Chapter 3: Midnight at Sundown

Each space between realms have their own attributes and kinks, they're known as Twilight Realms, the space in between space. Even the slightest bit of corruption can destroy these realms. Akin to the Moss Drenched Gate, each world has its own to communicate to another, solemnly have the gates ever been used.

A rainbow like tunnel appears at the end of the Twilight Realm, its the start of a new beginning.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the Mushroom Kingdom" greeted a Toad Knight.
"Please, make yourselves comfortable, and watch your step!"
"Haha, no need to worry about us or our strides, my good sir, I think we can-"
Boom. Bang. Explosions left and right.
"We apologize for such danger, you see, we are under attack. By whom? We actually are not sure, but just keep walking straight until you see a crater about, 10 miles long, once you all see that make a left and if you've passed the dead body pile then you've gone too far. Yea, our grave digger is dead, we presume. Ironic..."
"Oh my..." Melia spoke under her breath.
"Yea, but it's not all that bad. We have a council set up for you, Miss Melia. We have been expecting you. As for your group here, I'm afraid cannot come, it is top secret. Meanwhile, they can stay at Peach's Castle. Or what's left of it...Yea...not our brightest moment so far, but yea everything is going...fine...-ish..."

With time of the essence, every royal or political head was at the Underground Domain, comet proof and all. Silence loomed as Toadsworth introduced the Princess of the evening.

"Thank you one and all for coming with short notice. It is quite important that we start at once, lives are on the line and we must make haste. Without further ado, Princess Peach..."
Nothing, no one comes.
Seconds pass, nothing.
Murmurs cross the room.
"Ahem! P-Princess Peach! Dear Princess...where art thou? P-Peach?"

"My word, look at the rubble and shambles this place is in. What kind of travesty must have happened in this place? Everything is in ashes, just echoes and warnings of emtiness." sulked Fiora.
"I know, you can almost feel the sudden attack on the castle." Dunban added in.
"Say Shulk," Reyn chimed, "What do you make of this? You're all sorts of genius, what could have happened?"
"I can't say for sure, but...it appears like the type of dark energy I studied in my lab, before we came here. In fact, I've never seen this type of material. It's so heavy and thick, but so small and opaque. I can't quite make out what this is.." as Shulk placed a sample in a glass tube.
More meteorite like explosions happened as someone walked across the horizon.
"Who could that be?"
"It looks like, they're carrying a parasol?"
"Is that...Princess Peach?"
Indeed it is. Yards from becoming a pile of radioactive waste, the princess sauntered down a small valley. Almost like she was enjoying her leisure stroll. Twirling her parasol, humming, even laying a picnic basket on the floor to sip on some tea and crumpets. An extreme case of delusion or was the princess blissfully unaware with the issue at hand?
"Princess!" the old Toad had cried, seconds away from coughing up a lung.
"P-Princess... *gasping for air* with all due respect Princess, what in the world are you doing right now?"
"Oh, Toadsworth. Glad you're here, enjoy this black earl tea with me, won't you?
"I certainly cannot, my dear. We have a congress to attend to! My word, please do come we are in the bloodiest of all situations at this moment my princess..."
"Ah, yes I do declare there was something of the matter that you mentioned...alright, I'll play and join your little festivity Toadsworth, after this I have to get back into my matters of-"
"Princess, I urge you to come back to the session at hand at once!" Toadsworth implored using his stubby hands in attempts to get the pink lady to the Domain.
"Toadsworth!" roared Reyn, "We can help you back! Y'know, like bodyguards! Its a long way back, you may need us!"
"No no, thank you for such proposal but, we can do without your aid thank you very muc-"
"Now Toadsworth! That's not a very nice way to treat our guests, is it now?", now addressing to Shulk and Co. "I'd be honored if you came with us" Peach tenderly whispered.
"All right then!" Shulk proclaimed, eager to help in any way possible.
Handicapped by his walking cane, Toadsworth could not but just adjust to the situation and continued to fumble over to the underground base, crossing past green meteors crashing to the ground making wakes along its path of destruction.

"Here!" he spoke with much relief. Just a downward spiral separating Peach and the most important people in the universe. Except the Princess just hopped down the middle, skipping the stairs and deploying her parasol feet away from the ground to help brake the landing as Toadsworth tagged along falling on her very spiky tiara crown thing. Screeches broke the air both within and outside the chamber.

"What could that be?" Dunban asked in suspicion as he raced downstairs with Fiora, Reyn and Shulk to their surprise, a giant shadowy figure stood in the middle. Two large protruding crescent like appendages, darker than dark where present. Tall in appearance, and donning a pale robe, it was as callous as it was brooding. With one finger raised, glowing an iridescent green ball of energy at Peach, she remarked,
"Do it!" sure as all hell that it didn't have the guts to do so.


*Plot Summary*
As the sun sets, a mysterious moon rises, a bat devil-like spawn breaks into the congress chamber, posing a threat to them and in turn to the lives of everyone in the universe. Is it like for Princess Peach to wonder aimlessly about or even stand at line of fire risking her own life? And what about that poor insecure Toad Knight? Is he just death fodder?...Probably.

TO BE CONTINUED...