as he was about to end Mario's life, bricks began to rise from the floor and launch themselves at Crimson.  With a flick of his wrist, the bricks instantly shattered before they could do him harm.  He turned around to see Ace standing defiantly with the Awakening Glasses over his eyes.  "Don't forget about me." 

The chandelier above Crimson's head took on the shape of a snake and lunged at him.  Crimson caught the 'snake' by its throat and tore it into pieces.  He made a strange gesture with his arm, and a strong gust of wind blew the Awakening Glasses off of Ace's head.  Ace bent over to pick them up, but Crimson had already managed to land several punches and kicks on him before he could do so.  Ace tumbled backward against the wall, severely bruised.

"That was all it took?" Crimson inquired, disappointed.  "I really overestimated them.  Perhaps Mario isn't the one I've been searching for.  At any rate, I might as well extract Luigi's Inner Darkness."  He aimed an extended palm toward Luigi, and a dark green flame slowly began to rise from his body.  The flames gathered in Crimson's hand for several minutes until they finally compressed into a green orb.  "Ah...  Perfect...  This will greatly assist my experiments.  Unfortunately, it seems as though Mario has lost.  The Demonic Trials are over for him, and my search must continue.  It's such a shame.  Now all of these fools have to die."

Internal Struggle (http://www.esnips.com/doc/768822e2-75ab-47b1-a892-0eb03e6114a5/Internal-Struggle)

"W- Wait a minute..." a hoarse voice called from the opposite end of the room.

"It couldn't be..." Crimson whispered in astonishment.  He turned around to see Mario slowly rising to his feet, bleeding and badly bruised.

"It's... not over... yet..." Mario groaned, breathing heavily.  Slowly but surely, he limped across the room toward Crimson.  "I'm not just gonna let you kill my friends..."

"You unworthy fool!  Stay down!" Crimson howled with rage.  He raised one of his arms to strike the plumber, but stopped when a red flash erupted from Mario's body.

A faint whisper echoed through Mario's head.  Let me fight him for you...  You can never escape from me...  You might as well allow me to help...   Mario clutched his head and fell to his knees in agony.  "No... leave me alone!  Get out of my head!"  He began to writhe in agony as the voice in his head grew louder.  A red aura surrounded him, and Crimson's eyes widened in amazement.

"He couldn't be...  He's the Mushroom Hero... and the..." Crimson whispered in disbelief.  "Such power... How can this be?"

Mario slowly stood on his feet, a faint red aura emanating from his body.  "If you know what's good for you, you'll leave.  Otherwise, you'll end up dead."  Though there was still clearly a mental struggle going on inside his head, Mario raised his palm and aimed it at Crimson.  "You can burn in Hell!"  A dark red flame blazed from his hand and set most of the room on fire.  Crimson stared in awe at the fiery inferno that Mario had created in mere seconds.  Afterward, the plumber collapsed onto the ground.

"He IS the one...  He DOES have the power to face me," Crimson assured himself in astonishment.  "Though his power was limited because of his fatigued condition and his internal struggle, he HAS been improving..."

"Master Crimson, the fire is going to burn the entire fortress down!" Velno exclaimed frightfully.  What just happened?  His power shot up, and I sensed a great evil emanating from his body!  Is there more to this man than I thought?

"There's no need for concern.  We're lucky that he fainted before his mental struggle became too desperate," Crimson said with relief.  "These flames will be a cinch to extinguish."  He raised his palms toward the ceiling, and the rapidly expanding fire vanished with a puff of smoke. He walked over to Mario's unconscious body.  "Very impressive, Mario.  You've captured my interest.  You and your friends can live, for now."

"But Master Crimson!  We should kill them now, while we have the chance!" Velno cried in disagreement.

For a moment, Crimson's eyes seemed to change to a dark blue color.  "A promise is a promise.  I gave my word to him that he and his friends could live if he managed to impress me."

"At least let me take their Hero's Garbs!" Velno insisted, bending over to pick up the Awakening Glasses.

Crimson shook his head firmly.  "The Demonic Trials have no room for deception.  Since you possess all of Metal Mario's data, you can bypass the barrier surrounding Mushroom Castle at any time.  If you were to take even one garb inside, it would be impossible for Mario to enter the castle for his final confrontation with you.  This wouldn't challenge Mario; it would stop the flow of the Demonic Trials altogether.  Use your head."

"What will we do next?" Smithy inquired with a bow.  We were successful in capturing Luigi's Inner Darkness."

"I'll take care of that," Crimson responded, pocketing the green orb he had extracted from Luigi's body.  "I'll have it ready for Velno within 48 hours.  By the way, Velno, Luigi would make excellent bait for Mario in the future.  You might want to equip him with this."  He pulled out a coin-sized device and tossed it to Velno.  "This is a special GPS unit that will allow you to track Luigi's location.  It also enables you to capture him at almost any time.  If you want to give Mario a little 'motivation' in the future, it'd be perfect for the job."

Velno nodded and attached the tiny device to the inside of Luigi's overalls.

"Now it is time for us to part ways," Crimson informed them.  "I need to get back to my private hideout to prepare for the Armageddon.  Velno and Lorne should be getting back to Mushroom Castle, and Smithy should try to locate and defend one of the remaining Hero's Garbs.  Bowyer can go wherever he wants as long as he doesn't come near me."  The villains each went their separate ways, and the base grew quiet.

With that, Mario, Luigi, and Ace were left unconscious and alone in the desolate fortress.

I haven't had a lot of spare time lately, but I just wanted to say I'm still reading this and am enjoying it just as much if not more.  The chapters have gotten longer, and the writing has improved.  Nice job!

Chapter 21: Rival Reunions

Hospital Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mun2Wut77Gs)

Mario yawned as his eyes slowly fluttered open.  He stretched for a bit, and realized that he wasn't sore at all.  At last, he discovered that he was lying in a bed in Mushroom Hospital.  He slowly rose to his feet, weary of opening any of his wounds.  "I feel... great..." he whispered, astounded at his lack of injuries.

"That's because you've been sleeping for a full day!" Ace exclaimed, eager for any sort of action.  "How can you humans sleep for so long?  I felt fine after a few hours."

"Although it's against our policy, I treated you with a few Super Mushrooms to speed up your recovery," Kay T. explained timidly.  "You should be back at full strength by now."

"Ready to go, Bro?" Luigi inquired, sitting on the bed across from his brother.  "Ace explained everything to me.  I still can't believe I slept through it all."

"Usually I'm the heavy sleeper," Mario chuckled as he slipped his gloves on.  "How'd we get back here, anyway?"

"You can thank your two brilliant children," Kay T. informed him.  From behind her, Mark and Luke rushed up to their father and gave him a bear hug.

"We saw that tall, dark guy that you were hanging out with before," Mark recalled.  "We asked him where you were, and he helped us get to that tall fortress.  Between the three of us, we carried you, Uncle Luigi, and the other demon guy back here."

Mario looked around, searching for his missing teammate.  "Glaive helped you?  Where'd he go?"

Kay T. shrugged.  "He left as soon as he dropped you three off.  He looked like he was doing something important."

"He's probably still training," Ace guessed.  "He'll join up with us eventually.  For now, we need to figure out where we're going next."

Luke suddenly piped up.  "Daddy!  Daddy!  I almost forgot!  We heard that our Yoshi friends are in trouble!  We got a letter yesterday saying that the whole island is being invaded by Shy Guys!  They asked for you to go help them."

"I have a feeling that there might be a Hero's Garb involved," Mario muttered.  "Alright, let's go.  Luigi, Ace, are you ready?" 

Mark and Luke burst into repetitive squawks of disagreement.  "We wanna go too!  Why can't we ever go with you?  You promised we could come with you on your next journey!"

Mario thought for a moment.  "Well, I guess I did promise.  It shouldn't be too dangerous if we're only dealing with Shy Guys.  Besides, it's time you two went on a REAL adventure with your father.  Promise you'll be good?"

"We promise," the brothers replied in unison. 

"Wait a second," Ace interrupted.  "We can't just take another detour.  We're running out of time!  Velno could have the Nexus Gate open at any moment!  It'd be foolish to go so far out of our way just because we have a hunch that we mind find a garb there!"

"I understand where you're coming from, but Grambi told us the Hero's Garbs were scattered across the kingdom just a few centuries ago.  They can be anywhere, and this is the perfect chance the check out Yoshi Island while also helping people in need," Mario replied firmly.  "Besides, do any of us specifically know where the garbs are located?  If we didn't go to Yoshi Island, where would we look?"

"I see your point," Ace affirmed.  "Forgive me; I just don't want to waste any more time than we already have."

"Looks like we've got a team of five," Mario observed.  As he prepared to storm out of the room, he stopped dead in his tracks.  "Err... How exactly do we get there?  I don't think that we can get there by riding on that same whale I used back when I was looking for Star Spirits."

"What?" Ace inquired, not knowing much of Mario's past adventures.

"Don't ask," Luigi mumbled.  "That was way back when I used to be a house-sitter."

"They sent someone over by boat to escort us to the island," Luigi explained.  "Of course, if you hadn't been sleeping when they first told us this, you'd already know.  We're supposed to meet our escort on the south border of Mushroom Fields."

"Then let's get going!" Mario bellowed eagerly.  "I feel incredible!"  The five heroes stormed out of the room, ready for their next adventure.

"I wonder if they should have brought those Hero's Garb thingies with them.  They look like pretty valuable treasures..." Kay T. wondered aloud.

In a room across the hallway, Wario had almost recovered from his injuries at the Smash Tourney.  His ears twitched with sudden excitement.  "Did someone say... valuable... treasure...?"

---

As Mario, Luigi, Ace, Mark, and Luke traversed through Mushroom Fields, the skies began to grow darker.  Black storm clouds filled the sky, and flashes of light occasionally lit up the horizon.  It wasn't long before it began to rain.  Though it wasn't more than a light drizzle, Mario began to worry about the trip to Yoshi Island.  At last, they stopped at a rocky cliff that towered above the rough waves of the sea.

"If we head east from here, we'll reach an area that's perfect for docking ships," Mario announced.  "Do you guys think we should still head for Yoshi Island in this kind of weather?"

Before he got his answer, a purple wave of energy rushed from out of nowhere and zoomed directly at Mario.  He swiftly dove out of the way, rolled to his feet, and traced the source of the attack.  Out from the darkness of the nearby Forever Forest, Slade emerged with his sword gripped tightly in his hand.

"Mario... It's been a while.  I hope you didn't expect me to just walk away after suffering that humiliating defeat.  On top of that, you spared my life.  I've never felt so disgraced in my entire life," Slade spat in disgust.  "We're going to fight again, and again, and again... until I achieve the results I'm after.  And as long as you keep me alive, there's nothing you can do to stop me."

"That's fine," Mario replied with a grin.  "I'll take you on any time."  He gestured for his teammates to stand back.  "He's only after me, so there's no point in having any of you fight him."  He turned to face his opponent.  "So, have you gotten any better?  Or do you still rely on that barrier of yours?"

Slade ran his blade across his finger, testing its sharpness.  "Hmph.  That was a mere parlor trick.  How could I call myself a true swordsman if I always hid behind a force field?"

Nightmare vs. Mario (http://www.esnips.com/doc/9a7d663e-8854-41ef-b67a-26d0f1c829c0/Nightmare-vs.-Mario)

Mario grinned as he took a battle stance.  "True.  Care to show me what you've learned since we last met?"

"Gladly!" Slade retorted, sprinting at Mario with his dagger held firmly in his grip.  He began his assault with a rapid burst of wild slashes, all of which Mario ducked, sidestepped, and jumped over.  Slade ended the combo with one final horizontal slash.  The plumber performed a perfect back-flip and launched a flurry of Fireballs at Slade.  The demon batted each of the Fireballs away with his sword, and then created another wave of purple energy with a slash of his blade.  Mario replied with an Iceball that froze the wave in place.  He dashed forward, caught the frozen energy attack, and tossed it at his foe as if it were a boomerang.

Slade darted to the side to avoid his own attack and leapt high into the air.  He pointed his sword down at Mario, and a bolt of lightning shot out at his foe.  Mario was caught completely off guard and was knocked onto his back by the blow.  He sprang to his feet and hurled another Fireball at his enemy, who had just landed.  Mario grinned as he noticed the 'ice boomerang' swerve back toward Slade.  The demon effortlessly swatted the Fireball away, but failed to notice that it had only been a distraction.  He was hit full force in the back of the head, and fell to his knees in pain.

This is... incredible... Ace thought as he watched the two rivals clash.  Mario really has improved...

"Are you finished?" Mario inquired, staring at his wounded enemy.  "I wouldn't fight with a wound like that if I were you."

"Shut up!" Slade snapped angrily, immediately standing straight up again.  "I don't need your advice."  He held his sword up, which then began to glow a bright red color.  Mario watched in awe as three transparent clones of Slade slowly emerged from the blade.  Each copy pulled out a sword of his own.  Mario was outnumbered.

"That's no fair!" Mark whined.  "That demon guy just made three copies of himself!  That means three of us should be able to join the fight on Daddy's side."

"That's how it should work," Ace said with a strange sense of understanding.  "But Slade isn't the only one out there who's fighting for their pride.  Mario is also battling to maintain his pride, and even if the odds are against him, we can't interfere.  Each fighter is limited to his own techniques, and cloning just happens to be a trick that Slade has mastered.  In Mario's eyes, this match is still a fair one."

Luigi watched in amazement as Mario materialized a Flaming Blade in his bare hands and began to duel his four opponents.  All of the fighters were drenched from the steadily increasing rainfall, but not one of them flinched.  Slowly, but surely, Mario was putting up a fight against four Slades.  "He's... actually doing it..." Luigi whispered in disbelief.

If he's using his own strength to create those clones, each individual must be weaker than the unified original.  He's dividing his full power into four smaller units, Mario concluded.  "That means he's still just as strong as he was before!"  He sidestepped a slash from one Slade, and quickly sliced across the chest of another.  The third and fourth clones attacked him at once, but Mario leapt above them and smashed their skulls together as they got close to him. 

The four copies regained their composure and charged at Mario again.  They each created another purple energy wave by slashing their swords.  Mario weaved past all of them, but turned around to see that they were heading straight for his friends.  "Watch out!" the plumber screamed in horror as one of the beams struck Mark, knocking him off the edge of the cliff and into the stormy sea.

"Mark!" Mario shrieked as he darted over to where his son fell.  He peered over the edge of the cliff and dove in after Mark without a second thought.

"Bro!  Are you crazy?!  Do you even know how high up we are?!" Luigi cried as Mario vanished into the dark blue ocean.

[End Music]

Slade merged himself into one being and silently crept over to the end of the cliff.  He carefully searched for his opponent, but found nothing.  "What a fool.  Now both of them will die."

"Take that back!" Luigi shouted angrily.  "They'll both be fine!  You'll see!"

Slade merely laughed and slowly walked away.  The storm began to pick up, and his voice could barely be heard over the roaring of thunder.  "I have no business with you weaklings.  My quarrel is solely with Mario."  He vanished behind the darkness of the storm, leaving Luigi, Ace, and Luke in the heavy downpour.

"Now what do we do?" Luigi inquired.  "Can we get to Yoshi Island in this storm?"

"This storm should pass," Ace responded as he stared into the murky sea.  "We can wait in Forever Forest for an hour or two, and then we'll meet up with our escort."

---

Mario coughed up a mouthful of seawater as his eyelids slowly opened.  He sat up and found himself washed up on the shore of an unfamiliar island.  Alarmed, he immediately stood up and searched for his son.  He sighed with relief.  Less than a hundred feet away, Mark was lying unconscious, face-down in the sand.   Mario knelt down next to his son and gently shook him until he awoke.  "Are you okay, Mark?"

"Daddy?" Mark murmured, salt water dribbling from his mouth.  "What happened?"

Mario peered out into the horizon.  "Slade knocked you into the sea, and I dove in after you.  I guess the storm washed us up on this island.

"You are correct," a voice stated pompously from nearby.

Tension (http://www.esnips.com/doc/3cf0e768-bf45-4f8a-9505-35214c5e07dc/Tension)

"Who's there?!" Mario demanded, whirling around toward the source of the voice.

"Just me," Hunter replied as he stepped in front of Mario with his pistol in his grip.  "Ah... A thrilling hunt just between the two of us...  This is something I've wanted for quite a while.  You have no idea how impatient I've been lately."

"What do you mean?"

"Isn't it obvious?  As a hunter, nothing thrills me more than hunting down and killing my prey.  Unfortunately, there's no fun in it if the hunt isn't a challenge.  I've waited for a worthy bounty for many years now, and I've finally found it," Hunter exclaimed with a vicious glow in his eyes.  "I started off hunting animals.  They were fun for a while and helped me hone my skills quite a bit, but they later began to bore me.  I needed to find something more intellectual, and do you know what I came up with?  Humans.  The problem is that it's so hard to find an intelligent human these days.  Most of them are fools, but not you.  You have a wonderful balance of strength and intelligence, which makes you the perfect prey."

"So you kill humans for pleasure?  You're sick," Mario spat, clenching his fists.  "More importantly, how did you find me here?  All you've done is explain how much you enjoy hunting things down."

Hunter grinned.  "It's simple.  Metal Mario used the Star Rod to create a barrier around Mushroom Castle.  It's designed so that only Metal Mario and his associates can enter.  When Velno absorbed him, Velno obtained the ability to enter the castle at will.  With his permission, I was able to make a wish to the Star Rod.  It turns out that the Star Rod had just enough power to open the Nexus Gate and grant one last normal wish.  Do you know what I wished for?  I asked for a storm to wash you up on the shore of this particular island, where we could have our final confrontation."

"Of all the things you could have asked for, you wished for that?" Mario inquired with a frown.  "You enjoy hunting a little too much."

"Allow me to lay the ground rules for our little competition," Hunter requested with a wicked smile.  "The hunt will last for three hours.  I am the predator, and you are my prey.  You can hide anywhere you want on this island, and I'll try to track you down and slaughter you.  If I succeed, I'll proceed to hunt your son.  Your child will not be harmed otherwise, so try not to worry about him.  If you can evade me for three hours, or if you manage to kill me, you will be the victor."

"How can I be sure you won't kill my son?"

"I'm far more interested in hunting you right now.  I'll only murder your son if you die and I have nothing left to hunt," Hunter replied eagerly.  "As long as you don't bore me, you have no reason to worry about your child.  Now, let's begin.  I'll give you five minutes to find a place to take cover."

"Take cover?" Mario parroted with an arrogant grin.  "Why would I do something like that?  You said that if I beat you, the hunt ends immediately.  Why would I bother hiding like a coward for three hours?" 

Demonic Trials (http://www.esnips.com/doc/c82e6185-89f3-479e-bd2e-73c871b817de/Demonic-Trials)

The plumber rushed at Hunter and threw a right hook at his face.  Hunter blocked the punch and shot his gun directly at Mario's chest.  Mario expected to feel immense pain, but was surprised to see that he was unharmed.  Instead, a strange symbol appeared in the spot that the bullet had hit.  "What's this marking on my chest?"

Hunter grinned from ear to ear. "Fool.  You should have fled when you had the chance.  When we fought earlier, I didn't show you my special pistol.  Whenever the first bullet hits you, it creates a target on your body.  Any subsequent bullets I fire will instantly lock onto that target, and I don't even need to aim.  The bullets won't hurt you directly, but if they hit a target that's already on your body, it'll do some serious damage."

"What?!" Mario thundered, his eyes wide with fear.  Hunter fired a bullet up into the air, and it instantly changed its path to strike Mario.  The plumber dove onto the ground.  The shot missed the target and instead hit Mario's back.  Another symbol appeared.

Hunter shook his head.  "Tsk, only three minutes have passed and you've already been hit twice.  Now are you going to hide, or do you still insist on fighting me?"

"I'm not scared off so easily," Mario retorted with a grin.  "I've got a few projectile attacks of my own.  They may not lock onto you, but they still pack a wallop."  He cupped his hands together and an Ultra Fireball erupted from his palms.

"You're persistent, I'll give you that," Hunter chuckled as he aimed his pistol at the oncoming Fireball.  He fired once, creating a target on the Fireball, and then again.  As soon as the bullet struck the target, Mario's Fireball instantly vanished in a fiery explosion.  "I guess that was a good demonstration on what happens if a target on your body is hit by one of my bullets."

Mario took a few steps back, trembling in fear.  Should I really run away?  Is there any other option?

"You have one minute left to find a good place to hide," Hunter informed him.  "I suggest you use it."

Grudgingly, Mario turned around and sprinted into the thick forest that covered the central area of the island.  If I can't fight him head-on, I'll just have to try a sneak attack.

---

"Wake up, you imbecile!" Glaive roared impatiently, shaking Luigi furiously.

"Aw... but the boat ride made me really drowsy..." Luigi groaned.  "Can I sleep a little longer...?"

"Your nephew is more responsible than you are," Glaive said gruffly, gesturing toward the wide-awake Luke.  "Get up.  We don't have time for this!  We've had enough delays as it is.  First you go and get kidnapped, and Mario has to go out of his way to save you.  And now, you're trying to screw us up again by taking a nap?!"

Yoshi Island (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggO_o4Rz3rQ)

Luigi awoke with a frightened yelp.  Breathing heavily, he realized it was only a dream.  "I could have sworn Glaive was really with us, yelling at me for being a burden."

"Well, now that you mention it," Ace grumbled, "we did have to carry you all the way to this hut.  We arrived here in Yoshi Village about an hour ago, but we couldn't wake you up.  The Yoshi that escorted us here started to get impatient and so he told us to carry you to the village."

"Did you find Bro?" Luigi asked hopefully, though he knew what the response would be.

Ace shook his head.  "No, we haven't seen him since he dove into the sea after Mark.  I can only hope they survived."

"They'll be fine," Luigi insisted.  "After all that he's been through, he wouldn't die at sea...  By the way, have you guys talked to any of the Yoshi?  Our main priority is to help them drive out the Shy Guys, isn't it?"

The blue Yoshi in charge of the hut overheard this and walked over to them.  "It's awful!  Those Shy Guys and their leader, Chief Guy, have taken control of the island.  Each day, Chief Guy demands a feast in his honor.  We've been giving him all of our best fruits, but we're slowly running out of food for ourselves."

"Didn't you try attacking them?" Luigi inquired.  "The Yoshi tribe is definitely stronger than a bunch of Shy Guys."

"Normally, yes, we would try to rebel against them.  However, Chief Guy has the Mountain Spirit on his side.  He warned us that if we even tried to resist, he'd tell the Mountain Spirit to cause a volcanic eruption!"

"And you believed him?" Ace asked with a frown.

"Not at first.  We thought he was merely bluffing, so we attempted to drive the Shy Guys away from our island.  Immediately after we attacked them, Mt. Lavalava erupted and nearly destroyed our village!  After that, none of us had the courage to rebel again.  Since you've proven to be a great help in the past, we decided to ask for your assistance."

Luigi nodded.  "Well, I guess we are pretty good when it comes to helping other people out."

"But how are we going to stop them," Luke whined.  "If they can make the volcano erupt whenever they want, what can we do?"

Ace thought for a moment.  "Until we know what we're up against, a direct attack would be foolish.  We're going to need to think of a way to catch Chief Guy off guard.  Any ideas?"

Luigi sat back on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. "Bro, where are you?"

Chapter 22: Plumber Hunting

Fated Clash (http://www.esnips.com/doc/59a87aa5-69c3-43a4-a5a4-ca121255ccab/Fated-Clash)

"It's already been about two hours, and my body has at least a dozen targets on it from those bullets," Mario sighed. Thorns and underbrush clawed at his skin as he frantically dashed through the thick forest at the island's center.  A gunshot sang out into the silent woods, and Mario immediately took shelter behind a tree.  Tiny fragments of wood soared into the air as a bullet struck the tree that had served as Mario's shield.  The plumber swiftly launched a Fireball in the direction that the gunshot had originated from before snapping back to his shelter behind the tree.  Three more bullets whizzed in Mario's direction, each closer to its target than the last.

"He hardly has to aim to get a good shot in," Mario cursed, slowly climbing up the tree.  When he reached the top, he peered down and searched for any signs of movement.  His ears twitched at the sound of a twig snapping, and he sprang into the air at his foe.  A flurry of Iceballs erupted from his palms.  As he landed, he checked to see if he had hit his target.  Several patches of soil had been frozen.  Hunter was nowhere to be found.

Another shot fired out from a completely different direction.  Mario rolled to the side, and the bullet struck his left shoulder.  Another symbol appeared in the area that the bullet hit him.  Hunter emerged from the shadows nearby.

"At first, evading death is easy because there are only a few targets on your body that you need to keep safe.  However, as you are now starting to realize, once you have ten or twenty of those symbols covering your body, you'll be overwhelmed.  Even my greatest foes have fallen because of this weakness."

He's right, Mario thought, his mind racing.  Whenever a bullet hits me the first time, it creates a target-like symbol that any subsequent bullets will home onto.  If another one of his shots hits one of the symbols on my body, I'll take some serious damage.  And the more targets he creates on my body, the more likely I am to get hit.  More and more of those targets are covering my body, and I've still got almost an hour left.

Mario placed his palm on the ground and released a Thunderball, which traveled along the ground towards Hunter.  The plumber dashed in a different direction, and the Thunderball struck the base of a tree.  The trees leaves wilted, and it began to fall over.  Hunter was consumed by the falling tree's enormous shadow.

"Attacking the base of a tree so that it'll fall on me?  Do you really think I'll fall for such a distraction?" Hunter inquired with a wicked grin.  He fired two quick shots at the tumbling tree.  The first created a target on the tree, and the second struck the target.  In less than a second, the tree was incinerated in a fiery explosion.  He fired another shot, this time toward Mario.

Trying to search for cover, Mario dove onto a soft patch of dirt as another bullet scraped his right shin.  Breathing heavily, he got on his feet and sprinted toward a spot of light in the distance.  I can't keep this up much longer.  It's been over two hours of nonstop sprinting, ducking, dodging, and jumping.  At last, he reached a clearing in the forest.  He stopped dead in his tracks.  Towering above him was Hunter with his pistol raised.  There would be no time to evade a shot at this range.

Tri-Elemental Form (http://www.esnips.com/doc/ebb0b02d-4d83-4216-bf1e-a50e9e2ce87c/Tri-Elemental-Form)

"Well, hello there," Hunter sneered.  "Looks like it's the end of the line."

Mario's eyes were wide with terror.  After a few moments of suspenseful silence, Mario regained his composure.  He grinned from ear to ear and clenched his fists.  "Looks like ya got me.  I don't have much of a choice then, do I?  I haven't used this trick in a good while...  I hope I haven't gotten rusty."  He closed his eyes and concentrated his thoughts.  A brilliant light began to erupt from his body as a rainbow-colored aura surrounded him.  "Tri-Elemental Form!"

"No you don't!" Hunter screamed, pulling the trigger on his pistol.  In the blink of an eye, Mario sidestepped the bullet and dashed behind his opponent.  He landed six punches on Hunter's back before ending the combo with a kick that sent him tumbling forward.  Mario then raised his palm and launched a Thunderball at the staggering Hunter.

"I can't maintain this form for long, so I'll have to make this quick," Mario informed Hunter as he slowly approached him.

Hunter, clutching his bleeding wounds, slowly stood up.  "What did you do to yourself?!  How is this possible?!"

Mario responded with a barrage of punches and kicks to the face.  Hunter fell onto his back in agony, but slowly returned to his feet.  As Mario approached his enemy to continue the assault, his vision suddenly blurred.  He saw a flash of red.  "Wait a minute... Something isn't right..."  He now had a splitting headache, and he began to sweat more than usual.

Internal Struggle (http://www.esnips.com/doc/768822e2-75ab-47b1-a892-0eb03e6114a5/Internal-Struggle)

"What's... going... on...?" Mario groaned, falling to his knees.  "I was doing fine... until I used this form..."  His headache grew worse, and his rainbow aura became a bloody red color.  His vision blurred again.  "Every time... I try to reach deep into my power... this happens..."  He saw yet another flash of red.

Don't you understand? Do you even comprehend the power that you've been using since your battle with Lord Shade?  Your blind trust in this power will bring about your demise.  I'm getting closer... and soon... you will... disappear...

"I... can resist..." Mario muttered in agony, slowly rising to his feet.  "...I can still... fight..."

Hunter observed Mario's struggle with great concern.  This isn't good.  At this rate, he's going to be killed under the weight of the stress inside of his mind.  If this keeps up, the hunt will be ruined.  I have to fight this battle to the finish, no matter what the cost may be.  Even if I have to...  "Mario...  It's time I told you something very important..."

"W- What...?" Mario inquired, trembling.  One hand was clenched into a fist, and the other was clutching his forehead.

"Back when you lived in Brooklyn, you had a girlfriend, correct?  You were attacked by someone whose identity remained a secret for all these years, and it was this conflict that resulted in the accidental death of someone very important to you.  I know all about her.  She was your world, and you killed her," Hunter chuckled.

"Shut up!  What... are you... trying to say?!" Mario snapped.

"I'm saying that it was me!  I tried to hunt you and your girlfriend down all those years ago!" Hunter confessed, laughing hysterically.  "I'm a little disappointed that you don't remember me, but I guess that can't be helped!"

"...What did you say..." Mario inquired as his trembling stopped.  The red aura surrounding him grew brighter, and his eyes flashed red with hatred.  His voice grew deep and bitter.  "What did you just say?"

Hunter grinned.  At last, his hatred has caused his internal struggle to end.  Now that one of the opposing sides has won, I can continue the battle.  "That's right!  It's my fault that you've experienced all of this pain!  And I don't regret one bit of it!"

Mario remained silent.  For a moment, he seemed to vanish.  In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind Hunter.  Blood splattered out of dozens of wounds on Hunter's body, and several fiery explosions lit the dim forest.  The wounded Hunter's eyes met with Mario's cold stare.  "Now you've become the prey.  How does it feel to be slaughtered?" the plumber asked without a drop of emotion.

"I... didn't even see him... hit me..." Hunter gasped, blood trickling from his mouth.  I should have known better than to evoke his rage.  I couldn't even follow him...  He vanished for a second, and then reappeared behind me.  In that one fraction of a second, he cut my body and my pride to shreds.

Unbearable Suffering (http://www.esnips.com/doc/0d976966-bf59-421c-b7e6-2b2a4af3f95b/Unbearable-Suffering)

Hunter fell to his knees, blood trickling from his wounds.  His eyes were bloodshot, and he was trembling with agony.  Even in all of this pain, he was still smiling.  "It... was... worth it..."

Hatred burning in his eyes, Mario rushed at his enemy to deal the final blow.  However, as he was just a few feet away from his opponent, he made a stunning realization.  "You aren't the one..." he mumbled as he stopped dead in his tracks.  The red aura surrounding him faded away, and he was back to normal.  He stood there for a few minutes, dazed and confused.  He stared at the man that he had nearly murdered.  He stared into his eyes, and saw not a bloodthirsty murderer, but a simple lonely man.  "It wasn't you...  Why did you lie to me?  You weren't the one who attacked us that night..."

"No one can understand the passion that burns in a hunter's heart..." Hunter groaned, wincing in pain.  "I dedicated my entire life to hunting down creatures.  For years I honed my skills, and it wasn't long before I could consider myself the best hunter in all of the Mushroom Kingdom.  I had always believed that this would be a gratifying accomplishment, but it just wasn't what I had in mind.  You can never understand... what it's like to be the best...  People always dream of rising to the top, but it isn't as great as everyone believes.  When you finally become the best at something, there's nothing left for you to do.  You soon become bored, and the desire to find someone better than you begins to grow.

"That's why I had to join Velno's group...  I always knew that I'd find someone worthy of my skills if I did.  Once I discovered you and learned about your past from Velno, it was easy to manipulate your feelings.  I pretended to be the one who attacked you on the day of your girlfriend's death to arouse your anger.  Your instincts took over, and your rage allowed you to give me the challenge I had been looking for.  At last, I've experienced the thrill of a good hunt one final time.  Now I can finally rest in peace..."

"No!" Mario cried in defiance.  "I fought you with all of the hatred that had built up within me since her death, and now you tell me that it was just a lie?!  I can't let you die knowing that you weren't the one who attacked us!"

"Take this..." Hunter demanded, ignoring Mario's plea.  He pulled out what appeared to be a green miniature warp pipe and dropped it at the plumber's feet.  "This pipe will take you to Yoshi Island...  Take it as a prize for winning this fight.  But just so you don't have to worry about being responsible for my death..."  He slowly reached for his pistol and pointed it at his head.  "I could survive in this condition... but I can't survive a gunshot to the head..."  Mario reached out to stop him, but it was too late. Hunter had already pulled the trigger and ended his own life.

Mario shuddered.  He scooped the warp pipe off of the ground and began to dig a hole.  With his bare hands, he dug out a hole that was large enough for Hunter's body.  With great revulsion, he dragged to corpse into the grave he created and covered it with soil.  He took a moment to honor Hunter's death.

"Is it over?" Mark inquired, emerging from behind a nearby tree.

Mario nodded solemnly.  Without another word, activated the warp pipe and hopped in.  Mark followed behind him, and the warp pipe sunk into the ground. The island was now barren, a memorial for the man who considered himself 'the greatest hunter'.

---

Jade Jungle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boMCoffeKlg&feature=related)

"I've done some crazy things in the past, but this takes the cake," Luigi grumbled through his white mask.  His entire body was concealed by the red robe of a Shy Guy, and his brown shoes had been replaced with blue ones.  "Why do I have to dress up like a Shy Guy?"

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Ace sighed wearily.  "I'm a bit taller than you, and your nephew is too short.  Besides, children aren't very good at acting.  You're the only one among us that could play the role of a Shy Guy."

Luke giggled at his disguised uncle.  Luigi gave him a dirty look from under his mask, but said nothing.  "Let me get this straight.  You want me to enter Mt. Lavalava as a Shy Guy and see what this Chief Guy is up to?"

Ace nodded.  Luigi remained silent the rest of the way to Mt. Lavalava, with Luke scoffing at him from behind his back.  At last, they reached the entrance to the tunnels that led to the inside of Mt. Lavalava.  They heard footsteps coming from the inside.

"A Shy Guy is coming this way.  Ask him to take you to the chief, and we'll follow you without being seen.  Once we reach Chief Guy, try not to blow your cover.  We'll wait until he drops his guard, and then we'll jump out and finish him off before he can cause a volcanic eruption.  Understand?" Ace whispered with a stern expression.

Luigi nodded and stepped inside of the volcano.

Mt. Lavalava (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH_SlZ1rSp4&feature=related)

"Excuse me; could you give me directions to the chief?  I have a message for him, but I always get lost," Luigi requested.

"Go down this hall.  Take a right.  Walk down the steps.  Take another right.  Don't fall in the lava."  The Shy Guy continued without another word.

"That guy was pretty shy," Luigi commented before grinning at his corny pun.  He heard the sound of his teammates pouncing on the unsuspecting Shy Guy before he could even call for help.

So far, so good, Ace thought as he hid the unconscious Shy Guy's body.

Luigi followed the Shy Guy's advice, turning corners and traversing down staircases when necessary.  Each time a single Shy Guy was nearby, Ace and Luke would mug him and hide his body before he could attract attention from his comrades.  If they encountered a group of Shy Guys, Luigi would inform them that Chief Guy has ordered them to take a different post, and they would scuttle along to another part of the volcano.

It wasn't long before they arrived in Chief Guy's throne room.  Luigi began to sweat even more, noting that the temperature in this room was even hotter than in previous ones.

"You!  What are you doing in here?" Chief Guy demanded impatiently.  "Why aren't you at your station?"

Luigi noticed that this Shy Guy was wearing overalls not unlike ones that he or Mario would wear.  They were a bright red color and covered Chief Guy's entire body.  He wore a golden mask, signifying that he was the leader of the Shy Guys.  "I... uh... I... wanted... to ask... uh..."

"Out with it!" Chief Guy exploded.  "You're wasting my time!"

"I... uh... I wanted to ask you... uh... where the bathroom is..." Luigi stammered nervously.  I'm acting way too nervous... C'mon Luigi, just calm down... He's gonna see how panicky I am and realize that I'm a fake!

Ace frowned in frustration.  That's the best he could come up with!  He's going to blow our cover for sure!

Chief Guy stroked his chin.  None of my men act this cowardly.  "Yes, well... Oh, a bug just crawled into your mask.  That was a pretty big spider.  Or was it a cockroach?  Maybe it was just a centipede..."

Luigi yelped out in terror and threw his mask to the ground.  He ripped his disguise off and stomped on his mask repeatedly before kicking the shards into the pool of lava nearby.  Screaming all the while, he frantically brushed every inch of his face, hair, and overalls in order to ensure that the creep crawler was no more.

Maybe I would have been better off disguising Luke after all... Ace thought, hanging his head in shame.

"I'm sorry, it was just my imagination," Chief Guy apologized in a sarcastic tone.  "You wanted to know where the bathroom is, correct?"

"Never mind," Luigi grumbled, realizing that he had tore his disguise off.  "Just stop tormenting the Yoshi that live here or I'll have to force you to leave."

"Really?  What makes you think that your combat skills are any better than your acting abilities?" Chief Guy retorted.

Just then, Ace emerged from the shadows and tossed a card at the leader of the Shy Guys.  Chief Guy scurried out of the way, and the card instantly exploded the moment it touched to ground.  Luke revealed himself as well, and the three heroes began to surround Chief Guy.  The chief turned around and scurried into a nearby room that remained unexplored by Luigi and the others.

"What do you think he's hiding in there?" Ace inquired curiously.

Luigi shrugged.  "Maybe that's where this 'Mountain Spirit' is living.  Whatever it is, there's only one way to find out.  Let's go after him."

Ace stopped him.  "Wait a second!  I'm detecting extremely high temperatures from all passageways beyond this point.  Our skin would melt right off of our bones.  I don't know how Chief Guy is able to survive there, but we can't go after him."

"That's because of this clothing I found!" Chief Guy cackled as he emerged from the cave, riding on top of an enormous serpent-like creature.  It had the body of a snake, and it was as red as the lava inside the deepest caverns of Mt. Lavalava.  "These overalls are a Hero's Garb from long ago.  They were given to me by a man who wielded a pistol and had deep, emerald eyes.  They're called the Firebrand Overalls, and they allow the wearer to survive in extremely hot conditions.  The user cannot be affected by any sort of heat, including those Fireballs that you plumbers love to throw!"

Fighting Spirit (http://www.esnips.com/doc/94554fe8-00ca-47e9-8077-3cba6f046ef9/Fighting-Spirit)

"So, Hunter orchestrated this entire thing, huh?" Mario's voice echoed from nearby.  He emerged with his son, Mark, and walked up to Chief Guy.  "Hunter gave you the Firebrand Overalls and allowed you to start wreaking havoc here, giving us a reason to come to this island.  He told Slade where to find me, so that he'd knock Mark into the sea during our battle, and he knew I'd dive in after him.  He asked the Star Rod to make it so that I washed up on an uncharted island, where we could battle while you kept my friends busy here.  It was all thought out perfectly.  It's too bad that Hunter doesn't have any use for your distraction, now that he's dead."

"You think this'll be an easy win for you?  With the Firebrand Overalls, I was able to search deep within Mt. Lavalava's caverns, where I found this enormous fire demon.  Its name is Dragoon, and he can easily cause a volcanic eruption if he gets angry enough," Chief Guy explained.  "Whenever I wanted to cause an eruption to intimidate the locals, all I had to do was smack Dragoon a couple of times.  How do you think you'll fair against such a serpent?"

"Who said that I was going to fight it?" Mario shot back.  "I've been thinking, and I decided that I'd rather let Mark and Luke take the stage.  Luigi and Ace, please stand back.  I want to give Mark and Luke a chance to be the heroes.  It's time they gained some experience."

"But Mario, Dragoon may be too powerful for them to handle!" Ace objected.  "I'd feel much safer if we all teamed up on it and killed it before the villagers' lives are put in jeopardy."

"Don't worry; I know what I'm doing," Mario assured him.  "Let Mark and Luke take care of this.  I know they can handle it."

"I hope you're right," Ace sighed.

Duel of Tears (http://www.esnips.com/doc/f6c22694-d849-4490-8dbb-ffcf2caa3d30/Duel-of-Tears)

"Mark, do you really think we're ready to fight that thing?" Luke inquired, staggering backwards in fear.

Mark nodded hesitantly.  "Dad wouldn't let us fight it if he didn't think we could win."

"Crush them!" Chief Guy commanded excitedly. The enormous serpent complied and raised its head into the air.  A few moments later, it slammed its body onto the spot where Mark and Luke had just stood. The brothers nimbly leaped out of the way, and Luke hopped onto Dragoon's back.  He wrestled with Chief Guy for control over the serpent, and the two of them toppled onto the ground.  Meanwhile, Mark leaped into the air and stomped on Dragoon's head, but the serpent's tough skin cushioned the impact.  Mark cried out in agony as Dragoon wrapped its tail around his body and began to squeeze the life out of him.

"Mario!  That monstrosity is going to crush your son!" Ace exclaimed in horror.  "You have to do something!"

Mario's face remained firm and emotionless.  They can handle this.  If I step in now, they'll never learn how to fend for themselves.  I won't always be around to protect them.  They need to see what it's like to battle on the front lines.

Luke finished his scuffle with Chief Guy and rammed into Dragoon with his fists.  He pummeled the mammoth serpent with all of his might, but to no avail.  Luke desperately threw everything he had at Dragoon, frantically trying to rescue his brother.

Chief Guy slowly pulled himself to his feet and grinned.  "Dragoon will never let go of its prey!  Those boys are finished!"

Suddenly, Dragoon let out a deafening cry.  He began thrashing wildly back and forth, ramming into walls and splashing lava everywhere.  Mark escaped from the creature's grasp, his right hand burning red with the power of a Fireball.  He stared at his hand in awe.  "I created a Fireball... without using a Fire Flower...  How is that possible?"

"It looks like they inherited my Fireball technique," Mario observed.  "This should be interesting..."

"Wow, how did you do that?" Luke asked his brother in bewilderment.  "You used a Fireball, just like Daddy does!"

"If you really concentrate, you'll start to feel a burning sensation in your hand.  It's hard to explain, but try to 'release' the fire from your hand.  Our Fireballs won't be as strong or large as the ones Daddy can create, but they'll be enough to take this dragon down!" Mark explained.  "Let's both hit him with a Fireball!  On the count of three..."  The two brothers aimed their open palms at the serpent.  Dragoon, now in control of its rage, charged at Mark and Luke.  "One...  Two...  Three!"

In a flash of red, Mark and Luke released two individual Fireballs that merged together to create an even larger one.  The enlarged Fireball struck Dragoon, and sent him flying into the rock wall.  The entire volcano shook, and it wasn't long before Dragoon was buried in falling boulders.

"Good job, but we need to get out of here!" Mario exclaimed urgently.  "If we don't, we'll end up just like Dragoon!"

Chapter 23: Alliance of Clubbas

Victory (http://www.esnips.com/doc/64a37341-3ac7-44b0-8f77-7c86d5648f1d/Victory)

"Mario, you've really outdone yourself," Chief Yoshi thanked him.  "We sent a messenger to call for help, and you took care of the problem before I even noticed that you had arrived.  How can we ever thank you?"

"Actually, I can't take any credit for saving your village," Mario replied.  "Ace came up with the plan to catch Chief Guy by surprise, and Luigi carried out the plan by disguising himself.  And we can't forget that Mark and Luke were the ones that took care of the demon that caused all of those eruptions."

Chief Yoshi nodded.  "You're truly one of a kind.  You even rescued this little trouble maker, even though he was the one controlling Dragoon."

Chief Guy crossed his arms and looked away.  "Hmph.  You didn't have to save me.  Now you'll probably imprison me, and that's worse than dying."

"Nah, just give us the overalls and we'll call it even," Luigi suggested.  "After all, that's all we're really interested in."

"You'd really let me go?" Chief Guy exclaimed, pulling off the Firebrand Overalls and throwing them to the ground.  "You can keep them!"  He scurried off into the jungle, and his fellow Shy Guys followed.

"See?  We ended up getting a Hero's Garb after all," Mario chuckled.  "Even if it was bait to lure you guys away while I fought Hunter, that's not what matters.  But I've been thinking...  Hunter betrayed Velno by giving one of the garbs to an enemy we could easily defeat.  He didn't even care about the consequences; he just wanted to fight with me.  It really makes me wonder: What kind of people are working for Velno, and is he manipulating their desires in order to receive their help?"

---

Evil Desire (http://www.esnips.com/doc/c7421705-327c-4fff-aed3-412e1c0aa94b/Evil-Desire)

Meanwhile, a lonely Clubba sat by himself in the darkness of Forever Forest.  It was Tubba Blubba, a gargantuan blue Clubba that was at least ten feet tall.  He had bright orange hair and a shell on his back that was covered in spikes.  His face was pressed against a tree, and he was crying hysterically.  "Ever since Mario figured out my weakness, I've gone back to being a target for all the Boos in the forest.  The Invincible Tubba Blubba is no more..."

"I understand your pain, sonny," a voice chuckled from nearby.  "Yer not the only one who's had a runnin-in with that meddling Gonzales."

Tubba stopped crying and turned to face the source of the voice.  "Who are you?"

"Me?  The name's Grubba.  I reckon you've hearda me before?" the voice replied.  A blue Clubba wearing a suit, hat, and sunglasses stepped out of the darkness.  "The fella took away my fame, but not my fortune!  Money makes the world go 'round, and so it wasn't long before I found another way to gain eternal life and invincibility!  I've done some research on you, and I hit the jackpot big time!"

"What are you saying?" Tubba inquired, confused.  "You figured out a way for me to become invincible again?"

"Not just me, but the both of us," Grubba answered.  "Each of us tried our own way of gainin strength, and we each got our butts whooped by Gonzales.  I figured we could combine our methods and work as a team, and I think the results are gonna be diggety-dang DYNAMITE!  Whaddya say?"  He held out his hand.  Hesitantly, Tubba shook it., and an alliance of Clubbas was born.

---

"What do you mean?!" Luigi thundered, trying to control his rage.  "Explain it to us again, slowly this time.  I'm not mad at you, but try to understand... We went through so much to collect those..."

Kay T.'s cheeks were damp from nonstop crying.  "When you left with your friends to go to Yoshi Island, you left behind a pair of gloves, glasses, and something that looked like the hilt of a katana.  I left the room to help with some of the other patients, and they were gone when I came back!  I heard reports of two men- one in yellow and the other in dark blue- that left the hospital and fled west toward the boundary between Mushroom Fields and Forever Forest."

"It couldn't have been..." Mario mumbled, racking his brain over the thieves' identities.  "Kay T., did anyone by the name of Wario check out of the hospital while I was gone?"

"I'm not sure..." she replied timidly, trying to recall who had checked out that day.  She pulled out a clipboard and flipped a few pages.  Squinting down at her documents, she found the name in fine print.  "Yes, Wario did check out.  Do you think he was the one who stole your belongings?"

"I have a pretty strong feeling it's them," Mario affirmed.  "I'm almost certain that Wario and Waluigi are behind this."

"We came here to drop off your sons and pick up the garbs we left behind.  We didn't need this," Ace grumbled.  "Do we ever get a break?"

Luigi sighed.  "At this point, we don't even have time to complain.  We have to go after them before they get too far!"  He turned to face Mark and Luke.  "I'm sure Velno is gonna open the Nexus Gate any day now, so you two need to stay here just in case.  If we're not around and demons start flooding into Toad Town, it's up to the both of you to handle it."

This is getting way too repetitive, Mario thought.  Hopefully it'll all come to an end before the Nexus Gate opens.

---

Near the border of Forever Forest, Wario and Waluigi carried the three Hero's Garbs to a shadowy figure.  "We brought what you asked for, now you have to hold up your end of the bargain," Wario demanded in a gruff voice.

The shadowy figure took the Thermo Gloves, Awakening Glasses, and Elemental Hilt.  "Yes... perfect...  Your assistance is no longer required."  He turned and began to walk away.

"Wait a minute!" Waluigi growled, his fists clenched.  "You told us that you'd give us untold riches and heal all of our injuries if we stole Mario's Hero's Garbs.  You've helped us regain our health, but we're still waiting for our money!"

"I'm sorry, did I say that?" the wicked voice inquired.  "I meant that I'd end your game by sending you to the Underwhere!"  Two black holes opened up beneath the Wario Brothers, and they were sucked down into the depths of the Underwhere.  "I now possess three of the six Hero's Garbs.  If Grubba follows the instructions I gave him, the remaining garbs will fall right into my hands. Then, Mario, we will finish our fight."

With the garbs grasped firmly in his grip, he vanished into the depths of Forever Forest.

Just then, Mario, Luigi, and Ace stormed into the very same area.  They were near the entrance to Forever Forest; the sky was still blue, the grass was still short, and there was enough space to move around without bumping into a tree.  If they ventured a few hundred yards further, the grass would grow tall, the sky would become black, and their path would become thick with trees. 

It was from this dark area that two of Mario's old enemies emerged.

Battle of the Clubbas (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_tkw6qRG1w)

"How have ya been doin, pard?" Grubba inquired, now in his Macho Grubba state.  He had grown several times his original size, and his skin was now orange.  "Never thought you'd see me like this again, didja?"

"Grubba!  What are you doing here?" Mario challenged, his fists clenched.  "And how can you maintain that form without the Crystal Star?"

"Science is the answer," Grubba replied with a wicked grin.  "As long as you've got money, you can get anythin from anyone in the whole dang world!  Scientists are willin to do anythin for me, just as long as I can pay the bill!  But more importantly, I reckon you've met my new partner before?"

Tubba Blubba stepped out from the shadows nearby.  "Not only that, but I'm invincible again!  You won't be beating me this time, Mario!  We've both regained the power that made us great, and with the ultimate secret of our teamwork, there's no way you can ever hope to defeat us!"

"Defeat you?  We don't have time for a fight," Luigi informed them.  "It'd be a waste of time.  We're looking for the Wario Brothers."

"The Wario Brothers are no longer with us at the moment," Tubba chuckled.  "Your Hero's Garbs have fallen into the hands of someone far more dangerous!"

"Besides, check out these shinin new sneakers!" Grubba exclaimed, gesturing toward a glowing pair of white shoes on his feet.  "A good pal o' mine gave me these; he called them the Olympic Shoes or somethin like that.  With these snazzy new kicks and our teamwork, you chumps are diggety-dang DONE!"

"So, you've got a Hero's Garb?" Mario inquired, gesturing toward Grubba's shoes.  "That changes everything.  Ace, Luigi, let's try to make this quick.  We need to follow the guy who stole our garbs!"

"Gotcha," Ace affirmed with a nod.  He crushed a playing card in his hand, and a blue liquid covered his right arm.  Mario and Luigi stared in awe as Ace's forearm transformed into a cannon.  He aimed and fired a blue energy blast at Tubba, but Grubba zoomed in front of his partner and deflected the blast.

"I see..." Mario observed with a grin.  "Those shoes make you incredibly fast."

Luigi dashed at Grubba, and Ace followed.  "We'll try to keep up with him while you fight Tubba."

Mario sprinted toward Tubba, but he was knocked onto his back by the speedy Grubba before he could attack.  Luigi and Ace simultaneously threw a barrage of punches and kicks at Grubba, but their opponent was far too fast for them.  Ace fired a blast from his arm cannon but cursed to himself as Grubba veered out of the way.  As Grubba dodged the blast, he collided with Luigi's fist.

Of course, Ace thought.  "Luigi positioned himself so that Grubba would run into him if he tried to dodge my attack.  If we work together, we shouldn't have any trouble with this guy's speed." 

Luigi continued to pummel his foe, but Grubba didn't even flinch.  Not showing a single sign of injury, he ended Luigi's assault by swatting him to the ground.  "What's going on?" Ace wondered aloud.  "Luigi just beat the tar out of him, and he didn't take any damage!  How is that possible?"

Meanwhile, Tubba winced in pain for no apparent reason.  Mario gave his opponent a confused look and prepared to strike.  As he stepped forward, Grubba came zooming by once again to intercept him.  What's going on? Mario wondered.  Grubba seems to be more worried about Tubba than himself.  Every time someone prepares to attack Tubba, Grubba uses his Olympic Shoes to defend him.  Why would he go to such lengths for someone else?  I doubt that he cares about Tubba's life.

As Mario faced the allied Clubbas down, Ace shot the unsuspecting Tubba in the back.  But instead of cringing in pain, it was Grubba who seemed to take the damage.  Mario grinned.  "I think I know what's going on."

Tension (http://www.esnips.com/doc/3cf0e768-bf45-4f8a-9505-35214c5e07dc/Tension)

"Mario!" Ace exclaimed.  "I'm not sure how, but they seem to have swapped their pain receptors!  In other words, Grubba feels pain whenever Tubba is damaged, and vice versa!"

"So that's why Grubba was so eager to defend Tubba!" Luigi gasped in realization.  "He was just trying to protect himself!"

"That's a rough explanation of our secret," Tubba admitted.  "As you found out in your first encounter with me, Mario, almost all of a Clubba's main functions are linked to his heart- including the ability to feel pain.  Thanks to Grubba's highly paid scientists, we were able to have our hearts surgically switched.  In other words, Grubba's heart is in my body, and my heart is in his.  Our hearts even act as brains, and so each of us controls our own body with our heart, which is safely tucked away in the other's body.  Plus, with the Olympic Shoes, we thought that Grubba would be too fast to be damaged, and thus I would be safe from any injuries.  In turn, Grubba also would use his speed to defend me, thus preventing himself from taking damage.  Pretty ingenious, huh?"

"Ingenious... and terribly confusing..." Mario groaned.

"Actually," Grubba began with an arrogant grin.  "That's merely what I led Tubba to believe.  Listen closely to what I'm about to say, because it can get quite tedious for the simple-minded.  The scientist that switched our hearts made slight modifications to each at my request.  On Tubba's heart, which is now in my body, I requested a bomb to be implanted.  At the same time, the scientist gave my heart, which is now in Tubba's body, the ability to change the body that it controls.  To put it simply, I can detonate Tubba's heart and obliterate my own body.  Without Tubba's heart in existence to control his body, my heart can switch from controlling my own body to controlling Tubba's."

"So basically, your heart would be in control of Tubba's body.  What would that accomplish?!" Mario snapped, the fastest one among the group to comprehend what Grubba had explained. 

"Watch, and find out!" Grubba exclaimed, pulling out a remote control and pressing an assortment of colorful buttons.

Grubba's Master Plan (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrL3Hmpdvrg&feature=related)

"No!  You wouldn't!" Tubba exclaimed fearfully.  "We were a team!"

Grubba shook his head emphatically.  "That's how the world works, pard.  Ya can't trust no one.  See ya on the inside."  With that, Grubba burst into flames, eradicating Grubba's body and Tubba's heart.  Tubba, now silent and brainless, looked straight ahead with a blank stare.  Grubba's heart, which was in Tubba's body, activated its 'secret function' and took control.  Tubba's body came to life once again; this time, with Grubba in control.

"As you can see, I now have the body of Tubba and the heart of Grubba," Tubba explained with Grubba's voice.  "As you are aware, a Clubba will only feel pain if his own heart takes damage, whether the heart is inside of his body or out.  While my heart may be controlling Tubba's body, it isn't Tubba's original heart.  Therefore, with me controlling a body that has no heart to feel pain with, I am immortal!  The invincible 'Trubba' has been born!"  He raced over to the spot where Grubba had exploded, and grabbed the Olympic Shoes from his remains.  Strapping them onto his feet, Trubba was now ready for battle.

Luigi staggered backward, quivering in fear.  "Is he really invincible?"

Trubba raised his arm, and a spiked mace materialized in his hand.  "Let's see...  I'm unbelievably fast, wield a giant mace, and can't feel pain.  Does that answer your question, or do you need a visual demonstration?"

In the blink of an eye, Trubba was behind Mario and had already swung his mace.  Mario, caught entirely off guard, could do nothing as he was struck on the head and knocked out cold.  He collapsed face-first onto the ground.

Mario may be strong, but he's still a human!  No one could remain conscious after being struck like that! Ace thought, his mind racing.  "How are we supposed to stop someone with such incredible strength, speed, and defense?"

Luigi rushed to his brother's aid, but Trubba swung his mace once again.  Luigi swerved out of the way, but Trubba quickly took another swing.  This time, it connected.  Luigi tumbled backward, bleeding and unconscious.

Ace clutched his deck of cards, ready to defend himself.

"Don't you get it?!  I've become immortal!" Trubba sneered, two of his opponents already out of the battle.

Glaive's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kFYvSrxSGw)

"So, you're immortal, huh?" a familiar voice echoed from nearby.  "That's too bad.  You'll soon wish for death to end the misery I'm about to put you through."  Glaive leapt from the treetops nearby and landed beside his allies.  "It's nice to see that Mario's alive and well, even if he's unconscious at the moment."

"Thanks for stopping by," Ace replied with a grin.  "How'd you find us?"

"I was training nearby, and I ran into this annoying freak."  He dropped Bowyer's bloody corpse beside his allies.  "I tortured him a bit, and he divulged all the information I needed.  It turns out that he met with Slade earlier, and gave him the Olympic Shoes.  In exchange, Slade agreed to kill Mario.  From there, Slade gave the shoes to Grubba, no doubt manipulating him in some sort of complex scheme.  Bowyer proceeded to explain how Grubba and Tubba would become the invincible 'Trubba' with their heart modifications.  So I killed him and decided to come here and see if you guys needed a hand."

"Well, we're going to need a pretty solid strategy if we want to take this guy down," Ace informed him.  "We haven't had much luck so far."

"I'll just have to see if Trubba is worthy of being called invincible."  He drew his sword and dashed at Trubba.  Without meeting any resistance, Glaive sprinted up to his target and slashed his blade across Trubba's chest.  Glaive stared at the area of Trubba's skin that his sword had made contact with.  There wasn't even a scratch.

"A Clubba's skin is far too thick to be cut with such a feeble blade!" Trubba cackled arrogantly.  He swung his mace at Glaive, who was too close to move out of the way.  Ace cringed at the sickening crack that erupted from Glaive's body as he tumbled onto the ground, clutching his arm.  Glaive sheathed his sword and used the trunk of a tree to support him as he attempted to stand up.

"Does that answer your question?" Ace inquired with a desperate grin.  "You said that you've been doing some training.  How has that been coming along?"

Glaive shook his head.  "I'm not quite done yet.  My training won't do any good until it's fully complete.  However...  There is still something I can do."  He drew his sword.  "Ace, how long do you think you could hold Trubba off in a one-on-one match?"

"With that enormous spiked mace and his inability to feel pain, I'd say about two minutes.  He can constantly attack with brute strength and not worry about defense, which makes him a very dangerous opponent.  Not to mention he's incredibly fast with those Olympic shoes of his."

Glaive nodded.  "It's difficult to fight someone who has no fear of dying.  Very well; two minutes will do just fine.  If I could scorch him with my flames, I'm sure I could do some damage.  The only problem is, my armor seals my flame powers away.  Since I can't remove my armor, I have to slowly draw my flames out and channel them into my sword.  It'll take some time, but it's all that we have left."

Ace pulled out a stack of cards from his deck and charged at Trubba, his eyes gleaming with determination.  Trubba's mace swung downward at him, but the demon swiftly sidestepped the weapon.  Trubba grunted angrily as his mace slammed into the ground, and Ace quickly placed his foot on it to ensure that it remained wedged in the dirt.  Trubba struggled to raise his weapon, but Ace's foot remained planted on top of it.  Ace raised his stack of cards and stared into Trubba's eyes.

"I know I may not be the strongest person in this group of heroes, and maybe I do rely on these cards a bit too much.  But one thing's for sure: if you get hit from all sides with these explosive cards, it's gonna hurt like hell." 

"Don't do it!  You'll be caught in the explosion as well!" Trubba pleaded, unsure if the explosion would cause harm to his body.

Ace tossed his cards onto the ground, and they formed a perfect circle around the two of them.  Ace held one final card in his hand, which he dropped in the exact center of the circle.  In a fiery explosion, each of the cards detonated.  Smoke blurred Glaive's vision as he tried to see who had survived the blast.  As the haze cleared, he saw Ace tumble onto his back, covered in ashes.  Trubba stood beside him, his body slightly damaged.

Glaive grinned as his sword was surrounded with a dark flame.  "Just as I suspected.  Trubba, you've made a grave miscalculation.  There's a vast difference between immortality and the inability to feel pain.  If you are an immortal, you can never die.  Your life will go on forever, no matter what damage your body may sustain.  If one simply cannot feel pain, like in your case, that's an entirely different story.

"You've simply removed your ability to feel pain.  This means nothing.  Your body is still taking damage; you just don't know it.  Pain is a warning that tells you when there's something wrong with your body that needs to be fixed.  Pain reminds you of your limits as a mortal.  The ability to feel pain is crucial to a warrior's survival.  You've blinded yourself; you don't know if you have a broken leg, or if you're about to bleed to death.  You have no idea what condition you're in, and you don't know how much longer you can fight until you die."

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Trubba insisted, angrily stomping the ground.  "You just can't admit defeat!"

"We'll see about that," Glaive muttered as he launched a widespread flame from his sword.  Trubba was completely consumed by the flames, which scorched any nearby bush or tree.  The entire area was now brown and lifeless.

Trubba stepped out of the inferno with a wicked smile.  "See?  I didn't feel anything!"  He attempted to raise his mace, but couldn't.  "Hold on a second...  Why can't I lift my weapon...?  Why do I feel so drowsy...?  Why can't I move...?"

Glaive victoriously sheathed his sword.  "While you couldn't feel the pain of being scalded by my flames, your body still reacted to the increase in temperature.  When your body starts to overheat, the results can be deadly.  Like I said before, pain isn't the cause of death.  Pain helps prevent death by warning you when something's wrong with your body.  Of course, you would've been killed by my flames even if you could feel pain."

"Curses... Slade lied... to me..." Trubba murmured angrily as he collapsed onto the ground.

"That reminds me: Where is Slade?" Glaive demanded, pointing his flaming sword at the helpless Clubba.

"Went to... Dry... Desert... look for... garb..." Trubba moaned before slipping into unconsciousness.

"Well, there you have it," Glaive snickered as he helped Ace to his feet.  He walked up to the unconscious Trubba, removed the Olympic Shoes, and handed them to Ace. "That should be all the information you need.  I'd love to go to the desert with you guys, but I have to finish my training before the final battle with Velno.  Tell Mario that I'm glad to see him in good health.  I'll see you guys later."  With that, he vanished into the depths of Forever Forest.

Chapter 24: Tears and Blood

Legend of the Greedy King (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPddhRjl6Ao&feature=related)

"It is said that long ago, in Dry Dry Desert, a greedy king held the entire kingdom within his evil grasp.  He enslaved the kingdom's inhabitants, forcing them to build meaningless structures and pyramids in his honor.  Those that he did not enslave were enrolled in his army, which he used to wage war against King Toadstool II.  Many lives were lost, and the greedy king's empire steadily grew.  It wasn't long before he had overthrown King Toadstool, and made the Mushroom Kingdom his own.

"As time passed, the wretched king became more intoxicated by his power.  He began to pass laws that required rituals and sacrifices to be held in his honor.  In his mind, he was gradually transforming from a king into a god.  However, the gods of the Overthere and Mt. Olympus were displeased with the man who claimed to be a god.  Soon, tragedy and misfortune were all that awaited this king.  The man was told of a treasure that was buried deep beneath the desert, its passage marked by an Egyptian Horus.  This treasure contained the abilities of a legendary man, and was extremely powerful and valuable.   However, if one without the willingness to see and hear the truth tried to enter this passage and claim the treasure, an eternity of suffering awaited him.

"Refusing to heed the warnings, the greedy king hunted the passage's entrance down.  He stormed into the room that contained the treasure, but only found an endless abyss that pulled him down into everlasting darkness.  The king was never heard from again, and the Mushroom Kingdom returned to normal over time."

Dry Dry Desert (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ORHFMgrDJ0)

"Well?  Pretty scary stuff, huh?" the Bandit inquired, grinning at Luigi's reaction to his tale.  "It's an old legend that's spoken of in Dry Dry Outpost.  I hear elders whispering about it all the time."  With that, the Bandit scuttled away into the blue and gold horizon.

"Well that was useless," Mario grumbled.  "Maybe paying the Bandits of Dry Dry Desert in exchange for information wasn't the best idea."

"Not necessarily," Ace mused.  "That treasure sounded like it could've been a Hero's Garb.  He did say it 'contained the abilities of a legendary man.'  Though, there was another part about the willingness to see and hear the truth...  Luigi, what do you think?"

Luigi remained silent, quivering feverishly with his cap pulled over his eyes.  "H-H-How am-m-m-m I s-s-supposed to s-s-s-sleep tonight after hearing t-t-t-that...?"

Ace frowned.  "We probably won't be sleeping tonight anyway.  There's a fowl stench in the air, and I think it's because the Nexus Gate is almost open.  Slowly, but surely, the scent of the Nightmare Vault is pouring into this world.  And if I remember correctly, there are six Hero's Garbs in all.  I don't think we have much time left, so we should dedicate ourselves to finding the final Hero's Garb before the day is over."

"What do you mean by 'final' Hero's Garb?" Mario asked grumpily.  "All of our garbs were stolen, and we've only managed to find the Olympic Shoes and Firebrand Overalls since then.  Someone else has the Thermo Gloves, Awakening Glasses, and Elemental Hilt."

Ace scratched his head.  "From the way Tubba and Grubba were talking, I'd say that Slade is the one who stole our Hero's Garbs.  They told us specifically that the Wario Brothers no longer had the Hero's Garbs, and they also made it seem like Slade was giving them orders.  Bowyer, Grubba, and Tubba are all out of the picture, and so the only one left out of their little 'chain' is Slade.  Not to mention Trubba told us that Slade came to the desert to look for a Hero's Garb."

Mario nodded.  "So what you're getting at is the fact that Slade is collecting the Hero's Garbs.  He stole ours, and he's looking for more here in Dry Dry Desert.  So if we look for this hypothetical Hero's Garb from that Bandit's story, chances are Slade has also heard about the legend and will be looking for it as well.  If that's the case, we may end up finding a new one and bump into Slade along the way.  If we can beat him and reclaim those garbs, in addition to finding the last one that's hidden in the desert, we'll have all six!"

"Err... I was just going to suggest that," Luigi muttered sheepishly.

"We might as well start looking," Ace suggested.  "At the very least, we might bump into Slade."

"Keep an eye out for an Egyptian Horus," Mario reminded them.  "According to the legend, the passage will be marked with-"

"So... What does an Egyptian Horus look like again?" Luigi inquired nervously.  "Ace, care to explain?"

Ace shrugged.  "I'm not from this world.  I don't know a thing about Egypt."

Mario rolled his eyes and began to draw in the sand with his finger.  "To be more specific, it's the Eye of Horus.  It looks like an eye with a line here and another curvy line there.  See?"  He gestured toward his drawing in the sand, which looked something like this:

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/Eye_of_Horus.svg/220px-Eye_of_Horus.svg.png)

"Look out for this shape," Mario instructed them.  "You should've paid more attention in high school, Bro."

With that, they began their search.  The sun was beating down on them, and most of the desert looked the same, making it hard to remember which areas had been searched.  Moreover, while they knew that they were looking for the Eye of Horus, they didn't know how it would be presented to them.  It could have been inscribed in the sand, or written on a pedestal, or engraved in stone.  At last, they found what they were looking for.  The symbol had been inscribed on a flat bed of rock partially covered in sand.

"So, this is supposed to lead us to the treasure?" Mario wondered.  "How does it work?"

"Maybe it's an elevator that leads to an underground passage," Luigi suggested.  The three of them stepped on top of the stone, and the Egyptian Horus began to glow.  "What's going on?"  A purple light began to shine from the stone.  In a puff of dark smoke, Mario, Luigi, and Ace had vanished.

---

Mario clutched his head as his eyes slowly opened.  He looked around and saw nothing but a valley of green illuminated by a deep purple sky.  The ground was rugged and stained with blood.  He quickly leapt to his feet.  "This looks like... the Underwhere!"  He whirled around and saw Ace, Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi trapped inside of enormous globs of purple liquid, each of them struggling to break free.  Standing beside them was Slade, with all of Mario's Hero's Garbs in his hands.

Mario struggled to understand what had just happened.  "Okay, we stepped onto that stone.  I remember blacking out, and then waking up here, and then seeing that Slade has all of our Hero's Garbs!  What's going on?!"

Slade's Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/6114b5cd-048a-4246-8397-574402dd2416/Nightmares-Theme)

"Isn't it obvious?" Slade sneered, drawing his Nightmare Blade.  "During your adventure on Yoshi Island, Velno decided to ask Bowyer to hire me again.  He gave me the Olympic Shoes as payment for my services.  Instead of attacking you, I decided that the stakes for our battle would be much higher.  I gave the Olympic Shoes to Grubba and tempted the Wario Brothers into stealing all of your Hero's Garbs while you were away.  It was around the same time that I heard the desert rumor- and I instantly knew that the legend was referring to a Hero's Garb.

"Naturally, I decided to investigate.  It wasn't long before I was able to decipher the meaning of the legend.  'However, if one without the willingness to see and hear the truth tried to enter this passage and claim the treasure, an eternity of suffering awaited him.'  In other words, the Hero's Garb is located in the Underwhere, and allows you to 'see and hear the truth' by letting you use telepathy to read peoples' mind.  If this ability doesn't bring you satisfaction, you'll be trapped in the Underwhere for an eternity without anything else to bring you enjoyment.

"When I learned the truth, I instantly hatched a plan for our final duel.  I had managed to steal three of your Hero's Garbs, and I had located a fourth.  First off, I disposed of the Wario Brothers by sending them here.  Then, I decided to tell Grubba about my plans to investigate Dry Dry Desert- a lie, as I had already located the garb in the desert.  As I had planned, you defeated Grubba, who then told you that I'd be in the desert.  With his Olympic Shoes plus the Firebrand Overalls from Yoshi Island, you possessed the two remaining garbs that I had not collected.

"I allowed you to learn about the desert legend so that you'd search for the 'passage', expecting to find a hidden Hero's Garb at the end.  Instead, you are now discovering that I got to the garb here before you.  During your slumber, I managed to steal the last two garbs from your pockets.  Now that I am in possession of all six Hero's Garbs, we can let the final battle between us begin!  Now I can show you how meaningless your heroic ideals are by using the garbs of an ancient hero to destroy you!"

Mario angrily clenched his fists.  "You're insane!  Hunter, Velno; all of you are insane!  Why have they been going to such great lengths just to fight with me?!"

"You could never understand," Slade hissed.  "The Demonic Trials are beyond your comprehension.  You're just a pawn in an enormous scheme that you can't even begin to fathom.  I used to be like you.  Stop asking questions, stop being observant, and move on with your life.  The more you learn about the truth, the more miserable your life becomes."

Mario grinned.  "Looks like I'm gonna have to beat some sense into you again.  Alright, then.  You didn't lure me all the way here just to talk about philosophy.  I've been waiting for an uninterrupted rematch with you."

Slade vs. Mario (http://www.esnips.com/doc/9a7d663e-8854-41ef-b67a-26d0f1c829c0/Nightmare-vs.-Mario)

"The world isn't as black and white as you think!  Heroes can turn against each other!  The fact that I'm using these Hero's Garbs against you is proof!" Slade exclaimed as he prepared to do battle with Mario.  Using the speed of his Olympic Shoes, he was behind Mario in an instant.  He swung his sword at the plumber, who sidestepped the swing and threw a Flaming Punch that connected with Slade's upper torso.

"The Firebrand Overalls keep me safe from any kind of heat, or did you forget?" Slade taunted, using the Telepathy Cap to see into Mario's mind.  "You forgot, didn't you?  Now you're starting to wonder if you can defeat me when I have the power of all six Hero's Garbs.  Allow me to answer that question!"  He pulled out the Elemental Hilt and created a second sword.  With the Nightmare Blade and a Flaming Sword, he began to strike at Mario twice as fast.

Mario performed several back-flips to put some distance between him and Slade.  "My Fireballs are useless, so I'll just have to try something else."  He gathered energy for an Iceball in one hand and a Thunderball in another.  His hands glowing with Elemental Energy, he sprinted toward his foe.  Slade's Awakening Glasses began to glow and a mammoth pillar of stone shot up from the ground and obstructed Mario's path.  Slade zoomed around the pillar and slashed at Mario with his twin blades.  With his left hand, Mario fired an enormous Iceball that froze Slade in place.  With his right hand, he unleashed a gargantuan Thunderball that struck the helpless Slade with unbelievable force.

This battle...  It's like they're expressing their conflicting beliefs as they fight... Ace muttered, still trapped in the strange goo.

Slade recovered from the blow and his Awakening Glasses started to glow once again.  The pillar that stood beside Mario instantly toppled over in Mario's direction.  The plumber leapt out of the way, only to be struck by the speedy Slade in midair.  Slade stabbed him through the lower chest with his Nightmare Blade, pinning him to the fallen pillar.

Mario's Agony (http://www.esnips.com/doc/389c92a7-7d4c-48a9-ae5e-ba5affcbd263/Marios-Agony)

"Now do you understand?!" Slade inquired, pushing his blade deeper into Mario's chest.  "Your foolish ideals sicken me.  Up until now, you've merely been advancing by pure luck.  Your battle with Lord Shade, your victories against the demons that you've been facing for the past few days, it's all been senseless luck.  Heroics, teamwork, and loyalty- all of these words are meaningless.  In fact, it's because of your beliefs that you are here now, dying in this wretched place.  You could have killed me long ago, but you chose to let me live.  Now I'm going to cut down you and your beliefs, inch by inch."

Mario grabbed the blade that had pierced his chest, blood trickling from his mouth.  "You're right about one thing, Slade...  It's because of my beliefs that I'm here right now!  If I didn't believe in teamwork... if I didn't surround myself with friends that I can trust... I would have died long ago!  My victories haven't been just blind luck!  It was because of my friends that I was able to live through all of the horrors I've experienced...  I may have suffered, but my allies were there to accept part of the burden, and I couldn't have survived without them!"

Slade watched in astonishment as Mario winced in pain, slowly pulling the blade from his chest. Blood still trickling from his gash, Mario coughed up a mouthful of blood and took a battle stance.  "Mario... The more you talk about such meaningless things, the more my blood starts to boil!"

"I don't understand what's wrong with you..." Mario muttered, struggling just to stay on his feet.  "I don't understand you, Slade."

Flashback (http://www.esnips.com/doc/99babdcc-94c7-4446-ab31-ac6a501931b2/Flashback)

"Perhaps it's time I enlightened you, then," Slade replied icily.  "They say a child grows up based on the example his parents set for him.  Looking back, I can certainly testify to that:

"The very first memory I have... is one of my parents arguing about how to get rid of me...  They despised me with all of their hearts.  I never understood why they decided to have a child.  Neither of them wanted to do the work that was required to raise a child.  Moreover, neither of them had the capacity in their hearts to give me what a child needs the most- love.  They were incapable of such trivial emotions.  Before long, I was abandoned.  I remember being brought into a dark forest, where I was left to die.

"The next thing I remember is the smell of the Nightmare Vault.  Somehow, during my stay in that dark forest, I had been found by demons and brought back into the Nightmare Vault.  Ordinarily, a child would never be able to survive in a place as cold and evil as the Nightmare Vault.  Surprisingly enough, I survived with ease.  It was my hatred that kept me alive.  The more I grew, the more I started to hate humans.

"Growing up in a world that was constantly at war had its benefits.  I was raised to be a ruthless demon warrior.  I started to earn a decent reputation, and soon became known to many demons as 'Nightmare'.  In my teenage years, I soon learned that my hatred for humans was shared by a cult of demons that followed the Phoenix.  I was eager to support them, and instantly joined their ranks.  I slaughtered many members of the Demon Resistance in those years, and it all eventually paid off, or so I thought.  It was finally time for the demons under the Phoenix rule to gather and break into the Nexus, where we could escape into the world of the humans and have our revenge.

"I had decided long ago that my goal in life was to find my parents and end their miserable lives.  At last, my dream would be realized.  Unfortunately, the Demon Resistance had been expecting us.  Their army was waiting for us at the Nexus Gate.  They slaughtered hundreds of us.  I was one of the ones lucky enough to make it through.  However, I soon realized how difficult my dreams would be to fulfill.  My parents could be anywhere.  It could take years to find them, only to kill them and experience just a moment of pleasure.

"Instead, I decided to seek vengeance by bringing about the destruction of mankind.  On that day, I vowed to find a way to set my fellow demons free, so that they could eradicate every single human in this entire world.  I searched for years, and for a time I thought I had reached a dead end.  That's when I met Metal Mario.  He explained what he was trying to do, and I agreed to help him.  If his plan succeeded, the demons of the Nightmare Vault would be free to wreak havoc on this world!

"Now do you understand my hatred?  Can you question the fact that the human race needs to be exterminated?  Killing you will assist Velno's plan to exterminate the human race, and that's why it must be done!"

"As I suspected," Mario replied with a wry grin.  "I knew you weren't a demon.  Most of the time, you conceal your true feelings pretty well.  But there have been a few times that I've looked into your eyes... and I've seen the eyes of a human begging for help..."

"Shut up!" Slade spat in disgust.  "It's time to end this."  He raised the Nightmare Blade.  "Did you know that a new power is given to someone who has all six Hero's Garbs in their possession?  It's called the Hero Burst, and it fires an enormous beam of light that demolishes everything in its path.  It'll be a fitting way for you to meet your end."  All six of his Hero's Garbs started to glow, and the Nightmare Blade began to flash every color of the rainbow.  With a cry of hatred, he swung his blade in Mario's direction, launching a gargantuan beam of energy directly at the plumber.

A Pledge for Victory (http://www.esnips.com/doc/6f22957c-8e20-4758-986b-79664126e3d1/A-Pledge-for-Victory)

"Slade, your hatred is based on the actions of two human beings!  I can't allow you to take out your frustration on the millions of innocent people in the world!" Mario screamed, using an Iceball to create a circle of ice that shielded him from the blast.  He slowly stepped forward, using all of his might to push against the weight of the immensely powerful Hero Burst.  "Slade, I understand that there are many humans in this world that are brimming with evil.  I can understand your pain.  However, there are also thousands of good people in the world that band together to resist those with evil in their hearts."

"Shut up!" Slade shrieked.  "You don't know what you're talking about!  Each and every human deserves to die!"

"There was a time that I fit under the category of humans that you hate!" Mario continued, ignoring Slade.  "I finally realized that many people were evil, but instead of trying to kill everyone, like you, I decided to try and protect the good from the bad!  That's the reason I became the Mushroom Hero!  I made a pledge to myself that I'd protect this kingdom from any and all evil, including you!"  He charged up a colossal Thunderball in his hand and blasted it through the center of the Hero Burst.  The beam of light slowly vanished as Mario's Thunderball struck Slade, electrifying him and sending him crashing into a nearby wall.

Unbearable Suffering (http://www.esnips.com/doc/0d976966-bf59-421c-b7e6-2b2a4af3f95b/Unbearable-Suffering)

"Why... why didn't I see it... before...?" Slade asked himself, tears streaming down his cheeks.  His eyelids slowly shut, and he fell unconscious.

The goo that trapped Luigi, Ace, and the Wario Brothers vanished.  Mario remained silent as he picked Slade up and threw him over his right shoulder.  "We should go see Queen Jaydes.  She should be able to bring us back to the Mushroom Kingdom.  As for Slade, we can get him medical treatment.  He isn't evil, just misguided.  In fact, he's the second person whose feelings may have been manipulated by Metal Mario and Velno.  Velno is leading people into battle by controlling their emotions.  I can't let him go on with it any longer.  We're going to Mushroom Castle."

"That's right!  We finally got all of the Hero's Garbs!" Luigi cheered.

"Let's just hope we make it in time," Ace murmured.

"About the Hero's Garbs..." Wario began, feeling guilty. 

Mario shook his head.  "Don't worry about it.  We have all of the garbs now, and that's all that matters to me."

Mario, Luigi, Ace, and the Wario Brothers remained silent the rest of the walk to Jaydes.  When they finally arrived, Jaydes seemed to be flustered.  "Oh, hello Mario.  I certainly hope your game isn't over again."

"No," Mario replied quickly.  "We need to get back to the Mushroom Kingdom.  You must be pretty busy, but we'd appreciate your help."

Jaydes nodded.  "We've been preparing for the many deaths that would result if the demons were allowed into the Mushroom Kingdom.  You're doing your best to stop it from happening, so I won't impede your progress."  With a snap of her fingers, the five heroes vanished in a flash of white light.

As they traveled between dimensions, floating in an abyss of white, Mario heard a strange voice echoing inside of his head.  Mario, I know what you've been thinking.  Now that you've collected all of my garbs, you are starting to wonder if the conflict between the Olympians and the Demons is truly black and white.  Let me answer your questions by saying that the world has done some terrible things in order to maintain peace.  All is not as it seems, and you will one day face against many of your own kind...

There's still so much I don't know about the rivalry between Demons and Olympians... or the civil war in the Nightmare Vault... or even the war that's going on inside of my own soul... Mario's eyes opened, and he found himself back in Toad Town.  "What was that all about?"

Ace's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q0eoj8wkLY) 

"So, we're finally at the end," Ace observed. "We have all six Hero's Garbs, and we're only a short walk away from Mushroom Castle.  It's time for the final infiltration."

Mario looked around.  "Looks like this place hasn't become a demon playground yet.  It's good to know we still have some time.  Wario, Waluigi, I'd like you two to take Slade and meet my sons at the hospital.  Make sure Slade is treated properly, and you can team up with my sons to protect this town if we can't stop Velno in time.  We're counting on you."

Wario nodded.  "You'd better not lose.  If my secret stash of gold gets trashed by demons, you're gonna pay me back, got it?"

Mario grinned.  "Man, you haven't changed a bit...  Anyway, Luigi, Ace, and I will-" He looked around.  "Where's Luigi?"  The four of them spun around in a full circle.  Luigi was nowhere to be found.  "Maybe... Queen Jaydes accidentally teleported him somewhere else?"

"In that case, he'll catch up eventually," Ace deduced.  "We can't afford to waste time waiting for him.  The same goes for Glaive."

"Before we go, I think I'll pick up some Max Mushrooms at the shop.  I should have just enough coins to buy two: one to bring me back to full strength, and one for later."

---

Velno grinned wickedly from ear to ear.

"By the way, Velno, Luigi would make excellent bait for Mario in the future.  You might want to equip him with this."  Crimson pulled out a coin-sized device and tossed it to Velno.  "This is a special GPS unit that will allow you to track Luigi's location.  It also enables you to capture him at almost any time.  If you want to give Mario a little 'motivation' in the future, it'd be perfect for the job."

"Crimson, you're a genius."

Chapter 25: Final Infiltration

Flashback (http://www.esnips.com/doc/99babdcc-94c7-4446-ab31-ac6a501931b2/Flashback)

A tear ran down Glaive's left cheek as he dreamt of the past, leaning softly against the base of a tree.  He was quivering at the impact of the sickening tragedy that he faced as a teen:

"It's been three months since I first saw him," Glaive muttered, still marveling at the memory of his idol slicing the Phoenix soldier to pieces.  He sat beside Sara next to the fireplace in her house.  The room was silent except for the crackling of the fire.  It was too dangerous outside to go to their usual spot, so they had managed to make themselves comfortable elsewhere.  "What do you think, Sara?  Will I ever be as good as him?"

"Of course," she replied cheerfully.  "One day, you'll be even better than he was.  You'll find a way to lift the curse on our realm, and you'll end this war once and for all.  I just know you will, Glaive."

The two of them gazed into each other's eyes, and a tear slowly dripped down Glaive's cheek.  "This war- I swear I'll protect you to the very end," he promised.

That one promise would eventually be my downfall.

They sat for hours, waiting for someone to pick them up.  Earlier that same day, a warning had been sent to Glaive's village- Phoenix soldiers would soon arrive.  Glaive and Sara sat alone for hours, hidden in what appeared to be a dark, abandoned home.  Their hearts beating furiously, the two of them waited in sickening angst for something to happen.  Their fates were divided among two simple paths: either they would be killed by Phoenix soldiers, or their lives would be spared by pure luck.

As fate would have it, a trio of Phoenix soldiers stormed into the room at nightfall.  Without a single word, they surrounded Glaive and Sara.  One of them lunged at Sara with a tall dagger, but Glaive swiftly pushed her out of the way.  The blade sank into his upper chest, and the other warriors quickly ganged up on him.

"Glaive!  No!  Please, stop!" she pleaded.  When the soldiers were finished, Glaive was laying face-up in a pool of blood.  His body was covered with lethal gashes and bruises.  Helpless, Glaive looked up; his eyes met a pair of cold, red ones. 

The leader of the soldiers grinned wickedly and sneered, "Resistance scum.  Why would a trivial stream attempt to go against the flow of the ocean?  Why bother to fight the Phoenix?  The Nightmare Vault will always hate the Olympians.  Settling our differences without violence won't solve anything."

His soldiers turned to Sara.  Glaive furiously attempted to get up, but his body wouldn't budge.

Sara slowly backed into a corner, surrounded by the bloodthirsty mercenaries.  "Leave Glaive alone..."

That was the last time she said my name...

Glaive tried to reassure himself of Sara's safety.  "He'll be here..." he whispered.  "He saved us once, and he'll come again...  He has to..."  But his hero never arrived. 

A shriek echoed through the room.

"Damn it... I can't let them take away everything...  The only person I've had... ever since I was a child... was Sara...  They can't just... take her away..."  His intense emotions gave him a rush of adrenaline, and he was finally able to stand up.  Just as he did so, his eyes widened in fear, anguish, and sadness.  Blood stained the cold stone floor. 

Sara was dead. 

His resolve shattered to pieces, and fell to his knees.  "Sara..."

"Remember my name well.  I am Stolas, and one day, I'll stand above all other demons.  In this war, I may be fighting alongside the Phoenix, but only for my own purposes.  I don't care who wins this darned war, as long as I come out on top in the end."

Glaive collapsed onto the floor in a pool of blood. 

Stolas...  I remember now...

---

"Glaive, eat your breakfast," his mother urged him.  "We're lucky to have that food.  The war is quickly draining us of our supplies."

"This breakfast is crap!" Glaive cried angrily, tossing his meal to the floor.  "I hate this darned nation!  I hate the Demon Resistance!  If they're so great, why couldn't they protect Sara?!  They're just the minority, trying to fight against a larger and more powerful force!  Are the Olympians, the humans, the 'Creatures of Light', really worth all of this trouble?!  Why don't we just give in to the Phoenix?!  All we've accomplished by resisting is the sacrifice of thousands of our own kind!"

"Glaive!  Clean that up this instant!" his father scolded him.  "You're acting like a child!  What's gotten into you?  Has one person really played such a major role in your life?  Has this 'Sara' been filling your head with these terrible thoughts!  You're lucky to be alive, as are all of us!  Taking life is wrong, and so we have to fight the Phoenix for the sake of the ones who live outside of the Nightmare Vault."

Glaive marched up to a shrine at the north end of the dining room, where a sword was wedged in a golden pedestal on the wall.  He tore the blade from the wall and angrily stormed out of the house.  "Fools, all of them!  I don't want any part of the Demon Resistance!  I work alone, and I'll avenge Sara on my own!"  He strapped the sword to his waist, and wasted no time in venturing toward one of the Phoenix's main bases.

It's unfortunate that I chose the worst possible place to attack.  My worst nightmares would soon be relived.

Glaive's eyes quickly opened.  He jumped to his feet and drew his sword.  "Oh... it was only a dream..."  He sheathed his sword and gazed at the night sky.  "My training is complete.  At last, the time has come for the final showdown in Mushroom Castle.  Sara... please watch over us..."

---

"So, do you even know what to do now that we have all six of the Hero's Garbs?" Ace inquired, standing beside Mario at the gates of Mushroom Castle.  Surrounding the castle's perimeter like an enormous blue dome, the barrier created by the Star Rod stood firmly in place.

Mario finished chewing on his Max Mushroom and gulped it down.  He pocketed his other Max Mushroom, saving it for later.  "I dunno.   Maybe if I put all the garbs on..."  He put the Firebrand Overalls on over his normal clothes, replaced his normal cap with the Telepathy Cap, replaced his usual gloves with the Thermo Gloves, put on the Olympic Shoes, slipped the Awakening Glasses over his eyes, and held the Elemental Hilt in his hand.  Now fully clothed like the very first Hero, Mario approached the castle's front gate.

All of his Hero's Garbs began to glow with a bright white light.  The barrier surrounding the castle began to grow thinner and weaker until it finally shattered into tiny blue fragments.  Before Mario could react, the Hero's Garbs lost all of their color and became heavy stones.  Mario dropped them all to the ground, and they slowly cracked apart and vanished into thin air.

"It seems as though the garbs and the barrier cancelled each other out," Ace muttered.  "Oh well, it looks like we'll need to rely on our own skills from now on."

Mario nodded.  "Let's go."

Countdown (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHbG3FDOeWc#movie_player)

As the two stepped into the castle, the ground erupted with an earth-shaking rumble.  Ace and Mario staggered backward for a moment before regaining their balance.  "What do you think that was?" Mario inquired nervously.

Ace stared at the ground, unable to admit the grim truth.  "We're running out of time..."

"Don't worry.  We're going to make it.  I won't let the world end," Mario reassured him with clenched fists.

Their conversation was interrupted as Velno's voice echoed through the empty hall.  "This castle has an impressive intercom system!  But I'm sure you're in a hurry, judging by the fact that the Nexus will be open in only two hours!"

"Get to the point!" Mario screamed, waving his fist at the ceiling.

"Forgive me, where are my manners?  Welcome to Mushroom Castle!  I'm sure you know by now that this castle is an enormous labyrinth to anyone other than Princess Peach and the staff who work here.  I believe that I am hidden quite well, and to be frank, I don't think you'll be able to find and defeat me before two hours pass.  That's why I've disclosed my location to your brother, Luigi!  I've given him specific instructions on how to reach me several times, and so I'm sure he's the only one who will be able to find me before your time is up.  Unfortunately for you, I've hidden him in one of the two rear towers of the castle.  Feel free to pick him up, just as long as you can handle the 'security' I left behind."

The transmission ended with a click.  Mario sighed.  "So Velno does have Luigi!  If that's the case, we have to find him immediately!  Velno could be anywhere, and we don't have the time to blindly search the entire castle for him.  We'd be better off letting Luigi lead us to him."

"Don't let your obligation to protect your brother get in the way of your decision-making," Ace reprimanded him.  "We're running out of time.  Instead of looking around for someone that may not even be here, why not look for Velno?  Besides, the lives of thousands of people take priority over the life of one man."

Mario shook his head emphatically in disagreement.  "No.  The time spent wandering around aimlessly searching for Velno will be equivalent to the time spent searching for Luigi, whose location is somewhat known, and then traveling directly to Velno.  The only difference will be that if we do save Luigi, Velno won't have a hostage."

"I suppose, but what if Luigi isn't really in one of the rear towers of the castle?  We'd just waste valuable time looking for someone who isn't even here!  Velno could be trying to trick us!"

"Maybe," Mario replied, "but I don't think that Velno wants us to die.  Slade said something about a larger scheme at work, and another thing about the 'Demonic Trials'.  Call it a gut feeling, but the adventures we went through to get the Hero's Garbs kind of seem like tests, now that I think about it.  It just seems like Velno could have killed us all by now if he put all of his resources to full use."

"Interesting... but you shouldn't be reckless and feel invincible just because of a simple theory.  No matter what you may think, if we're dealing with the Nightmare Vault, our lives are in real danger.  In any case, I suppose we can search for Luigi."

"There are two rear towers, the East Tower and the West Tower.  If we split up, one of us is bound to find Luigi.  After we each reach our respective tower, we'll meet up at the central hallway," Mario informed Ace.  "I'll go east; you can head west."

---

"Yes, Mario.  You are beginning to realize the truth.  You are being tested, but that does not make you any safer than you originally thought.  You see, the test is designed to kill you.  If you survive, it only means that you passed the test.  It's that simple."

---

Mario sprinted down the empty hallway, his only source of light coming from the windows along the wall to his right.  The castle's electricity seemed to be out, and all of its inhabitants had been evacuated.  At last, Mario followed the red carpet into an enormous, round room.  Torches ran along the walls, lighting the area.  Tied up and sealed in an electrical jail cell, Luigi silently watched his brother enter the room.

"Hello?" Mario called out, peering into the dimly lit room.  "Bro?  ...Maybe he's in the West Tower."

Lorne's Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/e87dfe64-3850-463f-97f9-a939fc8c6b02/Lornes-Theme)

"Hello, Mario.  It seems as though you've chosen the correct tower," a familiar voice informed him coldly.  Mario's eyes widened as he saw his brother locked away with Lorne standing beside him.  "I've been left in charge of guarding this man once again.  If you want to free him, you'll have to end my life."

"You..." Mario whispered.  "I fought you... in Blizzard Peak..."

"That's correct," Lorne replied in a stoic tone.  "I'm the only soldier Velno has left, unless you count the demon that Ace will soon encounter."  His face was fairly young, and his hair was snowy white.  He wore a bright blue vest and slightly torn jeans, and icy blue earrings hung gently from his ears. His icy, sapphire eyes met Mario's, and the plumber began to quiver in fear.

Why does this guy always send chills down my spine?  I shouldn't be afraid of him...  I need to focus... He's unlike any swordsman that I've ever met.  If I'm not careful, he'll cut me to bits.

"I believe I attacked you first the last time we clashed.  This time, you can have the first strike," Lorne offered, drawing his dagger.  Several moments passed, and Mario remained motionless.  "What's the matter, Mario?" Lorne's eyes narrowed.  "Can't you attack a fellow human?  Do you still believe that you can save your brother without ending my life?"

Don't let him get to you, Mario, the plumber told himself.  I succeeded in defeating Slade without killing him.  I can beat Lorne the same way.  "Alright, if you insist.  I'll make the first move."

Fated Clash (http://www.esnips.com/doc/59a87aa5-69c3-43a4-a5a4-ca121255ccab/Fated-Clash)

Mario started the battle off with a bang by launching an Ultra Iceball at his foe, freezing everything in its path.  "Bad choice," Lorne muttered, swinging his sword at the Iceball.  A gust of chilling winds spiraled around his dagger as it made contact with the ball, changing its color to a slightly darker tint and sending it careening back toward Mario.

"I almost forgot: one of your special abilities is the manipulation of ice.  I won't make that mistake twice!" Mario declared, releasing an Ultra Fireball to counter the Iceball.  The two elemental blasts collided with each other, thunder crackling throughout the room as warm and cold fronts slammed into each other.  At last, the blasts cancelled each other out and caused a downpour of tiny embers and ice chunks.  In the blink of an eye, Lorne dashed behind Mario and swung his blade at him.  The plumber dove forward and rolled to his feet.  He whirled around to see Lorne hastily pursuing him with his blade raised.  Mario lunged forward to land a Flaming Punch on his foe's chest, but Lorne's blade was too quick.

Mario staggered backward as a thin slash appeared on his arm.  "Just a scratch," he muttered.  Lorne raised his blade and dashed at the plumber again.  Mario placed his palm on the floor and froze Lorne's path with an Iceball.  Without missing a beat, Lorne skillfully slid along the ice and pointed his dagger at Mario.

"He always keeps his cool, no matter what.  How does he do it?" Luigi wondered aloud.  "No matter what Bro throws at him, Lorne is always ready for it."

Mario cupped his hands together and created a Flaming Blade.  His sword collided with Lorne's, causing a metal clang to echo through the room.  Their blades clashed several more times as they both fenced with extreme accuracy.  In the end, Lorne's blade slipped past Mario's and stabbed him in the lower chest.  Mario reeled backward, clutching his wound.  When Lorne pursued him, he lunged forward and added extra Elemental Energy to his Flaming Sword, extending the blade.  Still, Lorne dodged the stab with pinpoint accuracy and countered with a slash across Mario's arm.  Mario stabbed his blade into the ground, causing it to vanish in an explosion of flames.  Lorne leapt backward to protect himself from the blast.

Mario, breathing heavily, tried to think of a flaw in Lorne's strategy.  "Why can't I land a single hit on him?  No matter what I do, he predicts my every move...  Yet whenever he attacks me, I can't seem to figure what he's planning to do until it's too late."

Lorne's Theme (http://www.esnips.com/doc/e87dfe64-3850-463f-97f9-a939fc8c6b02/Lornes-Theme)

"Our skill level is more or less the same.  If I wanted to be honest with myself, I'd even say that you are a bit stronger," Lorne confessed.  "However, there is one factor that you will never be able to control.  It's a flaw that has leaked all over your fighting style and can never be cleaned up: emotion."

"Emotion?!" Mario parroted in disbelief.  "That has nothing to do with it!"

"But it does," Lorne insisted.  "My lack of emotion makes me entirely unpredictable.  That's what puts my strength so far ahead of yours.  When most people fight, including you, they allow their emotions to guide them.  You instinctively rely on certain signs that your opponent shows when he attacks you, and then you react accordingly.  This is a great defensive strategy that works against almost any opponent.  Even I use this strategy."

"Then how come it's only working for you?!" Mario demanded, his fists clenched with rage.

"The strategy only works if you can read your foe's body language and emotions.  I can read yours, but you can't read mine.  That's why.  I gave up on emotions long ago, and that is why you cannot defeat me.  Even as you stare into my eyes, your body instinctively tells you that I am unlike any human you've ever encountered.  That's why you fear me so much.  It's because you can never defeat me, because I have no weaknesses to exploit.  Your emotions are your weakness, and my lack of emotions is my strength."

"I think you're bluffing...  No one can just throw away their feelings..." Mario replied in disbelief.  "I think I'll just try again...  This time, I'll hit you with everything I have."

All or Nothing (http://www.esnips.com/doc/7e03b2f0-5a81-47e3-be09-94f566b6114e/All-or-Nothing)

Mario stood straight up and began to charge a Fireball in his hand.  "Last time we clashed with our strongest attacks, it was a draw.  Now that I'm feeling a bit stronger, let's see who comes out on top!" Mario announced with a grin.

"Strongest attack?" Lorne parroted in confusion.  "You think I showed you the full potential of my Blizzard Dagger?  Of course not.  However, if you really want to see it that badly, I'll show it to you!"  A whirlwind of ice surrounded Lorne's blade, and he stabbed it into the floor.  In mere seconds, the floor was covered in a thick sheet of ice.  "Now let's see whose Final Smash is stronger!"

Mario's speed drastically increased thanks to the speed of the Thunder Element.  Lorne and Mario rushed toward each other at full speed, and their attacks collided at the very center of the room.  "Nova Strike!" Mario bellowed as he released a full-powered Flaming Punch, displacing the air around him and sending thousands of wind bullets at Lorne.  Mario gasped in horror as he realized why Lorne had frozen the floor: it drastically increased his speed!  Quick as lightning, Lorne batted away all of Mario's wind bullets, dashed behind him, and landed a powerful slash across Mario's back.

"Is that really as fast as you can go?" Lorne inquired, unimpressed.  His eyes wide with terror, Mario fell to the ground in a pool of blood.

---

Countdown (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHbG3FDOeWc#movie_player)

As Ace briskly jogged through the western hallway of Mushroom Castle, he began to feel uneasy.  He stopped abruptly and looked around, feeling as though someone had burnt a hole in his back with an intent stare.  "I'm not alone..." he muttered, reaching for his deck of cards.  "Who's there?"

A pair of red eyes emerged from the shadows.  "My name... is Stolas."  Ace's eyes widened in fear as Stolas stepped out into the open.  He stood at about Ace's height and had pale blue skin and spiky green hair.  Vegetation sprouted from various parts of his body, making him look like a walking plant.

"You're a demon..." Ace observed with disbelief.  "But you're different somehow...  You're far more powerful than any of the demons we've encountered so far."

"That's because all of the ones you've fought thus far were ordinary demons," Stolas sneered.  "Each of them would be considered one of the strongest demons of their class.  However, there is a class of demons that you've likely never heard of.  I am what is known as a Grimnex.  I don't know much about our creation, but I was told that centuries ago, the Grimnexes were given life through a scientific experiment that went horribly wrong. Twenty four of us were created, and we were all incapable of reproducing.  Each of us is ranked based on our skill level and strength.  These ranks are derived from the Greek Alphabet, with Alpha being the strongest rank, and Omega the weakest.  Since our birth, many of us have died, and others have been replaced or deemed obsolete.  Now, including the four obsolete ones and the missing Alpha Grimnex, I'd say only about eighteen of us remain."

"Grimnexes?" Ace parroted nervously.  "I recall hearing of them a few times in the past.  Even though I'm the leader of Poker Face, I suppose there are still many things I have to learn about the enemy.  So, since you were so kind as to tell me about how your soldiers are ranked, would you mind telling me what letter you were given?"

"Gladly," Stolas snickered.  "I am the Digamma Grimnex."

"Digamma?  Wasn't that letter deemed obsolete?" Ace inquired.

"Yes, it was.  You see, I am one of the obsolete Grimnexes.  I lost my position on the team for accusations of treachery, and so I was given a letter that is no longer used in the Greek alphabet to symbolize my demotion," Stolas explained.  "But none of that matters now!  I may have been stripped of my original rank, but that doesn't make me any weaker!"

Ace nodded.  "Very well.  I suppose you've divulged enough information for now.  Now that you've told me about the Grimnexes, I can't possibly let Velno open the Nexus."

Demon Battle (http://www.esnips.com/doc/01a19fe0-ac2a-4efb-8033-1113ec0ba1c1/Demon-Battle)

Ace started off by drawing a card from his deck.  He smiled as he realized that the card was an ace of spades.  He instantly crushed it and aimed his opened palm at Stolas.  A purple cube began to materialize around Stolas, but he dove out of the way before it could trap him.  There was a series of explosions from within the cube, and then it vanished into thin air.

"Aw, your Final Smash didn't work?" Stolas taunted.  "I've heard all about you and your special ability.  When you crush an ace of spades, you can kill any ordinary enemy in an instant.  Luckily for me, I was able to dodge it with ease.  Now you can't use that technique anymore.  In a deck of 52 cards, there is only a single ace of spades."

It's a good thing I refilled my deck at that shop in Toad Town before we came here.  I'm gonna have to use every single card I've got, Ace thought.  He tossed a handful of explosive cards at Stolas, who retaliated by deploying one of the plants from his arm and using it as a whip to bat away the cards.  He gestured toward Ace with his arm, and plant quickly took the shape of a vine and wrapped around Ace's arm.  Spikes emerged from the vine like needles from a porcupine, stabbing into Ace's arm and causing him excruciating pain.

"I forgot to mention that each Grimnex has his own unique abilities and Final Smash.  I have complete control of plants, as you may have guessed.  I have several growing from my body, and I can always borrow some from the ground if I'm running short," Stolas chuckled.  "So, how do you think you'll fair against the might of a Grimnex?"

Ace grinned.  "I think I'll do just fine."  While Stolas had been busy bragging, Ace was able to search through his deck to find exactly the cards he needed.  He tossed a handful of cards at the ground in front of Stolas: a 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace of the same suite!  The cards began to glow as a black hole expanded across the floor.  An enormous disfigured hand reached from beneath the hole and wrapped itself around Stolas.  "When I was in my teens, I called this technique 'Straight to Hell', but I've since realized that the pun is pretty lame.  Basically, when I get a straight, I can open up a hole to the Underwhere and drag my opponents down to their death.  It's tough to accomplish in the heat of battle, but your arrogance gave yourself too much of an opening for me to resist."

Struggling with all of his might to resist the hand of death, Stolas made a strange gesture with his hands.  The room began to shake as Piranha Plants erupted from the floor.  They began to wolf down anything they could eat, including the cards that were generating the hole that was attempting to suck Stolas in.  One of the Piranha Plants lunged at Ace's deck of cards and swallowed it whole.  The disembodied hand sunk back into its dwelling as the black hole slowly vanished.  Stolas landed safely on his feet, glaring at his foe with pure hatred.

Ace gulped.  His cards- his only means of fighting- were gone.

Chapter 26: Cursed Memories, Part I

Mushroom Hero (http://www.esnips.com/doc/de663555-8bd0-469d-ab0f-700f64296001/Mushroom-Hero)

Blood flowing from his wounds, Mario soared backward into a solid brick wall.  His body hit the wall with a thud, and he bounced forward and fell face-first on the ground.  Trembling in pain and shock, Mario planted his hands firmly on the ground and slowly pushed himself up.  "He froze the floor, and the change in the environment is allowing him to move even faster...  Not only that, but his moves are impossible to predict..."

"Stay down," Lorne demanded, his voice firm and unwavering.  "Otherwise, I'll have to put you down for good."

Mario's eyes widened as he slowly staggered forward.  Visions of his training with Skulleon many years ago began to flow into his mind. 

"Mario, you are a skilled young man who has unbelievable potential.  However, as of right now, your moves are far too predictable.  You haven't managed to hit me once in this entire sparring session, and I've been able to strike you on multiple occasions.  As your instructor, I must inform you that this is a battle in which your enemy's perception surpasses your own.  You are allowing me to see too many of your emotions, whereas I'm showing you little to nothing.  If you want to win in a fight like this, you'll have to do your best to exploit your opponent's advantages and turn them into a weakness.  No matter how cold your enemy may be, turning his strength against him will evoke anger or frustration.  If he has lost control of his feelings, you have successfully placed yourself on an even playing field with your enemy."

"I remember..." Mario whispered.  "Skulleon's training..."  He clenched his fists and stared firmly into Lorne's eyes.  "Your strength... is the manipulation of ice...  But now, it's about to become your weakness."  He cupped his hands together and began to form another Ultra Iceball.

"Don't you remember what happened last time?" Lorne inquired.  "You're a fool if you think I won't be able to deflect it the same way I did the first time."

"We'll see about that," Mario retorted, grinning as he released an enormous Iceball at his foe.  Lorne gripped his dagger and stared the Iceball down.  Mario wasted no time and began sprinting toward Lorne.  With all of his might, Lorne swung his blade at the Iceball.  As it connected, steam began to rise from his sword.

"You mixed a small Fireball in with it?!" Lorne screamed in astonishment, struggling against the hybrid of ice and fire.  By the time he managed to overpower the elemental attack, Mario had already dashed behind him.

"Your strength is ice, but that means your weakness is fire!" Mario declared as he threw his strongest Flaming Punch at the preoccupied Lorne.  Just as the punch was about to connect, Lorne reached back with his free hand.  Shards of ice quickly gathered on his forearm and formed a blade, which he used to stab Mario in the chest before he could deal a fatal blow.

Flashback (http://www.esnips.com/doc/99babdcc-94c7-4446-ab31-ac6a501931b2/Flashback)

Mario fell to his knees, blood tricking from his chest.  "Yet another fatal wound," Lorne observed.  "It's over, Mario."

Wiping a thin stream of blood from his chin, Mario struggled to his feet.  "Heh... How did it feel... to have your power over ice turned into your opponent's advantage...?"

Lorne's eyes narrowed.  "Silence... That was just a fluke...  You still didn't manage to hit me.  And in case you forgot, your body is near its limit.  Just a few more cuts may prove to be fatal.  How do you expect to defeat me AND Velno?"

"I'll find a way," Mario replied with unwavering assurance.  "I'm still gonna beat you, emotions or not..."  He noticed that Lorne had begun to tremble a bit.  Is he feeling... angry?

"Your persistence... is starting to irritate me..." Lorne mumbled in a surprised tone.  He glared at Mario, a strange sensation of hatred burning in his eyes. "Everything you stand for... It all seems to contradict what I've been told..."  He shook his head, as if he was denying the dreadful truth.

"Lorne... What happened to you?" Mario inquired, suddenly feeling pity for his foe.  "What happened to you to make you want to throw away your emotions?"

"It's none of your business!" Lorne howled, swinging his dagger at Mario.  The plumber quickly formed a Flaming Sword in his hand and blocked Lorne's blade with his own.  Sparks erupted from the blades as the two warriors pressed them against each other with all of their might.  Mario took a step forward, and his Flaming Sword began to grow.

"Lorne, you have to open up and tell me what happened!  Whatever made you the way you are now, I can guarantee you that teaming up with Velno won't resolve anything!  You're just a confused young adult, struggling to find his place in life.  You hide from your problems by bottling everything up inside and showing absolutely no emotion at all!  How can you expect that to help?!" Mario screamed, his eyes burning with passion.

Lorne's grip on his sword weakened, and Mario landed a slash across his waist.  He took a step back and glared at Mario.  "You could never understand how lucky you are...  You had a father to look after you.  Our fathers went to battle against Lord Shade together many years ago, and my father was the first to die."

Mario's eyes widened.  "Our fathers...  You mean...?"

Lorne nodded.  "I'm not sure if your father ever told you that he had a brother.  Anthony, or as some people call him, Grambi, had a brother named Dante.  The two of them shared a strong bond, similar to the one you share with your own brother.  However, when Lord Shade attacked Brooklyn all those years ago... my father died in the battle, and your father lived on."

"That makes us... cousins..." Mario realized, his face turning pale.  "I had an Uncle Dante... who had a son named Lorne..."

"Your father escaped the battle while Dante met his end.  From there, he quickly sent you and your brother to the Mushroom Kingdom through a pipe in the sewers.  He died soon after, but he survived long enough to bring you two to safety.  My father never had such an opportunity...  My father died, leaving me alone when I was just an infant- too young to even remember my own name.  I was left in a doomed city... alone.  As fate would have it, Lord Shade found me and decided to recruit me.  To this day, I don't know why he would decide to enlist an infant in his army, but he did...  I would have rather died.

"From that moment on, every second of my childhood was pure misery.  I was given the name Lorne, because I always seemed gloomy and forlorn.  I was too weak to battle on the front lines, so I was forced to do all of the dirty work and chores.  I was treated like scum.  When Shade was in a good mood, he'd give me more work to do, and when he wasn't, I'd find myself getting beaten by his soldiers for no good reason.  I cried myself to sleep every night for years, but I never had the courage to commit suicide.

"One day, when I was wondering around the starship, I stumbled into a hidden room.  Inside, a small group of men were discussing ideas of rebellion- and their leader was Crimson.  They had each joined Shade's army because they had been promised wealth and power, but Lord Shade was the only one who had really benefitted.  Crimson decided that he was tired of following him, and so he was trying to convince as many soldiers as he could to leave with him:

"Um, excuse me..."

"Hey kid, are you tired of being treated like dirt?  Do you want to finally gain the strength to stand above all?"

"I'm not much of a leader...  Besides, I can't fight like you guys.  I couldn't imagine taking away another creature's life...."

"Disgusting emotions," Crimson spat in utter revulsion.  "Nothing in the universe could be more worthless.  You don't have to join us, but at least take my advice.  If you're going to live here as a soldier, you'll have to make yourself useful.  If not, Shade will just eliminate you.  To be of use to him, you'll need to become a warrior.  And in order to do that, you must throw away all emotions.  Listen carefully to my philosophy, Lorne.  To show feeling is to show weakness; therefore, if you show no feelings, you'll have no weaknesses.  You mustn't hesitate to kill another being if it benefits your own existence."

"I'll try..." Lorne replied hesitantly.

"Later that same day, I was attacked by Lieutenant, one of Shade's weaker officers.  With a wicked grin that I will never forget, he told me that Lord Shade had ordered him to kill me.  I was useless to him.  I didn't have the stomach for fighting.  I had no reason to be there:

Beads of sweat dripped down Lorne's face as he sprinted down the hallway with Lieutenant hot on his tail.  "Crimson!  Help me!"  He cried desperately for help, but received no response.  Instead, he found himself at a dead end.  Lieutenant quickly cornered him, his blade raised high over his head.  "Crimson... help me..."

"To show feeling is to show weakness; therefore, if you show no feelings, you'll have no weaknesses.  You mustn't hesitate to kill another being if it benefits your own existence."

"The words flashed inside of my mind like a neon sign.  I realized then and there that only the fittest survive, and that my hesitation to kill had only been holding me back.  I seized Lieutenant's blade in mid-swing and tore it from his grip.  Blood trickling down my hand, I quickly gripped the hilt, and with one swift motion, I pierced the man's heart."

"To show feeling is to show weakness; therefore, if you show no feelings, you'll have no weaknesses.  You mustn't hesitate to kill another being if it benefits your own existence."

"As he fell lifelessly in a pool of blood before me, tears formed in the corners of my eyes.  But I held them back.  By committing that one simple murder, I had made a pact to always follow Crimson's philosophy so that I would never again show signs of weakness.  I couldn't cry.  I could never cry again.

"Before long, I found myself searching for Crimson.  I tried desperately to hunt him down, hoping he would guide me to my next destination in life.  I found him just as he was leaving in the emergency space pods with his men.  I told him about my change of heart, and he decided that I would make a fine addition to his team.  And from that day on, I worked as a part of Crimson's gang.  I dedicated myself to whatever it was that Crimson was after.  That's why I'm here right now, working with Velno.  I was ordered to."

"I never knew..." Mario whispered in disbelief.  "You lived your whole life in misery and confusion.  You thought that Crimson made your path clearer, but it did the exact opposite.  Your vision became blurred, and all you could do was blindly chase after Crimson's goals.  Crimson manipulated a young boy's feelings for his own personal use, and for that, I can never forgive him!"

"Shut... UP!" Lorne screamed in pure detestation.  "You talk about noble deeds and how you'll fight Crimson on my behalf... but that isn't how the world really works!  People don't go that far out of their way to help others!  'You mustn't hesitate to kill another being if it benefits your own existence.' Crimson understands how people truly are!  If you want to survive, the only person you can depend on is yourself!"

A Pledge for Victory (http://www.esnips.com/doc/6f22957c-8e20-4758-986b-79664126e3d1/A-Pledge-for-Victory)

Lorne rushed at Mario with incredible speed and slashed at him with his Blizzard Dagger.  Mario swiftly sidestepped the attack. His emotions are pouring out... I can read him like a book!  Flustered, Lorne pursued his cousin and slashed several more times at him, desperately trying to end the battle.  "I understand your Final Smash's weakness!" Mario bellowed triumphantly.  "Ordinarily, covering the floor in a sheet of ice is a good idea.  But when you're fighting against the Mushroom Hero, who can manipulate the elements of fire, ice, and thunder, it'll only serve as a hindrance!"  He placed his palm on the floor, melting it with an enormous Fireball.  As the ice slowly melted into water, Lorne charged at Mario one final time.

"What's water gonna do?!  I'll prove to you that Crimson's beliefs are the only truth in the world!" Lorne exclaimed, raising his Blizzard Dagger.

"Heh, water alone won't do anything," Mario chuckled as he leapt high up into the air.  He cupped his hands together and aimed them at the ground.  "But water is the worst place to be during a thunderstorm!"  With a triumphant bellow, he launched an Ultra Thunderball at the pool of water, severely electrifying Lorne.

"Curses..." Lorne groaned as his body violently thrashed about, electric sparks erupting from his body.  He collapsed onto his back in agony.  "But if Crimson isn't right... then who is...?"

Victory (http://www.esnips.com/doc/64a37341-3ac7-44b0-8f77-7c86d5648f1d/Victory)

"That's something you need to find out for yourself," Mario informed him wearily.  "I don't expect you to start acting all heroic just because I defeated you.  You don't even have to stop believing in Crimson.  When two different beliefs meet, a conflict will often follow.  Velno believes that it is his job to release the demons of the Nightmare Vault into this realm, and I believe that it is my obligation to stop him."

"But why...?" Lorne inquired.  "Why do you go to such lengths to help other people...?"

"Because I feel like it," Mario replied simply.  "That's all there is to it.  I've come to believe that it's my life's purpose to protect this kingdom from anyone who wishes harm upon it.  And that's exactly what I strive to do, each and every day.  When someone gets in the way of that, and I can't reason with him, I have no choice but to fight him.  No matter how ugly things get, I do my best to move forward.  That's my philosophy."

"Moving forward..." Lorne whispered.  "...I understand now...  I'll try to do the same.  I'll keep moving on and search for my own purpose in life.  Thank you, Mario.  To be honest, I've never truly been happy with the lifestyle Crimson's gang offered."

"Sure," Mario replied with a nod.  "It's what I do."

Lorne reached into his pocket and pulled out a golden key.  "Here's the key to your brother's cell.  You'd better hurry.  The Nexus Gate is almost open.  As for me, I think I'll just wander around this kingdom for a while."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?  Those wounds I gave you..."

Lorne slowly rose to his feet.  "I'll be okay.  But before I go, I need to show you something very important.  There's always been something eerie about Velno.  He told me about a room in this castle that I should never enter.  As a loyal follower of Crimson, I obeyed him.  Now that I've decided to go off on my own, I have to know what Velno's been hiding.  Will you come with me?"

Mario nodded hesitantly.  "Before we go, I'd better free my brother."  He pulled out his Max Mushroom and split it in half, handing one half of it to Lorne.  "Here; have some."  He jogged over to Luigi's cell.  He placed the key in the lock and turned it, causing the electric bars to deactivate.  The door swung open, and Luigi embraced his brother.  "Bro, you did it!"

"I guess you heard everything that went on."

Luigi nodded.  "Yeah.  It's all starting to get too complicated.  One minute I was with you, and then I woke up in this cell.  Minutes later you came in and started fighting this guy who said he was our cousin.  It might take me a bit to assimilate."

"Lorne wants to show me something, and it sounds like it could be important.  I told Ace to meet me in the central hallway.  Will you go there in my place and lead him to Velno?  I'll be right back to join you guys."

"Sure," Luigi agreed.  "But I'd better tell you how to get to Velno so you don't get lost on the way back."

---

Desperate Struggle (http://www.esnips.com/doc/1fd3ca93-e1ee-46b8-a97e-ce146b2c39d1/Desperate-Struggle)

Ace staggered backward, his body covered in vicious gashes and scrapes from Stolas' thorny plants.  I don't know how much longer I can keep this up...  Mario, I'm sorry...  Without my cards, I'm powerless against a Grimnex...

"What's the matter, Ace?  I thought the leader of Poker Face would put up a better fight than this," Stolas sneered.  A long vine extended from his palm and launched across the room at Ace.  Thorns erupted from every pore on the vine as it cracked down toward Ace's head.  The demon dove to the side, narrowly dodging a fatal blow.

Ace struggled to his feet, breathing heavily.  My power has always been sealed deep within my body, and the only way I've ever been able to bring it out is through the distortion of different symbols and shapes.  The easiest way for me to do so was to carry a deck of cards.  Without them, my best bet is to find an alternate way to use my powers...

A second whip extended from Stolas' body and lashed toward Ace.  The leader of Poker Face gradually backed himself into a corner as he dodged slashes from the two whips.  Before he could counter, he felt his back hit the wall.  Cornered, he could only watch in horror as Stolas thrust his dual whips at him.  Ace instinctively ducked, successfully dodging the attacks that had been intended to slice off his head.  Instead, the vines lashed into the wall, sending fragments of stone in all directions.  Without a second thought, Ace snatched one of the rocks and began to scrape it against the floor.  He circled around Stolas, avoiding his whips while still pressing the rock fragment to the ground.

"You're using that stone to draw pictures on the floor?  How childish.  But if that's how you want to spend your last moments, fine!" Stolas cackled, swinging his whips at Ace with all of his might.

"Please work," Ace muttered, staring at the enormous spade he had inscribed on the stone floor.  He bent over and drew a capital 'A', completing the drawing.  Moments before the whips cracked down on his position, he rolled out of the way and glared intently to see if his strategy had been successful.

Stolas' eyes widened in horror as he realized what Ace had intended to do all along.  Stolas was standing in the center of an enormous spade, which Ace had inscribed on the floor with his stone.  As his whips crashed into the space that Ace had just occupied, the force sent dozens of chunks of the floor soaring into the air, effectively 'distorting' Ace's spade.

"It's a homemade ace of spades!" Ace declared, clasping his hands together as a purple cube materialized around the astonished Stolas.  This time, he could not react quickly enough, and Stolas was trapped inside.  The room was silent except for Stolas' cries of agony.  Inside the cube, thousands of blades were slicing apart every inch of his body, similarly to how they diced Pyro in one of Ace's previous battles.  "I can't believe that worked!  I drew an ace of spades on the floor, and Stolas smashing it with his whips was the equivalent of me crushing the card in my palm."

He exhaled a heavy sigh of relief.  "A Grimnex... I can't believe I actually defeated one... and without my cards, at that."  Feeling a sudden sense of pride, he marched toward the room's exit.  "Let's just hope that I'm on my way to the correct tower..."

Suddenly, a fierce rumbling shook the entire room.  Ace cringed in fear, praying that the Nexus Gate had not been opened by Velno.  However, the Nexus was the least of his worries.  His heart leapt into his throat as he saw the ground split apart with a violent tremor.  Plants and vegetation emerged from the gap, and in the center stood a colossal Piranha Plant.  The plant's mouth opened and revealed Stolas, whose disembodied figure was bound to the back of its throat.

"Did you honestly think a Grimnex could be defeated so easily?" Stolas snickered wickedly.  "You should give me a little more credit.  A Grimnex would never die without using his 'Final Smash', as humans call it.  In the Nightmare Abyss, we call it 'Nex Mutatio', which roughly translates to 'Death Transformation'.  Each of us has a distinct transformation or ability that makes us unique.  This is mine.  I can merge myself with all surrounding plant life.  In a place such as the Nightmare Abyss, where life is scarce, my powers aren't as useful.  But on a planet with such a vast abundance of plants, I'm nearly invincible."

"So I guess I only won half the battle," Ace sighed, breathing heavily.  "I don't know how I'm supposed to fight a giant Piranha Plant that's being controlled by a Grimnex... but I have to find a way..."

"Don't be so glum," Stolas said with mock sympathy.  "After all, I am the demon that took away the one most important to Glaive.  I'm sure he'd be angry if you took the pleasure of fighting me away from him.  One the other hand, you were supposed to stop me, weren't you?  Glaive waited for you to come, and you never arrived."

A vine covered in spikes sprouted from the ground and sprang in Ace's direction.  The demon wearily prepared to dodge it, but fell to his knees in exhaustion.  "I'm sorry... I just don't have the strength to keep fighting...  Please forgive me... Mario...  And Glaive... I can never make up for what happened-"

Just as the vine was about to pierce Ace's heart, Ace felt a gust of wind rush by his head as the vine split into two pieces and fell to the floor.

Glaive's Theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kFYvSrxSGw)

"You don't need to vent all of your problems to this scum," Glaive muttered, standing beside Ace with his blade drawn.  "We'll talk later.  Right now, I think it's about time I made up for all the battles I missed."

"Glaive, you're here!" Ace exclaimed joyfully.  "If we fight him together, he should go down easily."

Glaive took a step toward Stolas.  "No.  I'll fight this trash alone.  He took Sara away from me."  He pointed his blade at Stolas.  "You asked me to remember your name, Stolas.  How could I forget about the demon that killed the one person I cared about?  Stay out of this, Ace.  This is personal.  Besides, I don't think you'd be of much help without your cards.  I'm sure you understand."  Ace started to protest, but Glaive cut him off.  "Trust me...  I've changed..."

Ace nodded.  "Very well.  I'll leave this to you."  He turned and disappeared in the darkness of the next hallway.

Glaive stared into Stolas' eyes.  "You..."

A wide grin spread across Stolas' face.  "You shouldn't have sent your ally away.  The both of you might have stood a chance against me.  What do you intend to do alone?  In case you forgot, I nearly killed you the first time we met.  Now, years later, I'm even stronger.  How do you expect to have any chance at victory?"

Glaive's eyes gleamed red with hatred.  "You... I've made myself enemies with quite a few people in my life...  Lord Shade tried to use me by manipulating my emotions, and when Mario defeated him, he became my rival.  But you... you and the Beta Grimnex...  Both of you are at the top of my list!"

Several more mammoth Piranha Plants sprouted from beneath the ground.  "You're just one tiny demon against an entire army of plants..."

"Do you really want to know why I sent Ace away?" Glaive inquired, trembling with rage.  "I did it because I didn't want him to see what I'm going to do to you!"

Chapter 27: Cursed Memories, Part II

Five colossal Piranha Plants sprouted from the ground, with Stolas' plant in the center.  Drowning in the darkness of their shadows was Glaive, his sword held readily in his grip.  His eyes shifted from one plant to the next, silently calculating his next move.  One of the plants lunged at him, and he quickly leapt out of the way of its wide-open mouth.  The Piranha Plant's mouth smashed into the floor, scattering debris in all directions.  Glaive raised his sword above his head and dashed toward the plant, which was now lying horizontally on the floor.  With one precise cut, he slashed the head clean from its body.

Another plant sprouted from the ground, instantly replacing the one Glaive had killed. "Not bad, Glaive, but there will always be more plants for you to fight no matter how many you kill!"

Glaive stabbed his sword into the stem of one of the Piranha Plants and used it to climb up to its head.  From there, he leapt onto the plant that contained Stolas.  Using his blade to pry its mouth open, Glaive viciously lunged at Stolas.  Just before he reached his target, the Piranha Plant spit him out and onto his back.  Like hungry predators, all of the Piranha Plants lunged at the fallen warrior to claim their next meal.  From Stolas' view, all that could be seen was a horde of massive Piranha Plants desperately fighting for their dinner.

"What a pathetic way to die," Stolas sneered.  "He became plant food.  How pitiful.  I almost wish I could have killed him with my own two hands, but it seems that my pets are feeling especially hungry today."

Fighting Spirit (http://www.esnips.com/doc/94554fe8-00ca-47e9-8077-3cba6f046ef9/Fighting-Spirit)

A flash of red lit the room as the seemingly feasting Piranha Plants were incinerated in a burst of bluish flames.  "Don't worry; you still might get your chance," Glaive chuckled as he stepped out from the plants' charred remains.  He was wearing a silver t-shirt and black pants, and his armor lay piled up next to him.  "Ah... It's so good to finally take all of that heavy armor off." 

Stolas gasped, recognizing Glaive's face from all of those years ago.  "So, it really is you.  But I thought you couldn't live in this world without wearing that armor to shield you from the sunlight.  It may be dark in this castle, but there is still enough light shining through the windows to affect you."

Glaive pushed his spiky black bangs out of his eyes.  He smoothed his hands over his fair skin, finally feeling like a living creature again.  "You have no idea how much I hated wearing that armor all the time.  So I decided it was time for me to learn to survive in this world without it.  It took a lot of patience and a great deal of pain, but now it looks like I can say goodbye to my armor for good.  Not only will my speed increase, but I can use my flame abilities as well- I think your deceased plants are familiar with them."

"Taking off a few pieces of armor isn't going to help you," Stolas insisted, shaking his head.  "Allow my plants to demonstrate."

With a single gesture of his hands, Stolas sent a dozen mammoth Piranha Plants at Glaive.  The demon warrior held his ground and slowly raised his burning fist.  A wall of flames erupted from his palm, burning each of the plants to a crisp.  "You may have an advantage in an environment with more plant life, but none of that matters if your plants are exposed to fire."

"So my ordinary plants aren't a challenge for you?  In that case, I'll have to summon the Elite Plants," Stolas declared as a blue Piranha Plant with black spots sprouted from the ground.  It lunged at Glaive, who immediately responded with a tower of flames.  Although the plant seemed to take some damage, its tough skin allowed it to resist most of the demon's flames.

"These take longer to incinerate," Glaive noted.  "Perhaps it'd be easier just to chop them down."  Three more Elite Plants emerged and sprang at Glaive.  In a series of blurs, Glaive effortlessly dodged their strikes.  The singing of metal echoed through the room as the warrior swiftly sliced each of the plants apart.  "I'm done playing games.  Are you going to fight me yourself, or can you even fight alone?"

Stolas grinned.  "Hmph.  You thought that those weak plants were the main components of my Final Smash?  The true purpose of the plants is to distract my opponents while I attach myself to one of the plants and suck out all of the nutrients in the soil.  While you were busy showing off, I was gathering precious energy from all around us.  Now I'm ready to fight you myself."

"That's more like it," Glaive sighed, eager to slaughter his opponent.  "I've been waiting for this."

"Be careful what you wish for," Stolas chuckled as his Piranha Plant slowly sank into the ground.  He stepped out of the plant's mouth, his body glowing with a green light.  "Such power... I can feel it pulsing through my veins..."  Stolas' hand quickly reformed itself into a vine in the shape of a blade.  "Enough fooling around.  Let's finish this."

Glaive tested the sharpness of his blade.  "For once, I agree with you.  I don't have much time to waste on vengeance, so I'll have to make this a quick slaughter."

---

Flashback (http://www.esnips.com/doc/99babdcc-94c7-4446-ab31-ac6a501931b2/Flashback)

"Empty," Ace whispered in disbelief.  "I can't believe it was all for nothing...  Hopefully Mario is having better luck than I am."  He turned around and stared at the pitch black hallway he had just emerged from.  He thought for a moment, and then shook his head.  "No... I need to make sure that Glaive relies only on himself for this battle.  For the sake of his pride... and my own..."

"That was a job well done, Ace.  You have successfully driven the Phoenix soldiers from Shambles.  You know, I've been thinking about retiring for ten years now.  Before you joined us, it was only just a dream.  I knew that I was the only one fit to lead Poker Face, and that made it my obligation to do so.  When you came along, I knew that it wouldn't be long before you became skilled enough to be my successor."

"What are you saying, Commander?" Ace inquired in disbelief.  "Are you really putting me in charge?"

"You're the Commander now, Ace.  I'm confident that you'll be a great leader." 

Just then, a solder rushed into the room, flustered and breathing heavily.  "Commander, we've received reports of an attack in Wreckage."

The Commander smiled warmly and began to walk out.  "Cole, Ace is the new Commander.  Treat him just as kindly as you treated me."  With that, Ace was left in charge of the entire Resistance military.

"I don't know why he has so much confidence in me," Ace mused apprehensively.  "What if I do something wrong?  I don't know if I can handle such an enormous responsibility."

"You'll do fine," Cole reassured him.  "For your first mission, you'll need to investigate the attacks in Wreckage.  Our sources say that the culprit isn't a Phoenix demon, but rather an Olympian."

Ace gasped.  "You mean someone from the outside world?  How did he get in here?  What does he want?"

"It's your job to find out," Cole replied.  "We're counting on you."

As Ace and Cole left the room to prepare for their mission, a distress signal echoed through the empty room.  Another Phoenix raid was occurring in Shambles- Glaive's hometown.  Not a soul was around to respond.

"I can't believe the mess I got myself into," Ace whispered, recalling events from his past.  "The Olympian that had been attacking was none other than Lord Shade.  He had broken into the Nightmare Vault in search of recruits for his own army.  Many Phoenix demons were too strong for him to approach, so he went after the Resistance ones.  I remember fighting an evenly matched battle with Shade... and at such a young age...  But how could I have ever known that as I was battling Shade, Glaive's heart was being ripped to shreds.  He waited for me to save him... but I was too late..."

---

Blood stained the floor as Glaive and Stolas viciously slashed at each other with all of their might.  The floor had been completely eradicated by Stolas' Piranha Plants except for the occasional chunks of debris.  Breathing heavily, the two warriors rushed toward each other once again.  The room was silent except for the metal clangs that echoed from the demons' passionate sword swings.

Glaive reeled backward, his bloody hand fiercely gripping his katana.  "I can do this alone... I have to...  It's the only way... for me to avenge Sara and to take the guilt off of Ace's shoulders..."

"My, you certainly have improved," Stolas observed with an evil smirk.  He raised his blade high above his head and prepared for one final strike.

Glaive gripped his katana with two hands and dashed toward his approaching foe.  The two sprinted at each other at full speed, sweat trickling down their foreheads and blood dripping from their wounds.  A teardrop formed in the corner of Glaive's eye as he brought his sword forward, remembering the final chapter in a tale he would never forget.  As the two warriors collided, Glaive's vision went black.

"As if it hadn't been enough to lose her once..."

Glaive travelled for days, living off of eating corpses and drinking from occasional rivers or streams.  At last, he reached his destination.  "This is where the ones who killed Sara are.  I'll slaughter any fool that dares to stand in my way!"

Glaive barreled straight through the front doors, slashing at any solder that crossed his path.  He was overcome with rage, which gave him exceptional skills with his blade.  A single demon with a burning passion was slowly doing the impossible- he was infiltrating the strongest Grimnex hideout in existence!  He slashed apart hundreds of sentries before they even had a chance to react. His invasion did not go without injury, but the pain meant nothing to him.  His body was bloodied and beaten, but nothing could douse his fiery passion. For a time, it seemed as though he was invincible.  However, it soon faded away along with any sliver of happiness that remained with him.

"I am the Beta Grimnex, Botis.  I'm in charge of this fortress, and it appears as though you've come to file some sort of complaint," a demon informed him with a wicked grin.  He stood tall above Glaive, staring down at him with a piercing glare.  His pale green skin gave him the appearance of a snake, sending chills down Glaive's spine.

"You're the one who ordered the attack on my village!" Glaive howled with rage, swallowing his fear and rushing at his new foe.

In a flash of light, Botis drew and sheathed his sword.  In this short period of time, Glaive was on the ground in a pool of blood.  "Learn your place," Botis spat as he prepared to deliver the final blow.  "Did you not hear me say that I was a Grimnex?  We are an experimental breed of Phoenix demons that are renowned as the most powerful warriors in the Nightmare Vault.  We are ranked by the Greek lettering system, and in the absence of the Alpha Grimnex, I am the strongest of them all.  You were doomed the moment I laid eyes on you.  But before you die, I have something to show you." 

Sara entered the room, dressed in a grey vest and a black cloak.  Her eyes were red, and the compassion was drained from her voice.  "Hello, Glaive.  I've decided to join the winning team.  If you were smart, you would have joined too."

Botis' sword hovered in the air for a moment, until blue flames began to erupt from Glaive's lifeless body.  Botis staggered backward in fear.  "What are you?  Where did those flames come from?"

Glaive slowly rose to his feet.  "How... dare you..."

Botis shook his head.  "What are you talking about?  I guess you can't handle the fact that Sara is now a member of my squadron.  Face it.  She no longer wants anything to do with you."

"Shut up!" Glaive exploded, the flames engulfing him growing even larger.  "How can you sit there and claim to own Sara's trust!  I knew her my entire life before you took her away from me!  I know who Sara is, and that person standing beside you isn't her!"  He rushed at Botis one final time, before being swatted away with minimal effort.

"There is no place in this fortress for the likes of you," Botis spat in disgust.  With a flick of his wrist, a portal opened below Glaive and began to suck him in.  "However, you do seem to house some strange powers.  If you can manage to come back here someday, perhaps I can get you a position in the Phoenix army."

For a moment, as I sank into that dreadful void, I could swear that I saw a tint of blue in her eyes.

Glaive awoke in a murky, rocky wasteland.  Though his eyelids were open, he could do little else with his battered body.  For hours, he lay sprawled on the ground, with Sara pervading his thoughts.  Not only had he lost his beloved, but Botis had to rub it in his face.  In time, it was his rage that allowed him to move.

Equipped with nothing but his sword, Glaive sought to survive the wilderness and find his way home.  It became evident that he would never see Sara again- the real Sara, anyway.  As soon as he came to accept that, his life gradually became less painful.  But now that he wasn't staying alive for Sara, he had to find a new goal to strive toward.  Simply surviving for the sake of living would not ease his misery.

"Of course!  One day, you'll be even better than he was.  You'll find a way to lift the curse on our realm, and you'll end this war once and for all.  I just know you will, Glaive."

"Sara..." he mumbled, remembering the words she had spoken to him long ago. Soon, his new goal became clear.  "I need to lift the curse on our land, if nothing else.  I'll never be able to live in peace with Sara, but at least I'll be able to fulfill her wish to save the Nightmare Vault."

Years passed.  After becoming accustomed to living in the wild, Glaive transformed from a teenage boy into a young man of eighteen.  Four years in the wilderness had given him maturity, patience, and- most of all- impeccable skill with a blade.  It was at this time that Glaive finally found his home.

Glaive's discoveries did not surprise him.  "My parents are dead, and there are only a few stragglers left.  But in the end, none of it matters.  Once you've lost the thing most important to you, nothing else is worth grieving over."

He ducked as a breeze rushed past his head.  A lone soldier of the Phoenix had swung his blade where Glaive's head had just been.  In mere seconds, Glaive stabbed the warrior in the heart and sliced him into tiny pieces.  "I can't be satisfied with killing such a trivial weakling.  I won't be happy until this realm's curse has been lifted.  Once that's all over, I need to make sure I pay a visit to Botis."

"So, you aspire to put an end to this land's dreadful curse?" a wicked voice from behind him inquired.  "It is a most daunting task.  I fear that even one as skilled as you could not do it in a single lifetime."

Glaive whirled around to face the abomination that would soon bring misery to his life.  "Who are you?"

"Me?" the man parroted with an evil glint in his eye.  "I am Lord Shade.  I've come to this realm looking for anyone that may be interested in joining my army.  Of course, many creatures here are too powerful for me to approach.  So, how'd you like to join me?  As a member of the Shadow Shrowds, you could have anything you desired."

Glaive's eyes widened.  "Could... Could you lift the curse from the Nightmare Vault?"

Shade's grin widened.  "Why, of course!  Join me, and the residents of this land can bathe in the sunlight whenever they please!  All you have to do is leave this realm for a bit to help me secure a position of authority in the outside world.  Is that not agreeable?"

"Very well," Glaive agreed.  "But first, I have something to do."  He turned to face the direction of Botis' fortress.

---

"At last, I've returned," Glaive announced as he entered Botis' fortress.  It was completely barren, and the only sound was the howling of the wind outside.

A figure stepped out of the shadows.  "Who are you?"  Glaive instantly recognized his pale green skin and unparalleled tallness.

"Botis, it's me," Glaive responded.  "I believe you made some kind of promise for a position in the Phoenix army."

Botis grinned.  "So it is you.  I just knew there was something special about you.  But... Unfortunately, there aren't any positions left..."

"Too bad," Glaive answered, turning to leave.  "I've got something else to attend to.  But I'll be back someday, and if this war still hasn't ended, I'll be taking your place.  Stay alive until then."  Without another word, he left.

Glaive's eyes slowly fluttered open.  He was lying face down in a pool of blood.  Beside him, Stolas' corpse had been split into two pieces.  "I did it... Sara...  Once this is all over, I'll be paying Botis a visit..."  He sheathed his sword and slowly rose to his feet.  "But first...  I need to take care of Velno."

---

Dreadful Discovery (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tPcUX_9HxI&feature=related)

"So, what exactly did you want to show me?" Mario inquired as he and Lorne jogged through the maze-like castle.  "You said it had something to do with Velno, right?"

Lorne nodded.  "That's correct.  It's something that Crimson once told me.  This was long ago, while Velno was still alive during Lord Shade's invasion.  When he learned that Velno was still alive, he couldn't believe it.  He told me that Velno's technology was far too obsolete for him to still be alive.  But after he was killed, Crimson used the Resurrection Cannon to bring him back.  The cannon's function is simply to piece the fragments of any of Shade's broken robots back together.  It cannot, however, extend a robot's expiration date.  For example, if Velno died twenty days before his expiration date, he'd have twenty more days to live after he was revived."

"I get it," Mario affirmed.  "You're saying Velno is long past his expiration date, and yet somehow he's still alive."

"Exactly," Lorne replied.  "It's strange...  If Crimson thought he was supposed to die soon, why would he bring Velno back with the Resurrection Cannon?  More importantly, why would Crimson put a robot who was supposed to expire in charge of such an enormous operation?  I can't seem to figure it out."

"And you think we'll find the answer inside of the room Velno told you to stay out of?"

"Yes.  There's no doubt in my mind."  Lorne stopped at an old wooden door.  It had many dents and chips, and a sign that said 'Keep Out' was posted on it.  "Here we are.  Are you ready, Mario?  I've got a bad feeling in my gut."

Mario nodded firmly.  "It's time to find out the truth."

His hand trembling, Lorne slowly gripped the doorknob.  He gently turned it and pushed the wooden door open.  The door creaked open, and Mario and Lorne stepped inside.  The smell of corpses quickly filled their noses.  Mario and Lorne gasped in horror at what they saw.  They were inside of a narrow, dimly lit hallway with a low ceiling.  Hanging from each wall were dozens of dead bodies- many of them decrepit and disfigured.

"What... what is this?!" Mario exclaimed, his face pale with horror.  "All of these corpses... Why would he be keeping them here?"

Lorne walked down the corridor, looking both ways in an attempt to identify the bodies.  Mario followed him silently.  Lorne stopped dead in his tracks.  He gasped.  His arm quivering with fear, he pointed to a familiar dead body hanging from the wall.  "It's... Hunter..."

"But I buried him!" Mario shouted, his rage growing by the second.  "Why would Velno go to the trouble of digging him up?!"  As they proceeded, Mario found another familiar face.  "Vetis... the leader of the demons we fought in the Nightmare Vault.  What is he doing here?  And Bowyer, too..."

Lorne's eyes widened as they noticed a few empty spots on the wall.  They were labeled 'Lorne', 'Slade', 'Glaive', 'Ace', 'Luigi', and 'Mario'.  "It looks like he's planning to add a few of us to his collection... What could he want with all of these bodies?  It doesn't make any sense..."

"Could he be using them to somehow preserve his own life?" Mario wondered aloud.  "Many of these corpses have missing body parts and look like they've been torn apart...  This is sickening..."

"That could be possible, considering what Velno truly is," Lorne began.  "He was an experimental creation.  Shade wanted to know what would happen if we took a human and replaced all of his organs with mechanical parts.  When he attacked Brooklyn, he captured an innocent human and ordered the experiment to be conducted on him.  The man was turned into a machine that could consume others and steal their energy in order to become stronger.  He was then covered in horrifying armor that gave him the appearance he has today.  However, Crimson said that the mechanics behind his creation were poor, and the creature's life was directly tied to the human that it was made out of.  The human's body was supposed to rot in only a few months.  Somehow, Velno has managed to live much longer."

"Then these corpses...  He couldn't possibly..." Mario muttered in disbelief.  As they moved to the end of the hallway, they reached one of Velno's first victims.  It was then that Mario caught a glance of something he never should have seen.  He stared in disbelief at the woman hanging from the wall.  His body trembling with shock, terror, and rage, Mario identified the corpse as the woman he murdered with his own two hands.  "Pauline..."

Quivering with rage, Mario understood everything at once.  "VELNO!" he screamed with pure rage, storming past Lorne toward the room Luigi had instructed him to go to.  The final battle was about to begin, and there was no turning back.

Chapter 28: Sacrifice

Mario said nothing as he sprinted through the desolate castle toward Velno's location.  His fists were clenched, and beads of sweat were dripping down his face.  Velno... if I find out that it was you who caused me all of this pain... I'm going to tear you to shreds...  At last, he came to a staircase that spiraled downward into a black abyss.  The plumber furiously descended, eager to learn the truth from Velno.  His feet pounded on the steps as he made his way down, finally arriving in a cave-like corridor.  Noting that this part of the castle was entirely new to him, he followed the hallway until he emerged in a cavern of solid brownish red rock.

Velno Confrontation (http://www.esnips.com/doc/d5019192-27b7-4671-a647-c8c1fe9b0789/Exhaustion)

"Welcome, Mario.  You're a bit late," Velno greeted him with wicked sarcasm.  "What kept you?  Your friends tried to team up on me, but they were easy to subdue with your brother's Inner Darkness."  He pointed to three glass chambers attached to the wall.  Trapped inside of them were Luigi, Ace, and Glaive. A thin purple mist flowed into the chambers through a series of tubes.  The captives' eyes were pale and lifeless.  At the opposite end of the room, the Star Rod was wedged into the ground beside a swirling purple vortex.  It wouldn't be long before the Nexus was open.

"What did you do to them?!" Mario demanded through clenched teeth.

"I used the Inner Darkness that we extracted from your brother.  Right now, they are trapped in their own bodies.  They can still see and think, but their bodies are completely paralyzed.  Soon, they will forget who they are and become mindless, sinister dolls," Velno explained with glee.  "You can save your friends from this torture.  You can save yourself from being killed by them sometime in the future.  All you have to do is murder them now, and they'll no longer be a threat to you.  Go right ahead.  I won't stop you."

"Shut up!" Mario thundered.  "I'll find a way to save them, right after I deal with you!"

"You're always so merciful.  You never want to kill anyone if you don't have to.  But on that rare occasion that you do resort to murder, it darkens your soul and sends you into a state of confusion.  The evil within you begins to grow, and you start to question who you are.  Remember your fight with Lord Shade?  You tried so hard to spare him, but he refused to change his ways and left you with no choice but to kill him.  Think back to a more recent battle.  Hunter died after you fought him.  So what if he killed himself?  Your fight with him ultimately led to his suicide.  What about all the demons you've slaughtered?  Did you even once consider their feelings?  They used to be just like you, until they were sealed away in the Nightmare Vault.  You can slay a demon without a second thought, but the moment you learned that Slade was a human you refused to kill him.  And why should that matter?  It's been that way for thousands of years.  The Olympians sealed the demons away forever in the Nightmare Vault, leaving them to die in a brutal civil war."

Mario vs. Velno (http://www.esnips.com/doc/a22356d3-220b-4c60-8fe8-d2a6a626ad47/Mario-vs-Velno)

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Mario exploded, finally succumbing to his rage.  He sprinted forward and threw his strongest right hook at his opponent.  Velno blocked the attack with his forearm, and the two locked into a fierce standoff as they pushed against each other with all of their might.

Velno grinned.  "Don't you see?  You may think that you're different, that refusing to kill humans sets you apart from everyone else, but you're just like all the others.  If you can demonize someone, it instantly becomes okay to kill him.  Your definition of a 'demon' simply differs from most other humans."

"What do you know?" Mario shot back, throwing a left punch at Velno's face.  The cyborg leapt backward and fired a yellow ray from his arm.  Mario rolled to the side and hurled a Fireball at Velno, who performed a wall-kick to dodge the blast.  He zoomed directly at Mario and fell victim to a devastating Thunder Punch that sent him tumbling into the rock wall.  The plumber pursued his foe with another punch, but Velno evaded the attack.  Instead, Mario's fist smashed into the wall.

"You should really try to calm down," Velno snickered.  "You'll never hit me if you're too irate to focus."

"Me?  I'm calm.  Calm enough to tear your head off without staining my gloves!" the plumber retorted, furiously charging at Velno.  The cyborg caught his next punch, but Mario followed with a left uppercut that connected with Velno's jaw.  As he staggered backward, Velno launched another yellow beam from a pistol built into his palm.  The ray struck Mario's shoulder, tearing off part of his sleeve and leaving a minor bruise.  Velno followed up with several more yellow blasts, all of which Mario deflected by creating a shield of ice.  As he closed in on Velno, Mario created a Flaming Sword and prepared to cut his foe to bits.

"Such a primitive technique," Velno sneered as he swatted the blade away.  In one swift motion, he sliced across Mario's chest with his razor-sharp claws, leaving three minor cuts.  Mario reeled backward, clutching his bleeding chest.  He lunged forward and performed a roundhouse-kick that connected with the creature's face.  Mario prepared to follow up with a right hook, but Velno caught his arm before it made contact and tossed the plumber aside.

Mario sprang to his feet and stared into his opponent's eyes.  "I still don't understand why you're doing this.  You used to be a human, but you were turned into a robot by Lord Shade's scientists.  Now, years later, you're caught up in some elaborate scheme to wreak havoc in this kingdom.  Your goal is to open the Nexus Gate and create a passage that demons can use to travel into this world at their leisure.  Why?  What could you possibly have to gain from this operation?  What would you benefit from if hordes of demons were released into this world to destroy everything as we know it?  What do you get out of all of this?!"

"You could never understand," Velno responded coldly.

"You get... NOTHING," Mario screamed as he rushed up to Velno with breathtaking speed and unleashed a blow that contained all of his rage compressed into a single punch.  A faint red aura surrounding his fist, the plumber punched through the cyborg's chest, shattering part of Velno's armor.

Velno Confrontation (http://www.esnips.com/doc/d5019192-27b7-4671-a647-c8c1fe9b0789/Exhaustion)

"Now you'll see... who I truly am..." Velno whispered.  He burst into insane laughter as his armor began to crack and fall apart, revealing the horrifying creature within.

Mario gasped in horror as he pulled his fist away from Velno's chest.  Before him stood a man with long black hair and cold, piercing black eyes.  His body was covered in scars, and his skin was warped and disfigured in many different areas.  Several different skin tones covered his entire body, and Mario even recognized some of his features.  He immediately knew that his suspicions were true.  "I can't believe you'd sink so low..."

"I believe you questioned my motives," Velno stated icily.  "You have no idea what it was like.  You haven't experienced the horror of being blinded as all of your organs are slowly removed.  All of my senses were gone, but I still felt alive.  I stayed in that void of darkness for hours, not able to see, not able to hear, not able to think; I could only remember that I still existed.  Somehow, I knew I was still alive.  The moment I awakened, I found a pair of red eyes gleaming down upon me.  Crimson had modified my programming to ensure that I obeyed only him.  So the moment I could think for myself, I ran away from Lord Shade.  I escaped into Brooklyn.

"Even though I had been transformed into a machine, some of my human instincts remained.  The instinct to survive burned deep within my heart, and so I searched for a way to live.  Originally being a human, I found that I could use the bodies of other humans to restore youth to my own.  It was like putting makeup on.  I would remove the flesh from another's body and add it to my body.  However, the surgical procedure that turned me into a cyborg made it impossible for my cold, nonliving flesh to merge with a living human's.  I found that I gained the best results from corpses, and the skin from young females seemed to last the longest."

"Young females..." Mario whispered.  "Young females... like Pauline...?"

Velno nodded, an evil grin spreading across his face.  "If that's what your girlfriend was called, then yes.  I attacked you on that night in order to obtain Pauline's body, which was ideal for preserving my life.  You were a bit stronger than I had expected, so I retreated into the sewers of Brooklyn for a while.  In time, I learned that you had accidentally killed Pauline at the end of my attack.  So I made my way to her grave, dug up her body, and used her corpse to preserve my own youth.

"Before long, I had quite the collection!  I stored all of the corpses in the sewers of Brooklyn, where no one dared to venture because of rumors of a man-eating beast- which was me, by the way.  In time, I grew bored of my struggle for survival.  I wanted to seek revenge on my creator and reunite with Crimson.  That's when I discovered the pipe that led to the Mushroom Kingdom.  When I emerged in Forever Forest, we had our first encounter in several years.  After a brief skirmish, I retreated to hide my precious corpses.  I buried them underground in an obscure area of Forever Forest.  Just as I suspected, no one discovered my collection.  Remember when I chased Metal Mario into Forever Forest not too long ago?  After I devoured him and defeated you, I left because I said that I had something to take care of.  Do you know what I was doing?  I was digging up my corpses so that I could move them into Mushroom Castle.  Does it all make sense now?  I have preserved my existence for years by stealing the flesh of dead humans!  And I don't plan on dying anytime soon!"

"You're really sick..." Mario whispered, gritting his teeth to hold back his temper.  "...This time, I'll make sure that I shatter more than just your armor..."

"Really?  I admire your bravery, but be warned: this is my original, strongest form," Velno informed his opponent.  "I may look human, but I'm still a machine on the inside.  I still have all of Metal Mario's data, which means I know all about your fighting style and attacks.  Can you say the same about your knowledge of me?"

Mario vs. Velno (http://www.esnips.com/doc/a22356d3-220b-4c60-8fe8-d2a6a626ad47/Mario-vs-Velno)

Velno raised his right arm, and a Fireball erupted from his palm.  Mario used an Iceball to cancel it out and dashed toward his enemy.  Just as he was only a few feet from his target, Velno froze a portion of the ground with an Iceball.  The sprinting plumber immediately lost his balance and slipped directly into one of Velno's Thunder Punches, sending him soaring backward into the rocky wall.  With a loud thud, Mario bounced off the wall and landed face-down on the ground.

He struggled to his feet and stared at Velno, who was confidently making his way toward him.  Those attacks...  He used a Fireball, Iceball, and Thunderball...  Metal Mario's data even allows him to copy my moves?

"Pretty nifty, huh?" Velno sneered.  "I can mimic every technique recorded in Metal Mario's database."

"Just great," Mario groaned, preparing to continue his struggle.  "Looks like I'll have to step up my game a bit."

Is he planning to transform? Glaive wondered, lifelessly watching the battle.  This sucks...  All we can do is sit back and watch Mario handle everything on his own...  I can't take it anymore!  I want to fight alongside him!

"Tri-Elemental Form!" Mario bellowed as his body lit up with a splendiferous rainbow of colors.  Vivid lights flashed from his body, and Velno shielded his eyes from the aura's brilliance.  I don't know if that voice inside of my head is going to start acting up or not, so I'd better get the job done quickly!  He charged forward at Velno, leaving a rainbow trail behind him.  Gathering all of his might into one punch, Mario threw a bone-breaking right hook at Velno's face.

"This is the technique that defeated Lord Shade?" Velno inquired, unimpressed.  In his right palm, he had caught Mario's fist before it struck him.  Mario broke free and threw a fierce series of punches and kicks, all of them aimed at the cyborg's face.  Each and every blow was blocked by the cold and calculating Velno, who immediately ended the combo by striking Mario's chest with a devastating uppercut.  As the plumber soared upward in agony, Velno performed and roundhouse-kick that sent him tumbling onto the floor.

"This doesn't look good..." Mario muttered, coughing up a mouthful of blood.  "But my Tri-Elemental Form still has plenty of time!"  His confidence was shattered Velno sprinted up to him at record-breaking speeds and grabbed him by the throat.  Holding him up with one hand, Velno nailed the plumber in the stomach with a series of fierce right hooks.  Mario writhed in pain, coughing up blood as he struggled to break free of the maniacal machine's grasp.

"You should see how pathetic you are," Velno spat, slamming Mario into the rock-solid ground and kicking him into the wall.

Bro, how are you going to get out of this one?  All three of us are trapped, Velno is picking you apart, and time is running out.  What are we going to do? Luigi thought, powerless to stop Velno.  I... I have to find a way to help...

"Why do I always get myself into these messes?" Mario chuckled weakly as he forced himself into a battle stance.  "Velno wasn't lying...  He knows all of my moves, and he can predict almost anything I do because of the data from Metal Mario...  Wait a minute...  If Metal Mario hasn't seen it, maybe Velno won't be able to counter it!"  His rainbow aura still flowing from his body, Mario prepared to use his trump card.

"And just what do you think you can do?" Velno inquired smugly.  "There's nothing about you that I don't already know.  And I owe it all to Metal Mario."

"That's what you think!" Mario retorted, electric sparks radiating from his body as he charged at Velno.  His right fist began to burn with a bright red flame as he gathered energy for his Final Smash.

"Do you really think I didn't know about that little attack of yours?" Velno cackled, unleashing a colossal red annihilator beam from the pistols in his palms.

Mario gasped in horror, unable to slow down as he dashed straight toward the blast.  It was too late.  His attack would be wasted on getting rid of Velno's beam.  He leapt into the air and put all of his might into his last hope- his Final Smash.  "Nova Strike!" the plumber howled, unleashing a flaming punch that sent hundreds of wind bullets toward the blast.  Velno's annihilator beam was no match for the attack, and quickly evaporated under the stress of Mario's attack.  "......Double!" he continued, spinning around in mid-air to keep his momentum going strong.

"Double?!" Velno wheezed in shock as Mario brought his left fist forward and struck Velno, performing a second Nova Strike with his free hand!  Velno let out screams of pure anguish as he was pummeled by thousands of brutal wind bullets created by Mario's fierce punch.

Mario fell to his hands and knees, both of his fists bruised and bleeding.  Maybe I overdid it a little...  It's too bad...  I was planning on dedicating both of those Nova Strikes to Velno, but I had to waste one on countering his annihilator beam.

His body covered with blood and gashes, Velno staggered forward.  "Impressive...  You were planning it all along...  The power of your Tri-Elemental Form plus the impact of two consecutive Nova Strikes...  I'm lucky that I was able to stop at least one of them with my blast.  It saved my life."

Mario's eyes widened with terror.  "You mean...?  You can still fight...?"

In only a few moments, Velno regained his composure and stepped forward as though nothing had happened.  His eyes narrowed, and his voice grew deep and hateful.  "For all the damage you've caused me, I'm going to make you suffer like never before..."  He dashed forward and kicked the exhausted Mario.

The plumber landed on his back, and his Tri-Elemental Form slowly faded away.  Breathing heavily, Mario remained motionless as he tried to regain his strength.  How much longer can I keep this up...?

All of his techniques have been proven useless...  Where does Mario go from here? Ace thought, frantic to discover a way to regain control of his body.  This is a fate worse than death...  I'm forced to be a prisoner in my own body as I watch Mario take the beating of his life!  I can't stand it anymore!

Mario placed his trembling palms on the ground and, with great effort, pushed himself up to his feet.  "I'm out of ideas... I don't... have anything... left..."

Sacrifice (http://www.esnips.com/doc/491565f2-1095-4ff8-8899-8cea2786c1e4/Sacrifice)

"Why don't you just accept your failure?  This battle is over.  There's nothing left for you to do," Velno assured him.  "You can't beat someone who knows everything about you.  Though you put up a good fight, you can never succeed."

Mario glanced over to the chambers in which Luigi, Ace, and Glaive were imprisoned.  His eyes widened.  "That's it...  Velno, you once said that your master wanted to create an opponent that was superior to me.  He sent Metal Mario after me to study my moves and abilities, and then you absorbed him and took over from where Metal Mario left off.  You know all of my moves, and you can even mimic them.  Your master succeeded.  He managed to create the ultimate opponent for me to face."

"Where are you going with this?" Velno asked, uninterested.  "Are you finally admitting defeat?"

Mario grinned.  "Your data makes you superior to me in every way.  It's a fact.  But what if you were fighting someone other than me, such as those three guys over there?"

Velno followed Mario's stare to the chambers that restrained Luigi, Ace, and Glaive.  After a moment, he began to laugh at the thought.  "Brilliant plan.  And just how are they going to regain control of their bodies?"

Mario's grin widened as a tear dripped down his cheek.  "It's simple.  You're controlling their bodies, but they can still see everything that's going on.  If they experience a great enough shock, I have a feeling their bodies will snap back into reality.  You should never underestimate their will.  I've been fighting alongside them for a while now, and I know firsthand how strong their resolve can be.  All that I need to do is cause a great enough trauma for them to find the motivation to break free."  He stepped forward, his fists clenched.

"You're not really planning to...?" Velno wondered aloud, his pompous grin turning into a puzzled frown.  "Are you really going to go that far just because you have a hunch that it will work?"

Mario nodded.  "It'll work.  Trust me.  If they experience enough emotional shock, they'll snap right back to reality.  And that emotional shock... will be witnessing my death."  His sapphire eyes lit with determination as the cave shook with a fierce rumble; the Nexus Gate would soon be open.  Chunks of rock began to collapse from the ceiling as the shaking grew stronger.  Even as the cavern began to crumble around them, the two warriors remained motionless as they stared into each other's eyes.

Luigi's face remained emotionless.  However, deep inside his heart, he was crying.  Bro!  You can't do it!  You're always the one who saves the day!  You can't put everything on our shoulders, and you can't let yourself die!  Please, reconsider this!

Glaive silently acknowledged his ally's bravery.  Mario...  What honor...  He knows he can't win, so he's passing down the torch to us...

Mushroom Hero (http://www.esnips.com/doc/de663555-8bd0-469d-ab0f-700f64296001/Mushroom-Hero)

Mario walked toward Velno without any signs of fear or doubt.  "So, let's resume our little match.  Of course, we both know what the result will be- unless you're afraid to kill me, that is."  He sprinted up to Velno, leapt into the air, and attempted to kick the cyborg in the head.  Velno caught his foot and tossed him aside.  The Mushroom Hero nimbly rolled to his feet and charged at his foe once again.

He's going all-out without any fear of death, Glaive observed.  He's allowing himself to die, but he refuses to go down without a fight.  I want to look away...  I don't want to witness his death... But I must...  I must honor his sacrifice as he fights with everything he has, even though he has no chance of survival.

Mario!  You mustn't do it! Ace shouted from within the depths of his soul.  You can't sacrifice yourself!  You're our only hope!

Velno parried Mario's assault and retaliated with a combo of devastating punches and kicks.  As the floor was stained with Mario's blood, the sound of the plumber's cracking bones could be heard.  The robot ended the beating with a vicious knee to Mario's gut, sending him rolling onto the ground with a scream of agony.  Battered and beaten, the Mushroom Hero stood up and prepared for more.  He refused to die without a struggle.

A tear formed in the corner of Luigi's eyes.  Bro... You don't have to sacrifice yourself for us.  Just give me some time!  I'll find another way to break free!  I swear it!  Please, don't die just to give us a reason to break free...  If only I wasn't so helpless...  I always need you to help me in some way; I can never do anything on my own!  Even now, I'm among the only ones who can save you, but I can't break free without you holding my hand every step of the way!  It isn't fair!  Why can't I find the strength to come to your aid?!

Glaive's body began to tremble.  We've done so much up to this point...  Mario...  I can't believe that it all came down to this...  Isn't there any other way...?

Mario stepped forward, his fists clenched.  Tears streaming down his cheeks, he sprinted at Velno one final time, his body emanating with a blue aura of determination.  With one final smile, he glanced at his restrained allies for the last time.  With his heartbreaking farewell over, he stared directly into Velno's eyes as he drew closer and closer...  Velno nodded solemnly as his hand jerked forward...

Misery (http://www.esnips.com/doc/d619a5c9-87a5-457e-ba44-edfa6c194952/Super-Mario-Bros.-6:-Misery)

Time seemed to move in slow motion.  The room was silent.  A fountain of blood sprayed into the air as Mario's body soared backward.  He seemed to hover in the air for a short time before collapsing onto his back with a lifeless thud.  Blood flowed from an open gash on his left breast.  In no time, the plumber was lying on his back in a pool of blood.  Velno stared at the body lying lifelessly before him, as if he was questioning his actions.

"The Demonic Trials have ended.  The challenger has failed," Velno whispered softly.

Glaive, Ace, and Luigi stared at Mario's corpse for several minutes, the color of their eyes gradually returning.  They stood motionless, as if confused by the results of Mario's struggle.  Never before had they ever imagined what it would be like to experience their hero's death.  To them, he was an invincible beacon of hope.  At last, his mortality became clear to them, and they began to view the horrors Mario had been through in an entirely different light.

The room erupted with a fierce crackling.  The Star Rod's golden brilliance faded to a lifeless gray, as if symbolizing Mario's death.  It clattered to the floor, and the purple vortex beside it expanded across the entire wall.  Their time was up.

The glass chambers shattered, and tears streamed down the heroes' cheeks- tears of blood.

Chapter 29: A Demonic Resurrection

Mario's Death (http://www.esnips.com/doc/50b5eeba-adf2-4951-a113-a5ad44fcd318/Fierce-Determination)

"Is it really over?" Velno wondered aloud, staring at Mario's lifeless body.  "I actually defeated him.  I've managed to do what no one has ever done before, and yet I feel... empty...  This wasn't the result I was looking for..."  He noticed that the Nexus Gate had finally opened, and shook off his feelings of doubt.  "Regardless, I have a duty to fulfill.  I have to venture into the Nexus, find the gateway that leads to the Nightmare Vault, and open it."  Without another word, he stepped into the purple vortex and vanished without a trace.

"Mario..." Glaive whispered, stepping out of his chamber.  "He's really dead...  I never thought I'd see the day..."

A device strapped to Ace's waist burst into a sequence of beeping sounds.  His body trembling, the demon slowly reached down and brought the gadget to his hear.  "What is it?"

Luigi emerged from his chamber, his cheeks soaked with tears.  Instead of crying, he merely stared at his brother's corpse in disbelief.  Never before had he witnessed such a shock.  Seeing his brother lying dead before him was too much to bear.  He couldn't even cry.  His body began to quiver with silent rage as his bloodshot eyes targeted the portal that Velno had vanished into.

Ace, still shivering in awe, silently listened to the man on the other end of his phone call. "I'm sorry.  I cannot do that," Ace replied firmly, his hands shaking.  "I heard you the first time.  I don't care if Zeus gave the orders; I still refuse... No.  This is more important."  With that, he hung up and turned to face the Nexus Gate.

"Who was that?" Glaive inquired, trying to lift the cloud of darkness that hung above their heads.

Ace sighed.  "I just received strict orders from Zeus himself.  He says that we have to retreat for now.  He doesn't believe that I am fit to handle a situation of this magnitude.  The Nexus is open, and he isn't fully confident that I can finish the job.  Of course I refused, even if it costs me my job.  This is personal."

Glaive nodded, and Luigi stepped forward.  After a few moments of silence, he rushed forward into the Nexus, and was quickly followed by Ace and Glaive.  No matter how bleak the situation was, they were prepared to sacrifice everything to avenge their fallen hero.

---

Peach heaved a deep sigh as she stared out the hospital window at the full moon.  "Oh, Mario...  Why do you have to make me worry so much...?"  A tear suddenly dripped down her cheek, and her body began to tremble.  She gasped, as if she could feel Mario's death.  "Mario!  Something happened to him!"

"You're just being paranoid," Kay T. assured her.  "Mario is going to save the kingdom, just like he always does.  The best thing for us to do right now is to wait until he comes back."

Flustered, Peach pushed her aside and stormed out of the door.

"Maybe we should follow her," Mark suggested.  "If she's going to check on Daddy, it'll probably be dangerous.  She'll need us to protect her."

"Good idea," Luke agreed.  "Besides, she might be right.  Daddy could be in trouble, and it's our job to help him."  The two brothers eagerly rushed out of the room after Princess Peach.  They were completely unaware of the horrors had occurred deep beneath Mushroom Castle.

---

"So, this is the Nexus?" Velno wondered aloud, slowly taking in its dark atmosphere.  He found himself in an enormous circular hallway, torches lining the inner part of the circle and tall doors lining its circumference.  The walls and ceiling were painted black, and the soft carpet beneath Velno's feet was dark red.  "It's so simple... and yet, it looks exactly as I pictured it.  All of these doors lead to a different dimension.  Now... which one leads to the Nightmare Vault?"

Duel of Tears (http://www.esnips.com/doc/f6c22694-d849-4490-8dbb-ffcf2caa3d30/Duel-of-Tears)

"You'll need time to figure out which door to open, and time is something you no longer have," Ace informed him as he emerged from the shadows with Luigi and Glaive.  "You didn't really think you could just walk away from us after what you did to Mario?  I'm gonna make you pay, even if I don't have any cards to use against you."

Glaive drew his sword and pointed it at the cyborg.  "It's a good thing you've entered the Nexus, since you'll be passing through the door that leads to the Underwhere very soon... The pain that you've caused cannot be forgiven."

Luigi's body began to burn with a dark green flame.  "Remember that Inner Darkness that you mentioned earlier?  I can feel it burning inside me even stronger than before...  It's feeding off of my hatred for you!"  With a chilling battle cry, he sprinted forward and launched a wave of dark flames at his foe.

Velno made a swift vertical motion with his hand, causing a wall of ice to rise from the ground.  The ice wall blocked Luigi's flames, but the fierce plumber shattered the wall with his fist and threw a right hook at the cyborg's face.  Velno caught Luigi's fist, kneed him in the stomach, and elbowed him into a nearby wall.  Ace followed suit and threw a combination of punches and kicks that Velno effortlessly blocked.  Velno raised his palm and fired a series of yellow beams, causing Ace to back off and take cover.

"Luigi isn't the only one who can use flames!" Glaive declared, lighting up the room with his blue inferno.  He unleashed a wall of fire from his left palm, which Velno quickly doused with an Iceball.  Realizing that his flames were ineffective against Velno's water-based attacks, Glaive gripped his sword and dashed toward Velno.  Raising the blade above his head, the demon leapt into the air and slashed downward at his foe, who caught the blade between his middle and index finger.  With a pompous chuckle, Velno tore the katana from Glaive's hand and tossed it aside.  Without missing a beat, Glaive engaged Velno in hand-to-hand combat.

Meanwhile, Ace caught Glaive's sword and began to carve a shape into the floor.  Luigi caught on and formed a Flaming Blade in his hand, slicing at the ground in the opposite direction.  As the shape was completed, Luigi signaled for Glaive to move out of the way.  Glaive fled backward and launched a flame at the ground, sending chunks of debris flying into the air.  Ace clapped his hands together, and an explosion erupted inside the symbol he and Luigi had carved.  Smoke and ash obstructed Ace's view as he attempted to assess the situation.  Had Velno finally met his end?

Just as he was about to celebrate, Velno dashed out of the smoke clouds and grabbed Ace by the throat.  He slammed the demon into the wall and prepared to choke him to death.  "Did you think you could kill me with such a weak explosion?  If so, you are gravely underestimating the durability of my skin.  I am completely mechanical on the inside, and my skin is compiled from hundreds of dead humans.  It's too bad you won't get the chance to learn from your mistake."

"Ace!" Glaive screamed, picking his sword up from the floor and sprinting madly toward Velno.  With one swift strike, he stabbed the cyborg in the back.  The blade only sunk a centimeter or two into Velno's skin.

Velno grinned.  "Not good enough, Glaive."

It was Glaive's turn to laugh.  "Actually, I think it was."  Flames erupted from his palms and engulfed the blade.  Almost immediately, the blade detonated in a violent explosion.  Ace fell to the floor, desperately gasping for air.  "That's one of my last resorts," Glaive explained.  "I sometimes store gunpowder in the blade of my sword, just in case.  All I have to do is light it up with my flames, and it explodes."

"How intriguing," Velno sneered, emerging from the dust and debris with only minor injuries.  "Against a normal foe, it would have worked wonders.  But against me, I'm afraid it won't help you.  And now that you've sacrificed the blade of your sword for that attack, it's only a matter of time before you run out of tricks."

---

Approaching Destruction (http://www.esnips.com/doc/4d020885-419b-43da-90de-189528bddee9/Approaching-Destruction)

Meanwhile, back in the underground cave in Mushroom Castle, Slade and Grambi emerged.  "Thanks for taking me here," Grambi thanked Slade.  As he walked forward, he spotted Mario lying face-up in a pool of blood.  He fell to his knees, struggling to hold back his tears.  "Mario... I can't believe you met your end in such a horrible manner..."

Though he did not shed any tears, Slade appeared to be saddened by Mario's death.  "If Mario has been beaten, it's likely that the situation is as grave as you've been told.  We don't have much time.  We can grieve for Mario later.  First we need to take care of business."

Grambi nodded.  "Very well...  Allow me to explain my plan...  Long ago, the four Oracles of Power- the Star Rod, Power Star, Shadow Rod, and Z Star, were created to keep the balance of negative and positive energy in check.  Without the Star Rod, that balance will soon be thrown off, and the world will face an even larger threat.  I need to start by destroying the other three Oracles of Power, eliminating the imbalance altogether.  The world has evolved much over the years, and the need for the Oracles of Power has diminished."  He dropped the other three Oracles of Power in a pile next to the drained Star Rod.

"So how do you plan to destroy them?" Slade asked, puzzled.  "I didn't even know they could be destroyed."

"With a spell that only a few people in the Overthere and Mt. Olympus know," Grambi replied.  He clasped his hands together.  "Per vox of Zeus, deleo illa quattuor oraculum."  A red circle surrounded the oracles, and a black hole opened up in the floor below them.  A high pitched rasping blasted through the cavern as the oracles sunk downward into the abyss, never to be used again.

"So that's it, huh?  What do we do next?"

"Next, I must create a barrier around the Nexus that will keep everyone out- and in.  This way, demons cannot use it as a tunnel to escape into this realm, and Velno will never wreak havoc ever again," Grambi explained.  "We're making a great sacrifice, however.  When people die, they won't be able to pass through the Nexus into the Underwhere.  They'll float around as spirits in this world for all eternity.  Not only that, but people that are currently in the Underwhere won't be able to pass on into the Overthere.  There are a lot of downsides, but Zeus absolutely refuses to let the demons escape."

"If you're sealing everyone in, then Luigi, Ace, and Glaive will be trapped with Velno in the Nexus," Slade informed him.  He stepped forward.  "And you'll be trapping me too."

"You mean they didn't retreat as Zeus ordered them to?!" Grambi thundered.  "In all of my years as king of the Overthere, this may very well be the hardest thing I've ever had to do.  Perhaps it would have been best if you hadn't told me that."

"Either way, I'm going after them.  I want to fight on Mario's behalf just as badly as they do.  Even if I spend the rest of eternity there, it'll still be worth it.  Besides, I don't have anything better to do.  Now that Mario has opened my eyes to the futility of my efforts, I have nothing left to live for."  With that, Slade sprinted into the Nexus after Velno.

"How could I ever live with myself if I went through with this?" Grambi wondered aloud, staring blankly at the Nexus Gate.  "What do I do?  I shouldn't let the lives of a few people take priority over the lives of millions... but it still doesn't feel right...  I wish there was some other way to handle this..."

Internal Struggle (http://www.esnips.com/doc/768822e2-75ab-47b1-a892-0eb03e6114a5/Internal-Struggle)

Grambi looked back at his son's corpse, struggling to find an answer.  He didn't notice that the fatal wound on Mario's left breast had started to glow a deep red color.  A gentle pulse echoed through the silent cave.

"...You let yourself die?  How pathetic!  You always find a way to screw things up.  Don't you understand?  I already told you that if you die, I don't have a body to inhabit- and that just can't happen.  I need you for a bit longer, so until then, I cannot allow you to die.  I can restore you... but only if you agree to allow me to make a few 'changes' to your body..."

"What do you want from me? Who are you?  Where did you come from?"

"Me?  I AM you, and everything you represent.  Even in death, you cannot escape me.  You cannot comprehend what I am.  In one sense, I am the body that your soul resides in.  In another sense, I am a part of the very same soul that you possess.  I can be everything about you, and at the same time, I can be nothing at all."

"Just leave me alone!  I never agreed to coexist with you!"

"You never had a choice.  You were born with me at your side.  However, I awakened much later on.  It was you that woke me from my slumber.  And from now on, I'm only going to get closer.  And very soon, you will be the one trapped in an endless hibernation, and your body will belong to me forever!"

Grambi heaved a deep sigh and aimed his open palms at the Nexus Gate.  "Forgive me..."  Suddenly, his spell was interrupted by a fierce rumble.  He whirled around and saw vivid flashes of red erupt from Mario's body.  The room shook, and chunks of debris began to collapse from the ceiling.  Mario's' eyes slowly opened, and a red aura began to swirl around him.  He gradually rose to his feet and observed his injuries.  They were all still there.  Yet somehow, he was still alive.

"What... happened to me...?" Mario inquired, staring at his open palms.  "I feel... strange...  How am I still alive...?"

"Mario!  What's going on?!" Grambi screamed in horror.  "I thought you were dead!  Just look at those wounds!"

"Oddly enough, I feel fine.  In fact... I feel even better than usual," Mario said with a confident grin.  Even as he spoke, blood continued to drip from his wounds.  "I haven't felt this good in a while.  I think I'm ready for a rematch with you-know-who."

"You can't!  I have to seal the Nexus right away!" Grambi protested, still pale with shock.

"Why would we do something so drastic when there's still a chance I can stop Velno?  I have to at least try.  I don't know how long my body's going to hold out.  I'm alive for now, so I might as well make use of my existence.  Besides, I'm the Mushroom Hero.  If you seal up the Nexus, it means that I couldn't do my job.  It's my duty to keep this kingdom safe, so let me handle this while I'm still alive.  If I die, then you can do whatever it was that you were planning to do."

Grambi nodded slowly.  "Okay...  But I'm counting on you!  Oh, and Slade joined the battle too!  They're all fighting somewhere in the Nexus!"

"Thanks for the tip.  I'll be back soon.  But as to whether I'll be returning as a live human or as a mere corpse... that remains to be seen."  With one final wave and an uncertain grin, he disappeared behind the purple vortex.

"Mario... What's happening to you?"

---

Duel of Tears (http://www.esnips.com/doc/f6c22694-d849-4490-8dbb-ffcf2caa3d30/Duel-of-Tears)

Glaive gripped the hilt of his blade, staring intently at Velno.  "So, you think that my blade is gone for good?  Trust me; it's a lot easier for me to make a substitute than you think."  He began to channel his flames into the hilt until blue flames in the shape of a blade emerged.  "I'm not backing down until I'm sure that you're rotting away in the depths of the Underwhere!"

Glaive swung his blazing sword at Velno, who effortlessly parried his attacks with his index finger.  At last, the cyborg grabbed the flames and doused them with an Iceball.  With Glaive's sword rendered useless, Velno landed a powerful right hook on the demon's gut before kicking him to the ground.

With a bloodthirsty scream, Luigi emerged from the shadows and blindly charged at Velno.  The plumber put everything he had into one final assault, desperate to avenge his fallen brother.  Despite his efforts, each and every one of his attacks was rendered useless by the cold and calculating Velno.  Growing more impatient by the minute, Velno swatted Luigi away with a single blow.  The plumber collapsed onto the ground beside his two fallen comrades.  Not one of them could find the strength to stand up.

"I hope I'm not too late to join you," a voice echoed from nearby.  The three heroes gasped in surprise as Slade stepped onto the battlefield.  "I'm glad I decided to drop by.  It looks like it's not too late to put an end to Velno's plan.  Not only have I just arrived to assist you, but Grambi is also at the entrance to the Nexus as we speak.  He's sealing up the gateway that you worked so hard to build.  What a pity."

"Slade!  First you fail to defeat Mario, and then you betray me?!" Velno thundered angrily.  "For your treachery, I will sentence you to the same fate as these three fools."

"Wrong.  For the murder of Mario, I will sentence you to an eternity of pain.  We'll be trapped in here forever, not even able to pass on to the Underwhere if we die.  Your plans have failed."  Slade drew his Nightmare Blade and prepared to battle against his former master.  "Since we're going to spend the rest of eternity in here, we might as well make the most of it."

Fighting Spirit (http://www.esnips.com/doc/94554fe8-00ca-47e9-8077-3cba6f046ef9/Fighting-Spirit)

"That's very noble of you, Slade.  I really appreciate it, but the plan's off.  Grambi has decided to give me another shot at sending this trash to the scrap heap."

"That voice..." Luigi muttered in disbelief.  "It couldn't be..."

"It is him..." Glaive whispered, staring intently at the shadows from which a familiar figure emerged.

Mario arrived on the scene, blood still dripping from his wounds.  His face was covered with cuts and dried blood, but the hero was grinning from ear to ear.  "Sorry I made you all worry.  I'm touched that you made such a noble effort to avenge me, but it turns out that I'm not dead after all.  Well, having died once before, I know for a fact that he did kill me.  For a while there, I was actually dead.  But somehow, I managed to reclaim my life- though I'm not sure why or for how long.  Whether it's only temporary or for keeps, one thing is for sure- I'm ready for a rematch, Velno!"

Slade turned to face Mario, his eyes widened.  "But your injuries... You're in no condition to be fighting!"

"I've been through much worse, especially during my battle with Lord Shade.  Besides, although it may not look like it, I feel great.  In fact, I haven't felt this good in a while.  I've got this strange feeling surging through every vein in my body...  I'm not sure what it is, but I like it!  I can feel a strange power pulsing inside me, and I think it just might be the key to beating this chump."

As he stepped forward, Glaive noticed that a red aura was swirling around him like a gentle tornado.  "That power...  It's completely different from anything Mario has used in the past.  Usually he emits a blue aura that represents his fierce determination... but this... This is something completely brand new...  And strangely enough, it almost feels familiar somehow..."

Mario vs. Velno (http://www.esnips.com/doc/a22356d3-220b-4c60-8fe8-d2a6a626ad47/Mario-vs-Velno)

"I can't believe he actually managed to survive..." Ace mumbled.  "What a guy..."

"That's my Bro!" Luigi cheered.  "I knew he wouldn't die so easily!  He's back, and he's stronger than ever!"

Not wasting any time, Mario and Velno charged at each other and began to exchange a ferocious combo of punches and kicks.  Mario landed an uppercut that sent Velno reeling back, but the cyborg quickly regained his balance and performed a roundhouse-kick that caused Mario to skid backward in pain.  The plumber quickly retaliated by lunging forward for another blow to Velno's face.

"Wait a minute..." Glaive muttered, recalling some of Mario's earlier battles.  "This aura...  I've seen Mario with this aura a few times before...  There was one time in the hospital against Yaridovich, and I think I caught the same vibe from him when he and Hunter battled for the first time in Forever Forest.  I also recall seeing the red aura when I was spying on Mario's battles in Blizzard Peak."

"Mario's all over this fight!  I don't know what happened to him, but he's fighting on an even playing field with Velno!" Luigi observed excitedly.

Glaive frowned.  "Hmm... But somehow, this time is different from the other times that red aura has appeared.  In the past, whenever Mario's aura turned red, his personality changed entirely.  He would be overcome with feelings of anger and hatred, and he wouldn't hesitate to kill his foes in the most brutal fashion.  This time, his personality hasn't changed a bit.  He's still the same cool and confident warrior I've come to know...  But what does this all mean?  Am I getting myself worked up over nothing, or is Mario in serious danger?"

Mario and Velno simultaneously slammed each other with their hardest punches, sending each other staggering backward.  Both of them stopped to catch their breath.  "You certainly are full of surprises," Velno said with a grin.  "Now I understand why you have been chosen."

"Chosen for what?"

"You'll find out soon enough.  But for now, we must decide who the victor will be."

Before their fight could resume, Slade intervened.  "Velno, before you continue this fight, please tell me something.  My plan to seek revenge on the human race...  My desire to slaughter my very own parents...  What was supposed to happen after you released the demons into this world?  What about me?"

A wicked smile spread across Velno's face.  "That's an easy one.  Though you shouldn't use phrases like 'supposed to happen', as I'll be continuing the operation as soon as I deal with this plumber.  At any rate, the demons from the Nightmare Vault were supposed to storm into this realm and destroy all life as we know it- including you.  I would be the sole survivor, and I would use the bodies of the demons' victims to reign over this abandoned world forever.  Since you've already betrayed me, I don't mind telling you this, but I never cared about you or your aspirations.  I did care that you favored demons over humans, and that you wanted to release the demons from the Nightmare Vault to destroy this world.  That desire made you easy to control.  When this was all over, I was planning to eliminate you anyway.  You've already served your purpose.  You were the perfect pawn, and for that, I thank you.  Farewell."  Velno aimed the pistols in his palms at Slade.

Just as Velno fired his attack, Mario swiftly intercepted the beams and deflected them with a single swipe.  His head was hung low, and his body was quivering with rage.  "Hunter... Lorne... Slade... You toyed with their emotions... and then you planned to kill them when they were no longer useful to you..."  The red aura surrounding his body began to expand, and the entire room started to shake.  A blinding purple flare flashed from the plumber's body, causing everyone in the area to shield their eyes.  When the light finally died down, everyone gasped in unison.  Standing before them was an entirely new Mario.  His shirt was a shade of purple, his overalls were dark green, and his skin had a slight tint of purple.  Instead of their usual sapphire color, his eyes were as red as the aura that surrounded him, which was now glowing brighter than ever.

Chapter 30: A Hollow Victory

As the vivid flashes of red light faded away, each of the warriors gasped in unison.  Mario had gone through a transformation unlike any other.  His shirt was a shade of purple, his overalls were dark green, and his skin had a slight tint of purple.  Instead of their usual sapphire color, his eyes were a deep shade of red.  The plumber's body began to quake, and his eyes locked with Velno's.

"What... happened to you...?" Velno inquired, completely taken by surprise.  "What did you do to yourself?"

Demonic Transformation (http://www.esnips.com/doc/45872f3f-e612-4da8-b5bc-7f71bf6c6a66/Demonic-Transformation)

Instead of replying, Mario sprinted forward at a speed that was unlike anything Velno had ever encountered before.  With a motion that was too quick for Velno to block, the transformed hero's fist connected with Velno's chest.  The cyborg staggered backward, but Mario pursued his foe and landed six uppercuts on his chest before ending the combo with a roundhouse-kick.  As Velno soared backward, Mario raced after him and grabbed him by the throat.  With a bloodthirsty cry, Mario slammed Velno into the wall and began to mercilessly beat him to a pulp.  After a devastating series of blows, the plumber cupped his hands together and pelted Velno with a hailstorm of Fireballs.

"He's doing it... Velno doesn't stand a chance!" Luigi cheered. "I don't know what happened, but whatever it is, there's no way Velno can even fight back!"

"Mario...  I've never seen him like this..." Glaive whispered in disbelief.  "I'm sensing such a familiar thirst for blood...  Mario may be winning, but does he have control over his actions?  Does he still remember who he is?"

His irises flashing red with malice, Mario ended his barrage of Fireballs and wrapped his hand around Velno's throat. With a wicked laugh, the plumber smashed Velno faced-first into the floor.  He then proceeded to ruthlessly stomp on his grounded opponent, concluding the assault with a kick that sent Velno soaring toward the inner wall of the Nexus.  Mario pursued him at record-breaking speeds, pressed his palm against Velno's face in mid-air, slammed him into the inner wall, and released a pointblank Thunderball!

"What's happening to him?" Ace wondered aloud.  "He's out of control!  We'd better do something, before Mario becomes a greater threat to us than Velno!"

That transformation...  Could he be...? Slade wondered, staring at the plumber in stunned silence.

Mario grinned wickedly as he slowly backed his prey into a corner.  His body bleeding and heavily scorched, Velno aimed his pistols at Mario. He fired a series of yellow spheres at the Mushroom Hero, who caught them in midair and tossed them back.  Velno began to tremble in horror as his assailant advanced toward him.  Mario reached out to grab his neck, but Velno's right arm quickly disintegrated, revealing a hidden blade underneath it.  With a triumphant laugh, the cyborg stabbed Mario in the chest.

"Not good enough..." Mario whispered, laughing maniacally as he tore the blade from his chest, sending a fountain of blood into the air.  He snapped the blade from Velno's arm and began to use it against him.

"You're a monster!  Stay away from me!" Velno screamed in terror.  "Don't come near me!"  Mario's responded with an evil smirk.  Velno's desperation grew as the plumber drew closer and closer...  Just as Mario was about to end Velno's life, the cyborg's mouth grew approximately three feet wider.  Velno opened his mouth and prepared to devour Mario whole.  "Did you forget about my ability to consume human beings?"

Just as Velno's mouth was engulfing Mario's head, the plumber raised his fist and punched a hole through the back of the creature's throat.  Velno cried out in agony and fell to his knees in pure anguish.  Mario raised his right palm and placed it on Velno's forehead.  "Now... you die..."

A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the Nexus as a tower of flames erupted from Mario's palm and trapped Velno in a furious blaze.  Velno's body thrashed about in misery, until he finally fell onto his back.  His body remained still.

"You did it!" Luigi cheered, rushing over to embrace his brother.  "You finally defeated Velno and ended this entire mess!"

Mario whirled around, his eyes still lit with a wicked glow.  Without a second thought, Mario threw a right hook at Luigi's face.  Luigi tumbled backward onto the ground, blood dripping from his nose.  "Stay away..."

"What did you do that for?" Luigi asked, staring up at his brother in sudden fear.  "You can go back to normal now...  The fight is over..."

Mario's frown curled into a bloodthirsty smile.  He slowly raised his palm and aimed it at Luigi.  His fingertips lit with flames, Mario prepared to end his brother's life in the same way he had ended Velno's.

Glaive's Sacrifice (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-Agk9HCX6U)

A thin stream of blood ran down Mario's palm.  The plumber looked to the side to see Glaive standing with his sword held firmly in his grasp.  Since the blade had been shattered, Glaive was channeling his flames into the hilt in order to create a flaming sword.  "Leave this one to me."  He stepped forward, and his eyes locked with Mario's.  "It's incredibly ironic, but now I see what I have to do.  First you sacrifice yourself to give us the strength to regain our own free will.  Now the roles are reversed, and you're the one who needs help.  Mario, you willingly gave up your life to save us, and I couldn't call myself a true friend unless I was willing to do the same for you."

"What is he talking about...?" Luigi whispered in confusion.

"He's repaying the favor for Mario's sacrifice earlier," Ace explained.  "This time, Glaive is going to try and give his life in order to help Mario regain consciousness of who he is.  But in this case, Glaive won't be brought back to life with some mysterious power...  His death... will be permanent..."

"I understand what I need to do.  I can't back down," Glaive chuckled with a weak grin.  "I'm not afraid of death."  He charged at Mario, his eyes lit with determination.

Demonic Transformation (http://www.esnips.com/doc/45872f3f-e612-4da8-b5bc-7f71bf6c6a66/Demonic-Transformation)

Without showing any signs of hesitation, Glaive sprinted at Mario with his fists clenched.  He threw a right hook at the plumber, who caught Glaive's fist and violently twisted his arm.  A sickening crack could be heard as Glaive screamed in agony and fell to his knees.  Not giving his foe any time to rest, Mario delivered a brutal kick to the demon's chin, knocking him onto his back.

Glaive wiped the blood from his chin and slowly rose to his feet.  "It's like I'm fighting a machine..."

"Kill..." Mario whispered, softly chuckling to himself.  "Glaive... die..."  With a bloodthirsty howl, the plumber charged at his prey.

A wall of blue flames erupted from Glaive's left palm.  That should slow him down.  Glaive gasped in horror as he saw Mario sprint through the inferno, not bothering to acknowledge the severity of the burns on his body.  Laughing maniacally, Mario emerged from the blaze and kneed Glaive in the gut.  The demon clutched his chest in agony as he coughed up a mouthful of blood.  Mario lunged forward and struck Glaive's ribs with his right fist, resulting in another crack.  As Glaive staggered backward, Mario pursued him with several more blows to the chest.  Glaive could do nothing his bodied swayed lifelessly against the impacts of Mario's blows.

"Mario... What's happened to you?" Slade whispered in awe.  "I want to help... but what would I gain from aiding these people?  For what purpose am I even alive for...?"

"Mario!  Stop this at once!" Ace commanded, stepping forward with his fists raised.  "We're your friends!  You already defeated Velno!"

"Bro, you've got to calm down!  We're not your enemies!" Luigi pleaded as he charged into the battle to aid Glaive.

Ignoring the pleas of his comrades, Mario leapt into the air and smashed Glaive into the ground with his fists.  Glaive bounced off of the ground and back into the air, and Mario sent him face-first into the wall with a devastating roundhouse-kick.  Glaive swayed back and forth for a moment before collapsing onto the ground.  Just as he prepared to finish Glaive off, he whirled around to see Ace behind him with his fists raised.  Mario countered by elbowing Ace in the gut, grabbing the back of his head, and slamming his face into the floor.

Seeing his two fallen comrades, Luigi stepped forward.  "Bro...  You've got to stop this...  There's no reason for you to attack us...  We're your friends... so change back to normal, okay?"

Before Mario could react, Glaive's fist collided with his face.  Mario's eyes reflected pure hatred as he turned around to see Glaive standing defiantly before him.

Fallen Hero (http://www.esnips.com/doc/16499496-88e2-4db7-9d24-480e5c47f3ab/Fallen-Hero)

"I'm... not finished with you... yet..." Glaive insisted, pausing between breaths.  His body was battered and bruised, but his eyes remained fiercely passionate.  "I can still fight...  You're nothing compared to the real Mario... His punches hurt a lot more...  You're just a beast..."  Glaive channeled his flames through his broken sword and charged at Mario one final time.  "For Mario's honor, I swear on my pride that I'll return him to his normal self!"

Time seemed to stand still as Glaive swung his blade at Mario.  The plumber grinned and formed a blade of ice in his hand.  He effortlessly sliced through Glaive's sword and pierced the demon's chest with his razor-sharp dagger of ice.  The demon stopped dead in his tracks, leaning helplessly against Mario's body.  Blood trickled from his mouth.  "Mario...  I hope that spilling an ally's blood will bring you back to your senses..."  He fell to the floor, warm blood rushing from the fatal wound on his chest.

Suddenly, Mario fell to his knees while clutching his head and grunting in agony.  The color of his clothes and skin slowly returned to normal, and his red aura faded away.  Lying in a pool of blood before him was Glaive, his body covered with gashes and bruises.  "Glaive...  Did I... do this...?"

Glaive slowly shook his head, a weak grin spreading across his face.  "No... it wasn't you...  It was something else inside of you... and I just know... somehow... that it is connected to the Nightmare Vault..."

"Glaive... how could you sacrifice yourself for me?"

"It... was worth it... to see such a noble man live on...  I'm glad that I could... finally be of use to you... after all of the battles you had to fight alone..."  His grin widened, and his eyes began to close.

"Please, Glaive, save your strength...  You survived through Lord Shade, and you can make it through this too..."

"Not this time, my friend..." Glaive whispered.  "But before I go...  I have one final request...  There is one conflict that still must be resolved...  My life's goal has been to lift the curse on the Nightmare Vault by somehow ending the civil war that ravages its people...  Please... Mario, you must find a way to fight the battle that I could not live to finish..."

"You're not ready to die!  Please, Glaive, stay with us!" Mario pleaded, tears streaming down his cheeks.  "Please, don't die!  We made it through so many battles... so many struggles...  You can't just pass away at the very end..."

"Sometimes... that's how the world works...  Please... do not grieve for me...  I'm satisfied with death...  I finally got to have my rematch with you..."  A peaceful smile spread across Glaive's face as his life slowly drained away.  "Farewell... my friend...  It was an honor to know all of you...  I'm glad I was able to finally settle the rivalry between us... " His eyelids slowly shut, and his body grew cold.

Mario buried his face in his palms, weeping over his comrade's demise.  "Glaive...  How could this happen...?  After all of those battles we fought side-by-side, you met your end at the hands of your own comrade...  How can you possibly be satisfied?!"

Unbearable Suffering (http://www.esnips.com/doc/0d976966-bf59-421c-b7e6-2b2a4af3f95b/Unbearable-Suffering)

A wicked voice burst into a series of weak chuckles.  "Heh... heh heh heh...  I can't complain, either..."  The weeping heroes turned to face Velno, who was lying lifelessly on the ground with his eyes closed.  "It was a fitting death... I finally got to see the evil within you... an evil that I knew existed...  You've finally come to understand that all humans have hatred built up deep inside of them...  I hope you're happy with your little victory, because this is only the beginning...  The worst is yet to come... and believe me... Glaive's death will be the least of your worries..."  He burst into insane laughter as his life faded away, and the room grew silent.

Slade drew his Nightmare Blade and held the point to his throat.  "What do I have left to live for...?  I've killed so many people... and now I find that I was just a pawn...  I don't deserve to live anymore..."

Mario grabbed the blade with his bare hands, causing blood to trickle down his palms.  "No... no more... I don't want to witness anymore deaths...  Slade, you cannot use suicide as a way to escape your crimes...  Instead, you have to stand up to the wrongdoings you have committed and find a way to atone for them..."

Slade tore the blade from Mario's hands.  "That's easy for you to say!  You've never committed a crime in your life!"

"Do you really believe that?  Long ago, I took away the life of a person very dear to me.  And to make up for it, I swore that I'd never take away another's life unless it was absolutely necessary.  Once I understood what it felt like to lose a loved one, I wanted to avoid killing at all costs in order to prevent others from feeling the same way I did when I lost Pauline...  Not only that, but I promised that I'd always protect anyone that I could..."

"Is that why...?"

Mario nodded.  "That's why I decided to take on the responsibility of protecting this kingdom.  I feel that somewhere, up in the depths of the Overthere, Pauline smiles each time I manage to save this kingdom from distress."  He put a hand on Slade's shoulder.  "Now it's time for you to find a way to atone for your past.  Otherwise, you'll never be able to lift the burden of your sins from your shoulders...  If you were to kill yourself right now, it wouldn't bring back all of the people that you murdered, nor would it make the world a better place.  The only thing you can do now is find a way repent for your crimes..."

A single tear dripped down Slade's cheek, and he sheathed his blade.   "Okay... I'll try..."

"Bro... what happened to you just now?  Your clothes... and your skin... they changed..." Luigi muttered in confusion.

Mario stared blankly into the distance.  "I'll tell you as soon as I figure it out myself..."

There was a long pause.  "Well, I think it's time for us to get going..." Ace suggested.  "In the end, we were triumphant...  But this victory did not come without its losses."

---

"The earthquakes have died down," Peach whispered as she entered the front gates of Mushroom Castle.  Her hand clutching her heart, she gazed up at the castle with tears forming in the corners of her eyes.  "Is it over...?  Is he okay...?"

"Wait for us!" Mark called after her, sprinting to keep up with Princess Peach.  They waited for Luke to catch up with them before moving on.  They hesitantly pressed the front doors open and peered inside.  The castle was silent.  Peach stared at the floor with a forlorn look on her face, waiting for something to break the stillness of the bleak castle.  She glanced upward for a moment, and her eyes lit with joy.

Several yards away, down at the end of the corridor that led deep into the castle, five figures appeared.  His arm hauled over Ace's shoulder, Mario grinned wearily at them.  His clothes were tattered, and his body was covered in gashes, blood, and bruises.  On the other side of Ace was Luigi, using Grambi's shoulder for support.  Walking alone on the far left of the corridor was Slade, who smiled faintly before returning to his stoic demeanor.

Looking Forward (http://www.esnips.com/doc/bde19c62-2c18-4063-aa77-ad539f9ca4c0/Looking-Forward)

"Mario!" Peach shrieked with glee, rushing to embrace him.  Mark and Luke followed her, equally excited.  In mere seconds, the heroes were surrounded with three crybabies.  Mario weakly stepped forward and put a hand on each of his children's shoulders.  He smiled weakly.  "I'm okay... just a little beat up, that's all.  There's no need to worry; it's all over."

"But Mario...  Wasn't there one more member of your team?" Peach inquired innocently.  "His name was Glaive, right?"

Mario looked away.  Everyone grew silent.  "Glaive is..."

A dreadful silence filled the room.  After a few minutes, Peach's eyes lit up.  "Wait a minute!  Glaive survived through the battle with Lord Shade, so we should be able to use the Star Rod to bring him back from the Underwhere!"

Mario hung his head, and his tears stained the floor.  "No...  The Star Rod, along with all of the other Oracles of Power, is gone...  I'm sorry...  We couldn't avoid casualties this time...  I couldn't even beat Velno with my own power...  I failed..."

A somber mood hung above their heads like a dark raincloud as they returned to the hospital in Toad Town.  Not one of them spoke.  Though they had achieved victory, it had come at a high price.  At last, the solemn heroes met at the front doors of the hospital.  Among them were Mario, Luigi, Peach, Mark, Luke, Wario, Waluigi, Ace, and Slade.

Mario, almost finished wrapping his wounds, finally spoke up.  "Even though we were victorious, something just doesn't feel right.  There's still a lot that we don't know about that guy I fought against in Blizzard Peak- I believe Crimson was his name.  And then there's the civil war in the Nightmare Vault, which Glaive is depending on me to end.  It seems as though Velno was only the beginning, a mere taste of what's to come."  And there's that creep that I keep hearing inside of my head...  I wonder how long it'll be before I hear from him again...

"So, what now?" Peach inquired, staring off into the distance.  "This is always the hardest part of any battle...  We have to find a way to move on, even after all of the losses we suffered."

Mario clenched his fists as he stared at the ground.  "Peach, I want you to send a squadron of Toads into Mushroom Castle.  There is a room filled with dozens of rotted corpses that are identified with name tags.  Have the squad give each of them a proper burial in the castle's cemetery, using the name tags to give them each their own gravestone."

Peach nodded slowly, a puzzled look on her face.

"After that, you can all move back into the castle as if nothing happened.  My father sealed the Nexus Gate shut, so everything should be back to normal.  As for Mark and Luke, you're free to live with Luigi and me."

The children were overjoyed, and began to cheer in celebration.

"We're going off on our own," Waluigi informed the group, Wario nodding beside him.  "If we had been there... maybe, just maybe... the battle might've turned out differently.  We want to prepare for any future assaults on the kingdom.  We'll wander around for a while, and see what we can find."

Wario grinned.  Finally, we can get the heck away from these softies.  We're supposed to be thieves for crying out loud!  I haven't even looked at money for over a week!

Slade nodded.  "I think I'm going to do the same.  Lorne has already ventured out into the wilderness to find a reason to live, and I think it's time that I joined him.  Thank you for everything you've done, Mario.  Regardless of how you may feel, you are an exceptional man who has shown me the error of my ways.  You saved countless lives today, and for that, I thank you."  With that, he turned and slowly vanished into the horizon.

Everyone turned to Ace, who had remained silent for the entire conversation.  "Princess Peach, would it be okay if I stayed at your castle for a while?  I'm not ready to return to the Nightmare Vault just yet.  I assure you that I'll only be staying for a week at the most."

"That's fine," Peach replied warmly.  "Any friend of Mario's is welcome at my castle.  Feel free to stay as long as you like."

Mario turned to face the direction of Forever Forest.  "Alright then...  It's time for us to go."

"What will you do now?" Peach called after him.  "This is the first time you've had a chance to relax since Lord Shade attacked the kingdom."

Without looking back, the plumber replied solemnly, "I guess the only thing I can do now is prepare for the next time the kingdom is in danger."  His tone was slightly bitter, as if implying his life had no other meaning.  "Right now, I can't afford to let my guard down for too long.  I have a strange feeling that my greatest battles have yet to occur.  I have to wait until those struggles finally come to an end, and I retire from my job as the Mushroom Hero.  Only then can I truly live in peace."

Peach nodded silently.  "I understand...  But to celebrate your victory, we simply must do something special.  I'll throw a party at my castle sometime soon, so make sure you stop by."

Mario turned around and smiled warmly.  "I suppose a party wouldn't hurt.  I'll see you there."

Without another word, Mario, Luigi, Mark, and Luke turned and walked toward their home in Forever Forest.  For now, their adventure was over.  However, as Mario's intuition predicted, there would be little time for relaxation.  Before long, a conflict dating back to the beginnings of time would arise from the darkest depths of all creation.

Epilogue: July 27th

Evil Within (http://www.esnips.com/doc/204be442-1580-41a9-bfbc-df6b886ee584/Evil-Within)

The sun had set on the Mushroom Kingdom, and the Mario Brothers ventured home for a well-deserved nap.  They put the younger brothers to bed and decided to go to sleep early.  Luigi fell asleep almost immediately, but on the top bunk of the bed, Mario tossed and turned with great apprehension.  He stared at the ceiling, his body covered in sweat from the summer heat.

How long can I last?  Every time I try to close my eyes, I can hear his voice...  What's going to happen to me?  Am I a danger to everyone in this entire kingdom?

"That's it...  Just close your eyes...  And while you sleep, I'll slowly begin to take control.  Face it; it's only a matter of time before your resistance crumbles, and I'll be the dominant conscience within you.  You've kept this mental struggle up for a rather long time, but don't you think it's about time you gave up?  Otherwise, you just might be driven insane..."

Mario sat up and stared at his palms.  His body was trembling, and the voice in his head was giving him a splitting headache.  "Get... lost..."

"I'm afraid I can't do that.  You'll soon find that getting rid of someone like Velno is much easier than eliminating a part of yourself...  You can rest assured that I won't be leaving any time soon. Think about it.  It was only a matter of days ago when I started to take control during your battle with Yaridovich.  Back then, you needed to feel extreme hatred in order for me to have an influence on your body.  But now I can talk to you almost anytime I want.  And I'm going to continue to grow closer to you, and at a much faster rate...  Soon you won't even be able to fight without me taking control, and then I'll only be one step away from having absolute dominance of your body."

Mario's body began to quiver even more furiously, and he buried his face into his palms.  His body temperature started to rise, and his headache grew even worse.  "I can't go on like this...  Something has to be done..."

"Don't forget about me.  I'll leave for now, but you can expect to hear from me again soon.  By then, I'll be a lot closer to having full control.  Until then, good luck trying to get some sleep.  Oh, and enjoy living in constant fear, while you still can..."

---

Looking Forward (http://www.esnips.com/doc/bde19c62-2c18-4063-aa77-ad539f9ca4c0/Looking-Forward)

It was the twenty seventh day of July- a day that brought grief and sorrow to the Mario Brothers.  As Mario woke from his slumber and groggily rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he knew the date without even glancing at the calendar.  "It's today...  Peach decided that she was going to throw a party for me today, but I have something much more important to do...  If that squadron of Toads gave all of Velno's victims a proper burial, I should be able to stop by her grave before the party starts."

The plumber quickly dressed himself in his trademark overalls and silently crept out of the house.  It was still morning, and he did not want to awaken Luigi or the young brothers.  Moreover, he wanted to be alone.  He would have time to be social when the party began.

It was only six o'clock in the morning, so the normally lively town was still asleep.  Not in any sort of rush, Mario took the time to admire the kingdom's seasonal beauty.  "I almost forgot how beautiful this place looks during the summer.  I haven't had the time to stop and appreciate it, but then again, I've been busy with Lord Shade and Velno."  There wasn't a cloud in the sunny blue sky, and the luscious green vegetation sparkled under the sun's brilliant rays.

Mario entered Mushroom Castle unsure of where the cemetery was.  However, the plumber had no particular reason to hurry, so he took his time wandering through the castle's maze-like interior.  He passed by a few different rooms that were familiar to him, such as the one where he had battled Lorne.  The plumber smiled when he remembered all of the damage he had caused.  After basking in nostalgia for a few hours, Mario finally found what he was looking for.  After a little bit of searching, he located his loved one's grave.

He placed a handful of flowers on the grave and silently stared at the ground, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.  Hours seemed to pass before he finally spoke. "Pauline...  It's really been another year.  Actually, it's been a few years.  I'm sorry that it's been so long, but I was busy upholding my vow to protect this kingdom.  During my previous adventure, I learned a bit more about the circumstances of your death.  I met the creature who attacked us on that night, and I learned that he stole your body for his own purposes.  I hope that you can finally rest in peace now that I've freed you from Velno's grasp."

He paused for a moment.  "...I hate to admit it, but I've never told anyone the full story other than Luigi.  After all that they've been through... maybe it's time that I finally told them everything."

---

Demon Arrival (http://www.esnips.com/doc/bf4dcdcd-2bd9-45e7-9cdd-de0a7e3b7545/Demon-Arrival)

Meanwhile, as Luigi prepared for the party at Mushroom Castle, two shadows emerged from the depths of Forever Forest.  One of them, six feet tall with a black robe masking his entire body, whispered, "You should check to see if the Mushroom Hero is home.  I'll stop by the castle to see if he's already at the party."

The other shadow nodded.  "Cole, am I permitted to slay any of them?"

Cole shrugged.  "I would try to avoid it, but if you are unable to restrain yourself...  Well, let's just wait until we've completed our objectives before you go that far.  Do you understand, Swift?"  Without waiting for a response, Cole vanished into a characteristic puff of black smoke.

Swift grinned as he saw the door to the Mario Brothers' house swing open.  Luigi practically shoved Mark and Luke out the door, urging them to go on ahead.  "I still have to get the parade ready, so go ahead without me.  I'll be there soon."  Mark and Luke sighed in unison and vanished into the green pipe that led to Toad Town.  Luigi shut the door behind them.

Holding a green telephone to his ear, Luigi muttered, "Yes, yes, I do have insurance.  Yes, Mushroom Castle.  What?  Of course I have permission to have a parade at the castle!  It's Luigi, you know, of the Super Mario Brothers?  Never heard of me?!  C'mon, I starred in that one game for the GameCube!  You know, with the ghosts?  ...Yes, yes, I'm the green guy with the vacuum.  Yes, I'm positive the green guy has a name.  What?!  House-sitter?!  No, that's just a rumor!"  His conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door.  "Hold on a second."   He answered the door, expecting to see that Mark and Luke had forgotten something.

Instead, a man in a cerulean tunic was at the door.  He had deep, sapphire eyes and a smile that appeared sincere, but something about it felt unnatural- as if the man rarely smiled.  His shaggy brown hair was partially covered by a blue cap, and his brown boots were soaked in mud.  "Pardon me, but does a man named Mario live here?"

Luigi raised his eyebrows suspiciously.  "Yes...  But he isn't here right now..."

Swift's eyes narrowed.  "I see.  Perhaps I can wait for him, then?"

Luigi shook his head.  "I'm afraid not.  I'm about to join him for a party, and we won't be back for some time.  Besides, after what we've just been through, I don't think Bro wants to see any demons for quite a while."

"How did you know?" Swift inquired, a wicked grin spreading across his face.  "What gave me away?"

"First off, you've got the same stench as the other demons we've faced, the stench of blood.  Then there's your creepy smile, and the fact that you're wearing boots covered in mud.  I don't know what the weather is like in the Nightmare Vault, but here in the Mushroom Kingdom, people usually don't wear boots in the middle of summer."

"Very perceptive of you.  I can see that your brother's intelligence has rubbed off on you."  Swift reached into his tunic and pulled out a long, golden dagger.  "Now we'll see if his fighting skills have rubbed off on you as well!"  He jogged forward and performed a horizontal slash with his blade.  Luigi ducked beneath the swing and lunged forward, landing a right hook on the demon's face.

Luigi grinned wryly.  "I guess so."

"Interesting.  That punch was a lot stronger than anything I'd expect from a human," Swift observed nonchalantly, Luigi's fist still wedged in his cheek.  He wrapped his hand around Luigi's wrist and shoved the plumber backward.  "However, this kingdom's problems are miniscule when compared to the never-ending civil war in the Nightmare Vault.  If you were to test your skills there, you'd soon find that you have serious limitations.  I didn't want to severely injure you, so I held back before.  Since your skill level is a bit higher than I expected, I'll have to use one of my actual moves."  Swift gripped the hilt of his dagger with two hands and held it parallel to the ground.

Luigi felt a gust of wind rush past him as Swift dashed forward, stabbing him in the lower chest.  His blade wedged in Luigi's flesh, the demon continued to sprint forward, eventually smashing Luigi through the living room wall.  The plumber lay on his back in a pile of rubble, and Swift viciously tore the blade from his body.

"A blade held parallel to the ground combined with the speed of a bullet...  That is the secret to my technique, and it is also how I earned my name- Swift.  It is the ultimate stabbing motion.  I was only going at about half my usual speed, so I apologize if it didn't impress you.  I was also trying extra-hard not to kill you."

"What... do you want...?" Luigi groaned, blood spilling from his wound.

"Don't worry; this has nothing to do with you.  It's your brother that we want, and you're going to help us get him."

---

Back at Mushroom Castle, the celebration was in full swing.  It was more of a feast than a party; there was a single table that stretched down the entire length of the dining hall.  Golden chandeliers hung above their heads, and the table was lined with the kingdom's finest palettes, such as Shroom Steaks, Royal Syrups, Tasty Tonics, Super Sodas, and Fried Shrooms.  Most of the kingdom's residents attended the party, and all of Mario's comrades were there, even Lorne and Slade.

The party dragged on for a few hours.  Everyone enjoyed themselves, and Peach took the time to deliver a speech regarding Mario's astounding bravery and courage.  As the sun began to set, the celebration ended, and the majority of the guests left.  Only Mario's closest friends remained.  Mario had requested that they meet him after the party.  Among them were Princess Peach, Ace, Lorne, Slade, Wario, Waluigi, Mark, and Luke.

At last, Mario silently walked in, took a seat, and cleared his throat.  There was a long pause as Mario attempted to figure out what he was trying to say.  "I... I've made you all worry about me for long enough...  It's time that I stopped keeping secrets.  I've decided that I'm going to reveal everything... about the woman I killed with my own hands."

Flashback (http://www.esnips.com/doc/99babdcc-94c7-4446-ab31-ac6a501931b2/Flashback)

"I'm sure you all know that I wasn't born in this kingdom.  I was born in Brooklyn, before being sent here by my father to keep me safe from Lord Shade.  After Bowser began to attack the kingdom, the Yoshi tribe sent me back to Brooklyn in order to protect me.  I grew up in Brooklyn, somehow knowing in the back of my head that I was different from everyone else.  For a while, I was just an ordinary guy.  I became a carpenter and planned to live an average life.  That was when I met Pauline.

"On my way home from work one day, I passed by a construction zone.  That's when I saw an ape come out of nowhere, grab a completely helpless woman, and carry her to the top of a building.  Without even thinking, I raced after the ape- who I later learned was Donkey Kong- and rescued the woman.  She introduced herself as Pauline, and we immediately fell in love.  We dated for about a year, and she soon became the most important person in my life.

"For a long while, I kept her safe from the dangers of the city.  There were always thugs and delinquents that would try to harm her, but I didn't let one of them lay a hand on her.  That is, until Velno came along.  He was a cyborg designed by Lord Shade that escaped into the sewers of Brooklyn during Shade's first attack on the planet.  Velno had a limited life span, but he kept himself alive with the flesh of human corpses.  And it just so happened that Pauline was exactly the type of person he was looking for.

"One night, Velno snuck into our apartment and attacked us.  I did my best to defend her, but I just wasn't strong enough to stand up to him.  I was tossed aside as Velno prepared to take the life of the woman most important to me.  I was thrown into a violent fit of rage, and I charged forward at Velno.  I remember seeing flashes of red light as I allowed my anger to take control.  I was so intent on annihilating Velno that I accidentally slaughtered Pauline, only managing to slightly injure my intended target.  Velno escaped, and I was left with the woman I loved dying in my arms."

Peach's cheeks were damp with tears.  "Mario... you must have been so heartbroken..."

Mario nodded.  "So every year... I would pay my respects to her on the anniversary of her death.  Now that she has finally been given a proper burial, I can visit this castle's cemetery to visit her whenever I want."

Demon Arrival (http://www.esnips.com/doc/bf4dcdcd-2bd9-45e7-9cdd-de0a7e3b7545/Demon-Arrival)

"Interesting story...  Those flashes of red you saw as you slaughtered Pauline...  Don't they remind you of that ominous red aura that you've been seeing a lot lately?"  The castle's lights grew dim, and the doors slowly creaked open.

"Who's there?" Mario called out into the darkness.

"You should really watch your tone.  I am known as Cole.  I am the one in charge of the Demon Resistance."

Ace burst from his seat and saluted the shadowy figure.  "General Cole, sir.  What brings you here?"

Ignoring Ace's question, Cole casually strutted over to Mario.  "Ah, the Mushroom Hero.  I've heard so much about you.  You're probably wondering what a person like me is doing all the way out here.  I'm sure you've heard bits and pieces about the civil war in the Nightmare Vault.  Allow me to fully explain the situation so that there is no more confusion.

"Firstly, you should know that the Phoenix has been dead ever since the demons were sealed away in the Nightmare Vault.  However, his followers have continued to support his hatred for the human race, and thus they still call themselves demons of the Phoenix.  Despite this, their true leaders are a species known as the Grimnexes.  They were originally created when the Phoenix went to war with the Olympians.  They were meant to be used as weapons of war against the Olympians, but by the time they were created, it was already too late.  After the war ended, the demons were sealed away, and the Grimnexes along with them.  Now they live in the depths of the Nightmare Vault, slowly picking the Demon Resistance apart.  Once our resistance crumbles, the Phoenix demons will have total control of the Nightmare Vault.  No longer focusing on warfare, they will then have plenty of time to search for a way to escape.  And when that happens, all is lost."

"You came all the way here just to tell me that?" Mario inquired, raising his eyebrows in suspicion.  "What are you getting at?"

"I'm going to be as blunt as I possibly can.  Mario, the Demon Resistance is losing the war.  We have come to ask for your assistance in defeating the demons that are under the rule of the Phoenix."

Everyone in the room gasped in unison.  Though some did not understand the situation fully, they knew that Cole was trying to recruit Mario for some sort of foreign war.  Peach stepped forward.  "No... Mario has sworn that he will protect this kingdom, not yours...  Besides, the demons were sealed away because of their evil deeds.  How can he be sure that your side isn't just as dangerous as the Phoenix's side?"

Mario smiled gently and gestured for Peach to stand back.  "He's only interested in me, Peach.  Please, stay back.  My opinion is the only one that he cares about, isn't that right?"

Cole nodded.  "Please, Mario.  We desperately need your help."

"I'm afraid that fighting a civil war in the Nightmare Vault is something that I cannot afford to do.  I have a duty to protect this kingdom, and that duty takes priority over your problems.  Besides, I'm a human.  Just as humans protect this world, I think it would be best if demons protected their homeland.  Right now, I am perfectly content with protecting the Mushroom Kingdom.  There are still threats that I must deal with in this kingdom."

The doors swung open, and Swift stepped in.  He dropped Luigi's unconscious body on the floor beside Mario.  "Perfectly content, huh?  That's strange.  You barely defeated Velno, a cyborg that would have found his abilities to be quite limited in the Nightmare Vault.  How do you expect to defeat a more formidable opponent, such as the notorious Crimson?  Face it.  You're slowly losing your ability to protect others.  Just look at your brother.  I could have killed him at any moment if I wanted to."

"What are you talking about?!" Mario thundered, clenching his fists.  "Are you calling me weak?  In that case, I'd be happy to demonstrate a few of my abilities!"  He sprinted at Swift with his fists raised, but collapsed onto his knees only a few feet away from his target.  His body began to sweat, and he slowly struggled to his feet.  "Not... now..."

"See?  This is exactly my point.  You don't know anything about the power you've been using since you defeated Lord Shade.  Do you honestly believe we don't know about your little internal struggle?  I believe you said something along the lines of, 'Demons should protect their own kind just as humans do', correct?  We would never sink so low as to ask for help from a human.  When we traced your origins to a demon kin, however, we decided to pay you a little visit."

Mario's eyes widened with shock.  "What... What are you saying?"

Cole's eyes glistened for a moment.  "Mario, we've come to take you home.  One of your ancestors was a demon, and you inherited a very small amount of his blood.  There's a strong possibility that this demon's soul lives on within yours, and he was awakened by your feelings of hatred.  Now he is struggling for control of your body, and if this keeps up, he will succeed."

"Mario... is this true...?" Peach inquired with shock.  "Why didn't you tell me...?  All this time, I've been selfishly waiting for you to save the kingdom.  I didn't even once consider that you were struggling just to hold on to your identity."

Mario hung his head.  "So that's why you came...  You found out that I was related to a demon, so now you want to recruit me before the Phoenix does."

Mushroom Hero (http://www.esnips.com/doc/de663555-8bd0-469d-ab0f-700f64296001/Mushroom-Hero)

"Please," Cole pleaded.  "We can't afford to lose this war...  We can teach you to drown out the voice of that demon within you.  Come to the Nightmare Vault with us, and you can finally learn the answers to all of your questions."

"I think that's enough begging for one day," Swift sighed.  "Well, we'll give you four days to decide.  That should give you enough time to say goodbye to all of your friends- unless you choose to stay and would rather die a brutal death at the hands of a demon inside of you.  We should get going, Cole.  It's dangerous for you to be out in public for this long."

Cole nodded.  His face suddenly appeared to be aged and weighed down with deep sadness.  "Trying to fight against such an enormous force for so long really has taken a toll on me.  My men are starting to lose faith, and my people are starting to leave us for the Phoenix.  Mario, I hope to hear a positive response from you..."  They turned to exit the room.

Ace stood up and approached Cole.  "Sir, about my position in Poker Face..."

Cole stared straight ahead.  "I'm sorry.  Your position has been terminated for disobeying direct orders."  With that, Cole and Swift vanished behind the darkness of the night, leaving confusion and anxiety behind.

"Ace... You lost your job because of me..."

Ace shook his head.  "No.  I chose to fight on your behalf, so I must pay the consequences.  But more importantly, what are you going to do?  Will you go to the Nightmare Vault to fight in a war that doesn't even concern you?"

Mario remained silent for a long time.  He needed time to fully assimilate all that he had been told.  At last, he spoke.  "No... You're wrong, Ace.  This battle does concern me.  I made a promise to Glaive that I'd find a way to end the civil war in the Nightmare Vault, and it seems as though I've just found a way to fulfill that promise.  Not only that, but if the Demon Resistance loses the war, this kingdom may be put in jeopardy as well.  In order to protect this kingdom, I will temporarily depart in order to fight in the Nightmare Vault."

"But how can you trust them?!" Peach insisted.  "How do you know they're telling the truth?  Anyone can walk up to you and claim that your ancestor was a demon!"

"That's true..." Mario admitted softly.  When he closed his eyes, instead of seeing black, he saw red.  "But somehow, deep in my heart... I know that they're telling the truth.  If I want to be absolutely sure, the only way for me to find out is to pay a visit to the Nightmare Vault."

As the confusion grew thicker, no one even considered the safety of Cole, the leader of the Demon Resistance.  They would soon learn that on his journey back to the Nightmare Vault, Cole was assassinated by a squad of Phoenix spies.

---

"Ah, so our hero has decided to leave his kingdom vulnerable for a while," Crimson muttered with a faint grin.  "Very good.  I didn't think it would all work out exactly as I planned, but it seems that I have underestimated my brilliant mind."

Smithy nodded.  "It would appear so.  Now, what would you like me to work on next?"

Crimson stroked his chin for a moment.  "Hmm...  Yes, you may resume our main project.  Mario has triumphed over the Demonic Trials.  While he fights in the Nightmare Vault, we will be busy setting the stage for the final battle.  And when Mario returns, he'll find his kingdom in ruins...  And as the land burns around us, the Armageddon will begin!"

---

As the kingdom was shrouded in darkness, a disfigured body stirred within the depths of the Nexus.  He rose from a dried puddle of blood, observed his wounds, and stood straight up.  He stared at his palms in confusion for a moment, and then looked straight ahead at one of the many doors that bordered the hallway.  He limped over to the door and forced it open with a mighty pull.  "Home at last," he declared in a raspy voice, grinning as he stepped into the swirling vortex.

---

Moving On (http://www.esnips.com/doc/6f6db0a0-72b1-442f-a1f7-96b89fcf9aac/Moving-On)

The sun rose on a brand new day- the day that Mario would depart from the Mushroom Kingdom.  Some of Mario's closest friends gathered around his house in Forever Forest to see him off.  Among them were Luigi, Mark, Luke, Ace, and Slade.

"Do you really have to go, Bro?" Luigi asked for the hundredth time.  "You don't have to leave us.  You're the Mushroom Hero, after all."

"Not anymore," Mario replied with a grin.  He placed a hand on Mark's shoulder.  "I'm temporarily resigning from that duty.  I'm passing the title on to Mark until I get back.  With Luke and Uncle Luigi to support you, I'm confident that you'll do a fine job.  Until I return, I guess you could just call me the Demonic Hero."

"Daddy... why do you have to leave us again?" Luke whined in confusion.  "You just got back!"

Mario gave his son a gentle hug.  "Right now, I have to go to the Nightmare Vault to find out if everything that Cole said about me was true, and to find a way to win the struggle inside of my soul.  The way I am now, there's no way I could protect anyone.  That alternate personality inside of me could take control at any second, and then I'd be a danger to all of you.  I refuse to let that happen.  I'll find the truth, and I'll come back stronger than ever."

"Mario, I want you to know that we're going with you," Slade informed him.  "Fighting in the Demon Resistance will allow me to partially make up for the sins I've committed in the past."

Ace stepped forward.  "And I may not have a job with Poker Face anymore, but that still won't stop me from helping the Demon Resistance.  I'll do whatever I can to support you, for this kingdom's sake, and for Glaive's."

"Alright then.  Ace, I think you know the way to the Nightmare Vault."

"Actually, with my Nexus Pass, we can just exit through the Nexus Access Point below Mushroom Castle," Ace informed them.

"Good," Mario muttered.  "I have to make a quick stop at Mushroom Castle anyway."

---

Peach, unable to sleep, stared up at the sky from her bedroom window.  The horizon was a beautiful gradient of red, orange, and violet.  Her cheeks were damp with tears.  "I can't believe... he's going to leave us again..."  The door creaked open, and she jumped in fright.

"It's only me," Mario whispered with a warm smile.  "I wanted to say goodbye before I departed."  Peach remained silent as the plumber gave her a gentle hug.  "I'm sorry, but I have to leave once again.  If I don't take care of this now, all of you will be in grave danger.  But that's not what I came here to talk about.  I wanted to thank you.  Do you know why I finally told you about Pauline?  I told you because I was grateful.  Thanks to your support, I was finally able to put her death behind me.  You've always treated me with kindness and warmth, no matter what might have happened in my past.  The last thing I want to do is make you feel like Pauline's replacement."  He held her closer.

"Mario... when will you return...?"

Mario did not answer.  "When Pauline died, I felt empty.  Until I accidentally stumbled upon the pipe that led to this kingdom, I felt like my life had no meaning.  When I rescued you from Bowser for the first time, I finally felt content.  Now it's time for me to move on.  I have to end the civil war in the Nightmare Vault."  He turned and started to walk away.  "That is my life's new purpose."

Peach tried to speak, but could only fall to her knees as Mario opened the door and took his first step out.  "I don't know if I'll ever see any of you again.  But I can never be happy until I've found all of the answers I'm looking for.  Farewell, Peach."  He closed the door behind him, and solemnly pressed on toward the castle's basement.

Peach buried her face in her hands as a river of tears flowed down her face.  "Mario... come back..."

As he reunited with Ace and Slade, Mario turned back and took one last look at Peach's bedroom door.  "I'll be back, someday."

Ace's face was stern. "Don't make promises you can't keep.  You've stuck yourself in a dangerous world, and you'll soon find that it is a lifestyle much different from the one you've become accustomed to.  Sooner or later you're going to have to make a choice- will you stay in the Mushroom Kingdom, or will you move on to the Nightmare Vault?"

Mario said nothing, looking straight ahead as he took his first step into his next adventure.

Thus marked the day my path became intertwined with theirs- the day I took my first step into the world's greatest, and final, struggle.