Chapter 8

"So... You mean that you used to live in the Mushroom Kingdom as well? King Portabel... That was over 200 years ago! How... how old are you? What was my ancestor like?" Peach leaned forward to take a closer look at Demwi. He looked... old, gray hair and beard... almost colorless gray eyes... Yet, there wasn't anything that would've implied he'd even been over one hundred years old. While the princess had heard the tale of the origin of the castle from her father, there was never any mention of paintings that lead to other worlds. Demwi chuckled softly at her question, walking over to the table where she sat and pouring some soup into her bowl. A warm, familiar smell filled Peach's nostrils. Tomato soup... Something she hadn't experienced the entire time she'd been here.

"You know... I'm not quite sure, your highness. I've… simply waited here. This place doesn't really have a night and day, perhaps because of that… time simply doesn't follow the same course as outside." Demwi reasoned to himself while pouring his own bowl of soup. Sitting down in the chair that he had set his warn out coat on, he looked at the young woman across the table from him. What was likely once beautiful flowing blonde hair had been reduced to a matted mass wrapped around her body, possibly as a result of her not bathing since she'd gotten here. Princess Toadstool looked nothing like what he'd call a princess, though the torn gown he'd seen her in seemed to remind him.

"Demwi. You said that you sent Petila back out with instructions; they were for keeping the creature out of our world, weren't they?" Peach took a warm spoonful as she finished her question, inviting the familiar flavor to run down her throat slowly. The old man nodded in response. "Then… how did you manage to seal this place away?" Demwi looked uncomfortable for a moment as Peach finished the question, his hand shaking slightly as he reached for the table's edge.

"I...I told her to destroy all of the paintings that were made using the special paint... As a secondary measure... Power Stars… The instructions to ensure that the gateway was closed hinged on their use. You know what the Power Stars are, don't you princess?" Peach shook her head, stirring her spoon through the thick orange cream-like soup. She remembered that the Power Stars were mentioned quite a few times within the last few hours.. Bowser had claimed to be after them for sure, but what exactly were they? "No?" A smile came over the old man's face as he let out a light chuckle. "Power Stars are physical manifestations of pure cosmic energy. We've seen them in space all the time, but it would be an extremely rare event for one to fall within reach. Prior to my work on the properties of Warp Pipes I'd worked on trying to find ways to utilize Power Stars... However my work came to a standstill when I found out that even though my theories might have been correct, there were no Power Stars to be found within the Mushroom Kingdom. At least none that we knew about at the time." Professor Demwi stood up to take both of their empty bowls back into the sink.

"No Power Stars? But... then how did you have them used to seal this place away?" Peach followed Demwi towards the sink as she spoke, standing behind the old man as he began washing the Bowls. "And how is there water or wood here?!" There were inconsistencies everywhere. It didn't seem that there were trees growing anywhere nearby, nor that there was plumbing for water pipes.

"This place isn't like the world we came from. Princess, you have to understand. I've found that what one expects, or more likely what one desires can manifest here. To an extent. For instance, this cabin formed because I wanted safety and food." Demwi interrupted Peach's attempt to interject. "I know what you want to ask, 'why doesn't it let you out?'… Well I think it may have to do with either the place not wanting to let us out, or… Or it could be because we don't really want to leave… Or a combination of both, but trying to bring logic here may get you killed." Demwi's expression had fallen; a grim look was given to Peach as he steadily walked towards one of the chairs in the living room. Peach hadn't forgotten, what had happened last time she'd been in the cabin. The clawing and tearing at the walls… It made it a bit difficult to follow Demwi. "... Don't worry, it doesn't know we're in here now. It's perfectly safe." The old man's words were hardly a comfort. "Fine, suit yourself. Yes... well, the Power Stars... well..."

The next set of journals weren't written in the same handwriting as the previous ones. Elnar found that while earlier entries were written in a large, printed hand... These entries were written by someone with much finer handwriting, a lighter touch that made it harder to decipher due to the ravages of time. Were these written by the Petrila Greenhorne mentioned by Professor Demwi?

"... After almost a month within that world, I've managed to return to the safety of the Mushroom Kingdom. Managing to find a way to exit was a miracle, considering the losses we endured. The expedition was a complete failure I am the only survivor, Professor Relkir Demwi was unable to follow me out and the rest of the team was unfortunately lost during the expedition. Per the professor's instruction I will attempt to destroy the remaining paintings.

The reason being… The professor and I fear that upon awakening... Whatever is inside that monstrous world could affect the castle through the remaining paintings. I fear it may even be able to use the warp pipes to enter our world. Were that to happen... I do not even wish to think how it could pervert our world. I've spoken with King Portabel on the subject, informing him of the fate of the expedition. --- Petrila Greenhorne, Artist. Year 27 Day 045"

Destroy the paintings? Obviously they hadn't destroyed all of them if their frames hung inside the castle as he read this. Elnar turned through several more ruined pages before finding another legible entry.

"What was inside that world… It isn't worth the risk to use these gates to reach Power Stars. How are we to go about destroying the paintings? King Portabel doesn't quite believe what had happened to the others, but he has allowed me to attempt to get rid of them. …"

"...Five of the horrid paintings have been destroyed. Unfortunately simply tearing them is not enough, as they simply absorb sharp objects within themselves. The destruction of the first gate created, the undersea cavern that was made from water has been impossible. Attempting to remove the underground cavern painting caused it to fall onto the floor, spilling into a well-like pit. King Portabel ordered the remains sealed off below the castle to prevent entry. I am beginning to fear that destruction of all of these paintings is going to be impossible... But what can we do? I have to try, it's what Professor Demwi would have wanted. --- Petrila Greenhorne, Artist. Year 28 Day 231."

"...Less than 17 paintings remain, though the remainder have proven to be... indestructible. Crushing and burning the remains of my paintings of the clouds has only caused the fireplace we threw it in to begin radiating the same energy of warp pipes... In fact, I'm afraid that energy from the destroyed paintings is only building up in at least three places in the castle. There may be a solution though, something that Demwi had mentioned to me once before that we could use to turn the remaining paintings into seals. Power Stars. True... Cosmic energy doesn't occur normally inside the Mushroom Kingdom, but Professor Demwi said it's common in space... We've gathered one hundred and twenty from our prior explorations inside the paintings could be used to create a permanent barrier utilizing the remaining paintings. We will begin placing the stars we have within the paintings tomorrow. Petrila Greenhorne, Artist. Year 33, Day 024"

The Power Stars allowed the paintings to become seals? Then... What would happen if the Power Stars were removed by Bowser and the Koopa Troopa? Elnar felt a chill down his back as he thought on it, there wasn't even anything that he could do... All he could hope for is that Mario would make it in time.

"...At least seventy of the Power Stars are in place, but I've been wondering... Is there really no way for me to rescue Professor Demwi? I... I don't know if he's dead... though after all these years King Portabel believes it to be far too late to attempt a rescue. Demwi... I know you told me to not even think about looking back when I went through the portal... but since we can't destroy it. Maybe... Maybe you can come back somehow? Utilizing a master star the king even managed to seal the black gateway. We've buried it far outside the castle walls, where no one would be able to accidentally use it. The only way anyone could enter the paintings now would be if they managed to force the king to enter, and with the military might of the Mushroom Kingdom... I doubt that.

I...I simply haven't been able to paint since then. Ever since that world between the walls took you... took the team... I simply haven't been able to bring myself to pick up the brush. The dreams... They come every day now. Dreams about what we saw in that world. The screaming, the violet sky... Stench of death everywhere. I just hope that if you're alive somewhere out there.... I just hope that you haven't forgotten me. We will be finished with the sealing within a month, and then King Toadstool intends to lock up all of the portraits beneath the castle so that they may never be used again. I… I just wish that Demwi could return. --- Petrila Greenhorne, Artist. Year 36 Day 210"

Peach wasn't sure how to feel, she didn't know that the beautiful paintings she had hung throughout her castle were in fact so dangerous. Either way, according to what Demwi had told her... They were supposed to be harmless unless the initial seal was broken... by her being thrown in here.

"Obviously... The destruction of the paintings didn't work... and apparently neither did the attempt to keep them sealed permentantly. Princess, this Bowser... Do you think he could have know what was in here? What he was unleashing upon the Mushroom Kingdom?" Demwi leaned forward, it was the first time Peach had heard him ask her a question that he seemed to really be interested in.

"I… don't know, but I doubt it. The words he spoke before throwing me in here by my hair were 'this place will keep you a fresh bride'... something like that." Peach gave her best impression of the Shelled King's voice, a voice that sounded like his throat was covered by sand paper.

"In that case... I believe he may have simply heard a myth about the castles' paintings containing Power Stars... Whatever the case, I fear that what he has done will endanger the lives of everyone. If this... this creature escapes from this place... I do not know what properties it will have in the Mushroom Kingdom, but it may be able to warp the entire kingdom to become as horrid as this place. A dead husk full of nothing but death and misery." Demwi's voice had grown quiet and flat as he finished, Peach feeling an empty feeling inside her as she imagined her beautiful kingdom becoming as destructive... as vile. Despair. She felt despair building inside her as she realized how powerless she was to stop it.

"Is there anything we can do? I've lost Meyril... Fernil and the others… many of the toads inside the castle... but... I don't want to lose the kingdom. If that happens, everyone will… I… I can't simply wait for Mario to rescue me." Even as she felt a warm fire burn inside her, the pain from her still healing legs and hands reminded her of where she was. Demwi faced her, his hands clenching into the handles of the chair he sat in.

"There's no exit. This place isn't a straight line, Princess. I've explored as much as I could and all I've found is the mountain of soot-black snow and the desert-bog. Besides the cavern to connect them... I've afraid the only other thing there is here is the Obsidian Ocean... I've heard voices sometimes from within, there may be more than just the creature out there. Even… Even if I got out… She's not waiting for me anymore." Demwi didn't even budge while speaking, hand slowly rising until stopping against his forehead as his eyes seemed to lose focus. His eyes looked burnt, as if tears would pour at any moment.

"You said that this place operates, at least somewhat on will..." Peach stood up from the chair she had been resting against. "I'm not going to simply wait here until I lose more friends, more of my people. I'm Princess Peach Toadstool. Soon I will even be a Queen, the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom. My inability to take action cost me my castle... and cost many of my people their lives." Peach flung the door open, biting her lip as she ran outside through the consuming black falling snow.

A cliff, sheer and falling to a black mass down below. Like waves breaking against a cliff, black liquid was fingering its way up. She could hear it already, raspy breathing just beyond her sight as the creature moved closer... surrounding her. Peach wasn't going to be afraid this time, not after what happened to the other toads.

"I don't know what else to do, but... I've nothing to lose. You'll not have me as well! Then the ocean will take me!" Her feet left the ledge as she dived. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Peach could've sworn she heard something in the back of her mind screaming for her not to do it as felt herself plunge within the Obsidian Ocean. "Meyril... I'm sorry I wasn't able to save you."