Super Mario Bros. 6: The Mighty Tyrant

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 31: Shocking Conclusion?

Struggle for Time

Lord Shade glared up at the Thunderball, his eyes glowing red with hatred.  "So...  That's why you weren't attacking me.  You were preparing this final blast.  That Thunderball you fired earlier was never supposed to hit me.  You kept it out of my sight, slowly feeding it more and more energy.  Very clever.  I see that you're still lethal even when you are inches away from death!"

"It's not... too late...  I can still toss it at you...  Leave this planet... and I'll spare you," Mario bluffed, his hoarse voice barely audible.

"No, I don't think I will," Shade replied with a pompous laugh.  "So go ahead!  Hit me with your Thunderball!"

Mario smashed his fists on the ground.  Darn it...  He knows that it isn't strong enough to kill him...  I need more time!

"It's too bad I can't destroy your precious Thunderball," Lord Shade continued.  "If I broke that shell containing the electricity, it would explode in my face and risk destroying my new castle.  However, the Thunderball will vanish completely if I kill you!"  He stabbed his sword at Mario, who swiftly rolled out of the way and onto his feet.

"I need some kind of distraction!" Mario shouted to himself as he sprinted out of Shade's range. I used up the Ice Element when I tried to freeze Shade, and I spent all of the Thunder Element trying to power up my Thunderball.  It looks like I'll have to stick with Fireballs.



"Lord Shade saw the Thunderball!" Luigi cried.  "Now he won't waste any time killing Mario!  Come on, Bro!  Think of something!"

"It looks like we're relying entirely on Mario's imagination," Glaive observed.  "History shows that Mario can work well under pressure, but this is by far the longest battle he's ever been in.  He has put all of his skills to the breaking point.  It's amazing that his body hasn't just snapped in half from all of the pressure he's been putting on it."

"He's the Mushroom Hero," Raiden argued, clutching his axe.  "From what I've seen, he can handle anything."

"I hope you're right," Skulleon sighed.  "Wait...  Here's an idea!  Raiden, you're the Thunder God.  Can't you surrender the Elemental Energy in your body to Mario's Thunderball?  You have the Thunder Element surging through your body.  I'm sure it would give the attack quite a boost!"

"Good idea!  It might take a few minutes to get to Mario, but it will definitely give that Thunderball some kick!"



Mario scattered Fireballs in all directions as he dashed blindly out of Lord Shade's reach.  He emerged from a thick cloud of smoke and ash.  Hoping he had escaped for the time being, Mario sat down and caught his breath. I'm so close...  I can't lose now!  Not after everything I've been through!

"I thought I told you that hiding was useless," Lord Shade sneered as he stepped out of the smog.  "Maybe I just need to jog your memory."  He stabbed the ground with his blade, which had begun to emit a reddish glow.  "Look out below!" the tyrant squealed merrily.  Before Mario could react, a bolt of electricity sprang from the ground and struck him.

BZZERP!

Mario was sent flying across the room, his body shaking feverishly from the shock.  Smoke began to emit from his electrified body as he fell to the ground with a THUD.  He forced himself into a kneeling position before slowly rising to his feet.  With a flash of his desperate grin, Mario gritted his teeth and prepared to endure even more pain.  Just a few more minutes...  If I can endure this pain for just a few more minutes...

"Your fortitude is admirable," Lord Shade commended him with an arrogant smile.  "I don't think I've ever continued a fight with someone for this long, except maybe with your father."

"Yeah, it runs in the family," Mario replied wearily, still maintaining a faint smile.  "We just don't know when to die."

Lord Shade began to approach Mario, a red aura emitting from his body.  "Still, I'd like to know what you're trying to pull.  I know all about your tactics, yet you're still trying to hold on.  Fire the blasted thing already!  It's not strong enough to kill me!  It wasn't before, it isn't now, and it never will be!"

He doesn't know that I've been charging it up with electricity from around the kingdom, thought Mario.  When he observed it before, he saw that it wasn't powerful enough to kill him.  He won't bother to check and see if the attack got any stronger, which means I still have the element of surprise on my side!

"Are you even listening?!" Lord Shade hissed through clenched teeth, the aura around him growing larger.

Mario looked Shade dead in the eye.  After a long moment of silent tension, Mario began to laugh dryly.  "You'll see," he answered, then continued to chuckle at the figure that towered above him.

"Such blatant insolence is intolerable!" Lord Shade cried as he launched a purple sphere of energy from his left palm.  Mario tumbled backward into the fountain that highlighted the center of the room.  A few seconds later, he emerged from the two-feet-deep pool of water in a sitting position.

Mario coughed up several mouthfuls of water before regaining his breath.  "You may be strong, Lord Shade, but you don't have much of a sense of humor," he remarked slyly.

"Oh?" Lord Shade inquired with mock curiosity.  "Forgive me.  You won't have to deal with my bland personality for long.  I've just decided that I no longer have any interest in fighting you.  Goodbye."  A red energy ball materialized in his hand. 

Shade held it close to Mario's face, causing his eyes to widen with fear.  That energy sphere could disintegrate my entire body in seconds...  It's really over, isn't it?

"Any last requests?" Lord Shade taunted him as he held the ball closer to Mario's head.  "Surely you want something. Maybe you're too tired to talk.  Come on, I'm trying to show you my sense of humor!  Just two words!  That's all I'm asking.  Humor me."  He began to cackle maniacally.

Mario grinned.  "Turn around."

Hero Theme

With great effort, Mario made a wide sweeping gesture with his right hand.  "I'd better take cover!"

Lord Shade whirled around to see a mammoth Thunderball hurling directly towards him.  "What is this mockery?!  How did that Thunderball get so powerful?  The last time I checked, it was nowhere near that strong!"

"You underestimated the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom!  Your arrogance has led to your demise!  Goodbye, Lord Shade!" Mario bellowed triumphantly as he dove out of his Thunderball's range.

"How could I have miscalculated this much?!" Lord Shade screamed as the enormous Thunderball engulfed him and collided with the floor, causing the outer shell to explode and releasing all of the energy inside simultaneously.



There was a colossal explosion that sent shockwaves to every corner of the planet.  Everyone across the globe felt the impact of the blast that had defeated the mighty tyrant known as Lord Shade.

"He did it!" Raiden howled in triumph.

"I knew you'd pull through, Bro," Luigi whispered.

Glaive folded his arms and sighed.  "It's about time."

Skulleon grinned.  "Thatta boy."

"He's the coolest!" Mallow cheered.  "I knew he'd win from the start!"



Mario fell onto his back, grinning from ear to ear.  He had done the impossible.  The plague that had filled the Universe for years was now gone.  "I... can't... believe... I did it..."  The air was thickly covered with electric sparks, and a bright yellow haze filled the room.  Mario struggled to his feet and groped at the unknown until he found a wall.  He made his way around the room, sticking close to the wall until he found the door that led out of the throne room.  He reached for the door knob.  It was time to go home.

Invincible

A red beam fired out from the haze and pierced Mario's left arm.  Mario fell onto his back, screaming out in agony.  A fierce wind began to blow from the opposite side of the room, blowing the mist away.  There, standing unharmed in the center of the room, was Lord Shade.  His eyes were glowing red with intense hatred, and the aura around him began to swirl and take the shape of a twister.

"DAMN YOU!" Lord Shade cursed, shockwaves emitting from his body and sending large chunks of the floor up into the air.

"There's no way... you could have lived through that..." Mario groaned, clutching his bleeding arm.

"True," Lord Shade admitted.  "It turns out that the Dark Castle has a mind of its own.  It has the natural instinct to protect its owner at all costs.  When your attack struck me, I didn't live through it at all.  In fact, I was very much dead.  My wonderful castle brought me back to life, and it will continue to do so for all eternity!  You can never destroy me!"

"I'll destroy the castle!" Mario retorted, pulling himself to his feet.

Lord Shade shook his head.  "In your condition?  Not a chance!  Even if you could, you would never go through with it!  This castle is surrounded by a Vortex!  The only thing preventing you from being sucked in is this very castle!  Destroy it, and you will spend all eternity in the Vortex!"

"It'd be worth it to seal you away with me!" Mario spat in disgust.

"Wrong again!" Lord Shade cackled.  "The Vortex is my creation.  I am unaffected by the suction of the Vortex!  You would only seal your own fate if you destroyed the castle!  You can't kill me without destroying the castle, and you can't destroy the castle without destroying yourself!  You're welcome to sacrifice yourself in order to get rid of the castle, but I'll still live on!  No matter what you do, you've lost!"

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 32: Hour of Desperation

Lord Shade's Full Power

"Accepting your defeat and dying quickly would have been much less painful," Lord Shade hissed through clenched teeth.  "Your resistance is about to lead you to your greatest pain.  The agony you will suffer... is beyond words.  Soon you will wish that you had not defied me."

Mario clutched the fatal wound on his left arm.  Lord Shade's attack had pierced a hole directly through his arm, and blood had begun to stream out.  It looks like he's recovered from every single injury I gave him in this entire struggle.  By hitting him with the Thunderball, I gave Lord Shade the chance to be revived with all of his wounds healed.  I may not have a plan, but I still made a promise to everyone in the kingdom that I would defeat Lord Shade.  I have to at least die knowing that I was still attempting to fulfill that promise.

"I tend to avoid using the techniques that you are about to see.  They typically make my battles too one-sided, and it can bore me very quickly.  However, I think I can make an exception just this once," Lord Shade informed him, speaking loudly as if to break Mario from his deep thoughts.

Misery

Mario flashed his desperate smile.  "It looks like I have no other choice.  I'm pretty sure that I barely enough Life Energy to stay alive, let alone fight.  So it looks like I'll just have to improvise...  Even if I die, then everyone will know that I tried my best.  The chances of me walking out of this alive are slim, so I want you all to listen up.  I know that you're watching my fight through the Universal Television, guys.  I need you to get everyone in the kingdom someplace safe if I die.  If I fail to beat Shade, I'm leaving Luigi in charge.  You may be a coward, Bro, but you have the potential to be just as strong as I am.  And Grambi, I know you're watching me from your palace in the sky.  Save a nice place for me in the Overthere, okay?"

"Who's he talking to?" Lord Shade inquired, scanning the room.  "He must have gone insane.  Too bad."

Mario was engulfed in an aura of flames as he began to undergo a wild transformation.  His hat and shirt faded to white, and his overalls became a bright red hue.  "All I have left is the Element of Fire, and I'm going to make the most of it!"  He rushed at Lord Shade and began to throw a wild assortment of punches and kicks, all of which Shade managed to block.



"What's he doing?" Luigi inquired, tears beginning to trickle down his cheeks.  "What does he mean?"

Skulleon hung his head.  "Mario couldn't fight anymore because he was almost all out of Life Energy.  If he used up anymore, he wouldn't have any to live on. Instead of keeping his cool and thinking of a plan, Mario converted his Fire Elemental Energy into Life Energy.  The flames have taken over his body, and as soon as they burn out..."

"As soon as they burn out?" Luigi parroted, though he knew how the sentence would be finished.

"As soon as Mario's short burst of energy wears out, he will die," Glaive finished without a drop of sadness or emotion.  Though he could mask his feelings well, everyone knew that Glaive was hurting on the inside.  "He'll have nothing left except for a few drops of Life Energy, which will run out shortly.  After that, it's over."



Mario desperately punched and kicked at the tyrant, but every single one of his blows was effortlessly blocked.  Lord Shade ended the assault by kneeing Mario in the chest, sending him onto his back several feet across the room.

"Now, about those techniques I mentioned earlier," Lord Shade began eagerly.  "Let's try out the first one, shall we?"

Lord Shade's Wrath

Shade clasped his hands together and shut his eyes.  As Mario struggled to his feet, Shade began to mutter words in another language.  Not wanting to give him the chance to use one of his powerful attacks, Mario rushed forward at him and prepared to strike.  Moments before Mario reached his target, a splendiferous ray of light flashing every color of the rainbow launched out of Shade's hand and struck him.

"Shrink!" Lord Shade cried as he made various gestures with his hands.  Mario was surrounded with a rainbow-colored aura.  Slowly, he began to shrink down to the size of an ant.  Mario gasped as he saw Lord Shade towering above him.  With one scoop of his hand, Shade picked up the pint-sized hero.

"What did you do to me?!" Mario screamed, his voice barely audible due to his reduced size.

"It's an old shrinking spell I learned," Lord Shade replied with a chuckle.  His grip on Mario tightened, causing Mario to shriek out in pain.  "Is that enough pain for you?!  Are you still trying to fulfill that silly promise?!"

Mario's howls of agony were his only response.  Trying desperately to break free, Mario created a Fireball to burn Shade's hand.

"Why you?!" Lord Shade cursed as he shook his burned hand.  "That's it!  No more games!"  His grip loosened, and he held Mario between his left thumb and index finger.  "This technique has always fascinated me.  It has many diverse effects on the victim.  I'd like to see if your bones are still as tough."  With his other hand, Shade grabbed Mario's right arm and began to twist and squeeze.  Mario let out a shrill cry of pure anguish as his flaming aura vanished, and his clothes returned to their normal colors.  "How does it feel to be so helpless, knowing that you're about to let all of your friends down?!"



"No!  It can't end like this!" Grambi cried desperately.  "He needs something!  One final push might either kill him, or save his life!  I have to get to Skulleon right away!"



CRACK!

Lord Shade cackled maniacally as he tossed the miniature Mario to the ground.  The plumber's size returned to normal.  "I've broken your right arm, and pierced your left.  Now, what's next?"

Mario remained sprawled on his back, his eyes barely open.  His body was quaking fiercely from his wounds and lack of energy.

"I know that you only have a few minutes left to live, but I can at least make those minutes the most miserable ones of your life!" Lord Shade sneered.  He walked up to the defenseless plumber and exchanged his left hand for his sword.  "For the crimes committed against Lord Shade- ruler of the Universe and commander of the Shadow Shrowds- I hereby sentence you to death!"  With a bloodthirsty howl, Shade stabbed Mario's lower chest.  Mario's eyes widened as he felt the blade pierce his chest and stab into the ground below him.  Finally, his eyes shut and Shade viciously ripped his sword out.  Mario remained still.

Sadness

"No..." Luigi whispered in disbelief, tears streaming down his face.  "No...  Bro... You can't be gone...  You were everything to me..."

"I'm sorry.  I truly am," Skulleon said softly.  "I know how badly you wanted him to win."

"He can't be dead..." Raiden muttered.  "Mario never dies...  What did we ever do to deserve this?"

Glaive fell to his knees.  "Not... Mario..."



"Hmph.  The only thing good I can say about him is that he can really take a punch.  Too bad.  He died a fool's death, just like his father," Shade murmured as he walked away from the fallen plumber.  "Goodbye, Mario.  You died attempting to fulfill your promise, just as you wished.  Now your kingdom will cease to exist.  If you'll excuse me, I have a Vortex to expand."

"Just... where do you... think you're going?" came Mario's voice from behind the tyrant.  Shade whirled around to see Mario limping toward him, clutching the wound on his chest.  "I'm not going to let you win...  Didn't you hear me before?  I won't give up... not until I fulfill my promise...  I'm going to fight to the bitter end...  I don't care how much pain I go through...  The worst pain of all is letting my friends down..."  He flashed his desperate grin and continued to stagger directly towards Lord Shade.


"Get back on the ground, fool!" Shade thundered as he grabbed Mario by the throat and slammed him into floor.  "How is it that you care so much about these weaklings that you are willing to die for them?!"

With great effort, Mario tried to push himself back up.  A pool of blood had been formed below him.  "Because it's my duty!  I'm the Mushroom Hero, and I first accepted that responsibility when I defeated Metal Mario!  I realized that I truly care about these people, and I'll never give up on them!"

"I'm beginning to find your fortitude to be highly irritable.  I actually tried to kill you with that last attack," Lord Shade mumbled, clearly aggravated by Mario's endurance.  "But I have time to spare.  Come at me again, if you wish.  Keep in mind that it will probably be the last attack of your life."

Fierce Determination

Mario lifted himself to his feet and flung himself at Lord Shade.  With a flick of his wrist, a bolt of lighting sent Mario onto his back.    Shade grinned, thinking Mario had finally passed away.  Instead, the plumber pulled himself up again.  "Tell me!" Shade pried.  "Why do you continue to fight?!"

Once again, Mario stood up.  "It's simple...  If you really want to know, I'll tell you.  It's because I'm not a weakling, like you!  You always run away from your problems, hoping to ease your pain by spreading it to others!  You encountered an obstacle, but you fled from it and took it out on innocent people!  When your friendship with Inoni was forbidden, you didn't try to come up with a solution.  You resorted to violence!  Right now, beating you is my obstacle.  Do you see me running away and wreaking havoc in the Mushroom Kingdom?  No!  I have to be strong to fulfill my promises and overcome you!  I need to show you that there is another way besides inflicting pain on others!  If you put all of your heart into a problem, you can overcome it!"

"Silence, fool!  How dare you call me weak!" Lord Shade bellowed as he swung his sword, creating a violent tornado.  Mario was instantly caught in the whirlwind without a hint of resistance.  "That's what I call the Ten Times Tornado!  It pushes air into any open wound, causing ten times the original pain!  Its force is impossible to stop!  You'll die in just a few short seconds!"



"Oh, dear," Skulleon sighed with dread.  "Mario proved his determination, but he'll soon pass away under the stress of Shade's attack."

"Not if he hears the truth!" Grambi shouted as he materialized beside Skulleon.  "I need you to allow me to speak to Mario!"



The kingdom's sky was now such a dark shade of red that it appeared black.  Minimal sunlight was reaching the now frigid land, and life in the kingdom would soon fade away.  Trees had become barren, and any grassland in existence was replaced with barren wastelands of solid brown dirt.  A frosty wind blew across the kingdom, and it was soon realized that the Thunderball had failed.  Even Peach assumed that the worst had happened.

"ACK!" Mario screamed in agony as blood spurted out of his wounds, tears trickling down his bruised face.  I... guess... this is it...  This is... how it ends...  I tried my best...

"Mario?  Can you hear me?  It's Grambi!  I must tell you something further... about your father.  I never told you this, because I...  I didn't want to distract you.  There are a few pieces to the puzzle that you missed.  Why do I have the Capacity of Elements when only the Mushroom Hero can possess it?  Why did Raiden tell you that the best person to ask about the Mushroom Hero was me?  The answer is simple...  It is because I was the first of the Hero bloodline.  I am your father...  I couldn't bear to tell you.  Long ago, when I sensed that Shade was coming to Earth, I quickly sent you and Luigi to the Mushroom Kingdom so that you both would be safe.  When I died, my acts were recognized and I became the ruler of the Overthere.  From up above, I could always watch over my sons...  After your adventure trying to save your baby brother with the aid of the Yoshi Tribe, you were sent home to Brooklyn.  By then, it had recovered and completely forgot about Shade's attack.  Please, my son, you must survive.   I sacrificed most of my power and my life to give you this chance to fight Shade.  Don't let it go to waste...  I implore you...  Defeat Shade..."

Tri-Elemental Form

A blue aura surrounded Mario, and the tornado captivating him instantly vanished.  "You took my father away from me...  You killed my friends..." Mario's fists were clenched, and his eyes widened.  His body was shivering all over; welling up with a feeling not even he could describe.  "And now I find... that there is still a way for me to see my father again...  The only thing standing in my way... is you...  I swear...  I'm going to beat you...  For my friends...  For the Universe... For my father!"  Mario let out a chilling battle cry as violent tremors began to emit from his body.  The aura surrounding him took the shape of a colossal phoenix and began to flash every color of the rainbow.  The three Elemental Orbs rose from the pedestal that had created a bridge to Grambi's Palace and raced at full speed to Dark Castle.  They fired out beams of energy, each beam's color corresponding to its element.  The rays were absorbed into Mario's body, causing him and his clothes to flash random colors. Instantly, all of Mario's pain was gone.  His body shined with a radiant brilliance as if he had picked up a Starman.



Grambi gasped.  "Could it be?  Has he really been chosen to master the Tri-Elemental form?  Could that even be possible?  I was expecting the shock to give Mario a shot at beating Shade, but this...  This is an entirely new development..."

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 33: Breakdown of a Tyrant

Tri-Elemental Form

A chilling wind blew across the land as the sky became pitch black.  The Vortex surrounding Dark Castle had grown to immense proportions and now filled the horizon as Peach gazed out into the distance.  The Toads taking refuge in the castle alongside her were now huddled together in large clumps, hoping to keep each other warm.  Peach squinted out into the bleak new world that was to become their grave and gasped.  Hovering in the darkness, close enough to see but far too distant to grasp, was a speck of light.  Gleaming in the shadows of the doomed planet, a light shone out for all who cried for peace.



"What is this?  I've never seen anything like this before?" Lord Shade muttered to himself.  "Not only has he freed himself from my attack, but he's also become stronger."

As the tremors from his radical transformation let up, Mario walked out of the several clouds of dust and smog virtually unharmed.  He gave Shade a piercing and defiant glare, the most menacing one the tyrant had ever seen.  "I'm going to give you one final chance.  Take shelter in the darkest corner of the universe, and never come back," Mario admonished through clenched teeth.

"No, I simply cannot do that.  I am the mightiest in the universe.  I run from no one," Lord Shade hissed menacingly.  "Now, let's continue where we left off."

"Fine; have it your way!" Mario howled as he dashed toward Shade, leaving a trail of sparkling lights behind him.  Before Lord Shade could throw a punch, Mario's fist sank into his lower chest.  Shade sliced at his assailant, only to find that he had vanished.  Now hovering in the air behind Shade, Mario gave him a roundhouse kick to the back of the head.  The tyrant staggered forward and fell onto his hands and knees.  He sprang to his feet, only to see Mario towering above him.  A powerful elbow came down on Shade's back, and he fell flat on the ground almost instantly.

With great effort, Lord Shade was able to get back on his feet.  His entire body was quaking- not with fear, but anger.  His rage had taken over.  "You meaningless piece of trash...  Know your place!"

"I know my place well enough, Shade!" Mario spat bitterly.  "Why can't you get to know yours?  On the outside, you're a pretty tough opponent to beat.  However, on the inside, you're just a spineless coward who can't face the truth.  But I've spent enough time trying to get you to realize what you are.  It's time I showed you how it feels to be hunted!"

Lord Shade exchanged his sword for his right arm.  No one talks to me like that...

In the blink of an eye, Mario disappeared into thin air.  When Lord Shade spotted him, he was already inches away.  "This one's for Wario!" Mario cried as he unleashed a bone-shattering uppercut on Shade's jaw that sent him soaring into the air.  The enraged plumber took a great leap into the air and locked his hands together.  "This one is for Waluigi!" he bellowed as he smashed his fists into Shade's skull, sending him plummeting down to the ground.  Mario landed seconds before the tyrant, and connected a deadly smash attack with Shade's chest moments before he crashed.  "That one was for Glaive!"  Shade was now rocketing straight toward the solid stone wall.  Mario pursued him at top speed.  "And this one is for all of the people you used for your own selfish desires!"  Mario let out a bloodcurdling scream as he slammed Lord Shade into the wall and began mercilessly pummeling on him.



Mushroom Hero

"Look at Mario go!" Luigi exclaimed cheerfully.  "He's unstoppable now!"

"His power is impressive, but where did it come from?  I don't remember anyone ever using that technique- not even Grambi," Raiden muttered.  "I don't know why it's bothering me so much... but that transformation isn't one that is caused by being part of the Hero bloodline.  It's something else... but what?"

Grambi squinted at the Universal Television.  As everyone cheered Mario on, his face remained dismal.  "This transformation...  The Tri-Elemental Form...  Where have I heard of it before?  Perhaps it's just mindless speculation...  Regardless, I do hope Mario ends the fight soon.  Otherwise, I fear this may turn out just as it did before..."

Glaive's eyes bulged.  Could it be?  Is he the one?



Mario ripped Lord Shade out of the wall and tossed him to the ground.  "I want you to admit defeat.  I want you to tell me that you surrender, and that it's all over."

Lord Shade's fiercely wounded body began to glow a purple hue, and all of his injuries vanished without a trace.  Shade got back on his feet.  "Don't act like you're in control.  You may be stronger, but you still face the same dilemma as before.  You can't destroy me, and you can't destroy the castle."

Mario grinned.  "I'm grateful that your castle can heal all of your wounds.  I'll be able to torture you for all eternity, and you'll pray for death to come.  But the Dark Castle will always bring you back, and you'll have to endure even more pain until the process repeats itself.  The only way I'll let you out of this is if you give up.  The most painful injury you can receive is one that targets your pride."

"I can endure an eternity of pain.  I already have," Lord Shade replied bitterly.  He cupped his hands together and fired a colossal red energy sphere at Mario.  "But sooner or later, you're going to drop your guard!"

Mario didn't even attempt to dodge it.  The ball expanded across the entire room, sucking chandeliers and pieces of furniture into it as it zoomed toward its target.  It struck Mario without a hint of resistance, and exploded into thousands of tiny shockwaves that echoed through the castle.  Smoke billowed in all directions as large chunks of the ceiling began to fall down.

"I got him!  The cocky fool didn't even see it coming!" Lord Shade cackled triumphantly.

"Was that supposed to finish me?" Mario retorted from within the smoke and debris.  He emerged from the clouds of ash beside Shade.

Lord Shade staggered backward, trembling in disbelief.  "No...  How did this happen?  What happened to you?"

Mario grinned from ear to ear.  "Someone answered my plea...  Someone gave me the strength I needed to beat you.  Just as I told you before: If you put all of your heart into a problem, you can solve it.  I won't run away from my problems, and I won't desert my friends.  I'm the Mushroom Hero, and it's my duty to protect the kingdom from your kind!"



Breakdown of a Tyrant

Inoni gasped.  "That feeling...  I can practically taste someone's despair in the air...  It's that same feeling I had all those years ago...  Lord Shade is growing desperate.  Mario!  Why are you hesitating!?  You could have beaten him ten times in by now!  You must never back him into a corner!  Shade will never change, so don't try to reform him!"



"This can't be!" Lord Shade shrieked.  "No! I am the strongest in the universe!  I am the sole proprietor of all planets!  You're just a tiny speck of dirt in my empire!"  Electric sparks began to erupt from his body as he surrounded himself with a brilliant yellow aura.  "No!  I refuse to believe it!  I cannot be beaten!"  He extended his palms toward Mario, sending thousands of electric sparks directly at him.

Mario raised his right arm, and a wall of ice rose from the ground to block the bolts of electricity.  "Give up, Shade!  That's all that I'm asking you to do!"

"How can this be happening to me?!  I am mightiest in not only the entire universe, but in all three worlds!  It is my destiny to take Zeus's place and rule over every world!  This isn't possible!  Why does this have to happen now?!  Why must this man oppose me?!"  Tremors began to shake the room as Shade's anger grew to dangerous heights.

He's going insane, Mario thought.  "It's so unfortunate that you haven't realized your weakness until now.  You've been masking your weakness with all of this power and leadership, but all it took was one man to find out what's truly underneath: a sensitive coward who can't accept the truth!"

"How dare you!" Shade howled, modifying his arm into a blade.  "Compared to me, you're nothing!"  He dashed at Mario and began wildly slashing at him, blinded by his rage.

Mario effortlessly dodged the slow but powerful slices.  "You're not going to beat me, Shade!  Why can't you accept it?!  You aren't the mighty tyrant I once thought you were!  You're just a selfish man who wants to get what he wants by beating on people weaker than him!  You're no different from a school bully who wants attention and recognition!"

"I'm going to tear you apart!" Shade hissed, his eyes gleaming red with pure hatred.

"You're still not listening!" Mario screamed as he gave Shade a bone-shattering right hook to the gut, instantly ending Shade's assault. 

The tyrant crumpled onto his knees, clutching his wound as he struggled to contain his frustration.  He began to cough up several mouthfuls of blood.  Shade lost what little leadership he had left as thin, watery blood streamed out of his mouth.  No longer was he the ruler of the universe.



"I can't watch!" Luigi shrieked, shielding his eyes.

"It's... indescribable!" Skulleon exclaimed.  "Ever since his reign of terror began, Lord Shade was always the strongest.  He was able to have everything he could wrap his icy fingers around.  When he came to the Mushroom Kingdom, he found that his job wouldn't be so easy.  Now that Mario has become stronger than him, the shock is too great for him to bear.  Shade is having a complete breakdown now that he knows he can't win.  In the end, he will not gain control of all worlds."

Grambi's stare remained fixed on the Universal Television.  "No... This is just how it happened last time!  This is exactly what happened when I fought with Shade!  When Shade was desperate and had nowhere else to turn, he used my only weakness and defeated me!  Mario has Lord Shade backed into a corner, and I fear that the same fate awaits him!  Mario must kill him now, or all is lost!"



After somewhat recovering from the fatal blow Mario had given him, Shade got on his hands and knees.  "I... I'm sorry...  Please forgive me...  Please let me go!  I'll do anything!  I'll leave... just as you asked!  I'll go into seclusion in the darkest corner of the universe... and never return! Just please... spare me..."

[TeChNiCaL DiFfIcUlTiEs]

This is great.  I finally got a break from school to read this, and wow!  The whole battle between Mario and Shade is just amazing!  Keep up the good work!  ;)

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 34: End of Dark Castle... and Mario?

A Tyrant's Plea

Mario's eyes widened.  "You're... giving up?"

"Yes... please... forgive me..." Shade pleaded, bowing down to Mario.  "I apologize for all that I've done...  I now see that I am wrong..."

"Then get out of my face!" Mario spat with disgust.  "You're blessed with outstanding luck, Shade.  I want you to leave, and crawl out into the deepest reaches of space.  Stay there forever, and never commit a single crime again.  If you ever become thirsty for blood, then feast upon your own."  Mario turned around and began to walk away.  "I'm no longer in charge of when your life ends.  Only you can decide."  He approached the exit to the throne room, leaving behind a furious Lord Shade.



"No, Mario!  It's a trap!" Grambi exclaimed.  "The same thing happened to me in Brooklyn, and I chose the same path that you have!  Lord Shade's apology is only a ploy to catch you off guard!  He's using his trump card- messing with your emotions!"



Lord Shade began to chuckle lightly.  He's fallen into the same trap as his father did.  He may be strong, but he's not very smart to turn his back on someone like me!  "Sentiments are for the weak!  Look at how easily you've lost control of the situation!"  He stood up and launched a jet black energy sphere from his hands.  "Sphere of the Abyss!"

Mario whirled around just as the colossal black ball was about to strike him.  Unable to defend himself in time, the Sphere of the Abyss sucked Mario right in with its powerful force.  Instead of exploding as the normal energy ball would, it pulled Mario inside of it.  He felt as though he was being drawn into a pool of black water that blocked out every last ounce of light.  He floated around in an abyss of darkness for what seemed like an eternity, until he suddenly began to feel the energy that made up the sphere enter his body.

Misery

"The Sphere of the Abyss draws you in and forces all of its darkness into your body!  The darkness alone is harmless- until it finds some trace of corruption inside of you!  Once found, it is amplified by several measures until you are consumed by evil, and then you will die!  Of course, you have nothing to worry about if you are pure of heart!  But can you really prevent yourself from feeling even a drop of hatred towards me?"

Mario drifted in the darkness, unable to see a single bit of light.  It was as if he had gone blind.  He groped at the nothingness all around him, trying to find a way out.  As he felt the darkness pooling into his body, he knew that the end was growing closer.  He began to feel a deep pain growing inside of his heart.  Surely the process Shade had explained was beginning.  He was slowly becoming filled with corruption.  I let him get to me...  I didn't want to kill him...  But he betrayed my trust and killed me instead...  Why does the world have to be this way?  Why do people like me try to do good deeds, yet all we get in return is corruption and evil? Can't the world receive the era of peace that it deserves?  Mario clutched his heart.  The pain is growing...  I'll be dead soon...  It's strange, though...  I'm not feeling any more evil or dark...  I only feel more sadness...  Wait a minute...  The pain isn't coming from the darkness being absorbed into my body...  I'm feeling pain because I'm about to let my friends down...  No...  I can't lose my will to survive...  I need to break free... I... need... to...

Tri-Elemental Form

"You fool!  That's what you get for relying on your emotions!  The only true necessity in the world is power!" Lord Shade cackled.  "Now join your father in the afterlife!  I'll be ruling over all three worlds soon enough!"

The dark orb that contained Mario was beginning to shrink.  When it was completely gone, it meant that all of the darkness had been absorbed, and that the victim was more than likely dead.  Faster and faster, the Sphere of the Abyss died down.  At last, it vanished completely.  There, standing in the center of where the sphere used to be, was Mario.  A yellow aura surrounded the rainbow-colored plumber as he gave Shade a cold stare.

"What?  You aren't dead?!" Lord Shade cried.  "That's impossible!  To survive, you would have to be pure of heart!  You would have had to be free of all traces of hatred!  How could that be?!"

"I don't hate you, I pity you," Mario replied bitterly.  "Now let me show you what I'm going to do with all of the darkness I have in my body right now."  He cupped his hands together and shot a gigantic trio of energy waves, each representing a different element. 

Lord Shade crumpled backward as he stared at the annihilator beams.  "You can't...  You can't kill me!"



"He's converting all of the darkness Shade put inside of him into Elemental Energy and using it to power a Tri-Elemental Blast!  It is said to be the strongest energy wave that can be wielded!  There's no way Shade could survive a blast of that magnitude!" Grambi cheered. "Somehow, Mario has overcome the attack that ended my life: the Sphere of the Abyss!"



The Tri-Elemental Blast consumed Lord Shade in a ray of splendiferous light.  The beam continued its rampage and pierced the exact center of the throne room, which was where the core of the Dark Castle was nestled.  Without it, the castle would wither away into dust within a few minutes.  Mario had found a way to rid himself of Shade while keeping the castle intact long enough to give him a chance to escape!

A Tyrant's Plea

An earsplitting roar erupted from the shattered core of the castle.  Several earthquakes began to shake the battered throne room.  "This place is falling apart!  I need to make sure that Shade is dead before I leave!"  Mario screamed over the thunderous rumbling.  He sprinted toward the disintegrated core of the castle and began to scan the area.  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!  Get out of there!" Grambi screamed.  "You don't have time for this!  Shade is only doing the only thing he can to beat you!  He knows that you'll struggle to figure out what you should do.  He only wants to slow you down so that you are sucked into the Vortex!"



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.

CRASH!

BOOM!

Lord Shade's Defeat

As if some magic light switch had just been flipped, the world was suddenly overflowing with sunlight and warmth.  The barrier that shielded them from the calm, blue sky shattered instantly as the Dark Castle sunk into the Vortex, which soon vanished as quickly as it had appeared.  Peach gazed at the sky.  "Mario!  You did it!"

All of the Toads in the castle let out an enormous cry of joy.  "MARIO SAVED US!"



Inoni smiled.  "Mario finally put an end to Shade.  Now I can live without any further regrets."



"We're free," Luigi whispered, almost in disbelief.  "We're free!  Bro did it!"

"He sure did," Glaive agreed.  "I think I'm finally beginning to respect him in a new way.  I feel like I can relate to him, for some reason."

"Grambi, is there any way that Shade could have survived?" Skulleon inquired.  "Is it really safe to assume that he's dead?"

Grambi nodded solemnly.  "Lord Shade is dead.  Mario's Fireball made sure of that.  Even if he survived, he'd die in the Vortex from his injuries."

"Then why do you look so serious?" Mallow asked, puzzled.  "Mario won!"

Grambi sighed.  "That's just it.  Shade is dead, but did Mario really win?  I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade, but did any of you see Mario jump out of the castle in time?  I sure didn't!  Either he was sucked into the Vortex, or the explosion sent him flying in some direction.  If he's in the Vortex, he's as good as gone.  And if he fell from such a height in his fatigued condition, he would certainly die.  The chances of his survival are slim."

[shadowmarioguy]

Epilogue: Wait For Eternity

Grambi shuddered at the thought of Mario's death.  "It's just awful...  I don't know which possibility is worse...  Either he died or he was trapped within the Vortex."

"No!  Mario made it out alive!" Luigi proclaimed sternly.  "I know he survived.  I just know it..."

"Well, it would help if we knew exactly what the Vortex was," Glaive stated matter-of-factly, his arms crossed.  "Maybe there's some way Mario could escape the Vortex if he was trapped inside."

"The Vortex is a modified version of the Void that Count Bleck summoned," Grambi explained.  "Having studied the Dark Prognosticus for years, Lord Shade had the book practically memorized.  Not only was he able to create a Void, he could create other twisted catastrophes through experimentation.  The Vortex was created based on Shade's belief that there were things more torturous than death.  As a child, he lived in a single, united world filled with discrimination.  His forbidden friendship with Inoni is a prime example.  This led Shade to the theory that a life filled with pain and agony is in fact worse than death itself.

"With that in mind, he created the Vortex.  Instead of tearing apart whatever had been sucked in, it contains its victims for all eternity.  It is an endless ocean of nothingness, with streams and rivers of emptiness flowing throughout the entire fabrics of all three worlds.  Once caught inside, you will be pulled along by this current, experiencing occasional rips in the time-space continuum that lead out of the Vortex.  However, you'll have no idea where you are.  You could be anywhere in the Universe, Overthere, or Underwhere.  In the unlikely even that you even identify one of these rips and manage to get to it before you are pulled away, you could end up somewhere in space.  You would have no way back into the Vortex, and would die of instant asphyxiation.  The chances of ending up in the Mushroom Kingdom are almost nonexistent."

"Wouldn't you eventually die of malnutrition if you stayed inside of the Vortex?" Glaive inquired suspiciously.  "This sounds half-baked to me.  I thought Shade created the Vortex to force someone into an eternity of pain.  What's the point if you'd die in a week or so due to the lack of food and water?"

Grambi shook his head.  "The Vortex will constantly provide your body with enough nutrients to survive.  Any sort of illness is instantly cured, and all mortal wounds would heal in seconds.  This renders suicide useless.  You simply cannot die once trapped in the Vortex."

"What do we do now?" Luigi inquired, teardrops beginning to roll down his cheeks.  "I wanted Bro to beat Shade, but not if we have to live without him...  What am I going to tell everyone?"

"Wait a minute!" Mallow exclaimed.  "Why don't we use the Star Rod to bring Mario here?"

"Won't work," Skulleon replied swiftly.  "During his conflict with Metal Mario, the Star Rod was used to heal Mario's fatal wounds.  Once someone has been impacted strongly by the Star Rod's magic, the Star Rod can no longer have any affect on that person's life.  That's why we couldn't use it to bring Mario back to life when he died in his final battle against Metal Mario.  Instead, we had to send Luigi and the others on a wild adventure to bring him back.  However, the Wario Bros. can be brought back with the Star Rod's magic.  We should at least give them another chance at life."

"I don't think we can.  At least not yet," Grambi sighed, his gaze fixed upon the area where the Dark Castle once was.  "The Star Rod, Power Star, Shadow Rod, and Z Star were all sucked into the Vortex.  Lord Shade's death may have restored their power, but we can't even get to them!  However, the Oracles of Power have a natural instinct to return to their resting place.  They should instinctively find a proper wormhole in the Vortex and escape to their corresponding residence.  In a few days, the Star Rod will be back in Star Haven.  We can bring them back to life then."

"I think we need to get going.  I'm really going to have trouble breaking the news to Peach..." Luigi said somberly, his tone close to a whisper.

Grambi nodded.  "I'll tell you when the Star Rod is back, and I'll also let you know if Mario turns up in the Overthere.  At least you'll know if he's dead or not.  But before you go, I have something to tell you.  I told Mario telepathically during his battle with Shade, and I've been debating over whether or not I should tell you as well.  I've decided that you have the right to know.  After all, you are... my son..."



Luigi was informed of the history of Anthony Mario, now known as Grambi.  It was a tearful reunion, on Luigi's part anyway.  Grambi had to have Glaive pull Luigi off of him several times, and Grambi's chin soon became sore from Luigi constantly grabbing his beard.  At last, Luigi finally calmed down and prepared to leave.  Surprisingly enough, Luigi was the only one who was unaware of Grambi's identity.  Glaive claimed to have known this fact for several years, most likely due to his past relationship with the Shadow Shrowds.

Lord Shade's Defeat

As Glaive turned toward the exit to the Thunder Palace, Luigi stopped him.  "Glaive, where are you going to go?  I'm sure Peach would let you stay at the castle.  If not, you could always, stay with me."

Glaive thought for a moment, and then shuddered.  "No...  I think I'd rather take my armor off and slowly disintegrate in the sunlight than stay with you.  I will stay in this kingdom for a little while longer, though.  Not that I care about any of you.  I set three goals for myself in life: to see Lord Shade dead, to be stronger than Lord Shade, and to lift the curse from my kingdom.  I saw Shade die by Mario's hands, so that's one goal down.  I'm going to continue my training, but I'll never know if I have truly surpassed Shade.  That's why I need Mario.  He's the closest benchmark to Shade that I've got.  If I can become stronger than Mario, I'll know that I have also become more powerful than Shade.  If Mario should return one day, I will defeat him.  From this point on, Mario is my new rival.  Until then, I've got nothing to do but become stronger.  If your world is ever in danger again, I've got your back.  But it'll be for my own reasons."

"But Glaive!" Luigi protested.  "Where will you stay?"

"Hmph.  While you stay in your warm and cozy homes, I'll be busy roughing it out somewhere.   You'll all soon grow weak in these times of peace.  You weren't ready for Shade, and I want to make sure at least one of us is ready for whatever might come next," Glaive explained.  "Keep an eye out for Mario." For the first time since anyone had met him, his eyes sparkled.  He gave Luigi a firm nod, and then exited the palace.

"I can tell something about Glaive has changed," Luigi affirmed.  "He may seem tough with that cocky attitude of his, but I can tell he's going to enjoy this era of peace.  We should all do the same.  Goodbye Skulleon, Raiden, Mallow, and Dad!  I'm sure we'll meet again some day!"

"Remember," Grambi reminded him, "we'll always be watching over you."

"Right," Luigi replied with a nod.  "I'll keep that in mind when I'm using the bathroom.  See  ya!"  With one final chuckle, he turned around and dashed for the exit.  When he emerged in the Mushroom Kingdom and saw a fresh, blue sky, he couldn't contain his tears of joy.  "Finally, a blue sky!  I've missed those!  Thank you, Bro!  This is all thanks to you!  You wouldn't want us to grieve over your disappearance.  You would want us to embrace the freedom that you fought so hard to give us.  I'll continue my training with the Master, and I won't be such a coward the next time I see you!"  With that, he ran off to Mushroom Castle, wildly flapping his arms and skipping with joy.  Lord Shade's reign of terror was finally over.



"What do you mean?!  How could Mario be gone?" Peach shrieked in disbelief, her face damp with tears.  "He promised me that he'd come back!  How could he leave us?"

"Don't worry.  I know he'll come back some day.  Somehow, I know," Luigi whispered hopefully, staring longingly at the horizon.  "I think you'll understand when I tell you the full story."

Everyone crowded around Luigi.  "Well, Mario was busy training with Grambi while the Wario Bros. and I fought Shade.   Glaive, one of Shade's former minions, had also teamed up with us earlier.  We quickly found out that we were no match for him, and he began to crush us one by one.  The Wario Bros. fought with everything they had, but Waluigi was soon mortally wounded and out of the fight.  Lord Shade killed Wario with ease, which threw Waluigi into a fit of rage.  Even though he was seconds away from death, Waluigi put everything he had into taking Shade down.  It just wasn't enough.

"I would've been more than happy to help, but my darned shoelaces were all knotted up!  So Glaive battled Shade in my place while I attempted to fix my shoes.  Just as he was about to die, I finally managed to tie my shoes in a perfect fashion.  With all of my might, I began to furiously give Shade the beating of his life!  It was amazing!  But then... Shade tricked me and was easily able to pound me into the ground.  Things weren't looking too good, until Mario showed up!  He fought head to head with the most feared tyrant in the entire universe like it was nothing!  At one point, he even had the upper hand!  In a downright dirty maneuver, Shade stole all of the energy from the Oracles of Power to become even stronger.  Mario was no match for the powered up tyrant, and quickly lost the will to fight.

"That's when Skulleon contacted the whole kingdom and let you speak to Mario telepathically.  It gave Mario the motivation he needed to continue the fight, and he quickly came up with a plan.  He powered up a Thunderball with electricity from all across the kingdom and launched it at Shade.  We all believed that Shade had truly been killed, but the Dark Castle revived him.  It turned out that whenever Shade died, the Dark Castle would just resurrect him again!  However, if Mario destroyed the castle, he'd be sucked into the Vortex. 

"When all seemed lost, Grambi telepathically informed Mario of his father's true identity.  Powered by the will to see his father once again, Mario went through a radical transformation!  This gave him the power he needed to finish Shade once and for all!  By destroying the core of the castle and Shade at the same time, Mario overcame the dilemma that prevented him from permanently destroying the evil tyrant.  But with his last breaths, Shade tried to convince Mario to forgive him and help him escape.  Mario eventually realized that it was a trap, but Shade's plea kept Mario in the castle long enough to prevent him from escaping.  We still don't know if he died in the explosion or was sucked into the Vortex."



Wait for Eternity

Two days had passed since the world had been freed from Lord Shade's tyrannical grasp.  All of the inhabitants of the Mushroom Kingdom gathered at Mushroom Castle, where a meeting was to be held.  Luigi gently pushed his way through the crowd, carefully cradling the Star Rod close to his chest.  He jogged up the Royal Staircase to join Peach at the head of the crowd.  The room grew silent.

Luigi brushed several drops of sweat from his forehead.  "I just visited Grambi.  Just as he predicted, the Oracles of Power are making their way back to where they belong.  The Star Rod had already made to Star Haven, so I picked it up," he explained wearily.  "Even the Elemental Orbs are safe with their respective Elemental Guardian.  He also told me that Mario hasn't appeared in the Overthere.  That means that Mario must have been sucked into the Vortex, which means that he is alive."

Peach nodded solemnly.  "But was Shade right?  Can life be worse than death?  Mario will have to suffer in the Vortex, when he could have lived peacefully in the Overthere during his afterlife.  Would he have been better off dying?"

Luigi shook his head.  "The way I see it, Shade was wrong.  There isn't a greater gift in the world than life.  So even if it is miserable, it's still a gift.  Besides, there's a chance Mario could find his way back to us.  But enough of that.  We came here to restore the lives of Wario and Waluigi, as well as anyone else who wasn't lucky enough to escape from Shade's army."  He held the Star Rod out in front of him.  "Great and powerful Star Rod, many lives have been lost because of Lord Shade's assault.  Please give every innocent person that died because of his attack another chance at life."  The Star Rod began to glow, and soon the room was lit up with a bright yellow light.  Wario and Waluigi appeared beside them at the head of the crowd, and everyone cheered.

"It looks like we finally did become heroes," Waluigi sighed.  "What happened?  Did we win?"  He turned to Wario, only to see that he had vanished. Sure enough, Wario was in the center of the crowd, performing various assortments of victory dances and throwing bags of gold coins into the air.

"Alright, everyone.  We're going to go to Star Summit at nine o'clock sharp each and every night, where we'll look to the sky and take some time to admire Mario," Peach announced.  "We'll always remember Mario for what he has done, and how he fought for our freedom."

On that note, they all made their way to Star Summit.  The stayed for hours, staring up at the falling stars.  Not a single soul could ever forget Mario, and how he had taken down the mightiest tyrant in the universe.  Each and every night, they did the same.  They would always gather and stare up at the sky, just after dinner, and wait for their hero to return to them. 

The End
(Find out what happens in SMB7: The Demonic Trials)

[TeChNiCaL DiFfIcUlTiEs]

Outstanding!  That was an amazing ending to an epic fight.  Yet it still leaves you wanting more, because you want to know what happened to Mario.  The entire backstory behind Shade and his minions are pieced together well, and all fit together perfectly.  I can't wait for part 7.  :)