Chapter 4: Curse in a Box

Professor Frankly moved surprisingly quickly for a Goomba his age. Matthew and Goombella were hard pressed to keep up with him as the three of them weaved through the alleys. It was obvious that he knew his way around the dangerous town since they hardly encountered anyone on their way, the professor steering clear of suspicious characters loitering about. It made sense that he did to have survived here for this long.

They caught up to him when he paused just before the central square, twisting his head in both directions like Matthew had been taught when crossing a street. He hissed, "No sign of those brutes anywhere. Stay close to me," and then scurried out into the square. Matthew and Goombella hurried after him, and they all soon came to a stop at the base of the gallows. Matthew noticed the rope that made the noose was as stiff as a dirty sock.

"Goombartholomeau's Gallows!" Goombella whispered excitedly, standing on her toes for a closer look. "Back when this town was just starting, the constable would hang crooks from this rope and leave them there until just before the next felon would get hanged. He wasn't very popular and eventually he was hanged himself by the Soaring Crew, a gang who he had been chasing for a long time. He was left up there until eventually he withered away, and nobody's used it since."

Matthew suddenly felt squeamish about being so close to something so gruesome. He tried to imagine what it would feel like for the Goomba to be hung by his neck...

"Wait a minute," he murmured, his face twisting.

"Over here!" Professor Frankly called in a hoarse whisper from beneath the gallows. They stooped under the platform to the center where the professor was standing next to a green pipe. He gave them instructions to give each other two seconds before following and then jumped in and disappeared with a "glug glug glug." Two seconds later, Goombella jumped in, and two seconds after that Matthew plunged inside, coming out a few seconds later, skidding across stone, which scrubbed his skin quite effectively. On top of that, he seemed to have landed on a little pebble, which was digging into his behind painfully. He reached under himself to toss it away when, in feeling it, he discovered there was a definite shape to it – either that or the rock had been weathered strangely. He pulled it out and was surprised to see it was a key… a black one. He decided to keep it since it might come in handy later. Then at last he got to his feet and joined the others, who were already looking around the place they had come out to.

It turned out they were in the ruins of an ancient city, likely in the city square given how vast the space was. The air was moist and there was a steady echo of dripping water that played out a lonely symphony in the distance. Beneath a thick layer of dust and grit, they got glimpses of a pattern of tiles that may or may not have been a Koopa. A few columns reached in vain for the cavern ceiling high above while many of them had already collapsed on the ground in defeat. Cracked flagstone streets meandered confusedly between dilapidated stone buildings – only a few of which could proudly display their roofs intact. And behind the intrepid adventurers was an enormous palace with high arched windows, elaborate molding, and reliefs of figures with dignified expressions as though there was nothing nobler than to be weathered away by time.

Goombella trembled with excitement. Her voice came out breathlessly, "We're here! We're actually here in the fabled city beneath Rogueport! Omigosh, where do I even begin? The stories this place could tell us!"

Professor Frankly shook his head. "Please, Goombella, focus! We're looking for the Crystal Stars so we can rescue Princess Peach, remember?"

"Oh, yeah, right." She laughed sheepishly. "Got a little carried away."

"Quite all right," said the professor as he pulled out the map again. He studied it for a moment and then said, "All right. Follow me and stay close."

He led them across the square and down the steps leading to the flagstone paths. As they began to pass the fallen homes, Matthew thought he saw the glitter of eyes peeking out of the windows, which would vanish in a blur of shadow a moment later.

"There are a few characters that make their home here," Professor Frankly explained as though he had somehow sensed what Matthew was wondering. "Some are outlaws looking to make themselves scarce until the heat comes off of them, but not all. There is also a mysterious and rather strange family that lives here. They're known as the Merlons and they're rumored to be proficient in the art of portents."

"There are people living down here?" Goombella exclaimed in surprise. She sounded indignant. "Well, I hope they're respecting the history that's here! The knowledge that could be lost by some careless squatter who has no right being here! So help me, if I see that they've spray-painted the walls here, I'm going to bonk them so hard…!"

Interestingly, the glittering eyes vanished from the windows after that.

The path Professor Frankly took them on sloped downward between buildings. It was occasionally intermitted by steps that took them down each terrace. Then he veered to the right where they began to pass below bridges. Then they turned and followed the path directly beneath a bridge, which then took them through vault-like chambers. Matthew felt uneasy traveling through these. They were dark and dank – the sort of places where dead people would be resting.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" he asked the professor.

"'Course I'm sure!" the professor snapped. "You think I can't read maps? Least of all magical ones?"

"He knows what he's doing," said Goombella confidently. "He's been doing this sort of stuff for years and years! Whatsamatter? You scared of the dark? Funny, I kinda figured you were too old for that. There's nothing to be scared of; nothing's been living down here for a long time."

But it wasn't too long before they discovered how wrong she was. They were crossing yet another vault-like chamber when Professor Frankly, who was studying the map as he led the way, smashed his face into a black sarcophagus.

"Gallopin' Gulpins!" he cursed as he picked himself up and shook his head. He straightened his glasses and picked up the map again (Matthew didn't see how he did this). Then he squinted at the box he had run into.

On closer inspection, it looked more like a trunk made of solid metal. It appeared to have been constructed for durability with all the bands and rivets it sported. A tiny keyhole served as final evidence to this conjecture. Professor Frankly paced around it, humming quizzically to himself.

Goombella bounced impatiently. "What is it, Professor?"

He came to a stop in front of it and peered into the keyhole. After a minute or two, he stepped back and said, "How very odd. I'd even say suspicious."

Matthew asked, "What do you mean?"

Said Professor Frankly, "It's not like any treasure chest I've ever seen before. The metal is of a type unfamiliar to me and quite sturdy. I ran into the thing, after all. This was obviously meant to keep anyone from getting into it."

Goombella hopped excitedly. "Ooh! It might be treasure! What do you think, Professor, can we open it? There's gotta be a way to get it open. Maybe a crowbar or something or…" she gasped and turned to Matthew, "your hammer! Maybe that can crack it open!"

Matthew patted the hammer on his belt and said, "I don't know. That metal looks pretty sturdy, and this is only wood."

"Which is just as well," said Professor Frankly. "I don't like the looks of this chest. It just reeks of dark and sinister things. It could very well be something undead in there."

"Oh, gross!" cried Goombella.

The professor nodded in agreement. "Right. Let's just move on, shall we?" He took a step forward.

The three of them jumped out of their skins when a voice spoke up, "Whoa, whoa, hey! Where are you going? I mean, you're not even going to give it a tiny peek?"

"Gallopin' Gulpins!" Professor Frankly gasped, his chest heaving.

Goombella was on the ground after that scare. She cried breathlessly, "Did that box just talk?"

The voice answered, "No, no, I did. I'm inside the box, and I'd like to get outside the box if you don't mind."

"How'd you get in there?" Matthew asked. His heart was still trying to jumpstart itself.

"It's a long story, and I'd be happy to tell you if you let me out. But hold on a minute, is that the voice of the hero I hear?"

There was a stunned silence for a moment. Then Goombella said incredulously, "Wait, are you talking about Matthew?"

The voice gave a gasp and then said in a voice that sounded on the verge of joyful tears, "Did you say, 'Matthew'? Oh, praise to the stars, he's come at last! The prophecy said you'd come!"

Matthew's curiosity was piqued. "The prophecy?"

Said the voice in the box:

"When evil's shadow fills the skies

Fate in the hands of the hero lies

Know ye his name give hope to you

The youth he answers to one Matthew

To him give aid, and so you'll earn

From your prison, freed, in kind return."

The three of them exchanged glances with each other. Matthew was a bit awestruck, but both Goombella and Professor Frankly had a look of skepticism on their faces.

"Surely, you were the hero spoken of to free me from this cursed tomb!" the voice continued in ecstasy. "Surely, you are the one who will find the key, black as a cutthroat's heart, and unlock this chest!"

A black key… like the one in his pocket! He thought it would come in handy later! But as he pulled it out, Professor Frankly spoke up, "I don't know. I've never heard any prophecy like that before, and, trust me, I know a considerable amount of the lore that exists about this city. I think I do remember something about black chests though what it is, I don't quite have it yet…"

"Well, we can't just leave him in there!" Matthew exclaimed, waving the key. "Who knows how long he's been in there, waiting for someone to free him!"

"Yeah," said Goombella suspiciously. She addressed the box, "Just how long have you been in there?"

"Oh, a thousand years or so," replied the voice. "And I've got serious cramps like you wouldn't believe! You gonna let me out anytime soon, oh, merciful and gallant hero?"

"Hang on." Matthew walked over to the box. "I'll have you out of there in a few moments." He inserted the key and gave it a twist.

The screech it made was horrendous – not the screech of a rusty lock but the howl of a soul being tortured excruciatingly. The three of them clapped hands over their ears – at least, Matthew did – and rolled on the ground in pain. Matthew rolled over to see the lid of the chest burst open from the force of a dark, inky geyser, which immediately filled the room. It was so dark that Matthew couldn't see anything beyond his own nose… until a pair of red eyes and a jagged mouth flashed in front of him.

"Whee hee hee hee!" it cackled in a shrill voice. "Way to go, chump! You just fell right into my trap like a Fighter Fly in a Pider's web! Whee hee hee! Now you'll pay the consequences!"

"What?! What do you mean 'consequences'?" Matthew cried. "I freed you from that box! You said you'd help me if I did!"

The face bobbed to the side indifferently. "Hey, it's not my fault you're so gullible. I mean, you honestly believed there was a prophecy saying you'd free me? Whee hee hee! Priceless! It was a pretty good one, though, wasn't it? I had a thousand years to think it up. I also thought of the punishment I'd give to the poor fool who'd free me, and guess what? You're that poor fool! And as a reward, I give you… A CURSE!"

There was a flash paired with a thunderous crack and then several more that sent spears of pain searing through his skull, sending him screaming to the ground.

"You think that's pain?" screeched the face. "Well, don't get too comfortable because it's nothing compared to the curse I just slapped on you. You like heights, chump? Well, thanks to this nifty curse, you'll get to experience it on a whole new level! For if you stand at the edge of a drop, you'll feel a compulsion to jump and you won't be able to resist!"

Matthew felt his gut twist – a precursor to the sensation he would have should he find himself next to a cliff. Already he could feel a sort of tug trying to pull him to one. He had to resist! He had to stay away!

The face cackled and continued, "And to make sure you get to enjoy it for as long as possible, you'll fall down slowly like a helpless leaf in the breeze! Whee hee hee! Enjoy your curse, you simple fool! Whee hee hee!"

There was a whoosh as the inky darkness rushed out of the chamber and then the face was gone. Matthew rolled over to see Goombella and Professor Frankly staring blankly at him. His arms were shaking.

Goombella broke the silence, "Well, yeesh! What was his problem, huh? You did something nice for the guy and he just goes and curses you! Honestly, who does that? If I ever meet that creep again I'm going to give him a good piece of my mind! Hey, you okay?"

Matthew shakily started to push himself upright. His voice came out in a whisper, "He cursed me…"

"Can't say that was entirely unexpected," said Professor Frankly, giving his glasses a polish, "seeing as this is Rogueport, a booby-trapped treasure box would be just the sort of thing you'd expect. Although, that curse is an unfortunate stroke of bad luck. A compulsion to leap off of edges? I would avoid high places if I were you."

"He cursed me!" Matthew wailed.

Goombella blurted, "Come on, Professor! Isn't there something we can do? Maybe there's a book for getting rid of curses, or some sort of lucky charm, or a badge or something!"

"Nothing, I'm afraid," he said, putting his glasses back on. Then he looked up as though he just spotted something. "Hmmm…" he murmured ponderously. "Actually, now that I think on it, there may be someone who can help you… you remember that Merlon family I mentioned? If we can find them, then maybe they can tell us how to reverse your curse."

The three of them jumped when they heard a voice, "Yes. Just as we knew you would seek us, the family of Merlon, we also knew you would need their help." Then Matthew let out a strangled gasp when a figure emerged from the shadow of the archway.