The air was still, even in the face of the end. The ground shook beneath the feet of four brave heroes, and three of their former enemies, signaling the never ending growths of The Void, looming mercilessly in the sky above Castle Bleck.
The group walked through a large door from the Inner Sanctum of the castle, away from the past treachery and pure evil that was once Dimentio, and into a calm, beautiful room filled with flowers, decorating the marble columns which were lining the walls.
"Hey, I remember this place!" The man in green exclaimed as he stepped through the doorway.
Nearby, a tattered and battle-worn Count Bleck ignored him and turned his gaze to the small, rainbow-colored butterfly Pixl, fluttering her wings next to him.
"Timpani..." He began quietly, attempting to catch his breath. "Do you still..." He cleared his throat and resumed nervously. "Do you still love me?"
The butterfly Pixl turned to the count and replied quietly. "Yes..." Seeing the worry in his eyes, she spoke up. "Blumiere. Of course I do."
Without hesitating, the count asserted to her. "Then you must come with me."
"'Ey, count! What're yeh doin'?" O'Chunks, Count Bleck's Irish henchman, cried out.
Count Bleck gripped his sapphire staff tightly and turned to him. "We will use the Pure Hearts again, this time to banish the Chaos Heart. All we need is true love... And that is something I am lucky enough to possess..." He glanced at Tippi, and though he couldn't see her face, he knew she was smiling at him with pure joy. It almost broke his heart what would happen in the process of his objective, and he hesitated while he continued. "But... With the Chaos Heart gone, the Pure Hearts and those linked to them... They may cease to exist..." He whispered.
"You mean you might go away? B-But I don't want you to go!" Mimi, another of Bleck's minions, said worryingly in her young, high-pitched voice.
The count, not wishing to meet anyone's gaze, lowered his tattered top hat over his scarlet eyes.
"All of this is my fault. The price is mine to pay... I do not have long to live anyway. But you, Timpani..." He looked up at the butterfly again, his vision clouding from the tears forming in his eyes. "It pains me to know this may cut your game short... Still..." He sighed heavily, nearly hurting his weak lungs in the process. "There is no other way to end this."
Tippi flew a bit closer to her love, and soothingly spoke. "I know, Blumiere... I know..."
"Timpani..."
"Don't say another word... As long as I am with you, nothing else matters."
Again, Count Bleck knew she was smiling at him, and he remembered how grateful he was to have such an amazing woman who truly cared for him, in spite of the absolute mess he had caused.
The room shook significantly, startling everyone in the midst of this touching scene. The end was drawing incredibly close, and the group was reminded that time was short.
"Aggghhh! It's... Happening!" Luigi cried over the current pandemonium.
Without pause Count Bleck turned to his love and spoke softly. "We must go, Timpani..."
"Yes, Blumiere..."
The count spread out his hands and flew to the altar, accompanied by the fluttering Pixl.
"There were so many things I wanted to say to you... But I could not find the words." The count's voice cracked as he stood on one side of the white altar, across from Tippi, and in front of the Chaos Heart.
"Oh, Blumiere... Only one thing matters to me now. I never had the chance to return your question... Do you still love me, as well?" Tippi asked sincerely.
The count looked straight at her. "Of course... I have thought about you every moment since you disappeared... But I have caused you so much suffering..." He shook his head as he spoke.
The young butterfly sighed. "Perhaps... my life would have been more carefree without you, that is true."
"But I had to be with you, Timpani. I will never apologize for that..." The count continued, somewhat weakly, but he was so sure of himself that no one took note of how weak he really was. He truly loved her, and he was so thankful that she loved him back.
The room shone with a pure, blinding light and the Pure Hearts appeared, their rainbow light circling the count and the pixl. The Hearts converged into the Chaos Heart, and the light shone again.
The room shook yet again, so powerfully that the four heroes nearly lost their footing.
"Everything's shaaaaaaking! Are we too late?" Bowser cried out with an expression of fright.
The man in green, however, looked around as he heard something in the distance. "Wait... Can you hear that?"
The group quieted down and listened carefully. A deep, joyful ringing could be heard, making a likeness to that of wedding bells.
Mimi spoke up. "I hear... bells!"
"How lovely! The bells are giving their blessing to Tippi and Bleck..." Princess Peach folded her gloved hands and smiled warmly, and Mario nodded at her.
O'Chunks had tears beginning to form in his eyes, and he sighed. "Urrrrrrgh..."
"Timpani... do you remember the promise we made to each other that day?" Blumiere asked to the young girl standing before him.
"Yes, I remember..." She replied, and nodded to him as she smiled.
"If there was a place where we could be happy together, we would find it." Blumiere walked to her and knelt down on his knees as he took her delicate hand in his. "Will you come with me to that place now?"
"Blumiere... Of course..." Timpani started to tear up, delighted and smiling in her bliss. "I will always be with you..."
The count stood and wrapped his cape around the young girl, and they kissed so tenderly and passionately as they disappeared in the light of the Pure Hearts, and finally found that place of pure bliss they had so long dreamed for.