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Super Mario Bros. 8: Advent of the Armageddon (Chapter 20: The Awakening)

Started by shadowmarioguy, June 11, 2010, 03:10:13 PM

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shadowmarioguy

EDIT: The chapters are best viewed with the 'Core Theme'.  Otherwise, the quotation marks seem to change into strange symbols.

EDIT 2: Want to read/download SMB 1-7?  The written board has been taken down, but you can find them here.


If anything ever happens to any of the chapters, you can read them here.

After a brutal struggle to save the kingdom from a demon invasion, Mario has learned that he has more in common with these demons than he originally thought.  Eager to learn more about his past and to respect a deceased comrade's final request, Mario departs from the Mushroom Kingdom and enters the homeland of the demons.  Meanwhile, as the Mushroom Kingdom is left without its greatest hero, a sinister force prepares to strike...

This is the eighth and penultimate installment of my Super Mario Brothers series.  There is no need for you to go back and read 1-7 because I have spent a great deal of time writing Character Bios to bring you up to speed.  Also, the majority of the Prologue will serve as a summary of what has happened so far in Mario's life.

SMB6 and SMB7 are posted on Nsider2, so you can find them here and here, respectively.  I'll eventually upload the first five to some file hosting site so you can download them, but I won't repost them since they aren't too good and would be a waste of space.  I'm grateful that this one thread could be moved to the Starship Mario board.

If you're new to the series, I highly recommend you read the information below. Otherwise, you probably won't understand most of what's going on.  Even if you are familiar with the series, it couldn't hurt to brush up on your knowledge. Also, keep in mind that my writing skills have developed from 1-7, so earlier parts of the series will have poor quality compared to more recent parts.

Character Bios and Other Information:

(Note: Even if you know who the character is, you should still definitely read his/her bio.  There is a lot of information that is exclusive this series.  Also, some bios are especially long because they contain important information.)

Terranean Division

Long ago, at the very beginnings of time, before the difference between life and death was established, everything in existence was a part of one colossal kingdom known as Terranea.  The kingdom lived in peace for many centuries, until the first traces of evil the world has ever known began to emerge.  A brutal civil war between the beliefs of good and evil broke out.  Those who represented 'good' were labeled the Olympians, and those who were the 'bad' were informally known as demons.  The Terranean War lasted for centuries, until a group of twenty four indescribably powerful demons were developed.  These experimental demons were known as Grimnexes.  Each was assigned a letter of the Greek alphabet based on his rank, with Alpha being the strongest.  However, before the Grimnexes could turn the tide of the war, the Olympians succeeded in defeating the demons.  A man named Zeus became their leader, and they divided Terranea into two parts, sealing the demons- and the Grimnexes- away in the second part that later became known as the Nightmare Vault.  A curse was placed upon the Nightmare Vault's citizens that caused their skin to burn if they were ever exposed to sunlight.  The Nightmare Vault became a kingdom of darkness, an everlasting prison that fostered hatred and bitterness.

The leader of the demons, simply known as the Phoenix, swore revenge upon Zeus and the other Olympians.  Though he met his end at the end of the war, his people dedicated themselves to finding a way to break out of the Nightmare Vault to seek revenge.  Over time, some demons began to blame themselves for their punishment.  They thought that the Olympians did the right thing by sealing the demons away.  Soon, these people began openly protesting against the demons of the Phoenix.  In an era that became known as the Bellum Era, demons blindly slaughtered each other because of their conflicting beliefs.  It wasn't until much later that the Dimidius Era began.  In this era, demons separated into two distinct sides, greatly reducing confusion and meaningless murders.  These opposing sides were known as the Phoenix, and the Demon Resistance.  To this day, their 'civilization' is devastated by this perpetual civil war.

Meanwhile, back in Terranea, Zeus was faced with more problems.  Another force of evil arose, and nearly succeeded in destroying all of Terranea (For more specific details, see Lord Shade's bio below).  After the catastrophe ended, Zeus decided that it would be best if he split Terranea up once again.  A vast land known as the Universe would exist as a judgment phase, where Zeus would evaluate a person's character.  Depending on a person's actions during his or her lifetime, he would either be sent to the Underwhere, a place where unworthy beings would reside, or the Overthere, a land of peace much similar to that of Terranea's before it was devastated by war. 

Five realms now existed.  The Universe was a world where people could be evaluated, branching off to the Underwhere and Overthere.  Far below the Underwhere was the Nightmare Vault, a place where demons still battled one another in a never-ending war.  Towering above the Overthere was Mount Olympus, a place where Zeus could govern over the events of all the other realms.  Each of these realms was held together by a binding dimension known as the Nexus, a place where one could travel from one dimension to the next.  And in the dimension known as the Universe, on a small planet called Earth, our story begins...

Lord Shade (Deceased):



Many ages ago, the Universe, Overthere, and Underwhere were united as a single kingdom called Terranea. There were many groups of people, and bitter rivalries between races. Two childhood friends, Shade and Inoni, were of two different races. Shade, a member of the Dark Tribe, went against his parents orders and became friends with Inoni. However, the two of them were soon separated. Thrown into uncontrollable rage, Shade attacked. It took Terranea's strongest forces to defeat him. The ruler of the kingdom, Zeus, split Terranea into three parts. The Universe would be designed as a judgement phase, where he could watch over people and decide whether they were good or bad. Whenever a person died, he'd be brought to the Underwhere. If he was good, he could advance to the Overthere, where he'd live in an eternity of peace. Those who were not pure would remain trapped in the Underwhere, where they'd be unable to do harm to those who deserved tranquility. With all of his might, Zeus sealed Shade in the Underwhere. For years, Shade studied the Dark Prognosticus and eventually found a way to escape.

Instead of ending up in the Overthere, he found himself in the Universe. Vowing that Zeus was a terrible leader and that he would someday take his place, Shade set out to prove himself by conquering the Universe. He formed a group called the Shadow Shrowds, an elite fighting force that contained warriors from around the Universe. By using methods of trickery and deceit, Shade forced hundreds of civilizations to fight by his side.  Shade once attacked the earth, but Mario's father managed to drive him away at the cost of his life. Recently, Shade came back stronger than ever. At last, through events that will be listed later on, Mario put him to rest. Of course it still helps to know who Shade is, because he'll be referred to at various points in the story.

Velno (Deceased):



He was created by Lord Shade's top scientists.  When Lord Shade first attacked Brooklyn, he captured a human being and used him for a wicked experiment. Project V.E.L.N.O., or Vicious Energy Lacking Nasty Organism, was meant to be a creature that was naturally strong, but could also take the strength of others by devouring them.  The human that Lord Shade captured had his organs replaced with mechanical parts, and his body was covered in metallic armor.  When no one was around, a man named Crimson snuck into the laboratory and modified Velno's programming so that he would obey him instead of Shade.

As soon as he was able to think, Velno escaped from Shade and fled into Brooklyn's sewers. Years later, he emerged in the Mushroom Kingdom, looking to kill Lord Shade for leaving him behind. He was destroyed by Wario, Waluigi, and Luigi in Mushroom Castle, but Crimson revived him in SMB7.  It is later revealed that Velno keeps himself alive by feeding off of the flesh of dead human beings, to Mario's great disgust.  Eventually, Velno was permanently destroyed by Mario.

Crimson

Not much is known about this man, but he has the potential to be even more dangerous than Lord Shade.  No one knows what Crimson used to be like or what his real name is, but at some point or another he ended up joining Lord Shade's military, the Shadow Shrowds.  Over time, for an unknown reason, he no longer wished to be a part of the army and convinced as many soldiers as he could to leave with him.  They formed a small band of unknown fighters that lurked in the shadows, blindly following Crimson's orders.  No one was quite sure what Crimson was after, but they respected him for his great leadership skills and immense power.

Just recently, after Mario defeated Lord Shade, Crimson suddenly became very interested in the Mushroom Kingdom.  He was the mastermind behind the kingdom's latest catastrophe.  He resurrected many of Mario's old foes and used them to try to open a gateway between the Nightmare Vault and the Mushroom Kingdom, referring to this operation as the Demonic Trials.  The main purpose of these trials was to put Mario through grueling hardships that would put his abilities to the test.  Mario triumphed, proving to Crimson that Mario is the one he has been searching for.  After the end of the trials, the only minion that remained with Crimson was Smithy.  After muttering something about 'the Armageddon', Crimson orders Smithy to begin the next stage in his plan...

Smithy



If you haven't played Super Mario RPG, Smithy is a mechanical tyrant that once tried to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom and fill the world with weapons of war.  He resided in his factory, manufacturing all sorts of mechanical weapons and enemies for Mario to face.  Luckily, Mario stormed into his factory and defeated him.

In SMB7, it was revealed that Smithy was built by Lord Shade and his scientists.  After the Smithy Gang was resurrected, many battles between Mario and his old enemy ensued.  By the end of SMB7, only Smithy himself remained.  He is now working alongside Crimson to build the 'ultimate weapon'.

Mario



When Mario first entered the Mushroom Kingdom, he didn't care deeply about it or even suspect himself to be its true hero.  Once the Mushroom Kingdom was targeted by a galactic army called the Shadow Shrowds, however, Mario came to realize who he truly was.  He finally accepted the Mushroom Kingdom as his true home, and in the end, he gave his life to protect it.  In the afterlife, Mario met with an Elemental God named Skulleon, who revealed that the Shadow Shrowds had not been entirely defeated by Mario. Skulleon bestowed Mario with the Iceball ability, and after many trials, granted him another life.

Later on, Mario meets another Elemental God, Raiden, who reveals that Mario is from the Hero bloodline.  This bloodline was created long ago to keep the world save from evil, and was bestowed with tremendous power from the gods.  Mario's father was the previous Hero, and was born with immense powers locked deep within him. Mario inherited 75% of these powers, though they could only be unlocked through brutal training.  After this revelation, Raiden taught Mario the Thunderball technique.

After learning to use all 75% of his inherited power, Mario was ready to fight Lord Shade- the leader of the Shadow Shrowds. After winning in an all-out duel, Mario disappeared for two years.  During the events of SMB7, Mario returned to find that the kingdom was in danger once again.  As he ventured across the kingdom on yet another adventure, Mario slowly began to realize that an alternate personality was developing within him- one that represented pure evil.  After battling demons, past enemies, and the like, Mario finally faced off against the leader of the operation, known as Velno.  During the final battle, Mario went through a strange transformation and lost control of his actions, accidentally killing one of his comrades.  Feeling guilty for this manslaughter and wanting to learn the reasoning behind the strange new evil growing within him, Mario left the Mushroom Kingdom to visit the homeland of the demons- the Nightmare Vault.

Luigi:



Luigi is Mario's younger brother. He deeply respects his brother, and often worries about him. Luigi can be a bit cowardly sometimes, but deep down he is very courageous and heroic.  Lately he has begun to feel as though he relies too much on his brother, and wants to become stronger so he can protect the kingdom in his brother's absence.

Since Mario is from the Hero bloodline, and the two of them are brothers, Luigi has also inherited unusual powers.  There are a few rules that one must keep in mind in regards to the power of the Hero Bloodline.  The first child of a Hero inherits his powers and his title as the Hero, which is why only Mario is recognized as part of the Hero bloodline.  However, the younger sibling of a Hero possesses the same amount of potential strength as the first born.  While he possesses the same potential, Luigi cannot master more than one element like his brother has.  In addition, the second-born child's power is not purified at birth.  The choice to be good or evil is his to make.  If he should choose to be tainted with evil, the effect could be deadly.

In SMB7, Luigi discovers that he has a hidden power known as the Emerald Flame.  Because of the rules mentioned in the previous paragraph, Luigi's body absorbs any nearby evil like a sponge.  This evil slowly builds up over time, and is harmless as long as Luigi continues to fight for the side of good.  However, at certain times in the past, Luigi's body has instinctively used the power of the Emerald Flame.  When activated, it can only be described as an aura of dark green flames that surrounds Luigi.

Glaive



Glaive is a demon from the Nightmare Vault that eventually ended up joining Mario's side. During his childhood, his only friend was a girl named Sara.  The Nightmare Vault had been in a civil war for thousands of years, and their village was often plundered by enemy forces.  The demons were divided among those who wanted to annihilate the human race, and those who wanted to make peace with them- the Demon Resistance.  Glaive's village was a part of this resistance.  When Sara was taken away and brainwashed into a heartless soldier by a demon named Botis, Glaive blamed the Demon Resistance for his losses and vowed to end the civil war- and kill Botis- with his own hands.

Lord Shade, leader of the Shadow Shrowds, once came to the Nightmare Vault to recruit soldiers for his army.  Glaive was one of these recruits.  In exchange for Glaive's help, Shade promised that he would lift the curse on the Nightmare Vault and end the civil war.  When Glaive realized that Shade was lying, he left the Shadow Shrowds and later ended up in the Mushroom Kingdom.  When Mario and Luigi bump into some trouble during the Shadow Shrowd invasion, Glaive comes out of seemingly nowhere to rescue them.  From then on, he joins Mario's group in order to seek vengeance upon Lord Shade.  After Mario defeated Lord Shade, a friendly rivalry formed between Mario and Glaive.  Because of this, Glaive decided to stay in the Mushroom Kingdom to help Mario protect the kingdom.

The demons within the Nightmare Vault were cursed with the inability to live under bright lighting.  To counter this, Glaive wore heavy armor to block out the sunlight of the Mushroom Kingdom.  In SMB7, Glaive learned that many demons had managed to become immune to sunlight.  Through long and grueling training, Glaive finally was able to live in the Mushroom Kingdom without his heavy armor weighing him down.  Later on, in the final battle with Velno, Mario went through a stunning transformation and unwillingly killed Glaive.  His final request was for Mario to end the civil war in the Nightmare Vault in his place.

Ace Spades

Ace, much like Glaive, is a demon that has joined Mario's side.  He fights by carrying a deck of cards that, when crushed, transform into various forms of weaponry such as bombs, swords, whips, and shields.  He is extremely intelligent and became the leader of Poker Face- the main military of the Demon Resistance- at a very young age.  Years prior to this, when he was only five, everyone in his family except for his brother and himself was slaughtered by the Phoenix's Assassination Force.  Ace's brother, Jack, escaped and later became the first leader of Poker Face.  Ace, however, was not so lucky.  He was taken in by the Assassination Force and raised to be a ruthless warrior.  One day, he was given the task of assassinating his own brother.  Ace did not realize the impact of this assassination until it was too late.  He had murdered his own brother. 

Afterward, Ace left the Assassination Force and joined the ranks of Poker Face.  By the time he reached his late teens, Ace rose to the top of Poker Face and became its leader.  When the Mushroom Kingdom faced its most recent threat, Ace was sent to the Mushroom Kingdom to help prevent a demon invasion.  It was then that he met up with Mario.  Much later on in their quest, Ace disobeyed a direct order from Poker Face and lost his job.  Still eager to help in any way he can, Ace journeyed to the Nightmare Vault alongside Mario.

Lorne

Lorne is one of Crimson's former minions and was later revealed to be Mario's cousin.  When Lord Shade attacked Brooklyn, Lorne's father mysteriously vanished, leaving Lorne to be captured by Shade's men.  He was enlisted in the ranks of the Shadow Shrowds, but he wasn't particularly good at fighting.  When Crimson led a small group of warriors away from the Shadow Shrowd hideout, Lorne left with him and became a part of his gang.  Through years of personal training, Lorne became strong enough to be involved in the Mushroom Kingdom's latest threat.  Eventually, Mario and Lorne ended up fighting each other.  After a fierce exchange of beliefs, Mario was able to break the villain's cold exterior and convince him to join the side of good.

Slade

Slade is much like Lorne in the sense that he is one of Crimson's former minions that has joined up with Mario.  As a child, he was abandoned by his hateful parents.  He was discovered by demons and taken back to the Nightmare Vault, where he was raised to be a ruthless warrior.  Eventually, he returned to the human realm to seek revenge.  He could not find his parents, and instead met up with Crimson's gang.  He joined up with them to accomplish a common goal- to release the demons of the Nightmare Vault into the human realm.  Mario and Slade crossed paths many times, and Mario eventually convinced Slade that not all humans are evil.  To make up for his crimes, Slade accompanied Mario in his journey to the Nightmare Vault.

Princess Peach:



Peach is the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom. Time and time again she has been kidnapped by Bowser, though she has been looking after herself quite well during Mario's past few adventures. She has strong feelings for Mario, who is always there for her. When Mario left for the Nightmare Vault, she was devastated.  When she asked when he would return, Mario did not reply.

Mario Jr. and Luigi Jr.:



Although the picture shows them as babies, picture them being a little older.  When Mario left for the Nightmare Vault, Mario Jr. was ten and Luigi Jr. was seven.  For the sake of simplicity, Mario Jr. was nicknamed Mark, and Luigi Jr. was nicknamed Luke. They are both Mario's children (brought by the stork), but Mario forced them to move to Yoshi Island when the kingdom was attacked by Bowser. Up through the Shadow Shrowd's attack, they stayed there, waiting for Mario to return for them. Mario refused to bring them back until he defeated the Shadow Shrowds and their leader, Lord Shade. After the battle was over, they left Yoshi Island to live at the Mario Brothers' house.

Just to clarify, there are two methods of 'reproduction' in this fanfic series.  In the human world that is parallel to the Mushroom Kingdom (Brooklyn, and the world we live in), children are born through the same methods that we are familiar with.  In the Mushroom Kingdom, the stork brings children to a parent or parents.  Mark and Luke were brought to Mario by the stork, and therefore have not inherited Mario's Hero powers.

Wario:



Wario is a hefty man who holds a grudge against Mario. As you most likely know, Wario is extremely greedy.  During the Shadow Shrowd invasion, he and Waluigi decided to form a temporary alliance with the Mario Bros. to save the kingdom. But Wario only wanted to help so he could become more famous than his rival. Because they did not play a major role in stopping the kingdom's most recent threat, the Wario Brothers feel a small amount of guilt.  As such, they are preparing for the next time the kingdom is in peril.

Waluigi:

http://www.mariomayhem.com/reference/character_bios/waluigi1.jpg

Waluigi is almost the complete opposite of his plump brother, Wario. Waluigi is tall and skinny, and looks very sinister. Waluigi loves to cause mischief, although he was forced to work with Mario and Luigi in an attempt to become as famous as the Mario Bros. Waluigi is a bit sarcastic at times and smarter than his brother.  Not much is known about this shady character, as he has only appeared in Mario spin-offs.

Skulleon:



Although he looks fierce in the above picture, he is actually on the side of good. He is the Ice God, one of three Elemental Gods, and looks over the Ice Orb. After Mario's death in SMB3, Skulleon notices that Mario has much hidden power locked away. When Mario dies, Skulleon takes Mario under his wing and helps him become stronger. At the end of Mario's many trials, Mario earns the right to touch the Ice Orb, giving him the powers of ice. Through a sequence of strange events, Mario is given life once again. Skulleon warns Mario to stay away from Lord Shade, but Mario challenges Shade anyway. As a god, Skulleon can speak to anyone he wants using his mind, no matter how far away that person may be. He is always watching over Mario and his friends.

Raiden



This is the Thunder God, Raiden! He watches over the Thunder Orb, and is even more powerful than Skulleon. As you might have guessed, he wields the element of thunder. When Mario first requested to learn from him, Raiden turned him down. But he soon learned that Mario had already mastered the elements of fire and ice. It is considered impossible for one to contain more than one element within their body, with the only known exception being Grambi, the very ruler of the Overthere. Puzzled at Mario's abilities, Raiden agrees to let Mario touch the Thunder Orb- after he goes through some bone-breaking trials!

Grambi



He may look old, but he's really the king of the Overthere. He possesses the Capacity of Elements, meaning he can wield Fire, Ice, and Thunder. Grambi first appeared in Super Paper Mario, when Mario and his friends went to the Underwhere to search for a Pure Heart. They met Grambi's wife, Queen Jaydes, who allowed them to pass into the Overthere to search for a Pure Heart if they agreed to escort their daughter, Luvbi, back to Grambi. A monster by the name of Bonechill had attacked Grambi, and Mario was forced to stop him. Afterward, it was revealed that Grambi had turned the Pure Heart into a living being to hide it from evil years ago, and this person was Luvbi. Knowing that it was her destiny to help stop Count Bleck, Luvbi became a Pure Heart once more.

However, much more is revealed about his past when the Shadow Shrowds attack. Grambi's real name is Anthony, and he was Mario's father during his lifetime. Long ago, Lord Shade assaulted Brooklyn. Anthony sent his infant children, Mario and Luigi, to the Mushroom Kingdom while he tried his best to fend Lord Shade off. Anthony was killed, but Shade was so worn out from the battle that he had to go to other planets to recruit more soldiers. One day, he swore that he would return. Meanwhile, in the afterlife, Anthony was given the title of Grambi, and he became ruler of the Overthere.

MK Map- This map shows some of the basic areas in the Mushroom Kingdom. I made it myself, so it is no way affilated with Nintendo.


shadowmarioguy

Prologue: A New Journey

Moving On

Mario scratched his head as he gazed upward at his new boss- a tall, burly demon that towered above him even while sitting at his desk.   His green, serpent-like skin and shifty, bloodshot eyes almost caused Mario to doubt his authenticity.  "Are you the one in charge?"

"You will refer to me as Commander Botis," the demon hissed, clearly angered by Mario's lack of respect.  "State your business."

So this is Ace's replacement? Mario wondered, holding back a grin.  He's a lot more formal than Ace was.  However, Botis had earned the right to demand the respect of others.  He had replaced Ace Spades as the commander of Poker Face, the primary military of the Demon Resistance.  "I'm Mario, the Mushroom Hero.  One of your men came to the Mushroom Kingdom and requested that I join your ranks."

Almost immediately, Botis leaned back and exhaled a deep breath.  "Ah... You're the Mushroom Hero?  You are a lot smaller than I expected."  He folded his arms over his desk.  "Well then, as I said before, I am Commander Botis.  I've heard a lot of rumors about you, but I want to get the original story from the legendary Mushroom Hero.  Please, tell me about yourself.  Take a seat, and tell me everything."

Mario nodded slowly and slumped onto a shoddily built wooden chair.  "Okay... where to begin?  I guess I'll start from my earliest memory, the day that my father sent me away...

"I was only a few days old, at the most.  At that time, I was just any other ordinary child living in Brooklyn.  But before long, a tyrant named Lord Shade attacked.  He had raised an entire army and traveled across the universe, dominating every planet in his path and adding more soldiers to his military.  When Shade arrived in Brooklyn, my father sent my brother and me through a warp pipe that led to the Mushroom Kingdom.  Back in Brooklyn, my father, Anthony, fought Lord Shade with all of his might.  He lost his life, but managed to damage Shade's army enough to cause him to retreat.

"Meanwhile, I had lived in the Mushroom Kingdom for a few years.  When a Koopa by the name of Bowser started to attack more and more frequently, the Yoshi tribe sent my brother and me back to Brooklyn, hoping I could grow up as a normal child.  For the next seventeen years or so, I did just that.  I met a woman named Pauline, and we quickly fell in love.  She was the most important person in the world to me, and I eventually planned to marry her.  However, one of Lord Shade's mechanical creations had fled into the sewers before Shade's retreat many years ago.  This same creature, named Velno, emerged and attacked Pauline and me in the middle of the night.

"I fought to the very end, though I was not Velno's target- Pauline was.  In the middle of our battle, the creature turned and attacked her.  Overcome with anger and hatred, I lost myself as I rushed at the two of them.  All I can remember is a blur of red, and by the time I regained my senses, Pauline was dead at my feet.  In a terrible accident, I had killed the most important woman in my life.  Velno had only suffered a minor injury, and was able to flee to the sewers once again.  After that day, I vowed that I would always protect anyone in danger, and that I would never take the life of a human unless it was absolutely necessary.  Those vows would carry on to the Mushroom Kingdom, which I accidentally discovered while I was fixing the plumbing in Brooklyn sewers.  My brother and I stumbled upon a warp pipe that led to the kingdom our father had sent us to when we were young.  As we ventured inside, we were completely unaware that Velno was watching our every move.

"We found the Mushroom Kingdom in a state of chaos.  Bowser had taken control of the kingdom once again.  As we entered Mushroom Castle to find out the cause of the kingdom's problems, we saw Bowser's minions carrying Princess Peach away.  In that one moment that our eyes met, I thought of Pauline and the vows that I made as she died in my arms.  I took it upon myself to defeat Bowser and rescue the kingdom, and swore that I'd always protect the Mushroom Kingdom from any sort of danger.

"Two years ago, Lord Shade decided to return to Brooklyn.  He gained complete control with ease, but stumbled upon the warp pipe that led to the Mushroom Kingdom.  Inside, he found a parallel universe filled with even more planets to conquer, starting with the Mushroom Kingdom.  He learned of four Oracles of Power that would grant their user an untold amount of power.  They were the Star Rod, Power Star, Shadow Rod, and Z Star- and they kept the balance of good and evil in the world.  Shade launched a military campaign to retrieve these objects, and that was when I met Glaive.  He was originally one of Shade's men, but quit years ago and now sought revenge. During another conflict, I had a second encounter with Velno.  I learned that he had been created by Lord Shade, but I did not recognize him as the monster that I fought back in Brooklyn.  After many struggles with Lord Shade's military, Shade finally succeeded in collecting the Oracles of Power. 

"It was during these attacks that I met with the three Elemental Gods.  They revealed that I was a descendant of the Hero bloodline, a bloodline created by Zeus to defend the world from evil.  Each Hero passed his godlike strength to his offspring, and my father inherited these powers as well.  When Lord Shade attacked, he passed 75% of the Hero's Power to me, keeping 25% for himself so that he could battle Lord Shade.  With 75% of the Hero's Power hidden within me, I trained with two of the Elemental Gods- Skulleon, the Ice God, and Raiden, the Thunder God- and learned the Iceball and Thunderball techniques.  At last, I was ready for the final battle.

"As I was preparing for battle, my allies had already begun their showdown with Lord Shade.  With the four Oracles of Power in his grasp, however, Lord Shade proved to be too strong.  There were many casualties, but I was able to show up before Shade slaughtered the last of my comrades.  With my new powers and increased skill, I fought a valiant battle against the tyrant.  But in the end, he was just too strong.  Just as the situation grew hopeless, my father contacted me and revealed the truth.  He explained that Grambi- king of the Overthere- and Anthony- my heroic father- were one in the same.  The shock took control of my body, and- much like the time I slaughtered Pauline- I felt a strange power erupt from within me.  This time, I felt as though I had more control.  With my new transformation, the Tri-Elemental Form, I was able to defeat Shade once and for all.

"After my victory, the Star Rod was used to undo all of the casualties that resulted from Lord Shade's attack.  As I made my escape from Shade's lair, I found myself trapped in a strange dimension created as a last-ditch effort to eliminate me.  It took me a while, but two years later, I finally found my way back to the Mushroom Kingdom.  It was at this time that the Smash Tournament, a fighting competition for warriors from across the kingdom, was being held in Dry Dry Desert.  I signed up for the tournament anonymously because my father had warned me of a dark presence approaching the kingdom.  I thought that this evil force may have entered the tourney, and when I learned that the prize was a wish from the Star Rod, all doubt was erased from my mind.

"I fought to the final round of the tournament, eventually revealing myself and facing off against an old enemy from Lord Shade's army- Metal Mario!  He managed to nab the Star Rod and escape to the depths of Mushroom Castle, where something called the Nexus Access Point was hidden.  It was then that we learned that dimensions such as this one and the human realm are bound together by a gateway called the Nexus.  If one enters the Nexus, he can enter any dimension he wishes.  Metal Mario used the Star Rod's power to try and open the Nexus, forming a barrier around Mushroom Castle in the process.  His true intentions were to open the gates to the human realm and the Nightmare Vault simultaneously, allowing thousands of demons to pour into our realm and cause massive destruction.  We turned to my father for help, and he suggested that we look for mythical objects known as the Hero's Garbs.  With them, we could negate the Star Rod's force field and enter Mushroom Castle.  We immediately set out to find them, fighting many grueling battles along the way.

"Luckily, we had Ace Spades, your predecessor, at our side.  He revealed himself as the leader of Poker Face, and led us on several missions to collect each of the six Hero's Garbs.  As the battles dragged on, I slowly began to develop a second personality within me.  Whenever my battles would grow especially dangerous, or whenever I felt extreme hatred, my second personality would try to interfere.  Eventually, I thought I had managed to banish this personality, but I soon found an ominous connection between my alternate personality and my Tri-Elemental Form.  As we progressed, we gradually learned more about the forces that were behind Metal Mario's resurrection.  We discovered that Crimson, one of Shade's former minions, had used one of Shade's old devices to resurrect all of his fallen cyborg warriors.  These included Metal Mario, Velno, and the Smithy Gang.  We weren't sure why, but for whatever reason, Crimson was trying to put my skills to the test.  After countless close calls and narrow victories, we finally made it to the end of the road.  Velno had devoured Metal Mario, adding my metallic clone's strength to his own.  I was in for the toughest battle of my life.

"Velno and I fought a fierce battle, and I finally learned that he was the one who attacked Pauline and me on that dreadful night.  Despite my anger, I was unable to defeat the cyborg.  Velno ended my life in front of a few of my closest friends- Luigi, Ace, and Glaive.  Thrown into a fit of uncontrollable rage, Ace even disobeyed direct orders from Zeus to avenge my death.  As they fought on my behalf, I heard my second personality whispering to me.  As my life slowly slipped away, he somehow managed to bring me back.  I stood up, once again overcome with a strange power surging through my veins.  I tried my luck against Velno once again, but my second personality gained full control and caused a radical transformation.  In my new demonic state, I went berserk...  I slaughtered Velno, and then turned to attack my own comrades.  Glaive even sacrificed his life to stop me...  When I saw him lying dead at my feet, I couldn't bear the pain I had caused.  I reverted back to my normal state, left to wonder what kind of evil was lurking within the depths of my soul.  As Glaive's life faded away, he pleaded for me to travel here and end the civil war.  It was his life's one true goal, and it was my duty to complete it.

"Only a few days later, I was visited by a few demons from the Nightmare Vault.  They asked me to join Poker Face and fight in the civil war.  At first I refused, until they told me that I had a distant relative who was a demon.  They informed me that the second personality within my soul was likely that same demon, trying to take control of my body in order to wreak havoc once again.  I didn't know what to believe.  Did I really have a small trace of demon blood flowing through my veins?  In order to find out the truth about myself, and respect Glaive's final wishes, I traveled here to fight alongside you."

Botis sat in stunned silence, taking it all in.  After a few minutes, he finally spoke.  "You seem to have led quite an interesting life, Mushroom Hero.  In fact, I kind of like you.  It seems as though you've given this world a lot of thought, something I can't say about most humans.  The way you treasure life may be a liability, but based off of what I've heard from yourself and others, I think you'll be a fine addition to our ranks."  His eyes shifted to the man standing beside Mario.  "And what about him?"

"My name is Slade," came an indifferent reply.  He wore a tattered red cloak, black 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.  "I've also come to join your little army.  Unlike my partner here, I could care less about who dies in this war.  I know that we can't achieve victory without casualties."

Botis nodded slowly.  "Of course... but just who are you, exactly?  I haven't heard anything about you."

"I was abandoned by my parents as a child and raised by demons to become a ruthless warrior.  I earned quite a reputation.  They called me Nightmare."

Botis' eyes lit with realization.  "Oh, now I remember.  You left the Nightmare Vault in order to seek revenge on your parents, correct?"

"I planned to help exterminate the human race.  After fighting with Mario several times, he managed to convince me that there were some humans worth sparing.  That's why I decided to accompany him.  If I fight for the Demon Resistance, the side that fights to protect humans, maybe I can finally understand why human life is treasured by so many demons."

"Very well.  You may go.  You'll be given your first assignment tomorrow," Botis informed them in a stoic manner.  "I expect great things from both of you."  With a half-hearted salute, Mario and Slade turned and exited the room.

Botis grinned from ear to ear.  In a single day, we have obtained two of the finest warriors a military can hope to gain.  Mario, the Mushroom Hero, and Slade, the one formally known as Nightmare...  They are truly some of the strongest fighters on the side of good... and that's exactly why they have to die.




The wooden door swung open with a loud creak, and Mario walked in with Slade following behind him.  Flipping the light switch on, he sighed as he inspected his new home.  A worn green carpet, two beds, and a crude bathroom were all that he would see for the next few years.  "It's a little barren..." Mario observed disappointedly.

Slade clicked his tongue. "Most demons would find this room to be luxurious.  I had almost forgotten how spoiled you human beings are."

Mario shrugged.  "I guess it'll do.  It looks like it was a good thing that Ace left us after all."  As they approached the Poker Face headquarters, Ace had decided that it would be best for him to leave the group.

"Are you sure?"

"I lost my job as the leader of Poker Face," Ace explained.  "If I returned with you, I would not be greeted with open arms.  Although I am leaving you, I am not abandoning your cause.  I will continue to side with the Demon Resistance, but this time, I will battle as a force entirely separate from Poker Face."

Mario nodded.  "I understand.  I guess this is goodbye..."

"Before you go, I have something I want to give you.  When I was fired, Poker Face demanded that I return my Nexus Pass.  Instead of returning it to them, I'd like you to hold on to it.  I trust you more than an organization that turned its back on me for trying to avenge a fallen comrade.  When I was faced with the choice of either fighting for your honor or fighting for Poker Face, I chose to fight for you.  It only makes sense that I give this to you."

"So... what exactly does this thing do?"

"The Nexus Pass is perhaps one of the most valuable objects in all of creation.  Only one exists, and it is given to the leader of Poker Face.  It allows the user to enter the Nexus and travel to any dimension he or she may desire.  It took Metal Mario and Velno a great deal of effort just to pry the Nexus Gate open.  If they had possessed this pass, their plan could have been executed in mere seconds.  That's why Poker Face wants me to return this pass so badly.  But instead of trusting Poker Face's new leader, who I've never met, I'm going to trust you.  Take it, and never let it fall into the wrong hands."


Mario turned the golden cube over in his palms.  An 'N' was inscribed in the golden cube, likely standing for Nexus.  "The Nexus Pass..."  He yawned and stuffed the pass into his overalls.  "I'd better get some rest.  I've got a big day tomorrow."

shadowmarioguy

Chapter 1: Taming the Beast

"I can't believe it..." Mario sighed.  "I should have known that this day was off to a poor start..."

"My first mission is... what?!" Mario thundered in confusion as Botis towered above him.  "I don't understand...  I thought you were going to send me into battle!"

Botis shook his head.  "With your soul as confused as it is, I cannot permit you to enter a combat situation.  Based on what you've told me, I can conclude that a demon is somehow coexisting with you inside of your own body.  Until you can win a decisive victory against this demon inside of you, he will continue to try and gain control of your body.  That is your first mission.  I've asked Swift to guide you through this process."

"Swift?" Mario parroted.

"I believe you two know each other.  I sent him to the Mushroom Kingdom to recruit you," Botis recalled.  "He is one of the best warriors in our entire military.  You can trust him."


Swift's Theme

In accordance with Botis' orders, Mario and Slade had journeyed to a cavern that used to be a training ground for Poker Face's military.  Thousands of stalagmites protruded from the ceiling, and rasping sounds pierced Mario's ears every time his feet rubbed against the jagged ground.  After several hours of hiking, they finally met with Swift at the heart of the cavern.

"Finally," Mario muttered.  "We've been walking through the same dark blue cavern for hours.  I was starting to think that we were in Vanilla Dome."

"I think I'll sit this one out for now," Slade announced with a yawn.  He took a seat against the wall and closed his eyes.  "Call me if you need me."

Mario hesitantly stepped toward Swift.  "It's been a while.  The last time we met was back in the Mushroom Kingdom, when you were trying to recruit me.  Well, here I am."

"As you are now, you cannot hope to battle against the Phoenix.  Your very soul is divided amongst a hero who hesitates to kill and a heartless demon that destroys everything in his path.  As long as these two forces oppose each other, you are useless on the battlefield," Swift informed Mario. He wore a cerulean tunic and had deep, sapphire eyes.  His shaggy brown hair was partially covered by a blue cap, and his brown boots were soaked in mud. 

"Tell me something I don't already know," Mario groaned impatiently.  "Botis sent me here so you could help me win this struggle within me.  Before you do, I need you to be honest with me.  Am I really related to a demon?"

Swift nodded.  "Of course.  When we told you that you were one of us, we meant it.  If you were one hundred percent human, we would never have asked you to join us.  Our pride will not allow humans to fight alongside us."

"I see..." Mario whispered.  "The Demon Resistance fights to protect humans, and yet... it is still unwilling to accept help from humans."

"Precisely," Swift affirmed with a nod.  "What's the point of fighting a war to protect humans if we're just going to send them to their death?"

"I have one more question.  Can you tell me everything about the demon inside of me?  I feel like Botis is hiding something.  What caused this demon to surface?  Why now?"

Swift remained silent for a moment.  "Very well...  As you already know, you are the descendant of a demon.  When a demon has a child, he can sometimes pass a part of his soul onto his offspring.  As the generations went by, this demon's soul was likely passed on to you.  However, even if one inherits a demon's soul, the demon will usually remain dormant in the deepest reaches of his body.  Demons thrive off of hatred, and so discovering a feeling of pure hatred was most likely what woke your inner demon from his slumber.  Think back to the time that you first encountered your strange, demonic powers.  Did you feel even a tiny bit angry?"

Mario's eyes widened with shock.  "It was the day... that Velno attacked...  When he attacked my girlfriend, I was thrown into a fit of rage.  I blindly dashed forward, and in a flash of red..."  He shook his head.  "But after that, I wasn't affected by this 'demon' until a few weeks ago!  What was this demon doing for all of those years in between?!"

"Allow me to explain.  When you trained with the Elemental Gods, you learned to use 'Elemental Energy', the energy that allows you to use Fireballs, Iceballs, and Thunderballs.  Well, demons possess their own kind of Elemental Energy, called Iniquity.  From the moment you awakened your inner demon during your battle with Velno, this energy remained dormant within your body.  Although your inner demon had life, there was a barrier that divided your energy into two sections.  One side was for your Elemental Energy, and the other side was for your demon's Iniquity.  As long as this barrier existed, the demon within you could not even lift a finger.  However, if I heard correctly, you absorbed energy from the Elemental Orbs during your battle with Lord Shade.  Is this true?"

Mario nodded slowly.  "Yeah... So what does that have to do with anything?"

"When you absorbed energy from the Elemental Orbs, your Elemental Energy overflowed, causing the barrier separating your two kinds of energy to burst.  Your Elemental Energy and Iniquity mixed and blended together, resulting in the birth of your Tri-Elemental Form."

Mario gasped.  "You're saying that..."

Swift's face remained cold.  "Your Tri-Elemental form was actually a state in which both of your energies mixed, giving you temporarily immense power.  This mix allowed your inner demon's Iniquity to blend with your Elemental Energy, and by the time the barrier separating your energy reformed, it was too late.  With your energies mixed together, it became easier for your demon to surface.  And whenever you experienced feelings of extreme hatred, your demon would take complete control.  This became even easier anytime you used the Tri-Elemental Form."

Mario hung his head.  "So... each time I used the Tri-Elemental Form, I was giving my demon another chance to take control.  I understand now...  So, how exactly do I get rid of him?"

"No one has ever successfully gotten rid of a demon soul," Swift informed him icily.  "However, there is a treatment that should be able to keep your demon quiet.  In order to cure you, we'll need to seal that demon as far within you as possible.  And in order to do that, I'll need you to let your demon take full control."

"No way!" Mario refused, clenching his fists.  "How does that make any sense at all?  In order for me to seal my demon away, we have to let him take control?"

Swift shook his head.  "No.  You aren't going to be sealing anything away.  I'm the one who has to do all the work.  More to the point, the seal that I'm going to create only works on the conscience that is currently dominating the body.  If I used it now, I would seal you away instead of your demon."

Mario gulped.  "Wait a minute...  I'm can't just let him loose...  You have no idea what he's like...  He'll kill you!"

Swift grinned and gestured toward Slade, who was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed.  "That's why he's here.  Just in case I can't subdue your demon, I'll have him jump in to help."

Internal Struggle

Mario thought for a moment.  He allowed himself to let his internal resistance slip for a second, and he felt his demon leap at the chance to take control.  "No!  I can't free him!  You don't understand... the horrible feeling he gives me..."

"Then I'll just have to force you to release him," Swift said, his face stoic and emotionless.  He drew his blade and took a step toward the plumber.  "If I accidentally kill you, you can blame your own stubbornness."

Mario clutched his head in agony.  No...  I won't let you surface...

"You heard the man.  Let me go.  Or are you afraid that I might permanently take control?  Even if I do, it doesn't matter.  Sooner or later, your body will belong to me.  There's no point in delaying the inevitable.  Just hand it over, no one will know.  Most would have died from the psychological stress by now."

"You'd better hurry up and release him!" Swift urged him, swinging his blade at Mario.  The plumber sidestepped the sword and lunged forward, connecting a right hook with Swift's face.  Swift staggered backward and wept the blood from his lip.  "I see...  It looks like I have no choice.  I didn't want to hurt you, Mario, but you've left me no other option."  He raised his hand, revealing a blue badge on the underside of his right forearm.  "All Demon Resistance soldiers are required to wear a badge that reduces their power when they enter the human realm.  This is to prevent traitorous Phoenix spies that joined the resistance from causing destruction in the human realm.  But now that we're back in the Nightmare Vault..."  He peeled the badge off.

Mario gasped in horror as Swift's body began to transform.  He grew another foot tall, and his body became much more muscular.  His broadened shoulders made him at least twice as wide as Mario.   "He's huge..." the plumber breathed, gazing up at the true Swift.

"And don't think these muscles slow me down, either," Swift chuckled.  "In fact, I'm even faster than I was before.  I'll only say this one more time.  If you want to live, you had better bring out your demon!"

Calling the Demon

Swift dashed forward and attacked with a horizontal slash.  Mario performed a back-flip, landing on the tip of the blade.  Swift angrily threw a punch at him, but the plumber nimbly leapt off of the blade, bounced off the ground, and struck the demon's chest with his right fist.  Swift didn't even flinch.  Mario pulled his fist back, realizing that he had bruised his knuckles.

He's rock solid, Mario thought, shaking his fist in pain.

"Let me out..."

Mario put some distance between Swift and himself by executing a few consecutive back-flips.  "Is this all your true form can do?  Sure you've got great defense, but can any of your attacks actually hit me?"

Swift sighed.  "Mario... I tried to save you..."  He gripped the hilt of his blade with two hands and held it parallel to the ground.  "But now... I can see that I'm going to have to fight you seriously in order to bring your demon out!"  Aiming the tip of his blade at Mario's chest, Swift charged forward at breath-taking speeds.

"Let me out..."

Mario bawled his fists.  "Bring it on."  Charging up a Fireball in his palm, he sprinted forward at the oncoming Swift.  He's using a charge attack with his blade, so I'll be safe as long as I hit him from above.  He took a great leap into the air and hurled a Fireball downward at his opponent.

"Misconception number one: Do you really think an attack like that can stop me?" Swift exclaimed as the Fireball bounced off his muscular chest.  "Misconception number two: My sword strikes can easily change direction!"  As Mario hovered helplessly in the air, Swift skidded to a halt and thrust his blade upward.  His sword sunk into Mario's chest, causing blood to trickle down the blade.  He stabbed his sword into the wall, effectively pinning Mario.  "It's over.  If only you would have brought your demon out..."

Mario looked up, a red tint in his eyes.  "You called?"  With a bloodthirsty cry, he viciously tore Swift's blade from his chest and slashed at his foe.  Swift took a step back, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow.  Instead, only a shallow slash appeared on his midsection.

"So... this is the inner demon that Mario was so afraid of..." Swift muttered.  "I can see why he was so hesitant to bring him out..."

A red aura began to emit from Mario's body.  "You know, split personalities are a drag.  I can only come out whenever this softie starts to slip.  Whenever he uses his Tri-Elemental Form, feels extreme hatred, or nearly dies, I get an opportunity to take full control.  If I annihilate you, there'll be no one to bring Mario back to the way he was before!"

"Good luck," Swift replied with bold sarcasm in his voice.  "Your demon powers are strong, but there's no way you can use that body's full potential.  The only one who can ever do so is Mario himself!"

The possessed Mario responded with a battle cry as he dashed at Swift with his sword raised.  Intending to end the fight with one blow, Mario sliced at his foe's head; however, Swift caught the blade in his left palm.  Swift then lunged forward, placing his right palm on the plumber's chest.  A symbol began to materialize on Mario's chest as Swift chanted softly in another language.  Mario's eyes widened as he realized what the marking symbolized, and he tore the blade from Swift's hands and attempted to cut his arm off.

Swift quickly backed off, evading yet another fatal injury.  A long gash now running down his arm, he grabbed Mario's throat and slammed him into the ground.  He wriggled his blade free from Mario's grip, pointed it downward, and viciously stabbed at the plumber's chest.  The demonized Mario rolled to the side and sprang to his feet, escaping the scuffle unharmed.

Swift glanced at his arm.  "I see...  It appears that you are aware of what the Olympian Seal is.  The only way I'll be able to use it is if I immobilize you first."  He pointed the tip of his sword at Mario's head.

Still leaning against a nearby wall, Slade observed the battle with great interest.  This man... Swift... Though he hasn't injured Mario yet, he's the only person who has ever been able to last in a fight against Mario's demon side.  Moreover, he managed to get his sword back after 'Mario' stole it from him.  Swift... you truly are an accomplished warrior...

Uphill Battle

Gently running the tips of his fingers down the blade of his sword, Swift stared intently at his target.  "A blade held parallel to the ground combined with the speed of a bullet... This is the ultimate stabbing motion."  He sprinted toward Mario at a record-breaking speed, thrusting his blade forward as he did so.

"Is that the only technique you know?  I've already seen it once!" Mario exclaimed, ducking as the blade passed over his head.

"It's my favorite move, and it has several variations!" Swift retorted, twisting his wrist as he changed his stab to a downward slash.  The sword struck Mario's shoulder, causing blood to splash into the air as Swift tore it from his flesh.  "Now, stand down.  If you continue to fight with that shoulder injury, it will put Mario's life in jeopardy.  I'm sure I don't need to remind you: if Mario dies, you die."  Mario remained silent.  He clutched his wound, blood trickling down from his shoulder.  Swift breathed a sigh of relief.

Grinning wickedly, Mario rose to his feet.  His red aura grew larger, and his appearance began to change.  His shirt changed to a shade of purple, and his overalls became dark green.  His skin grew darker until it appeared to be a shade of purple.  His normally sapphire eyes gleamed red with hatred.  Mario's demon was in full control.

"This demon... Does his power have any limits...?" Swift gasped.  His eyes narrowed.  "No...  I must not fear him."  He raised his sword.  "I cannot lose.  Even if I have to use that...  Mario's life depends on it!  "

"Mario is gone forever!" the possessed Mario declared angrily as he dashed toward Swift.  "And it's all thanks to your own arrogance!"  He lunged forward, wrapping his hand around Swift's blade as his opponent prepared to defend himself.  In one powerful jerk, Mario tore the sword from his hand and tossed it out of his reach.  Mario then proceeded to use an Iceball to freeze his own arm into a blade of ice, the tip of which was pressed to Swift's throat.

Swift swallowed hard, preparing for his life to end with one final strike.  He closed his eyes and waited.  Only a few more inches, and the blade of ice would slit his throat.  Hours seemed to pass.  He was a mere thrust away from death.  That thrust never arrived.  He opened his eyes and gasped.

The ice on Mario's arm shattered.  Standing firmly between Mario and Swift, Slade took a battle stance.  "I know you'd be able to defeat any other enemy without my help...  But I wanted to make sure that Mario survives, so I hope you don't mind if I lend a hand."  He handed Swift his blade.

Swift grinned.  "It's not a problem at all.  Between the two of us, we should be able to put an end to this.  Do you think you could fight him one-on-one for a little while?  I was planning on using my Final Smash, but I never got the chance.  If you can keep him occupied, I'll end this fight once and for all."

Slade nodded.  "That's fine, but... why didn't you use your Final Smash to begin with...?"

"Even now, I'm still a bit hesitant to use it...  It'll take care of Mario's demon, but... I'm afraid it could also affect Mario.  Even the slightest trace of hatred is targeted by my attack.  If Mario contains even a tiny drop of hatred-"

"Use it.  Trust me, Mario will be fine.  You are worried about your attack harming Mario, but that man bears no grudges.  His heart is pure, as are his intentions," Slade assured him.

"Very well.  I'll trust in your judgment.  Good luck, Slade."

Slade charged at Mario, his sword held high above his head.  He unleashed a blazing fast combo of accurate slashes and stabs, but Mario calmly evaded each and every one of them.  As Slade desperately attempted to strike his foe, Swift prepared to use his trump card.

"My Final Smash..." Swift mumbled as his body was surrounded with a rainbow aura.  "Mario... I hope Slade was right about you..."  He lightly tapped the ground with the tip of his blade, and the ground began to rumble.  "Judgment!"  The quaking grew stronger, eventually causing Slade and Mario to stagger back and forth.  Cool as steel, Swift raised his blade and pointed the tip at Mario.  "Now...  What sort of judgment awaits you?"

Sickening groans began to echo from beneath the ground, and four skeletal arms slowly rose from the dirt beneath Mario's feet.  Soft whispers could be heard below as the skeletal arms wrapped around each of Mario's limbs.  "What's going on?!  Release me!"  The mumbles from below grew louder.

"Your fate is being considered... by the residents of the underworld..." Swift informed him grimly.  At last, everything grew silent.  The rumbling stopped.  "They have made their decision.  And the only way to find out what that decision was... is to impale you with my blade!  If your heart is pure, you have nothing to fear!  The residents of the underworld will prevent me from harming a kind soul."

Slade moved to the side as Swift sprinted forward and sank his blade into Mario's flesh.  As he did so, a circle with a triangle embedded in it appeared on the plumber's chest.  There was a blinding flash of light, and a bloodcurdling scream...

"It looks like Swift was able to beat you after all."

"Damn you!  What will you do without me?!  Without my guidance, you'll be killed!  You're far too soft to fight in this civil war!"

"Say what you want.  I'm not the one who's about to be sealed away.  You can stick to your beliefs, and I'll stick to mine.  I've decided that I don't need you.  I can end the civil war and fight Crimson without your help."

"You may have regained control, but you can never destroy me!  I'll come back someday... and when I do, I'll use this body... to ensure the systematic destruction of all of your friends...  And after that... true purpose... reclaim body... kingdom... revenge..."


The demon's voice slowly faded away, and Mario was once again in control.  The flashes of light died down, and Mario's body returned to normal.

Victory

Mario's eyelids opened, and he saw Swift and Slade smiling before him.  "You two... thank you so much..."

"So?  How do you feel?" Slade inquired.  "How does it feel to be in complete control of your body again?"

Mario lay back on the soft ground and closed his eyes.  He breathed a sigh of relief.  "For the first time in weeks, I can think without hearing contradicting whispers inside of my head.  Finally..."  His head felt clear, as if he had just recovered from the flu.  His aching headaches were gone as well.  At last, he was back to normal.  He stared up at the sky, enjoying his renewed freedom.

"Sorry about the injuries," Swift apologized.  "Your inner demon is the toughest I've ever faced.  He was a dangerous one, but hopefully you'll never have to worry about him again.  However, there is something I need to warn you about."

Mario sat up and yawned.  "What...?"

"You must promise to never use your Tri-Elemental Form again.  Doing such a thing will drop the barrier between your Elemental Energy and your Iniquity.  This will allow your inner demon to return.  As long as you never use that form again, your demon will never have a chance to resurface."

Mario slowly rose to his feet.  "Alright... let's head back..."

"Are you sure you should be standing?" Swift asked, allowing Mario to lean on his shoulder for support.

"Trust me, I've been through far worse," Mario chuckled.  "Thanks again."  Tears of joy began to stream down his cheeks.  "I've never felt so relieved.  He's finally gone..."

Swift gestured toward Slade.  "You should thank your friend.  I was hesitant to use my Final Smash because I was afraid that it would harm you.  You see, my attack targets any traces of hatred, and I assumed that all humans held some sort of darkness within their heart.  Slade convinced me that you were different.  He said that there was no evil to be found in your heart, other than your demon of course."

Slade nodded.  "Well... I only spoke the truth..."

Mario was brimming with joy and relief as the three of them walked back towards the Poker Face headquarters.  Now... all that's left for me is to end this civil war... and then I can go back to protecting the Mushroom Kingdom.  But I have to wonder... what was that demon trying to warn me about as he started to fade away?

Swift's eyes shifted over to Mario.  Mario... I can tell that there are many people who are waiting for you back in the Mushroom Kingdom.  I can't allow you to let those people down.  Mario, I swear that I will do all that I can to ensure that you return to them safely.

shadowmarioguy

Chapter 2: The Thunder Swordsman

Ominous Presence

"So, you're finally back on your feet?" Swift inquired with a smile.  Mario, Swift, and Slade were walking side-by-side toward Botis' office.  "It's been at least a month since we freed you from your demon soul.  Considering the mental stress you've been through, you bounced back pretty quickly."

"Like I said before, I've been through worse," Mario chuckled.  "Anyway, why do you think Botis called a meeting?  Are we finally going to enter the battlefield?"

Slade shook his head.  "Warriors like us are too valuable to send into the fray.  I'm sure Botis is planning to use us for behind-the-scene assassinations and investigations."

Swift nodded.  "That's basically it.  The civil war has been that way for as long as I can remember.  Every day, each side sends their disposable pawns into battle, allowing them to think that they are fighting for a greater purpose.  However, the true war is being fought behind the scenes.  Each side possesses a small number of specialized fighters; for the Phoenix, those fighters are the Grimnexes.  For the Demon Resistance, that responsibility falls upon the three of us."

The three of them stopped at a set of double doors.  "Well, let's find out what Botis has in store for us," Mario mumbled.

The doors slowly creaked open, and Mario, Slade, and Swift stood before their commander.  "Welcome, Mario.  I can see that you've managed to overcome your demon with a little help from your two friends."  He cleared his throat, and glanced at three stoic, emotionless faces.  "Let's get down to business.  In this war, our primary enemies are the Grimnexes.  Their main base of operations is in the Nightmare Abyss, the deepest, darkest area in all of the Nightmare Vault.  Before we can storm into enemy territory, we need to take out a few key enemies along the border of the Nightmare Abyss.  If we neglected to do so, these enemies would appear to block our exit the moment we entered the abyss.  From there, we would be trapped in enemy territory and face an attack from all sides.  In order to be successful, it is vital that we seize all territory that is near the border of the Nightmare Abyss.  And we'll start by sending Mario to the city of Sanctum."

"Me?" Mario parroted.  "Alone?"

"Yes.  I want you to travel to Sanctum as an undercover spy.  It is the only city in all of the Nightmare Vault that hasn't been claimed by us or the Phoenix.  It is entirely neutral.  Its territory is ideal for war, and both sides have had their eyes on it for years.  Neither side has made an effort to conquer it in fear of the conflict that would result.  That is, until now.  I've heard rumors of an undercover demon of the Phoenix that is trying to take over the city.  If he succeeded, it would mean the end of the Demon Resistance."

"This sounds like a pretty significant job," Mario insisted.  "Are you sure I can handle it?"

"No, I have no idea if you're up to the task.  But, I do know that you're the only person we can send.  If anyone in Sanctum saw one of our soldiers patrolling the area, it would raise suspicion, and our cover would be blown.  Mario, on the other hand, appears to be an ordinary human.  Most demons will not acknowledge you as a citizen of their town and ignore you.  You can investigate as much as you want, and everyone will think of you as an annoying tourist."

"Gee, thanks," Mario grumbled.  "So my job is to make sure that there aren't any Phoenix demons occupying the area."

"Correct," Botis affirmed with a nod.  "Try not to draw attention to yourself.  If a Phoenix demon discovers that you are working for us, they will show you no mercy."  He gestured toward the double doors that led to the exit.  "I'll send a few guards to escort you to the halfway point.  From there, they'll give you directions to Sanctum.  We can't risk you being spotted with our soldiers, or suspicion will arise."

Mario saluted him and took his leave.  Great.  I just can't wait to get started.   He grinned as he shut the doors behind him.

Both Slade and Swift were put on standby until further notice.  After only a few minutes, they left to prepare for whatever mission awaited them next.  Alone in the darkness of his office, Botis slipped a walkie-talkie from his pocket.  A wicked smile spread across his face.  "Are you still there?  ...Good.  Did you catch all of that?  He'll be taking the back route to Sanctum.  Once he's there, you can make your grand entrance."

"Interesting..." Swift muttered, leaning against the outside wall beside a slightly open window.  "Just what is our new leader playing at?  I think I'll keep a closer eye on him..."




Sanctum Forest

"I never knew demons gave such awful directions," Mario grumbled, walking alone on a dirt path toward a thick forest.  The tree trunks were a black-ish brown color and towered at least 30 feet above Mario's head.  As opposed to the green pigment that Mario was accustomed to, the color of leaves varied between blue, violet, and orange.  As he took his first step into the woods, he heard the babbling of a brook nearby.  The sky's normally green and red gradient was replaced with the varied colors of foliage in the treetops.

"They were supposed to give me directions to a city, not a forest," Mario groaned as he ventured into the forest.  "I guess I'll just have to trust them.  It's better than trying to go my own way and getting lost."  He glanced around him.  "Now, where's that half-eaten tree trunk they told me to look out for?"

Suddenly, an earsplitting crackling noise erupted from nearby.  Mario whirled around and spotted the tree that he had been looking for.  The sound of a rumbling thunderstorm pierced his eardrums as the half-eaten tree tumbled down toward him.  He grinned and aimed his opened palm at the falling tree.  Nothing a Fireball can't handle.

"Look out!" came the cry of a young boy.  He appeared from behind the underbrush and dove into the plumber, knocking him out of the falling tree's path.  Mario slowly rose to his feet and brushed himself off.  He glanced down to see a young demon child, no older than ten, staring up at him with confused eyes.  "What were you thinking?  Were you trying to catch that tree with your bare hands?!  You would've been crushed if I hadn't saved you!"

Mario opened his mouth to explain how he was about to burn the tree with a Fireball, but hesitated.  It would be best for him to keep his powers a secret.  "Yeah... what was I thinking...?"  Noticing the boy's suspicion at his poor acting, he decided to change the subject.  "So... what's a young boy like you doing out here in the forest?"

The boy unsheathed a sword from his back.  "My name's Adam.  I was practicing swordsmanship, and I cut down the tree that almost killed you.  I'm sorry."

Mario put his hand on the boy's shoulder.  "It's okay; you made up for it by saving me.  But anyway, practicing on trees isn't exactly the best idea."  Well, I'd better not tell him to protect the environment.  After all, I was originally planning to burn the tree down before he saved me.  I don't want to be a hypocrite.  "You see, trees don't exactly fight back.  Don't you have anyone back at home to help teach you?"

"My father is Mayor Bedlam, the leader of Sanctum, so he doesn't spend much time with me.  I've always wanted to learn swordsmanship so I can help fight in the civil war, but my dad won't allow it.  He says that Sanctum should stay out of the war."

"I can understand that," Mario said with a nod.  "Sanctum is the only town that hasn't been devastated by the war, and he must want to keep it that way."

"Anyway, since my father won't teach me, I'm looking for a personal bodyguard- one who can train me to become one of the strongest soldiers in the Demon Resistance.  He has to be extremely skilled and heroic... Do you know anyone who might fit that description?"

Mario replied with a few sarcastic coughs.  I'd better not tell him I'm the Mushroom Hero...  "I dunno...  So anyway, if your father is the mayor, you certainly must live there.  Would you mind leading me to Sanctum?  I...uh... heard it was a popular tourist attraction..."

Adam nodded.  "No problem."

A sequence of beeps began to blast from Mario's back pocket.  He quickly pulled out his recently-acquired cell phone.  "Hold on a sec... I have to take this call..."  He retreated into a deeper area of the woods, hoping that Adam would not follow him.  "Hello?"

Murderous Intent

"Mario, this is Commander Botis.  How is your journey coming along?"

"You sound flustered.  Don't worry about me.  I'll be fine," Mario assured him.

Botis grinned, though Mario obviously could not see this.  "That's good to hear.  I just wanted to inform you about a rumor I heard.  Apparently, the undercover Phoenix demon is garbed in all black.  He wears black armor, wields a black sword... even his eyes and hair are said to be jet black..."

"Alright, I'll keep an eye out-" he was cut off by the scream of a young boy.  There was only one person it could be- Adam.  Mario gasped.  "Sorry, Commander Botis, I've got to go!"  He hung up, pocketed his phone, and frantically sprinted back toward the area where he first met Adam.  "Come on, where is he?!  I left him somewhere around here!"

Meanwhile, in a small clearing in the forest, a group of bandits had surrounded Adam.  Their leader held a dagger to the child's throat.  "If you make another sound, I'll slit your throat.  Now, come with me.  You're the mayor's son, and I'm sure he'll be willing to pay a fortune for your safe return."

Mario emerged from behind the underbrush.  He clenched his fists and prepared to charge at the bandits.  Before he could take another step, the ground was soaked with warm blood.  Mario gasped in horror.  The leader of the bandits now lay face down on the ground, a black sword through his back.  Beside him stood a tall, muscular man covered in black armor.  His spiky black hair gleamed with sweat as he tore the blade from his victim.  Adam gazed up at him in amazement.  The man held his blade to the sky.  "This man has been judged by the clouds above.  Once again, Raven, the Thunder Swordsman, has fulfilled his duty."

Realizing that their leader had just been killed, the rest of the bandits angrily charged at their new opponent.  Without even turning around, Raven silently calculated his next move.  "Let's see... One... Two... Three... Only four of them?"  His blade began to glow a bright yellow color.  "Very well.  The wrath of the Thunder God will rain down on you all."  He whirled around and swung his enormous black blade, resulting in an earsplitting rumbling sound.

"It... sounds just like the rumbling of thunder..." Mario whispered in disbelief.  His eyes narrowed.  "This has to stop."

Without even making contact with Raven's blade, three of the four bandits fell onto the ground in a pool of blood.  It was as if an invisible bolt of lightning had launched out from Raven's sword and struck them.  The fourth bandit staggered backward in fear, Mario standing firmly in front of him.  "That's enough."

The two warriors' eyes locked.  Raven frowned.  "And who might you be?"

"A fellow Thunder-user, though I don't use my powers for murder.  The name's Mario."  The plumber's voice was dripping with bitter disagreement.

"So, Mario, are you questioning my methods?  If it had been up to you, this child would have been dead.  You're lucky that I arrived to save him."

Mario clenched his fists.  "There's no need to kill these men.  They may have been shameless bandits, but... haven't enough people died already?  Is there any need for meaningless massacres when there's a civil war ravaging the entire Nightmare Vault?"  Tension filled the air as the two warriors silently glared at each other, daring one another to make the first move.  Mario stood boldly with his fists clenched, and Raven's sword was wrapped tightly in his grip.

"That was incredible!" Adam gasped as he darted in between them.  He gazed up at Raven, his eyes wide with admiration.  "You saved my life!  Mr. Raven, would you like to be my personal bodyguard?  You'll be paid lots of money..." he trailed off in tantalization.

Raven paused to think for a moment.  "Well... Why not?" As Adam cheered in delight, Raven's eyes shifted to Mario.  He taunted the plumber with a wicked grin.  "After all, who wouldn't want easy money?  It's a good thing I arrived when I did, or you'd be as good as dead."

Mario took a step forward, his body trembling with rage.  His pride had suffered a serious injury.  I could have beaten those bandits...  That could have been me.  Instead, that Raven guy had to show up when he did.  He turned to leave.  "I guess I'll figure out how to get to Sanctum on my own."

"Wait!" Adam called, running after him.  "I did almost kill you, so I have to make up for it somehow.  I'll escort you to the city and grant you special permission to stay at an apartment, free of charge."

"Fine," Mario grumbled, trying to ignore Raven's arrogant grin.  It's gonna be a long walk to Sanctum...




Later that evening, Mario paced the streets of Sanctum in search of the Phoenix demon.  As he traveled up and down the dark alleys, he questioned his feelings of anger toward Raven.  It's not the money that I care about, it's just that...  I'm used to being the hero...  Being a spectator didn't feel right at all.

Mario turned a corner and ventured into yet another suspicious dark alley.  Even the shadows had vanished in the blackness of the alley.  Night had fallen, at least, what Mario considered to be night.  The Nightmare Vault was never particularly bright, but its darkness peaked at certain times throughout the average day.  It had been nearly two months since Mario first ventured into the Nightmare Vault.  Since then, he had gradually developed a new sleep schedule and a grasp for the general time system.

"Maybe being a spectator wasn't what bothered me...  Maybe it was the hero that had taken my place..." he mumbled.  "The way he killed all of those bandits without hesitation...  Something about him makes my stomach turn.  That black armor... that black sword..."  His eyes widened.  "That black hair...  Wait a second...  Isn't that how Botis described the undercover Phoenix agent...?  Raven... but why would he bother to become a bodyguard for some random child...?"

Ominous Presence

"My father is Mayor Bedlam, the leader of Sanctum, so he doesn't spend much time with me.  I've always wanted to learn swordsmanship so I can help fight in the civil war, but my dad won't allow it.  He says that Sanctum should stay out of the war."

Mario gasped.  "Why couldn't I see it before?!  He's using the kid to get to Mayor Bedlam!  If Bedlam trusts this guy enough, Raven will have the freedom to strike whenever he wants...  I've got to get to the mayor's estate, but how?  I'm sure they're not going to let a human in, of all things."  His fast-paced walk increased to a jog, and then to a sprint.  I'll think of something...  I just need to get there before it's too late...

The plumber frantically raced down the empty streets of Sanctum, reading signs and asking the few demons who were still out for directions.  Somehow, he managed to deduce the location of the estate without raising too much suspicion.  A human running around a demon city asking for the location of the mayor would ordinarily spark some sort of conflict, but the darkness helped to conceal Mario's identity as a human.

At last, Mario reached the front gates of the mayor's estate.  Breathing heavily, he observed the security that stood between him and the mayor.  Four guards were posted at the gates' entrance.  Mario decided it would be best to avoid a direct conflict and moved to the left side of the gate that bordered the entire estate.  He caught his breath and got a running start before jumping once, twice, and then a third time, resulting in an extra-high front-flip that barely launched him over the spiked tip of the gate.

He coughed up a mouthful of leaves as he landed in a colossal bush.  He peered out into the courtyard and spotted dozens of patrolling guards.  Wearing the bush as camouflage, he got onto his hands and knees and slowly crawled toward a stone wall.  After stopping occasionally to avoid being detected by nearby guards, he finally removed his 'camouflage' and pressed his back against the wall.  He sidled along the stone wall, masked by complete and utter darkness.  Without any flashlight-equipped guards nearby, edging his way to the front door was a cinch.  As he was within fifteen feet of the door, he discovered two more guards in front of the entrance.

How am I going to lure these guys away?  This door is the only entrance I can find...  There's no way I can sneak around them.  If I try to fight them, they'll scream and alert all the other guards...  Unless I... No... that wouldn't work, would it?  He cupped his hands together and gently whispered, "So I heard you got beat up by a human.  That's pretty pathetic."

One of the demons looked over at the other.  "What'd you say?"

The other demon shrugged in confusion.  "I didn't say anything.  You're losing it."

The first demon clenched his fists.  "First you call me weak, and then you call me crazy.  You're dead!"  The two guards drew their swords and began fiercely slashing at one another, exchanging profound insults that made Mario grimace with disgust.  They wrestled each other onto the ground, and Mario silently crept by as they rolled around in the dirt.  He gently pushed one of the double doors and slid into the mayor's mansion without a sound.

"I can't believe that worked," he whispered triumphantly.  "Now, where would I be able to find Raven?"




"I cannot thank you enough for saving my son's life!" Mayor Bedlam exclaimed with gratitude.  "If you become my son's bodyguard, I'll pay you twice the average salary."  Bedlam was an elderly man, with several strokes of white in his long, gray beard.  He had pale blue skin and was about a hundred pounds overweight, giving him the appearance of a giant blueberry.

"Yeah!  And you can teach me all of your fancy sword techniques, too!" Adam chimed in.  "You have to accept the job!"

"Now, now, it's past your bedtime Adam," Bedlam scolded.  He led his son out of the room before wishing him a good night's sleep.  He reentered the room and shut the door behind him.  "Raven, for your great deed, you shall be known as a hero."

Looming Hatred

Raven rolled his eyes.  "Enough groveling.  I have no interest in your son's life, or yours for that matter.  I have no intentions of becoming your son's bodyguard, and I refuse to work under you.  The only thing that I'm interested in is power.  The greatest war that has ever taken place since the Terranean War is ravaging all of the Nightmare Vault.  Don't you want to know what it's like to stain your hands with the blood of your own kind?  Don't you want to be a part of something greater?  This war has been going on for centuries, and this city is the only place that hasn't picked a side.  Is it just me, or does that seem to hint at some cowardice on your part?"  Raven smiled wickedly.

Bedlam stood up and slowly backed away.  "You're insane!  Using my child's feelings to get to me was a dirty trick!"

Raven gripped his sword and took a step toward Mayor Bedlam.  "But it worked, didn't it?  Results are all that matter in this world.  I've wanted to enter this war for quite some time now, but I don't really support either side.  I was hoping to start a third side, but all of the land in the Nightmare Vault has been taken.  That's when it hit me; Sanctum.  This town has yet to be conquered by either side, and it has a crucial strategic advantage.  It's surrounded by a forest that is far too elaborate for an outsider to navigate.  The Sanctum Forest acts as a natural barrier to keep invaders out!  Now listen carefully; you're going to hand all of the city's power to me.  From there, we'll lead a surprise attack on the Demon Resistance.  The Resistance is weakening, and one final push will end it.  After that, we'll become the Phoenix's new enemy.  We'll keep our soldiers within Sanctum's walls.  And when the Phoenix goes to attack us, they'll find themselves lost in Sanctum Forest!  With our military, we could isolate and destroy each individual soldier in their entire army!"

"And what are the citizens of this peaceful town going to think about that?!" Bedlam snapped, beads of sweat dripping down his face.

"They won't suspect a thing.  You can stay in charge, but I'll be giving you orders behind the scenes.  All you have to do is insist that your actions are for the good of the city.  Surely a mayor who has kept their town safe for all this time will be faithfully trusted by all of his people."

"I won't do it!  I won't abuse the trust of these innocent people!" Bedlam protested.  Although his words spoke of resistance, his body did not.  With each advance Raven made toward Bedlam, the mayor took another step back.

"Well then... In that case, I'll have to resort to option number two.  I'm sure you know what I mean."

Mario, who had only recently pressed his ear against the room's outside wall, gasped as he desperately turned the doorknob.  "Locked!" he cursed, bawling his fists.  "Looks like I have to ruin a perfectly good door..."

Unbearable Suffering

Mario gathered all of his might and unleashed a powerful kick that split the door in two.  As he stormed into the room, his eyes widened with terror as the floor was stained with blood.  Mayor Bedlam was dead.

"Cowardly old man," Raven spat, furiously tearing his blade from the mayor's flesh.  "I would have killed him eventually, anyway."  He looked up and finally noticed Mario.  He grinned with wicked sarcasm.  "Oh, it's you.  If you're here to apply for a job as a bodyguard, the last position has just been taken."

"So, you had to kill him?" Mario whispered regretfully.  "What are you trying to accomplish here?  How will this make any progress in the war that has already taken so many lives?"

"Mario, I want you to listen very carefully.  Do not ask me how, but I know all about your true identity.  I know that you are the Mushroom Hero, so don't try to hide your immense strength like you did earlier.  I want you to embrace your powers, and join me in the Nightmare Vault's struggle for power.  The Phoenix wants the brutal extermination of all Olympians, the ones who bask in sunlight outside of the Nightmare Vault- the humans.  The Demon Resistance fights to protect those humans from the harm that the Phoenix wishes to inflict upon them.  I am a man who hates the humans, but I do not wish to go to the extremes that the Phoenix is willing to.  I wish to create a third side in the war, using Sanctum's advanced technology and the geographical advantage that is provided by Sanctum Forest.  Will you join me, Mario?  With you at my side, I could finally end this civil war once and for all."

"I refuse," Mario replied firmly, gazing sympathetically at Bedlam's corpse.  "That man symbolized the peace that these people have lived in for all of these years.  And now that he's dead, you want to drag all of these innocent people into a brutal civil war?  I've heard about what the Grimnexes are capable of.  You can't possibly hope to wield a simple geographical advantage against them."

"So what, then?  Are you going to continue with your pointless missions, praying that the war will eventually end on its own?"

"No.  For the sake of this family's honor, and for the safety of the people of this city, I'll put a stop to your plans," Mario declared, his eyes lit with determination.

Raven grinned.  "Honor?  The safety of a bunch of demons?  Neither of them really matter to you.  You humans could care less about what happens to us demons.  The only reason you came here is to find a way to get rid of the demon soul within you.  Oh, and you also came to defeat the Phoenix, just so that you could prevent them from attacking your precious kingdom.  You don't give a darn about us!  Have you even shed a single tear for the man that I just slaughtered?  What if that had been the leader of your kingdom?  I bet your reaction would be severely different."

Images of Princess Peach flashed in Mario's head.  "No...  Don't bring her into this.  This fight is between you and me.  Raven, for the safety of the Mushroom Kingdom and the citizens of this town, I will stop you."

shadowmarioguy

#4
Chapter 3: Clash of Thunder

Fated Clash

Raven let out a murderous shriek as he drew his colossal blade and sprinted toward the determined plumber.  He raised his sword over his head, and with a hateful grunt, brought it crashing down toward Mario.  The swift Mushroom Hero rolled to the side, and the force of the blade's collision with the ground created a shockwave that caused the entire room to shake.  As Raven put all of his might into lifting his sword from the ground, Mario lunged forward and tossed a right hook at the swordsman's face.

Raven staggered backward and wept the blood from his lip.  "You're pretty good.  I've heard a lot about you, Mushroom Hero.  I must admit that when I first saw you, I was a bit skeptical.  It seems that you can do much more than unclog toilets."

"I gave up on that job years ago," Mario replied with a grin, "but for some reason, these clothes have grown on me.  It wouldn't feel right to wear anything else."

Raven responded by twirling his massive sword above his head, causing gusts of wind to blow throughout the office.  Mario gazed up at the enormous blade, noting its extreme weight.  That thing must weigh a ton, he thought.  His attacks may be strong, but they're slow and easy to dodge.  There must be a catch.  With such a poor fighting strategy, this man couldn't possibly be a threat to anybody.

"I hope I'm not interrupting your daydream!" Raven howled as he released the blade from his grip, sending it flying toward the plumber at blazing speeds.

Blood trickled down Mario's right cheek.  He had managed to tilt his head to the left just in time, narrowly avoid a fatal blow.  Instead, the blade was now wedged into the wall beside him.  As Raven dashed toward him, Mario considered his options.  I could try to remove it from the wall, and then he'd be at a disadvantage without his weapon.  Or would he?  For all I know, he could have something else up his sleeve.  Besides, a sword like that is best wielded by large, muscular warriors.  I hate to admit it, but I'm not suited for such a massive weapon.

"Too late!" Raven cried as he landed a fierce blow to Mario's stomach.  The Mushroom Hero tumbled onto his back, coughing up a mouthful of blood as he descended.  With a powerful jerk of his arm, he tore his blade from the wall and pointed it at Mario, who was lying on his back.  The plumber rolled to his feet by performing a backwards somersault.  "Any opponent that has lasted this long against me has questioned my fighting style by now.  I can tell by the look on your face that you are confused.  You're wondering if there's more to my strategy, and there is!"

"I know that your speed is greater than you've been leading me to believe.  I saw your fight against those bandits before.  You claimed to be the 'Thunder Swordsman' and used some sort of secret technique to attack them," Mario recalled.  "So why don't you show me how you earned your title?"

Raven's face grew stern.  "If you wish to challenge the power of the Thunder Swordsman, so be it.  The clouds above will not back down from a challenge."  He pointed the tip of his sword at the ceiling.  An earsplitting rumble shook the room, and a lightning bolt pierce the ceiling and struck Raven's sword.  Electric sparks emitted from the now golden blade.  "Now, you will finally learn how powerful thunder can be!"

In the blink of an eye, Raven was only a few inches away from Mario.  He swung his sword at a much faster speed than before.  Mario narrowly dodged it with a quick sidestep, but spotted Raven's blade in the corner of his eye.  He quickly took a step back, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow to the head.  How can he move so quickly?  It's as if his sword just got ten times lighter!  The ground shook as Raven's blade missed its target once again.  But it hasn't lost any of its power!  How can that be?

Mario's eyes widened as he felt his back hit the wall.  Raven brought his sword upward toward the plumber's chin.  There was no room to dodge.

The clattering of metal echoed through the darkness of the night.  Raven gasped.  "What is that?!"

Mario grinned.  Wrapped tightly in his grip was a cluster of flames that were compressed into the shape of a blade.  "I developed this technique right before my battle with Lord Shade.  I needed a way to fight against enemies that were armed with swords, and I eventually discovered that I could channel a Fireball into the shape of a sword."

The two warriors fiercely pressed their blades together, each trying to overcome the other.  Neither of them noticed Adam standing at the doorway, his eyes wide with shock.  My father is dead...  One of these men killed him... but which one was it?  It must have been that human.  After all, Master Raven saved my life while that cowardly human hid in the depths of the forest.  He'll have no trouble eliminating that murderous coward.  As for his father, Adam didn't shed a single tear.  He had little to no emotional connection with him.  All of his love and respect were dedicated to Raven.

Raven took a step forward, putting all of his might into his blade.  Mario, still fiercely gripping his sword of flames, had his back pressed to the wall.  "No... It can't end this way...  I won't allow you to betray the trust of that innocent boy!"  He pressed his feet against the wall and used the power of his famed jumps to plow into Raven.  The swordsman staggered backward, and Mario broke the deadlock with a slash of his sword, sending sparks flying into the air.

Adam gasped.  He's good... No... He's great!  Who is this man?  How is he able to hold his own against Master Raven?

"You managed to survive...  But how long can you last against the might of my thunder techniques?"  Raven inquired with an arrogant smile.

Mario wept the blood from his cheek.  "Thunder techniques?  I don't think you're as great as you claim to be.  In fact, I've already discovered the trick behind your 'Thunder Swordsman' techniques.  That blade that you hold up to the sky...  It's some kind of lightning rod, isn't it?  In fact, your seemingly primitive sword is actually a piece of complicated technology.  It's much more advanced than any lightning rod I've ever seen before, but that's definitely what it is. From there, complex wiring within the blade probably enables the lightning energy to somehow make your sword lighter.  Your title of 'Thunder Swordsman' means nothing.  That blade is doing all of the work.  All that garbage about 'the clouds above' is just to fool your opponents into thinking that you're some kind of god."

Raven's eyes were lit with rage.  "Even if you have figured out my secret, it won't help you defeat me!"  Holding his colossal blade high above his head, Raven sprinted angrily at the confident plumber.

"Not physically, but it does help me psychologically.  I know that you're a fraud, and you've been blinded by your own rage.  Our mental states have changed drastically, which means you don't even have a chance at victory," Mario explained.  As Raven's sword came crashing down, Mario parried the blade with his blade of flames and brought his other fist forward.  His fist burning with the power of a charged Fireball, Mario unleashed his strongest Flaming Punch upon Raven's face.

Howling in agony, Raven tumbled onto his back in defeat.  He grabbed his blade and pressed it against the ground, using it to help him up.  He got onto his hands and knees.

Unbearable Suffering

"Raven...  Your plans will put the Nightmare Vault in grave danger.  To protect the humans, the Demon Resistance needs the city of Sanctum.  Forgive me, but I'm going to have to fight this battle to the finish," Mario explained glumly.  He pointed his flaming sword at the demon's head.  I have to do this...  This is the new world that I've entered...  I have to finish my opponents off.  But even if they are demons, once I get to know them... they remind me so much of humans...

Raven hung his head in defeat.  "Do it now..."

Just then, Adam sprinted in front of Raven and boldly stood in Mario's path.  "Don't do it!  There's no reason to kill Master Raven!  He saved my life, and he promised to teach me how to wield a sword.  You can't kill him now...  He's the only man I ever respected...  His death would hurt me more than my father's death ever will..."

Mario's sword faded away in a puff of smoke.  "You're right...  It's already enough...  But I can't let Raven teach you swordsmanship...  At the very least, I have to take him into custody.  You see...  Raven isn't really-" Mario gasped as he was cut off by a bloodcurdling scream.  Blood stained the floor, and the plumber felt a sharp pain in his chest.  "I never knew... you'd go to such extremes..."  He coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Raven viciously tore his blade from Mario's flesh and pulled it through Adam's stomach.  Adam fell to the floor in a pool of blood- dead.

Mario fell to his knees, clutching a gash on his chest.  "You stabbed through that innocent boy... just to injure me..."

Raven struggled to his feet.  "It seems as though that boy was even more useful than I expected.  I was only using him to get to his father's power and wealth, but I never expected to be able to use him to defeat you.  Regardless, he has outlived his usefulness.  You've outlived yours as well.  Making me look good by failing to rescue Adam was perfect.  It only added to his foolishly immense respect for me.  But now, as you can see, I no longer need your help."  He turned to exit the room.  "Goodbye, Mushroom Hero."

Uphill Battle

"...Do you even realize... how much respect that boy had for you...?" Mario muttered, slowly rising to his feet.  "Do you understand... what you've just done...?  You saved that boy's life....  You gave his miserable life some hope...  He looked up to you as if you were his father...  And now that you're done using him, you've decided to just kill him?  You betrayed the admiration of a young child... and by doing that, you just turned this battle into a personal matter..."

Raven whirled around in surprise.  "You're angry...  I've heard that this is the part where you become a completely different person.  They say it's because you've got some kind of demon soul within you."

Mario shook his head.  "That was before...  I've banished that wicked spirit from my heart, and I don't intend to see it again anytime soon."  His eyes were lit with determination, and his body began to glow with a brilliant blue aura.  "I swear, I'll make you pay for what you've done to this family..."

Raven staggered backward in fear.  "This man isn't the raging demon that I've heard so much about...  He's different...  Is this what the Mushroom Hero is truly like without any demon interference?"  His eyes narrowed.  "Well, a human can't possibly be stronger than a demon.  He'd be better off if he let his demon soul take control.  But either way, he can't defeat the Thunder Swordsman's Final Smash."

"Final Smash?" Mario parroted.

With a bloodthirsty shriek, Raven slashed his sword horizontally in Mario's direction.  Accompanied by the rumbling of thunder, Mario felt a gust of wind blow in his direction.  He dove to the side, and an invisible shockwave struck the wall behind the spot he had just stood in.  "The rumbling of thunder..." Mario mumbled.  "Of course!"

"You'd better use your Final Smash too!  You know, the one that Grambi taught you!" Raven exclaimed.  "Otherwise, you're gonna be killed by my thunderous shockwaves!"

Mario shook his head.  "No.  I could never forgive myself if I used my Final Smash on such an unworthy opponent.  You aren't even worth killing.  You ramble on and on about how great you are, and how I'd better use all of my strength to beat you.  Compared to the life-or-death battles I've faced so far, you're nothing.  You're Final Smash is simple to figure out.  When you swing that heavy sword of yours, its sheer weight displaces wind in the shape of a blade at your opponent.  The sound of this wind displacement is similar to that of thunder.  That's all there is to it."

"How'd you pick up on that so quickly?" Raven gasped, angrily clenching the hilt of his sword.

"Normally, I'd never be able to understand the whole wind displacement thing.  But... I also have a Final Smash that displaces wind.  However, using this Final Smash on you would be an insult to all of the worthy foes that I've wielded it against in the past.  Against you, showing you the true power of the Thunder Element is more than enough!"

His black eyes now red with rage, Raven charged at the plumber, creating dozens of invisible shockwaves as he did so.  Mario jumped, ducked, and weaved past the oncoming attacks, all the while charging his right fist with a Thunderball.  As the two warriors were about to collide, Mario brought his fist forward, shattered Raven's sword with a bone-breaking Thunder Punch, and still had enough power to deal a crippling blow to the demon's face.

Raven collapsed onto the floor in agony, his body trembling before the awesome might of Mario's Thunder Element.  "I've been through training under each of the Elemental Gods.  I wield the elements of Fire, Ice, and Thunder.  You're title, 'Thunder Swordsman', means nothing to me.  I've trained under the Thunder God, and he's much more powerful than you."  He began to walk away.

"What... are you going to do... with me...?"

Mario stopped, but didn't turn around to face Raven.  "I already told you.  You aren't even worth killing.  You'll be taken into custody and be imprisoned for the rest of your life.  Living through your sentence is the least you can do to make up for the death of Mayor Bedlam and his son."




With the city of Sanctum under the Demon Resistance's control, Mario had taken one step toward achieving victory.  However, as the months went by, Mario began to grow restless.  He hadn't yet received a new mission from Botis, and Slade had just returned from his most recent assignment.

Tainted Soul

"Well... that's pretty much the whole story," Mario concluded, sitting with Slade at the shoddy coffee table that had recently been added to their hotel room.  "Raven's strength was derived from his fierce ambition and his clever little tricks.  Any ordinary soldier would have a tough time against him, but people who have been in as many battles as we have can see through his strategies."

Slade nodded slowly, his arms folded over the table.  "Raven may have been fairly easy, but his 'clever little tricks' almost got you killed.  You allowed that demon child to bring merciful thoughts into your head, and your hesitation gave Raven the chance to stab through the child and nearly finish you off.  If you would have ended Raven's life while you had the chance, the mayor's son would have lived.  As much as I may respect you, your hesitation to kill others irritates me to no end."

Mario hung his head.  "Commander Botis told me the same thing.  He gave me a lecture on how I should slaughter any enemies of the Demon Resistance without hesitation.  Despite the murder of Mayor Beldam and his son, the Resistance was still able to occupy Sanctum.  Yet the commander didn't even congratulate me on my first successful mission."

"Don't take it personally.  Botis is the commander of the entire Demon Resistance.  Despite your victory, we're still fighting an uphill battle- no; it's no longer a hill.  At this point, we're at the base of a cliff, looking up as the Phoenix stares down at us from the top.  They have the Grimnexes, and I'm not sure if you comprehend just how powerful they are.  Raven wasn't even as powerful as the Omega Grimnex, the weakest one out of all the Grimnexes," Slade explained grimly.  "We're not here for gratitude, and Botis understands that.  The only thing we have to work for is the future- for the peace of all of our descendants.  If we continue to involve ourselves in this war, the chances of us living to see the end are slim."

"I understand that...  It's just..." Mario muttered, unsure of how to translate his thoughts into words.  I don't want to die...  I want to live, and protect my friends...  How can I protect anything if I'm dead...?

Neither of them noticed Swift standing at the doorway, ready to give Mario and Slade their next mission.  He was listening intently to their conversation.  Ah....  Conflicting heroic beliefs...  Is it better to sacrifice yourself for the benefit of mankind's future, or live on for the sake of your friends?  Is it best to slaughter anyone that opposes you, or try to spare their lives?  This conversation... is far too important to interrupt.  It looks like I'll have to complete the mission for them.  He turned around and left without saying a word.

"It's simple.  If you encounter evil, you destroy it," Slade stated firmly.

"I know...  But if I did finish Raven off right in front of Adam, I would have crushed his spirit.  That child admired Raven more than his own father.  Causing that child such pain would be almost as bad as killing him with my own two hands..."

"I suppose it can't be helped.  You have your way of doing things, and I have mine.  Either way, we're both trying to accomplish the same thing.  We want the Phoenix to drown in their own bitterness and vanish from existence," Slade murmured, clenching his fists.

"Right..." Mario affirmed hesitantly.  He gave Slade a confused look.  Just what is Slade after, really?  He was abandoned by his parents, raised by demons, and fought against me to justify his hatred for the humans.  I managed to convince him that not all humans were as wretched as his parents, but that still shouldn't give him enough of an incentive to risk his life in such a brutal war.  Is he really that worried about the human race, or is there something else he's after...?

Slade closed his eyes, and wicked images of his parents formed in his mind.  I vowed to kill them...  I searched everywhere for them...  They aren't in the Nightmare Vault or the human realm.  I can't search the Underwhere or Overthere until I'm dead... so... the only place left for me to look is the Nightmare Abyss...  They're only two simple humans, so as unlikely as it may be...  I cannot stop searching for them even for a second.  ...Besides, if I do die in this war, I can just continue my search in the afterlife...




"This is perfect...  Yes, he's still here.  Oh, of course, Mario's here too.  It seems as though this worked out perfectly.  Northern Fort?  Absolutely.  One final obstacle before it becomes ours!  And the best part is, the 'good guys' will be the ones to ensure our victory!  They don't even suspect a thing."




Meanwhile, Mario and Slade continued their intricate conversation.  "Mario, there are no second chances in the Nightmare Vault.  Sparing the lives of your enemies may seem noble, but it'll only cause you to fear that they'll come back for revenge someday.  It's better to be rid of them for good."  Slade stood up and yawned.  "I'm feeling a bit thirsty.  I think I'll go get something to drink in the cafeteria."

"Is it still open this late at night?" Mario inquired, his mouth suddenly watering.  "The food here isn't as good as it is back in the Mushroom Kingdom, but I think I've finally gotten used to it."

"I'll get you something to eat," Slade sighed, strapping his sheathed blade to his waste.  He quietly slid the door open and crept into the darkness of the hallway.  As he ventured to the bottom floor of the hotel, a pair of eyes silently followed him from around the corner.  Slowly creeping up behind him, the dark figure's footsteps were in complete sync with Slade's.

Murderous Intent

"Empty," Slade murmured as he pushed open the double doors that led to the checkerboard-tiled floor of the cafeteria.  He sauntered up to the vending machine in the corner of the room and reached into his pocket.  "It looks like Mario had a point.  No one in their right mind would stay up this late to sell food."  As he dug into his pocket for spare change, the silent figure slowly inched closer to him.

"Slade...  I can never forgive you..." the woman whispered, removing a dagger from under her shirt.  She dashed at Slade from behind, her blade raised high above her head.  Her eyes glowing with hatred, the woman viciously slashed at her target.  A metal clang echoed through the room.

Slade grinned.  He had whirled around and drew his sword just in time to block his assailant's attack.  "That was a poor attempt at following me.  Did you think I wouldn't notice you just because you kept your footsteps in sync with mine?  I can hear your breathing, and I can feel the hatred emanating from your body.  So what did I do to make you so angry?"

"My brother...  You killed him..." the woman hissed through clenched teeth.  "I'll avenge his death and prevent you from claiming anymore victims!"

As the two blades clashed, Slade observed his opponent.  She had long blond hair and vengeful, emerald eyes, and she was garbed in a blood-stained t-shirt and ripped jeans.  "I remember now...  You must be Eris!  Your brother's foolishness is hard to forget.  So, you've come back for revenge?"

Eris winced as a sharp metal clang pierced her eardrums.  With one deadly slash, Slade had cut the blade off of her dagger.  Her body trembling with rage, she charged at her foe with her bare hands.  As she was only a few feet away, she stopped dead in her tracks.  The tip of Slade's blade was lightly pressed against her throat.  "No...  Brother..."

"In the end, you were just as foolish as your brother," Slade spat, his eyes beginning to gleam red with anger.  "And now, you'll suffer the same fate."  Blood trickled down Eris' neck as Slade began to put pressure on her throat.  As he prepared to deal the final blow, he was cut off by a familiar voice.

"Hold on, Slade!" Mario shrieked, knocking the blade out of his comrade's hand.  "What happened here?"

The redness in Slade's eyes slowly faded away.  "Forgive me...  Every now and then, I lose control of myself.  It's hard to stay civilized after being a killer for so long..."




Moving On

"I see..." Mario whispered, nodding in comprehension.  "I already knew that you went by the title of Nightmare when you grew up here in the Nightmare Vault, and I also knew that you held a strong hatred for humans because your parents abandoned you.  But I had no idea that you actually used to think that you were a demon."

Slade nodded.  "Yeah...  I used to live in the human realm just like you, but my parents abandoned me when I was only a child.  I was found by demons and brought back to the Nightmare Vault, though I'm still not sure why.  I eventually started thinking I was a demon of the Phoenix, and I traveled the Nightmare Vault slaughtering any demon that was a part of the Demon Resistance."

"And this girl's brother was..." Mario trailed off, afraid of what the answer might be.

"He was a soldier in the Resistance," Eris finished.  "When I saw that Slade was a part of the Resistance, I thought that he was only trying to kill more soldiers when their backs were turned.  To avenge my brother and protect the other members of the Demon Resistance, I attacked him.  I never even considered the possibility that Slade had changed his ways."

"Does that mean you can forgive him?" Mario asked hopefully.

Before she could answer, Slade muttered, "I don't care if she forgives me or not, but there is something I would like to know.  Based on your explanation, you just happened to notice that I was a part of the Demon Resistance.  That leads me to believe that you came here with another purpose in mind, but then you got sidetracked as soon as you saw me.  What did you really come here for?"

Eris fell to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks.  "...Please let me stay with you...  I need you to hide me... from them..."

shadowmarioguy

Chapter 4: The Northern Fortress

Looming Hatred

Far to the north- casting a shadow that shrouded the rest of the Nightmare Vault in darkness- stood a tall stone fortress.  Deep within its walls, a group of three figures stirred.  A female demon with purple skin stepped forward and cleared her throat.  "Mr. Seraph, I'm afraid that-"

"Eris has escaped again," Seraph finished sternly.  He was the leader of the group, a tall, blue-skinned demon with a mop of gray hair and a pair of swords strapped to his back.   "I'm already aware of that, Rune.  You should have kept a closer eye on her.  Now she's escaped into Poker Face's main headquarters.  If we allow her to stay there, she'll likely start some sort of trouble.  Before a conflict can arise, someone needs to retrieve her at all costs.  Gale, I'm leaving you in charge of this mission."

The room shook as Gale turned to leave the room.  He was a colossal, muscular demon that wielded a mammoth wrecking ball, which was currently slung over his shoulder.  "Leave it to me," he obeyed gruffly.  "I assume you want me to bring her back alive?"

Seraph nodded.  "Under normal circumstances, I could care less.  In this case, however, I want you to bring her back alive."




"Them?" Mario parroted confusedly.  "Who are they?"

"They live in a fortress far to the north, right around the border of the Nightmare Abyss.  There are three of them, and they are the most powerful non-Grimnex demons on the Phoenix's side.  I've been imprisoned there as long as I can remember.  They captured me during one of their invasions and have kept me alive because of my unique abilities."

"Unique?  There's nothing unique about your fighting abilities," Slade mumbled.  "I learned that firsthand."

Eris shook her head.  "No, it has nothing to do with that.  I have the ability to materialize weapons at will.  That blade I used against Slade is a perfect example.  Of course, I can also create guns and bombs."

She kind of reminds me of Ace, Mario thought.  Interesting...

"Really?!" Slade inquired, his eyes suddenly wide with interest.  "Why don't you just make us a bunch of weapons so we can take the Phoenix down?"

"I can't," Eris refused with a frown.  "That's the whole reason I tried to escape.  The Northern Fortress Defense Squad has been making me manufacture weapons for them for a few years now, and I'm sick of it!  The very same weapons I create for them are being used to destroy hundreds of lives!  I came here hoping that you would shelter me from them."

"Who cares about that?  We have the key to defeating the Phoenix in the palm of our hand!" Slade exclaimed triumphantly.  "This is perfect!"

"No," Mario stated firmly.  "That attitude is probably the reason she ran away from Northern Fortress.  They thought they could use her weapons to win the war, and she got sick of it and ran away.  She came to us looking for help, not to be stuck in the same situation as before."  Mario turned to Eris.  "You can stay here, just as long as you don't use your powers to materialize any sort of weapon."

Eris nodded.  That was easy.

"If you ask me, we're passing up a huge opportunity by not bringing her to Botis," Slade muttered.  "I guess it wouldn't do any harm to let her lay low here for a while, but what about the Northern Fortress Defense Squad?  If her powers are as useful as she claims, those three won't let her go without a fight.  They'll come looking for her, and she'll most likely be found out."

Mario shrugged.  "That's true, but there are only three demons in their little defense squad.  If they attack, it shouldn't be too big of a problem.  Besides, if they aren't Grimnexes, and we lose to them, I think we deserve to die."

"True," Slade agreed.  "After all, if we couldn't defeat a non-Grimnex, we wouldn't even stand a chance in this war.  We'd be better off dead."

"So it's settled.  Eris can stay here as long as she doesn't attract any outside attention."




Mario yawned and sat up, groggily rubbing the sleep from his eyes.  His body was telling him that it was time to wake up.  There was no definite morning or afternoon in the Nightmare Vault, but by now Mario's body had already adapted to a suitable sleep schedule.  After a bit of stretching, he left to go on a short walk.  He had not been assigned a new mission in quite some time, and because of this he often went on morning walks to help relieve some stress.

As he exited the hotel, he heard whispers coming from around the corner of the building.  Recognizing one of the voices, he sidled along the wall and got as close to the conversation as he could without being detected.

"Those are your only two options, Eris," a colossal, muscular man informed her.  "You can either come back with us quietly, or you could watch as this building meets with an unfortunate accident.  We wouldn't want your 'heroes' to meet with an untimely end."

"Leave them out of this, Gale," Eris demanded firmly.  "If you promise not to harm them, I'll follow you back to the fortress without another word."

"Looks like you've made a few new friends," Gale chuckled as he scooped her up in one of his enormous hands.  "I didn't think you were capable of being friends with anyone.  Usually you only make friends so that you can get something that you're after, but you must really care about these people if you're willing to be captured in order to assure their safety."  With Eris tucked under his arm, Gale turned and began to walk off into the distance.

From around the corner, Mario had been watching the scene intently.  His fists were clenched with frustration.  He shouldn't have forced her to make such a difficult decision...  If I follow him, he should lead me directly to Northern Fortress...




"Wake up!  We're here," Gale announced gruffly, shaking Eris until she finally awoke.  "I still can't believe you chose your friends' lives over your own.  Based on your personality, it doesn't make any sense for you to care about the lives of people you just met.  Do they care about you as much as you seem to care about them?  Not one of them tried to stop me as I carried you away."

Fighting Spirit

"Looks like you fit the all-brawn-no-brains stereotype perfectly," a sarcastic voice echoed.  Gale whirled around as Mario emerged from behind a nearby tree.  "I've been following you since you left the hotel, and I couldn't help but overhear a certain threat that you made. What was it again?  Something about her friends meeting an untimely end if she didn't go with you?"

Gale tossed Eris onto the ground and clenched his fists.  "I've known you for about ten seconds, and I already want to bash your skull in."

"Take it easy with the threats," Mario chuckled.  "With fists and muscles as large as those, I'm sure you can do more than just talk tough.  Before we start, how about we make a deal?"  He clenched his fists as he locked eyes with his opponent.  "If I can storm into your little fortress and beat you and your two buddies, you have to let Eris go."

Gale grinned as he began to crack his knuckles.  "And what if you can't?"

"If I can't beat the three of you, then I have no reason to continue fighting in this war.  I'll let you take my life, and Eris can stay with you until the day she dies," Mario promised.  Before he could say another word, Gale had launched his wrecking ball into the air toward the plumber.  Mario nimbly leapt out of the way, landing on a nearby tree branch.  He bounced off of the branch and soared through the air, landing on the balcony of the fortress' second floor.

"Get down here!" Gale roared angrily as he pulled his wrecking ball from the ground.  "We aren't finished yet!"

"Well, when I noticed that my 'colleague' was here, I decided to let him fight you in my place," Mario replied as he entered the fortress through an open window.  "I hope that you'll have just as much fun with him as you did with me!"

"Colleague?" Gale parroted in confusion.  "Whatever.  He blindly rushed in, even though Eris is still out here with me.  If he thinks he can defeat the other two members of the squad, he's sadly mistaken.  And even if he can, he'll still have to come back out here to face me."  Suddenly, he winced as he felt a sharp pain in his back.  He looked over his shoulder to see Slade standing with his sword drawn.

Slade vs. Gale

"You should've checked your surroundings more thoroughly.  Not only did you allow Mario to follow you, but you completely ignored him when he told you that one of his 'colleagues' had arrived."

Gale whirled around and began to swing his ball and chain high above his head.  "Maybe if you checked your surroundings more accurately, you would've captured Eris while my back was turned instead of attacking me."

Slade sighed.  "It seems that every time you open your mouth, you add further proof to your ignorance.  Take a look up in that tree."

Gale's eyes shifted to the top of a nearby tree.  Standing lightly on one of the branches was Rune, who was holding the unconscious Eris in her arms.  In the blink of an eye, she vanished and reappeared on the balcony that Mario had entered the fortress through.  "I'm taking her to the boss!"  In a blur of purple, Rune disappeared into the darkness of the fortress.

"Once again, you've taken your eyes off of your opponent!" Slade exclaimed as he rushed forward with his blade pointed at the demon.  "That's three strikes; you're out!"

Gale, still swinging the wrecking ball above his head, brought his attention back to Slade and slammed the ball down in his direction.  Slade dove to the side, narrowly dodging Gale's ball and chain, which left a colossal crater in the ground.  His chain wrapped tightly in his grip, Gale used the chain to pull himself in Slade's direction at incredible speeds.  Slade, not expecting this burst of speed, was unable to block Gale's blazing-fast right hook.  As Slade soared backward, Gale began to swing his wrecking ball before launching it at his airborne opponent.

"That's the match!" Gale cackled wickedly as his weapon was about to strike Slade.

"Not quite," Slade whispered, performing a few midair back-flips before landing nimbly on top of his opponent's wrecking ball.  Still airborne, Slade grabbed the chain and used it to pull himself in Gale's direction.  Too slow to move out of the way, Gale was helpless as Slade stabbed his sword through the demon's lower chest.  Gale coughed up a mouthful of blood, and Slade removed his blade from the demon's flesh and took a few steps back.

"Damn," Slade cursed, spitting up a few drops of blood.  "I missed his heart.  I was moving too fast through the air to aim properly."

"Not bad, for a scrawny human like you," Gale muttered as he clutched his wound.  "But your luck won't last forever.  Rune is bound to run into Mario on her way in, and if so, he's in for a rude awakening.  That girl is the closest thing to a ninja that you'll ever find.  And then there's Seraph...  I can't even begin to describe him!  It would be in your best interest to leave."  He swung his ball and chain before tossing it at Slade yet again.

"In other words, you're the weakest of the Northern Fortress Defense Squad!" Slade exclaimed, taking a few steps backward as the wrecking ball was about to hit him.  Before Gale could make his next move, Slade stabbed his blade through Gale's wrecking ball and into the ground.  From there, he sprinted forward at Gale with his fists clenched.  "You're nothing without that ball and chain!"

Gale attempted to defend himself, but could do nothing but crumple onto his knees against the might of Slade's bone-breaking punches.  After dealing one final blow to the gash on Gale's chest, Slade kicked the demon onto his back.  "I'll be right back with my sword.  Don't go anywhere."  At this point, Gale was practically begging for mercy.  By the time Slade was back and prepared to deliver the final blow, Gale had been brought to tears.

"Nightmare... Why have you returned after all of these years?!  Wasn't once enough?!" Gale screamed in agony as Slade's sword pierced his heart.

"Wait a minute...  What?" Slade inquired, gazing down at his foe.  "You called me Nightmare...  Did we really fight in the past?"  It was too late; Gale was dead.  "It's possible...  But back then, I only fought against demons that belonged to the Resistance..."  He shook his head and stepped into the fortress.  "No...  I need to stop putting so much thought into everything."




There was a ring at the phone in Botis' office.  He slowly brought the device to his ear and grinned.  "Hello?"

"Commander Botis, this is Seraph.  Pardon my insolence, but are your men attacking us?  I recently heard that you recruited a couple of humans.  It would seem as though they chased after Gale when he came to recapture Eris, but why would they do such a thing?  Don't they realize that the Northern Fortress belongs to the Demon Resistance?  They're fighting against their own comrades!"

Botis' grin widened.  "Well... that does seem to be a problem.  Those boys are still fairly new, and they probably aren't familiar with the allies of the Resistance just yet.  Eris probably convinced them that you were the enemy."

"If that's the case, shouldn't you call them off?  They've already slaughtered one of our soldiers."

"That won't be necessary.  I'm sure that if you just talk to them, you can sort this whole mess out."  Without another word, Botis hung up.  Soon, Eris will have them clawing at each other's throats.  Northern Fortress will be ours...  And then I can finally reveal my true identity...

On the other end of the line, Seraph was beginning to sweat.  "Botis... Those humans don't understand anything at all...  They believe that Eris is the victim, and that she must be saved at all costs.  If they continue to drive themselves to save her with that belief in mind, words won't be able to sway them.  First, we need to put a stop to their assault with brute force.  Once they've been defeated, we can calmly explain the truth."

"I agree," a voice whispered.  For the first time, Seraph spotted Rune standing in the corner of the room, completely masked by darkness.  At her side was Eris, who was lying unconscious on the floor.  "The Mushroom Hero, presumably the leader of the group, is on his way here.  If we work together, we'll have no trouble taking him down."

"Really?  How about we find out?" a second voice called out, this time from the room's entrance.  Mario stepped in, his fists clenched.  "You don't think I can take both of you at the same time?  We'll just have to see about that."

"He's here already?!" Seraph thundered.  "This plumber doesn't waste any time.  Very well, it's a bit sooner than expected, but it'd be in our best interest to take him out now.  I don't know what Botis is trying to accomplish, but whatever it is, he can't do it if we rid ourselves of these intruders!"  Seraph unsheathed his dual blades and charged full-speed at Mario.

Mario clenched his fists as his eyes locked with those of his oncoming opponent.  He uses two blades... I've never fought someone like that before.  He isn't as strong as a Grimnex, but fighting both of these goons could be a bit of a challenge.  His eyes shifted to the spot where Rune had just stood.  She was nowhere to be found.  "Great, an aspiring ninja."

He veered to the right just as a shuriken stuck to the ground in the area he had just occupied.  His focus shifted to Seraph, who was already starting to swing his blades forward.  His blades crossed in an X shape, the demon lunged forward and landed two slashes across the plumber's chest.  Mario staggered backward for a few seconds before ducking under a kunai slash.  Standing beside him was Rune, preparing to toss a handful of shuriken at him.  As the shuriken zoomed toward him, he molded an Iceball into the shape of a shield.  Each of the shuriken stuck to the ice, causing Mario to grin triumphantly.

All or Nothing

"At times like these, I might as well use my new Final Smash," the plumber chuckled, removing each of the shuriken from his shield of ice.  As Rune lunged at him with her kunai yet again, Mario jerked his right elbow upward, knocking the kunai from her hand and landing a powerful blow to her jaw.  In the corner of his eye, Mario saw Seraph charging at him once again.  The Mushroom Hero whirled around and sprinted toward his approaching foe, electric sparks emitting from his body and his right fist engulfed in flames.  It's been at least a year since the last time I used this.  Hopefully I can still do it right.

As Mario rushed toward his foe, he remembered the steps of his newest Final Smash- the Nova Strike.  First, I have to use the lightning-fast properties of the Thunderball to sprint toward my foe at an incredible speed.  Along the way, I have to use the defensive properties of the Iceball to shield any vulnerable parts of my body from damage.  And as I make my way toward my target, I have to gather the strength of the Fireball into my right fist in order to deliver the final blow.  

With only a few feet between the two warriors, Seraph crossed his blades and lunged forward.  Mario's left hand became encased in ice, and the plumber pressed it against the Seraph's blades, pushing them to the side so that he could unleash his Final Smash.  With Seraph's body wide open, Mario threw his flaming right fist forward, heating up the air around it as he dealt a bone-crushing blow to Seraph's chest.  But the fiery punch is only the first part of the attack.  If the punch is strong enough, it will displace the wind around it, causing hundreds of wind bullets to follow after it and strike the target with the same amount of power as the original punch.

The sound of hundreds of bone-crushing blows filled the room as Seraph was thrown onto his back in agony.  Mario fell to his knees, gasping for air.  His right fist was badly bruised and had cuts all over it.  "Heh... Looks like I still can't control it completely...  My hand still bleeds every time I use it..."  Despite his injuries, the plumber had triumphed against the final two members of the Northern Fortress Defense Squad.

Seraph slowly rose to his hands and knees.  "Mario...  Before you take Eris, you must know the truth...  She doesn't care about you at all!"

"What would you know...?" Mario shot back, breathing heavily.  "You've been holding her captive, forcing her to manufacture weapons... and now, she's finally free..."

"Time for the true mastermind to reveal herself," Eris whispered as her eyes fluttered open.  She used her finger to draw an imaginary symbol on her right arm.  After clasping her hands together, her right arm morphed into some sort of arm-cannon.  She struggled to her feet and aimed at Seraph before firing a red beam at her target.

Fallen Hero

"Please... you have to listen to me!" Seraph pleaded, begging on his hands and knees.  "Eris isn't what she pretends-" He was cut off as his chest was pierced by a ray of red light.  Blood dripping from his wound, Seraph collapsed face-first onto the floor.  "Mario...  You allowed Eris to convince you that she was the victim, when in reality, she was only trying to use you..."

"No...  It can't be..." Mario muttered in disbelief.  "No...  Eris, you didn't!"

Eris pointed her cannon at Mario.  "Yeah, and you fell for it!  I was working for the Phoenix all along, manufacturing weapons that were used to slaughter the fools that belonged to the Resistance.  One day, I was captured by the Northern Fortress Defense Squad, and I thought of a plan to turn the Resistance against itself.  I escaped from the fort and convinced you that I was a victim of the Phoenix's cruelty.  When the Northern Fortress Defense Squad came to retrieve me, I was sure that you'd try to rescue me.  It all worked out flawlessly."

Mario was trembling with rage.  "You...  I can't believe you'd do something so cruel..."

"You allowed yourselves to be deceived," Rune muttered, turning to face Eris.  "But now that we know who the true enemy is, we can put this conflict to an end."  She sprinted toward Eris, a kunai wrapped tightly in her grip.  "You'll pay for what you did to Seraph!"  Before she could reach her target, Eris unleashed another ray of light from her cannon.  Rune fell to the floor in a pool of blood.

"Two down, one to go," Eris chuckled.  "...Huh?  Where'd the plumber go?"  She looked to her right to see Mario soaring above her head with his foot extended.  She whirled around and fired a beam at the airborne plumber.  Mario, now helplessly descending toward the beam, could do nothing but veer slightly to the right to avoid a fatal wound.  The beam still pierced his chest, but missed his vital organs.

Bitter Determination

Mario collapsed onto the ground with a thud.  He attempted to stand up, but winced as blood began to ooze out from his open wound.

"Looks like you're still alive," Eris observed.  "One more blast should fix that."  Mario, in agonizing pain and still unable to stand, could only watch in horror as a red ray of light erupted from Eris' arm-cannon.  He closed his eyes and waited for the beam to pierce his heart and end his life.  Instead, he felt his body being shoved to the ground.  When he opened his eyes, he saw Slade kneeling in the space that he had just occupied.  Just before the beam had struck Mario, Slade had tackled him out of the way and took the blast in Mario's place.

"Slade... Why did you do that?!"

"Don't worry about me...  I won't die from a wound like this..."  He tried to stand up, but similarly to Mario, he felt excruciating pain as he tried to do so.  He collapsed onto his hands and knees.  "Damn...  It's no use...  Neither of us can fight with these wounds..."

"You're wrong," Mario muttered, wincing in anguish as he slowly rose to his feet.  "After all... If I can't take a hit like that... then how am I supposed to fight against the Grimnexes...?"  He slowly staggered toward Eris.  "I'm... not going to die here... I refuse..."

"Stay down!" Eris exploded, firing yet another beam at Mario.  The plumber weaved to the side and lunged forward, wrapping his grip around Eris' arm-cannon and pinning it to the wall.  He created a Fireball in his palm, severely burning her and causing her arm to revert back to normal.  Still not willing to give up, Eris morphed her free hand into a blade and slashed across Mario's upper torso.  The plumber collapsed onto his back.  "Just stay down!  There's no reason to continue suffering when I can end your pain in an instant!  Why can't you just accept a quick death?!  Now you'll have to wait until you bleed to death!"

"Who said... that I was finished yet...?" came Mario's muffled reply, his face still pressed against the floor.  The plumber stood up yet again, causing Slade to wince at the mere sight of it.

How can he still get up after all of that? Slade wondered, grimacing as Eris slashed him with her blade once again.

Mario staggered backward for a moment before regaining his balance.  "Because... I got Slade into this...  I fell for your deception and tried to rescue you...  If it weren't for my interference, the members of the Northern Fortress Defense Squad wouldn't have died...  Slade wouldn't be here with that injury... and you wouldn't have gotten your way!  This is all my responsibility..."

He rushed forward one final time, his eyes lit with determination and his body engulfed in a vivid blue aura. As he drew closer, his pace began to slow down, and the room grew darker.  As he threw his fist forward, he felt his entire body collapse onto the ground.  The room became silent.

shadowmarioguy

Chapter 5: Betrayal

Mario's eyes slowly fluttered open, and he found himself all bandaged up in the comfort of his hotel room.  He tried to sit up, but sharp pains erupted all over his body.  "What happened...?"  He pressed his palm to his forehead.  He had a splitting headache.

In another bed across from his was Slade, slightly bandaged up but not nearly as wounded as Mario.  "You're really something, Mario.  For a second, I really thought you were invincible, but then I remembered the Velno incident back in the Mushroom Kingdom.  We thought you were invincible back then, but your death during your battle with Velno brought us back to reality.  Each time I watch you fight, a mysterious force starts to make me believe that you can do anything."

"But I didn't win...  I collapsed before I could do anything..." Mario groaned, still puzzling over how he managed to survive.

"Standing up to Eris was brave, but... in a way, all you managed to do was further your injuries," Swift informed him with a grin.  "At least, that's if you look at it from a medical point of view.  But I believe that it also bought you some time for me to arrive."

Demonic Plot

Slade nodded.  "We would have been slaughtered if Swift hadn't arrived.  He caught Eris off guard and brought her to Poker Face's headquarters for interrogation.  After we got all of the information we could from her, she was executed."

"I see..." Mario whispered, staring at the ceiling.  "I can't believe she used us... She pitted us against the Northern Fortress Defense Squad..."

"Here's where it gets interesting," Swift continued.  "If you didn't already know, the Northern Fortress was used by the Demon Resistance to help reduce the number of Phoenix soldiers that entered and left the Nightmare Abyss.  In other words, it was probably the last advantage that the Demon Resistance had in this war.  As you are already aware, Eris pretended to be a damsel in distress in order to get you to attack the fortress and defeat its three guardians.  It wasn't a bad plan, but if you think about it, it doesn't make much sense.  Wouldn't any ordinary member of the Resistance know that the Northern Fortress was on the same side as them?  And if they knew that they were allies with the Northern Fortress, they wouldn't be deceived the same way you two were.  In order for Eris' plan to work, she would need to trick powerful rookies that didn't know who their allies were just yet.  And the only people around that fit that description are you two.

"Now, that's all fine and dandy, but if Eris was locked up in that fortress for so long, how would she know exactly who to pick for her little ruse?  How was she supposed to know that you two were the only people that her plan would work on?  This question coincides with another bit of information that slipped from Eris' mouth when we were interrogating her.  She muttered something about an inside source, someone from the Resistance that had leaked information to her.  Whoever it was, he probably told her that you two would be the perfect targets for her trickery.  Regardless, it doesn't end there.

"Immediately after Eris spoke of an inside source, Botis ordered her execution.  The interrogation was halted, and she was killed on the spot.  It was almost as if he was trying to hide something.  And then there's one last piece of information.  You were probably wondering how I managed to save you from Eris.  Well, the truth is that I was already in the area.  Prior to your little 'rescue', Botis ordered me to storm Northern Fortress and take its squadron into custody.  He sounded like he wanted all three members of the defense squad dead.  Now, what conclusions can we draw from all of this?  Botis wanted the Northern Fortress Defense Squad dead, information was leaked that helped accomplish this goal, and Botis tried to hide something during Eris' interrogation.  This is just a theory, but I believe that Botis is really working for the Phoenix, and that he was the one who leaked information to Eris.  I wouldn't act upon this information yet, but make sure you keep an eye out."

Swift turned to leave, but Mario stopped him.  "Where are you going?"

"I'm leaving Poker Face.  Something doesn't feel right, and I don't want to be a part of it.  I'm still fighting for the Resistance, but not for Botis."




Tainted Soul

Months passed by.  It seemed like ages since Swift had left Poker Face, but the theory he left behind had impacted Mario severely.  It had been almost two years since Mario's battle with the Northern Fortress Defense Squad.  Since then, Mario had not accepted any new missions.  He spent most of his days sitting in his bed and staring at the ceiling.  Other times he wandered off for days, weeks, even months at a time before finally returning.  He remained silent at all times, only speaking when spoken to, even when around Slade.

Mario returned to his hotel room late at night, laid back in his bed, and stared at the ceiling. "All of those lives that were lost...  Was it all a waste?  Did Botis really have a purpose behind all of those missions?  Am I killing for no good reason...?  I came here to help Glaive rest in peace...  But if Swift is correct, I may have made things even worse...  I can't fight anymore, not like this...  If those battles truly were a waste, Glaive will never be able to find peace in the afterlife.  I don't want to fight for Botis anymore, just in case he's a traitor... but I could never abandon this place to go back to the Mushroom Kingdom, either.  If I left now, Glaive's last request would never be fulfilled..."

"Mario, can I come in?"

Mario recognized the voice.  It was Botis.  "Y- Yes."

"Mario, what has happened to you?  Are you really going to spend this time wallowing in your own despair?  I've searched far and wide for you, but you just keep on wandering off!"

"I can't fight for you... not now..." Mario muttered, his voice low and hoarse.  "All of these innocent lives...  Were they lost for nothing?"

Botis smiled gently.  "Ah, I understand what has happened.  Even the finest of warriors have gone through this phase.  You are unsure if you're fighting for a worthy cause.  This problem only takes a few months for most demons to get through, but not in your case.  You've spent your days in the Mushroom Kingdom as a protector, saving innocent lives and being known as a hero.  Now you're a destroyer, a soldier with the sole task of obliterating the Phoenix.  Until you come to terms with this change, you will not be able to fight at your maximum.  However, I have good news.  The end of the war is in sight, and our final battle is at hand."

Mario's eyes were lit with hope.  "...Really?  Have we truly progressed that much?"

Botis nodded.  "Yes, yes.  While you have been out of commission, our soldiers have made significant progress against the Phoenix.  Slade and I were about to head out for the final battle, and I wanted to know if you would like to join us."

Mario remained silent for a few minutes.  "I...  I really don't think it's a good time for me to be fighting...  But if it's to end the war, I guess I could help.  For the final battle, I suppose I could fight for you one final time," Mario agreed hesitantly.  He stood up on his feet, his eyes lit with passion.  It's time to put this adventure behind me.  Maybe we can trust Botis after all.  If this truly is the final battle, I can finally fulfill my promise to Glaive and return to the Mushroom Kingdom...  Come to think of it, I've already been here for a few years.  I wonder how everyone is doing back in the Mushroom Kingdom...




Cursed Memory

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Nightmare Vault, there was a downpour of rain accompanied by a fierce thunderstorm.  A lone figure walked down a path through a ruined town, mud splashing under his feet and the smell of death filling his nostrils.  He remained cold and silent as he passed by countless bones and severed body parts, finally stopping at a cemetery at the edge of the ruined town.  "My hometown..." Ace muttered regretfully.  "They destroyed everything...  I was among the only survivors..."  He walked up and down countless rows of gravestones, searching for a specific name.  "My brother should still be buried here."

As he continued his search, he heard footsteps behind him.  He whirled around to see an old man with a dagger held high above his head.  Ace quickly reached for the deck of cards strapped to his waist, crushed one of the cards in his palm, and materialized a blade of his own.  A metal clang rang throughout the abandoned cemetery, and the old man backed off.

"Forgive me," the elderly man apologized.  "I thought you were a gravedigger, but now I can see that you're one of us.  In fact, I think I remember seeing you once before."  The old man closed his eyes, recalling the first time he had met Ace.  "It was a stormy night, just like this one.  You walked into this cemetery with a dead body in your arms, and your eyes were as cold as ice.  Your voice was stoic and emotionless as you asked me to give your brother, Jack Spades, a proper burial.  After that, you turned around and left without shedding a single tear.  Though you remained silent as you walked away, I could feel the sorrow and regret emanating from your body."

"Is my brother still buried here?" Ace inquired hopefully.

"He should be.  After all, I've been guarding this area ever since he was buried.  You see, it is my duty to look after this graveyard, which contains the bodies of the Zepar tribe."

"Zepar tribe?" Ace parroted.  "What do you mean?"

"You mean to tell me that you don't know the name of your own tribe?  You must have fled the village before its destruction."

"Actually, I was captured by the Assassination Squad when I was a child.  They saw my abilities and decided to let me join them.  While I worked for them, I eventually ended up killing my own brother.  To atone for his death, I decided to join Poker Face.  I eventually became its leader, until I recently lost my job.  I'm looking to fight against the Phoenix on my own, but I decided to stop at my brother's grave while I was in the area."

"I see," the old man replied with a nod.  "It all makes sense now.  Perhaps it would be best for me to explain more about the Zepar tribe.  Members of the tribe have always been known for a single technique: the ability to materialize objects through the distortion of symbols.  When you used that sword of yours, I instantly knew that you were a member of our tribe.  I had previously thought that I was the only one left, but I can see that there is one more survivor.  Well, in truth, there is a third survivor named Eris, but she betrayed us and joined the Phoenix years ago."

"You mean... All of my people possessed the same abilities that I did?" Ace inquired, his eyes wide with surprise.  "If that's the case, why did the Assassination Squad decide to recruit me when they had a village filled with adults that were even stronger?"

"I would assume it was because you could use the secret ability of the Zepar tribe at such a young age.  Usually we can't use this ability until we go through at least fifteen years of training.  The Assassination Squad was probably surprised by your natural talent and decided to recruit you.  But if you could use the basics as a child, you must be a master by now!"

Ace shrugged.  "Uh... no...  I still need to use cards to materialize things, and I can only create certain weapons..."

"You mean you haven't progressed at all?!" the old man thundered in astonishment.  "I see...  It must have been because you weren't exposed to others with the same powers as you after you were taken by the Assassination Squad.  You see, when war was officially declared, the Zepar tribe representatives stated that they would remain neutral.  However, they were secretly honing their skills in preparation to fight on the Resistance's side.  When the Phoenix learned of this, they sent the Assassination Squad to wipe out the entire tribe.  To my knowledge, only four of us survived: Jack- your brother who died soon after, Eris- who betrayed us, you, and me."

Ace had gotten so caught up in the tale of his tribe's past that he had forgotten all about visiting his brother's grave.  "And to think I always believed I was the only person who possessed these abilities...  In reality, my entire tribe had these powers, but they were killed off by the Phoenix..."  He clenched his fists.  "Now, more than ever, I have a true reason to fight against the Phoenix...  By the way, you implied that there was a lot I still didn't know about the Zepar tribe's power.  Would it be possible for you to teach me a few new tricks?"

The old man grinned, a crafty look in his eye.  "That's one of the main reasons I've kept myself alive all of these years instead of seeking revenge.  I felt that it was my duty to live on so that I could protect this cemetery and teach any survivors of their tribe's past.  I had a feeling that there would be a survivor that was younger than me, and it seems as though I was right.  I'll teach you everything there is to know about the hidden skill of the Zepar tribe- the art of Conjuration.  In exchange, it will become your duty to avenge your fallen tribe."

Ace nodded.  "Of course.  But first, I'd like to go see a good friend of mine.  It's been a few years since I've seen him, and I'd like to talk a few things over with him.  Would it be okay if I went to visit him first?"

"Absolutely."

"Well, I guess this is goodbye for now.  I'll return soon, so just wait here for me."  Ace started to walk away before turning around.  "Wait a minute; I forgot to ask you your name."

"My name?  I've long since forgotten such meaningless things...  I hardly have enough room in my memory for all of my knowledge of the Zepar tribe.  How about this: your name is Ace, so why don't you just call me King?"

"Funny," Ace grumbled.  "A card pun..."  Without another word, Ace turned around and departed to pay a visit to an old comrade.

With that, King heaved a deep sigh.  "Well, back to work."  He plopped down in a comfy chair and began to read.  "That was my first bit of excitement in a while...  This place doesn't get many visitors... Still, I can't believe a fellow survivor would just appear one day and ask me to teach him the secrets of the Zepar clan...  Erm... Why did he come here in the first place...?  Oh well, I guess it's not really important..."

As King went back to his reading, he too forgot about the purpose of Ace's visit.  But if one of them had remembered, and if they had checked the very last row at the rear of the grave, they would have found that the grave labeled 'Jack Spades' had been dug up.




Demonic Plot

As Mario, Slade, and Botis ventured toward their destination, Mario observed his surroundings with confusion.  They were on rugged terrain, with several rocks and boulders littering the ground.  The sky was a gradient of green and red, with a small tint of purple mixed in.  Mario was certain that he had been to this place before.  As he scanned his surroundings, he suddenly realized what their destination truly was.  He stopped dead in his tracks.

Botis turned around and gave him a dirty look.  "What are you doing?  We can't stop now; we're almost at the Nightmare Abyss.  Don't tell me you've decided to give up after we've already come so far?"

"This isn't anywhere close to the Nightmare Abyss," Mario replied, almost in confusion.  "Our true destination... is the Nexus Access Point, isn't it?  It's the only place in the entire Nightmare Vault where you can access the Nexus.  Once inside, you can freely travel to any dimension you want- even the human realm."

Slade grinned at his comrade.  "So you finally caught on.  I was starting to think that I was the only one who realized Botis' true intentions.  I knew that if he was a true leader, he wouldn't have stormed into Grimnex territory so carelessly.  When he told us we were going to invade the Nightmare Abyss, that's when it hit me.  Instead of fighting him right then and there, where he might have allies hidden nearby, I decided to allow him to lead us all the way out here, where he most likely planned to ambush us as soon as we reached our destination."

"Correct..." Botis muttered in astonishment.  "You figured it out, but my betrayal is just the tip of the iceberg.  If you want to know the truth, the Demon Resistance crumbled apart years ago.  When Ace, the previous leader of Poker Face, left to visit your world, I took control as their temporary leader.  With me in charge of the strongest military in the Resistance, it wasn't long before the Phoenix was able to assassinate Cole- the demon in charge of the entire Resistance- and take complete control.  However, we were still unable to escape from this cursed dimension.  I realized that we could escape through the Nexus, but the only way to enter the Nexus was with a certain pass that only the leader of Poker Face is given.  I was only a temporary leader; Ace had the Nexus Pass that I was looking for.  So I pulled a few strings and got Ace to lose his job, making me the permanent leader.  I waited for Ace to return with his Nexus Pass, but instead, you arrived.  I searched high and low for the location of the Nexus Pass, until I discovered that one of you two possessed it.  That's the true reason why I led you here."

"You want to steal the Nexus Pass and invade the human realm," Slade concluded.  "That's a bold plan, but just who are you?  Now that we know you're on the Phoenix's side, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to tell us."

"Very well," Botis chuckled, an evil glint in his eye.  "Allow me to formally introduce myself.  I am Botis, the Beta Grimnex."

Slade took a step back, trembling at the sight of the Grimnexes' leader.  "You...  You're..."

"The leader of the Grimnexes?  Yes, I am.  As you know, the Alpha Grimnex went missing many years ago.  I have taken full leadership of the Grimnexes in his absence."

"We thought we were being led by the commander of Poker Face...  Instead, we were being manipulated by the leader of the Phoenix..." Mario muttered in pure shock.  He clenched his fists and glared angrily at Botis.  "And that means...  Every single one of those missions... every last one of the lives that were lost...  It was all pointless!"

"No," Botis replied with a grin.  "Not at all.  Those 'missions' finalized the Phoenix's dominance in the entire Nightmare Vault.  Even with the collapse of the Demon Resistance, there were still a few areas that posed a threat to us.  Sanctum, for example, was untouched by the Phoenix's hands.  Thanks to you, Mario, we were able to change that.  Oh, and don't forget Northern Fortress.  We had them convinced that Poker Face was still alive and well; imagine their shock when the two of you stormed into their fortress!  With a little help from Eris, I was able to hatch a plan to purge the Northern Fortress of its warriors once and for all.  But I would have never done it without you two."

"You're sick," Mario spat in disgust.  He took a step toward Botis, preparing to engage him in a fight.

"Mario, stand back!" Slade exploded, his face pale with fear.  "That's the Beta Grimnex," he repeated, talking slowly as if to a child.  "Do you understand what'll happen if we attack the strongest Grimnex in existence?  The demons you've fought so far aren't even worthy of shining his boots!"

"He has a point," Botis agreed, his voice dripping with arrogance.  "I believe you were acquaintances with Glaive before he died.  Did you know that I was the one who took the love of his life away from him?"  His grin widened.

Struggle to Protect

Mario's eyes widened.  "What... did you say...?" He stared into Botis' eyes and began to boldly walk toward him.  "You... A filthy murderer like you has no right to say that name!"  Without a second thought, he sprinted toward Botis with his fists clenched.  As he was only a few feet away from the Grimnex, he leapt high into the air and aimed his opened palm at his target.  With a shriek of pure hatred, Mario unleashed a series of Ultra Fireballs upon his opponent.  Botis vanished into the sea of flames, suddenly reappearing above Mario.

"Is that the highest you could jump?" he inquired with a pompous grin.  "Three fingers.  That's all I'll need to beat you."  As the two slowly began to descend, Botis held three fingers up and used them to smack Mario in the back of the neck.  The plumber let out a cry of pure agony as he zoomed toward the ground, landing with a sickening thud.

"It seems that your friend isn't quite as smart as you," Botis informed Slade as he landed beside the fallen plumber.  "You understand who I am, and you fear me.  That's a good thing.  Besides the Alpha Grimnex and the Phoenix himself, I am the most powerful creature in all of existence.  Mere humans cannot hope to put a dent in my skin."

"You said three fingers, right?" Mario inquired with a grin, slowly pushing himself to his feet.  His body was severely bruised, and half of his face was covered with blood.  "That's all you'll need to beat me, huh?  We'll see about that..."

"Looks like I missed his spinal cord," Botis muttered in mock disappointment.  "Oh well, I can always try again."

"Mario!  Stand back!" Slade ordered.  "I'm not sure if you understand who this is, but listen to me!  If we fight him now, our lives will be over!  You won't be able to return to the Mushroom Kingdom, and all of our goals for the future will turn to dust!  Just give him the Nexus Pass that Ace entrusted you with!"

Instead, Mario charged forward once again at Botis.  Before he could reach his opponent, a strange invisible force sent him tumbling onto his back.  "You should listen to your friend," Botis advised him.  "If you couldn't see that attack, you have no business fighting with me.  Stay on the ground and slip into unconsciousness.  I'll take the Nexus Pass from you and leave without another word."

Mario, now lying on his back, struggled in an attempt to stand up.  His body was aching all over after only two attacks from Botis.  His body wouldn't budge.  His eyes closed, and Ace's voice flooded into his mind.

"The Nexus Pass is perhaps one of the most valuable objects in all of creation.  Only one exists, and it is given to the leader of Poker Face.  It allows the user to enter the Nexus and travel to any dimension he or she may desire.  It took Metal Mario and Velno a great deal of effort just to pry the Nexus Gate open.  If they had possessed this pass, their plan could have been executed in mere seconds.  That's why Poker Face wants me to return this pass so badly.  But instead of trusting Poker Face's new leader, who I've never met, I'm going to trust you.  Take it, and never let it fall into the wrong hands."

"Ace... you trusted me with the Nexus Pass...  If I hand it over, Botis will escape into the human realm and destroy everything...  But if I try to fight against him... he'll kill me immediately...  If I die, I won't be able to stop him from attacking the Mushroom Kingdom...  Either way... we're all doomed..."

"We've made a grave miscalculation," Slade stated grimly.  "I suspected he was a traitor, but I never thought he'd be the leader of the darned Grimnexes!  How was he able to surprise us?  Someone should've known that Botis was the name of the Grimnexes' leader!"

"Wrong.  The names of the Grimnexes are never spoken of outside of the Nightmare Abyss.  Our identities are kept a secret, mainly because no one who has ever seen us has lived.  Glaive was one of the few exceptions- at least, before you killed him," Botis explained with a wicked grin.

"Interesting...  But as Mario said before, a filthy murderer like you has no right to say that name," a voice called out from nearby.  Ace stepped out from the shadows, a deck of cards strapped readily to his waist.  "It's been a few years since I've seen you guys.  I never thought we'd end up meeting like this."

"You... why did you come here?" Slade inquired.  "You should have escaped to warn the Mushroom Kingdom!  We can't stop him, even if all three of us attack at once..."

Ace grinned.  "I never anticipated a fight with the Beta Grimnex so soon, but I think we can still pull this off."

shadowmarioguy

Chapter 6: A Promise Fulfilled

Ace's Theme

"It's been a few years," Ace stated with a grin.  He glanced at the severely injured Mario, who had taken a knee.  "It's strange...  I spent a lot of time with Mario and his friends back in the Mushroom Kingdom.  Seeing him defeated so easily...  It confirms Botis' identity as the Beta Grimnex."

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious," Slade grumbled.  "He did that to Mario with only three fingers.  Even if our combined force is twice as strong as Mario, it isn't going to be enough.  You better have put a lot of thought into that plan of yours."

"Of course," Ace chuckled, drawing a card from the deck strapped to his waist.  "Mario, you've taken quite a beating.  Why don't you stand back and let us have a turn?"

Mario responded with a weak nod.

"Perfect."  Ace's eyes narrowed.  He spoke softly, so that Botis would not hear him.  "I need you to distract Botis for a few moments.  I've got a few techniques that I never got to use back in the Mushroom Kingdom.  They might be powerful enough to do some damage, but they'll never work if Botis has time to counter them."

"Alright.  I'll keep him busy for a few seconds, but that's probably the best I can do," Slade agreed.  "I hope you aren't overestimating yourself..."  Slade unsheathed his blade and stepped forward, analyzing Botis' stance.

"Are you finished whispering?" Botis inquired with a wicked grin.  "I see that Ace has returned to the battlefield!  However, I no longer have any use for him.  After all, Mario is the one who has the Nexus Pass!"

"You'll have to get through us, first!" Slade declared as he sprinted forward, his blade held high above his head.  As he was only a few feet away from Botis, he leapt into the air and swung his sword downward, aiming for the Grimnex's head.  Botis nonchalantly raised his left arm, causing the blade to sink only a few millimeters into his flesh.  Slade's eyes widened.  What is he made of?

Botis extended his index and middle fingers before thrusting his right arm upward, piercing Slade's flesh with only two fingers.  Slade's body flashed red as two beams erupted from the tips of Botis' extended fingers, piercing through his body and launching him into the air.  He hovered in the air for a short time before slamming into the ground with a lifeless thud.

Meanwhile, Ace had drawn a total of five cards from his deck.  "Hmm... A three of hearts, a five of hearts, an eight of hearts, a ten of hearts, and a queen of hearts...  A flush, huh?  That'll work perfectly."  With the five cards neatly stacked on top of each other, Ace crushed them in his palm and hurled them in Botis' direction.  He took a few steps back and covered his ears.  "Boom."

Botis' glare shifted to Ace just as the cards were drifting toward him in midair.  The cards struck his body as softly as any ordinary crumpled up piece of paper would.  Just as Botis was about to question his foe's sanity, he vanished into a devastating explosion that engulfed the entire area in smoke.

Slade rose to his feet and, clutching his wound, slowly limped over to the triumphant Ace.  "What did you just do?  Those cards... and that explosion..."

"It's simple.  I carry around an ordinary deck of cards with me at all times.  Whenever I crush one of these cards, they become a weapon for me to wield in battle.  The only exception to that rule is the bomb-type card, which detonates after I throw it.  Different types of weapons materialize depending on what suit the card is," Ace explained.  He grinned and began to shuffle his cards.  "However, it can get much more complex than that.  Though I haven't really tested this trick out very much, I can use different combinations of cards to create even more powerful abilities.  If I draw five cards of the same suit, which is known as a flush, the weapon's power is enhanced drastically.  Since I drew five cards of the same suit, and bomb-type weapons are created from this suit, the result was an explosion that was five times as powerful as it would ordinarily be."

"Such a complex fighting style," Slade muttered.  "Being able to consider all of the different card combinations and drawing the cards that would create a suitable weapon..."

"Yes, it packs quite a punch," a voice admitted from within the cloud of smoke.  As the dust settled, Botis revealed that he had only suffered minor injuries.  His body was covered in small scrapes and burns, and he showed no signs of feeling pain.  "If you weren't so inexperienced with the Zepar clan's abilities, you might have been able to do some real damage.  However, in order to prevent any future resistance, I'll end all of your lives here and now."

Struggle to Protect

In the blink of an eye, Ace found that his chest had been impaled by Botis' fist.  Before he could reach for his cards, he was already on the ground in a pool of blood.  His body trembled with fear as his grim fate finally became clear.  Slade was right...  We made a grave miscalculation... thinking that we could fight against the Beta Grimnex...

"Don't feel too bad.  I probably would have killed all of you anyway," Botis chuckled.  "It's a shame that your friend Glaive wasn't here to help."  Just as those words escaped Botis' lips, he felt a solid fist collide with his cheek.  The Grimnex staggered to the side for a moment before regaining his balance.  His eyes, now as red as the blood that trickled from his lips, locked with Mario's.

"I thought I told you before...  Never say that name in my presence..." the plumber muttered between breaths.  Though he had successfully landed a blow on Botis' face, his body had been worn down from his previous injuries.  I'm not sure how long I can last...  But for the sake of Glaive's pride, I can't give up without a fight!

Botis stared at Mario, his entire body trembling with rage.  "A human has touched my face...  This humiliation will not go unnoticed!"  Before Mario could blink, he felt his body being thrown back by a bone-breaking combo of fierce punches and kicks.  As Mario's body was helplessly tossed about by the force of Botis' attacks, the plumber couldn't help but grin.  Botis noticed his opponent's triumphant smile and paused for a moment.  "That smirk...  Have you finally gone insane?"

Mario wept a stream of blood from his lip.  "Nah, it's just that... I thought you said that you'd only use three fingers to beat me.  You used both of your fists just now... and I'm still standing."

"That's it..." Botis breathed, finally succumbing to his rage.  "So you've turned me into a liar, if you consider that standing.  Your ribs are broken and your body has suffered significant damage.  The only punch you landed was because I wasn't paying attention, and even then, your fist probably suffered more damage than my face.  The difference between me, the illustrious leader of the Grimnexes, and you, a mere human, is obvious.  What would you have done if I had used my Final Smash?"

Mario's grin widened.  "That depends...  How many fingers would you be using?" he inquired, his voice dripping with mockery and sarcasm.

No longer able to tolerate his foe's insolent attitude, Botis sent Mario soaring into the air with a fierce uppercut.  The helpless plumber couldn't budge an inch as he ascended, eventually colliding with a downward punch from Botis.  The Mushroom Hero plummeted downward like a meteor, eventually crashing into the ground with a sickening thud.  His body remained still.

Botis wept a thin stream of blood from his mouth.  "Even if I wasn't being serious, it's still humiliating that I was touched by a human.  Let's see... The plumber is dead, and Ace fell after one blow..."  He looked over to Slade, who was now lying unconscious.  "That wound from before must've taken its toll on him.  All three of them are down for the count, and the Nexus Pass is mine!"

Demonic Plot

"At long last..." Botis gasped in delight.  He slowly made his way toward the fallen Mario and began to dig through the plumber's pockets.  "It must be in here somewhere..."

A pair of eyes watched from nearby as the Beta Grimnex searched for the Nexus Pass.  A shadowy figure emerged from the darkness and grinned, an evil glint in his eye.  He silently crept toward Botis, who was still preoccupied with his search.  The mysterious demon unsheathed his blade and viciously drove it through Botis' flesh.

"At last, I have returned."

Botis slowly turned around, his eyes wide and bloodshot.  He coughed up a mouthful of blood as he stared into the eyes of his assailant.  "Who... who are you?"

"Don't you remember me?  I told you that I'd return someday."  The demon's voice was hoarse and extremely bitter.  "Remember, I said that I'd return to take your place?"

"It's you... but how...  How did you become strong enough to... pierce my skin...?"

"Simple.  On my own, I do not possess enough power to injure you.  However, much like the Mushroom Hero once did, I am borrowing power from my ancestor- a demon that will soon live again.  But don't worry about such trivial details, especially now that your life is about to end.  I told you that I'd return to take your place.  Now, it's time for me to fulfill that promise."  The demon drove his blade through Botis' heart, instantly ending his life.  "Even with my ancestor's power, I'm not sure if I could have defeated him in a fair fight.  That's why I needed to wait for him to drop his guard...  At any rate, my job is almost complete.  Normally, when the leader of the Grimnexes dies, the Grimnex at the rank below him takes over.  However, it is possible for a deceased Grimnex to be replaced.  If an ordinary demon can defeat a Grimnex and prove his worth to the other Grimnexes, it is possible for him to earn the rank of the fallen Grimnex.  It may take some time, but I will eventually be able to claim the title of the Beta Grimnex.  From now on, I'll need an alias to keep my identity a secret...  I'll be known as Zagan, the demon king."

His eyes shifted to the trio of fallen heroes.  "They were foolish to fight against a Grimnex without proper training.  It's hard to believe that Mario is the one I've been searching for.  He isn't prepared quite yet, but in a few months, he'll be in perfect condition for the resurrection.  Until then, we each have our own goals to accomplish.  Mario must settle his personal matter with Crimson in the Mushroom Kingdom, and I have to fight my way to the top of the Grimnexes.  Though we must part ways, our fates are intertwined, and we are destined to meet again."




Moving On

"...ar....Ma....rio....ari.... Mario!"

Mario quickly sat up, his fists clenched as he scanned the room for enemies.  Instead, he saw that he was back in his hotel room.  Both Slade and Ace, who appeared to have made a full recovery, were standing above him with a concerned look in their eyes.  He grimaced in pain and fell onto his back.  "What happened to Botis?"

Ace shrugged.  "When we awoke, he was dead.  We weren't sure who did it, considering the three of us were scarcely able to put up a fight.  We were finally able to conclude that he had been stabbed through the heart, but Slade says that he didn't do it."

"In the end, I was no match for him," Mario grumbled.  "So what does that mean for the rest of the Nightmare Vault?  Is the war over?"

"Sort of, but not in a good way," Ace replied grimly.  "If anything, the Phoenix succeeded.  The entire Demon Resistance has crumbled, leaving the Nightmare Vault in total control of the Phoenix.  Despite this, the Phoenix has suffered a crippling blow.  Their leader has been assassinated, and a new one must be chosen. Grimnexes aren't exactly the friendliest group of demons, either.  They'll all be drooling over the chance to become king.  I'd say it will be at least four months before the Grimnexes can stop fighting amongst one another and choose a new leader.  That gives us some time to prepare for the final battle.  Today, we managed to get a good taste of how we compare to the enemy.  Unless we can improve drastically, the Phoenix will succeed."

"Succeed at what?" Mario parroted.  "They've already gained control of the Nightmare Vault by defeating the Resistance."

"Yes, but controlling the Nightmare Vault is only part of their plan.  From the very beginning, the Phoenix has sought to seek revenge upon those that sealed them within this realm- the Olympians.  After four months have passed, and their leader has been chosen, they'll make their move.  I'm not sure what they plan to do, but with the power of all of the Grimnexes and not a single demon to resist them, I can only assume that they'll try to pry open the door to the Nexus.  From there, they'll unleash a full-scale invasion upon the other four realms of reality: Mt. Olympus, the Overthere, the Underwhere, and the Universe."

"What about Zeus?  Isn't he supposed to be some kind of god?  Why isn't he doing anything to stop the Grimnexes?"  Mario inquired.

"In truth, Zeus isn't one of the theological gods that humans believe in- he's a mortal, just like us.  During the Terranean War, Zeus was able to take control because he possessed great strength and courage.  However, he knew that he would not be able to defeat all of the Grimnexes if they attacked at once.  Instead, he chose to seal away the demons and Grimnexes in a cursed dimension, the Nightmare Vault.  Since then, Zeus has kept himself alive, watching over all of creation and silently hoping that the Grimnexes and demons would wipe themselves out over time.  By now, Zeus is far too old and fragile to deal with the might of the Grimnexes.  He still has his Olympian soldiers, but I doubt they can do much better than the demons of the Resistance did.  Regardless of how strong his army is, Zeus' life is slowly fading away, and the Grimnexes will be ready to attack in just a few months.  If we fail to stop them, a Grimnex will likely replace Zeus as the king of Mt. Olympus."

"And what about the Grimnexes?  Haven't they aged at all?"

"Only a few people truly know what the Grimnexes are, but one thing is certain.  They are not entirely organic, and this allows them to live several times longer than an ordinary being.  There have been some deaths among the Grimnexes, but most of them weren't ranked high enough to be considered a significant loss.  Many of them weren't replaced, but I've heard rumors that a few Grimnexes have been killed and replaced by ordinary demons.  In any case, I can confirm that there are at least thirteen of them left."

"So how are we going to stop them?" Mario inquired glumly.

"We'll spend the next four months bringing closure to any remaining conflicts in our lives.  The chances of victory are slim, so we'd better make sure that we don't have any regrets when we go to fight the final battle."

Looking Forward

"I'll stay here in the Nightmare Vault," Slade declared.  "I'm fairly certain that my parents aren't in the human realm, so I'd like to continue my search here.  Besides, the more time I spend with other humans, the softer I become.  Even if I am a human, the Nightmare Vault feels like my true home."

Mario gulped.  "Your parents...  What will you do once you've found them?"

Slade angrily clenched his fists.  "I'll slaughter them both... and cast their bodies into the wind...  They abandoned me when I was just a child, and I can never forgive them for that."

"I'm going back to the Mushroom Kingdom," Mario decided, trying to change the subject.  "I have a bad feeling...  I wonder if everyone is alright..."

"Before you go, why don't you visit his grave?" Ace suggested.  "You know, Glaive?  He was killed in the Nexus during your battle with Velno, but when we came back a little while later, his body was gone.  I wasn't sure why, until I stumbled across his grave at a cemetery not too far from here.  Someone must've moved him to the Nightmare Vault to give him a proper burial."

"In that case, I'll go there first.  In fact, there is something else I need to take care of before I can go back to the Mushroom Kingdom.  Ace, would you go in my place and make sure that everything's okay?" Mario requested. 

Ace nodded, and Mario tossed the Nexus Pass to him.  "Are you sure you want me to go?  There's only one Nexus Pass, so you'll be trapped in here until I come back."

"That's fine," Mario answered with a nod.  "There's someone else I need to find, and I'm not sure how long it'll take.  You can come back to pick me up whenever you think the time is right.  I'll be at least a few days, but if there is a crisis going on in the Mushroom Kingdom, you might want to stay for a while to make sure everyone is safe before you come to get me.  It's your call.  You trusted me with the Nexus Pass, and now I'm going to trust you."

With that, he departed to visit an old friend's grave.  As Slade and Ace watched him vanish into the horizon, they silently considered their chances of survival.  "Make sure you don't let him down," Slade reminded Ace.  "I can tell that he's nearly fallen apart, especially after learning that he was being manipulated by Botis.  One more tragedy could cause him to snap.  It's not that I care about him or anything. We need him to defeat the Grimnexes."

Ace grinned.  "Of course."  As Slade turned to walk away, Ace grew serious.  "Wait a second."

Slade stopped, but didn't turn around to face him.

"Is it worth it?  Your revenge...  Is that really all that you have left to live for?  What will you do once you've murdered them?"

Without responding or looking back, Slade simply kept on walking.  His face remained stern, but a small teardrop could be seen forming in the corner of his eye.




The Nightmare Vault was silent, except for a cold breeze that blew from the north.  Since the death of Botis, all demons had evacuated to the depths of the Nightmare Abyss.  With the leader of the Grimnexes gone, a new king had to be chosen.  The Grimnex Palace would soon become the site of a colossal battle royal that would last for days, weeks, or even months.

Mario sighed gloomily as he took a seat beside his fallen comrade's grave.  He closed his eyes and clasped the palms of his hands together.  After remaining silent for several minutes, he finally spoke.  "Glaive...  I'll never forget what you did for me...  If it weren't for you, that demon within my soul would still be using my body like a puppet.  It must've taken a lot of courage to do what you did.  Your sacrifice is a feat in itself among normal men, but considering the life that you led beforehand...  I can hardly believe that you were willing to die for me.

"Throughout your childhood, you lived in a poor village that was frequently attacked by the Phoenix's soldiers.  Somehow, throughout all of those raids, your village barely managed to survive.  Your supplies were meager, and your happiness was scarce, but you and your family held on.  However, as you grew into a teenager, you finally suffered your first true loss.  A Grimnex named Stolas led his troops into your home and slaughtered the love of your life, a demon named Sara.  After her demise, you lost every ounce of faith that you had in the Demon Resistance.  You decided to work alone, and you charged into a fortress belonging to one of the Grimnexes.

"You later found that this Grimnex's name was Botis, and he was far superior to you.  Despite your thirst for revenge, Botis tossed you aside like a ragdoll- but he still wasn't finished.  Just when you thought that your life couldn't get any worse, Botis revealed something that would haunt you for the rest of your life.  Instead of just killing Sara, Botis had brought her corpse back to the Grimnex Palace and revived her as one of his minions.  Seeing Sara being controlled by Botis was too much for you, and you swore revenge. 

"Botis left you in the wilderness to die, but you managed to find your way back to him several years later.  After demonstrating how strong you had become, Botis offered you a position among the Grimnexes.  Instead of joining up with him, you told him that you would return someday.  In the meantime, you decided to work under a man named Lord Shade, who promised to ease your people's suffering in return.  As the years went by, you worked as one of Lord Shade's soldiers and slaughtered hundreds of innocent people.  When you began to suspect that Shade would never fulfill his promise, you swore revenge and ended up teaming up with me.  After I defeated Lord Shade, you decided to stay in the Mushroom Kingdom for a while.

"By joining Lord Shade, you had hoped to lift the curse that was placed upon the Nightmare Vault.  With Shade dead and his promise discovered to be a simple lie, you wished to return to the Nightmare Vault.  Whether it was to fulfill Sara's wish to end the war in the Nightmare Vault or if it was to join Botis as a member of the Phoenix, you never got the chance to go back.  During our battle with Velno, I lost my temper and the demon within me took control.  From there, I went berserk and started attacking anything that moved- even my own comrades.  Realizing the desperation of the situation, you decided to battle against me in an effort to return me to normal.  Your strategy worked, but it came at a high price.  The only shock that could bring me back to my senses was the feel of your blood on my hands.  By the time I had regained control of my actions, you were dying at my feet.  I could do nothing to save you as you whispered your final request- to return to the Nightmare Vault in your place and find a way to end the war."

As Mario mourned for Glaive, two pairs of eyes watched him from a distance.  "That man will play a crucial role in our final plot.  Wouldn't you agree, Delta Grimnex?"

"Yes.  Whether he likes it or not, he is destined to return here after finishing his personal matters in the Mushroom Kingdom," a stoic voice replied.  "Shouldn't we head for the Nightmare Abyss, King Zagan?"

"Ah, Ipos, you shouldn't refer to me as 'King' Zagan just yet.  I have to earn that title by defeating all of the other competitors for Botis' throne.  On the other hand, it wouldn't hurt to start referring to me as the king...  With the power I recently acquired from my ancestor, there's no way they can deny me as the new leader of the Grimnexes."

"Of course."

The two demons turned around and vanished into the horizon, anxiously awaiting the day their plan would be put into action.  A few minutes after their departure, a third demon entered the cemetery.  This time, Mario was joined by one of his comrades.

"A fallen ally, huh?" Swift inquired as he stepped out of the darkness.  "Mind if I interrupt you?"

Mario shook his head and rose to his feet.  "Nah, I'm done grieving for now.  So what have you been up to?  I haven't seen you since... well... after the Northern Fortress incident."

"Like I said before, I left Poker Face because something didn't feel right.  And based on what I've heard, my gut feeling was right.  Botis was a traitor all along.  I knew that you'd probably be pretty bummed out about being forced to fight all of those battles for nothing, so I decided to track you down and see how you were doing.  I knew all of this depression would be the perfect snack for the demon inside of you.  I fought your ancestor's soul once before... and I want to prevent him from resurfacing at all costs."

"You mean... he could come back?"

Swift nodded.  "Absolutely.  What we did a few years ago was only a quick fix.  It'll last for the first few years, but each and every time a negative thought pops into your head, that demon's soul will feed on it and grow stronger.  If this was an ordinary demon's soul inside of an ordinary human, it'd be about fifty years before the demon could become powerful enough to return.  However, judging by the strength of your demon and taking into account the incredible stress you've been under the past few years, I'd say he could return in about a year.  Of course, that's only if you don't continue to feed him with your negative thoughts.  If you continue to stress yourself out like this, or if you use your Tri-Elemental Form, it could become a matter of months or even weeks."

Mario gasped.  "W- What can I do?"

Swift began to stroke his chin.  "Hmm...  Well, I guess I could...  Erm..."  Do I really want to put up with this?  "...I suppose you could train under me for a while.  If you're willing to let me teach you, you can become stronger and drive the evil from your heart.  I wasn't planning on passing down my knowledge, but I suppose it couldn't hurt to have a successor.  You see, my ancestors belonged to the noble family of knights that protected Zeus during the Terranean War.  If you can complete my family's forbidden training program, you will find peace within yourself and fight with the nobility and grace of the legendary Royal Guards."

shadowmarioguy

Chapter 7: Six Years

Moving On

The Mushroom Kingdom, a land that used to be devastated by the forces of greed and villainy, now exists in an era of peace.  Six years have passed since Mario defeated the mighty Velno.  After triumphing over evil once again, Mario left his kingdom to settle a foreign affair on behalf of his fallen comrade, Glaive.  Since then, not even Bowser has shown his face, except for the occasional party or sporting event.  The kingdom had remained at peace even without its greatest defender... or has Crimson, Mario's greatest foe yet, been hiding in the shadows, slowly gathering his strength and waiting for the chance to strike?

As the years went by, Mario's friends and family have been keeping themselves occupied in many different ways.  Wario and Waluigi, feeling guilty for not being involved in the kingdom's latest threat, left for a dojo in the west to prepare for any future battles.  Peach has continued to carry out the duties of a princess, watching over the kingdom for any sort of uprising.  She is steadily growing impatient for her beloved's return and fears that the kingdom is in grave danger without Mario to protect it.  Rumors say that Lorne has been lurking in Forever Forest, wandering about in search of a reason to live.  Having spent most of his life as a member of Crimson's gang, Lorne is having trouble finding something to fill the void of his previous lifestyle.

As for Luigi and the sons of Mario, they have continued to train at the Master's dojo.  Luigi may have proved himself to be stronger, but the Master's knowledge far surpassed that of the cowardly plumber.  Under the Master's guidance, the trio of plumbers had improved to such a degree that even Luigi Jr., the youngest of the group, could put up a fight against the Master.

"Do your best, Chan and Lee!" the Master ordered gruffly as he prepared to begin his training session.

Luigi and the younger Mario brothers, who preferred to nickname themselves Mark and Luke, were sparring with the Master and two of his other students.  Luke was paired with Chan, a Buzzy Beetle with a green shell and black, braided hair.  Mark was pitted against Lee, a Duplighost that wore a blue sheet instead of the usual white one, and Luigi, the strongest of the group, was matched up against the Master.

Chan withdrew into his shell and launched himself at Luke, who reached out to grab the shell like a football.  Instead, he was thrown onto his back as Chan collided with him at full speed.  Luke rolled to the side, evading a second charge by Chan.  The young plumber sprang to his feet and bawled his fists as Chan bounced off of the wall and came zooming back toward him.  Luke, now thirteen years old, refused to be defeated by a single Buzzy Beetle.  That shell is moving too fast...  Unless I can stop it, there's no way I can attack him.

Remembering his father's many encounters with shell-wearing enemies, Luke leapt forward with expert timing and landed flawlessly atop the Buzzy Beetle's shell.  Chan, now flipped over onto his back, was helpless.  Luke was the victor.

Meanwhile, Lee vanished into a puff of smoke and reappeared as a perfect clone of Luke.  "Heh, heh, heh...  How will you fight against your brother?"

Mark, now a young man of sixteen years, merely grinned.  "That's a pretty stupid question.  You're asking me how I could possibly defeat my little brother?"  He clenched his fists and sprinted toward his opponent.  As he did so, Lee tossed a flurry of Fireballs in his direction.  Mark skillfully weaved, ducked, and jumped past several dozen Fireballs before finally reaching his target.  "Didn't you know?  The oldest brother is always the strongest!"  His fist connected with Lee's jaw, sending him tumbling into the wall.  After triumphantly thrusting his fist into the air, Mark took a seat and patiently watched his uncle battle against the Master.

Beads of sweat trickled down their faces as they exchanged a fierce series of blows that was almost a blur to the younger Mario Brothers.  After several minutes, Luigi finally swept one of the Master's punches to the side with his forearm and lunged forward with a right hook that was charged with the power of a Fireball.  The punch connected with the Master's stomach, and the elderly Toad crumpled onto his knees.

"You haven't lost a match... in over three months..." the Master noted, slowly rising to his feet.  "Not only have you become strong enough to have a chance at beating me...  You've become powerful enough to guarantee your victory each time we face off.  You have my congratulations."

"Thanks, Master," Luigi replied with a bow.

"You're free to become the new lead instructor of the dojo at any time," the Master informed him.  "However, I believe you are too young to begin passing your knowledge down.  Until you are ready to retire, your primary focus must be the safety of the Mushroom Kingdom."

Luigi nodded.  "But since I've become even stronger than you, does that mean I don't have to train here anymore?"

"Of course not!" the Master barked angrily.  "If Chan, Lee, and I are not strong enough to challenge the three of you, then we'll just have to find you a trio of opponents that are worth your time."




Crimson's Theme

Meanwhile, out in the depths of Dry Dry Desert, an evil plot was unfolding.  Standing before a group of four warriors was Crimson, whose face was concealed by a jet black veil.  He was about six feet tall and wore a blue coat with streaks of gold on its collar.  A cloak with shades of black and violet draped down his back, and a sword was sheathed readily by his waist.  Beneath his veil, he was grinning.

"Interesting...  Both of you hate Mario?  I don't hold a grudge against him, but two of my assistants do.  That makes four of you.  If you're willing to take a few orders from me, I'll gladly allow you to have a shot at revenge.  Will you join me?"

"Yes, of course.  I'd do anything to witness the death of that wretched plumber..."

"After all, he did take Pauline away from us..."

"Mario...  First you take her away from me, and then you kill her...  I can never forgive you for what you've done..."

Crimson's grin widened.  "It seems as though all of you are very eager to begin.  Very well.  We've already completed the first phase of our plan, the Demonic Trials.  Mario lacked the strength to hold his own against me, so we set up a course of obstacles to help sharpen his skills.  At the end of the line, Glaive managed to fulfill his duties flawlessly.  Sending that plumber away for six years gave us just enough time to prepare one of our secret weapons.  Now that it's complete, we can begin the third and final phase of our preparations for the Armageddon: the systematic destruction of everything that Mario holds dear!  When he returns, he'll find his kingdom in ruins and be driven by anger and a thirst for vengeance.  These emotions will push him past his previous limits, and as the kingdom reaches its final hour, our long-awaited duel will commence!" Crimson burst into insane laughter, his body trembling in anticipation.

Smithy grimaced.  "Master...  What do we do first?"

"Just wait a little while longer.  We will start by eliminating anyone that makes direct contact with Mario's friends.  Each of them will fall one by one, and the survivors will be thrown into a state of fear and panic.  Once we've given them a good scare, we'll tell them the person who is responsible for their suffering: Mario, the hero of this wretched kingdom.  After that, we'll finish the job and wait for Mario to return."




Monstro Town

"Where are we?" Luigi inquired as he emerged from a green warp pipe beside the Master and the younger Mario brothers.  "I've never been here before."

"We're in Monstro Town, an area far to the west of the Mushroom Kingdom," the Master informed him.  "Your brother once travelled here on one of his journeys to save the kingdom, but that was back when you used to be a house-sitter."

"I remember those days," Luigi grumbled bitterly.  "Anyway, why did we come here?"

"I'd like you to meet an old acquaintance of mine.  He's small, but don't let his size fool you.  He's even more powerful than I am, and I heard that his two students have gained quite a reputation."

The Master climbed a set of stairs and entered a blue wooden door.  Luigi, Mark, and Luke followed after him, noting the wooden sign with a 'J' inscribed on it.  They were completely shocked when they saw the students that the Master had been referring to.

"Well, look who paid a visit," Waluigi mumbled nonchalantly.  "What do you three want?"

"Yeah, this dojo isn't free!" Wario exclaimed.  "Is the kingdom in danger again, or did you just want to waste our money- err... time?!"

"Now, now, that's no way to treat our guests," a voice reprimanded them.  Luigi glanced around the room for a moment, trying to locate the source of the voice.  The Master pointed at the floor, and Luigi looked down at an extremely tiny man.  "My name is Jinx.  I'm the master of this dojo."  His only distinguishable features were his red cape and green hair, which was sticking straight up.

The Master tilted his head in Luigi's direction and grinned.

Jinx understood the message and nodded.  He cleared his throat.  "Oh, it's just one of my inferior colleagues.  Have you finally come to admit that my dojo is better?  It's a shame that your students couldn't have learned from me."

Mark stepped forward, his fists clenched.  "Take that back, Shorty!"

"What if I don't?  Are you challenging me?"

Mark grinned.  "Am I challenging you?  No.  All I'd have to do is step on you.  That's not much of a challenge at all."

"I see your students are as foolish as they are poorly trained," Jinx taunted.  "At any rate, I suppose you've come to settle the score between us and find out whose dojo is truly better.  My students seem to hold some sort of grudge against yours, which will likely make this a showdown to remember.  It would be a shame for the public to miss out on such a battle.  How about we host our little match somewhere else?"

"And where would that be?" the Master inquired.

"Our rivalry is almost as famous as the legendary Mushroom Hero, Mario.  The only place that is worthy of hosting our duel is Mushroom Castle."

"Mushroom Castle?" the Master parroted.  "The castle isn't meant for fighting!  The princess would never allow it!"

"Haven't you heard?  Princess Peach and the owners of the Smash Stadium have decided to dedicate a new fighting arena to Mario.  It will be constructed in the castle courtyard beside a statue of the famous plumber.  Whenever Mario decides to return, they plan to welcome him with a Smash Tournament held in this brand new arena."

The Master stroked his chin.  "But for a match this important, and considering how much Luigi has contributed to the Mushroom Kingdom's safety, Princess Peach would surely allow us to use the arena.  I suppose I could agree to your terms, but I need to make sure my students are willing to fight in front of an audience."

Luigi nodded.  "We'll do it."

"We can finally prove that the Master's dojo is way better than this one," Luke agreed.

Mark gave them a thumbs-up.  "I'm in."

"In that case, we'll have to decide how the winning dojo will be decided.  How about three one-on-one matches?" the Master suggested.

"The dojo that wins two out of three matches will be the victor," Jinx agreed.  "However, your dojo has four representatives..."

The Master shook his head.  "No, I'm only here to give them advice.  Luigi has surpassed me, and as such, he is the true leader of the dojo.  I will not be taking part in any of the battles."

"In that case, I suppose the battles will go like this: Luke vs. Waluigi, Mark vs. Wario, and Luigi vs. me," Jinx concluded.  "I suppose you're getting too old for this sort of action, huh?"

Luigi shook his head.  "Actually, I have a score to settle with Waluigi.  Besides, I'm not really meant to be the big hero; I'm supposed to support Bro.  I'm going to trust Mark to battle Jinx in my place, and Luke will fight against Wario.  Is that alright with you guys?"

Mark grinned.  "I've been itching to stomp on that midget for some time now."

Luke shrugged.  "I don't really care who I fight."

"In that case, the matchups will be changed to Luigi vs. Waluigi, Luke vs. Wario, and Mark vs. me," Jinx declared.  "The arena should be finished within the next few days.  I'll inform Princess Peach about the matches.  All you four need to do is show up, just as long as you aren't afraid of losing in front of a crowd."

"Trust me, we won't have to worry about that," Luigi retorted.  "I'm actually kinda pumped for this.  After all, we haven't had much action in the past six years."  He gulped.  Wait a minute... There's gonna be a crowd?  I'm not exactly the best at keeping my cool in front of an audience....




Looming Hatred

After a long day of arguing and traveling, the Master, Luigi, Mark, and Luke decided to return to their own dojo.  As they stepped inside, however, they saw something that would haunt them for the rest of their lives.

"What is the meaning of this?!" the Master thundered, his face pale with shock.  Luigi rushed past him to see what was wrong.  He gasped.

"W- Who could've d- done t- this?" Luigi stuttered in fear.  The floor was covered in a pool of blood that vaguely formed the shape of a crescent moon.  Lying face-down in the center of the room were Chan and Lee- dead.

Mark and Luke wanted to see what was going on, but the Master blocked the entrance with his arm.  "It would be best if you didn't look.  Your young hearts would be forever blackened by this atrocity."  He closed the door, telling them to wait outside until he told them to do otherwise.

"I don't understand...  Did Chan and Lee have any enemies?" Luigi inquired.

The Master shook his head.  "No... They practically lived here, spending every moment of their lives training with me.  Those two didn't do anything to deserve this..."  He took a closer look at their bodies, hoping to determine the cause of their deaths.  He found that Chan's shell had been smashed to bits, and Lee had been stabbed multiple times.  He also discovered a note beside Chan's body.  He inspected it before handing it to Luigi.

Luigi read it aloud, his face pale with fear.  "These two were only the beginning.  If you're reading this, you've already become a future target.  Enjoy living the rest of your life in fear."

"It looks like Chan and Lee were killed as a warning.  But who could do such a thing?  Jinx may be a rival of mine, but he'd never go this far."

"Now what do we do?" Luigi asked fearfully.  "This guy sounds dangerous.  Not only did he kill Chan and Lee, but he might also come after us.  It could just be an empty threat, but I've got a bad feeling that the one responsible for this isn't your average serial killer.  Maybe we should have Princess Peach make some sort of announcement."

"That won't do.  It would throw the kingdom into a state of panic.  If anything, it'd make the perpetrator's job even easier.  No, we need to take a different course of action.  If the one responsible for this held no grudge against Chan or Lee, why would he target them specifically?  More importantly, why would he leave a note behind?  I have a feeling that he was after you, Luigi.  Surely your brother has made plenty of enemies over the years, and without him around, you're the next best thing.  If someone is looking for revenge, he'll likely take it out on you or your nephews.  If this truly is the case, murdering someone that you have connections with and leaving a warning message behind is a classic way to intimidate you," the Master explained.  "I suggest that you remain extremely cautious for the next few days.  That's when a new problem arises."

Luigi gasped.  "The battle with Jinx..."

The Master nodded.  "Exactly.  If the criminal is looking to cause damage on a much larger scale, he'll have his chance in just a few days.  The entire kingdom will likely gather to witness the opening of the arena and the clash between Jinx and us.  With so many people in a single spot, it would be a perfect opportunity for the perpetrator to strike.  You'd better contact as many of your old comrades as you can.  That way, the kingdom's greatest warriors will also be gathered at a single spot.  If anything happens, I'm confident that you and your allies will be able to handle it."

"I understand."

"Now, this note could also be a way for the criminal to cause psychological damage.  Perhaps he merely had a thirst for blood and decided to leave a note behind to give whoever read it a good scare.  Like you said, it could be an empty threat.  But looking back on all of the times this kingdom nearly met its end, I'd say it would be best to expect the worst.  For all we know, our culprit could be the same Crimson fellow that was behind the kingdom's most recent threat."




Flashback

The howling of wolves rang through Lorne's eardrums as he gazed at the full moon.  He hadn't moved for days.  When he wasn't searching for food, he was leaning against a tree trunk and staring at the night sky in search of a purpose.  He had spent his early life grieving for his father's death at the hands of Lord Shade.  He dedicated the next few years to adjusting to his new life as a forced recruit of Shade's army.  From there, he escaped with Crimson and became a cold and emotionless assassin.  He lived most of his life this way, until he finally met with Mario six years ago.  After being convinced that a life as an assassin was wrong, Lorne set off on his own to find another purpose in life.  Six years had passed, and this purpose still eluded him.

"What is it that I am missing?  Deep down, I know that I was unhappy as an assassin.  Thanks to Mario, I was finally free to walk on my own path.  But where will this path lead me?  I've spent six years searching for this answer... and still, I've made little progress."

Several hours passed as he continued to stare at the stars in the sky.  His eyelids gradually became heavier until he nearly fell asleep.  Just as he was about to pass out, something hit him.  His eyes widened as he leapt to his feet.  His heartbeat sped up as he felt the presence of someone familiar.  "He's here...  Crimson, he's somewhere in this kingdom...  I can feel it..."  He paused for a moment.  "Wait...  What was I thinking?  Why would Crimson be here?  How foolish of me..."

There was a rustling in some bushes nearby.  Lorne drew his sword and took a step toward the source of the sound.

"Wait a second!  Hold on!" Luigi yelped, Lorne's blade only inches away from his throat.  "Sorry for bothering you this late at night.  You see, I may need your help.  If you aren't doing anything, would you mind coming to Mushroom Castle in a few days?"

"You seem flustered.  Tell me everything."




Mushroom Castle Stadium

Three days passed, and the battle between the rivaling dojos would soon take place.  On the bottom floor of the castle, in the center of the castle's courtyard, a colossal arena had been built.  It was an enormous stone circle that was surrounded with rows of posh red seats that expanded upward into the second and third floors.  Outside of the arena, below a monitor that displayed a flawless view of the stage, was a mammoth golden statue of Mario.  The crowd exploded with fanatical applause as the six competitors walked into the room.

Jolene, who was paying a special visit from her normal duty at the Smash Pit, stepped into the arena.  "Welcome to the brand new Mushroom Castle Stadium!  To celebrate the opening of this stadium, we're going to host a fierce grudge match between two opposing dojos!  The first dojo belongs to the Master, who resides in this very town!  There are three students of this dojo who are rumored to be nearly as strong as, if not stronger, than the Master himself!  However, their opponents are the three notorious warriors of Jinx's dojo.  For the past six years, Jinx has been training two new students: the infamous Wario Brothers!  That's right!  Although Mario is not currently with us, the rivalry between the two families can finally be settled!  Do you know what that means?  Two grudges are going to be settled in this arena: one between families, and another between dojos!"

The crowd roared with anticipation as Luigi and Waluigi stepped into the ring.  The Master, who was sitting in the front row of the audience, cupped his hands and called out to Luigi.  "Luigi!  Good luck to all three of you!  Do your best, and don't let yourself be beaten by a couple of thieves!"

"Give it a rest, old man," Jinx chuckled.  "Your students are no match for mine.  And do you know why?  It's because they were trained by you."

Luigi, sweat now trickling down his face, took a fighting stance.  "Alright...  This is it.  This is the chance I've been waiting for.  It's time for us to finally find out who's stronger."

Waluigi sauntered up to his opponent and grinned arrogantly.  "Heh, I'm surprised you found the courage to actually show up."

Jolene cleared her throat.  "The rules are simple!  This will be a series of three one-on-one bouts.  Whichever dojo can win two out of three of the matches will be declared the victor.  The winner of each match will be decided in a similar manner to all of our previous Smash Tournaments.  If you are knocked out of the ring or are unable to continue the fight for any reason, you lose.  Good luck to both of you...  AAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDDD... BEGIN!!"

shadowmarioguy

Retronintendodude7 just reminded me of a problem that's been bugging me.  If strange symbols have been appearing in the chapters, try switching to the 'Core Theme'.  It seemed to fix the problem for me.

shadowmarioguy

Chapter 8: Grudge Matches

Long Awaited Duel

Waluigi began by pulling a Bob-omb from his pocket and hurling it at his rival.  Luigi leapt in fright and dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the explosion.  The green plumber frantically searched for his opponent, realizing that the smoke created from the explosion greatly obscured his vision.  He glanced upward and saw Waluigi hovering in midair above him with a purple Fireball in his hand.

"What's the matter?  Can't keep up?!" Waluigi taunted as he tossed the Fireball downward.

"It's because you're so thin," Luigi retorted with a grin as he rolled out of the Fireball's path.  He sprang onto his feet only to find that Waluigi had landed beside him.  The thief threw a kick at Luigi, who ducked out of the way and countered with a right hook.  The nimble Waluigi caught his rival's fist in his palm and performed a roundhouse kick that connected with Luigi's jaw.

"IN-credible!  Waluigi's speed and precision have certainly increased over the years!  Does Luigi have anything up his sleeve to counter this?" Jolene inquired in a suspense-building tone.

"His legs are as strong as a kangaroo's," the Master noted.  "If Luigi can't avoid his kicks, he won't last for very long.  Waluigi must've spent most of the last six years strengthening his legs."

Luigi wept a thin stream of blood from his mouth before rising to his feet.  "Not bad...  I'll have to watch out for those kicks."

The crowd gasped as Waluigi sprinted toward his opponent at Olympic speeds.  Luigi glanced to his left and saw that his rival was already behind him and preparing to attack with another kick.  Luigi ducked and whirled around with a Fireball-enhanced uppercut.  Waluigi leaned back to avoid the blow and retaliated with another fierce roundhouse kick.  Luigi fell onto his back once again.

"Is anyone else starting to notice a pattern?" Luigi wondered aloud as he pushed himself back onto his feet.  "He attacks me with one of his legs, I counter and miss, and then he nails me with the other leg..."   The plumber grinned as each of his fists began to glow with the power of a green Fireball.  "Let's try this again."

The audience grew silent.  "It looks like Luigi still has some fight left in him.  Is he planning to blindly rush at his rival, or does he have some sort of plan?" Jolene announced in anticipation.

This time, Luigi took initiative and charged at his foe.  He released a single Fireball from his left palm, aiming not at his opponent, but at the ground in front of him.  This caused smoke and debris to rise from the stadium floor, obstructing Waluigi's view.  Without hesitation, Luigi sprinted into the smoke toward his rival.

"Did you really think I'd fall for my own trick?!" Waluigi cackled as Luigi charged through the smoke.  The thief threw a powerful kick at Luigi, who took the hit head-on.  Luigi grinned as he staggered backward a little before lunging forward and punching the unsuspecting Waluigi in the gut.  Waluigi soared through the air and crashed face-first onto the stadium floor.

"Interesting..." the Master murmured.  "Luigi realized that Waluigi was using his first kick as a decoy, waiting for Luigi's counter to fail, and then attacking with a surprise roundhouse.  Luigi used the first Fireball to throw Waluigi off balance and then got hit by his first kick on purpose, furthering Waluigi's surprise.  This left him the perfect opening for an attack."

"You're saying that your student got hit on purpose?!" Jinx exploded with anger.  "What kind of strategy is that?"

The Master grinned.  "While you focus on strengthening your students and teaching them how to fight, my training only emphasizes the former.  I give my students the privilege of coming up with their own strategies.  This gives them the flexibility to adapt to almost any situation."

"That was just a lucky hit," Waluigi grumbled as he sprung back onto his feet.  "It looks like it'll take more than a basic trick to get the best of you.  I think it's time for me to show you my Final Smash.  I've been practicing it every day for the past six years, perfecting it in preparation for the day I'd use it against you."  He aimed his opened palm at Luigi, and each of his fingers began to emit a purple glow.

"I've got a Final Smash of my own," Luigi declared, raising his fists to defend against Waluigi's attack.  "Bring it on."

Waluigi pointed his index finger at his rival and fired a thin purple Fireball that moved twice as fast as an ordinary one.  Luigi swiftly stepped to the side, receiving a cut across his right arm in the process.  He clutched his wound and took a knee as he felt a severe burning sensation in his arm.

"How does it feel?" Waluigi inquired with a sinister grin.  "Because my body is so thin, my Elemental Energy can flow from place to place faster than it could in a normal person.  This allows me to concentrate Fireballs into the tips of my fingers.  Since these Fireballs are more concentrated, their strength and speed is enhanced greatly.  So, what did you learn from that old fossil?"

A slight smirk appeared on Luigi's face as he slowly rose to his feet.  "Just the basic stuff.  I learned how to control my Elemental Energy with greater precision, just like you.  However, as the Master said before, we have to come up with our own strategies.  I figured out how to do this without anyone's help."  Luigi closed his eyes and began to concentrate.

The crowd gasped in amazement as Luigi vanished before their eyes.  Had the plumber truly become invisible?

"If you look hard enough, you'll be able to see me," Luigi's voice echoed from seemingly nowhere.  "Remember the Vanish Cap from Super Mario 64?  I can use my Elemental Energy to create a similar effect, making me transparent and even allowing me to move faster and jump higher."

Waluigi squinted and spotted his transparent foe.  "Neat trick, but just like the abilities granted by a Vanish Cap, your Final Smash doesn't make you completely invisible.  And just because I have trouble seeing you doesn't mean my attacks won't hurt you!"  This time, Waluigi began to launch Fireballs from the tips of all of his fingers.  Luigi sprinted back and forth as the arena was covered in dozens of miniature explosions.

As the speedy Luigi zoomed past his opponents Fireballs, he discovered several drawbacks to Waluigi's strategy.  He's going to waste all of his Elemental Energy if he keeps trying to hit me with his special Fireballs.  Not only that, but my Final Smash's speed and transparency should give me enough of an edge to sneak up on him.  At that moment, Luigi changed his direction and began sprinting toward his opponent.

"So, you're going for a final charge, huh?  In this form, you can easily dodge one of my blasts, so I've got another plan," Waluigi chuckled.  "It's a little risky, but it's all that I can do to counter your enhanced speed."  His right index finger was completely engulfed in purple flames as he pointed it toward the ground in front of him.  Luigi, running too fast to stop, could only swallow his fear as he charged at Waluigi.

"It looks like this match is about to reach its exciting conclusion!  Luigi is rushing full-speed at Waluigi, who plans to fire a pointblank Ultra Fireball through his index finger at the ground in front of him!  The explosion could be powerful enough to severely injure both Luigi and himself, but only if he times it just right!" Jolene announced, her eyes glued to the fight.

A fierce explosion rang through the audience's ears as the stadium was covered in smoke and ash.  The crowd went silent, and a thud echoed throughout the arena.  As the smoke cleared, Luigi was revealed to be lying on his back with his eyes closed.  A few moments later, the audience spotted Waluigi, who had been tossed out of the arena by the explosion.

"So... who's the winner?" Jolene wondered aloud.  "Luigi appears to be unconscious, and Waluigi has been knocked out of the ring..."

Mushroom Castle Stadium

Luigi groaned and sat up.  "Ugh... am I alive?" He rubbed his head and stood up.

The crowd exploded with fanatical applause.  "It appears as though Luigi wasn't unconscious after all!  If that's the case, Luigi is the winner!  Waluigi's trump card almost ended the fight in a draw, but Luigi managed to come out on top!" Jolene declared.

"How did he manage to avoid being knocked out of the arena?!" Jinx thundered, angered by his pupil's loss.

"It's simple.  His Final Smash made him too fast to turn around, so he used his enhanced jumping ability to leap into the air just before Waluigi fired his attack.  By jumping with perfect timing, Luigi cut the impact of the blast in half.  Waluigi was actually closer to the explosion, which is why he was knocked out of the arena," the Master explained.  "Regardless, Luigi's Final Smash still has its flaws.  His enhanced abilities and transparency fade after less than a minute, making it less than perfect."

As the crowd went wild, Waluigi stood on his feet and stepped back into the arena.  Instead of a rude insult, Waluigi offered congratulations.  The two rivals shook hands.  "That Final Smash of yours is pretty handy, but you have to get the job done quickly," Waluigi chuckled.

"Yeah," Luigi agreed.  "My Final Smash expired only a few seconds after the explosion...  Heh, that was actually pretty fun."

Waluigi nodded and began to walk away.  "I guess.  Just make sure you improve your Final Smash before the next time we fight."

Luigi returned to his teammates, who showered him with praise and congratulations.  He gave the Master a sideways glance, as if he had realized something during his battle with Waluigi.  The Master picked up on this and grinned.  Ah, Luigi...  I had a feeling you might see through our ruse...  "Don't tell the little ones," The Master instructed him.

A wide smirk spread across the plumber's face.  "If you insist."

"Outstanding!  We couldn't have asked for a better match!" Jolene exclaimed.  "With the first victory going to Team Master, it appears as though Jinx is beginning to sweat!  However, will Wario be able to help his team make a comeback?  His opponent is Luigi Jr, also known as Luke, and he is the Master's youngest pupil.  Luke isn't your average teenager, though; he's the youngest son of the Great Gonzales!  With Mario nowhere to be found, will Luke be able to fill his father's shoes and fight against one of his strongest rivals?"

Wario hoisted himself onto the arena and met his opponent in the center of the ring.  "I hope you're ready to lose, kid."

Luke gulped.  "N- No."

"Hey Luke, don't let him get to you!  Remember that you're fighting for your father's honor!" the Master encouraged him.

"Are both fighters ready? ................BEGIN!!"

Wario vs. Luke

"You should've stayed out of the ring, punk," Wario growled as he began to stretch.  "You're not ready for the major league yet.  Besides, I bet too much money on this fight to lose."

Luke took a step back, his body quaking with fear.  I've gotta calm down...  The Master told me not to worry... but so many people are watching...  What if I make a complete fool of myself?  Wario's right...  I should've stayed at home...

"Watch out!" Luigi cried as his nephew was struck in the face by Wario.  Luke tumbled onto his back, blood dripping from his lip.  He remained still as the greedy plumber charged at him and delivered a kick to his chest, sending him soaring into the air.  Wario aimed his opened palm at the airborne Luke and hurled a yellow Fireball at him.  As the battered Luke plummeted downward, he was enveloped in a cloud of smoke.

"He's not even fighting back!" Mark gasped in horror, his fists clenched with anger.

Before Luke could hit the ground, Wario charged into him at full speed.  The teenager coughed up a mouthful of blood as he ascended into the air once again.  This time, however, he was hovering above the outside of the arena.

"Young Luke is not even fighting back!  Is the greedy brute too much for him to handle?  Will the match truly end this way?"

"Was that the best you could do?" Wario cackled as his opponent descended.

"Not yet... I can't lose... just yet..." Luke mumbled as he was only a few yards away from the ground.  He cupped his hands together and launched a Fireball at the ground, propelling him upward.  He landed back in the arena and bawled his fists, fire burning in his eyes.  "I'm not losing without a fight."

"A tough guy, huh?" Wario snickered.  "Fine.  I'll use a more sophisticated move.  My Final Smash hasn't been perfected yet, but it'll be enough to beat you."  He flexed the muscles on his right arm, and before Luke's very eyes, his arm became a shining silver color.  Wario threw his head back and laughed.  "Wahahaha!  Meet Metal Wario!  I can only make certain parts of my body metallic for a limited amount of time, but as I said before...  It'll be more than enough to trounce a baby like you!"

Luigi gasped.  "Luke's too young for a Final Smash!  There's no way he can counter an attack like that!"

Luke raised his fists into a defensive stance as Wario sprinted toward him with his metallic fist clenched.  Trying to think like his father, Luke glared at Wario's metal arm.  His Final Smash has to have a weakness...  The metal must make him slower, and if he's powered up only his right arm, then that'll be the only arm he'll attack me with.  In that case, I should focus on avoiding attacks from his metal arm only!

Wario, laughing at his seemingly helpless foe, threw his metal fist forward.  Luke, expecting him to attack this way, ducked to the side and connected a right hook with Wario's face.  Wario staggered backward, clutching his bloody nose in irritation.  For a moment, Luke was smiling.  However, when he saw Wario's bloodthirsty smirk as he withdrew his hands from his nose, Luke's grin faded away.

Wario charged at him once again, and Luke prepared to repeat his strategy.  However, this time, Wario attacked with his non-metal fist first, catching Luke by surprise.  Luke, dazed by the surprise attack, was unable to defend himself from Wario's next attack: a direct punch to the gut with his metallic fist.  Luke screamed in agony as he tumbled out of the arena with a lifeless thud.  The match was over.

Luke gazed up and saw his older brother standing above him.  "You put up a good fight, Luke.  We all thought the match would end a lot sooner.  You proved us wrong.  Besides, Wario is a lot older than you.  He has much more experience, and his insatiable greed wouldn't allow him to be beaten."

"But I- I lost..." Luke mumbled as he struggled to stand up.

"That may be true, but that means both teams have a single win.  All I have to do is defeat Jinx in the next match," Mark assured him.  "Don't worry about it.  How tough can a dwarf like Jinx be, anyway?"  He held out his hand and helped Luke rise to his feet.  They both turned around and saw Wario standing before them.

"Nice match, kid," Wario congratulated him.  "I didn't mean to be so rough, but I bet a lot of money on that fight.  I couldn't afford to be beaten by a child and lose a ton of money in a single match."  He leaned closer to them and lowered his voice to a whisper.  "One more thing: If you think Master Jinx will be a pushover just because he's small, think again."  With that, he turned and joined his comrades at the opposite end of the arena.

"Ladies and gentlemen, there will be a short intermission before the final match.  Please utilize this time to restock on snacks and use the bathroom.  Thank you," Jolene announced.

"Let's regroup with everyone else," Luigi suggested.  "Two rounds have passed, and I haven't seen anything suspicious."

Just as Luigi proposed, he and the younger Mario brothers met up with Peach and Lorne.  As they exchanged greetings, Luigi spotted a familiar face nearby.

Calm Sorrow

"Ace, you made it!" Luigi exclaimed.  "I heard rumors that you had returned to the Mushroom Kingdom, but I didn't think they were true!  How did things go in the Nightmare Vault?  Where's Bro?"  The group approached Ace, who had not been seen since he left with Mario six years ago.  He was the only link they had to their missing hero.

Ace hung his head.  He remained silent.

Peach's eyes widened with fear.  "No...  It couldn't be..."

Ace gave them the faintest of smiles.  "I'm sorry; it's hard to be positive given the circumstances, but Mario is alive.  Slade is in good health as well.  Both of them are in the Nightmare Vault.  Each of them is preparing for the final battle in their own way.  I hate to break it to you, but our mission was only a partial success."

"What happened?" Luke inquired, his eyes sparkling with innocence.  "Will Dad be okay?"

Ace hesitated for a moment, and then nodded.  "For now, I suppose.  Allow me to recap our journey in the Nightmare Vault.  Mario was recruited by the same military that I used to be in charge of, Poker Face.  However, it was all just a ruse set up by the Beta Grimnex.  You see, when I left the Nightmare Vault to help you deal with the Velno incident, this Grimnex, Botis, took control of Poker Face and eliminated the Demon Resistance in its entirety.  Botis posed as the new leader of Poker Face in an attempt to steal my Nexus Pass, and for six years, he slowly worked toward achieving his goal by manipulating Mario and Slade.  They eventually caught on and battled Botis, but were no match for him.  The situation was desperate...  When we awoke after being knocked unconscious, we found that Botis had been assassinated by an unknown force."

"So the leader of the Grimnexes was murdered...  Doesn't that mean the war is over?" Luigi asked hopefully.

Ace shook his head.  "No, it just means that we have some extra time to get our act together.  It will likely take the Grimnexes about four months to decide on their new leader.  After that, the Grimnexes will take action.  Now that their chance to claim the Nexus Pass has slipped away, they will try to find a new way to escape from the Nightmare Vault.  In four months, we must be ready for them.  The only problem is, our performance against the Beta Grimnex was laughable.  In truth, we couldn't even put a dent in his standard form.  He still had his Final Smash, which would have made him several times more powerful.  If we want to have a chance at defeating the Grimnexes, we're going to have to come up with a plan.  Mario will be returning here soon, so you can breathe a sigh of relief for now.  However, in four months, or perhaps even sooner, I cannot guarantee anyone's safety."

"Are the Grimnexes really that strong?" Lorne inquired.  "Stronger than Mario?  What about Crimson?"

"I'd say about half of them are more powerful than both," Ace estimated.  "The situation is desperate.  Mario wanted me to stop by to make sure this kingdom has remained safe in his absence.  Have there been any problems?"

Luigi nodded.  "We're not sure if it's a severe threat or not, but read this."  He handed Ace the note left at the dojo.

"...I see.  This would be an ideal time to strike.  Many people are gathered in one place, and the participants will be exhausted after their bouts.  If the perpetrator is serious about his threat, it might be a good idea for me to stay until the end of the final match.  After that, I'll return to the Nightmare Vault to pick Mario up."

"That note... let me see it," Lorne urged.  He snatched the note from Ace's hand.  Scanning the criminal's handwriting, Lorne's eyes widened.  "It couldn't be..."  He handed the paper back to Luigi.  "No... It's nothing."  Master Crimson...  Are you really still after this kingdom?  And if you are... will I have to fight against you?  Though I detest the life of an assassin, you still saved me from a life of slavery.  However, Mario was the one who taught me to follow my own path in life.  When the time comes, will I be able to choose a side...?

Mushroom Castle Stadium

Lorne's thoughts were interrupted by Jolene's voice echoing throughout the stadium walls.  "AAAAAAAAAALLLLLLRIGHT!  It's time to get back to the main event: the final bout between Team Master and Team Jinx!  If you couldn't already tell, this match will determine the outcome of the fierce rivalry between the two dojos!  Luigi took the first victory for the Master's dojo, and Wario was able to help Jinx's dojo make a comeback by winning the second bout.  Now, with each team holding a single victory under their belt, the final, tiebreaker match is about to begin!  Representing Team Master is Mario Jr., who prefers to go by the name of Mark.  Mark has been training since he was a young boy, waiting for the day he could fight alongside his father.  Though he has helped out in the past, Mark has yet to play a pivotal role in one of his father's battles.  Now, as he fights on behalf of his father, will Mark finally succeed at fighting in his father's place?

"His opponent is known far and wide as one of the fiercest martial artists in existence: Jinx!  He may be small, but don't let his size fool you!  Jinx has proved on numerous occasions that size and strength have nothing to do with each other.  Mark may tower above his opponent in size, but how will he fare against Jinx's unparalleled fighting expertise?  Was it wise for Luigi to leave his nephew in charge of taking down the strongest of their opponents?  It's time to find out!"

Mark eagerly hopped onto the arena, the Master right behind him.  "Remember Mark: Jinx is much more powerful than you seem to think!  If you battle with wisdom and determination, you should have a shot at beating him," the Master assured him.

Mark nodded.  "Alright, this is it.  The Master's pride is resting on this fight."  He met Jinx at the center of the arena.

"Master, he doesn't have much of a chance, does he?" Luigi inquired quietly.  "I mean, not to be a pessimist or anything... but in reality, what chance does Mark have of beating someone as skilled as Jinx?"

The Master grinned.  "His chances of winning are nonexistent...  And yet, this is all going exactly as planned...  Jinx is playing his part perfectly, as well.  I just hope he doesn't decide to go easy on the boy."

shadowmarioguy

Chapter 9: The Master's Ruse

Grudge Match

"Ready?  BEGIN!!"

The crowd began to roar in anticipation as Jinx took a fighting stance.  "You lack the proper training to face me.  I'll make this quick."

"What was that?  Speak up; I can't hear you from all the way up here," Mark taunted as he looked down upon his opponent.

Jinx, clearly angered by his foe's remark, clenched his fists and began to sprint across the arena toward Mark.  Mark squinted, his eyes unable to keep up with such a small target.  He raised his fists as Jinx ran circles around him, ready to attack at any moment.  In a blur too quick for Mark to follow, Jinx lunged at him with a powerful kick that sent him flying backward.  The speedy Jinx raced after his target as the young plumber soared helplessly through the air.

"What a hit!  It seems that Jinx is too fast for Mark!  Will Mario's son be able to make a comeback?!"

"He's helpless!" Luke cried as Jinx finally caught up with Mark.

The Master grinned.  "It looks like Jinx is taking this personally.  Good.  That means he won't hold back, which will work out perfectly for me."

His confidence in the Master's secret plan slowly dwindling, Luigi approached the arena to cheer his nephew on.  Is the Master really behind all of this?  If Jinx takes this too seriously, he could really hurt Mark.  I hope he knows what he's doing...

Jinx, now sprinting beside the airborne Mark, leapt upward and unleashed a furious combination of lightning-fast punches and kicks.  "This is what happens when you judge a fighter solely by his appearance!" Jinx thundered as he ended his assault with an elbow to Mark's gut.  The young plumber tumbled onto the ground before skidding to a halt.  Lying face-down on the arena's stone floor, Mark remained still.

Fighting Spirit

"And Mark goes DOWN!" Jolene declared.  "Has Jinx proved to be too much for the young warrior to handle?  Was such a quick bout truly enough to settle the rivalry between dojos?  There's only one way to find out!  If Mark does not stand up soon, Jinx will be declared the winner!"

The audience let loose with fanatical applause for Jinx.  Luke began to climb onto the arena, but the Master restrained him.  "This is your brother's fight.  If we interfere now, all of this will be for nothing."

Luigi gave his master a sideways glance.  I'm starting to wonder if there really is a method to his madness...

The stadium grew silent as the fallen Mark began to chuckle.  He slowly rose to his feet, a thin stream of blood dripping from his lips.  He grinned as he wept the blood off with his glove.  Jinx turned away from his fans to face his opponent once again.  "You fight a lot more aggressively than I thought you would, Shorty," Mark snickered.  "I didn't think you'd take this so seriously.  I'm sure you get comments about your height all the time."

"Insolent brat...  You haven't learned your lesson yet, have you?" Jinx inquired angrily.  "Very well.  That will be the last time you mock my stature."

Mark took a battle stance.  "Don't be so sure.  You may be a dwarf, but at least you've earned my respect.  I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from a fighter so small, but now I've got a better idea of what I'm up against.  You won't catch me underestimating you again.  I'll start taking this seriously now."

"Even after the warnings we gave him, he still felt the need to verify Jinx's strength," the Master grumbled.  "He'll need to take this seriously if he wants to survive."

Luigi smiled from ear to ear.  "That attitude...  It kind of reminds me of Bro..."

"Outstanding!  After taking a swift beating that my eyes could barely follow, Mark is ready for another round!  I had a feeling this match would be a long one.  Get ready for one of the most spectacular matches you'll ever see!" Jolene announced, her voice dripping with excitement.  The audience cheered twice as loud as before, and the second round began.

Grudge Match

Mark stared at his right palm.  "I'm getting that same warm feeling...  Will I be able to use that technique?"

"You shouldn't take your eyes off of your opponent!" Jinx advised him as he leapt into the air, ready to deliver another beating.  Mark lunged forward with a right hook, but his target was too nimble and small.  Jinx weaved to the side and delivered a kick to Mark's head.  The young plumber staggered to the side for a few moments before striking the airborne Jinx with his fist.

"You left yourself open with that kick," Mark chuckled.  "Your mobility is reduced in the air, and because you're so small, most of your attacks require you to jump."  All I have to do is wait for him to strike.  As he descends back toward the ground, that's my chance to attack!

"Excellent observation," Jinx replied.  "I'll step up my game a bit."  He charged at his foe once again, this time at an even greater speed.

Mark stepped to the side as Jinx leapt into the air to attack.  He threw a punch at the seemingly exposed Jinx, but his punch passed through Jinx's body.  "An illusion?" Mark wondered as 'Jinx' disappeared into thin air.  He felt a sharp pain in his back as Jinx delivered a kick from behind.

"More like an afterimage," Jinx corrected him.  "You didn't really think I was moving as fast as I could before?  My size limits my physical strength, but I make up for it with unparalleled speed.  I can throw over twenty punches in a single second.  The combined power of these punches equals the strength of a single punch from an ordinary martial artist.  And if I combine my attacks with energy from the special attacks I have devised over the years, my strength drastically increases."

"Just as I thought: Mark isn't ready for someone at his level," Luigi muttered.  "This could get messy..."

"We'll see just how fast you are," Mark said with a grin.  This time, Mark was the first to attack.  He attempted to kick his speedy opponent, but he only managed to strike an afterimage.  He turned around to see Jinx preparing to strike from behind.  Mark tossed a punch at him, but his fist passed through him once again.  He gasped as several afterimages began to circle him.

"Can you keep up?" Jinx cackled as Mark struggled to follow his movements.

Before Mark could react, he found himself receiving several blows from all directions.  The young plumber wrenched himself free from his opponent's grasp and began to sprint in the opposite direction.  "There's only one way I can hit him..."

"Uh oh!  It seems as though Mark has decided to retreat!  Is he forfeiting the match?!" Jolene inquired as the audience grew silent.

"Running away?  Or are you perhaps hoping that my afterimages will follow me in a straight line as I come to attack you?  Yes, then you would know that the Jinx in front would be the one you should target," Jinx deduced.  "Too bad your plan won't work on me!"  His afterimages spread across the entire width of the stadium as they rushed toward Mark.

Mark grinned, his right fist beginning to glow.  This had better work.  All I have to do is concentrate that feeling in my hand...  As his opponent and his afterimages grew closer, Mark's right fist became engulfed in flames.  "Please, work!" Mark pleaded as he threw his fist forward, releasing a flurry of Fireballs that formed a wall of flames.  The flames encompassed the entire width of the stadium, leaving Jinx no choice but to be struck by his attack.

Jinx slowly rose to his feet, his body mildly scorched by the attack.  "He launched a flurry of Fireballs that struck every possible position I could have been occupying...  This kid is brilliant under pressure..."

"It's a lot easier when I know what direction you're coming from," Mark explained with a triumphant smirk.

"Very clever," Jinx commended him.  He's steadily growing more dangerous.  It would be best for me to end the battle now.  Before Mark had time to celebrate his successful attack, Jinx had launched a ball of static electricity from his index finger.  Mark leapt into the air, narrowly avoiding the blast.

"You fool!" the Master thundered, watching in horror as Jinx prepared to attack the defenseless Mark.  As the young plumber descended toward the stadium floor, Jinx delivered an uppercut that sent him hurling over the outside of the arena.

"Game over," Jinx declared as Mark plummeted.  "Wait...  He might use a Fireball to propel himself back into the arena like his brother did..."

Mark cupped his hands and aimed them at the ground.  Before he could unleash a Fireball, Jinx swiftly leapt above him and prepared to slam Mark into the ground.  However, as Jinx threw his fists downward, he felt his arms pass through Mark's body.  It was an afterimage!  Mark reappeared above Jinx, his fists locked together.  With a cry of determination, the young plumber slammed his foe with all of his might, sending Jinx zooming toward the ground.

"He stole my move..." Jinx grumbled as he untied his cape, using it as a parachute to glide back onto the arena.  "But how did he learn it so quickly?"

Mark regained his momentum and performed several stylish flips before landing beside his opponent.  "I thought I'd borrow your technique.  I hope you don't mind."

Jinx gazed at his opponent, carefully planning his next move.  From the beginning, I thought he was underestimating me.  Now I can see that it's the other way around: I'm the one who has underestimated him.  His ability to adapt and grow stronger was clearly inherited from his father.  If I continue to fight carelessly, I could lose.  I can't let this drag on any longer.  "Mark, I'm afraid I cannot hold back anymore.  If you want to keep your life, I suggest you forfeit the match."

Mark bawled his fists.  "Bring it on, Shorty.  I'm not quitting anytime soon.  Why would I retreat from someone I'm not even scared of?"

The Master's eyes widened slightly.  "It's time... to find out if this is worth it.  Whether or not Mark's skills can be pushed any further...  Now is the time to find out."

"That's your big plan?!" Luigi exploded, his body trembling with rage.  "You're letting him risk his life just for some stupid training?"

The Master nodded.  "To put it simply, yes.  Either Mark will unleash his latent potential, or I will spend the rest of my life regretting the death of one of my finest pupils."  But the person that will affect this plan the most... is Mark...  Whether or not he can swallow his pride and retreat when the time is right...  That will be the deciding factor...  I can only hope that Jinx does not fight with the intent to kill.

Jinx began to glow with a red aura.  "This is a technique that is called Vigor Up.  It drastically increases my strength and speed.  If you want to pull out of this fight, now is the time to do it.  At this point, the only thing you can do is decide how many injuries you want to lose with.  You can quit right now, or after I've beaten you to a pulp."

Mark stood firmly.  "I'm not giving up."

Jinx nodded.  "Very well.  In that case, I must inform you that I will end this battle with one blow.  This attack could be life-threatening if your body is too sensitive."

Mark took a battle stance.

"Intense!  Jinx has powered up and proclaimed victory, but Mark is standing firm!  Who will emerge victorious?!" Jolene inquired, the entire audience now silent with anticipation.

Mark gulped as he noticed a blur of red rushing toward him.  He prepared to defend himself, until all traces of Jinx suddenly vanished.  Mark's eyes widened as the sound of an explosion echoed throughout the silent stadium.  Jinx had reappeared behind him and dealt a crushing blow to the back of his head.  His world slowly turning black, Mark could only groan in agony as he tumbled onto the stadium floor.

Calm Heart

"Once again, Mark has been taken down!" Jolene declared.  "I think this is it, folks!  Mark seems to be unconscious!  I will verify the status of this fight as soon as I can determine Mark's condition."  She scurried over to the fallen Mark and knelt down beside him.  "Mark, are you awake?  If you don't stand up soon, you'll forfeit the match."

"Wake up!" Luke called, teardrops forming in the corners of his eyes.

"He's not going to awaken anytime soon," Jinx stated firmly.  "That technique is called Quicksilver.  It enables me to get behind my opponent and deal a critical blow to the back of his head.  Mark will likely remain unconscious for a few days."

Luigi glanced at the Master, who nodded to verify Jinx's claim.  "The match is over.  Jinx saw that Mark had learned all he could from the battle and decided to end it before it was too late," the Master explained.

"Too late for what?"

"Mark must not be allowed to win this fight, no matter what the cost may be.  That is what I told Jinx.  He recognized Mark's burning determination and realized that he would not withdraw from the fight.  It was the only way he could win without killing Mark."

"I don't understand why you want Mark to lose!" Luke cried in frustration.  "Why would you plot against your own pupil?  I thought you wanted to prove that your dojo was better than Jinx's!"

The Master smiled.  "Didn't you know?  Our rivalry is nonexistent."

"Well, Mark still isn't moving," Jolene observed.  "Jinx is a martial arts expert, and Mark appears to be unconscious, so I'm afraid that I have to end the match.  The winner of the third match is..."

Wait...

Agonizing Desperation

Jolene hesitated.  She glanced back and forth, searching for the source of the voice she had just heard.  She gasped as she looked down at Mark, who was beginning to rise from the stadium floor.  His body trembling with agony, Mark slowly pushed himself onto his hands and knees.  He lifted his head and gazed into Jinx's eyes.  "I'm... still... awake..."  He rose to his feet, staggering back and forth as he did so.

The crowd went wild with applause, clearly impressed by Mark's tenacity.  "Phenomenal!  It seems that Mark still has some fight left in him, but will it be enough to claim victory?"

"You don't know when to quit," Jinx grumbled, preparing to continue the fight.  "I did that for your own good.  Even though you appear to be conscious, your body is still suffering heavily from that blow I dealt to your head.  Your vision must be severely impaired, and your body has become sluggish.  Just forfeit the match.  You've proven yourself a worthy opponent, but now is the time to quit."

"No... for my father's honor... I'll fight for as long as I have to...  This pain is nothing... compared to the pain of being left behind... the pain of being considered... a liability..." Mark murmured, his eyes glowing with determination.

"Mark!  Forfeit the match right now!  That's an order!!" the Master screamed, fearing for his student's life.  "Jinx is going to kill you if you don't!"

Jinx sighed, unable to stomach what he was about to do.  "From this point on, I cannot control whether you live or die.  For reasons you do not understand, I simply cannot allow you to win this match.  So if you aren't willing to give up, perhaps I'll have to use my Final Smash."  His body began to glow with a blue and silver aura.  "This attack has a reputation of killing anything it touches.  This is the Silver Bullet!"

"This is it!  The infamous Silver Bullet is the technique that Jinx uses when all else fails!  The winner has yet to be decided, but one thing is certain: this will be the final bout of one of the most incredible matches I have ever witnessed!" Jolene bellowed, her eyes glued to the two warriors.  The audience exploded with words of encouragement for Mark, who had clearly become the crowd favorite.  Starting off as the underdog, Mark had continued to bounce back after Jinx's relentless attacks.  Now, he even had a shot at winning.

Mark's eyes began to glow a bright blue color as he rushed forward, his hands glowing with Elemental Energy.  Without any fear or hesitation, the son of the Mushroom Hero sprinted toward his demise.  Jinx also charged at his foe, his fist glowing a bright silver color.  Before he could unleash the power of his Silver Bullet, Mark launched a wave of chilling wind from his left hand.  Jinx staggered back for a moment, but he soon regained his footing and lunged forward at Mark.  Mark also threw his right fist forward, which was now emitting electrical sparks.  As the two fists collided, the stadium was lit by a blinding light.

Peace

As the audience finally regained their sight, they saw only one man standing in the arena.  The other had been knocked out of bounds by the impact of the blast.  Jolene gasped, and with a warm smile, announced the winner.  "After a battle that lasted much longer than any of us would have expected, the victor has been decided.  The winner of the grudge match is Jinx!"

Mark, bruised and badly beaten, felt as though he had let his father down.  However, his face lit up as soon as he was surrounded by his friends: the Master, Luigi, Luke, Peach, and even Ace and Lorne.  "I'm sorry... I let all of you down..."

"Don't be a fool," Jinx chuckled as he approached Mark.  "Though they probably won't admit it, the rivalry between your father and Wario ended long ago.  As for the grudge between our dojos, that was just a simple ruse.  You see, you haven't let anyone down.  In fact, you've done quite the opposite."  He reached out his hand, and Mark hesitantly took it.

"I'm sorry for lying to you," the Master apologized.  "You see, this was all a part of your training.  I told Jinx that I'd be visiting him and that he should pretend to be my rival.  I contacted Princess Peach, and she got Jolene to play along as well.  I wanted you to believe that your father's pride was at stake, because I knew it would bring out your true potential.  I knew you wouldn't be able to defeat Jinx, but you'd put up a decent fight if you had the proper motivation."

"Why was it so important for Jinx to win, then?!" Mark inquired, angered at having his emotions toyed with.

"That's easy," Jinx replied.  "If you defeated me, a famous martial arts master, at such an early age, you would become as arrogant as your father originally was.  You see, before he fought against Lord Shade and became the Mushroom Hero, he was quite conceited and only protected the Mushroom Kingdom for fame and glory.  However, he soon learned that this kingdom was his home, and he vowed to protect it at all costs.  Since you're the Mushroom Hero in your father's absence, the Master thought that this ruse would be necessary."

"Actually, in truth, I wasn't entirely responsible for this scheme," the Master confessed.  "Before he departed for the Nightmare Vault, your father stopped by my dojo.  His words are still etched in my mind: Please take care of my sons; I have a feeling they'll be training at your dojo soon.  I want you to make sure that Mark doesn't end up like I did.  If it weren't for my training with the Elemental Gods, I'd still be as arrogant and selfish as before.  Please watch over him, and make sure he grows into a responsible young man.  And as for Luke, ensure that he always provides support for his brother, just as Luigi has always done for me.  Oh, and if Mark ever has to go on an adventure, please hire a house-sitter.  Luke is too young to stay home alone.  Yes, your father has an interesting sense of humor, even when he's about to rush into a life-or-death situation."

"So you did this... because my father asked you to?" Mark inquired, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.  "Thank you..."

Jinx smiled.  "I'm sorry I was so rough on you."

Mark grinned wearily.  "That's alright...  I think I'll be okay after I get some rest..."  The two warriors shook hands.

"More importantly, you showed us that you possessed a very interesting trait.  As you battled against Jinx, you were eventually able to win over the entire audience with your bravery and determination.  I could see that even Jolene was rooting for you during a match in which she was supposed to be impartial.  The ability to make people cheer for you is one that you likely inherited from your father.  It will take you far," the Master proudly explained.  "You even learned what I believe to be your Final Smash: the ability to borrow your father's power.  You used his Iceball and Thunderball techniques without even realizing it!"

"That's enough talk about fighting," Peach scolded.  "Now it's time to reveal the true purpose of gathering everyone here!  We're going to have a colossal feast!  There's enough food for everyone!"

"A reunion?  I should've known," Ace chuckled.  "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have a bite to eat.  I've always wanted to learn more about this kingdom's fascinating cuisine."

"Where'd the Wario Brothers go?" Luigi inquired.  "I doubt they'd miss a chance for a free meal."

"I believe they went to the infirmary to have their wounds treated.  Wario's injuries weren't too severe, but Waluigi suffered a great deal of pain from that explosion during his fight with Luigi.  I'll go tell them about the feast," Jinx volunteered.  "Don't wait up for us.  We'll be right back."

[End Music]

Mark waved goodbye at Jinx, for whom he had discovered a newfound respect.  As his friends departed to eat their fill of the kingdom's finest dishes, Mark gazed back at the door that Jinx had exited through.  For some reason, he felt the need to stay behind.  He had a strange feeling in his gut.  It was as if he had forgotten something.

"Hey Mark, are you coming?" Luigi called after him.  "There's not gonna be any food when you get here!"

Suddenly, it hit him.  Mark was stricken with a sudden sense of desperate sorrow.  He felt the urge to follow Jinx.  Overcome with panic, the young plumber sprinted after the martial artist toward the infirmary.  He knew that something wasn't right.  At last, the door swung open, and he dashed inside. Mark gasped.  As his terrified scream echoed through the stadium, Mark's friends appeared at the entrance to the infirmary.  All at once, they realized that they had been too careless.  The next victim had already been claimed.

shadowmarioguy

Chapter 10: The Four Comrades

Looming Hatred

For the first time in six years, Lorne's sapphire eyes began to glow with emotions of fear and angst.  His face turned as pale as his snow-white hair.  "That marking..."

Lying face-down in a pool of blood, Jinx's body did not stir.  Beside him was Waluigi, who was on his back and groaning in agony.  Mark remained still, his body trembling with sadness, fear, and despair.  Waluigi slowly crawled over to him, leaving a trail of blood behind him.  He gazed up at Mark with bloodshot eyes and recalled the events that had transpired within the infirmary. 

"It was him...  He killed... doctors... Jinx..." Waluigi stammered, his injuries preventing him from speaking clearly.  "He returned... ade... came back... revenge..."

"Slade?" Ace inquired with a frown.  "That's impossible.  He's still in the Nightmare Vault, and I have the Nexus Pass with me.  Besides, despite being a loner, he's still on our side."

Waluigi shook his head, his eyelids beginning to shut.  "Not... Slade... It was... Sh..."  The severely wounded thief finally lost consciousness.

The sound of a toilet flushing came from a nearby room, and each of the warriors prepared to face the perpetrator.  Instead, a foul stench filled the air as Wario staggered out of the bathroom.  "You might wanna wait a while before going in there...  Wha?!"  Wario rushed over to his fallen brother and master.  "What happened here?!"

Ace covered his nose.  "Ordinarily, Wario would be a prime suspect... but I think this stench proves that Wario has a valid alibi."

"Waluigi passed out before he could tell us what happened," Luigi explained.  "But whoever did this couldn't have gotten very far."  He glanced at Lorne, who was staring at the blood stains left on the floor.  "Odd... the blood forms the same shape we saw when the Master's students were murdered...  It's the shape of a crescent moon, or something like that..."

Lorne shook his head.  "That's not a crescent moon...  It's the letter 'C', and it's Crimson's favorite symbol.  Having worked for him in the past, I know that Crimson sometimes orders his men to paint a 'C' out of their targets' blood.  He loves nothing more than seeing his first initial inscribed in the same color he refers to himself as: crimson."

The others gasped.  "In that case... Crimson really was the one who was threatening us!  But what is he after?" the Master asked.

Lorne shrugged.  "I'm not sure.  After all, I'm no longer affiliated with Crimson.  However, from my time working under him, I know that he holds a strange interest in Mario."

"Mario?" Peach parroted in confusion.  "What would he want with our Mario?"

Everyone remained silent as they pondered their next move.  Their thoughts were interrupted by Waluigi, who had begun to talk in his sleep.  "Come... back... ade...  Escaping to... Mushroom Fields... have to... catch up..."

Frantic Rush

"Mushroom Fields?  I'm on my way!" Mark affirmed as he sprinted out of the room after the perpetrator.

The Master whirled around and called after him, "Mark!  Get back here right now!"  He was too late.  The son of the Mushroom Hero had his mind set on only one thing: revenge.  "That fool...  He just fought a brutal round against Jinx...  Does he really think he'll have the strength to fight someone who was tough enough to defeat the same foe he lost against?"

"Should I go after him?" Luke offered, worried about his brother.

The Master shook his head.  "Until we know what we're up against, everyone else needs to stay here.  If you all rush blindly into a fight, we may suffer from several casualties.  If Mark dies alone, we'll at least have other heroes to work with.  I know it sounds grim, but we just have to pray for Mark's safety and stick together to avoid any more fatalities."

Meanwhile, Mark frantically rushed through the deserted Toad Town.  Several dozen mushroom houses blurred past him as he sprinted at full speed in order to catch up with Jinx's assailant.  At last, a black dot appeared on the horizon, and Mark doubled his speed in order to catch up with it.  He stopped behind a tall man dressed entirely in black.

"Turn around!" Mark growled, clenching his fists in resentment.

The man in black complied.  He was twice as tall as Mark and wore a black tunic with a matching cape.  His right arm had been replaced with a mechanical energy blade, and his hateful face appeared distorted and metallic.  "Ah, Mario?  No... You're his son, aren't you?  Perfect.  I can finally carry out my revenge by taking away his son's life."

"Who are you?!" Mark demanded, gradually moving closer to his foe.  "Were you the one who killed Jinx and injured Waluigi?"

"Waluigi... I remember that name.  But as for the tiny man and the doctors, I didn't bother to get to know them.  If those are the people you are referring to, then yes, I was responsible for their injuries and/or deaths," the man chuckled wickedly.  "It's sad that you don't recognize me.  I don't believe we've ever met face to face.  However, I'm sure my name will ring a bell.  Has your father ever mentioned a man by the name of Lord Shade?"

Instead of responding, Mark uttered a cry of pure detestation as he charged his father's former enemy.  He leapt into the air and hurled his right fist at Shade's face, but Lord Shade caught the punch in his palm.  "You're strong... just like your father...  However, I've had a few upgrades over the years, and I'd much rather have a rematch with your old man!" Shade snickered as he began to squeeze Mark's fist.

Mark screamed in agony as he felt the bones in his right hand begin to crack.  Out of desperation, he threw a punch with his left fist.  Shade caught this punch as well and began to crush both of the young plumber's fists.  He began to laugh wickedly, until he felt a shock in both of his hands.  He quickly released Mark from his grasp and saw that he had begun to charge Thunderballs in each of his hands.  Before Lord Shade could respond, Mark unleashed pointblank Thunderballs from each of his palms.

Mark gazed up hopefully, but gasped as he realized that Shade was virtually unharmed.  "You know a lot of your father's moves, don't you?  Oh well.  Too bad nobody ever told you that you need to come up with your own abilities, too."  Shade lunged forward and slashed across Mark's chest, causing the plumber to stagger backward.  In a flash, Shade's sword retracted into a machine on his arm, causing it to morph into the shape of a cannon. He then fired a plasma beam at Mark, who was busy attempting to regain his balance.  Mark, who was struck directly by the blast, tumbled onto his back in agony.

Defeat

"Your reflexes are still far too slow," Shade informed him smugly.  "You've disappointed me... and your father."

Mark struggled to stand up, but found that he could no longer move his body.  Instead, he writhed in anguish as he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"What more did you expect... from the son of that scum, Mario?" another voice spat, his voice dripping with bitterness.  "Finish the job, Shade.  We've already wasted enough time as it is.  Crimson ordered us to kill only one of Mario's friends.  We shouldn't wait around for another one of these cockroaches to show up.  It would interfere with our perfect plan."

Shade nodded.  "Of course, Enzo.  Master Crimson would be most displeased if we ruined his grand scheme."  With a helpless shrug, Shade changed his right arm back into a blade and drove it through the open wound on the young plumber's chest.  "There.  Happy now?"

Enzo nodded.  "Master Crimson may have judged this kingdom's hero with the Demonic Trials... but now, it is time to judge this kingdom's authority.  The next phase of the plan will be a full-scale assault on Mushroom Castle.  Make sure that you're fully prepared by tonight."  The two of them walked away, leaving Mark to die.

The young hero desperately attempted to move, but his injuries and fatigue were too severe.  Lord Shade is back... and he's teamed up with Crimson...  They're gonna attack tonight... I've got to warn them...  Despite his efforts, Mark was unable to budge an inch.  As the reality of his fate finally began to sink in, Mark could only lie on his back as he slowly bled to death.  The air began to grow humid, and dark clouds formed overhead.  Before long, the fallen hero was being drenched with rain.  The world around him slowly growing darker, Mark's eyelids began to close.




"It's been almost five hours since he left," the Master noted as he glanced at the clock.  "All of the guests have left, and only the seven of us remain.  The Mushroom Castle also has security guards, but I doubt they'd be strong enough to handle anything that Mark couldn't."

Princess Peach scurried into the room, her cheeks damp with tears.  "We just finished burying Jinx...  Waluigi has also been sent to the hospital to receive treatment for his wounds.  Has Mark returned yet?"

Luigi shook his head.

"He'll be back," Luke assured her.  "I know he will..."

"At least I won't have to pay for Jinx's expensive lessons anymore," Wario stated with a forced laugh as he tried to lighten the mood.  The room remained silent, and he hung his head.  "I can't believe it all happened while I was in the bathroom.  If it had been at any other time, maybe I could've helped...  Maybe Jinx would've survived..."

Crimson... Am I going to have to fight against you...? Lorne wondered, leaning against the wall with his eyes shut.  Mario...  You told me to find my own path in life...  But six years have passed, and I still haven't found it... Would I be better off as an assassin?

Meanwhile, Ace was dealing with a conflict of his own.  Now what do I do?  Mario can't leave the Nightmare Vault without the Nexus Pass.  But if I go to pick him up, I'll leave the entire Mushroom Kingdom vulnerable.  Will Mario's other comrades be able to survive long enough for us to return?

"So what's next?  Should we all just go home?" Luigi inquired.  "Or should we stay together?"

Frantic Rush

"Umm... My vote goes to us staying together," Wario informed them timidly.

"Why?"

Wario pointed to a nearby window from which a colossal red annihilator beam could be seen.  "Watch out!" Luigi screamed as he grabbed Peach and sprinted away from the window.  Seconds later, the annihilator beam pierced the castle wall and obliterated everything in the area that Peach had just stood in, leaving a mammoth hole in the floor.  The heroes' vision was obscured as the room was filled with smoke and ash.

"We're... under... attack!" one of the castle's guards shrieked between coughs.

"Really?  I hadn't noticed!" Wario blurted out in sarcasm.  "That's fine with me!  I can finally get the chance to avenge Jinx!  ... On second thought, I need to use the bathroom again.  I'll be right back!"  Wario turned around and sprinted blindly through the smoke in search of a bathroom.

"You might be okay with fighting them head on, but Peach won't be able to defend herself!  Bro would never forgive me if I let her get hurt!  I'm getting her out of here!"  Luigi declared as he jumped through the hole in the floor with Peach in his arms.

"Luigi!  Come back!" The Master demanded.  "Fools!  We shouldn't be splitting up at a time like this!  ...Luke, go make sure Wario doesn't run into any trouble!" With that, he dove into the hole after Luigi.  "If we can keep at least two warriors in each group, we just might survive..."

"Looks like it's just you and me," Ace observed.  "Lorne, are you sure that you won't have any problems fighting against your former allies?"

Lorne shook his head.  "I'll be fine.  However, I prefer to do things my way, so I'm afraid you're on your own."

"I understand."  As Ace watched Lorne sprint off into the darkness, a dark figure entered through the enormous hole he created in the castle wall.  The smoke finally began to clear, and Ace gasped as he realized who his opponent was.  "So it was you?  I thought Mario defeated you, but apparently not."

Lord Shade shook his head.  "It's been about eight years since I fought with him...  In the end, he managed to incinerate me.  However, I was able to survive thanks to this device on my arm.  Not only can it change my arm into a sword and cannon, but it also serves a different purpose.  It is always recording my movements, my memories, my feelings..."  Shade tapped his head as he grinned wickedly.  "It's like having a tape recorder attached to my brain.  I may have been killed, but the machine on my arm managed to survive.  During the Demonic Trials, Crimson found it and gave it to Smithy.  For the past six years, Smithy has been working tirelessly to rebuild me as an android.  I, Lord Shade, have been reborn as Master Crimson's 'Ultimate Weapon'!"

Ace removed a card from the deck strapped to his waist and crushed it in his palm.  "Lord Shade, you're going to pay for what you did to me!" Ace hissed as a beam sword materialized in his hand.  "Do you remember when you visited the Nightmare Vault?  You were trying to recruit demons for your army, the 'Shadow Shrowds'.  You also met and fought with a young boy...  That boy was me."

"Yes...  Now that I think about it, your face does ring a bell."

"I can never forgive you, Shade...  Because I was busy fighting against you, I couldn't save Glaive's friend from the Grimnexes!  I realize that I am partially to blame, but because of you...  Sara, the one closest to Glaive, was murdered!  Moreover, you promised to lift the curse on the Nightmare Vault if Glaive joined your army!  Your empty promise caused Glaive to suffer for years!"

Shade couldn't help but chuckle at Ace's speech.  "Ah, if only Glaive was here right now...  I'd enjoy crushing his spirit yet again, but it seems as though I'll have to settle for you.  If you really hate me that much, then why don't you do something about it?"




As Luke dashed through the pitch black hallway in search of Wario, he was thrown off balance by what felt like an earthquake.  Staggering about as the hallway trembled, Luke spotted the source of the quakes: Smithy!  He had just entered the castle by pounding a hole through the roof with his colossal hammer.

"You!  What did you do with my brother?!" Luke inquired angrily.

Smithy shrugged.  "Run along, little boy.  I don't know what happened to your brother.  Perhaps one of my allies got rid of him?"

"Allies?" Luke parroted.  "What are you talking about?"

"We are known as the Four Comrades.  We have cast aside our differences and joined together for a single purpose: the systematic destruction of Mario's life!" Smith explained with a vile smirk.  "If you wish to know the reason for your suffering...  It is because of your father.  We have taken it upon ourselves to attain vengeance for all of the times Mario has acted against us."

"If you're looking for my father, he isn't here.  I'll gladly fight you in his place!" Luke declared as he sprinted toward his father's former adversary.

Smithy grinned as he raised his hammer above his head.  An easy victory...  Even if he hadn't been worn down from his fight earlier, he still wouldn't be a match for me.




"So you're Enzo, the leader of the 'Four Comrades'?  Having a leader seems to contradict the name of the group, which implies that each of the four members is equal," Lorne informed the apparent leader.  Though his statement was a sarcastic one, his facial expression did not change.

Enzo sighed.  "It's not very polite to express sarcasm with a straight face.  But I can hardly blame your stoic demeanor, considering all that Crimson has told me about you.  I still can't understand why you betrayed him.  You found success after all those years of being a slave, and then you threw it away to live a life of mediocrity."

"Shut up," Lorne replied dryly.  "You're trying to irritate me, and it isn't working.  The only man who has ever upset my balance is Mario."

"So you left Crimson to befriend that scum?  If that's the case, I won't hesitate to end your miserable life."  Enzo stepped into the light, revealing his hateful face for the first time.  He wore a pair of black jeans and a dark blue jacket.  His hair was a mix of black and gray, and though his face was wrinkled, Lorne's experience told him that Enzo was still fairly young.

"You're a human..." Lorne observed, a hint of surprise in his voice.  "I thought Slade and I were the only remaining humans that had ever worked for Crimson."

"Crimson decided to recruit a few more of us.  When he heard how much we hated Mario, he was happy to give us the job," Enzo explained.

He's using them as pawns, just as he once used Slade and me, Lorne thought.  Should I try to help him?  He won't hesitate to kill me...  Holding back and trying to sooth his anger isn't the safest option, but I know that's what he would do...

Before Lorne could make his decision, Enzo removed a dagger from his pocket and lunged at his conflicted opponent.




Wrath

"What's going on up there?  The castle's been shaking like crazy!" Luigi shrieked as he dashed through the castle with Peach in his arms.  "I know we're under attack, but seriously... could they try to ease up on the fancy explosions?"

His rant was interrupted by a nearby tremor, causing him to fall flat on his face.  "Luigi, are you okay?" Peach inquired worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Luigi whispered, though his body was trembling as he glared at the source of the explosion.  He gasped as a colossal beast walked in through a hole he had punched in the wall.  His body was covered with brown fur, and he wore two metallic gloves on his fists.  "Is that...?"

"Mario...  Where's Mario?!" the beast exploded as he viciously pounded on his chest with his fists.  "Bring him to me!!"

Peach took a long look at the beast.  "Donkey Kong, is that you?!" she shrieked in sudden realization.  "No, it couldn't be...  What happened to you?"

"What did Crimson do to you?!" Luigi demanded angrily.  "Donkey Kong, snap out of it!"

Donkey Kong stared into the plumber's eyes and howled with fury.  "Luigi... Mario's brother... DESTROY!"  The ape dashed on all fours toward Luigi, whose instincts immediately told him to run.

Luigi shook his head.  "No... Now isn't the time to be a coward...  Without Bro or Mark around, it's my responsibility to protect Peach."  He stood firmly as DK charged at him with blind fury.  "Princess...  You've got to get out of here."

"I can't go!" Peach refused.  "I don't want to lose you too!  Even if I do escape, there'll be no one to protect me if you all die!"

Luigi smiled sadly as the furious DK was only moments away from striking him with full force.  Just as the ape began to throw his fist forward, the Master smashed through a nearby wall and kicked him in the face.  "I decided to borrow your method of transportation," the Master chuckled as DK tumbled onto the ground.  "Luigi, how can I be of assistance?"

"Escort Peach out of here," Luigi requested.  "I'll take care of things here."

The Master nodded.  "As you wish."

Before they departed, Luigi turned around to face Peach.  "Don't worry; I'll bring Donkey Kong back to our side.  After all, that's what Bro would do.  And don't worry about Mark.  Even if all of us do meet our demise, you'll still have someone left to protect you.  I don't think Mark would die so easily.  Have faith in him, and have faith in us as well.  We'll protect the kingdom until Mario returns."




"Foolish boy...  Can't you understand?  You're far too tired and weak to survive against me!" Smithy cackled as he slammed his hammer against Luke once again.  The bruised plumber soared through the air before crashing into the wall and landing on the ground with a lifeless thud.

He's right... Luke thought as he struggled to his feet, his body quivering in agony.  "That hammer really packs a punch...  In my condition, I don't think I can dodge it..."

"You didn't last very long at all, did you?" Smithy inquired in mock sympathy.  "You're still tired and wounded from your fight with Wario earlier on.  Too bad."  He began to laugh maniacally as he swung his enormous hammer toward the helpless Luke.  Luke closed his eyes, waiting for the sound of his shattering bones to pierce his eardrums.  Several moments passed.  The sound did not come.

"Hey kid... You gonna move out of the way?" Wario inquired, his arms trembling under the weight of Smithy's hammer.  "This thing isn't made of paper, ya know."  Luke quickly rose to his feet and moved out of the hammer's range.  "Now get out of here, kid.  You need some rest after that beating you took from me earlier."

"Wario...  I can't leave...  Jinx is already dead...  After I finally started to think of you guys as my friends...  I don't want to see you die!"

"Those are the ropes, kid," Wario replied glumly as he batted Smithy's hammer away with his fist.  "I'm sorry we gave you the wrong idea.  I don't hate your old man...  I judged him before I got to know him, but this isn't the time to get mushy.  The only reason I'm doing this... is to make up for those injuries that I gave you earlier!  So get out of here, before you start to get in my way!"

Luke smiled as tears began to form in the corners of his eyes.  Deep, deep down, that guy isn't just a grumpy, money-hungry thief.  Despite his attitude, he's standing up to Smithy so I can get out of here safely...  As his cheeks became damp with tears, Mark turned around and sprinted into the darkness.

The stage was set, and a battle on four fronts had been set in motion.

shadowmarioguy

Chapter 11: Castle Invasion

Fallen Hero

Luke sprinted into the darkness away from Wario and Smithy, tears streaming down his cheeks.  Wario... Will I ever see you again...?  I spent so much time hating you and your dojo...  But once I actually started to like you...  Now that I think of the three of you as my friends...  Are you really all going to die?

Wario smiled sadly as he watched Luke fade away into the darkness of the castle's dimly lit hallways.  "Sorry, kid...  I can't let Mario come back to find both of his sons dead..."  He leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding Smithy's hammer.  He lunged forward, his right first encased in metal, and tossed his most powerful right hook at his opponent.

Smithy began to cackle wickedly as he swiftly swung his hammer a second time, knocking Wario onto the ground in an instant.  His body trembling in agony, Wario attempted to stand up.  As he struggled to his feet, Smithy clutched his hammer with both hands and brought it down toward the greedy plumber.

I guess this really is the end...  I'm even starting to talk and think like Mario...  Wario thought with a grin as Smithy's hammer slowly descended toward him.  I don't know why I felt the need to protect Mario's family...  Maybe it was the way Ace described Mario's condition to me...  It sounded as though Mario's sanity was hanging by a thread, and that any further shock could cause him to snap...  Or maybe I just wanted to fight for my master's honor...  Whatever the case may be, that kid had better stay alive...

Smithy's hammer made contact with Wario's lifeless body, abruptly bringing his life to an end.  "Fool...  Fighting for Mario's family will only result in death.  Besides, you've only managed to prolong the inevitable.  Anyone who associates himself with Mario will meet his demise in the end."  He glanced at the watch strapped to his wrist.  "It's almost time.  I think I'll get out of here and watch the castle's destruction from the outside."




Sparks flew into the air as Lorne and Enzo engaged in a lightning-fast swordfight.  However, as their swords collided, it soon became apparent that Lorne was on the defensive.  With his smaller and sleeker blade, Enzo was able to strike at Lorne with incredible speed and precision.  Lorne, who possessed a longer and heavier blade, could hardly keep up as his bloodthirsty foe continually lunged at him with the intent to kill.  Not only that, but he was also having trouble fighting at his best because of his conflicting emotions.  As a former assassin, Lorne's skill was at its peak when he fought without bringing his feelings into the battle.  Now suffering from extreme confusion and guilt, Lorne could only narrowly parry Enzo's swift slashes as he pondered his purpose in life.

What am I supposed to do...?  Either way, I'll end up betraying someone who has helped me in the past...  Lorne's eyes widened.  Unless...  Is that the path I was meant to take?  Is death the only thing left for me...?

"What's the matter?  Feeling guilty, traitor?!" Enzo hissed as his dagger sunk into Lorne's lower chest.  He tore the blade from Lorne's body and kicked him onto the ground.  "That's what happens when you cross one of the Four Comrades.  All of Mario's friends and family will be eradicated."

Am I really going to die here...?  This place...  It feels familiar...  Lorne gasped.  This tower...  This is where Mario and I fought six years ago.  This is the place where I made my decision to walk a new path in life.  Heh...  After all of these years, I've ended up right back where I started...

Suddenly, out from the darkness of a nearby hallway, Luke emerged.  Breathing heavily, Luke shrieked as he saw Enzo standing above Lorne with a dagger in his hand.  Without even stopping to think, Luke charged at Enzo and delivered a kick that sent Mario's self-proclaimed rival tumbling onto the floor.   "I've already abandoned Wario... This time, I won't run away..."

Enzo rose from the floor and wept the blood from his lip.  His eyes widened as he realized that he had been struck by Mario's son.  "You...  You're his son..."  His eyes began to glow red with hatred.  "Mario's... child..."  He raised his dagger above his head and slowly began to approach Luke.  "Sorry Lorne, but Mario's blood relative takes priority over you.  I'm afraid he'll have to die first!"




Wrath

"You're not going anywhere!" Donkey Kong howled with fury as he viciously pounded his fists against his chest.  The ape dashed toward the Master with his fists raised.  After swallowing his fear and preparing for battle, Luigi stepped firmly in DK's path.  "Stay back.  I'm the only person you need to worry about right now."  His eyes were glowing with determination, and a green flame began to engulf his body.

"Those flames..." the Master muttered as he stroked his chin. 

"Go," Luigi commanded, and the Master complied.  With the princess held safely in his arms, the Master began to sprint away from the battle in order to find an exit.

"Luigi...  I hope you know what you're doing..."

Donkey Kong punched at his foe with all of his might, but Luigi was able to dodge it just in time.  The room began to quake as DK's fist collided with the floor, creating a miniature crater.  "Those brass knuckles he's wearing make his punches even more powerful.  If I take a hit from one of those, it's over."  His eyes widened as he noticed the green flames that were beginning to cover his body.  "Is this... the Emerald Flame?  Six years have passed, so I'm sure there's been enough time for my body to gather more negative energy.  I must be using the Emerald Flame instinctively because of the peril that I'm in."

Donkey Kong pulled his fist from the floor and charged at Luigi once again.  "This isn't good...  The Emerald Flame's power comes from the darkness in other people's hearts...  If I don't do something soon, my entire body will be consumed by evil."  He stared into the eyes of his opponent.  His body glowing with the power of the Emerald Flame, Luigi dashed forward at DK.  Just as they were only a few feet away from each other, Luigi aimed his opened palms at DK and unleashed a blaze of green inferno from his hand.  Donkey Kong stopped dead in his tracks and began to stagger backward as his body was engulfed in flames.  He screeched in agony as his fur was set ablaze by the might of Luigi's attack.

"It's over," Luigi sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

However, Luigi had little time to celebrate.  As soon as he let his guard down, the burning ape lunged forward and struck the plumber in the chest with a punch that was fueled by his intense hatred.  Luigi shrieked in anguish as he tumbled onto his back, his body still lit by the Emerald Flame.  "You don't understand, do you?" Donkey Kong inquired as he towered over the injured plumber.  "You can burn me all you want...  My body has already been ignited with the flames of my hatred for Mario..."

Luigi's vision began to grow black.  He groaned and clutched his head as he began to suffer from a splitting headache.  "The flames...  I don't know how much longer I can last..."

"Mario...  We first met in Brooklyn a long time ago...  All I wanted was to be loved by someone...  I eventually kidnapped Pauline..." Donkey Kong explained between grunts of anger.  "Then he showed up...  He ruined everything...  And then...  After we met here in the Mushroom Kingdom... we put our rivalry behind us...  But I secretly grew jealous of his fame and success...  That's when Enzo found me... and promised that I could have my revenge... if I joined his group..."

Luigi's eyes suddenly snapped back open.  "Enzo...?  Is that the name of your leader?" Luigi inquired as he slowly rose to his feet.  He coughed up a mouthful of blood.  "So...  Crimson finally found another puppet.  It's about time.  After all, Velno's been dead for six years...  And in order to get you to join him, this 'Enzo' took advantage of your hidden feelings of envy and frustration."  Luigi's body began to grow brighter than before.  "...Not again...  Who does Crimson think he is?!  Can't you see that he's using you all as pawns?!"

Donkey Kong replied with a roar of pure malevolence.

"Think about it!  Is it really right to blame all of your problems on Bro?!" Luigi cried, his flames beginning to flow down his arms and into his fists.  If I channel all of the Emerald Flame's power into my hands, I can prevent it from overwhelming me!  The plumber and ape sprinted toward each other one final time.  Luigi lunged forward and threw his fists forward, connecting with the brass knuckles attached to DK's fists.  Donkey Kong staggered backward, and his brass knuckles shattered.  Luigi, his fists bleeding heavily from the use of his Emerald Flame, stood up and charged at the ape once again.  "You kidnapped Pauline!  My Bro did the right thing by saving her!  And now you're saying that a little jealousy and loneliness justifies all of this destruction?!  Why don't you get over it and do something to improve your life?!"  As he spoke, Luigi delivered several blows to his opponent's chest.  After a few moments, his fists gave out on him, and the plumber fell.

Peace

The color began to return to Donkey Kong's face as he was finally brought back to his senses.  "Luigi... What have I done...?"

Luigi grinned, unable to stand because of the severity of his injuries.  "Heh...  Now you've come back to us...  You could've done it before you beat me to a pulp..."

Tears began to form in the corners of the ape's eyes.  "Luigi...  You endured all of that pain for me...  You should've saved your strength for my three former comrades... but whatever you did, it worked.  Somehow, you managed to get through to me even after Enzo hypnotized me..."

"Then it was worth it," Luigi chuckled weakly.  "It's good to have you back."

Donkey Kong pulled a Super Mushroom out of his pocket.  "Luigi, I want you to have this.  Your injuries are far more severe than mine are, and while it won't fully heal you, you should be able to walk again."  He handed the Super Mushroom to Luigi, who gratefully swallowed it in one gulp.

In a flash, Luigi was back on his feet.  "That's better.  I've still got some pain in my fists, but I should be okay for now."  He stared into the darkness of the hallway that the Master had escaped through.  "Donkey Kong, could you do me a favor?  I'd like you to make sure that the Master and Princess Peach escape as quickly as possible.  If they run into any trouble, please defend them at all costs."

Donkey Kong nodded.  "But where will you go?"

"My first priority was to get the princess to safety.  Now that you and the Master have got it covered, I've gotta go back and help my friends."

"You're not going to change your mind, are you?" Donkey Kong inquired with a slight grin.

Luigi shook his head.

"In that case, good luck."




Uphill Battle

Meanwhile, Ace and Lord Shade were engaging in a battle of beam swords.  The sound of static electricity echoed through the castle's empty halls as they gradually grew more aggressive.  Ace lunged at his foe's throat with his blade, but Shade parried the attack and landed a slash across the demon's shoulder.

"I thought you wanted revenge," Shade chuckled in mock confusion.  "I guess you lost your nerve.  Don't worry; I'm sure some good news will bring your spirits up.  Remember the tiny martial artist that died today?  I was responsible for his death."

"I thought so," Ace murmured, still clutching the gash on his shoulder.  "You were careless.  You left someone alive, and he was able to tell us where you ran off to.  As soon as Mario's son heard, he rushed after you in a fit of rage.  If you truly killed Jinx, then you must have encountered the boy at some point."

"Him?  That's easy.  You can find him in the Underwhere.  Don't bother trying to make the journey; I'll send you there myself!" Shade exclaimed as he began slashing at his wounded prey.

"You mean... he's dead?!" Ace howled in disbelief.  He reached for his deck with his free hand and crushed a second card, causing another beam sword to materialize in his left hand.  Now wielding two swords, Ace lunged at his foe with a shriek of hatred.  Shade staggered backward, overwhelmed by Ace's dual blades.  Electric sparks lit the dim hallway as their artificial swords clashed.

As they fought, Luigi entered from a nearby hole in the floor.  "Ace, are you alright?  Do you need any help?"

Shade, now pinned against the wall, began to assess his situation.  With both of them here, my chances of victory are slim.  Perhaps it is time to finalize the plan.  "There won't be any need for that.  If both of you team up against me, I won't stand a chance.  I surrender."

Luigi raised his eyebrows in confusion.  "You... wait a minute, you're Lord Shade?!  How could you have possibly survived?!"

"I'll explain that some other time," Ace assured him.  "For now, I want Shade to give us some answers.  Why are you even bothering to surrender?  You must know that we're not going to let you out of here alive, regardless of whether or not you admit defeat."

"Brilliant, as always," Shade commented with a faint smile.  "You're free to finish me off at any time.  But before you do, I'd like you to listen closely.  With the modern technology that you humans have come up with, copying data can be done by simply pressing a few buttons.  Now, picture the advanced equipment that Crimson has in his possession.  Smithy created me by salvaging my old data and forming it into a mechanical body.  Did you really think that he'd use this data to create only one body?  When I said that I was repaired, I wasn't talking about a simple reconstruction; I was talking about mass production!"

"You mean... there are more of you?" Luigi inquired fearfully.

Shade nodded.  "Exactly.  I am one of many Lord Shade clones.  Each of us possess the memories and abilities of the original, and any new memories that are recorded by a single clone can be instantly transmitted to the others.  As I said before, feel free to end my life.  But before you do, I suggest looking out of the window."

Ace did as Shade suggested and gasped in horror.  Marching toward them from miles away were hundreds of Lord Shade clones.  "If we're attacked by that many clones... we won't stand a chance."

"That's right.  If you want to kill me, that's fine.  You will only ensure your own demise.  If you want to escape from here with your lives, I suggest you start running.  I won't stop you."

Frantic Rush

"Luigi, I think he has a point!  What difference will it make if we allow him to live?  There are hundreds of other clones coming right toward us!" Ace cried in desperation.  "Let's go!"

Luigi nodded and sprinted alongside Ace toward the castle's exit.  Sweat trickled down their faces as they frantically made their way through the castle, counting down the moments until the army of Shades arrived.  At last, Ace stopped at a fork in the hallway.  "Where are you going?" Luigi asked.  "The exit is the other way!"

"I'm going back to the Nightmare Vault!" Ace replied.  "The Nexus Access Point is in this castle's basement.  This could be my last chance to enter the Nexus!"

"The Nightmare Vault..." Luigi whispered.  "Does that mean...?"

"Yes.  It's time for Mario to return and protect his kingdom.  I'm going to give him the Nexus Pass so he can get back here, but I think I'll be staying in the Nightmare Vault.  I have to prepare for the final battle with the Grimnexes, and I'm sure that Mario will be fine without my help.  If there's anyone that can stop an army of Lord Shades, it's him."

"So, I guess this is goodbye," Luigi sighed.  "Well, for a while, anyway."

"Yes, but first I have to explain a few things that Lord Shade told me.  It's your job to inform the rest of your comrades."

Luigi nodded.  "Aright.  Shoot."




"Get over here, you worthless piece of trash!" Enzo hissed through clenched teeth.  He was chasing Luke to and fro, swiftly and erratically stabbing his dagger at his prey.  Luke had been on the defensive since the battle began; he was so focused on dodging Enzo's attacks that he couldn't find an opening for a counterattack.

"I don't understand... why do you hate my father?" Luke inquired as he ducked beneath another one of his foe's stabs.  "What could he have possibly done to justify all of this?"

Cursed Memory

Enzo's eyes flashed red with hatred as he lunged forward and connected a powerful kick with Luke's chest.  The young plumber tumbled onto the ground and gazed upward in fear.  Enzo was towering above him, his dagger in hand and a wicked grin plastered on his face.  "Do you want to know why I loathe your father?  Ask yourself this: How would you feel if your father died in the Nightmare Vault?  Wouldn't you hate the ones who took him away from you?"

Luke nodded hesitantly.

"Of course you would...  It's human nature, after all.  You see, something very similar happened to me and my fiancé many years ago.  Before you were even born, your father lived in a dimension parallel to this one, in a town called Brooklyn.  Donkey Kong used to live there too, as did I.  Oh, how our lives were so different back then...  I was happily engaged to the love of my life.  My life was perfect... until he came along.  For no apparent reason, Donkey Kong stole my fiancé away from me and brought her to the top of a construction zone.  I was prepared to rescue her, but before I could make my move, your father showed up and saved the day.  I was humiliated.  As Mario thwarted the ape and brought her to safety, my fiancé didn't even bother to look at me.  She pretended as though she didn't even know me, and eventually changed her name to Pauline.  Just like that, the love of my life was gone...

"However, that's not the worst part...  You're probably too young to understand this, but sometimes when you love someone, you have to let them go.  I decided that I would not interfere with my love's relationship with Mario.  She seemed... happy with him.  I felt as though I could eventually move on as long as she was able to find happiness with this man.  And just when I began to recover from my loss, it happened.  While reading the newspaper one morning, I discovered that she had been killed by this 'Mario' in a 'tragic accident'.  I was devastated.  Your father came along out of nowhere, took the love of my life away from me, and then mercilessly slaughtered her.  From that moment on, I dedicated my life to hatred and revenge.  I spent my days learning swordsmanship and trying to hunt Mario down.  Eventually, I met Crimson and agreed to work for him.  Now that I am a part of his scheme, I can finally fulfill my dream of revenge."

"Don't be stupid!  My father didn't kill Pauline on purpose!" Luke screamed, his face growing red with rage.  "How can you accuse him of something like that?!  Did you even bother to get to know my dad before you jumped to conclusions?!  My father has saved this kingdom from destruction countless times, and not once has he murdered someone out of cruelty!"

"Damn him..." Enzo cursed, his fury welling up inside of him.  "Damn you, Mario... You've even brainwashed your own son!"  His frustration finally exploded as he closed in on Luke to deal a fatal blow.  Just as his dagger was inches away from Luke's throat, a second blade knocked Enzo's weapon from his hand and onto the floor.

Lorne frowned as Enzo hurriedly scooped his dagger off of the ground.  "Sorry, but I wasn't quite finished yet.  I couldn't help but overhear your interesting tale, and I must say that something about your story doesn't seem quite right.  Call me a skeptic, but I have a feeling that Crimson was involved with your tragedy.  He has quite a history of manipulating others' emotions to accomplish his own goals, and I still can't understand why Pauline would change her name after meeting Mario.  But enough about that.  You're holding an illogical vendetta against the father of two innocent children, a father that has been one of few to earn my respect.  It doesn't matter to me what truly happened back in Brooklyn; in order to defend the honor of this child's father, I cannot back down from this fight."

"Speaking of fathers, did you know that your father is alive?" Enzo inquired with an evil smirk.

Lorne's eyes narrowed.  "Impossible.  Mario's father, Anthony, and my father, Dante, each fought against Lord Shade when he attacked Brooklyn many years ago.  Anthony was able to bring the Mario Brothers to safety, but my father died before he had the chance to save me.  As such, I was enslaved by Lord Shade for several years until Crimson helped me escape."

"Sort of," Enzo replied.  "However, your father didn't die in his fight with Lord Shade.  Do you want to know what happened to him?  I'm afraid I can't say much more than the fact that he is alive and well."

In the blink of an eye, Lorne's blade was pressed against Enzo's throat.  "You will tell me where my father is."

Enzo shrugged in sarcastic helplessness.  "I'm afraid that I couldn't even if your threats did scare me.  I'm new to Crimson's gang, so he didn't fill me in on all of the details.  However, there's one more thing I can tell you with absolute certainty:  If you begin to search for your father, you will not like what you find at the end of your path."

"Well then.  I suppose there isn't any purpose in letting you live," Lorne stated indifferently.  Just as he was about to slit Enzo's throat, the castle shook with an enormous earthquake.  Lorne's blade clattered to the floor, and Enzo quickly made his escape.

"The clones are finally here!" Enzo exclaimed gleefully as his voice faded into the darkness.

Seconds later, Luigi stormed into the room.  "Guys, what are you doing here?!  Hundreds of Lord Shade clones are standing outside of the castle as we speak!  We need to get out of here before they make their move!"

"Shade clones?" Luke parroted in fright.

"In that case, we'd better leave.  You can give us the details later.  As a former assassin, I should be able to lead you out of here without being detected.  Follow me," Lorne instructed them.  "However, if they attack before we can get out of here, not even my stealth will be able to save us."

shadowmarioguy

Chapter 12: Crimson's Declaration

Negotiating with Bowser

"What?  That's ridiculous!" Bowser roared as he glared at the battered and breathless group of heroes.  "Let me get this straight.  You want to team up with me?!"

Princess Peach nodded slowly.  "We're not too fond of the idea either, but it seems to be our only option.  Mushroom Castle has been invaded, and we have no one left to turn to.  Bowser, won't you let us stay with you?"

Bowser growled, struggling to ignore his feelings for the princess.  "Grr...  What do I gain from all of this?"

Luigi stepped forward.  "Listen.  There's another group of villains that hates Mario.  They've already captured Mushroom Castle, something that you've only been able to do a handful of times.  If you don't watch it, Crimson just might replace you.  He might even kidnap Peach for himself."

"Nrgg...  Alright," Bowser agreed gruffly, his arms crossed.  "I get the idea.  It's cliché, but I'll help you protect the kingdom that I plan to rule someday.  Besides, I'm the only villain who's allowed to kidnap the princess."

"But how are you going to fight against Crimson?  He's got an entire army of Lord Shade clones!" Luke protested.

"I've got a little army of my own, kid," Bowser chuckled.  "Mario is the only person who has ever toppled my Koopa Troop.  Speaking of which, would you like to join it?  Usually I don't let losers like you in the Koopa Troop, but I can see how badly you want to be a part of it.  Just this once, I'll make an exception."

"Wonderful," Luigi grumbled cynically.

"Now that we have Bowser's Koopa Troop on our side, what should we do?" Donkey Kong inquired.  "I doubt that Bowser's minions will be much of a match for the Shade clones."

"What was that?!" Bowser growled angrily.

"I think we should wait for Bro to get back," Luigi suggested, ignoring the offended Koopa King.  "If we had him on our side, we'll have a better chance of winning.  Unfortunately, it could be a while before he returns from the Nightmare Vault.  Until then, we have to try and survive for as long as we can.  Bowser, can you prepare your troops for battle?  For all we know, this castle could be Crimson's next target."

Bowser nodded grumpily.  "First, I'll take a headcount.  There are six of you, but Princess Peach isn't a warrior.  Kammy!  Add the following names to the Koopa Troop roster: Luigi, Luigi Jr., Lorne, the Master, and Donkey Kong.  Princess Peach's safety is also a top priority!"

"Of course," Kammy obeyed as she scribbled the names down on a piece of paper.  "Are these six really the only survivors?"

Princess Peach hung her head.  "The castle was evacuated just before the assault, but we don't know how many made it out alive.  Also, there are probably a lot of people who don't even know about Crimson's assault.  Is there any way we can warn the other residents of the kingdom?"

"I'll look into it," Kammy offered.  "Your grunginess, didn't that Nintendo 3DS you bought have the ability to record video footage?  If I combined it with some of my magic, maybe I could broadcast a warning to all of the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom."

"Then get to it, hag," Bowser commanded.  "I'll go prepare the Koopa Troop for battle."




Calm Heart

The Mushroom Hero sat cross-legged in a vast, white abyss of nothingness, a gentle blue aura emanating from his body.  He took a deep breath.  The words of his new mentor, Swift, began to echo through his mind.

"If you're willing to let me teach you, you can become stronger and drive the evil from your heart.  I wasn't planning on passing down my knowledge, but I suppose it couldn't hurt to have a successor.  You see, my ancestors belonged to the noble family of knights that protected Zeus during the Terranean War.  If you can complete my family's forbidden training program, you will find peace within yourself and fight with the nobility and grace of the legendary Royal Guards.

"Are you ready to begin?  Very well.  For the first step of your training, you must obtain peace within yourself.  As you already know, a demon is lurking within the depths of your soul.  No matter what you may think or say, this demon will always be a part of you.  It wishes to control you, and you wish to suppress it.  As long as you continue to oppose each other, your body will be tortured by this eternal struggle.  In order to attain peace, I want you to meditate for the next two weeks."

"Two weeks?! There's no way I can stay still for that long!"

"In that case, you may want to reconsider training under me.  Allow me to explain the reality of this training program.  If you decide to train under me, you must remain in a meditative state for about two weeks.  This meditation will bring you into the depths of your soul, where you must find the solution to your despair.  If you end the program before you are successful, the balance between your demon and human conscience will be lost, and there will be serious repercussions.  Likewise, if you do not awaken from your meditation by the end of the fourteenth day, I will kill you with my own hands.  In other words, I'll assume that the demon within you was able to slay you.  In order to prevent your body from being used as a puppet, I'll have no choice but to end your life."

"What if I finish the training program before two weeks have passed?"

"You won't.  Trust me."


"Ten days have already passed," Mario whispered, his voice echoing into the distance.  "I've managed to tap into this strange realm inside of me, but I haven't seen that demon at all.  This is more complicated than I thought it would be...  What if Swift managed to permanently seal my demon away when I arrived in the Nightmare Vault six years ago?  I only have four days left...  What if there's nothing to find within this realm...?"

"Mario!" A voice exclaimed from seemingly nowhere.  "This is Swift.  It seems that someone wants to talk to you.  Are you in the middle of something?"

"No," Mario replied, not sure what direction he should project his voice in.

"Ace has a message that he wants to give you.  However, if you exit this state of inner peace, you will have to start the training program over, and all the progress you have made will be eradicated.  Instead, I will relay Ace's message to you from the outside world.  It seems as though the Mushroom Kingdom has been attacked by Crimson.  The situation appears to be grim, and Crimson has managed to clone an army of Lord Shades."

In mere seconds, the inner peace that Mario had struggled to maintain quickly crumbled away.  "No...  Why now...?"  Suddenly feeling the burden of the Mushroom Kingdom's safety weighing on his shoulders, Mario pondered his options.

Meanwhile, Ace waited for a response from Mario, who appeared to be sleeping while sitting up in the outside world.  "He's not moving..." Ace observed hesitantly.  "Are you sure he's not sleeping?"

"He has successfully traversed into the depths of his soul," Swift explained.  "Even if he did want to help you, I doubt he could willingly awaken from his meditation.  Just wait a few more days.  After four more days, I assure you that Mario will be ready to protect the Mushroom Kingdom."

"We can't afford to wait that long!  Please, this is an emergency!" Ace pleaded.  "In four days, the Mushroom Kingdom will be a barren wasteland!"

"You'll just have to wait.  Mario's training is much more important than-"

"I'll see what I can do," Mario assured them as he slowly rose to his feet.  "The Mushroom Kingdom's safety is my responsibility.  I can't allow this petty meditation to distract me any longer."

Swift gasped.  "You fool!  Do you understand the consequences of what you've just done?  You've exited your meditative state!  Unless...  Were you able to discover the answer to your struggle four days earlier than expected?"

"Not really," Mario replied.  "For now, I've decided that I need to defend the Mushroom Kingdom."

"That may be true for the most part, but I can tell that part of you disagrees with that decision.  Deep down, you fear the might of the Grimnexes.  You know that this training is necessary, and without it, you may suffer unbearable agony.  The balance between you and your demon soul has been thrown off, and the internal strife will tear you apart just as the final battle begins.  You've been struggling with this decision for the past six years, and the time has come for you to answer it.  Do you want to fight for the present, or the future?  If you stay with me, the Mushroom Kingdom will likely meet its end.  However, your chances of defeating the Grimnexes will increase, and a demon invasion could be averted. On the other hand, if you leave now, your loved ones will be safe.  But as a result, you will be ill prepared for the war against the Grimnexes."

For a moment, Mario remained silent.  "I'll...  I'll find a way to protect both of them...  Somehow..."

Ace hung his head as he saw the despair that filled Mario's eyes.  Mario...  Your heart has become fragile after all of these tragedies...  I can only hope that your friends are still alive...

"Go, then. Get out of my sight," Swift spat, gesturing for Ace and Mario to leave.  "You clearly do not know what you wish to protect.  At first it was the Mushroom Kingdom, but now the stakes are much higher.  In the end, I fear that the pressure building up inside of you will lead to a sudden and untimely demise..."

His mind made up for the time being, Mario jogged beside Ace toward the Nexus Access Point.  "Are you sure about this?" Ace inquired for the third time.

Mario nodded slowly.  "I can't think about the future right now...  I'm too worried about the present..."

The two of them stopped walking.  Ace handed Mario the Nexus Pass.  "I suppose this is goodbye for now.  As long as you survive the battle with Crimson, we can meet up in four months to prepare for whatever the Grimnexes have in store for us."

Mario waved goodbye to his demon comrade.  "See ya.  Make sure you learn as much as you can from that King guy."

"I will.  He has told me a lot about the potential of the Zepar tribe's abilities.  Good luck with Crimson.  I'll be praying for your safety."  With that, Ace turned and began to walk away, his mind filled with concern for his friend.  Mario...  What's this feeling I have in my gut...?  I hope your friends and family are alright...  I can't imagine what your reaction will be if something has happened to them.




"What's taking so long, hag?!" Bowser roared in frustration.

Princess Peach, the Master, Luigi, Luke, Lorne, Donkey Kong, and Bowser were lazing about the castle's lobby, impatiently waiting for Kammy to finish modifying the Koopa King's Nintendo 3DS.  "I'm sorry, your eagerness.  It seems that I was foolish to believe that this device could broadcast to the entire kingdom."

"IDIOT!" Bowser screamed as a wave of fire launched from his throat and burnt the Magikoopa to a crisp.  "We don't have time for your excuses!  Those are my citizens to terrorize!  If we don't warn them, Crimson might get to them first!"

"Err... I'll get back to work," Kammy grumbled, her body trembling in pain.  She crawled beside the television set that was hooked up and began to fiddle with a clutter of wires and cords.

The heroes remained silent, pondering their next move.  The stillness was broken by a familiar voice.  "So I guess you haven't started fighting back yet?"  Waluigi inquired as he entered the room.

"It looks like you're feeling better," Luigi observed cheerfully.  As he opened his mouth to continue speaking, he bit his tongue.  He had forgotten all about Wario.  "Waluigi... I'm sorry..."

"It's not your fault," Waluigi replied glumly.  "If there's anyone to blame other than Crimson, it's me.  I was at the hospital, tending to my wounds.  If I had been with you guys back when Crimson attacked the castle, I could've helped Wario..."

Peach put a hand on his shoulder.  "Try not to worry about it.  No one else is going to die.  Mario is coming back, and he'll stop Crimson.  Think about it.  The same thing happened when Lord Shade attacked.  Mario always came to the rescue whenever Shade sent one of his minions to destroy us.  When the time came for the final battle, Mario was eventually able to triumph.  The same thing will happen with Crimson."

"He does have a habit of hogging all the glory," Waluigi agreed with a sarcastic grin.  Even so, Mario was barely able to defeat Velno, and even then, I heard that he had to use some sort of demonic power.  When the time comes, will Mario be able to face Crimson?

The room grew quiet yet again, until Kammy yelped with a triumphant squeal.  "Just attach these two wires, and... DONE!"

"Done with what?" Waluigi inquired, not yet aware of the group's plan to broadcast a warning to the citizens of the kingdom.

"Well, I've been trying to get King Bowser's Nintendo 3DS to inform everyone about Crimson's invasion," Kammy explained.  "If I press this button..."

"Couldn't you have just used your magic to materialize the necessary equipment?" Waluigi asked, causing nearly everyone in the room to press their palm against their face.

Kammy remained silent for a moment.  ".......Erm...  As I was saying... if I press this button..."

Crimson's Theme

Suddenly, she was interrupted as the television turned on by itself, revealing an image of Crimson and Smithy.  "Greetings, citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom.  We interrupt your lives of mediocrity to bring you this special announcement: Mushroom Castle has been taken over."

"It looks like he decided to make the broadcast for us.  How nice," Waluigi remarked sardonically.

"I know you are all very busy people, so I'll have to capture your attention with a familiar face.  Remember this guy?"  A Lord Shade clone stepped onto the screen.  "That's right.  Remember when Lord Shade had this kingdom under his complete control?  Well, Lord Shade is under my control, so I'm sure you can imagine how powerful I must be.  But enough bragging.  I'll get straight to the point.  I've scoured the universe in search of a special person, and I think this kingdom just might be the home of said person.  As such, I've decided to 'test' the citizens of this kingdom.  I have mass produced clones of the very same Lord Shade that you see before you, and they will soon be given orders to eliminate anyone that crosses their path.  Your job, my dear viewers, is simple.  If you can manage to defeat one of these clones, you will be personally invited to Mushroom- or should I say, my castle for a one-on-one duel with yours truly.  Alternatively, if you can get past the hundreds of Shade clones that guard my castle, feel free to challenge me.  It is through one of these processes that I will locate the person I am searching for.  Oh , and if it turns out that he is not here, I'll simply eliminate this kingdom and move on to the next."

"Crimson...  What are you after?" Luigi wondered aloud.  "Whatever it is, it's clear that he wants to lure the kingdom's strongest warriors to him."

"I'm sure we'll find out what he wants soon enough," Lorne muttered.  "That is, assuming we live long enough to hear about it."

"Of course, I understand that not everyone specializes in combat," Crimson continued.  "In fact, the majority of you are too weak to be worth my time.  If you fall under this category, I suggest you find a safe place to hide.  Despite the fact that the majority of you are worthless to me, there is a group gathered in Bowser's Castle that holds promise."  Crimson grinned.  "That's right.  I know where you are.  You should probably get your act together before Bowser's Castle is swarmed by Shade clones.  You don't want a repeat of Mushroom Castle, do you?"

The heroes gasped in shock as they rushed to the nearest window.  Sure enough, Shade clones began to appear along the horizon.  "I guess he really isn't big on wasting time," Waluigi muttered in astonishment.  "He didn't even give us a chance to retaliate!"

"Crimson has searched for this mystery man for over a decade.  I'm not sure who it is, but either way, Crimson will do anything to find him," Lorne explained.  "Crimson isn't afraid to eradicate every life form on this planet.  Shade usually took his time to search for strong warriors to recruit, but not Crimson.  He believes that the man he is looking for will find a way to survive no matter how difficult the circumstances are."

"In other words, he isn't holding back," the Master continued.  "If Crimson does end up destroying everyone, he'll simply assume that the one he is searching for is somewhere else."

Luigi frowned.  "That's pretty grim.  What if he accidentally killed the person he was looking for?"

"It's obvious that Crimson is searching for someone who possesses great power.  Therefore, this mystery person would not die against a clone of Lord Shade," Lorne reasoned.  "I wish I knew who it was...  I've recently begun to suspect Mario, but he's not that much stronger than all of us."

"Instead of speculating, we should probably mobilize Bowser's military," the Master suggested.

"I've already got that covered," Bowser chuckled confidently.  Suddenly, the castle was shaken by an enormous quake.  The group peered out of a nearby window to see hundreds of Lord Shade clones battling with various species of Goombas, Koopas, Dry Bones, Hammer Bros., and other common soldiers.  Bowser gasped as he saw his Koopa Troop getting slashed to pieces.

The Master gulped.  "It's just as I feared...  The Koopa Troop is no match for a single Lord Shade, let alone an army of them."

"What do you suggest we do?" Peach inquired fearfully.

Tainted Soul

Bowser grinned.  "I always hate when things start to get mushy, but you guys really need to get out of here.  I can see that my Koopa Troop isn't going to be able to hold them off much longer.  You need to get the princess out of here as quickly as possible.  Besides, you'd only get in our way."

"You expect us to leave?!" Luigi thundered.  "I thought we were a part of the Koopa Troop!  You think we're just going to run away like we did in Mushroom Castle?"

The Master grabbed Luigi by the collar of his shirt and spoke with a grim seriousness.  "Luigi!  Look outside.  Do you see what's happening?"  Luigi's eyes widened as he saw the bloodstained ground and the hundreds of Goomba and Koopa corpses outside of the castle.  "This is different from Lord Shade's invasion.  If we try to resist them, the fight will be over instantly.  No matter how many times we encounter them, the result will be the same.  If we want to defeat Crimson and his Shade clones, we need to use our heads.  Before we can formulate a plan, we need to escape to safety."

"But if we leave now, Bowser and his Koopa Troop will all die!" Luigi shot back, his face red with frustration.  "We may not be on the best of terms, but after all of these years...  I've learned that Bowser isn't such so bad compared to people like Lord Shade and Crimson!"

"Casualties are inevitable.  If we don't get out of here now, their sacrifice will be in vain.  I know it hurts, but now isn't the time to rush into battle without a plan!  If we all stay here, every one of us will die!  If we all try to escape, the Shade clones will follow us and destroy us all!  Unless Bowser and his troops stay behind to hold off the clones, all of Mario's friends and family will be gone!"

Luigi gasped in sudden realization.  He hung his head.  "I'm sorry...  I just...  I don't want to see anyone else die..."

"I'm flattered by your concern, but don't worry," Bowser assured them.  "I'm not gonna die.  Mario trounced me dozens of times, and I always came back.  Besides, you're the ones Mario cares about most.  Your safety takes priority over mine.  Now get out of here!  That's an order!"

"Let's go," Luigi agreed at last.  After saying their final goodbyes, Luigi, Luke, Lorne, Donkey Kong, Princess Peach, Waluigi, and the Master began to sprint toward the back entrance of the castle.  Several more earthquakes shook the castle, and synchronized footsteps echoed in the background.

Peach gasped.  "Wait a minute...  Where's Waluigi?"

Luigi stopped and whirled around just in time to see Waluigi sprinting back toward the site of the battle.  Waluigi noticed him and waved goodbye before turning a corner and vanishing from their sight.  "Wait!  Waluigi!"  The footsteps of the Shade clones grew louder.

"We don't have time to go back!" the Master urged him, teardrops forming in the corners of his eyes.  "The Shade clones are right behind us.  If they come from around that corner and spot us, we'll never be able to escape!"

Meanwhile, Waluigi stood his ground as hundreds of Lord Shade clones stormed in his direction.  "Sorry guys...  I have to do this...  It's my fault that Wario died...  If I hadn't been at the hospital, I could've protected him..."  His fingertips began to glow with purple flames as he dashed toward the mob of clones.  He fired as many blasts as he could before he was engulfed by an ocean of blackness.  "Sorry, Bro...  I'll be seeing you soon...  But before I go... I'm gonna take down as many of these freaks as I can!"

As Luigi and the others descended the stairs that led to the castle's exit, they heard a bloodcurdling scream echo from the hallway they had just left.  All at once, they realized the severity of Crimson's invasion.  This was nothing like the war with Lord Shade.  They needed to think of something soon, or each and every one of them would die.  Their grim fate saddened them, but an even deeper fear lurked in the back of their minds.  Ace promised that Mario was going to return soon, but who would remain to greet him?