Prologue

Luigi stood amongst the bloody field of corpses. The corpses ranged from Koopas, Goombas, Toads, and Yoshisaurs. He took a step and began to walk slowly through the lines of bodies that had consumed the land around him. Further and further he wandered through the field until he looked upon a hill ahead of him. Atop the hill fought Mario and Bowser, archenemies. Mario had consumed a Fire Flower when the battle started and had begun to shoot fire at his nemesis. Bowser tried his best to block the advances, but eventually he fell to the ground. He was playing Mario, making him think he was beaten. Around them, the earth began to break apart, and a crevice opened in the earth, into which, Bowser fell. Mario, triumphant, turned to face the field of bodies. He spotted Luigi in the midst of the corpses and waved to him proudly with a large smile on his face. Before he could celebrate, however, a large yellow hand grabbed him from behind. Bowser had climbed back from the depths of the earth and held Mario up into the sky.

What little soldiers that were left looked up at the dragon holding the red plumber. Bowser snarled violently and, placing his left hand around Mario's head, tore his head from his body. He threw the remains down into the field right at Luigi's feet. Luigi stared down at his brother's body, trying to come to terms with what had just happened. He was shocked, terrified, sad, and angry all at once. Yoshi and Toad slowly made their way over to him and they bowed their heads at the sight of their friend. Bowser stared down at them and smiled deviously. Luigi turned his head toward Bowser and, from the top of the hill, Bowser could see a fire light in his eyes. He took up a dead Toad's sword, jumped onto Yoshi's back, and ordered him to charge at the dragon.

At high speed, Yoshi ran toward the hulking beast towering on the hill. Luigi, close to reaching the top, jumped from Yoshi's back, spun the sword in air, and launched it at Bowser who caught the sword and threw it back. The sword grazed Luigi's arm slightly and he fell to the ground, landing hard, seemingly killing him. Bowser slowly stepped over to him and quietly laughed proudly.

"Finally, after all these years, I have won. I have destroyed the Mario brothers and finally have the freedom to destroy the Mushroom Kingdom and rule over all. How does it feel to lose, plumber? How does it feel to know that I have won? How does it feel to know I killed your brother?"

Luigi coughed, spitting up a bit of blood in the process. "You've failed, Bowser. The Mushroom Kingdom will be safer now…and forever…Yoshi!"

Bowser turned quickly and was met with a flurry of rocks to the face from Yoshi, who had stored a plethora of rocks in his cheeks. Bowser, from the weight, was knocked back and he landed right beside the crevice, but just as he began to gain his balance again, Luigi stabbed the sword into his knee and pushed him into the crevice, this time for good.

Luigi turned to Yoshi and nodded in thanks. The two of them slowly made their way to where Mario's body laid on the ground next to Toad, who was kneeling beside him. Luigi sighed as he lifted his brother's body up and placed him upon Yoshi's back. The three of them turned back and began their long walk back to the Mushroom Castle.

Upon arrival, Peach stood outside the gates with princesses Daisy and Rosalina, her steward Toadsworth, and her newly appointed captain of the guard and his friend, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong. They stared off into the horizon as Luigi, Toad and Yoshi came slowly into view. The three heroes slowly approached the castle and upon reaching the gates, Luigi fell to the ground and grabbed his wounded arm. Yoshi carefully placed Mario's body onto the ground and sat next to the corpse, occasionally nudging his head against Mario.

Peach stared down at Mario's headless body and she burst into tears as her emotions took over. Toadsworth wrapped a cloth around Luigi's arm and tried to comfort the man in his sorrow. Donkey Kong looked up into the sky and a blinding light shone through the dark black clouds. The sun was coming out.

Rosalina sighed. "The sun. The day is won. Bowser has been defeated, but at a greater cost than we could have imagined."

Peach frowned. "Mario knew the cost would be high to defeat Bowser…he always knew…"

Luigi nodded. "My brother will forever be remembered as the Kingdom's greatest protector. I may have killed Bowser, but Mario is the reason we stopped him. His sacrifice was not in vain," Luigi sighed and closed his eyes tightly. "Mario, wherever you are…thank you."

Daisy and Diddy looked at each other and then the group. Toad hugged Peach tightly and whispered to her, "I'm sorry. I know you sent me to watch after him…can you forgive me for my failure?"

Peach smiled through her tears and nodded. "It isn't your fault Mario is gone…don't blame yourself, my little friend."

Luigi helped Toad and Toadsworth dig a grave for his brother in the early hours of the next morning. The three of them lowered his body into the grave and covered it up slowly. Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Peach, Rosalina, Daisy, Yoshi, and many others appeared at the funeral for the hero they just lost. Over the next few weeks, a statue of Mario was erected above the grave of him, holding a sword and a fireball. Luigi spent every single day after this by the grave. He didn't eat. He didn't sleep. He stayed there every single day. Until one day…he completely disappeared.